Regret

Thirteen Conversations About One Thing

2012-01-26T06:59:00.002+10:00

Director: Jill Sprecher
Writers: Karen Sprecher, Jill Sprecher
Stars: Alan Arkin, John Turturro, Clea DuVall and Matthew McConaughey
Year: 2001
IMDB

My Rating: 8/10

What's the one thing that revolves around 13 conversations? Life.

The movie talks about happiness, but I don't think happiness is the one thing that they talk about. It's life itself as the subject. The movie is great because it talks about reality and actually shows you what reality is like, and how you approach reality according to your own belief. Everyone is struggling to get through life. But how do you get through it? What is the point to get through it? To get what you want? To be what you wish to be? What is it? What makes you you? There are a lot of great quotes from this movie about life. Here's one of it,

it's perverse, isn't it? people spend years developing their minds and educating themselves, but in the end, they just want to shut them off.

Apart from the subject matter, there are decent performances from decent actors, including Matthew McConaughey. Recommended.

Just to add, I'm on my lowest ebb at the moment. I think I have identity crisis. I don't know who I am, or who I want to be. I also have quarter-life crisis, I feel lost, scared, lonely and confused about what lies ahead of me. I have no will to grow up, to be someone, to make something. I don't know who my friend is, I don't know who would listen to my problems, and help me solve them. Probably no one would, they are my problems. The problem is me. I know, but what can I do? I'm lost and lonely without a single hope to drag me out of my misery. I'm just shit scared about my future, I don't understand anything, anyone, anymore.

XXX

2012-01-24T08:58:00.001+10:00


The Detroit Tiger...

On my way home from Gothenburg, I listened to the entirety of Danny Brown's XXX (And it's free). Man, it's such a great album! Some of the lines he spit made me wanna laugh out loud, but I couldn't because of other people on the bus. Its extreme obsceneness becomes extremely laughable. The album as a whole is fucking great... it's got his fun side and his dark side. I don't claim to know that much about Hip-Hop, but this is the real shit.

Lianne La Havas

2012-01-19T19:30:00.000+10:00

No Room For Doubt

Forget (Shlohmo Remix)

Le genou de Claire

2012-01-19T18:51:00.001+10:00

Director/Writer: Eric Rohmer
Stars: Jean-Claude Brialy, Aurora Cornu and Béatrice Romand
Year: 1970 (France)
IMDB

My Rating: 7/10

This movie is a long conversation about friendship, love and desire. It's pretty much just conversations, not much going on, you could say that it's Rohmer's realistic approach. But the characters often explicitly speak of their thoughts and emotions, which seems quite unrealistic in the realistic films. I guess you could call that Rohmer's cinematic language. I don't particularly like his style, but this film is good, beautiful and worth seeing.

Sentimental Education

2012-01-16T16:04:00.000+10:00

For me, this book isn't really on my list of things that make life worthwhile living, but it's surely a great book. I enjoy it very much, the unbearable sorrow of love makes me want to feel what it's like to be in love. To be despised and to despise myself. Isn't love a kind of self-loathing?

記錄人生

2012-01-15T17:37:00.001+10:00

從台北飛到倫敦，要飛十四個小時．通常坐飛機都會超頭痛難過的我，這次帶了鎮定劑．上飛機喝了紅酒，服了鎮定劑後，開始看電影「賽德克巴萊」的第一部。看著看著就得到了我想要的效果－睡著。說是台灣第一部史詩電影，但看起來真的挺沒感的。睡了五六個小時後起來，精神果然有好一點，飛機上如果一直昏睡，真的是件很痛苦的事。但如果真的有睡，精神上真的有差．起來吃完晚餐後，沒興趣再看賽德克巴萊．就開始看起了紀錄片，一連看了兩部。

第一部叫「他們在島嶼寫作-逍遙遊」。這個島嶼寫作系列是介紹並記錄在台灣的一些知名大師級的作家。這部逍遙遊就是余光中的紀錄片。老實說，我中文書讀得不多，對台灣文學更是陌生．但余光中的大名還是有聽過的。但是他寫的東西和我印象中的文學不太一樣，他的詩沒有太多累贅的修飾詞，大多聽來都淺而易懂，但又有很深的含意。另外，他也讀許多外國的詩人作品（濟慈），也聽六零年代的搖滾樂（披頭四，巴伯狄倫）。下次回台灣，應該會去買一些他的詩集來看。

第二部是「乘著光影旅行：李屏賓的攝影人生」．當時選這部片是因為在介紹看到花樣年華攝影師，所以就開始看．看了才知道，原來他就是默默躲在攝影機後，拍下我喜歡的許多電影。侯孝賢，王家衛，姜文等導演都和他合作過許多作品．原來就是他．戀戀風塵裡的火車穿越隧道時那一亮一黑交錯的畫面．在太陽照常升起最後面那段火車到太陽升起的畫面．原來這些畫面都是經過這位影像詩人下的電影奇蹟．這部紀錄片想當的棒，討論了李屏賓從出道，與侯導合作，攝影理念，到家庭生活，工作生活，都做了簡單且必要的介紹．雖然他也拍了一些不怎麼樣的片，但那些電影通常都是你會說：電影不好看，可是畫面很漂亮（恩，就是你，不能說的秘密，挪威的森林）。我很喜歡這部紀錄片，跟李屏賓這個人，一個平凡中的不平凡，一個不平凡中的平凡。

他是個很熱愛工作，熱愛家人的人．特別是當他說到在沙漠的那一天：“那天在沙漠裡拍片，結束之後，發現手機顯示有二十幾通未接電話，心裡一整個慌了—該不會是母親過世了吧？如果不是，又有誰會打這麼多通電話呢？手機的畫面顯示的都是代號，沒有姓名，不知道是誰打來，勉強的讓自己冷靜下來，發現有通簡訊，朋友聽到了得獎（國家文藝獎章）的消息，打電話/簡訊來祝賀。那時國家文藝獎章教我的事，我最在意的事不是成就，而是家人的安危“。你可以感覺得出來，他其實是一個夾在工作與家庭中間的人。我猜，當攝影師讓他長期在外跑來跑去，是個逃避面對家庭的種種負擔的方式，同時並能讓他做他想做的事。很多電影人也是這樣，柏格曼就是個很好的例子。他把自己奉獻給戲劇和電影，因為就算有很多家也容不下他的心。我不認識李屏賓，但這只是我的推斷。如果你有機會創造美麗的事物讓有共鳴的人分享，家庭和婚姻的瑣碎細節怎麼能這些機會相比呢？不然，為什麼不多待在家呢？

The Rum Diary

2012-01-15T16:10:00.000+10:00

Director: Bruce Robinson
Writers: Bruce Robinson (screenplay), Hunter S. Thompson (novel)
Stars: Johnny Depp, Giovanni Ribisi, Aaron Eckhart and Amber Heard
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 5/10

God, what a disappointment!

When I first heard that they were gonna make a movie of this novel, with Bruce Robinson as director, and Johnny Depp as the lead, I was really hopeful that it'd be a great film. Why? It's the Bruce Robinson who directed How to Get Ahead in Advertising and Withnail & I, it's the Johnny Depp who starred in another Gonzo's movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a perfect combination of madness. Although The Rum Diary novel isn't as drugged and stoned as Fear and Loathing, the story is a very good one. It's hilarious, romantic, deep, horrifying, and devastating. When I was reading, I enjoy reading every line, he has a very simple but effective writing style. The book makes you wish you were in Puerto Rico in the 1950s with Kemp, enjoying what seemed like the last paradise on earth.

Then, you watch this film, it's got the basic story structure, but completely lost the vibe the book has. Like taking the fake drug, though looks the same, but no effect. Why bother?

Hej

2012-01-11T13:34:00.000+10:00

Going there tomorrow, and I don't know exactly what I'm feeling. But, I'm not too terribly worried about not knowing how I'm feeling. As long as I know, I'm going somewhere I wanna be, it's good, good enough for me. Now, I'll start daydreaming about my life in Sweden until the time I get there.

Minimalism

2012-01-03T00:50:00.001+10:00

new year, new laptop, new desktop display, and a new life ahead...

獨立時代

2012-01-01T00:04:00.001+10:00

導演／編劇：楊德昌
演員：陳湘琪, 倪淑君, 王維明, 鄧安寧, 金燕玲
攝影：黃岳泰, 張展
年份：1994 (中華民國)

評分：8/10

看這部片感觸很多，一言難道盡這部片對我想法上的激發．
基本上，我覺得楊導對於台灣人的觀察相當仔細，描繪的相當真實．
等我哪天把論語再讀過一遍，再來看這部片一遍．

還有為什麼中影不出這片的 DVD ? 我好想買下來收藏，卻買也買不到．
我覺得這部片甚至比恐怖分子還好看...

楊德昌：關於《獨立時代》

2011 Music List (No Particular Order)

2011-12-28T15:37:00.000+10:00

Top 10
Destroyer :: Kaputt
Shabazz Palaces :: Black Up
Bon Iver :: Bon Iver
St. Vincent :: Strange Mercy
Jenny Hval :: Viscera
The Weeknd :: House of Balloons
Korallreven :: An Album By Korallreven
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat :: Everything’s Getting Older
James Blake :: James Blake
Shlohmo :: Bad Vibes

From Top 11 to 30
Kurt Vile :: Smoke Ring for My Halo
Clams Casino :: Instrumental Mixtape
PJ Harvey :: Let England Shake
Drake :: Take Care
War on Drugs :: Slave Ambient
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks :: Mirror Traffic
Main Attrakionz :: 808s & Dark Grapes II
Young Galaxy :: Shapeshifting
Kate Bush :: 50 Words for Snow
Tom Waits :: Bad As Me
The Embassy :: Life in Trenches
Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx :: We’re New Here
Jay-Z and Kanye West :: Watch the Throne
Burial :: Street Halo EP
Jamie Woon :: Mirrorwriting
M83 :: Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
Alex Turner :: Submarine EP
Lykke Li :: Wounded Rhymes
Frank Ocean :: Nostalgia, Ultra
Low :: C'mon

Honorable Mentions
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart :: Belong
Theophilus London :: Lovers Holiday EP
The Radio Dept. :: Passive Aggresive
J Mascis :: Several Shades of Why
The Weeknd :: Thursday
Twin Sister :: In Heaven
Julianna Barwick :: The Magic Place
Feist :: Metals
Wild Beasts :: Smother
Grimes/d’EON :: Darkbloom EP
The Joy Formidable :: The Big Roar
Girls :: Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Jens Lekman :: An Argument With Myself EP
The Horrors :: Skying
Danny Brown :: XXX
The Drums :: Portmento
Modeselektor :: Monkeytown
The Raveonettes :: Raven in the Grave
Thurston Moore :: Demolished Thoughts
R.E.M. :: Collapse Into Now
Memory Tapes :: Player Piano
Grouper :: A I A
Acid House Kings :: Music Sounds Better With You
The Decemberists :: The King Is Dead
The Roots :: Undun
Thundercat :: The Golden Age of Apocalypse
Emmy The Great :: Virtue
Wugazi :: 13 Chambers
TV On The Radio :: Nine Types of Light
Det Vackra Livet :: Det Vackra Livet
Sleep ∞ Over :: Forever
Cass McCombs :: Humor Risk
Pallers :: The Sea of Memories
Elbow :: Build a Rocket Boys!
Youth Lagoon :: The Year of Hibernation

$9.99

2011-12-22T16:02:00.000+10:00

Director: Tatia Rosenthal
Writers: Etgar Keret (screenplay), Etgar Keret (short stories)
Stars: Geoffrey Rush, Josef Ber, Roy Billing and Tom Budge
Year: 2008 (Australia)
IMDB

My Rating: 7/10

I think this is a really nice little movie.
I'm always interested in these big questions, like what is the meaning of life?

My Back Pages

2011-12-18T12:55:00.002+10:00

導演：山下敦弘
原作：川本三郎
編劇：向井康介
主演：妻夫木聰，松山研一，長塚圭史
年份： 2011 (日本)
IMDB
評分： 8/10

一昧的懷舊時在不是辦法。這世界從來就沒有變過。
不管活在哪個年代，我還是一樣的我，你還是一樣的你。
茉莉花，華爾街，火燒倫敦。
我不能認同少數人用權力或是金錢壓榨多數人，也不能認同多數人盲從反抗的意識。
需要更好的解決方式，但這世界從來就沒有變過。

這部電影真的說穿了很多我對革命的想法。
都只是個遊戲罷了。
不過，謝謝你們帶我去看，不然我可能都不會知道有這部片....

Tacking

2011-12-17T12:01:00.002+10:00

"Only what we dream is what we truly are, because all the rest, having been realized, belong to the world and to everyone. If I were to realize a dream, I'd be jealous, for it would have betrayed me by allowing itself to be realized. I've achieved everything I wanted, says the feeble man, and it's a lie; the truth is that he prophetically dreamed all that life achieved through him. We achieved nothing. Life hurls us like a stone, and we sail through the air saying, 'look at me move.'"

FERNANDO PESSOA - "The Book of Disquiet"

Sights and Sounds of Harvest

2011-11-25T15:06:00.001+10:00

Terrible Love
(the lights are pretty cool, even in black and white... last song of the set)

Warm Mountain
(part of the epic opening... filmed this by sitting on the fence, not comfortable)

Yoshimi
(the touching story about the girl named yoshimi...)

Road
(first song of encore, this song gives me chills... the other song i recorded was a stripped-down version of wandering star. honestly, their live show is some of the illest i've seen. trip-hop, i've seen all three of them. after seeing portishead, i realised how irrelevant genre is to music. music is music, that's all there is to it...)

Vintage Munro

2011-11-25T09:12:00.001+10:00

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)

2011-11-21T10:44:00.001+10:00

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I feel so lazy to write about this festival, but I have to. If I wait another week or month, I'm afraid my memories won't do it justice. That being said, I don't think any piece of writing could do music justice. Still, I'm writing, to simply record my scrap pieces of memory.

Though I loath festivals, I'd definitely come to Harvest festival again. I love its convenient location (inner city), simple design (one-day event) and its impeccable taste (headlining with Portishead, Flaming Lips, and The National!). But this is most likely to be the final festival event that I'd attend in Australia, because I'm leaving the country fairly soon.

So, I started off with The Walkmen. I have only got into them quite recently. I don't even know half of the songs they played live... so, I won't talk too much about it. What I'll say is... they're like The National. You have to love their songs to like their live performance. More often than not, people love their songs more than their live shows. That's just how it is. I do reckon they have pretty good songs. It's just that I have not got into them earlier, more intimately, which is a shame considering that I have the privilege to see them live.

Next up is The Family Stone, yes, Sly and The Family Stone's Family Stone. Again, I'm not too familiar with them. My shallow taste hasn't explore the funk/soul aspect of rock music. But, when I hear them live, I feel like grooving, feel like dancing to the music. A perfect example of "when it hits you, feel no pain." The badass bassline, funky drumbeats, and the groovy horn section can really take you higher!

Followed by TV On The Radio, kicked off with Halfway Home from the last album, which I think it's good opening track, it comes out strong and still have a sense of building up. Perhaps, I was quite close to the stage, their sound felt all mesh together (even Tunde's voice), like a sonic nucleus, emitting high power of soundwaves/noisewaves. Of course, I don't mean it in a bad way, this is what TVOTR should sound like. Their setlist is not so much to my like... there are a lot of good songs missed out. But it's a festival gig, you can't have everything. Also, I'm glad I finally saw them, even with a disappointing new album. With Gerard gone, who knows what'd happen to them. And the final song, Wolf Like Me, boy, that was something...

After TVOTR, I felt kind of sick. Not sure whether it's the burning sun, or the constant weed-smoking smell, I felt dizzy, and wished I have some fucking panadols. I walked over to Death In Vegas stage when they just started with You Loft My Acid. I stood there for like three songs, but it didn't help, in fact, I felt worse. Their music is fucking monstrous. For the state I was in, I was ready to be shattered by their music. I mean, they're really good at what they do... but it was all too much for me. I walked some 200m away from the stage to lie down on the grass. Their music is still louder than what I normally play in my headphone. These guys are insane. Still, better than Bright Eyes. I think I made the right choice going over to see Death In Vegas instead of seeing Bright Eyes. To be honest, I don't get Bright Eyes.

So, The National. The fact that they were the first band I saw live, I have a special connection with them. However, I realised that it's the songs I have a special connection with, not the band anymore. I know it probably sounds weird, but it's true. Like I said before with The Walkmen, people love the band because of the songs, which they have a connection with. Putting the National at the festival-scale stage is fine, I guess, more people can hear them, but the music can easily lose its emotional power and significance to the fans who actually have a special connection with these songs (maybe it's just me...). I still love The National, but I wouldn't want to see them again in a festival. I want them to mean more than what they are, I want them to sing more songs, I want them to bring back the thrills I had when I first saw them. As much as I want, the songs are what I really care about, not necessarily the band.

On the contrary, The Flaming Lips is perfect for festivals. It's a blasting spectacle, with balloons, laser rays, vaginal thing, and the hamster ball. It's all about taking drugs, getting high, having fun. It's all about partying. Which is fun, in a way, because I've never seen a band who cares so much about having fun. It is definitely worth seeing. Then again, I'm not really a festival person, no wonder Flaming Lips is just not for me. Surprisingly, they did a beautiful acoustic version of Yoshima. Well, I didn't see through the whole show, because I was more eager to hear the full set of Portishead than hearing Flaming Lips' closing.

Portishead... I have difficulties writing them. It's beyond words. This is like fifth time I started this paragraph. Fuck it, I don't wanna change it anymore. I'll just say what I feel. Beth Gibbons' singing is awe-inspiring, she can do so many different things with her voice. She can be seductive in Glory Box, she can be violent in Threads, and heart-wrenching most of the time. Before the festival, I listened Portishead quite a lot, and their music is so good, but the songs are so heart-breaking. To see them live, I might have to repeat that sentence again with x 100 times over the "good" and "heart-breaking" part. There are many moments when my eyes become moist, just to hear her sing. Their live performance is ridiculously good. You know the song, "Machine Gun"? You literally feel you are being shot by Portishead's sonic machine gun, every part of your body synchronously vibrating with the beat. The creepy visuals go along very well with their mystical nature and the music. But man, it's the music... its accuracy, its powerfulness, everything about it is fucking top-notch, fucking class. I still can't get over how good they are. Gosh! At the end of their set, Beth, who always turns her back against the crowd when she's not singing, actually jumped down the stage to hold hands with the first row people. It's a beautiful moment, not only they make awesome music, but they also care about their fans who appreciate their music.

The Walkmen
Blue As Your Blood
While I Shovel The Snow
Victory
Woe Is Me
On The Water
In The New Year
Juveniles
The Rat
All Hands and the Cook

TVOTR
Halfway Home
Wrong Way
Caffeinated Consciousness
Second Song
Golden Age
Will Do
Blues From Down Here
Young Liars
Red Dress
Staring at the Sun
Repetition
Wolf Like Me

The National
Anyone's Ghost
Mistaken For Strangers
Bloodbuzz Ohio
Slow Show
Squalor Victoria
Afraid Of Everyone
Conversation 16
Abel
Sorrow
England
Fake Empire
Mr. November
Terrible Love

Portishead
Silence
Mysterons
The Rip
Sour Times
Magic Doors
Wandering Star
Machine Gun
Over
Glory Box
Chase the Tear
Cowboys
Threads

Encore:
Roads

We Carry On

2011-11-19T11:24:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-17T09:15:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-16T13:06:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-12T12:55:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-12T00:59:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-10T00:31:00.000+10:00

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

2011-11-06T16:13:00.000+10:00

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

2011-11-04T16:51:00.000+10:00

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

2011-11-04T16:29:00.000+10:00

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

2011-11-03T02:55:00.001+10:00

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

2011-11-01T23:08:00.001+10:00

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。

Midnight in Paris

2011-10-31T23:42:00.002+10:00

Director/Writer: Woody Allen
Stars: Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates
Year: 2011
IMDB

My Rating: 7/10

As an admirer of Woody Allen's works, I feel a little unsatisfied and disappointed with this movie. Taking about pseudo-intellectuals, this is a perfect movie for pseudo-intellectuals. Just name-check all the great writers, painters, artists... put a picturesque montage of Paris in front, then there you have a highly artistic and intellectually stimulating movie. Well, I don't buy it. I wonder how these great writers would feel if they knew that after 90 years, they were going to be acted out in a fantasy, time-travelling movie. And, the movie is not that funny...

Good things now, yes, the picturesque montage reminds me of Manhattan, how Woody Allen used to be blabbing about how great the city is. Owen Wilson is great, being the neurotic stand-in for Woody Allen. Marion Cotillard is simply stunning, it's crazy how so many French actresses are so pretty and talented. About Paris, I... personally don't have any feelings toward it yet.

'Upside Down' - The Creation Records Story

2011-10-26T15:39:00.000+10:00

For me, I've already known most of the story. It's good to see these people reflecting the glory days, though I could only understand half of what they are saying. It's a must-see documentary for those who love creation records artists. I feel... the documentary is a bit too short, I wish to see more footages of them, riot live gig, crazy backstage, people stoned with E, or whatever drugs they were taking. Well... too bad you don't really get to see much new. Nonetheless, the ending message is good, "you see, it's a fallacy. our dreams are so huge, enormous and vast, we can never fully meet them. The rule really is to be grateful for everything." indeed.

Absolute Classics - II

2011-10-26T15:15:00.001+10:00

Artist: Television Personalities

Album: ...And Don't the Kids Just Love It

Label: Rough Trade

Release Date: 1980
Genre: Post-Punk, Alternative Rock

Television Personalities (TVP) 的歌跟主唱 Dan Treacy 的命運一樣，玩世不恭，卻充滿了悲傷。而他們對於上一輩的樂團甚至影響其大（現在很少聽到提及 TVP 的樂團，除了MGMT，還寫了一首歌送 Dan Treacy）。根據 Creation Records 老闆 Alan McGee，如果沒有 Television Personalities，就不會有 Creation Records。而如果沒有 Creation Records ，又哪來的瞪鞋樂？

TVP的音樂製作相當的粗糙，寫的歌曲也保有了天真的一面；就像畫筆在小孩手中，自由隨意的在畫紙上遊走。比起九零年代的低傳真風潮，他們早在十年前就在玩這樣的音樂了。曲風上融合了一些迷幻，龐克和流行的精神，做出了既不龐克也不流行的音樂。而這就是他們的特色。他們的音樂是直覺性的，或許沒有很悅耳，但他們做音樂是為了發洩，為了表達他們的想法，不一定是為了讓人喜歡。這不就是搖滾的精神嗎？這是他們的第一張專輯，還保有些龐克的精神，雖然也有不少慢歌。但是後來的他們寫的歌就比較 indie pop，特別是 Sarah records/C86 的風格了。關於 TVP 還有很多可以講，像是他們的現場表演，Dan Treacy 的毒品問題。不過，就先在這打住，聽歌吧！