live blog review of the darjeeling limited

basically just watching this to see more of jason schwartzmann
adrien brody looks like what i think my dad looks like
owen wilson seems like a jerk
want to go to india, mostly for the food
feel suspicious about how these three bros are wearing heavy seeming fabrics
wanna have a tryst with jason s in a train bathroom
musing about brotherly dynamics
seems chill to go on a train journey
this movie is perpetuating my feeling that americans frequently binge on prescription drugs
feels amazing to see these 3 bros in the countryside in india, like who are they irl, esp via the part where jason schwartzmann goes 'would we be friends in real life, if we weren't brothers' seems like a good question to think about
family is weird and interesting
keep expecting bill murray to turn up again, seems unlikely he was only in the first 5 mins
feel like all 3 looked better in india apart from maybe j-schwartz who looks the best of all time
not sure what adrien brody's character is going through yet, want to identify with him though
these people in the village seem beautiful and well adjusted despite that little boy dying, wonder what it would be like for that to be the way of life
why do they all have the same luggage
owen wilson's micromanaging and planning down to the minute reminds me of fraser, almost being overbearing in the most affectionate way
these men seem believably blood related
feel frustrated with this movie becuase the things i perceive to be interesting (man eating tiger, why the girl wanted to get off the train, why jack takes the ipod dock around with him, why francis has a PA, how his shoes cost $3000.) are not elaborated on
oh hello montage
being an actor seems so weird, having to do things with your body and have people tell you what to do with it
also francis seems like fraser via 'let's go get a drink and smoke a cigarette'

the last 5 times i went to the cinema

'girl with a dragon tattoo', odeon in camden town, london, uk

i went to see this because i needed to pass some time. it was the only thing on at the time and i was worried i wouldn't like it. but it was pretty good and i got to see daniel craig's bum which pleased me more than i realised it would. generally daniel craig's essence was enjoyable, also a surprise. there were a few pretty horrible rape parts in this film and a lot of rape talk. there was a satisfying conclusion and nudity and motorbikes. snow and smoking.
snacks: chocolate chip biscuits from m&s, beetroot, parsnip and sweet potato crisps from wholefoods
level of sexiness: high, multiple sex scenes - some good, a few rapey

'the artist', the cornerhouse in manchester, uk

my cousin made me see this film. it is a silent film that is currently being 'critically acclaimed' i think. it had similar music to 'citizen kane', which isn't always enjoyable for me. it was loud. i thought it was making interesting 'statements' about the film industry. i told my cousin i didn't really connect with it but have since wondered if that's because i didn't find anyone that attractive in it. but it was a pretty cheesy story. seemed like the director deliberately chose people with big mouths so their facial expressions would convey more emotion. there is a really talented dog in it too.
snacks: none
level of sexiness: pretty low ya'll

'the descendants', BAM in brooklyn, ny

my friend caroline said she cried reading both the book and seeing the film of this. and george clooney is in it. these are two good things. i got a cupcake and took myself to see this film on a sunday night so i felt like i was 'doing something' instead of just staying in. i have tried to explain the plot of this film but it's not  a very exciting plot, just a 'family drama' sort of, set in hawaii. i have been thinking that sometimes the most effective plots are not the ones with the most twists or whatever. in this case that is a true fact. the very VERY end when the credits roll.. i had a lil teary then.
snacks: pre-cinema cupcake, water
level of sexiness: um.. it's effing george clooney. though kissing or sex to speak of. but the daughter is a bit of a honey

'twilight: breaking dawn', palm beach gardens, fl

saw this with jacob's mum and her coworker. i had watched the 3 previous films in bulk over thanksgiving. i think the strongest aspect of twilight is the sense of angst and romantic torment that these films convey. bella and jacob had a lovely wedding. i confess that i have a fairly huge lady boner for young robert pattinson in spite of his eyebrows. these films are rubbish and unmemorable.. but i am totes team jacob.
snacks: none
level of sexiness: omg. edward is so hawny he smashes the whole effing bed around bella. get involved.

'drive', cinema nova, melbourne, aus

me, stacey and ziggy went to see this one afternoon in my last week in australia. the cinema was pretty full and we had to sit away from ziggy which was pretty lucky for him because we gushed about ryan gosling like the whoooole time. he is a full babe. just so manly in it.. bryan cranston is in it and he is truly a king amongst men. we sat next to a guy who was doing really amusing reactions, you know the guy. it has good music.
snacks: none
level of sexiness: dat elevator scene.. maaaan.

review of 'leap year'

or, what we learn about women and their predilection to romance via the 'rom com' genre

Leap Year (2010) stars Amy Adams as Anna, a successful and driven woman living in Boston. It's February. Her current employment is as a person who makes houses on the market look desirable for potential buyers. She says that her job is to make people aware of the 'potential' of new houses. Her boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott, from Parks and Recreation, Party Down) is a cardiovascular surgeon. She is very proud of him even though he constantly has to leave her at dinner and is fairly absent. They have a stable relationship and are applying to live in a very reputable apartment building. One night at dinner Jeremy gives her earrings instead of an engagement ring and then he has to go to a conference in Dublin. Anna remembers this old Irish tradition where women are allowed to ask men to marry them on February 29, so she hops a plane and decides to go do that. Of course things go awry and she has to get this handsome handsome man Declan (Matthew Goode, the babe who plays Colin Firth's boyfriend in A Single Man) to drive her there before the 29th.

This morning in the shower I was thinking about the themes in the movie. Anna's job, for instance, is indicative of the way she knows that things just seem okay. You can swan into an empty building, dress it up nice with various fabrics and ornaments, then take it all away again. Trinkets and other nice things are impermanent and thus unimportant. She is at pains to insist that her job has worth, the way she tells people that it's about showing the potential of a house, a life etc. This repetition becomes a farce and reveals that she does not actually believe in what she is selling people, that she knows her job is superficial.

There is a scene early on where Anna is talking to her friend about how stable and reliable her boyfriend is and how great their relationship is. She mentions something about how romantic movies have always led girls to believe that they should want something more mysterious or unusual or difficult, but she likes Jeremy and what they have and they seem to be 'on track'. But of course, after her crazy journeys with sexy Declan, she wants nothing more than adventure with a temperamental Irish man. I don't really like Amy Adams at all and maybe this is why I don't like Anna, but when I was contemplating this I realised that her character - the type who has 'always known' what she wants from life and her path - is just taking away one more man from the girls who already know that they want Declan types.

Another meaningful scene is during their road trip where Declan asks Anna what she would take if her house was on fire. Anna doesn't know. She legit can't think of a damn thing. When she is back in Boston and engaged to Jeremy, they are holding a party at their beautiful new apartment and she pulls the fire alarm. Jeremy hurries around getting laptops and phones, but Anna just stands there. At that moment when I was watching I just thought that I would be getting my laptop too, and wondered what the hell Anna wanted. But really this scene means that she is totally detached from that entire type of life and she wouldn't save anything, not even herself in that context. Also that she is rich enough to pay the fire department thousands of dollars for coming to their place without an actual fire scare.

So basically
-earrings and rings come in the same type of box
-women who appear to be satisfied with their job, their long term boyfriend and their life are actually not
-an Irish accent and a bit of stubble can make you forget that noise

the last 10 things I downloaded #2

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

I saw a poster for this album at Clifton Hill train station and knew I had to have it. Am presently listening to it, feels real good man. Not too much like their debut album. Pleasantly suits current (freezing) weather. Want to be in a log cabin with Robin Pecknold right about now.

the Black Keys discography

When I was 16 I really liked this band, but since then I haven't really listened to them. It turns out they release like 5 albums per year and have a giant back catalogue, so I figured getting their discography would be the best way to take care of that shit. Also they were live on one of the SNL episodes I downloaded recently.

SNL s36e11 - Jim Carrey

Lots of my friends are anti-SNL for some reason. I guess a lot of the sketches are 'too American', but sometimes they get that shit totally right. And Kirsten Wiig... amirite? Jim Carrey wasn't a terrible host, but he's so demanding and attention grabbing. I also felt like I'd seen half of the material he used before in the extra features of Bruce Almighty.

SNL s34e22 - Will Ferrel

Will Ferrel spent the bulk of this episode in song. This was a pretty good episode just because of the guest stars. I think this must be a thing they do for the end of every season. Tom Hanks is in this one! And Anne Hathaway playing a guitar for some reason? It's pretty good just for the weird cameos. Also I love Tom Hanks. Need to get more of that guy in my life.

30 Rock s05e22

I didn't realise that this is the final episode of the season. Was kinda a let down. After watching the whole of season five, I'm pretty on board with the general feedback I've heard going round: just not up to usual standard.

30 Rock s05e20+21

Double episode. Fuck, I hate Lemon's crappy ex-boyfriend. I guess there were some good moments in this ep. Three Jacks were pretty funny, especially the bit where the young one goes "we're all going to have sex later, right?" and they all agree. Oh those guys. If I was Jack Donaghy I would want to have sex with myself. Fortunately, as a woman, I can want that anyway. What?

The Big Chill

I was looking for old movies of relative decency a couple of weekends ago (which the rest of the list will reflect) and this one came up. The cast is pretty good, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum and Glenn Close to name but a few. It's about a bunch of old friends who reunite after another one of them commits suicide for no apparent reason. I guess I've been thinking a lot lately about what it will be like when me and my friends are at that stage of our lives (well hopefully nobody commits suicide). Apparently somehow you just end up there, with kids and houses and junk. It's worth noting that Jeff Goldblum is not the (weirdly) sexy bro that he is in Jurassic Park, he seems creepy and overly tanned. Sup with that?

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Hugh Grant, just so charmingly befuddled! Dunno, didn't think that Andie McDowell was really right for him. How was she such a 90s babe? This movie was pretty funny. Really vibed the humour. The passing of time wasn't very well handled though.. or something. But yeah, this is funny, even if you hate Hugh Grant with a passion. Particularly liked the way he and his roommate were always late to everything. Just seemed authentic, like you're in this 'serious' stage of your life, but you never really stop being a teenager/kid/young person, even though everybody is getting married around you.

Office Space

OMG this movie is so fucking legit. Can't believe it took me so long to watch it. Now I finally know what this Family Guy parody is of. Anyone else think that the guy who plays Michael Bolton looks a bit like Stacey's ex boyfriend Sam?? (though I think the actor is more nerdy/jowlsy)

Gossip Girl s04e18

Aw poor Dan. Amirite? Can I just say that Nate is a terrible friend? Is he still a stoner? Like, I really want to party with/do him, but seriously, as if you go and date your ROOMMATES VERY RECENT (read: the same week) EX!!!! Clearly smoking too much weed. I don't like the introduction of this cousin character, but I think it's safe to say that Dan won't be sad/single for long.

Try Seventeen (Australian title "All I Want")

This is a movie starring Elijah Wood and Mandy Moore from like 2005. I can't exactly remember what it is about but I remember that I watched it like three times when I hired it out from the dvd store. I have a feeling it was pensive, life affirming and uplifting because on the movie poster Elijah is riding a motorbike. You can't not be a thinker with blue eyes like Elijah's. Anyway I'm curious to see whether it 'resonates' with me as much five years later.

a movie

Ever since I saw The Social Network I have been feeling weird. I don't know whether the weirdness can be attributed to something simple like a realisation of how much time I spend on facebook. I think it's more of a realisation that it's an irreversible change to how we are now sociable. Zadie Smith wrote a very thorough article about the film and its implications (yes that's an essay word, but I frankly think I'm entitled to use it after three years of university) for our generation. After I realised that it went for over three pages I nearly gave up - my poor attention span! - but it's worth it. It made me think a few things about facebook that I've thought before, others that I haven't. She analyses the movie in a way that pleased me and has brought up welcome discussion with others.

When I went to see the movie I felt kinda odd afterwards, and not just because I had ice cream in my hair and on my hands (face fortunately free from chocolate), despondent (although that's not unusual) even. Smith's article argues that the current primary mode of communication for our generation has been dreamt up by this one guy Zuckerberg and that as a result, all our personalities are filtered through the different categories he believes define a person, eg, interests, music, books, film, quotations (just check your info page). Zadie Smith gets pretty angry about that. I don't know whether I really mind that sort of categorisation of people or even the other stuff that irks her about the site (shameless self-promotion/careful representation of appearance/all the general bullshit that we do to make ourselves appear a certain way online), I think it's just the fact that there seems to be less actual face time.

I get upset by the amount of time I have to spend on a computer and then when I get on a computer I waste time on facebook instead of actually doing the things that I have to do, which, if completed before wasting time on the 'book, would not take me that much time anyway. One of the things brought up in the article that I'm really glad about is the disturbing way that death is dealt with on facebook. Read it.

I guess I've never really been an outdoors person and the simple act of "being online" is something that lazy people such as myself can get into quite easily. I felt uneasy as the credits of The Social Network rolled and the lights came on. The place was full - there had been lines as we purchased our tickets (though the film did just open) - and everyone was buzzing talking to each other. I just knew that 75% of us were on our way to post something about it on facebook. When I left my friend, I even tried to load my own page as I was waiting for my tram. It didn't load so I played "Klondike" on my iPod instead. I wrote this really lame thing in my notebook the next day: screen to screen to ice cream to iScreen. (How dumb is Klondike? Why isn't it just called Solitaire? I felt proud of myself because I finished a few games earlier in the week and finally got into real $$, as opposed to negative money.) It's a good thing nobody watches tv anymore.

At the beginning of this post, I wanted to write something about how bizarre the whole phenomenon is with facebook, but I've been putting it off because writing about it only encourages it, it being the reliance that I (and others, I'm told) seem to have on this site. Then the other half of my brain chimes in with "it's not really that bad!". I have a tendency to argue within my mind (endlessly) and as a result things of worth seldom come out of it. The thing that I haven't heard anybody say about The Social Network (and the final thing I'm going to torture ya'll with for now) is that it's actually really funny. Best part is where Zuckerberg corrects one of the lawyers who refers to the Winklevoss twins as Winklevosses. Zuckerberg interjects: "Winklevi".

susan's fave films

Reality Bites



It's about four friends and what happens to them after uni finishes. This movie is directed by Ben Stiller. It's full of awesome nineties-ness. Basically they are worried about aids and 'the man', Ethan Hawke stands around looking hot as all hell but being completely undeserving of Winona Ryder but she gets with him anyway because he is sexy and she is relentlessly hopeless. Great film. Best part ever is where Winona consoles Janeane Garofalo about aids fear. She's all "it's like I'm the aids character on Melrose Place, like I'm just watching myself on some show.." and Winona whispers consolingly, "Melrose Place is a really good show".

The Science of Sleep



Cool film, for a variety of reasons. Michel Gondry is a pretty amazing guy. Story is that Stephan is a bit lost, he wants to be an illustrator but has to draw pictures for a crap calendar company. He moves into the flat where he grew up while his aunt who usually lives there is away. The film plays around with dream sequences and reality - you never really know what reality is. There's heaps of cool cardboard props and stop motion parts. Awesome. Also you totally see Gael Garcia Bernal NAAAAAKEDDD!!!

Into the Wild



Somebody once said to me that Into the Wild was like Twilight for thinking girls. My reason for enjoying Into the Wild is not just the fact that Emile Hirsch is a complete babe, but the fact that the film is just visually stunning. It made me want to travel across America something fierce. And of course there are some good quotes from it that I can't really remember right now. Some cool person did the music. Might be like Eddie Vedder. Is he cool?

Harold and Maude



Cat Stevens did the soundtrack for this film. There's some famous song of his in the trailer that Maude sings, she's so sweet and old. Harold constantly pretends to commit suicide to get the attention of his mum and he attends funerals, where he meets Maude. They become buds. Maude is so completely amazing, she constantly steals cars and saves plants in the street and takes them to forests and she poses for sculptors.. etc. I am going to start wearing my hair like Maude. Maybe that's how I'll waste time tomorrow.

Can't think of any more at the moment. That's probably enough though.