Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Anna Bolena
I had checked the Movies at Dundrum listings but could not find anything about the Met HD transmissions. As Opera Ireland had ceased to exist, I could not find any information and had given up on it. Until Lucinda mentioned that she had heard that this season of Met opera would be shown at the Screen in town, as well as the cinema in Dun Laoghaire. With only a week to spare before the first performance, I didn't think I'd manage to get tickets, but I was lucky and even got a seat for the first show of the season, Anna Bolena.
The heavy rain that started almost the moment I left the house didn't stop me. I had an umbrella and good shoes. After purchasing a bottle of water and a pack of jelly babies, my favourite opera nibble, and making my way down Grafton Street, I was all set..
I didn't know Anna Netrebko, but, according to the gentleman sitting next to me - and he was quite the opera buff, so I'd say he was right - she was the main reason the show was sold out! Beautiful stage presence, dramatic acting and a clear, powerful, delicate, voice. I was not familiar with Donizetti's operas- after Anna Bolena, I will certainly be tempted to try out more.
I felt the stage design on the bare side, with some strange choices - I didn't like the tree trunks coming down from the sky to set an outdoors scene; the red bed didn't work - I would have felt it more appropriate for the scene between Henry VIII and Jane Seymour; and what were those Irish Wolfhounds doing on stage?
That said, the stark set and dark lighting conveyed a strong sense of oppression and impending doom, so I can't knock it.
The costumes were beautiful. The costume designer based her work on paintings and drawings from the period by Hans Holbein - from the simple linen undershirts with embroidery around the collar, to the way each outfit was actually held together (for instance, some of the sleeves were just tied to the bodice rather than sewn), most of them in blacks and browns. The only fancy outfit was Henry's golden Court coat. And it was interesting to see Anne Boleyn shedding her jewelry as her star wanes in Court.
The acting was good, if a bit dramatic - but I think that's expected in such a tragic bel canto opera. The only singer whom I felt was too restrained in his acting was Stephen Costello, who sang Lord Percy. An Irish American according to my knowledgeable neighbour! I felt the character's passion wasn't showing through, amidst all the drama. That said, he was a beautiful tenor. And considering how young he is, I think he has plenty of scope for developping his acting skills.
Good interview with Anna Netrebko, who comes across very friendly and witty, not a diva at all, and Stephen Costello & the director of the Metropolitan Opera here.
PS: It's a real shame that the Opera Ireland bi-annual live opera productions no longer exist. Apparently, they closed down to make way for a new Irish National Opera Company that was going to be set up in 2011. But I have just found out that it has collapsed, even before reaching its first production.So, we're left with no live opera season in Dublin this year.
The heavy rain that started almost the moment I left the house didn't stop me. I had an umbrella and good shoes. After purchasing a bottle of water and a pack of jelly babies, my favourite opera nibble, and making my way down Grafton Street, I was all set..
I didn't know Anna Netrebko, but, according to the gentleman sitting next to me - and he was quite the opera buff, so I'd say he was right - she was the main reason the show was sold out! Beautiful stage presence, dramatic acting and a clear, powerful, delicate, voice. I was not familiar with Donizetti's operas- after Anna Bolena, I will certainly be tempted to try out more.I felt the stage design on the bare side, with some strange choices - I didn't like the tree trunks coming down from the sky to set an outdoors scene; the red bed didn't work - I would have felt it more appropriate for the scene between Henry VIII and Jane Seymour; and what were those Irish Wolfhounds doing on stage?
That said, the stark set and dark lighting conveyed a strong sense of oppression and impending doom, so I can't knock it.
The acting was good, if a bit dramatic - but I think that's expected in such a tragic bel canto opera. The only singer whom I felt was too restrained in his acting was Stephen Costello, who sang Lord Percy. An Irish American according to my knowledgeable neighbour! I felt the character's passion wasn't showing through, amidst all the drama. That said, he was a beautiful tenor. And considering how young he is, I think he has plenty of scope for developping his acting skills.
Good interview with Anna Netrebko, who comes across very friendly and witty, not a diva at all, and Stephen Costello & the director of the Metropolitan Opera here.
PS: It's a real shame that the Opera Ireland bi-annual live opera productions no longer exist. Apparently, they closed down to make way for a new Irish National Opera Company that was going to be set up in 2011. But I have just found out that it has collapsed, even before reaching its first production.So, we're left with no live opera season in Dublin this year.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Marlay Park
Beautiful day today. It's hard to believe we're past mid-October. Temperatures are getting a bit cooler, around 12-14, but with the sun shining, it was warmer than some days in August this year. We went for a walk to Marlay Park, along with half the population of South Dublin - Thankfully we got there around 10:30 and found parking easily. It was a different story by the time we were leaving, though. Cars were abandoned on footpaths and on the grass, and the traffic was at a standstill outside.
Still plenty of leaves on trees - very different from our estate where the leaves have been turning for well over a month.
Still plenty of leaves on trees - very different from our estate where the leaves have been turning for well over a month.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Educating Essex
Long winter nights are the perfect time to catch up with what's on the telly. We're still watching Big Brother (Channel 5 don't broadcast to Ireland, unfortunately, so we're watching it via some YouTube links - Many thanks to the young person who's taken on this daily task), we're nearly done with MasterChef Ireland (don't click if you don't want to know who won), and there's always a Come Dine with Me or two showing on a channel somewhere.
We're looking forward to the next season of Mad Men and also to the start of Pan Am (coming to our screens next week, I believe).
In the meantime, we're being entertained and educated by a program we're watching on Channel 4's 4oD - Educating Essex. Cameras have been set up around a secondary school in the UK and are providing a fly-on-the-wall documentary - the main themes so far have been mostly about discipline, bullying and how the school manages disruptive students.
Some may disagree, but I think the principal and vice-principal come out of it with flying colours. What strikes a chord is their patience, persistence and focus on giving their students the best possible chance of an education, in situations where others would have given up on the troubled kids a long time ago.
In one case, a student is taken into care because of issues with his mother following an acrimonious divorce. The way the story is told, it looks like the principal cares more about that student's welfare and future than his mother, to be honest.
Now, of course, we're only seeing an edited version, what the producers have decided to show us. It may not be the full story. Those things rarely are. And of course, we're seeing all the trouble students, who are probably playing up to the cameras. We're not even getting a glimpse of the ones who are working hard and have no reason to be sent to the vice-principal's office.
In the last episode we watched, there was quite a funny scene, with a long queue of boys reporting to the vice-principal, as their internet accounts had been monitored and it was found that they had been downloading games onto the school computers. Not a single girl in the queue.
All in all, the world of teenagers is very different from when I was a kid. I don't remember any cases of bullying. Sometimes, the class would get into trouble for making too much noise if a teacher was late turning up. But I don't remember any bad language or major bad behaviour - I did turn up for History a bit tipsy on the occasional Friday afternoon - we had a couple of free periods after lunch and we'd go to the pub - I was probably 16 or 17 - I'd be drunk on one beer. But that's the height of it. And it didn't affect my grades!
The school shown on the program is probably one of the better ones - that's the scary thing. It seems to be relatively middle-class. Most of the children, even the ones getting into trouble, want an education. Nothing compared to what was portrayed in "The Wire" - Inner-city Baltimore it isn't!
We're looking forward to the next season of Mad Men and also to the start of Pan Am (coming to our screens next week, I believe).
Some may disagree, but I think the principal and vice-principal come out of it with flying colours. What strikes a chord is their patience, persistence and focus on giving their students the best possible chance of an education, in situations where others would have given up on the troubled kids a long time ago.
In one case, a student is taken into care because of issues with his mother following an acrimonious divorce. The way the story is told, it looks like the principal cares more about that student's welfare and future than his mother, to be honest.
Now, of course, we're only seeing an edited version, what the producers have decided to show us. It may not be the full story. Those things rarely are. And of course, we're seeing all the trouble students, who are probably playing up to the cameras. We're not even getting a glimpse of the ones who are working hard and have no reason to be sent to the vice-principal's office.
In the last episode we watched, there was quite a funny scene, with a long queue of boys reporting to the vice-principal, as their internet accounts had been monitored and it was found that they had been downloading games onto the school computers. Not a single girl in the queue.
All in all, the world of teenagers is very different from when I was a kid. I don't remember any cases of bullying. Sometimes, the class would get into trouble for making too much noise if a teacher was late turning up. But I don't remember any bad language or major bad behaviour - I did turn up for History a bit tipsy on the occasional Friday afternoon - we had a couple of free periods after lunch and we'd go to the pub - I was probably 16 or 17 - I'd be drunk on one beer. But that's the height of it. And it didn't affect my grades!
The school shown on the program is probably one of the better ones - that's the scary thing. It seems to be relatively middle-class. Most of the children, even the ones getting into trouble, want an education. Nothing compared to what was portrayed in "The Wire" - Inner-city Baltimore it isn't!
Siobhan Ryan - brown dress 14 Oct. Jean Byrne on Green Tea
Jean Byrne certainly has been getting plenty of TV time lately, and we've seen most of her wardrobe displayed. My favourite I think is a black dress with three-quarter sleeves and an asymetric neckline. I heard PlayBack on the radio this morning and I thought that her portrayal on Green Tea was a bit unfair - the voice was spot-on, but she doesn't swallow every 30 seconds. Apparently, she used to do that when she was more of a novice, but that's no longer the case. She is such a professional.
Friday, October 14, 2011
The Year of Magical Thinking
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion is a book that was recommended to me a long time ago. Clearly, I didn't read the blurb on Amazon and I was expecting a work of fiction. It isn't. It's an account of death and grief.
Joan Didion's husband died suddenly of a heart attack, while their only child was in hospital fighting septic shock brought on by a flu and pneumonia. They were sitting at the dinner table - one moment he was talking, the next he wasn't.
In this book, Didion surveys the year following her husband's death, her feelings, or rather her numbness, how the slightest little thing would drag her back into the vortex, if she found herself in a place that held memories for her and her husband, and her inability to accept the fact that he's not coming back.
Being a writer, Didion is someone who takes her research seriously. She tries to find some literature that would help her understand what happened, and deal with her feelings, and she quotes plenty of learned tomes that really don't help her at all - only a book on etiquette seems to hit a chord with her. Interestingly, this book has now become the reference point for people grieving. It didn't make me cry - which I think is good - but I felt it immensely compelling.
Joan Didion's husband died suddenly of a heart attack, while their only child was in hospital fighting septic shock brought on by a flu and pneumonia. They were sitting at the dinner table - one moment he was talking, the next he wasn't.
In this book, Didion surveys the year following her husband's death, her feelings, or rather her numbness, how the slightest little thing would drag her back into the vortex, if she found herself in a place that held memories for her and her husband, and her inability to accept the fact that he's not coming back.
Being a writer, Didion is someone who takes her research seriously. She tries to find some literature that would help her understand what happened, and deal with her feelings, and she quotes plenty of learned tomes that really don't help her at all - only a book on etiquette seems to hit a chord with her. Interestingly, this book has now become the reference point for people grieving. It didn't make me cry - which I think is good - but I felt it immensely compelling.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Guardian articles
This is a facebook app, so not sure if the link will work, but let's give it a try:
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/world/2011/oct/08/amanda-knox-facial-expressions?fb_ref=U-xxacvlr5F7UM4F_oIgABm1-CFCONX02FBS-32f4gXXX&fb_source=profile_oneline
http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/world/2011/oct/08/amanda-knox-facial-expressions?fb_ref=U-xxacvlr5F7UM4F_oIgABm1-CFCONX02FBS-32f4gXXX&fb_source=profile_oneline
Cute Pictures
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1273864/Salati-leopard-Tommy-dog-snuggle-daily-game-chase.html
PS : much easier to share all these links on Facebook - most sites have a Facebook Share button, but not many have one for Blogger. So if you want to see more of these things I find on the web, search me on Facebook.
PS : much easier to share all these links on Facebook - most sites have a Facebook Share button, but not many have one for Blogger. So if you want to see more of these things I find on the web, search me on Facebook.
Major Tom
I'm a Star Trek fan, but I don't think I'll be buying this album. Good giggle listening to the samples on the iTunes store - Shatner's versions of Rocket Man and Bohemian Rhapsody are hilarious.
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/10/william-shatner-space-jams/
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/10/william-shatner-space-jams/
Saturday, October 08, 2011
Parknasilla
We were down in Kerry earlier this week. Like last year, we stayed in Parknasilla. It proved a good choice, as the weather wasn't on our side. Low cloud and fog most of the time meant that we couldn't even see the peninsula across the way.
There would have been no point in setting off on long sight-seeing journeys, so we decided to explore the extensive hotel grounds instead - lots of little coves, islands and dense woodland.
We also made use of the pool, with a swim before breakfast every day. Just as well. What a breakfast! Home-made muesli and fruit, poached eggs, grilled tomato, black pudding and nutty brown bread, pain au chocolat, and French toast. Even a soup for lunch was too much! (That didn't stop me, though!) All that followed by delicious dinners. My stomach has doubled in size in 3 days. Fantastic food in the main restaurant. Beware of Fabians, though, their pizza restaurant. We were served 2 dreadful frozen pizzas. If they were not frozen, there was something seriously wrong with them - a biscuity base, lashings of tomato sauce and shredded cheese. It really tasted industrial. The waitress was very apologetic.
Kerry is a long drive from Dublin. Four and a half hours is a long way. We went via Cork - with the motorway, you can make Cork in two and a half hour. The road isn't bad after Cork (at least, it's not as busy as Mitchellstown-Killarney), but it's a long two hours all the same. I still think there should be a motorway between Dublin and Killarney, the capital of tourism in Ireland. But nobody in the Department of Tourism seems to be pushing for this.
We got one of the newly-renovated rooms, on the top floor just above the entrance. Maybe because we were repeat customers? Gorgeous room, large and bright.
Apart from eating, swimming and walking, we didn't do much. I tried a little bit of painting and drawing on the iPad, but more doodles than proper work.
We also made use of the pool, with a swim before breakfast every day. Just as well. What a breakfast! Home-made muesli and fruit, poached eggs, grilled tomato, black pudding and nutty brown bread, pain au chocolat, and French toast. Even a soup for lunch was too much! (That didn't stop me, though!) All that followed by delicious dinners. My stomach has doubled in size in 3 days. Fantastic food in the main restaurant. Beware of Fabians, though, their pizza restaurant. We were served 2 dreadful frozen pizzas. If they were not frozen, there was something seriously wrong with them - a biscuity base, lashings of tomato sauce and shredded cheese. It really tasted industrial. The waitress was very apologetic.
Kerry is a long drive from Dublin. Four and a half hours is a long way. We went via Cork - with the motorway, you can make Cork in two and a half hour. The road isn't bad after Cork (at least, it's not as busy as Mitchellstown-Killarney), but it's a long two hours all the same. I still think there should be a motorway between Dublin and Killarney, the capital of tourism in Ireland. But nobody in the Department of Tourism seems to be pushing for this.
We got one of the newly-renovated rooms, on the top floor just above the entrance. Maybe because we were repeat customers? Gorgeous room, large and bright.Apart from eating, swimming and walking, we didn't do much. I tried a little bit of painting and drawing on the iPad, but more doodles than proper work.
Red Sky, Red Earth
Redemption Falls
Redemption Falls is a strangely interesting and engaging book by Joseph O 'Connor. It took me a while to get into it, I have to admit. I found the language in the first chapter really hard to read, full of strange expressions and fancy words. I considered giving up, but I stuck to it and it proved immensely rewarding in the end.
The thing is that it's a story told in many voices and from many perspectives. So the language changed at every chapter - that must be something really hard to do as a writer - and it became easier.
The story is set somewhere in the Wild West shortly after the American Civil War, and follows the entangled lives of the acting Governor, an Irish patriot who escaped death in Ireland, his estranged wife, and a silent little boy who's seen too many horrors in the war.
Probably the most challenging book I've read in a long time, but well worth it.
The thing is that it's a story told in many voices and from many perspectives. So the language changed at every chapter - that must be something really hard to do as a writer - and it became easier.
The story is set somewhere in the Wild West shortly after the American Civil War, and follows the entangled lives of the acting Governor, an Irish patriot who escaped death in Ireland, his estranged wife, and a silent little boy who's seen too many horrors in the war.
Probably the most challenging book I've read in a long time, but well worth it.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Indian Summer
No, I'm not talking about the 3 days of glorious weather we had last week, I'm referring to the Indian restaurant in Stillorgan that's re-opened its doors after 9 months closed following a fire next door.
We went there this evening and enjoyed their new value menu. Can't wait to try their other dishes
We went there this evening and enjoyed their new value menu. Can't wait to try their other dishes
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Separated at Birth
Brendan came up with this one the other day - uncanny resemblance, isn't it?:
Separated at Birth! Sharon Ni Bheolain and Lady Penelope (from Thunderbirds TV Series)
Separated at Birth! Sharon Ni Bheolain and Lady Penelope (from Thunderbirds TV Series)
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Red Sky, Red Earth
I'm juggling a few projects - the best way to operate if you don't want to get bogged down with a painting that's not going too well!
This one I started on Sunday, and it's the one working out best so far.
A Gloss Super Heavy Gel from Liquitex mixed with yellow and white, applied with a painting knife, provides the underlying texture. Then, just two colours, cadmium red and process cyan, mixed with Liquitex Slow Dri Blending Medium.and Liquitex Matte Medium, applied with rough fan brushes I bought in Lidl a while back, and scored with a plastic painting knife. I'm now working on adding small touches of copper oil pastel.
Next, I'm going to experiment - I would like to achieve the same effect on a bigger scale - I need a wide piece of plastic and 3 bigger fan brushes, and a lot more Liquitex medium!
Clementines - The Return
Next, I'm going to have to tackle my Japanese plate. And I'm going to have to rework the background some more. And then probably apply a gloss medium over the whole thing. Right now, the clementines, the plate and the glass are matt while everything else is glossy.
This will keep me busy.
PS: just read the information on the Liquitex slow-dri blending medium on the website, and I have found that you can use this medium, mixed half and half with water as a fixative for pastels. I must get myself an atomizer to try that out! That would be ideal for my mixed-media projects!
Milford Sound
I promised you a better picture of the Milford Sound watercolour, didn't I? Although the picture is better, that doesn't correct the flaws - I'm going to remove the foreground bushes - the pastel effect clashes with the rest of the painting. As for the Mitre and the mountain in front of it, I will need to make them a simpler texture, less fussy. I like my sky, water and mountains in the background on the right. We'll get there eventually.
Exercise
She's got a really annoying voice, but I'm going to try this walking-at-home program. I need to lose a bit of tummy fat before Christmas, and I don't really want to get up earlier to do more at the gym. I'm already finding it hard to get up these mornings, so trying to get up earlier would probably only make me want to stay in bed longer!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The big C
This summer, we watched the first season of The Big C, a new TV series with Laura Linney. She plays a standard American housewife who discovers she has skin cancer and it is terminal. She doesn't tell anybody, her husband, her son, her brother, and decides to start living life to the full. She wants a swimming pool in her garden, takes a lover, buys a fast car... She kicks her husband out, and the poor man has no idea what's going on.
It's quirky, it's funny, it's sad. I'm looking forward to Season 2
The last of the movies
These rugby matches on weekend mornings are a great opportunity for the likes of me trying to catch up on blogging.
Not too many more movies to cover, so here we go:
Watchmen: a super hero movie with a somber side. The superheroes are mostly retired, and one of them gets killed under suspicious circumstances. And these heroes have some dark secrets. Squeakly-clean they are not. Quite good, but probably not for those who have never watched a super-hero movie before.
Dodgeball: much better than I expected. Light, silly, family entertainment, plenty of laughs.
Duplicity: with Clive Owen and a too-skinny Julia Roberts. Both are spies who quit their jobs and move into the world of industrial espionage. Set in Dubai, Rome, New York and Cleveland, it's a complicated story with many jumps back and forth in time. I enjoyed it. I saw a review that said that Julia Roberts was curvier than in earlier days. Now, I don't agree with that statement. I think she looked too thin. But it just shows the pressures actresses over 40 must come under to stay in shape.
Not too many more movies to cover, so here we go:
Watchmen: a super hero movie with a somber side. The superheroes are mostly retired, and one of them gets killed under suspicious circumstances. And these heroes have some dark secrets. Squeakly-clean they are not. Quite good, but probably not for those who have never watched a super-hero movie before.
Dodgeball: much better than I expected. Light, silly, family entertainment, plenty of laughs.
Duplicity: with Clive Owen and a too-skinny Julia Roberts. Both are spies who quit their jobs and move into the world of industrial espionage. Set in Dubai, Rome, New York and Cleveland, it's a complicated story with many jumps back and forth in time. I enjoyed it. I saw a review that said that Julia Roberts was curvier than in earlier days. Now, I don't agree with that statement. I think she looked too thin. But it just shows the pressures actresses over 40 must come under to stay in shape.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Jean Byrne - white leather jacket over black lace?
Over the last few day, Jean Byrne has been wearing some of her lovely dresses - the turquoise one, and also the black one with the golden belt. Beautiful.Today was an off day, though, with a strange bell-sleeved white leather jacket over black trousers and a black lace top. Not my favourite.
Milford Sound
Here is the final product for Milford Sound (the photograph was taken in artifial light so the colours are a bit yellow. I'll try to take a better picture tomorrow). And also, a black & white version of it - always useful to check the value contrast. I had to add detail to the bushes in the foreground using pastels - the dark block of watercolour was too stark.
Acrylics and watercolours and Zazzle
It's been a few weeks since I've done anything arty at all. Just life, being busy, and other commitments. But it's amazing how hard it is to get back into it. The left side of the brain that keeps going, in its nagging little voice, saying "you can't draw, you can't paint, why waste time trying, it'll never be any good" If I was really good at art, I guess I wouldn't even hear that voice. It's a bit of a struggle.
So here are my two works in progress - a bigger version of Clementines (acrylics) and a more painterly version of Milford Sound (watercolour). Actually, I realise I never posted the original Milford Sound watercolour- I got a few paintings framed around the time I did that one and it got framed before I took a picture of it. It's now on our bedroom wall. So here it is. I had to take the photo at an angle to avoid reflections:
For Clementines, I'm hoping to achieve a more dynamic look by using oil pastels, but it's not going well right now. I'm not even getting the basic blue right, so I'll have to add another layer, and it's starting to look too worked already. I'm a bit conflicted about what I'm trying to achieve, I think that's why it's not working out: I have a notion of a more dynamic feel, but at the same time, I want to achieve a realistic representation of the scarf and bowl. I don't think you can have both. At least, I don't know how.
For Milford Sound, I'm trying to introduce more texture rather than my trademark colour-block approach. Again, something I'm not comfortable with, so it's looking contrived right now. But let's reserve judgement.
The project I enjoyed the most this weekend was to design a Doodle speaker cover - I really didn't put much thought into it (Translate: the left side of my brain didn't interfere) and it's turned out quite pretty!
So here are my two works in progress - a bigger version of Clementines (acrylics) and a more painterly version of Milford Sound (watercolour). Actually, I realise I never posted the original Milford Sound watercolour- I got a few paintings framed around the time I did that one and it got framed before I took a picture of it. It's now on our bedroom wall. So here it is. I had to take the photo at an angle to avoid reflections:
The project I enjoyed the most this weekend was to design a Doodle speaker cover - I really didn't put much thought into it (Translate: the left side of my brain didn't interfere) and it's turned out quite pretty!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
More movies
Here I am, "watching" the Irish rugby match against Australia in New Zealand on the telly with Brendan. Great opportunity to catch up on my much-neglected blog. I'm going to try and get all these old movies out of the way. Here we go:
The kids are all right. Was that the one with Diane Keaton and Annette Bening playing a gay couple with children and a few issues? All I remember is tastefully designed interiors and frantic acting by Keaton and Bening. Not much good. Actually, it's Julianne Moore, not Diane Keaton. Still not much good.
Easy A: a pleasant enough movie about a girl who pretends to be a slut to help gay friends in school from being outed. It all gets very complicated, of course, but it will end well. She is a good girl after all.
Men who stare at goats: the weirdest movie I've seen in a long time. George Clooney as one of these ex-special ops, with a most interesting skill. He can make a goat die on its feet, just by staring at it. Also with Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey. Great fun, if you're into that kind of weird humour.
Into the wild: this is based on the book by the same name, one that Véronique had recommended to me. The story of a bright young man who leaves everything behind to go and live in the wilderness of Alaska. But disaster strikes and he dies alone. The film, like the book, follows the young man's journey from a comfortable middle-class upbringing to his lonely death in the Alaskan bush, and tries to find out what went wrong. Fascinating journey into the mind of a young man.
Banksy - Exit through the gift shop: on the face of it, not the kind of movie I would have gone for. But I have to say this was a very entertaining movie. It follows a Frenchman based in California who starts to film graffiti artists around the world, and then who decides to have a go at it himself. Art imitating art.
The kids are all right. Was that the one with Diane Keaton and Annette Bening playing a gay couple with children and a few issues? All I remember is tastefully designed interiors and frantic acting by Keaton and Bening. Not much good. Actually, it's Julianne Moore, not Diane Keaton. Still not much good.
Easy A: a pleasant enough movie about a girl who pretends to be a slut to help gay friends in school from being outed. It all gets very complicated, of course, but it will end well. She is a good girl after all.
Men who stare at goats: the weirdest movie I've seen in a long time. George Clooney as one of these ex-special ops, with a most interesting skill. He can make a goat die on its feet, just by staring at it. Also with Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey. Great fun, if you're into that kind of weird humour.
Into the wild: this is based on the book by the same name, one that Véronique had recommended to me. The story of a bright young man who leaves everything behind to go and live in the wilderness of Alaska. But disaster strikes and he dies alone. The film, like the book, follows the young man's journey from a comfortable middle-class upbringing to his lonely death in the Alaskan bush, and tries to find out what went wrong. Fascinating journey into the mind of a young man.
Banksy - Exit through the gift shop: on the face of it, not the kind of movie I would have gone for. But I have to say this was a very entertaining movie. It follows a Frenchman based in California who starts to film graffiti artists around the world, and then who decides to have a go at it himself. Art imitating art.
Presidential race
Big day yesterday in the race for the top job at Áras an Uachtaráin.
David Norris has announced that he's decided to join the race again, after withdrawing a few weeks ago in the midst of controversy over his support for his boyfriend at the time, who had been in grouble with the law in Israel over sex with an underage Palestinian boy. What remains to be seen now is whether or not Norris will get enough nominations to make the ticket.
And then, trumping Norris's big announcement, Sinn Féin decided to put forward Martin McGuinness as their candidate.
A gay man or an ex-IRA chief of staff for president? Much more exciting than Gay Mitchell, Michael D Higgins, or even Dana! The next few weeks will be very entertaining!
David Norris has announced that he's decided to join the race again, after withdrawing a few weeks ago in the midst of controversy over his support for his boyfriend at the time, who had been in grouble with the law in Israel over sex with an underage Palestinian boy. What remains to be seen now is whether or not Norris will get enough nominations to make the ticket.
And then, trumping Norris's big announcement, Sinn Féin decided to put forward Martin McGuinness as their candidate.
A gay man or an ex-IRA chief of staff for president? Much more exciting than Gay Mitchell, Michael D Higgins, or even Dana! The next few weeks will be very entertaining!
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