Don't know how many have seen this movie, but if you haven't, put it at the top of your viewing list. It's by David Cronenberg, who did Eastern Promises last year and then some really cool old horror films like The Fly (a man turns into a fly -- brilliant) and The Brood.
But A History of Violence is a very compelling story that I think could easily be written on for scholarship. It's the story of a ridiculously perfect American family (shown especially when the little daughter has a bad dream and the whole family come in and cheer her up), which will soon be shattered by violence bought about by the father's (Viggo Mortensen) secret 'history'. Cronenberg comments on the myth of the American 'dream' and the actual fragility of even the seemingly perfect American families.
Before you watch it though, note the following warning:
Even though only about 5 people die in the film, it is quite shockingly graphic. There is also a potentially very awkward oral sex scene in it which is interesting but not if mum's in the same room.
It's a brilliant film though
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Links between Things They Carried and The Ghost Road
There are clear connections between both The Ghost Road and The Things They Carried, in that they both criticise war and the effects it has on soldiers and civilians. However the authors (Barker and O'Brien) approach and structure their argument in different ways.
In TTC, the futility of war seems to be shown in the pointlessness of what the soldiers are doing. Half the time the soldiers are just fooling around; playing catch with smoke grenade thingys, flying in girlfriends and playing checkers. They never seem to be on any designated mission that has a goal. They are seemingly fighting in Vietnam for no reason, which is pretty futile.
The effect of the war is also demonstrated through the character Norman Bowker, who survives the war but comes home unable to fit back into society. All he can do with himself is drive in circles around a lake until he eventually led to suicide. O'Brien tells us here that war doesn't only change the soldier; it also changes the civilian. The society that Bowker once fitted into has changed and he is no longer able to live in it.
In the Ghost Road the futility of war is shown a lot more directly, especially through Hallet. He is born into an 'old war family' and believes that the war is 'just' and should be fought. However his realisation at his death that war is 'shotvarfet' (translated as 'it's not worth it'), and not what he had been taught all his life demonstrates how many soldiers must have thought when they went through the war, and how the war affected the mindsets and morals of the soldiers who fought in it.
I think there's also a link of the insanity of war/soldiers between The Ghost Road and Apocalypse Now BUT I would need to watch AN again to write on that.
In TTC, the futility of war seems to be shown in the pointlessness of what the soldiers are doing. Half the time the soldiers are just fooling around; playing catch with smoke grenade thingys, flying in girlfriends and playing checkers. They never seem to be on any designated mission that has a goal. They are seemingly fighting in Vietnam for no reason, which is pretty futile.
The effect of the war is also demonstrated through the character Norman Bowker, who survives the war but comes home unable to fit back into society. All he can do with himself is drive in circles around a lake until he eventually led to suicide. O'Brien tells us here that war doesn't only change the soldier; it also changes the civilian. The society that Bowker once fitted into has changed and he is no longer able to live in it.
In the Ghost Road the futility of war is shown a lot more directly, especially through Hallet. He is born into an 'old war family' and believes that the war is 'just' and should be fought. However his realisation at his death that war is 'shotvarfet' (translated as 'it's not worth it'), and not what he had been taught all his life demonstrates how many soldiers must have thought when they went through the war, and how the war affected the mindsets and morals of the soldiers who fought in it.
I think there's also a link of the insanity of war/soldiers between The Ghost Road and Apocalypse Now BUT I would need to watch AN again to write on that.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Large ladies singing in high voices??? Nope...
just ignore the title, it was thought up in about 11 seconds flat
When offered cheaper tickets from my school to go and see this show, I accepted more out of curiousity than anything. I had heard that it was a mixture of opera and hip hop dance, two things that aren't really a big part of my life. So I decided to go along and see what it would be like, not really looking forward to it, but not dreading it either.
The great thing was it turned out to be a pretty fantastic show. The opera side of things, which was what I was worried about the most, didn't really bother me. From various cartoons and films, I had this image of opera to be mostly made up of rather large ladies singing in rather high pitched voices, but this show destroyed that image totally. Once I got used to it, the singing seemed to change into just a different way of talking, words flowing smoothly in tuneful melodies (and in slick subtitles, as the songs are in German).
The first piece tells the story of Charles Lindbergh, and his brave and exciting flight across the Atlantic, as he endures the worst that nature can throw at him. The story, helped by a visually stunning set (with a moving airplane) and beautiful orchestral music, was told well, and I felt myself totally engaged in the performance of both musicians and actors. While the story itself is pretty exciting, the whole thing was done in a way that made it triple as exciting, with Lindbergh going from determination, to despair, and then to excitement as the weather goes from fog to storm to clear. It was a dramatic piece that deserved the large round of applause it recieved at the end.
The second half of this show told the story of two 'sisters', and their journey through the 'seven deadly sins', while they try to make money for their family in the USA. Personally, this was my favourite half of the show. The operatic side of things was again done well, and I found myself forgetting the subtitles and instead concentrating only on the dance and acting, because even with the German I could understand what was going on perfectly. The lead actress/singer (I'm not really sure what you would call the lead in an opera) was brilliant and she was supported well by the rest of the cast. Each sin had a different 'sister' do a part with the main character, Anna, which was slightly confusing at first but I got the hang of it pretty quick. The hip hop dance was amazing; all that I could think of as these men and women twisted and jumped and rolled around on stage was 'wow'. Again, the set was dynamic and the backdrop spectacular. It sounds like a lot of praise but really the show deserved it. At the end of this second half the actors/singers got a standing ovation.
All in all, my opinion of opera was dramatically changed after seeing this show. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm sure most other people would. It was a show most deserved of the standing ovation it recieved.
When offered cheaper tickets from my school to go and see this show, I accepted more out of curiousity than anything. I had heard that it was a mixture of opera and hip hop dance, two things that aren't really a big part of my life. So I decided to go along and see what it would be like, not really looking forward to it, but not dreading it either.
The great thing was it turned out to be a pretty fantastic show. The opera side of things, which was what I was worried about the most, didn't really bother me. From various cartoons and films, I had this image of opera to be mostly made up of rather large ladies singing in rather high pitched voices, but this show destroyed that image totally. Once I got used to it, the singing seemed to change into just a different way of talking, words flowing smoothly in tuneful melodies (and in slick subtitles, as the songs are in German).
The first piece tells the story of Charles Lindbergh, and his brave and exciting flight across the Atlantic, as he endures the worst that nature can throw at him. The story, helped by a visually stunning set (with a moving airplane) and beautiful orchestral music, was told well, and I felt myself totally engaged in the performance of both musicians and actors. While the story itself is pretty exciting, the whole thing was done in a way that made it triple as exciting, with Lindbergh going from determination, to despair, and then to excitement as the weather goes from fog to storm to clear. It was a dramatic piece that deserved the large round of applause it recieved at the end.
The second half of this show told the story of two 'sisters', and their journey through the 'seven deadly sins', while they try to make money for their family in the USA. Personally, this was my favourite half of the show. The operatic side of things was again done well, and I found myself forgetting the subtitles and instead concentrating only on the dance and acting, because even with the German I could understand what was going on perfectly. The lead actress/singer (I'm not really sure what you would call the lead in an opera) was brilliant and she was supported well by the rest of the cast. Each sin had a different 'sister' do a part with the main character, Anna, which was slightly confusing at first but I got the hang of it pretty quick. The hip hop dance was amazing; all that I could think of as these men and women twisted and jumped and rolled around on stage was 'wow'. Again, the set was dynamic and the backdrop spectacular. It sounds like a lot of praise but really the show deserved it. At the end of this second half the actors/singers got a standing ovation.
All in all, my opinion of opera was dramatically changed after seeing this show. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm sure most other people would. It was a show most deserved of the standing ovation it recieved.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
BOOKS TO READ THIS YEAR
This is kind of taxed off Toby's blog... but never mind. This is my current list of books to read this year. If you have read any of them and want to either warn me away from them or encourage me further, feel free to comment.
1) The Ghost Road -- of course.
2) Rabbit, Run -- John Updike (suggested to me by dad, who apparently loves these books. I take that to mean there are more than one Rabbit book)
3) Heart of Darkness -- Joseph Conrad (I've started this four times and failed every time. 5th time lucky?)
4) Rocking Horse Road -- Carl Nixon (my favourite NZ writer. Read his short stories, they're good as)
5) For Esme with Love and Squalor -- JD Salinger (short stories by the Catcher in the Rye man)
6) Jonathan Livingston Seagull -- Richard Bach (I read it ages ago. It's an insane book about a seagull - fantastic)
7) The latest Alex Rider book -- Horowitz (It's like watching a Die Hard movie)
8) Q & A -- Vikas Swarup (about some poor waiter in India who wins a billion on a game show. Everyone thinks he cheats. Its very dramatic)
Thats all I can think of currently.
1) The Ghost Road -- of course.
2) Rabbit, Run -- John Updike (suggested to me by dad, who apparently loves these books. I take that to mean there are more than one Rabbit book)
3) Heart of Darkness -- Joseph Conrad (I've started this four times and failed every time. 5th time lucky?)
4) Rocking Horse Road -- Carl Nixon (my favourite NZ writer. Read his short stories, they're good as)
5) For Esme with Love and Squalor -- JD Salinger (short stories by the Catcher in the Rye man)
6) Jonathan Livingston Seagull -- Richard Bach (I read it ages ago. It's an insane book about a seagull - fantastic)
7) The latest Alex Rider book -- Horowitz (It's like watching a Die Hard movie)
8) Q & A -- Vikas Swarup (about some poor waiter in India who wins a billion on a game show. Everyone thinks he cheats. Its very dramatic)
Thats all I can think of currently.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Terrible TV
On Friday night, I sat down in my favourite couch in front of the television to see what was on. Being Friday night, I expected there to be a horde of good programs that would not only entertain me but would also make me think. I was deeply disappointed. Friday night television is a joke.
I turned on the TV at 7:30. 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia' didn't really take my fancy, so I switched over to TV1 and what I saw over the next hour was terrifying and disturbing. It was called 'Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation'. These two annoying women (Trinny and Susannah) were parading around all sorts of workplaces and homes telling some unlucky people that their clothes were horrible and made them look fat, or ugly, or all sorts of nasty things. This ridiculous show went around in circles from one 'badly dressed' man/woman to another, with good old Trinny and Susannah taking them out shopping and stripping them down to their 'shockingly terrible' underwear and bras. At the end there was a heartwarming (yeah right) unveiling of these men and women who had been converted to wearing 'beautiful and sexy' clothes, and then Trinny and Susannah made a fantastic (vomit) speech about how this show had been an amazing journey and what a how great it made Trinny and Susannah feel to see all these men and women now looking so great. It was the biggest waste of an hour I had ever spent, and the worst thing was that my mum seemed to think that it wasn't a bad show. Unbelievable.
However, not wanting my Friday night to be totally ruined, I changed channel to TV2, and had to quickly turn the volume down as 'American Idol' came on, and all sorts of daft guys and girls who have no chance of ever being a singer tried to convince these three poor judges that they deserved to go to the next round. It was funny at first. But you can only handle so many anti-singers in one night and American Idol quickly lost my attention. I came back at 9:30 and found a show on one that was like American Idol; very entertaining for the first few minutes but after that it went downhill into the depressing. It was 'Chaos at the Castle: A Place in Slovakia II'. This show is terrible but also terribly addictive. It tells the story of these two absolute tosspots, who move to Slovakia to try and buy a castle and make a hotel. The woman is a bossy, horrid, person who seems to have her poor, slightly thick husband so scared of her that he does everything she asks. It is so depressing. Seeing this crabby, blonde woman yelling at her blubbering twit of a husband is a horrible sight to see, but it is a fascinatingly horrible sight. The nerve of this woman is unbelievable. She yells at her husband that he hasn't done enough work and that the hotel will never be ready on time and then the next shot we see is of her lying down upstairs, with cucumber over her eyes and mud all over her face, getting a massage!!! Whilst downstairs her poor old husband slaves away with paint and wallpaper to get this hotel ready. This show that made me laugh and feel depressed at the exact same moment finished my night, and I went to bed thinking about the good old days when Friday night TV was full of fantastic movies and shows with at least a squidgen of quality.
Next Friday I won't be watching TV.
I turned on the TV at 7:30. 'So You Think You Can Dance Australia' didn't really take my fancy, so I switched over to TV1 and what I saw over the next hour was terrifying and disturbing. It was called 'Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation'. These two annoying women (Trinny and Susannah) were parading around all sorts of workplaces and homes telling some unlucky people that their clothes were horrible and made them look fat, or ugly, or all sorts of nasty things. This ridiculous show went around in circles from one 'badly dressed' man/woman to another, with good old Trinny and Susannah taking them out shopping and stripping them down to their 'shockingly terrible' underwear and bras. At the end there was a heartwarming (yeah right) unveiling of these men and women who had been converted to wearing 'beautiful and sexy' clothes, and then Trinny and Susannah made a fantastic (vomit) speech about how this show had been an amazing journey and what a how great it made Trinny and Susannah feel to see all these men and women now looking so great. It was the biggest waste of an hour I had ever spent, and the worst thing was that my mum seemed to think that it wasn't a bad show. Unbelievable.
However, not wanting my Friday night to be totally ruined, I changed channel to TV2, and had to quickly turn the volume down as 'American Idol' came on, and all sorts of daft guys and girls who have no chance of ever being a singer tried to convince these three poor judges that they deserved to go to the next round. It was funny at first. But you can only handle so many anti-singers in one night and American Idol quickly lost my attention. I came back at 9:30 and found a show on one that was like American Idol; very entertaining for the first few minutes but after that it went downhill into the depressing. It was 'Chaos at the Castle: A Place in Slovakia II'. This show is terrible but also terribly addictive. It tells the story of these two absolute tosspots, who move to Slovakia to try and buy a castle and make a hotel. The woman is a bossy, horrid, person who seems to have her poor, slightly thick husband so scared of her that he does everything she asks. It is so depressing. Seeing this crabby, blonde woman yelling at her blubbering twit of a husband is a horrible sight to see, but it is a fascinatingly horrible sight. The nerve of this woman is unbelievable. She yells at her husband that he hasn't done enough work and that the hotel will never be ready on time and then the next shot we see is of her lying down upstairs, with cucumber over her eyes and mud all over her face, getting a massage!!! Whilst downstairs her poor old husband slaves away with paint and wallpaper to get this hotel ready. This show that made me laugh and feel depressed at the exact same moment finished my night, and I went to bed thinking about the good old days when Friday night TV was full of fantastic movies and shows with at least a squidgen of quality.
Next Friday I won't be watching TV.
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