As you know from the last post, I've read and watched and listened to tons whilst I was seperated from my beloved internet. It is obvious to anyone that the world tried to make me have a life and I completely rejected this attempt and like a rebellious teenager I shunned the world as if it were a meddling parent. So, here is the run down of everything that I can remember reading, watching or listening to in the last month or so! Joy for you!:
Until I Find You - John Irving
Before I say anything about this book, know that it is brilliant and I wouldn't change anything about it. That said, I hated all but two characters in this book. Read it and see if you agree with that. They're all so nasty, so flawed, so... well, human. This book is about people deluding themselves about what they want, what would be in the best interests of other people and how this affects people in later life. The book shows the effect of childhood on your later life. As Irving dedicates the book he tells us that he hopes that the children he knows have a childhood nothing like Jack.
Poor Jack. He gets molested, lied to, molested again, sees things that he should never see at his age, and then, just for good measure gets molested once more. He lives in constant fear that he is going to turn out to be like his absent womanising father, drawing himself near to older women, possibly wanting to be mothered as he was as a child before his mother effectively rejects him during puberty. Finding out the truth brings new shadows to light, and shows us all just how unreliable our childhood memories are.
This is not a book for the faint hearted, as you can probably guess from the description, but that definately does not mean that you shouldn't read it. Read it. Read it now.
The Notebook
No, no, no, no, no. This film is so horrible, that my flatmate threw her shoe at the TV. By this I don't mean that it's a bad film, it's just that it's possibly the most traumatic romantic film you'll ever see. I had to call my girlfriend after watching this to make her promise that she'll never forget who I am. Honest, you can ask her if you want.
Secret Window
I love Johnny Depp. Anyone who knows me, knows that about me. If there was some possible way for me to have his babies then I probably would. I have never seen a film and thought that he acted badly. He is my favourite actor. By a mile.
This film however, is shit. According to one of my flatmates, there is a secret rule that states 'If the animal dies first, you know it's going to be a bad film'. This film doesn't just follow the rule, it picks it up and waves it as a banner to all other films.
The thing I found most upsetting was that it tricked me. I liked it for the first half. Then came the 'twist', Johnny seeing and talking to himself. Oh no! He is John Shooter! Oh no! Shooter is actually his mind saying 'Shoot-her'! OH NO! I wasn't expecting the twist, I must admit, but that was generally because I was expecting a good ending. If you're thinking of watching this film and I've just spoiled it for you, here is all the twist you need:
"Well, I was going to watch it, 'cause it had Johnny Depp, the most amazing actor EVER, in it. But then I didn't."
I think you'll find that storyline more exhilerating and entertaining than anything this shite has to offer.
Saturday Night Wrist - Deftones
White Pony was one of those albums that took a while to grow on me and after a while, once I got past the heavy outer shell of the music, loved immensely. It's amazing. Every song brings something new to your ears. I can know listen to the whole album and won't skip a single track. When I heard that the new Deftones album may be like that, I was jumping for joy. In a rare event I actually went out and bought it on the day of release. I casually handed over my money to the shop assistant in HMV with my casually shaking hand. I casually ran home and (casually) shoved the CD in my player and let the songs seep out.
Hole in the Earth was nothing new, as the first single and left me a little unimpressed, but I hoped the rest of the album would change this opinion and surprise me. Meh. It's ok. There are good songs. There are bad songs. There is one song that I find hard to listen to because it insults everyone in my country. Apparently Deftones are explaining to us why British people have bad teeth.
Well, Cherry Waves is good, Beware is good, Mein is ok (it would be good, but the vocal accompanyment of Serj Tankian, rather than adding a different sound, just puts me off the song) and Xerces is ok. On the whole, though, the album feels sluggish and bogged down in Chino's fluid vocals, it seems that the beautiful slow moments in White Pony that gave you relief from the onslaught of the songs has been stretched out to actually BE whole songs. It's a shame. It's not a bad album, but I wouldn't say it was a great one, either.
Well, that's all the reviewing I have the energy for at the moment. I'm sure there'll be more later. If not, well, lucky you!
Bobbikk
