Weeky Round-Up, July 25-30th

- I saw This Must Be the Place. I really really loved it, despite my (perhaps former) hatred of Sean Penn.
- Pak 'n' Save have a special on chickpeas. I bought eight cans.
- I guess Hamilton isn't so bad if you go to the right places.
- Tax refunds are a fucking lifesaver.
- I forgot how much I love On Avery Island by Neutral Milk Hotel. Better than In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, in my opinion.
- This Ain't California is a very good film. I just got home from seeing it, I really do enjoy seeing films about eras and places I previously knew nothing about. And it made skateboarding look fucking cool.
- I really enjoyed Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain but I think I actually like the movie ending better. Also I am having a hard time deciding whether there was a sexist subtext there or not. On the one hand, it was an interesting study of mother-daughter relationships and the plight of a solo mother during the Depression/post-Depression era, none of which had really been done before, but on the other hand Veda constantly says things like, "I learned it all from you, like mother like daughter" whenever she does something heartless and cruel. And indeed, at the end Veda turns EVERYTHING around on Mildred and Mildred ends up with nothing but what she started with. All her hard work is deemed almost meaningless because of her "weakness" - her daughter. So I have a hard time figuring out whether Cain is sympathising with Mildred or is actually on Veda's side. Or perhaps he is just a man calling women weak. I guess I'll have to do some more research on it. It's just that in the film, Mildred was definitely a sympathetic character. In the book, she's kind of a puppet that all the other characters' ideas filter through. And in effect, they all screw her over. Anyway, regardless of all this, I am looking forward to reading Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. Although it may be a while till I've finished Possession by A.S Byatt, which is also very good so far.

Things Everyone Should Know Part II.

- Michael Cunningham is an amazing author. See: The Hours, Specimen Days, and By Nightfall. I cannot stop reading his work. Fuck it's good. I need more writers like this in my life.
- I own a copy of Iggy & the Stooges' cover of the Batman theme. On vinyl.
I just learned this today, in fact. It's been sitting in my collection for ages and I only played it in its entirety today. Pretty fucking happy about that discovery. It also has Iggy's filthy version of Louie Louie and You Really Got Me.
- Bernie is a great film. My favourite so far this year.
- Vegemite is horrid. I don't know why I bothered to try it. Nothing can replace Marmite.
- Chairs Missing might be a better album than Pink Flag. I still haven't decided for sure yet.
- Blogging from an iPhone is challenging. The posts never look how I want them to look.
- Liquorice tea is delicious.
- It is really difficult to keep daffodils alive.
- I am terrible at making couscous and I don't know why. It is important that people know this so they will stop telling me to make couscous when I complain about being hungry and poor and vegan.

International Film Festival 2012

So far:

Moonrise Kingdom
4 stars. Very cute and sweet and funny. Would definitely watch again, will probably buy on DVD.

The Cabin in the Woods
4 stars. Fucking great satire, bloody hilarious, genuinely horrific. Might watch again but probably wouldn't buy.

Le Tableau
3 stars. French animated film. Very sweet, kid friendly. Beautifully made.

Bernie
5 stars. Bloody brilliant. SO utterly hilarious. I loved it. New appreciation of Jack Black. So good. He was perfect in this film. Will definitely be watching again.

Others I will be seeing:

This Must Be the Place
Room 237

Films I was jonesing to see that sold out:

Neil Young: Journeys
Searching for the Sugar Man
The Angels' Share
Blackmail (with live orchestra)

endless, nameless