Miss Celleaneous

Left work early at seven, took a few trains, and watched The Girl Who Played With Fire with Anne via her preview tickets.

Little time now, as I only got back a little while ago, but Lisbeth Salander is at once one of the most impressive characters I've ever seen on a movie screen ( brief but *triggery* ) Serendipity that I'd bought the latest EMMA at the train station, and it had an article on Noomi Rapace in the Millennium Trilogy. What an incredible performance - compelling, powerful. Also gendered: the other way 'round. ( Spoilers, and sex. )

An ljfriend mentioned that she has issues with Stieg Larsson's trilogy, but I need to read the first book now, and then the third. Who is this woman? I need to know.

1. On the outside, all that's left of my knee surgery are two tiny band-aids! Endoscopy rocks my world, and so do competent doctors (for a change).

2. Watched Shelter. Oh, wow. Wow. You must see this movie...which does not deserve the R-rating in the eyes of anyone sane and sensible, by the way. I hope with all my heart that people watch it with their teenage kids.

3. Celebrating New Year's with a few friends right here in my city, right here in the Old Town: wine bar, pub-hopping, fireworks, and a big party in some supposed "new hotspot of the Scene." Uh, whatever that is. Tomorrow, on the first day of the New Year, it's back to the parents' house again, to see my sister for three more days before she goes Down Under. Alas (for me, not for her).

May 2010 be a lot better than 2009, you guys!

Spoilers for the movie, obviously.

( Gripping and gritty; decent drama )

( Racist elements are racist, though. )


ETa: In the comments on lj, mackiemesser links to a worthwhile Salon article including an interview.

1. Over 200,000 people came to see and cheer for Barack Obama today in Berlin at the Siegessäule. It's been the topic du jour -- de la semaine, really -- and Spiegel Online has photo reports and several articles on this our 'Obamania' including the full text of the speech. Historical performance, or performance of history? Time, tell, you know the drill; I certainly hope so, and as a German, especially, I'm cautiously optimistic.

2. Knee hurts, but since it's been 24 days since the 2-for-1 rip-and-hairline-fracture accident (and since I hear bones need tough love), I'm starting to put weight on it again. ( ... )

3. Watched Juno and adored it. ( Juno the movie )

And now for something nicer: Yesterday, grundbuch came and whisked me away to the movies...via his work place at the uni, that is, where we briefly met up with an old buddy of his and checked the 'net for the current film programme.

This was not, as one might be led to believe, a brief matter: ( Not an IM but an RL conversation )

Called the old friend whose wife had recently left him on my way back home at 7pm. Was picked up by him & another friend at 7:15pm -- Friday night showing of ( Blood Diamond ) Afterwards, we drove back for tea and talks at her & her husbands place, and I'm only realising now that many of my my old friends are/were already married these days, even the German ones, not just the US-Americans. Where has my youth gone? No, don't answer that.

( Class & new work place )

Mona, no, seriously, why don't you tell us how you *really* feel?

You'll have to read yahtzee63's post first, who examines a reviewer's argument that cinema overall is more homoerotic now and quotes his words on Casino Royale,

I was just struck by Martin Campbell's camera's blatant lust for Craig, whose contracts clearly have a nudity clause (he's for it).

and then asks,

My question is -- why is this homoerotic?

There's a documentary about Mounties on tv. Aw, N24, you shouldn't have.

As for real life -- it's picking up speed again, thank God. grundbuch and I first made curry ( details for the food fen among you ), then hit the movies (see below) before driving by his parents' place for a It's Not Flooded, Right? check-up and returning to my apartment make dessert and have a drink ( yet more yumminess ).

As for the whole film experience -- first and foremost, I was thrilled to return to the world of movie theatres. Don't think the rest of the audience even noticed me fidgeting and shifting my seating position every ten seconds, considering the steady streams of whistles and catcalls and the running commentary from the tracksuit gang sitting behind us (a classy cinema this was not). And if you think Mona reviews farcical French movies; how did that happen?, I have two words for you: ( Sneak Preview )

1. M & M at the Movies

M(ona): "Munich!"
M: *looks dubious*
M: "Walk the Line!"
M(ona): *looks even more dubious*
M(ona): "Aeon Flux? It's got action."
M: Yeah, sounds good!

( Aeon Flux, plus testing the waters...bars. Maybe the waters in bars? )

2. Precioso! ( Olympics )

3. While zapping, I passed MTV Germany and suddenly found myself watching the latest Rammstein video with a sort of horrid fascination. I'm not easily fazed, but Mann gegen Mann shows three times more naked male skin on naked male skin than Queer As Folk -- which they are broadcasting on Pro7 now, whee! -- and has lyrics that made me gape at the screen in total slash overload. And. There's oil involved. (frogspace, I know you'd mentioned it, but seeing is believing.)

4. ( Karneval/Fasnacht ) On the other hand, Benares Silk and the local Karneval should not meet; that time of the year, Rough!Partying/Dirty!Streets is everybody's OTP...

*Finally*,

a) I sent off all these forms. (This is the point where any other citizen of this my country would complain about the German bureaucracy, but really, after I've been to other places? Ain't any worse here.)

b) we did manage to hit the movies and see ( L'Auberge Espagnole II )

c) gettin' about 40 queued-up LJ comment notifications per day. Good going, LiveJournal staff!