I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight

on Friday @ 3:59 PM

I was planning on doing a whole catch-up post but have decided against it because a) I don't know if anyone would want to read that (or care) and b) I can't be bothered.

I've been very busy over the crazy period, working on all the 'big days'. There was too much moving about on Christmas day, for my liking. I did get some nice presents but it would be imposssible to attempt to list it all (I received an inordinate amount of jumpers this year, clearly I have been talking far too much about my passion for woollen jumpers over the past few months). Items of note were: XBOX 360 from Becky (she also got me a replacement Fred Perry Polo, an original Pogues 7" of Fairytale and a copy of Kate Moss' biography - definately the most thoughtful of gifts this year, Final Cut Studio training books, Haneke box-set, monies and plenty of nightwear.

Yesterday me and Becky finally got a day off together. With nothing tying us down we completed the obligatory lie-in and then dropped some stuff off at her parents (cables for a laptop that was about to be bought for her, but she didn't know this) and headed into town to the sales/spending of vouchers (busy busy) and to see I Am Legend (okay, I guess).

We had dinner with Lisa and Becky's parents and then came home to watch the Extras Christmas Special and Gervais' Fame.

Back to work today unfortunately, we have, however spent the beginning of the day in bed, watching Octopussy, Becky reading the Kate Moss bio she bought me and me enjoying the only Klosterman book I haven't read.

Becky's birthday (on the 21st) started off like this:

I've Never Met a Toby I Didn't Like

on Thursday @ 4:48 PM

Edinburgh is a blanket of fog. It's very Chrismassy and seemed very appropriate while I shopped for the last of my gifts today. I am the fasted shopper in the East.

Sometimes I like to get film soundtracks before I see the film, when they look like films I'd want to see. They give me a feel of the film and somehow make it easier to deconstruct for me. Some filmmakers really use music to its perfect effect and I like to think about this, sometimes. I recently did this with The Darjeeling Limited, which has an interesting soundtrack that I really like.

I got slightly interested in Juno because of my Michael Cera interest - I loved Clark and Michael, Arrested Development, Superbad etc. - and it looked quite nice and lo-fi. My interest dwindled slightly and I figured that the film had been and gone in cinemas (if released in the UK). But then I saw the soundtrack listing and got a copy. It revived my interest in The Moldy Peaches and Kimya Dawson (I went to Adam Green's side after TMP split because he was more publicised, supporting the Strokes when I saw them etc.). The OST is actually really sweet and even has Cera covering a Peaches track. Not only would I recommend the music but I can almost recommend the film on this alone.

It gets released at the start of 2008 in the UK and I will be going.

I am also off for 3 days - today for shopping and catching up on things, tomorrow is Becky's birthday and Saturday is Muz's birthday.. A very busy weekend this close to the big day.

I have a dream

on Friday @ 4:38 PM

I finally got to see The Darjeeling Limited last night, and not a moment too soon; I think it's nearing the end of its UK cinema run. I don't think it's as popular as it desreves though, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I went with Chris to an earlier showing and we watched it on a screen to small to be a cinema screen and much to big to be household so it was a bit odd. They showed Hotel Chevalier first, like I was told they would and I really enjoyed the whole experience - I'm glad when I see a film that excites me again, I watch so much crap/things considered 'classic' but don't 'turn me on' despite enjoying them.

One thing I thought about the film was that it was more adult than Anderson's previous work - the death of the boy and Jason Swartzman's sex scenes were dealt with in a more grown-up manner than Wes has done. They lacked the kitschy disconnection of similar themes in Tenenbaums (Gwyneth Paltrow's detective file montage) etc. This is in no way a criticism, the maturity actually packed a bit of a punch.

If I was to complain about one thing it would be the fact that the film seems to be over 2 or 3 times, but is not. When I was discussing the film with Chris afterwards, we both agreed that we thought we would be clapping and leaving 10minutes before the actual ending.

Really enjoyed the film overall. The humour was great. Wilson and Swartzman still excellent, Anderson newbie Brody was also really good in his role.



The World Cup 2008 qualifiers fixture list was announced today; the way it has turned out it looks like I might be going to Macedonia AND Iceland AND Norway AND the Netherlands.

He Slimed Me

on Tuesday @ 5:16 PM

How I know Christmas is coming:

1. There is a knock on my window and it's my dad putting up a Christmas star.

2.
The BBC's Christmas tv trailer.

3. Someone sends me an advent calendar (I can't tell if my gran stopped sending it and my mum took it up or not - and I can't be bothered asking).

4. School pressures are exchanged with Secret Santa pressures.



Me and Becky went to see Kings of Leon at the SECC in Glasgow last week. We had an Italian beforehand and walked around the Christmas village (or whatever it's called) in George Square. The Manchester Orchestra supported and when they were done I realised me and the Bex were pretty far into mosh-pit territory. Knowing that she had never been to a a big gig before (spare maybe Jamie T a couple of months back), I warned her about the rowdiness and told her that if it was getting too much to give me the nod and we would move back to a calmer area.

Turns out she wasn't phased at all and lasted the whole hour-and-a-half set, where she would constantly slip in front of people to get closer to the stage (I was trying to hold on to her but I wasn't so lucky in getting past people and would get the odd elbow in the chops when people saw me moving in their way). I tried to explain to Becky that people don't like skippers too much but she was too busy getting involved in Four Kicks or Knocked Up.



There's not many film people that don't like Scorsese, so I was surprised to find the Key To Reserva today, without anyone having told me anything about it. I didn't realise it was advertising for an embarrassingly long time into the film, I was thinking I had stumbled upon one of the biggest pieces of movie news all year. I don't really mind directors doing advertising as long as they are creative and not completely selling their soul to the corporate devil, I guess. A lot of people are opposed to music vids too but I have no qualms.

In fact, I made a (simplistic) music video for Michael Lovett. An exercise in the smallest of things, believe it or not, a lot of thought went into this video.

TRIVIA: It was shot 4 times. I may post another version where different things happen, if anyone is interested.

I spent £300 internet shopping for Christmas yesterday, I'm not even halfway done and my debit card feels a lot lighter. But at least I have less to think about. I completed an essay contrasting and comparing two films from 1931 - The Public Enemy and M and it took me ages and I'm very glad it's done (though I am glad I took the time to do it and learn about these films), now I am finished with uni for Christmas.