Where in the world did Z disappear to?

Oh I'm still here alright, just I've gotten anti EMFs and without the burden of studies there is no real reason why I need to be bonding with the computer. Okay that's just part of the reason...the other reason is I'm all socialised out in real life...I think I must just be a people magnet or something (HAHA). So yeah I'm kinda too tired to come online of late, all I like doing of late is watching documentaries, world movies, arthouse movies, and reading in bed especially since I got my nifty little MIGHTY BRIGHT reading light.

Saw a great Hitchcock last night Dial M for Murder...man these old movies are good. ALL CLASS...cos they can't rely on special effects & similar crap- they actually NEED to have compelling plotlines! There is a reason why some things stand the test of time :)

But then again, I'm a Graaaandmaaaaa...partial to the old fogey stuff ;)

Willy Wonka Lives!!!

I was so amazingly bored out of my brain today I even persisted to actually finish a Sudoku that was so hard it took me possibly an hour between commuting and eating to solve it! Meanwhile I had already decided to look up what recreational night classes I might join...I think as everybody prepares to travel without me, I feel especially restless with envy! So need to find something to get excited about as consolation :p (Sheer intensity of boredom today even motivated me to think I might dig out and start carrying DSLR around opportunistically and actually applying myself to try and take one decent photo a month once I learn how to work around it's unpredictable and temperamental nature...now my computer is back up finally and I can make spare time, no excuses...)

A seriously boring day. So I was absolutely delighted when I serendipitously managed to catch the most *amazing* food show ever...Heston's Feasts! The guy is utter GENIUS. GENIUS!!!!

I was especially chuffed cos I am such a HUGE enduring FAN of the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder...which still captures my imagination so much that I always watch it whenever it comes on never tiring of repeats...

Can you believe Heston created Lickable Wallpaper For Real? Wow....I've uncovered a new Hero...what a fantastically imaginative, innovative, awe-inspiring, eccentric, creative, wacky show! Where food meets science meets madness and genius and creativity! All the things I love most all in the one show- wow, TV has never been so good. Iron Chef is totally lame by comparison...

Can't wait for the next Episode with the theme of Fairytales- can't wait for the house from Hansel and Gretel!

Best Kids Cartoon...

PONYO! Hands down...Hayao Miyazaki's latest... SO CUTE! I especially love the song that rolls with the credits. Fun to sing along to...the Japanese are just too cute- I'm going to claim them as My peeps!!!

Back on Track

It's funny sometimes how things happen...

a couple of days ago I borrowed a DVD, but when I opened up the case...there was a completely different disc in there! Not knowing anything about it but not feeling up to doing much I thought "what the heck" I'll watch it...

It turned out to be on of the most fortunate accidents that could have happened...because the story really resonated in a profound way....So in short...

It's pushed me Back on track...Going to hit the books!!!...Until I can hear that blood and sweat dripping onto them!!! Welcome back, My Dear "Speccy Spotty" (Student) Life! :)

P.S Masses of Gratitude and Thanksgiving it's MAY today!!!! *relief*

Okay so I saw a Hollywood Blockbuster :P

Ever since I got back to this city people couldn't stop gushing about how Avatar is so good and how they had seen it more than once and want to see it again! Some people actually suggested that I'd like it. Having seen the shorts a while back, I highly doubted it...if anything those blue creatures I found scary, reminding me of that blue lady villain in X-Men.

But in any case after everybody kept going on in this fashion and the media reports said it had sunken Titanic in takings, despite my snooty arthouse inclinations ie. doubts re James Cameron films, I folded...oh yeah, I forgot a large motivation to seeing it was after finding out it was a novelty 3D experience- who would pass up the chance to wear those funky glasses? ;)

So anyway I saw it...and I was impressed. Despite it not being my usual kind of film, the forestscapes were indeed beautiful. The colours reminded me of the iridescent colourful jellyfish I so admire in the aquarium. Bar the first few minutes and perhaps the last seemingly extraneous 20minutes all in all, a good cinematic experience and definitely worth the dosh.

In any case it was definitely better than Pedro Almodovar's Los Abrazos Rotos(Broken Embraces) which I think was definitely overhyped by critics- it definitely is not one of his finest films...the vampire dialogue was a good chuckle though :)

p.s I also saw Bright Star- good film but very intense -only if you feel like going through an emotional wringer. Keats was one cool cat...what a surprise: a Scorpio! ;) Also, very visually beautiful and sensual-typical for a Jane Campion...I still prefer The Piano though(this alone with Shine would have to be right up there for my top films, period...but especially where the soundtrack is superb!)

Milk and Anna...

I'm a bit peopled out for a bit so I've gone into hermit retreat mode watching lots of films...I've seen MILK, CHANGELING and THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE. I'm hoping to catch MY SISTER'S KEEPER tomorrow only because when I was travelling my roommate couldn't stop going on about the book!

I really enjoyed MILK. And I am fascinated by Anna Wintour, featured in THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE.

I saw her dark glasses- noted how she is...and decided "I like her"...probably cos we're not dissimilar(I think if I hadn't been destined into the healing path maybe I could have gone like that)...and yes, she is a Scorpio too(dark glasses give it away LOL)...I also wouldn't be surprised if she's an INTJ...

Definitely one of the more intriguing public characters around ;)

Keep your Paws to yourself!

Unless you are South American, Italian, Spanish or French or something along those lines...if you are a complete stranger I totally do not condone you invading my personal space and laying any paws or worse on me...

I don't know if it is a personal, cultural or MBTI thing but I really do not like unfamiliar strangers invading my personal bubble.

This is exactly the reason why I have only ever been to one salsa class...and was so traumatised...never again! (That was several years ago too LOL)

In other matters...I've resolved my void of tantalizing brain candy...I dropped into the video store on my way back from the grocers and I managed to pick up a quirky aussie film "Lucky Miles"(I have a soft spot for local films especially with their typically offbeat Aussie humour ;)...I also managed to pick up two arthouse films...Anton Corbijn's "Control" about the life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis and Ingmar Bergman's classic "The Seventh Seal"....I'm really looking forward to seeing these in possibly the last week before things start to get hectic and I have no life again.

In other matters, I've been really good with the healthy diet recently...love my steamed organic veggies- Mmmmm! but I'm having a bit of a sweet craving late at night which, rather than eat chocolate I've been fending off with late night toasts - one with crunchy peanut butter and the other with nutella...

And I'm still in my Madonna Immaculate Collection phase...

And I'm going to bake a banana cake from scratch tomorrow *drool*...I was so proud of myself to resist buying the pack of chocolate chips I wanted to dump in it...

And on a random note...I'm loving HAND SANITISER! It's so handy when you get the munchies everywhere at anytime and like to fill your bag with snacks like I do...

Internet Detox

I just ate a Belgian chocolate pretzel and I don't feel too much better from it! It was kinda...gross even though it was from a pretty upmarket place which makes them fresh...I wouldn't usually get something that sweet but I was thinking I could share it with a friend but after drinks we were way too sweeted out.

Nice day to finally REST...had a great afternoon nap...and feel refreshed...only thing is I realise everytime I have a surplus of energy I still go and waste it frivolously largely due to my internet addiction...

So, I need to do a DETOX...I just don't know how...

Hmm, I think I should go clean something or finish watching LES CHORISTES...I only saw a bit but it seems very much in the vein of such classic favourites as CINEMA PARADISO or LES QUATRE CENTS COUPS.

Got thwarted from watching Coco Avant Chanel again...grrrr! how hard is it to find two hours to go to the cinema these days!!! Fingers crossed get my lens protector tomorrow and need to find a day to do a photo taking trip!

Mary and Max etc...

I'm feeling rather "ungracious" to the weather Gods today...cos I'd set aside this day to do a lengthy seaside clifftop walk but it's grey outside and looks like threat of rain...nice walking weather potentially but views not so spectacular...maybe I will still manage to do it once I manage to get off my ass! But I'm thinking maybe it is a sign telling me to stay in and start my piles of untouched schoolwork or else actually do some proper cooking to prepare for the week! *sheepish grin*

Saw "Mary and Max" last night about a true(?) random penpal friendship between a 44 year old New Yorker with Asperger's and an 8 year old girl Mary in Melbourne. Despite giggling from the sheer cuteness of the figurines(especially the animals), it was also pretty cool cos the friend I went with actually has Asperger's! Despite its "cuteness"...don't be fooled that this is a "kid's film" though, otherwise you may get a nasty surprise when your kids start asking you all the questions you've always been dreading...

In all honesty though I much preferred the shorter claymation about the somewhat dysfunctional Harvie Krumpet who has Tourette's Syndrome by the same director.

I just think it's cleverer or maybe because his work was a completely fresh discovery back then. Whatever the case Adam Elliot is such a great Aussie talent!! I looove Claymation...the other one I really like is Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit...strange, I'm not such a fan of cartoon films but I really love claymation...I guess it has just that slight touch of realism that I prefer...

FILMS TO SEE

okay, so in this stinking heat and humidity, I am feeling too lethargic to attempt filling the blank canvas that adorns my shelf.

Hence I will reinvigorate another long lost hobby that needs Time: film viewing!

In no particular order I have compiled a list of films I will try to see (if I can get a hold of them)- my local video store is so SHITE that I feel like I will probably need to raid tertiary libraries and specialty stores. There are foreign films in this list but I've given their English titles since the list is too long to accommodate and remember all their foreign titles!

Feel free to comment if you have seen any of these and feel strongly either way about them...whatever you do just don't kill the plot for me! Also, if you have any others you believe are must see viewing to add to my list, suggest away...but there's a 50% chance if it's classic I've seen it back in my film student days ;)

1. Old Boy (Korean cult equivalent of Pulp Fiction) -yargh, incredibly graphic violence confronting gangsta film, incredibly unique as a film with some inventive cinematography but hardly enjoyable entertainment for the sensitive or weak-stomached. Winner of the grand jury prize in 2004-not my cup of tea! 3.5/5
2. Magnolia (these americans sure produce a lot of weird movies! it was interesting if not overly loooong, and if you really can't stand tom cruise, well this is surely one to be avoided...some great acting though 3.5/5)
3. Oyster Farmer (Aussie) -this I found a waste of time watching unless you seriously have loads of free time and nothing better to do...2.5/5
4. Annie Hall (Woody!) Loved his monologues...Diane Keaton was great as Annie...love the requisite "dysfunctionality" of his characters. 4 stars
5. The Seventh Seal (Classic by Swede, Ingmar Bergman)
6. Wild Strawberries (Classic by Swede, Ingmar Bergman) fascinating psychological exploration with great dialogue...4.5 stars
7. Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch) - found this film cleverly made constructed and liked the ethiopian lounge music, bill murray was great. an unusual combination of comedy and suspense. enjoyed the slight quirk factor. keen to see more jarmusch! 4/5
8. The Black Balloon
9. Stranger Than Fiction
10. The Man who shot Liberty Valance
11. Eternity (Doco about guy who chalked CBD pavements with this word)
12. In Bruges
13. Kiki's Delivery Service (Hayao Miyazaki) -entertaining enough, I just wanted to see it considering I visited the place where he was inspired and wrote the script. if you like witches or where Girl saves boy! LOL 3/5
14. Ratatouille
15. Wall E (hmmm this went way over my head- I think it was too taxing for a complete left brain - fell asleep so won't give this one a rating)
16. The Dark Knight
17. Pan's Labyrinth
18. The Darjeeling Limited
19. Me, You and Everyone We Know
20. Doubt
21. How to lose friends and alienate people
22. Leon
23. A clockwork orange
24. The Prestige
25. No Country for old men
26. Casino Royale
27. Ed Wood
28. Twelve Monkeys
29. Children of Men
30. Charlie Wilson's War
31. Zodiac (David Fincher) - well the story itself was pretty interesting, however it was a pretty well made film too...Fight Club was still more memorable personally though... 4 stars
32. Barton Fink (Coen Brothers) - this was a pretty cool film but I couldn't stand the ending...the acting was pretty good...storyline intriguingly different and unique. 4 stars
33. Night on Earth (Jim Jarmusch) - found this one very enjoyable even if it sort of anticlimaxed in standard towards the end. Had some great laughs. 4/5 stars
34. Kenny (Aussie Comedy) -if only there were more GOOD-NATURED, kind, warm, Giving characters like Kenny in the world, it would be a much nicer place to be a part of...4/5 stars
35. Let the right one in
36. The Cat Returns -there are better anime out there - but if you like cats...3/5 stars
38. Where the Truth Lies
39. I've loved you so long
40. American Teen
41. The curious case of Benjamin Button
42. Man on wire
43. Goodbye Lenin! (German) elaborate ruses don't get any better than this! 4.5 stars
44. The Shining (Kubrick) Jack Nicholson is great as psychopath. Luckily it wasn't "too" scary. 4 stars.
45. Chocolat it had me at the title! Enjoyable easy watch with the gorgeous Juliette Binoche 4 stars.
46. Les Quatres Cents Coups (Truffaut) great childhood story, stunning visuals, definitely deserves its place on the mantel of "greats" 4.5 stars
47. Innocence (Paul Cox) difficult subject matter, difficult to watch...admirable effort 3 stars.