Sights and Sounds of Harvest

Vintage Munro

My introductory book to the world of Alice Munro, and I love it very much. It is a short collection of her greatest works. The Canadian writer is an expert in short stories, exploring human complexities in an effortless and unique style. Though the story isn't very long, it gives you a lot to think about, to read between the lines. I'd definitely read more of her work.

• "The Moons of Jupiter" 
• "The Progress of Love" 
• "Differently" 
• "Carried Away" 
• "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage"

Harvest Time (Is The Best Time)

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I'm rich. I'm an aristocrat. I live in my solitary kingdom with books and music. But I can already see myself, in ten years time, I'll become a middle class. Money will enslave me.

Absolute Classics - IV

Artist: Prefab Sprout

Album: Jordon: The Comeback

Label: Kitchenware Records

Release Date: 1990
Genre: Pop

之前看過 CD 內頁的介紹，人家形容他們就像是個異類團體。雖然都是八零年代的團體，他們的樣子和做的音樂和同期的樂團比起來，都顯得格格不入。比起勇於嘗試實驗的新浪潮團體，他們看起來就像是乖乖牌。比起主流流行樂，他們寫的歌又太聰明，太奇怪了（特別是他們的用字）。而也是因為這樣，即使他們的音樂在芭樂，也不曾讓他們得到他們應得的成就。

我是個對朗朗上口歌曲沒有抗體，卻對有商業成就相當有偏見的人（注一），所以感覺好像天生我就應該聽 Prefab Sprout 的歌。他們的專輯一直都有相當不錯的水平，每張專輯幾乎都有不少我很愛的歌。但選這張，因為他有 19 首歌，曲風多變，內容相當豐富，編曲相當的棒。還有這張或許不是最佳入門的專輯，要入門的話，最好還是聽他們的精選集。我還記得第一次聽他們的精選集，我不敢相信整整 16 首歌，居然沒有一首我不愛的！Crazy!

注一：其實也不是真的不喜歡受歡迎的東西，只是我覺得越受歡迎的東西，他本身膚淺的本質越重。也不是說我是個多有深度的人，只是我希望我的膚淺能在我自己知道並能接受的範圍之內。

Drive

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writers: Hossein Amini (screenplay), James Sallis (book)
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 7/10

Somehow, I don't like this film as much as I'd like. It looks good, sounds terrific. There are few problems, like casting, and the story. Casting two goodie-goodie looking actors to lead this downright violent film is a mistake, even though their performance is great. The story is well paced, but doesn't really capture my attention. The film noir plot is nothing new, it doesn't shock anybody, so I guess they should explore more on the emotions of each character, I feel they didn't go deep enough. But maybe, this film is more about a feeling, rather than a story, in that case, this film has done it well. Also, the film has a nostalgic feeling to it. I like that.

Skinemax - Smash TV

Skinemax is Koyaanisqatsi for a generation raised on late night television and B-movie VHS tapes. It's long form entertainment for short attention spans. An hour long VJ odyssey, it will move your body and warp your mind. A nostalgic look back at a half remembered childhood growing up in the 80s and early 90s, Skinemax takes a close look at the culture of that era. The images that motivated, delighted, and terrified us on the silver screen, set to propulsive modern music that pines for a simpler time.

Moneyball

Director: Bennett Miller
Writers: Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, and Michael Lewis (Novel)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jonah Hill
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 6.5/10

I like it. Great casting, and good performance from the three lead actors. Somehow I feel these roles don't have full capacity for showing their true talents. Also, I think because of the genre, there are limitations of how great a film can be, it's a good sports film nevertheless. I particularly love the scenes with her daughter, it's the most touching part. Maybe because I'm not that fond of baseball, so I don't have too much sentiments for this film. Besides, sports are all about the money, and the so-called "glory", but still the glory is built on money. Just look at NBA, there are no games to play, where's the fucking glory?

 ps. Brad Pitt looks so much like Robert Redford!!

Contagion

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Scott Z. Burns
Stars: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Jennifer Ehle, Elliott Gould and Jude Law
Cinematographer: Steven Soderbergh
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 8/10

When you see the all-star cast like this one all featured together in a sci-fi movie, you just know that this movie is up to something special, and it is. Normally, I have no interest in this kind of disaster film. The reason is simply they are all too superficial and unrealistic. I don't know about other people, but for me, they are usually bad.

This movie is about the spread of a deadly disease, a new epidemic disease, like SARS or H1N1. The complex scenario takes place in many parts of the world, and influences many people, government, WHO, scientists, victims, and media. But, when I was in the cinema, I was thinking of how seldom I see films which are concerned about contemporary issues. Then I think again, that's because there aren't many good films about contemporary issues. Most of them are just pure fantasy, or purely bad. It is indeed very refreshing to see a film like this. All the performance are top-notch. During the scene when Matt Damon looking at the digital camera, with the U2 song playing in the background, it just breaks my heart...

In a few words, this is a strong emotional drama with realistic enough scenario to carry you along the thrilling experience.

The Ice Storm

Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Rick Moody (novel), James Schamus
Stars: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, and Elijah Wood
Year: 1997
IMDB

My Rating: 8.5/10

Oh wow, this is a really nice film that I hardly hear anyone talking about it, and these young actors are actually movie superstars now. It's a dark comedy about dysfunctional families, parents having affairs, kids explore each other bodies... modern families are best described here: "that a family is like your own personal anti-matter. Your family is the void you emerge from, and the place you return to when you die. And that's the paradox - the closer you're drawn back in, the deeper into the void you go."

This film also reminds me a lot of Rabbit, John Updike's novels, and Jonathan Frazen's novels. People in your family are just... people who happen to be in your family, everyone is so disconnected, doing their own things, pursuing their own goals, fucking up their own lives. Maybe I'd read this book by Rick Moody too, for it seems to have literary qualities. Surprisingly, Ang Lee directed this film exceptionally well, with comedy subtly fitted in where it needs to be and bitterness slowly building up towards the end. It's a great film with a wonderful cast and a intriguing script.

ps. because of this film, now I understand what is "Swinging Party"... If being afraid is a crime we hang side by side at the swingin' party down the line...

August Strindberg

I'm reading August Strindberg's plays, just finished The Father.
Now, I know where Ingmar Bergman's strongly emotional dramas come from.
The on-going battle between sexes, the stories of the alienated modern man, desperate and alone in a forsaken universe will never cease to be out of my interest. "A man never knows anything, he only believes."

This Side of Paradise

My gosh, it's unbelievable how Fitzgerald wrote this book at the age of 22 (wrote during 1919, published in 1920). At such young age, he exhibited his wide knowledge of literature, poems, philosophy, politics and romance. He was capable of deep understanding of emotions as well as self-criticism. Yes, he is a young egotistic and a romantic, but he is also aware what his weakness are. Although the writing style is kind of messy (blending all different kind of styles of writing...), it shows how ambitious and serious he is about writing (if he failed, he will never get Zelda back...). This is his début as a novelist, and it shows prominence, as he later established himself as a master in writing with The Great Gatsby.

I really like Fitzgerald's writing. The first half of the novel is that not appealing to me. There were times when I felt like putting down the book. Luckily I didn't, because the second half was well worth it. He is really talented at depicting a particular sense of feeling, when he pins them down in words, the feeling becomes a reality. So often while I was reading the book, I know just exactly how he felt and what he thought, yet it's not exactly my personal experience, and somehow I can really reflect these feelings. "I know myself, and that is all---"

A Conversation With Myself

I'm so utterly lazy, to do anything. I can not even be bothered to write down my thoughts. When I am actually typing in front of the computer screen, I'm squeezing my brain for words to come out. It ain't right. I know my thoughts can be interesting, maybe even worth reading, but I chose to let them flew by. Nobody ever knows what goes on in my brain. It's a grave for creativity. Well, I just think I am patient. I can wait till the day that my thoughts are clear and my motives require actions. I think it'd be easier then. For all I know, imagination is my greatest advantage beyond life and my greatest enemy in life. There are still plenty of things to learn, from life and from books. You know, I think we're living in the age of greatest despair and anxiety, it's a mystery why we have not killed ourself. The earth is baking. The place is getting crowded. People are getting dumber. The gap between is getting wider. The information is numbing us. Perhaps the world we're in right now has too much distractions to keep us from questioning the way we live, we have too many answers for everything. But do we? It feels rather strange to be alive in this day and age, but I gotta admit it is interesting to observe this phenomena. At the same time, you could just pick up a book and travel back to "the golden age" (i'm reading F. Scott Fitzgerald at the moment), or any time in past. We have so many options. It is really up to you, to lead your own life or follow others. I guess, we can all be thankful to this proposition, right?

Absolute Classics - III

Artist: The Replacements

Album: Tim

Label: Sire Records

Release Date: 1985
Genre: Punk, Alternative Rock

是該寫 The Replacements 了。自從幾年前認識了他們，他們直接晉升我最愛的團體之一，如果不是第一名的話。為什麼？原因很多，他們寫的歌既熱血，又流行，而且還朗朗上口。還有他們的態度，有點無賴，有點智障，不按照牌理出牌，非常搖滾，很多真情，但也很多無所謂。如果看這篇的你還沒有聽過他們的音樂，你可能很難想像這些形容詞能湊在一塊，但他們就是這樣。特別是在這張專輯，你可以聽到他們的許多面貌。雖然很多樂評都選上一張，Let It Be 作為他們的經典之選，但這張專輯飽滿的品質絕對不輸 Let It Be ，就個人而言，我可是愛著這張專輯裡的每。一。首。歌。

歌曲裡含括了內容也有很多不同的主題，有年輕不安的心，有青少年渴望接吻的情節，有對著空姐靠腰的歌，有對於內心脆弱的剖白，有對於女人虛榮的批判和自嘲，有出社會後卻格格不入的沮喪心情。這些歌曲都是主唱 Paul Westerberg 寫的，用一個赤子之心，描述著走在社會邊緣，對這社會充滿不爽的人的真情歌曲。或許這就是為什麼我這麼愛著 The Replacements ，雖然身穿上搖滾的外衣，但其實內心我們都還是一樣的幼稚，長不大。而重點是，從他們的行為舉止表現出來的，他們真的是這樣的一群人。因此讓我覺得我要更喜歡他們。音樂的商業性，多少音樂人用這樣的主題來吸引樂迷，好讓他們走上金字塔的頂端。而 The Replacements 呢？他們從來就不曾上去過，也完全沒有意願。