Friday 21 December 2007

The best

Films I saw in 2007
1. Lives of others
The first movie I saw, only two days into the new year was indeed the best. The actors’ performances were deep and subtle and the story was archetypical, strong and moving. The ending was probably the best ending this story could ever have.
2. Ratatouille
Having gone to see this movie with almost zero expectations (mostly due to its entirely uninspired trailer) I was incredibly pleasantly surprised. The story of the rat that can cook, is again an inspired modern tale of the underdog and the importance of being different and believing in oneself. Pixar are officially the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen’s of the 21st century.
3. Paris je t’aime
18 short stories set in Paris seemed like an extremely self-indulgent concept that I thought I might be better off passing. Obviously some were better than others but with the gems of Tom Tykwer and Alexander Payne, not to mention Feist’s fantastic song in the closing credits this movie was one of the best of last year.
4. Notes on a scandal
The story behind this movie is interesting enough: the solitude, the neediness that turns people into cannibalistic predators. But it is the performances of the two lead actresses that set this movie off the ground, their performances that are so uniquely equivalent to each other’s.
5. Atonement
Ian McEwan’s novel is one of my favourite books and I was deeply concerned of how the movie would be. The most difficult thing of the novel is the constant change of point of view, and the secrets that survive until the very end. The movie was beautiful and tender and captures the feeling of the book very well.
6. Ne dis a personne
The French cannot do thrillers very well, I think we can all agree with that. But this movie, based on an American novel was exceptional for its fast pace, its tight storyline, its good acting and the romantic spirit that underlies the entire movie.
7. I do: how to get married to stay single
French coming of age romantic comedy about a forty-year old adolescent who still relies on his mother and sisters to wash his clothes. Until he meets Charlotte Gainsbourg who subconsciously reverses all his fears. Utterly enjoyable guilty pleasure to be shared with female friends only (kisses to d/a).
8. Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy
Because Jack Sparrow is the best fictional character of the decade and Johnny Depp is the only actor who could deal with him the way he did. The concept of pirates as the last of the freedom-loving, law-non-abiding creatures of last century is truly unique. Surely the love story between William and Elizabeth is sweet enough but it the tragedy of Davy Jones and Calypso that touches my heart.
9. The Departed
Martin Scorsese’s well-deserved Oscar was a good movie, surely but I am too hooked on the original ‘Infernal affairs’. But it is Scorsese after all and Di Caprio plays well and the story is great, so I have to admit that I like.

P.S. This is obviously not all I wanted to say for 2007 but it the best I could do before Christmas. Happy Christmas to all, and I'll be back soon!

Wednesday 19 December 2007

Hello Kitty's Top 'Five'

Unfortunately, I cannot contribute properly to Lady V’s TOP FIVE 2007, since my last year was overshadowed by a more worldly (in the sense of mundane though still very real) concern of handing in my f**king thesis, an ordeal which made me a prisoner not only of my own thoughts (i.e. solipsism), but also to my study/desk (i.e. a variant form of the couch-potato syndrome) – all of which severely estranged me from the exciting literary, musical and cinematic activities of the world I so love… sigh.

So, because I know you won’t want to be bogged down by all the amazing academic articles and publications on Mallarmé and Rilke which shook my 2007, I have decided that I will contribute but one offering to each category (please forgive me, Lady V). Here goes:

My top 1 book:

Finally, finally I was able to read Daniel Kehlmann’s novel, ‘Die Vermessung der Welt’, the German bestseller from 2005. And oh what a pleasure – sometimes hype IS justified!! The novel has been translated into English as ‘Measuring the World’ and, judging by the critiques, the translation seems to be o.k. This is a wonderfully imaginative narrative set in and before 1828 in which the mathematician C.F. Gauss and the scientist Alexander von Humboldt meet in an unlikely way… around such serious and pretentious Enlightenment figures, Kehlmann weaves a whimsically light, easy and, above all, humorous story, disclosing two different ways of taking the world’s measure. Admittedly, this is a smack in the face of authenticity and historicity, but that is why I love Art – an inventive piece of fiction like none I have ever come across. Please, please read!

My top 1 song:

I have chosen the tranquil electro-ballad ‘Primitive’ by Róisín Murphy from her recent album ‘Overpowered’. Sublime. Murphy’s sensual voice goes under my skin, the refrain keeps coming back to haunt me (in a good sense) and the whole song simply radiates a sense of cool eroticism. Very Moloko. And good lyrics, too.

P.S. I could also have mentioned Kylie Minogue’s ‘Speakerphone’ (from X), which I love. A cheap, tinny and wholly irresistible song – yes, pop at its best and I still don’t quite understand why I love it so, but I do. Perhaps, however, I should have chosen Yael Naim’s version of Britney’s ‘Toxic’ – which I know Lady V adores, too! ;)

My top 1 album:

My current (depressing) financial state has hindered me from purchasing many albums this past year, as I mostly had to resort to downloading songs hither and thither. (Woe unto me – although 2008 can only get better, right??) However, the one album which I absolutely adored, in its entirety, was Belleruche’s ‘Turntable Soul Music’. A jewel. And also, esp. if you are into the contemporary (post K&D) electronica scene in Vienna – think Parov Stelar, the God, ya hear me! – then it will have to Waldeck’s album, ‘Ballroom Stories’… sooo very cool. It will stun your party guests, honest.

My top 1 film:

Without thinking twice, it’s Fatih Akin’s ‘Auf der anderen Seite’, which will soon come out internationally under the English title ‘The Edge of Heaven’. Won’t say anything to spoil your excitement except for: GO SEE IT AS SOON AS IT COMES TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU! I am so proud to have Germans making good, intelligent art like this…

For some reason, and I have little justification to claim this apart from my flippant intuition, it seems to me that Fatih Akin makes films the way Marcel Proust might have done so (and I mean this solely on a stylistic and not semantic level; anyway, Proust famously thought very little of cinéma) – had someone been able to lure the great French writer out of his corked kingdom of books, ink, paper and endless manuscripts, sat him into ‘Film 101’ and thrust a movie camera into his hands. There is something about the controlled, ‘epic’ nature of Akin’s camera movement that somehow enacts the soul-searching spirit and leitmotival character development akin to Proustian prose. The way in which time, memory and the tragic intertwine. Anyway, c’est moi going off on a tangent… ;) my apologies.

Happy Christmas and all the best for the New Year!

Love, Hello Kitty. Miau.

Tuesday 11 December 2007

Top 5?



The time of the year has finally arrived, the time when making lists is cool! Radio-stations will endlessly play the best songs of 2007 and Jonathan Ross will treat us to his favourite movies of the year at some point too (I hope).

I think it is only right that my fellow Lady V-ers and myself also spend some time to contemplate on the intellectual and artistic stimulation we have received during the past year.

Let's write our lists then, about movies, songs, albums and books that defined 2007 and we can comment on each other. Our (non-existent) readers can also contribute obviously.

So ladies, let's go! En attendant vos ideés...

Saturday 8 December 2007

The women who never smile



They say feminism has become a bad word these days. Any woman that defines herself as such is seen with suspicion from the female population and with contempt from the male one. The cliché obviously goes that a feminist has a fetich with bodily hair and does not wear deodorant or high heels. I rarely identify myslef as one, but yesterday, after watching the movie 'brick lane' I felt this urge to defend women all over the world.

I will not inform you of the details of the story, read monica ali's book if you want. The gist is easy: poor Bangladeshi woman is sent to London at the age of 17 to marry fat wealthy 'educated' compatriot. She lives a life of mediocrity, losing a baby son but having two daughters. Her only dream is to go back one day and see the sister she left behind. Her husband always postpones the trip so she starts working as a seamstress to earn money for the ticket. Then it gets soppy, as she meets young handsome revolutionary boy, falls in love and starts waking up. After the incidents on September 11th Muslims are feeling the pressure in London and everywhere and her husband decides it is time for them all to go back. Confused by her feelings towards the charming boy and her newly found sense of belonging to this new 'home' she stays behind.

I think this is probably not a great movie. But it made me feel extremely emotional because looking at the smileless face of the heroine, I thought of my grandmother and endless generations of women in poor countries that lived their whole lives without smiling. And this is what makes me feel like a feminist today, I feel that we are the first generation of women that have the right to smile and enjoy our lives. It is a useless burdon to feel that you live the life so many other women before you have paved the way for, but sometimes I do. I am happy that I am happy and I wish my grandmother had another chance to live like me.

Thursday 6 December 2007

The unassuming Björk



I liked Moloko. A lot. And I like Roisín Murphy and her quirky voice, her quirky headwear and her quirky pick-up lines ('do you like my tight sweater? See how it hugs my body' that even made it as an album title). So she came to give a gig in Belfast and I went (actually one of my students gave me her ticket, but that's another (funny) story/post.). It was nice and she was very energetic, I'd never seen electro-funk live before and I strongly recommend it. Awsome atmosphere (the entire gay community of Belfast in addition to a couple of Roisín-lookalikes), deafening beats and impressive guitar solos. She reminded me of Björk because she was not taking herself seriously at all: she wore weird unflattering clothes and accessories that made her look like an alien. The songs were great, very appropriate for a live and she gave an amazing performance of 'the truth' which is one of my favourite songs of all time (thanks youkali for suggesting it to me) where she even did the rap part herself.

She did not sing *any* Moloko tunes however, and that put me off a lot. It felt as if she was rejecting her past with the band entirely. Maybe she feels insecure that people go to her gigs to listen to 'fun for me' and 'the time is now' and 'sing it back' and she wants people to be there for her and her alone as a solo artist. Maybe she is just fed up with singing these songs after all these years. But it felt so stupid. I can like her alone and I can still like Moloko. What a pity, stupid girl.

Monday 3 December 2007

...

We are now officcially the first blog with more authors than readers!
Well done to us :)

But girls, don't get lazy, write something.