tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-323976172024-03-19T03:15:08.995+00:00a stranger at home"If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else" - Yogi Berramatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-25946890870439898742012-11-09T22:31:00.001+00:002012-11-09T22:31:19.430+00:00antifreeze<div style="text-align: justify;">
it looks like I will be back in London during the Xmas break. Granted it'll just be for a short weekend, but this is still an occasion of momentous proportions. I'm so excited that I've already blown most of my tax refund on a winter coat, of which I'll have absolutely no use whatsoever in balmy Houston (high temperature today: 82°); I can't wait to have beer spilled on it at 2am in a semi-seedy Shoreditch pub. I think this is what they mean by Home Sweet Home.</div>
matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-83609215442546728642012-07-18T19:29:00.000+01:002012-07-18T19:29:37.276+01:00native tongues<div style="text-align: justify;">
For the longest time the only thing I knew how to say in Spanish was "la primera palabra est 'duuude'". All thanks to a catchy ad on MTV for a long-forgotten season of Road Rules. Sure, I knew a few words here and there, most of them situated on the Chipotle menu board, but for the major part I was as clueless to the hispanic language as conquistadors were to nice manners. Going to a good friend's wedding in Spain last summer (his wife is from there) I realized two things:
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- Spaniards spoke much better English than I though they would
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- I spoke 2 languages, none of which I had learned in the scholastic sense
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Those two facts might present a mixed case for taking up Spanish, but I chose to view them as the expression of my over-reliance on comfort, which is something I often struggle with. So, this past January I started taking classes at Rice University, at a 3hr/week clip. After 6 months I can safely say this has been a success so far. I won't be fluent anytime soon, but I could foresee being on a conversational level by the end of the year, which was really the goal all along (btw, goals are much easier if you define them after the fact). We've just entered the phase where I just can't wing it and show up without having practiced/read the book, which means the actual work starts now, but I'm confident about the little I know to not feel lost when I have to write more than 1 sentence. And of course knowing French makes a universe of a difference, as they have tons in common. Oftentimes if I don't know a word I can just "hispanicize" the French one and it will work a good 72% of the time.
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And this is just the start.
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If I manage to get through the year in decent shape I am thinking of stopping Spanish classes and trying another language next year. Possibly one that doesnt have common roots with "latin languages", which would've sounded daunting 6 months ago, but which surprisingly is fairly appealing now. I'm still years away from being able to declare I speak more than 2 languages, but at least I'm trying. And now I know that "barbacoa" isn't just a type of meat you can get in your Chipotle taco, but also means barbecue. Increible.</div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-52433994807035067402012-06-01T00:31:00.000+01:002012-06-01T00:31:10.213+01:00going nowhere<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/43163813" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-55497313820735467482012-05-31T14:53:00.001+01:002012-05-31T14:53:56.951+01:00rambling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Driving 1,000 miles in a 3-day weekend is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Although an iPad with a 3G connection and an acceptance of one's place in nature do help a lot. Here are a few photographic testimonials from the road:</div>
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<br />matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-60104579843726995982012-05-18T16:29:00.000+01:002012-05-18T16:29:09.682+01:00timely<div style="text-align: justify;">
OK let's see what happened in the world since I last <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2011/09/tsc-6-depature-skolimowski-1967.html" target="_blank">posted</a> on here? Well I started <a href="http://www.twitter.com/overmatt" target="_blank">tweeting</a> more regularly, since the world was sorely lacking in self-absorbed people broadcasting their inane thoughts. What else? Other than that nothing that I can think of.</div>
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Oh come on you say, surely other things happened on this blueish planet of ours. OK you're right: I got my visa, moved back to Houston for a new job, house-sat a ridiculous house/mansion for a few months (I am the 99%...that lives in the house of the 1%), and after that moved to a cozy, aka dollhouse-small, apartment in the Museum District which doesn't have central AC and attracts regular visitors of the roachy persuasion (and yet which I love).</div>
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Oh you meant in <em>that</em> world, the one on CNN? Um, well I heard about Facebook being on the stock market, something about France finally getting a new prez, and apparently the world's gonna end this year, but I'm still trying to get a confirmation on that (I keep trying <span class="baec5a81-e4d6-4674-97f3-e9220f0136c1" style="white-space: nowrap;">1-800-MAYANS<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=32397617#" style="border: currentColor; bottom: 0px; display: inline; float: none; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: static !important; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: 16px;" title="Call: 1-800-MAYANS"><img src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAQCAYAAAAf8/9hAAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAIGNIUk0AAHolAACAgwAA+f8AAIDpAAB1MAAA6mAAADqYAAAXb5JfxUYAAAKLSURBVHjadJPfS5NhFMe/21xvuhXRyJAZroiSrJnbRdT7vrAf5HBaK5RABmEEwQIvkpZ/QRcWXdSFw5soKaF0F7qZeLO13mGBDpQsf5CoxVKHOt0Pctp2uvEdrzG/V+c553w/54HnPDIiQiGpPMETABoB2AAYd9MRAMMAvGmX+RcAyAoBVJ7gZQDtABworH4AHWmX+bOMZdkjCoXiUzabvcAwzPSsob5p/VTNY9GcdpnxdmYZ9wJThSCtCr1e/4XjuNPd3d1KjUZzaGbI27ysqzGQoggAsLa1A7ehArrDxfDNr0oBlQB+wmKxbJFEL968SxoamsjkHaPU9l9piUo6A0RE1DG2QCWdASrpDAzJM5kMI8XecdjVxfEl+K9dxFgsgUvvR6HyBKHyBAEATyKLeGSsENuNcqk5kUjEGm7fzcYqr0ClVODl99+YXEvl6+c1amjVe+ahiGGYaUEQKnmeh91uL43rqheixjpdmzCL11er0PcjhrTLvMfUJsyKYUSeyWQ6enp6tgCgrKxsfbP8bB8AdE1G89cOReMAgOv+Cag8QXRNRkXAsDwcDr+am5tLCYKA3t7eo2dG+1vVK/MfpRPtA+MIReMYaKj+/xm9MiICx3EmpVL5wefzFavValis1u1vvHMkdfykCQC0kSGUTo+Ajmnx1dSC7IGD+UUCEYGIwLKsyWazrSeTSSIiMpnNf7Ttz5+ec96fr7/VnE0mk+QfHMzV3WjcKH/4rEr05QGFIA6HY4llWRLPRER+v3/HYrFMFQSIkNra2tVQKJSlfcSyLO0LECFWq3XF6XRGA4HAptTsdrsXeZ6fEHtl+31nAOA4rkUulz/I5XL63dQGgHEAN8Ph8AYA/BsAt4ube4GblQIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" style="border: currentColor; bottom: 0px; display: inline; float: none; height: 16px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; position: static !important; right: 0px; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: 16px;" title="Call: 1-800-MAYANS" /></a></span> but no one picks up).</div>
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Here's to another 6-8 months of not posting.</div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-53188480174324826772011-09-12T10:27:00.003+01:002011-09-12T11:05:44.335+01:00TSC 6: The Depature (Skolimowski, 1967)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lesecransdeparis.fr/_cache/_data/actualites/183.jpg/w%7E150+h%7E999+mode%7Eratio.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 199px;" src="http://www.lesecransdeparis.fr/_cache/_data/actualites/183.jpg/w%7E150+h%7E999+mode%7Eratio.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>After being virtually unheard from for the past 20 years, legendary Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimoski has been enjoying a comeback of sorts recently, highlighted by the re-release of his landmark 1960s work in Paris theaters this year. The Departure tells the tale of Marc (a splendid Jean-Pierre Léaud, as manic as ever), a young hairdresser's assistant who has 48 hours to "find" a Porsche for a big car race. The film is bursting with creativity, containing shots both playful and meaningful, while a great jazz score keeps up the tempo. Like a good driver, Skolimowski knows exactly where he's going, always staying close to the edge between speed and loss of control. And as such, he also knows when to slow down to allow for contemplation.<br /><br />****<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-52777276987130793812011-09-11T18:08:00.005+01:002011-09-11T18:31:06.649+01:00TSC 5: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (Wyatt, 2011)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQyMjUxNTc0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjg1ODExNg@@._V1._SY317_CR0,0,214,317_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 317px;" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQyMjUxNTc0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjg1ODExNg@@._V1._SY317_CR0,0,214,317_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Like most red-blooded teenagers, I first got into movies by the way of the action genre. The Rock, Independence Day and Twister were some of the blockbusters that first got my thirst for the silver screen going. And while my tastes have since progressively evolved to more diversified fare, I still like to indulge in cheap thrills once in a while. So after a week filled with <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2011/09/tsc-1-separation-fahradi-2011.html">Iranian melodrama</a>, <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2011/09/tsc-4-party-edwards-1968.html">psychedelic partying</a> and <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2011/09/tsc-2-la-guerre-est-declaree-donzelli.html">tugs at the heartstrings</a>, it seemed appropriate to cap things off with a good old Hollywood blockbuster.<br />Picking things up in a prequel setting, ROTPOTA (that title is so off, even the acronym is clunky) explains how said apes came to take over the planet, as seen in the 1960s sci-fi series of films. The explanation is fairly acceptable, but the acting so strangely wooden (James Franco bravely taking the lead in that department), that the CGI monkeys end up being the most believable characters. Not a bad thing per se, since the goal of the movie is to make us understand their progression, but overall not a great thing either if you're looking for an all-around solid flick. And if, like myself, you're not the biggest CGI fan, then you might want to go in with your irony meter at 0 and go along for the ride.<br /></div><br />**matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-39331675798075887302011-09-08T21:19:00.002+01:002011-09-08T21:23:27.778+01:00TSC 4: The Party (Edwards, 1968)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUyMzIzMTkyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTY5NjYyMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 317px;" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUyMzIzMTkyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTY5NjYyMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Here's a very simple rule: if you ever get the chance to see one of your favorite films on the big screen, do it. Doesn't matter how many times you've seen it, you'll enjoy it. And if, like me today, you've only seen it on a TV until then, you might just enjoy it even more than you thought you could.<br /><br />****1/2<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-27203836149663619302011-09-07T22:41:00.002+01:002011-09-07T22:53:16.568+01:00TSC 3: Putty Hill (Porterfield, 2011)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgyOTg4NTU1MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzYxNjI0NA@@._V1._SY317_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 317px;" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgyOTg4NTU1MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzYxNjI0NA@@._V1._SY317_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Like a (much) more naturalistic Paranoid Park, Putty Hill shows the aftermath of a young man's death from overdose on his family and friends. Porterfield uses interviews recurrently, blurring the line between fiction and documentary, but mostly lets the images speak for themselves. There is a pervasive wistfulness felt through the images of a middle-class Baltimore that looks like it could be the basis for a prequel of The Wire, if only you took out all the activism of that show (which means it really wouldn't be The Wire) and replaced it with Sofia Coppola's view of the suburbs in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159097/">The Virgin Suicides</a>.<br /><br />***<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-251356505204203022011-09-06T23:21:00.003+01:002011-09-06T23:38:21.193+01:00TSC 2: La Guerre Est Declarée (Donzelli, 2011)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.fan-de-cinema.com/affiches/mini/comedie_dramatique/la_guerre_est_declaree,0.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 280px;" src="http://images.fan-de-cinema.com/affiches/mini/comedie_dramatique/la_guerre_est_declaree,0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One of the clearest critical successes of the last Cannes festival, Valérie Donzelli's second feature film manages the exploit of telling a minefield of a story (a young couple's child is diagnosed with cancer before his second birthday) without making it feel exploitative or over-filled with drama and pathos. Partly that is based on her talent as a filmmaker, always making the right choices to hold back or lean in to show what her characters are going through. Another factor is how good she and her costar Jeremie Elkaim are, making us feel with them not for them. This actually happened to them in real life, and you can feel the honesty pulsating through the screen throughout. This is a story both very small (one couple's love story) and very big (the remarkable job done by the public healthcare system in France), and Donzelli manages to express both with tremendous aptitude.<br />****<br /><br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-71011168168661580452011-09-05T22:28:00.004+01:002011-09-06T23:17:08.104+01:00TSC 1: A Separation (Fahradi, 2011)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMzg2NjkxMzAxNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjMwNzgwNQ@@._V1._SY317_CR12,0,214,317_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 317px;" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMzg2NjkxMzAxNV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjMwNzgwNQ@@._V1._SY317_CR12,0,214,317_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This being day 1 of The September Challenge, it was key that I get off the right foot, and actually go see a movie today. September is often when a lot of the Cannes movies get released, i.e. flicks with a little more cachet than what typically gets released during the summer (no offense, Pirates of the Caribbean 7: Skulls v. Bones). But since I have a whole month to get to these new releases, I thought I'd play a little catch up first, and go see this Iranian movie I've been hearing a lot about since landing back in France. Focused on a couple whose would-be divorce causes untold complications within their family and beyond it, it's another example of the tremendous vitality of contemporary Iranian cinema. The acting is fantastic from top to bottom, encompassing thespians old and young alike. But the story is where this film really shines, going through many iterations of what at first seems like a simple event until the idea of truth gets shaken to its core. And thankfully it does so without resorting to a Rashomon-type structure or manichean shenanigans, thus showing a trust of the audience that is sadly too often lacking nowadays.<br />****<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-61379686736466074162011-09-04T22:24:00.004+01:002011-09-05T22:28:29.329+01:00the old old thing<div style="text-align: justify;">Lots has happened since my <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-queen.html">last post</a> on here. Some mundane, and some less so. To cut it short, I left my job in Houston in July, then moved back to France since my visa was tied to the job. A fantastic trip in Norway, a wedding in Spain, and lots of relaxing with the family have filled my days until now. The initial plan was that I'd drive back to Paris in September and start looking for a place of employment then. But in the meantime I got offered a job....in Houston. So the new plan is to (hopefully) wait for a successful visa application this month, then fly out to New Zealand for two weeks in early October. That trip's two years in the making, if not four, so you could say I'd sort of like for it to work out as planned.<br />Until then, since I'm in the City of Lights, with most of my friends and family working during the day, looks like I'm gonna have myself a decent chunk of free time. And because one of the main things about this city I've missed since moving away 4 1/2 years ago was the quality of movie theaters, I've decided to set myself a challenge. Let's call it the September Challenge (TSC). It goes thusly: I will try to see 20 movies in the theater while I'm here, i.e. just about one month. Can be any type, new releases, reruns, whatever. And since diversity is the greatest asset the Paris movie scene possesses, it's unlikely I'll get bored anytime soon. I will follow up each notch with a quick review, and possibly add general updates on life back in Paris if my brutal schedule leaves me enough time.<br />LET'S DO THIS!<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-83568609279609688232011-03-17T02:02:00.003+00:002011-03-17T03:13:53.279+00:00little queen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5533841042_c21b8f60ea.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5533841042_c21b8f60ea.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">so, the <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2010/10/this-post-brought-to-you-by-letter.html">cycling</a>... Nearly 6 months in, and it's become such a daily part of my life I can't remember why I never tried it before. Although knowing me it's not that surprising that it took a move to a city that lives by the car to get me pedaling. 1,200+ miles into it, I can probably count on one hand the number of fellow commuters I've seen (hobos on busted bikes and Tuesday-night cycling clubs don't count), but there's some sort of reassuring gratification to being the odd one out. Odd as in how 99.9% of your coworkers will view you as they ask you for the hundredth time if you cycled in today. Then again I've got a friend who reacts with horror when I tell her I'll walk to her place, which takes all of 10 minutes, just to give you an idea on the typical thought process about commuting by your own physical volition.<br /><br />Safety-wise it's been fine, drivers seem to be over-cautious to the point where if they get to a crossroad before I do they often still wait to see what I'll do. I'm guessing many of them might have never seen a cyclist before, so they don't know how to react, like when you come across wildlife on a hike. I've had a couple of accidents, none serious, which according to what I've read online is par for the course. One of them was a stupid fall all on my lonesome, while in the other (just two days prior) I got hit by a car at low speed. The driver was doing a U-turn without looking, so she never saw me coming up from behind, and her lack of us of signal lights didn't help. Got off the ground after it happened (bike took most of the hit, in fact the back wheel had to be changed) and instinctively yelled "what the F*$K are you doing?!" at the driver, and immediately realized I was shouting at a car of middle-aged people, including a lady driver who must've been 65. Felt kind of bad about that on the hobbling ride home, and even more so when I found out the next day that the lady in question was a nun. I never did get the money back for my wheel since I got too busy to follow-up with her insurance company, but hopefully got some karma points out of it. Especially since she lied about having her signal lights on. Are nuns allowed to do that? The main lesson I learned from my two crashes was that it's always better to stick to routine, since both of them happened on a road I don't usually frequent. And my coworkers gained many joking opportunities out of it ("any rabbis on the road today?"), so really it's a win-win.<br /><br />I still get the occasional honk, and mild close-calls, but overall it's been much safer than I thought it would be. And the benefits have been so plentiful that the drawbacks seem very minor. Now if only I could prevent those stupid River Oaks joggers from running on the road...<br />On the weekends I frequently see people going for strolls on their bikes, and it always seems like a very relaxed and enjoyable activity, but for me biking is purely utilitarian now. I do it every weekday (or at least 90-95% of the days by my estimate), and by Friday I feel fine just putting the bike away until Monday morning. I've mostly stopped running, which I loved to do, but in exchange I've gained a workout that literally blends into my day's routine. I wouldn't mind to see a few more fellow cyclists out there in the morning/evening traffic, but if a risk-adverse person like me takes to it so eagerly, I figure it's bound to catch on in Houston sooner rather than later.<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-73241793083219482452011-03-17T01:52:00.002+00:002011-03-17T01:58:08.770+00:00Battle: Los Angeles (Liebesman, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KlCHWKUt8G2IgadWbz0OsGZB-JMyKd_ZXGrCg4tfyQ4lBNs2RlIHxqwmtNoMeU3mmHiBrQXDTyE9TmLi190BTNwKDtT8o3ySgxiJVIRAAZ-bbYPhyVzfOENAoUH8-OB2LFwpdw/s1600/MV5BMjA2MjQ2MzMwMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjIwODgzNA%2540%2540._V1._SY317_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KlCHWKUt8G2IgadWbz0OsGZB-JMyKd_ZXGrCg4tfyQ4lBNs2RlIHxqwmtNoMeU3mmHiBrQXDTyE9TmLi190BTNwKDtT8o3ySgxiJVIRAAZ-bbYPhyVzfOENAoUH8-OB2LFwpdw/s200/MV5BMjA2MjQ2MzMwMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjIwODgzNA%2540%2540._V1._SY317_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584861274668539298" border="0" /></a>The very moody and effective <a href="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/battlelosangeles/">trailer</a> (highlighted by a great use of a Johann Johannson track) had me thinking the movie ifself was bound to be average at best. And indeed it's formulaic and kind of stupid, but also very badass. This is where it helps to have low expectations. Great action, and for once the aliens weren't completely all-powerful like in every other alien movie.<br /></div><br />**1/2matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-26286794548299438312011-01-04T02:38:00.003+00:002011-01-04T02:43:19.248+00:00top 10 movies of 20101. Somewhere (S. Coppola)<br />2. Winter's Bone (D. Granik)<br />3. The Social Network (D. Fincher)<br />4. Black Swan (D. Aronofsky)<br />5. Inception ( C. Nolan)<br />6. Mother (J. Bong)<br />7. True Grit (E/J Coen)<br />8. The Fighter (D. Russell)<br />9. 127 Hours (D. Boyle)<br />10. Please Give (N. Holofcener)matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-24391250863459552432010-12-02T04:20:00.004+00:002010-12-02T04:28:57.709+00:00127 Hours (Boyle, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispl0vgZIOB_Xp2jyE7dyCgcHiOFBilPxA9OBxJMH4J5UXyHjsfyHgR1AtuJf6Oy1iyuqV7mIMXYyEXhivV7vq0PHbIJDYibXKqZBrKkX4OZzrEuMvtexK61wgJPtzzhOApGoVNA/s1600/127-hours-poster.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispl0vgZIOB_Xp2jyE7dyCgcHiOFBilPxA9OBxJMH4J5UXyHjsfyHgR1AtuJf6Oy1iyuqV7mIMXYyEXhivV7vq0PHbIJDYibXKqZBrKkX4OZzrEuMvtexK61wgJPtzzhOApGoVNA/s200/127-hours-poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545936120947101874" border="0" /></a>One of the most amazing stories of human will and survival in recent history, Aron Ralston's tale gets a very just treatment by Danny Boyle whose usual dynamic directing and pop-culture sensibilities for once seem appropriate. But this effort would be naught without James Franco's incredible performance. Looks like the Oscar race for Best Actor is over already (sorry Firth, again)<br />***<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-36616191372757274062010-11-15T05:15:00.004+00:002010-11-15T05:26:54.651+00:00Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUg4_dVEl6ebWo_AOov1COQLhNE3SQqXXk4CPVl2zQf71X_yEwX8uu3k2lNPdDaiI8hgY1zbETvfmgIXRK8uKW7Wrh5AWUXsgSDk1Cs6VRZ2PaKM_k3haP5np0vX1ctsn-gJVstA/s1600/blackswan-promoartINTred-full01.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUg4_dVEl6ebWo_AOov1COQLhNE3SQqXXk4CPVl2zQf71X_yEwX8uu3k2lNPdDaiI8hgY1zbETvfmgIXRK8uKW7Wrh5AWUXsgSDk1Cs6VRZ2PaKM_k3haP5np0vX1ctsn-gJVstA/s200/blackswan-promoartINTred-full01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539642767346841458" border="0" /></a>Astounding work all around, from the acting to the directing and the editing (especially during the virtuoso dance sequences). Natalie Portman gives her all in a career performance, and Aronofsky makes an inspired decision to alternate between different genres without really committing to one.<br /></div><br /><br />****matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-73659725837374021052010-11-14T00:12:00.003+00:002010-11-14T00:23:57.142+00:00Skyline (The Brothers Strause, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgDLVtJzl5AXXN6tcXjWnwvfCdCg02PwRZHGhon3LzKwTTZgD6CX16Wibfe13a3fTM2f1MzgoLpJq5wTg1M2YeU4jkFvnFK-VuPGG7Zipwz0aPE1SSF0zVbJqXT0Zrw0HSCIG0g/s1600/Skyline_Poster.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgDLVtJzl5AXXN6tcXjWnwvfCdCg02PwRZHGhon3LzKwTTZgD6CX16Wibfe13a3fTM2f1MzgoLpJq5wTg1M2YeU4jkFvnFK-VuPGG7Zipwz0aPE1SSF0zVbJqXT0Zrw0HSCIG0g/s200/Skyline_Poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539192161940972994" border="0" /></a>Like a much more stupid version of Cloverfield, but still managed to keep things entertaining thanks to a deft blend of arresting visuals and well-constructed action scenes. This is where it helps to have (very) low expectations when going into a movie.<br /></div><br /><br />*1/2matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-35126911836681751812010-11-13T23:53:00.003+00:002010-11-14T00:24:55.617+00:00Due Date (Philips, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlpK5ZladZuP0pdiq83sRFr-j_J0QzEnsG-0sL9mOeWU4o_xZi5FZ8V97j5B0WRCJ6JJig9SoWqyaVwnTdqPVjpIcka1wHCWYGJaageL2cGdrRSdQTLYuUH352ZiXholTVcfmDQ/s1600/duedate.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlpK5ZladZuP0pdiq83sRFr-j_J0QzEnsG-0sL9mOeWU4o_xZi5FZ8V97j5B0WRCJ6JJig9SoWqyaVwnTdqPVjpIcka1wHCWYGJaageL2cGdrRSdQTLYuUH352ZiXholTVcfmDQ/s200/duedate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539189809363515458" border="0" /></a>Tough to see this one and not compare it to last year's comedy smash The Hangover, seeing as they share a star and a director. But Due Date is a much more minor effort, saved in large part by some great scenes sold by both Downey Jr's awesome deadpan and Galifianakis' weirdo routine (although he is much more grating than appealing in this one compared to The Hangover). If nothing else it confirms what I wrote in my previous <a href="http://fakeexpat.blogspot.com/2010/10/conviction-goldwyn-2010.html">review</a>: we need more of Juliette Lewis in movies.<br /></div><br />**1/2matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-26680906155839616812010-11-10T03:37:00.004+00:002010-11-10T04:11:32.080+00:00Seventh Heaven<div style="text-align: justify;">A few reasons why MTV's upcoming remake of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skins_%28TV_series%29">Skins</a> sounds like a really really bad idea;<br /><br />1. It's a remake<br />2. Judging from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0k8U_7Z6ns">previews</a> the first episode is a scene-by-scene remake. Gus Van Sant's Psycho, anyone?<br />3. The original premiered in the UK less than 4 years ago. It's not like watching it makes you feel like you're staring into a time capsule. OK, so Twitter was a non-entity back then, but this show isn't one to name-drop tech trends anyway (why do I feel like the US version will be different...)<br />4. The MTV-casting looks severely underwhelming. No <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Murray">Hannah Murray</a> in that group, for sure.<br />5. At no point so far has there been confirmation in previews that the fantastic theme song by Fat Segal will be re-used. Granted, the garage and DnB musical elements on the UK version might go over the heads of most viewers on this side of the pond, but one would hope they still manage to re-use the opening song, which by the way is one of the all-time greatest ways to start your day when you wake up feeling exhausted.<br />6. There's no way MTV will allow the same level of cussing as on the British version, creating yet another sanitized offshoot while supposedly going for maximum edginess.<br />7. Because I said so<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-44674479456142909782010-10-28T05:44:00.005+01:002010-10-28T05:58:50.002+01:00against the tide<div style="text-align: justify;">very <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/oct/25/men-believe-porn-is-wrong">good piece</a> in The Guardian yesterday about men who've noticed some of the negative effects of pornography and as a result have turned away from it<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-81658412894774262442010-10-26T04:22:00.003+01:002010-10-26T04:34:58.242+01:00cliches<div style="text-align: justify;">I still can't decide whether the commentary on this <a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/10/france_on_strike.html">Big Picture post</a> is ironic (<span style="font-style: italic;">Lady Gaga cancels gigs!!!</span>) or just plain old-fashioned lazy writing. Oh well, at least the pictures are nice. Where's <a href="http://superfrenchie.com/">Super Frenchie</a> when you really need him?<br /></div>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-78820112312687594942010-10-24T16:39:00.003+01:002010-10-24T16:48:45.967+01:00Conviction (Goldwyn, 2010)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55DqjqHQ1MbvUy8As9tChXwWqs2mgT3QtMo8REoHmXVtTw38S7LjF8zxY5W60Sn1lYQnYHGD8TTdGaG-lNohJkiN0y7XeNIHAB42-K-1SxUzs7k9Lc4eU9PhHRwc34y0Dszt2fQ/s1600/MV5BMjEwNzUzNTk0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDE1MTk1Mw@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 136px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55DqjqHQ1MbvUy8As9tChXwWqs2mgT3QtMo8REoHmXVtTw38S7LjF8zxY5W60Sn1lYQnYHGD8TTdGaG-lNohJkiN0y7XeNIHAB42-K-1SxUzs7k9Lc4eU9PhHRwc34y0Dszt2fQ/s200/MV5BMjEwNzUzNTk0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDE1MTk1Mw@@._V1._SX214_CR0,0,214,314_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531638371763035010" border="0" /></a>there is very little in this movie that doesn't scream LOOK AT ME OSCAR, but when the performances are this good (Swank just dives into the role with ferocity, and Rockwell is as amazing as he's ever been. Please tell me he'll finally get the acting nod he deserves with this one) it really doesn't matter. The story is dealt with in a strong-hearted manner that avoids pathos where it can, at least by Hollywood standards. And at the very least this movie reminds us why we need more Juliette Lewis in our lives.<br /></div><br /><br />***matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-48649843315381050132010-10-23T06:22:00.003+01:002010-10-23T06:30:02.021+01:00you mean you can leave the office before 6pm on a Friday?!?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/5106421776_d9eccf09de_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/5106421776_d9eccf09de_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/5105830541_b73a33998d_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/5105830541_b73a33998d_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5106427154_58106ef059_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 480px; height: 640px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5106427154_58106ef059_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1053/5105833103_4d87214baa_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1053/5105833103_4d87214baa_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1425/5106429696_9468ced261_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1425/5106429696_9468ced261_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/5105837173_5bb2cb62c4_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/5105837173_5bb2cb62c4_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1370/5106432550_e5ed14bec4_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1370/5106432550_e5ed14bec4_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32397617.post-81127636629737384762010-10-22T06:49:00.004+01:002010-10-22T06:53:54.839+01:00and leave the rest at arm's length3 words of advice if <a href="http://www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit">Frightened Rabbit</a> ever come to your town: GO GO GO<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/5103735747_604e0326ac_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 640px; height: 480px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/5103735747_604e0326ac_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08535468464745331941noreply@blogger.com0