I can't believe you haven't seen... TV edition

Confession time. I’m only now, for the first time, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I’ve borrowed the DVD’s from my friend Kylie, who has been in love with the show for as long as I’ve known her. I’m really enjoying it, but have a feeling I might have appreciated Buffy more when it was first on TV, in its original context, spoiler-free and fresh. As proud as I am that I “liked Arrested Development before Fox canned it”, I’ve also been a johnny-come-lately fan of many classics:

Deadwood

Completely missed it. I blame Australian television programmers. Not my fault.

Fringe

I’m not too late, Fringe hasn’t been cancelled, but I’m only now getting on board. I love its X-Files-style mythology that is thus far not too confusing. And that last scene of S1? Wow.

Breaking Bad

Watched 3 seasons in 2 weeks. Where do I collect my award? Bring on Season 4! I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for so long… ahem.

The Wire

I don’t feel too bad about this one. Everyone missed it the first time around. Society's fault.

Over to you, readers! What shows are you (maybe shamefully) just discovering for the first time?

Quote of the day: Words a source of magic & a farewell to Harry Potter

"I always surprise myself on my ability to turn a phrase. Words are, in my not so humble opinion, the most inexhaustible source of magic; capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it." Albus Dumbledore

I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on the weekend. It was fantastic, a perfectly dramatic and heart-wrenching end to one of the history's greatest stories, told by one of history's greatest story-tellers: JK Rowling. JK's turn with a phrase is well-known, and the script of The Deathly Hallows Part 2 included many of my favourite lines from the book on which it was based. The above quote felt like a nod to all of the word-nerds out there, a reminder of the power of language and the impact your choice of words has on your own world.

So as we farewell Harry, Ron and Hermione, let us pay tribute to their creator, the marvelous JK Rowling. Here is her Commencement Address, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” from the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.

 
J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

Quote of the day: Here is New York

“There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three trembling cities the greatest is the last — the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is the third city that accounts for New York’s high-strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion.” - E. B. White

Insert celebrity endorsement here...

It’s the most talked about TV ad of the week in Australia, but who would have thought ‘our Cate’ would be the centre of such fuss over what has previously just been a political and environmental debate? Well, maybe Aussie entrepreneur Dick Smith saw this one coming - he declined to feature in the ad.

If you haven’t seen it yet, have a look...

Here’s the story so far: despite being one of two famous actors in this carbon tax ad (Michael Caton is the other), Cate Blanchett has been singled out and criticised by many, including federal opposition politicians, for her involvement. Her money and her ‘part-time’ Aussie status are just two of the things being called into question. Funny, last time she was nominated for an Oscar we had no problem shouting from the hilltops that ‘our Cate’ was flying the flag for Australia in Hollywood. But I digress…

This isn’t the first time Cate Blanchett’s been involved in supporting environmental issues and she’s proved she isn’t afraid to get political. She’s well know as a greenie-slash-political activist, in that Hollywood actress kinda way. So what’s all the fuss about? I’d like to say I think it’s solely the controversial carbon tax issue, but I suspect it’s not that simple.

Carbon tax opinions aside, shouldn’t Cate be applauded for the fact that she’s having a say in her country’s political process and future, and she isn’t getting a big fat paycheck for her appearance? I like that she genuinely cares, while so many Aussies are apathetic. Unlike so many other Hollywood celebrities who do those lucrative ads in Japan or cheesy iced tea endorsements (Hugh Jackman, I’m looking at you), it appears Cate is measured in her decisions to support political issues.

Yes, she’s filthy rich, but she pays Aussie taxes too so she’s got just as much right as the rest of us to have an opinion about the carbon tax. I know the rest of us don’t get our mug on TV to spruik our opinion, but lets be realistic about what that is – good old-fashioned celebrity endorsement. It’s nothing new, certainly not in the political arena, to gain the support of a celebrity to champion your cause.

The Federal Opposition are clearly worried about the influence Cate Blanchett might have on voters and public opinion in general, otherwise they wouldn’t be kicking up such a stink, but as usual, I think our politicians are selling us a bit short. While Cate might be highlighting the issue, I don’t think her 10 seconds or so on screen is going to change the mind of the masses who appear to oppose the carbon tax in the polls for a raft of different reasons.

So really the issue here is celebrity endorsement isn’t it? Are celebrities usually scrutinised so much about whether they fit the cause they are supporting, or if they’re being hypocrital, like Cate has been?

Whether it’s a political cause or simply a commercial product, do you think celebrities are too out of touch to influence our political opinions? Or is celebrity endorsement so common now it doesn't impact public opinion? Let us know what you think…

Confessions of a quote whore

The New York Times had a recent article criticizing the context of a quote to be used on the 9/11 memorial site, which will be dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the attacks this September. The author of the opinion piece, Caroline Alexander, argues that the quote from Virgil is being misused. She calls it “out of context”. The words translate to “No day shall erase you from the memory of time”.

I have been thinking about why Ms Alexander’s piece struck a chord with me. At a basic level, and away from their original context, they’re just words. Indeed, as a memorial for the victims of a terrorist attack, they act as a fine tribute, a simple and powerful sentiment that is neither controversial nor too simplistic. The article is not incorrect or contentious, but rather raises a question that I suppose I’ve always wondered about. Do words need to stand in their original context to provide meaning? Or can meaning be derived from the words themselves, much like a painting, for example. Does significance derive from the artist and author’s intention, but also, and perhaps most importantly in artistic endeavors, from our own interpretation? I don’t want to argue the appropriateness or otherwise of this particular quote. Rather, I want to talk about words.

Words, words, words, words. I love them. I remember when words started really meaning something to me, when I devoured quotes and books and committed my favorites to memory. This probably started in high school, this love of words and the poetry of a song lyric or an ancient passage …

“And the poets down here, Don’t write nothing at all, They just stand back and let it all be, And in the quick of the night, They reach for their moment, And try to make an honest stand, But they wind up wounded, Not even dead, Tonight in Jungleland”

“…One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

“Well, the deputy walks on hard nails and the preacher rides a mount, But nothing really matters much, it's doom alone that counts, And the one-eyed undertaker, he blows a futile horn. ‘Come in,’ she said, ‘I'll give you shelter from the storm.’”


“Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”


“As all the Heavens were a Bell, And Being, but an Ear…”


“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars…”

I was a teenager, and looking back at many of my favorite quotes is a little embarrassing, especially the obvious writers I chose, as though I was the first girl in the world to adore Dickinson or find a Dylan or Springsteen lyric that really "spoke" to me. But truth is that these writers are admired because their work is inspired. Inspired, and for a teenager falling in love with words, inspiring. Need I read Macbeth in its entirety to appreciate and understand “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow..”? I don’t believe so, although of course I had to, in Grade 11.

What do you think? Do your favorite quotes stand without their original context? Or do you believe they have more power within the limits of the author’s original intention? What are some of your favorite early quotes?

Book Nerds Corner: Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

For Stephen King fans the count down is on to the release of his newest novel titled 11/22/63, later this year in November. 
  
In honour of that exciting release (book nerds unite!), I thought I’d share my experience of reading his most recent book: Full Dark, No Stars, published late 2010. 

I should admit now to a little bias. Stephen King is one of my favourite authors and I’ve been corrupted by his pop-fiction since the tender age of 11. I have a tendency to like ALL of his books, regardless of if they’re simply good or really brilliant. I read so much Stephen King when I was 11 and 12 that by the time I started high school, I was afraid of the dark.  

Stephen King’s Full Dark, No Stars is certainly enough to make you afraid of the dark as an adult. Rather than the usual sci-fi and supernatural concepts to frighten his readers, King uses the dark side of human nature to scare the pants of us. There are still some horror aspects for long-time fans, but the most disturbing (and I mean disturbing – I couldn’t read this book before going to sleep) is that the awful things that play out in his stories could also happen in real life. 

Full Dark, No Stars is a collection of four novellas. All carry the theme of revenge and retribution, and all the folly it can bring along with it.  I’ve haven’t kept my reading rate up with the publishing rate of King’s most recent books (much to my own disgust) and I do have a fondness for his classics (Carrie, It, Misery, The Stand), and if you’re the same, you may find Full Dark, No Stars starkly different, but also refreshing. Some of the elements for which Stephen King is famous; a penchant for graphic, often grotesque details of death and mutilation, and a fast-paced story, are still there, but there is distinctly less horror. Full Dark, No Stars offers horrors of other kinds, those which humans create all on their own. The stories are classic King page-turners, but to plagiarise his own words; ‘the stories in this book are harsh’. 

The first, the chilling 1922, is a self-penned confession from a Nebraskan farmer who murders his wife after a long-standing argument over land, and subsequently sets his beloved son on a path of self-destruction. 

The second, Big Driver, is the tale of a fiction author who, while travelling back from a speaking engagement, finds herself a victim of one of the worst crimes against women, and embarks on a mission of revenge. 

The third, Fair Extension, deals with a man and his jealously of his friend, whom he believes has it all. He makes a deal with the devil, and watches his friend’s life unravel. 

The final story, A Good Marriage, tells the story of a wife who finds out her husband is not the man she thinks he is, and finds herself doing unimaginable things to protect herself. 

I’ve purposely left out a lot of the details of the stories because I don’t want to give the twists and turns away. It’s best to go on the journey yourself; while each story has a common theme, they are all distinctly different. 

You might also find yourself a little changed after reading these stories. What? I hear you saying. They’re just stories. And that’s true. It is fiction. But when you read King’s afterward, you’ll see that each story has its root in real life, and some even echo details of those awful tales you see on the news each night. They make the reader think about life in a deeper way. To use King’s own words - it’s all about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. If you can read a book, and it changes the way you think about life, even just for a day, a week or a year, surely that’s worth being afraid of the dark for just a little while. 

Do you have a favourite Stephen King novel? Or have you read something else great lately? Join our Book Nerds Corner and share away! 

Pop Culture Smackdown!! The Battle of the Superhero Movie Trailer

It's that time of year again. The Blockbuster season is almost upon us. And this year is no different from any other - prepare yourself people - we are about to be inundated with a shitload of superhero movies.

This year there are no less than 5 superhero movies coming our way. But which ones should we be watching? We all know how these things go - the story either follows a normal guy or gal who has some kind of life-changing event and decides to use the opportunity to kick ass and take names, or it's an alien/mutant creature who by some contrived reason is the only person who can save the world. Most of them are derived from comic book lore and have an army of devout fans slaving over their every detail on the internet.

Considering that I have never read any of the source material, have limited prior knowledge to most of these stories and am basing my judgement solely on the trailers released for each of them, I present to you my uneducated guess at which ones look to be worth your time and money.

Which superhero trailer will prevail?

Thor

Director:  Kenneth Branagh

Cast:  Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Clark Gregg.

Part of the Marvel Universe, you might recognise Thor from the post-credit teaser in Iron Man 2.  In fact Thor is part of whole universe of superhero movies that tie into next year's event film The Avengers.  In this particular movie, we get the origin story of the warrior Thor, whose reckless actions on his home planet reignite an ancient war and get him cast down to Earth to live amongst us disgusting humans.  He, of course, then has to save us from the evil aliens.

Eddie Vedder: On stage. Alone. Amazing.

Eddie Vedder solo tour: Thursday March 10 2011, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, Australia.

Before starting this review I need to declare a serious conflict of interest: I have been in love with Eddie Vedder since high school. I can’t help it. I’m not made of wood people. So that means the recount that follows is hardly going to be balanced and unbiased. But I digress…

Eddie Vedder kicked off his Australian solo tour in Brisbane on March 10, 2011 playing to a packed, but small crowd of 1600 at QPAC’s concert hall (yes, 1600. It was amazing not to be one of 30,000 people for once).

After being treated with the heavenly folk vocals of support act by Evil J & Saint Cecilia, (one is Jimmy Barnes’s daughter Eliza Jane Barnes) the man himself walked quietly on stage to raucous applause, took a seat and began to play. He later apologised for not saying hello to the crowd first, but I’m fairly sure no one cared.

Vedder kicked off with a couple of solo numbers, just him and his electric guitar. I think this was what the crowd expected and is one of the biggest draw cards for his solo shows – the promise of just Eddie and his guitars.

In the first track he actually made a mistake (although none of us could tell), stopped, cursed, laughed and then apologised. This actually happened a second time later as well. The normalcy of this was refreshing and I’m sure nobody in the concert hall actually cared. Just the mere fact that Eddie knew he had made a mistake, stopped and started again, showed he was just as normal as everyone else there; able to be nervous on the first night of a big tour, able to make mistakes. Really, that’s Eddie’s charm in nutshell I think. He is awesomely talented as a musician, but isn’t afraid to show the audience that he’s just a normal guy.

During the show the scenery, consisting of simple hand-painted backdrops, changed a few times. The first was an ally way with multi-story brown brick buildings and fire escapes. I’m guessing it could have been a typical back street in New York, Brooklyn or any American city. Another was tent-like, which gave the illusion of Eddie sitting inside a Bedouin tent, strumming away. To me, they were a perfect example of his understated approach to performance, and yet every small detail on the stage that night seemed well thought out.

I wasn’t sure if Eddie would play any Pearl Jam songs in his solo show. I would have been just as happy with a night his individual work, but in what I think was another show of his graciousness and lack of artistic ego, he did include them. I guess he realises his fans are first of all fans of Pearl Jam, and he delivered ‘The End’ and ‘Just Breathe’ from the band’s most recent album, Backspacer.

Refreshingly, there was no drawn-out encore business. Eddie had a short break a bit over half way through the show, and when he was back, stepped things up a notch with a reworked version of the classic ‘Better Man’ on his acoustic and a furious cameo appearance by his ukulele.

I have to say, at the risk of sounding like a loony music fan, I got a bit emotional a few times during some of the songs, especially during the Pearl Jam track ‘Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town’ and ‘Rise’ on the mandolin, from the sound track of the movie Into the Wild, which is a bit of a tearjerker itself.

And speaking of tearjerkers, Eddie made a solemn tribute to a friend of his, former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr who had passed away less than 48 hours before, after a long battle with addiction. Pearl Jam toured with Alice in Chains in the early years and Eddie performed a rendition of Neil Young’s ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’ to absolute silence.

Eddie also made a brief but heartfelt mention of the recent devastating Queensland floods, ironic given the very building the concert was held in still had water damage in the underground car park. He was aware of this and said he thought Brisbane was doing ‘ok’ in the wake of all the destruction. In this, and the brief mentions of his children, it was clear Vedder’s ability to convey his compassion from the stage was as strong as ever.

The whole night’s playlist built to the rousing finale, ‘Hard Sun’, a cover reworked for the ‘Into the Wild’ soundtrack, with Evil J & Saint Cecelia returning to the stage. The concert hall lights were blazing bright white, allowing the audience to see each other clearly, and allowing Eddie to see everyone back. It was stark, real and touching, a perfect end to a show of the same nature.

Footnote: I have to apologise for the lack of pictures from the night. The venue and I suspect Eddie himself, were very adamant about no cameras or photos being taken to keep the atmosphere intimate and uninterrupted. I respected that, although I was dying to get just one photo!

Ever been moved at a gig? Or have you been to an Eddie Vedder/Pearl Jam show? Let us know below!