Films I’m falling over myself to see
Posted by katiesol in Self indulgence, film on March 3rd, 2010
I’m on a cinema diet. It’s budget-imposed and is particularly difficult as it has come at a time when there’s a ridiculous number of films I’d love to see.
A Single Man - partly because it gives me hope that one day, when I’m wealthy and successful for something else entirely, I’ll be able to turn around and say, “Yeah, now I’m going to make a film” and for it not to be a horrible, horrible failure. Partly because it’ll be so stylish it’ll make me feel as though I’m stylish just for going to see it. Partly because I want to see Colin Firth do something that’s worth seeing. But mainly because I love Julianne Moore, who I’ve loved since Benny and Joon. Who am I kidding, I love everyone in Benny and Joon.
Crazy Heart - It stars Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal. What’s not to love? Also, I’m a sucker for a good washed-up-musician-based story.
Exit Through the Gift Shop - I’m a bit over Banksy but I’m intrigued by his foray into film making. I have no real clue what the film is about, whether it’ll make sense or if it’d be worth my hard earned cash to see it at the cinema. But if nothing else, I have a feeling it would make me laugh.
Precious - I know it will make me weep like a child and I think that’s why I want to see it. I’d also like to see what Mariah Carey’s got to offer - don’t you just love it when pop star divas agree to ugly-down for a role? “Look how serious I am, I’m pretending to be unattractive for god’s sake!”
Shutter Island - The trailer for Shutter Island did the rounds a good few months ago, back when it was slated for release before Christmas ‘09. When I saw the trailer on the big screen, it looked like such a dark and gripping period film that I’ve been waiting impatiently for its release ever since. Finally - FINALLY - it’s out on March 12th. I also think Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the best actors of his generation. If you want to dispute that, I’ll point you in the direction of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? thank you very much.
Un prophète - I haven’t heard much about Un prophète, but what I have heard has been accolade after accolade from people whose film-based opinions I have actual respect for.
The Princess and the Frog - just to see how Disney did.
Like tea, only better
Posted by katiesol in Beautiful things on February 8th, 2010
Cosy knits for your tea - tea + knitting = The Best. Sure, you could pay $15 for this, but I reckon it’d be pretty easy to knit yourself.
Hanger tea - because teaspoons are for losers and those stupid strings always end up in the cup
Typewriter teapot - God, yes. I just love that this exists. Of course, I couldn’t buy it until I had a room full of curios otherwise the other kitchen implements would bully it (I think I watched Sword In The Stone one too many times whilst growing up).
Pretty little milk jug - this doesn’t go with anything I own either, but I still want it devilish bad.
[via What if Wes Anderson ‘rebooted’ Spiderman?
So somebody somewhere woke up to the fact that Tobey Maguire is awful and the entire Spiderman franchise has been ruined by his sloppy face and rubbish acting. In the absence of a time machine to go back and wipe the whole unfortunate incident out, they’re just giving it another go by ‘rebooting’ the franchise. So far so yawn, right?
Someone else somewhere else (aka Jeff Loveness) dared to dream of a world where Wes Anderson turns his considerable skill at making the same brilliant film with the same brilliant actors over and over again to the web-happy superhero and this video was the happy result:
via slashfilm
Maths is scary but pretty pictures are all right
Posted by katiesol in Beautiful things on February 4th, 2010
Serious maths is about as comprehensible to me as the appeal of golf and why it’s so difficult to run an underground train network that works. But I do enjoy looking at these peaceful photography-based graphs and ignoring the complex brain-straining equations alongside them.
Good one, Nikki Graziano via Wired.com
Secret photos of famous people
Posted by katiesol in Beautiful things, From around the web, film on February 4th, 2010
There are 125 rare, unlikely and occasionally brilliant photos of the crazy-famous here. Here are five that make me feel like it’s ok just to be a normal person.
Marilyn Monroe and JFK share a moment - I feel so sad for Marilyn Monroe every time I think about their doomed affair. Just goes to show that you can have everything and nothing all at once.
George Clooney - Let’s file this one under ‘there’s hope for us all’.
Johnny Depp and his niece at the beach - Johnny Depp has the most amazing hands I’ve ever seen. Also, gutted to be his niece and it not be acceptable to fancy him.
Francis Ford Coppola showing Akira Kurosawa his new Polaroid - what’s not to love about this photo? They’re these two wildly successful filmmakers but here they just look like your embarrassing dad showing his new camera off to his weird old Japanese friend.
The Star Wars cast - they don’t look anything like you expect them to. Apart from the swoon-worthy Harrison Ford, of course. Carrie Fisher looks ridiculously short! She’s 5′1″ apparently. Carrie: I feel your pain. But half an inch more of it. Damn you.
Pure unadulterated grade-A awesomeness
Posted by katiesol in Beautiful things, From around the web on February 4th, 2010
Unborn children of mine take note: this is what your future holds.
I’d rather have the Lego version, to be honest.
Waterfall sink - like an infinity pool in your kitchen. Yes please.
As good a motto as any.
Finally, a use for all those old boring books I buy from library sales because they look nice but actually they’re rubbish. Happy day.
I just adore this AT-AT Walker inspired lamp, even though it’s completely ridiculous that the light lives in a drawer.
Getting excited about books: The Unnamed
Posted by katiesol in Books, Self indulgence on January 24th, 2010
I’m really irritatingly fussy about books. I have a really specific taste which I’ve never managed to verbalise properly, and can’t help but imagine all kinds of pretentions and arrogances in most novels which probably aren’t even there.
There are just two authors whose books I’ve enjoyed sufficiently to feverishly scan the shelves just in case they have a new novel out whenever I’m in a book shop. One is Glen David Gold, whose first novel Carter Beats The Devil was everything I’d never realised I wanted in a book. The other is Joshua Ferris, author of Then We Came To The End which was so perfectly pitched, so brilliantly written, so wonderfully amusing and so desperately appropriate that it instantly became my favourite novel.
So I’m falling over myself with excitement and counting down the days until February 25th, the day that his follow-up, The Unnamed, is out in paperback. I can’t imagine anything harder than penning a follow-up to a successful debut (well, apart from writing a successful debut) but I have faith.
Here’s the synopsis from Penguin’s website:
Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, ageing with the grace of a matinée idol. He loves his work. He loves his family. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out on all of it. He cannot stop walking. And, as his body propels him relentlessly forward, deep into the unfamiliar outer reaches of the city, he begins to realise he is moving further and further from his old self, seemingly unable to turn back and retrieve what he has lost.
In his extraordinary novel Joshua Ferris delineates with great tenderness and a rare and inimitable wit the devastating story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is torn away without explanation or warning. The Unnamed is no less than a shimmering reflection of our times, of the lives we aspire to and the terrifying realisation of what is beyond our control.
Can’t. Wait.
Exit through the gift shop
Hey, Banksy made a film! Called Exit Through the Gift Shop, he describes it as “the story of how one man set out to film the unfilmable - and failed… It’s a film about a man who tried to make a film about me. Everything in it is true, especially the bits where we all lie.” So now you know.
The 85 minute long film is debuting at Sundance tomorrow, and will be out in cinemas in Spring.
I’m intrigued. Check out the website for literally no further information.
Great finds from around the internet
Posted by katiesol in Beautiful things, From around the web, When I win the lottery... on January 23rd, 2010
Just a few of the brilliant things I’ve come across lately. Needless to say, I want them all.
Origami tea bags - Beautiful origami green berry tea bags by Natalia Ponomareva. Just a concept for now.
BookBook - A MacBook cover that looks like an old book from TwelveSouth. Lush, but it’ll set you back $80.
Amazing chairs - it’s not always easy to get excited about chairs, but these are exceptionally beautiful with their Rob Ryan style cutout fairytale design. By Kranen/Grille, via DesignBoom.
I’m Here - a short film by Spike Jonze that debuted at Sundance this week. It’s a robot romance, somewhere between Wall-E, Where The Wild Things Are and 500 Days of Summer with a typically dreamy aesthetic and inspiring soundtrack.