My time here in Poland has facilitated me moving more to the right politically and economically than ever before. Yet a few films have been on my mind lately that point, in some ways, to the left. I wanted to share a short list.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. The first thing you notice about the film is how thoroughly researched it is. I consider director Alex Gibney to be intellectually sound and politically level headed. The film is two parts investigation, one part meditation. But most of the research was already done by the two Fortune Magazine reporters who wrote the book of the same title. Gibney furthers the conclusions of the book and allows for a different, more human focus to the economic story. The film ultimately creates a microcosm of the evils that prevail in extreme Reagan-esque privatizations. The great thing about this film is that it doesn't speak about privatization, per se, but it does try to learn from the Enron fiasco. To the best of my knowledge, no film has better achieved such clarity, even-handedness, and profundity while simultaneously doling out such massive amounts of information. Profound investigative reporting with a conscience.

Fahrenheit 9/11. I went into the movie expecting to hate it for its melodrama and disregard for truth. I was surprised to find less belligerence than in Bowling for Columbine (perhaps the most illogical, absurd, and yet still self-congratulatory political film I can think of). Most often Bowling for Columbine is described as one-sided while I found it lacking in subject matter — I don't believe the film actually had a point, therefore we can't argue that it was too one-sided. I felt similar sentiments about all of Michael Moore's previous endeavors, both in TV for IFC and his Academy recognized Roger and Me. Imagine my surprise, then, at the skill in the filmmaking in Fahrenheit 9/11. Unlike his previous work, this film was more than a 7th-grade political essay. While we can still argue that some of the political connections he makes are a bit outrageous if not inconclusive, the questions his filmmaking raise does great good for political discussion, I am convinced. I must say that I find the film, despite some of its outrageousness, more politically relevant now than the year it won Palm D'Or at Cannes.

Fog of War. This film, which essentially consists of an interview with Robert McNamara by master documentarian Errol Morris, goes more in depth than the book written by McNamara about the Vietnam War. View this film, if for nothing else, to hear a man who had so much responsibility and so much power in that war say the phrase aloud on camera, "We were wrong." (Am I the only person who desires this more than anything else in American politics? To hear politicians be honest, even to the detriment of their public image?) The film's perspective and maturity is astounding.

Hearts and Minds. Though this film is about Vietnam, one can't help but see application to the current war situation. I highly recommend this film, which was filmed in Vietnam during the war, though it was outrageously one-sided and even skillfully and subtly manipulative. To my eyes, it seems less so now than I imagine it did then. Simply for historical perspective and sheer mass of fact-based information (with occasional anecdote, of course). I highly recommend the Criterion Collection disc of this movie and remember to view it with and without the commentary. The commentary is less for film buffs and more for politically-minded people.

An Inconvenient Truth. Flat out, this is a propaganda piece. The film follows a series of lectures Al Gore gives about global warming. But some messages are simply worth propagating. Now, I grew up in a place where "going green" didn't need to be articulated because it was almost everyone's way of life. So I'm grateful for someone bringing to the forefront something that I have believed to be important from my childhood. If nothing else, the film is worth watching or revisiting since I cite it as an epicenter for the more omnipresent environmental discussion (the unfortunate underbelly of which has recently been manifest on The Millennial Star blog).

An Unreasonable Man. You may love or hate Ralph Nader or you may not even know who he is. No matter what group you may belong to, chances are you will have something to say, and that passionately, after this film. When my wife and I saw this at the Sundance Film Festival, everyone seemed to be engaged. The screening before ours had required security because some members of the audience were either so in favor or so angry that they went up on stage, uninvited, during the discussion to take charge of the microphone. Almost everyone had something to say. This quite even-handed film was made by someone who had worked for Nader for several years, who, on the whole, had a favorable take on Nader but also knew his flaws far better than most. Perhaps the greatest quality the film possesses is that of an intense critique of a bipartisan system. The running time is well over two hours, but I can't remember being on the edge of my seat more consistently during any documentary.

Why We Fight. Though the filmmaking in Andrew Jarecki's second endeavor is not quite as slick and clever as his first and more disturbing feature Capturing the Freidman's, the content of Why We Fight is perhaps more visceral and gives more weight where the filmmaking may fall short. The premise is two-fold: First, a reframing of Frank Capra's vital and historically important propaganda films and second, to reframe our present military condition in light of President Eisenhower's presidency.

The American national sentiment after Word War I was by and large not supportive of further American involvement in "foreign wars." Yet the American "powers that were" felt that we needed to go to war. It was in this light that Frank Capra was asked to explain to the American public why it is that we fight. The films clarified and polarized — even narratized — the current global affairs. Jarecki's feature, as you may guess, is not propaganda, but it seeks to understand 1) the American mentality that causes war as well as 2) the current American popular understanding of political war machinations. To my mind, it fails at both, though there's more success in the former than the latter. (Through this process, however, the question is raised to whether America should be considered an imperialist state.)

The second premise, however, results in success, to question the industrial-military complex President Eisenhower warned about as he was ending his presidency. This film allows us to view our own time through the lens and foresight that President and General Eisenhower had.

——————

At the end of this list, I realize how much discussion there is about war and how, on the whole, the view of war is critical. By way of disclosure, I did recently argue in favor of violence in my LDS reading of Fight Club on my blog, Toward an LDS Cinema.

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Kus, LL

Hát mit ne mondjak, egy élmény volt. :D Nem az a "romantikus csöpögős gengszterfilm happy enddel a végén", amit manapság mindenki elvár Hollywoodtól. Ez egy igazi élet-szagú-te-is-lehetsz-szuperhős film volt. Olyasmi, amik később hatalmas kultuszfilmekké növik ki magukat.

Hogy miről is szól? Wesley Allan Gibson igazi lúzer a legrosszabb fajtából. Az apja kiskorában elhagyta, a csaját dugja a legjobb haverja, egy irodában számlavezető, ráadásul pánikrohamok gyötrik. Van ennél lejjebb? Wesley szerint nincs.  Aztán egy nap betoppan az életébe egy gyönyörű bérgyilkosnő /természetesen Angelina Jolie/ és beszervezik egy 1000 éve alakult "Szövetség" nevű bérgyilkosegyletbe. Kiderül, hogy a pánikrohamai nem is pánikrohamok, csak a szive percenként 400at verve garantálja neki a tökéletes reflexeket.

A Szövetség feje, Sloan, kegyetlen kiképzésnek veti alá az újoncot, miközben kiderül, hogy annak apja is a szervezet tagja volt. És hogy mi adja a célpontokat? Egy, a szövet szálai között elrejtett kód adja ki a neveket, így teremtve meg az egyensúlyt a világban. A Szövetség jelszava : "Ölj meg egyet, ments meg ezret!".

Nos mikor Wesley már legkevésbé sem mondható lúzernek, inkább kanyarlövő mester-bérgyilkosnak, az ellen az ember ellen küldik, aki állítólag megölte az apját. Hősünk végez is vele, csakhogy ekkor kiderül, hogy Sloan végig hazudott neki, így Wesley az igazi apját ölte meg. Mindezek tetejére Sloan a szövetség egyik tagját is ráküldi a fiúra, hogy végezzen vele.

Hogy hogyan oldódik meg a film, csak körvonalazom : Wesley végezni akar a Szövetség minden tagjával, ezért a felkeresi a főhadi szállásuk, lesz ott vérfürdő, könnyek, csihi-puhi és minden, ami egy jó akciófilmhez kell.

Az utolsó pár mondat számomra a legemlékezetesebb : Ez nem én vagyok, amint Janice parancsolgat nekem, ez nem én vagyok, amint az irodámban ülök, ez nem én vagyok, amint apám nyomdikaiba lépek, ez nem én vagyok, amint megmentem a világot. Ez TÉNYLEG nem én vagyok. EZ vagyok én, amint apám nyomdokaiba lépek, beteljesítem a sorsom és olyat teszek, amiről a lúzer énem álmodni se mert. TE MI A SZART CSINÁLTÁL EDDIG?!

                                                                        Jessica Brooklyn Vicious

Ja mensen, 't begint te slabakken he... maar ik ben zoveel met Ostentatious bezig geweest dat ik mijn blog een beetje uit het oog verloren ben. Even opsommen wat ik overigens nog allemaal heb gedaan (lees: gekocht), zodat jullie wat up to date blijven:

• Twee gekleurde jeans gekocht, supertrendy en lekker comfy! 't Is een rode en een appelblauwzeegroene...
• Een t-shirtje van Blondie, omdat ze zo geweldig is.
• Slangenleren gladiator shoes. Nog zo'n mooie zomertrend! Maar de verkoopster zei me dat ik er de grens niet mee overmocht... what the hell?
• Een nieuwe linnen broek in donkerbruin, past perfect bij mijn schoenen.
• Een kaki bloesje voor bij de broek.
• ...

O ja, en vanavond ga ik - voor de tweede keer - naar Kung Fu Panda kijken in de cinema. Mijn stoere carrouselridder en ik vonden de film zo grappig dat we het niet konden laten een tweede keer te gaan. Mét de nodige nachos erbij, natuurlijk. Maar al bij al heb ik nogal een rustige/saaie vakantie gehad tot hier toe. Misschien betert dat volgende maand, wanneer ik aan de slag kan bij AXA Bank voor een maand. Daarna nog twee examenvrije weekjes september... Bwoh, valt allemaal goed mee he. Ik hoop nog ergens een weekendje in te lassen, als het budget het toelaat. Mijn loon gaat immers naar het grote Amerika-project dat we voor juni/juli 2009 gepland hebben: een trip naar New York en Florida in een maand tijd. Sinds dat veel geld opslorpt hebben we niet veel over voor leuke dingen dit jaar :( vandaar de saaie vakantieperiode... Maar we zien wel hoe het loopt. Ik hou jullie op de hoogte.

Kus,
Lauren Leigh

Kvinder har hovedansvaret for reproduktionen og har en nedarvet interesse i at finde den bedst egnede at pare sig med; kort sagt deres interessere for jagten på den eneste ene påvirker deres filmvalg. Og så rummer film som ”Sex and the City: The Movie” og ”Bridget Jones dagbog” situationer, kvinder kan lære af, når de skal begå sig socialt og løse følelsesmæssige eller parforholds problemer. Det er i hvert fald Mette Kramers teori.

Ud fra samme logik kan man sige, at mænd kan lide volds- og actionfilm, fordi vi oprindeligt er jægere og derfor interesserer os for jagten og nedlæggelsen af byttet. Der ud over rummer filmene opbyggelige situationer. Selvom jeg ikke kan ramme kridtet om plastikblomstens stilk i skydeboden på Bakken eller lave et cirkelspark uden at falde på halen med en forstrakt sene, så forlader jeg alligevel film som ”Replacement Killers” og ”Romeo must Die” med en større (oppustet) selvtillid.

Det lyder da som en okay analyse, ikk’?  Det synes jeg ikke helt. Men ligesom alle gode samfundsborgere i dag sorterer deres affald, så vil jeg ikke smide teorien om biologisk betingede filminteresser længere væk, end at den kan genbruges. For helt tosset er den ikke. Og hende phd-damen fra Institut for Medier, Erkendelse og Filosofi ved Københavns Universitet har sikkert tænkt længe over det, set masser af film og kan henvise til en lang række af kloge skribenter med teorier, der underbygger hendes konklusioner.
 
Jeg vil dog i stedet pege på interessen for volds- og actionfilm som en hyldest til filmsproget: Actionfilm er den eneste filmgenrer der rummer ting, som ikke kan formidles på andre måder end film. Fx vil en biljagt i en spændingsroman blive kørt i rabatten af jagterne i ”Bourne”-filmene, Tarantinos ”Death Proof” eller mere undselige dækfræsene film. Ligesom Bruce Lee-agtige slagsmål, de evige, lidt trivielle, eksplosioner eller herlige meningsløse voldsorgier som i ”Planet Terror” ikke er helt det samme på skrift. Fascinationen af volds- og actionfilm er en bevidst eller ubevidst kærlighed til ægte filmkunst; de kunstoplevelser som kun film kan formidle. Eller groft og forsimplet: Når mænd er til action og kvinder til romantik, så er det fordi mænd generelt har bedre filmsmag end kvinder.
 
Jeg er selvsagt en fan af volds- og actionfilm – også selvom det er en skodfilm med fx Steven Seagal. Jeg kan lide når man sider på ottende række og blodet oversprøjter popcornene mens filmens flammer slikker biografloftets stuk.  Men jeg er filmjunkie. Jeg er til det hele. Hvis levende billeder kunne fås på sprøjte, ville jeg sidde sammenkrympet i det svage blågrønne lys på Hovedbanens lokum med en kanyle vippende i en af de stenede årer og sejle væk i en rus eller gå rundt i S-togene med et tomt McDonald-krus og tikke mønter til det næste fiks hos min pusher hos Blockbuster.

Jeg kan for den sags skyld også lide romantiske komedier. Mine yndlings er ”Da Harry mødte Sally”, ”Forget Paris”, ”Manhattan” og ”Loveactually”. Men jeg tror kvinder er mere til fx Hugh Grant end til Billy Crystal og Woody Allen, så den lille forskel spiller måske alligevel en rolle.... 
 
(Foto fra filmene ”Death Proof”, ”Bridget Jones dagbog”, ”Planet Terror”)

Af Per Vad

Efter mat och efterrätt såg vi på filmen Arn - Timpelriddaren  som visade sig vara en riktigt bra film, jag gillade den från första stund. Historien var riktigt bra, kanske främst för den gripande kärleken mellan två människor och det hemska sätt de splittras på. Det var verkligen kyrkan som härskade förr i tiden! Hemskt!

Filmen slutade mitt i historien, så jag kan knappt bärja mig tills jag får se fortsättningen som kommer på bio den 22 augusti!

Batman (Christian Bale) dan Letnan Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) berusaha memberantas organisasi kejahatan / mafia yang tersisa di kota Gotham. Dengan kerja sama seorang pengacara ternama bernama Harvey Dent (Heath Ledger) dan pegawai Bruce Wayne bernama Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Batman akhirnya berhasil menangkap Lau (Chin Han) yang merupakan tokoh utama dari organisasi kejahatan di kota Gotham. Kesaksian Lau membuat seluruh mafia di kota Gotham tertangkap. Joker (Heath Ledger), musuh lama Batman, kemudian memanfaatkan situasi ini untuk menteror kota Gotham dan membunuh orang-orang di kota Gotham untuk kesenangan pribadi.

Film ini terkesan suram mulai dari awal hingga akhir cerita. Sedikitpun tidak ada gurauan dan senyuman dalam film ini. Rating film ini juga bukan untuk segala umur, dikarenakan adanya adegan yang tidak boleh dilihat untuk anak kecil. Awalnya film ini agak sulit dicerna dan agak rumit jalan ceritanya. Penonton harus konsentrasi agar bisa mengerti jalan ceritanya dan nama para tokohnya. Ketegangan terus terasa hingga akhir cerita dan terdapat suatu pengorbanan tak terduga pada akhir cerita. Karakter yang ada di dalam film ini pun sangat menjiwai sekali, terutama Joker sebagai penjahat yang mengalami sedikit gangguan kejiwaan.

The Dark Knight benar-benar luar biasa dan merupakan film yang tidak bisa dilewatkan. 4 jempol saya berikan untuk film ini.

Här kan du läsa recensionen!

Last night, I joined in with the pack to see the film (which will have one of the most successful opening weekends of all time).  I purchased my tickets 12 hours ahead of time, and showed up an hour and a half early to get in line outside the theater.  Did I do it for my love of Christian Bale?  Was it an homage to the late Heath Ledger?  No, my urgency in seeing the film was that I knew it was chalk-full of Chicagoness and I'm painfully homesick.

The Chicago scenes did not disappoint.  I was pleased to see the scenes that included the inside pictures I shared with you last August.  It was great.  Christian Bale is delicious and when he's dressed like batman, he talks like GOB from Arrested Development.  The whole time I was giggling about the scene when Will Arnett and Alec Baldwin were having a face off on 30 Rock and both talking in their Batman voices and Tina Fey comes up and says, "Maybe we can settle it with a talking like this contest."

Voice and tastiness of Christian Bale aside, let me reiterate how much I adore Morgan Freeman.  He's great, as he is in every movie.  There was a scene when a smug little lawyer was trying to blackmail Wayne Enterprises and Morgan Freeman's smug little smile was priceless.

The acting, action, and Chicago scenes all had me happy... My only critique is that it should have ended 40 minutes earlier, in the hospital, as it would have set it up there perfectly for the next movie.  Alas, I had Swedish Fish to keep me happy, so no REAL complaints.  Go see it. If nothing else, it will remind you of the mob presence in Chicago politics as you evaluate other Chicago politicians...

the

 WOW!

i will also be contacting several sources on my campus, head of programs and organizations who helped fund my first documentary, proposition 1984.

if you have ideas for funding options (or hey, contribute!), feel free to leave the info in a comment. thanks.

La fiche du film

L'histoire du film: 3 jeunes français de souche européenne qui ont été recalés de la légion étrangère s'en prennent alors à un arabe dans un train. Echange de coups et blessures, l'arabe sera défenestré par les jeunes racistes.

Les + du film: aucun aspect positif dans cette oeuvre si ce n'est que cela prouve, une fois de plus, que le cinéma reste un excellent moyen de propagande.

Les - du film: film anti-français de souche qui marqua les débuts de la propagande et dictature anti-raciste en France.

La propagande du film: pour bien comprendre la propagande véhiculée par cette oeuvre, il faut replacer le contexte: nous sommes en 1985, Mitterrand règne depuis 4 ans sur la France. Milieu des années 1970, des accords ont été passés entre l'Europe et l'opec. Pour garder un prix du pétrol brut raisonnable, l'Europe accepte les exigences de l'opec, en l'occurence la favorisation des arabo-musulmans sur notre continent. C'est aussi à cette époque que le gouvernement mondial, les franc-maçons et les gouvernements européens décident d'imposer une immigration massive illimitée et le métissage sur notre continent. Les prochains gouvernements en Europe doivent donc suivre les directives de quelques vieillards séniles qui jouissent à l'idée de détruire notre culture et notre identité afin de créer un nouvel ordre mondial. En France, c'est Mitterand qui s'y colle en premier, bien que Giscard d'Esteing avaient déjà commencé cette politique meurtrière en tolérant le regroupement familial en France. Mitterrand donc,  avait pour mission de culpabiliser les français afin de mieux imposer les immigrés. Pour cela, il fallait inventer du racisme en France alors que celui-ci a toujours été quasi inexistant. Il fallait aussi faire croire à un retour du fascisme sur notre sol. Pour cela, le plus gros outil de propagande de mitterrand était le Front national. Celui-ci était un parti minisculaire et plafonnait en dessous de la barre des 5%. Mitterrand, bien habitué à faire de la propagande, notamment quand il était au ministère des affaires juives en 1940, installa un climat d'impunité dans les quartiers à forte population africaine en interdisant la police d'intervenir. Ensuite, il mit en avant le côté "indispensable" de l'immigration (africaine). Puis il commenca la discrimination positive (qui ne s'appellait pas encore comme cela), financa une multitude d'associations dites "anti-racistes", traqua le moindre fait divers où les victimes étaient d'origine étrangère afin de les surmédiatiser, et enfin médiatisa le Front National pour faire croire à un retour du fascisme. C'est dans ce contexte jusqu'alors inédit que les médias et le cinéma se mirent à 100% aux ordres des autorités françaises. Commenca alors une série de films et documents qui devaient servir la cause du nouvel ordre mondial. Train d'enfer fut l'un des premiers du genre. Dans cette oeuvre, 3 français blancs sont donc refoulés de la Légion et balancent un arabe par la fenêtre d'un train. Arrêtés, les criminels sont alors défendus par la population local qui n'hésitent pas à encercler le commissariat pour réclamer leur libération en chantant à tue-tête la Marseillaise. Le shéma de la propagande du film est alors vite bouclée: français de souche+Marseillaise+ arabe assassiné=racisme. Donc France=racisme. Ce genre de propagande anti-français de souche à travers le cinéma va durer jusque au début des années 2000. Notons que Train d'enfer fut réalisé par...le beau-frère de Mitterrand en personne, Roger Hanin, comme par hasard. Et pourquoi donc n'ont-elles pas continué? Tout simplment parce qu'elle n'étaient plus crédibles. Tout simplement parce que il n'y a jamais eu une possible menace fasciste en France, à tel point que Jospin lui même l'a reconnu il y a quelques années, tout simplement parce que les autorités n'ont pas pu cacher plus longtemps que la menace raciste n'émanait pas des français de souche mais d'individus d'origine extra-européenne, tout simplement parce que s'il faut faire 1 film sur le racisme des blancs, il faudrait en faire 100 sur le racisme anti-blancs pour rétablir la vérité. Vous remarquez d'ailleurs que les chaines de télévisions, si aptes à repasser 30 fois les mêmes navets, n'ont jamais repassé de film du genre Train d'enfer alors qu'ils ne coutent rien. Mais cela serait mal venu de faire croire à un racisme des blancs pour mieux etouffer le racisme anti-blancs grandissant. Après Mitterrand, Chirac et aujourd'hui sarkozy suivent la même politique mais Mitterrand est celui qui l'a fait avec le plus de zèle. Rien de bien étonnant de la part de celui qui reçut la plus haute distinction de la collaboration, la Francisque, et de celui qui couvrit les tortures en Algérie. Notons que Mitterrand, qui s'est servi du FN pour assoir sa politique du nouvel ordre mondial, a ensuite tenté de le détruire en 1990 en organisant la profanation du cimetière juif de Carpentras. Un article sur l'émission "Faites enter l'accusé" et dont le sujet est l'affaire Crapentras verra prochainement le jour sur ce blog.

La note du blog: la propagande du film pue à plein nez mais force est de constater qu'elle est bien réalisée. 5/10.

• Ubuntuusers.de im Zeichen der Schlange: Die Seite der deutschsprachigen Ubuntu-Community läuft seit heute mit einer neuen Software namens Inyoka(=Schlange), diese wurde speziell für UU.de geschrieben, und basiert auf Python. Momentan scheint es noch kleinere Geschwindigkeitsprobleme zu geben, die aber sicherlich demnächst vom engagierten Team behoben werden.

• Debian testing triumphiert: Zumindest auf meinem Laptop hat Debian Testing nun das aktuelle Ubuntu Hardy Heron ersetzt, zu meiner Überraschung lief alles auf Anhieb, sogar die WLAN-Treiber für meine Broadcomkarte wurden erfolgreich eingerichtet. Im Übrigen arbeitet mein Laptop dank der OpenSource ATI-Treiber jetzt auch in höheren Auflösungen als 800x600 mit Zweitmonitoren wie z.B. Beamern, etc. zusammen, zur Vollkommenen Glückseligkeit fehlt mir nur noch die 3D Unterstützung in den Treibern, aber ich bin sicher das auch 3D demnächst Einzug in die Treiber hält.

• BigBuckBunny released: Nicht mehr ganz so neu ist die Nachricht, das der Opensource Animationsfilm BigBuckBunny vom Blender Institut released wurde, zu bekommen auf der offiziellen Seite.

• Gina Lisa Porno veröffentlicht: Naja, wer's braucht.

Cemil Sahinöz

"I heard they were inviting Martin Scorsese to Cinemanila. He’s only 10% sure of attending. I’m his biggest fan so can you help me get him over here? It was cool when Tarantino came over but Scorsese would be cooler. Come on just write on this blog and ask Marty to come here! Hopefully if he sees a lot of entries he’ll be 90% sure. Send pictures or whatever to invite him. Thanks you can email me pictures at martyinmanila@gmail.com"

note to self: not such a great idea when using a dog as prop for this project. especially if the dog is sleepy and it's 11 in the evening.

Hur den här filmen kommer gå på biografer har jag ingen aning om, jag tror hur som helst att det kommer bli en flopp, som film, inte pengamässigt, för jag tror att väldigt många kommer att vara intresserade av att gå och se den här filmen, och jag kommer vara en av dem.

Källa: ANN

Andra åsikter om Anime, Live-Action, Dragonball, Manga, Japan, Bio, Poster

Well'p, we did it. Dan and I finished shooting my film last weekend. Between the film and work, we are pushing one month without a single day off. It was a great experience and we both learned a lot about ourselves during the process. I won't go into my realizations now because I haven't fully wrapped my head around them.

As far as having a finished product, it will be a while. I'm not looking at it until I get back to Chicago. Editing will take me further into Final Cut than I've been before, so it might take a few months. I'll let everyone know when it's viewable online.

Living in Memphis has been good and bad. It's good because I haven't got to hang out with Dan this much since we were little kids. We've been together literally 24/7 for almost two months and we haven't even leaned toward a fight.

It's bad because I miss the Midwest. Every region has its own personality, and I think the South and the Midwest are polar opposites. The people are different, the buildings are different, the weather is different, the driving is different, the smell is different, the sunsets are different. I'm wordlessly thankful that we moved to Peoria when I was a freshman. I felt out of place when I was young and I thought that I was out of place with life. Turns out I was just out of place in the South.

Midwest FTW

MUSIC

I've been listening to a lot of new music lately and I've found so truly amazing things. I had lost hope in new music for a while, but the tide is turning and some extremely worthwhile music is being made again.

AA BONDY - AMERICAN HEARTS

Hands down, the best music I've heard in years. I listen to this album almost every day. It's really mellow and acoustic, but it would be completely appropriate to be played during the apocalypse. He sings about life, God, relationships. But in a way you haven't heard before.

[download]

TORCHE - MEANDERTHAL

This is a ridiculously good album. If you want something to turn up, do yourself a favor and get this immediately. My second favorite.

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Foto a luci rosse e video hard amatoriali sono ormai un’abitudine per i big del mondo dello spettacolo. L’ultimo nome, in ordine di tempo, è quello di Avril Lavigne. La sexy cantante canadese sarebbe la protagonista di un breve ma bollente filmato emerso online nei giorni scorsi. Le immagini lasciano aperti tutti i dubbi, ma per Tgcom un particolare svela l’arcano e scagiona la giovane popstar.

Un nuovo scandalo sessuale? Il “Post Chronicle”, che è il giornale che ha lanciato la notizia, lascia la risposta ai lettori. Una bionda con i capelli uguali a quelli della Lavigne impegnata in un rapporto sessuale, rigorasamente di spalle, e con in sottofondo, a fare da colonna sonora, “Don’t Tell Me”, uno dei primi singoli lanciati da Avril. E’ proprio la popstar quella nel video? Per Tgcom la soluzione si trova proprio all’interno di quel filmato. L’inquadratura della scena non permette di vedere il volto della protagonista femminile. Ma in un fotogramma (nella foto sotto), in cui si svela il profilo della ragazza, i più attenti noteranno che questo ha ben poco a che fare con quello di Avril.

Nessun peccato quindi per la giovanissima rocker canadese. Lei e il marito Deryck Whibley, con il quale ha festeggiato pochi giorni fa il secondo anniversario di matrimonio, possono continuare a dormire sonni tranquilli.

Il suo nome non entra nella lunga lista di vip protagonisti di foto e video hard. Dietro le capostipiti Paris Hilton e Pamela Anderson hanno trovato posto in molti. Ultima e molto discussa è la giovanissima attrice Miley Cyrus, che in poche ore è passata da protagonista dei film per bambini firmati Disney a interprete di privatissimi scatti osé.

Grazie zia, so che è un regalo tuo.

L'ho riconosciuto, nella confusione degli eventi che mi prende; ho ritrovato la tua delicatezza e i tuoi colori chiari.

... è un tuo regalo, che mi fa sognare e mi fa sorridere, che mi riporta il sentimento sereno di quando eri accanto a me. E solo i tuoi regali hanno questo sapore. Solo tu sapevi farmi queste sorprese.

Grazie, zia. Grazie di aver voluto starmi vicina oggi.

On June 28, 2008 with CANON A-1, Kodak E100G.

Failure maybe. 'Cause, taken with manual mode maybe or so should be.
Flame is made like a mount for the positive film.

最近、マニュアルでボケボケ写真を撮って失敗ばかり。
マウント風にしてみました。