You're my favourite disaster

I watched Sea of Love today and really enjoyed it. It seemed to me a bit more of a rom-com than the thriller the trailer would lead you to believe, but it was great either way, and Pacino and Ellen Barkin make a really good couple :)

But more from now than from The Godfather 1 kind of time. I think I will get this cheap box set i’ve found. I’m really annoyed because my laptop has broken and this computer doesn’t have sound so I’m stuck with the DVD’s I have and i’m Pacino-less.

I watched a film called Insomnia this morning, it’s very good, one of Christopher Nolan’s quite early ones (later than memento). It doesn’t have mind-bending twists, like most of his films, but it’s very atmospheric, and good. And Al Pacino is amazing in it.

Don’t expect another Borat. I can be a bit of a prude sometimes, but I loved Borat, it was funny, brave, provocative and clever. I didn’t see Bruno. The Dictator, which i saw today, was disappointing.

I think maybe it was the lack of Documentary/Mockumentary style. Without it, The Dictator just spends lots of it’s thankfully short running time being very crude, but with no pay-off. However staged, or not staged, seeing real people react to Borat was hilarious. Here, Sacha Baron Cohen basically reprises the main characteristics of the role; sexist, racist, rape-obsessed etc. but the written reactions, and other jokes are just run-of-the mill, and boring.

There were funny moments, and I think the fact the Baron Cohen is just so likeable makes up for the lack of originality in The Dictator. He’s a great actor. I just hope his next project is very different.

Being a bit of a cinephile, I spend quite a lot of time looking through IMDB and sometimes their list section. And come to think of it, a lot of lists. I like lists. And you always get lists like this, of people’s top favourite films:

Lawrence Of Arabia — (1962) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Seven Samurai — (1954) ————————————————————-
———————————————————————————————————
The Godfather — (1972) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Godfather Part II — (1974) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Casablanca — (1942) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Citizen Kane — (1941) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying — (1964) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Inception — (2010) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
The Good The Bad And The Ugly — (1966) —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————The Shawshank Redemption — (1994)

Really? See how perfectly composed this list is, mainly classics, a foreign film, a nod to the current, with generic “Look, it’s a clever blockbuster” Inception.

This list maker then goes on to say this:

In My Modern Movie Section On My List There Are Some Movies Which Are The Type I Talked About Above. Which Are Listed Not Because I Truly Loved Them But Because There Were Moments, Or There Was Nothing Better To Add

Taken out of context it doesn’t really make sense but what they’re saying, and say throughout this infuriating discourse, is that there aren’t any good films generally speaking, from the 80’s onward. Which, obviously is crap. If you think there are no good films any more, you’re obviously looking in the wrong places.

It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while- great films vs. favourite films. Yes, Citizen Kane was a pioneering movie, with some amazing moments and ingeniously produced, but could it really be someone’s favourite film? I guess for some people it is, different strokes for different folks and all, but for me a favourite film has to have some kind of warmth.

You could take Casablanca too, admittedly i’ve not seen it for a while, but I remember being distinctly underwhelmed. There are the classic lines, and the romance, and the sweeping storytelling, but all of these are better portrayed in another Ingrid Bergman starring film, Notorious. Bogie is better in all of his films with Lauren Bacall.

Also, a list without any guilty pleasures, or films no-one has heard of? I don’t trust it.

Properly good, reality tv; not mean spirited, not existing to make fun of people. Talented people, being judged by talented people. A new format (well, for Britain anyway).

I’M SO EXCITED!

Anyone remember Fame Academy? This reminds me of that. Oh I hope this lasts longer though! I want it to be next Saturday already!

My order of choosing would be Tom-Will-Jessie-Danny btw, but they all rock.

I love it :)

x

I always hate the new people and then end up liking them, so I’m going to actually wait and see ( but I did love Amy…), but purely lookswise, make this new girl ginger and they’ve definitely got a type, haven’t they!?

As part of the regain the cost of my tuition fees project at uni (the other day they had a free book and cd at the Student Union, which I duly took), I’ve just applied for free tickets to see Alan Parker - film director of such famous films as Fame, Bugsy Malone, Evita etc., but most importantly the amazing film The Life of David Gale, which is amazing, and even if you just, vaguely like Kevin Spacey you should really see. So that should be good.

He’s not directed a film since David Gale actually, which is interesting. I hope someone comes with me, but it’s definately something that has to be done, even if I have to sit on my own.

In other news, I started watching Firefly today. At first I was a bit “Hmmm…”, there was a bit too many characters, but within about half an hour (of the 1.5 season pilot) I was hooked. Love me some Nathan Fillion, apart from being gorgeous I think he’s really interesting and charismatic. I hope it ends ‘right’. You can never tell with TV shows that get cancelled too soon if they’re going to conclude everything; if they knew they were ending. So I’m a bit weary. But enjoying it.

Basically I’m trying to distract myself from this presentation tomorrow; I’m well scared!

But to sum up

• I’m back.
• I have an eyelash in my eye but it won’t come up.
• I’ve nearly read all three Hunger Games books in one week.
• I have a presentation on Thursday I’m scared about.
• I love Uni all the same, and everyone’s lovely.
• I’m becoming addicted to New Girl.

Good.

x

It was a - wow I’m so lucky to be able to study something I really love- type one. So that’s good. I’m glad to be back .

I hope you see this because silly tumblr won’t let me reply.

I think you should watch the Seventh Seal again, and I’ll have to watch M again and then we can compare notes. Ok? OK

melisrabbit:

Hold me close and hold me fast The magic spell you cast This is la vie en rose When you kiss me heaven sighs And though I close my eyes I see la vie en rose When you press me to your heart I'm in a world apart A world where roses bloom And when you speak Angels sing from above Everyday words seems To turn into love song Give your heart and soul to me And life will always be la vie en rose

(Source: melisrabbitlomo)