Little White Lies

Look what came in the mail today! This is Issue 36 of Little White Lies. Yes, I know Issue 37 is already out but it takes forever to send a magazine from London all the way to Down Under. I love the films of Pedro Almodovar and I'm glad the very first issue I'm going to be reading is focused on his new film The Skin I Live In.

I have a thing for magazines with beautiful matte pages that feel more like you're holding a book than a magazine. Who likes glossy pages anyway? Not me.

On a side note, I've noticed that my blog has evolved and has turned more visually orientated so I've decided to create a Flickr account to accompany this blog.

Click here for Flickr. Add me as a contact/friend!

Make sure you catch up with the latest movie releases and enjoy your favourite movies again at lovefilm.com. Visit the site today and take advantage of a free trial when you sign up!

All images are owned by me and cannot be reused without my permission

Why men prefer shopping online

I've been reading in the news lately about how brick and mortar stores in Australia are struggling after a surge in online shopping. I know this is bad news but with the strong dollar and plenty of online stores offering free shipping, sometimes it's just better online. I have to admit, I've probably bought more things online in the past 6 months than in an actual store. I know this type of behaviour can hurt the domestic economy but I just can't help it. When you're sitting in bed about to fall asleep and you realise you need a new eye mask, or a new set of pyjamas, it's easier to just hop on Etsy or Asos, find what you want, punch in a couple of numbers and wait for your purchase.

I've also read in the news about how men are outspending women online. This is not really surprising because women actually find pleasure in shopping and most men (including myself) don't. When I think of shopping, I think of sore feet, intimidating sales staff, feeling vulnerable in changing rooms and coming home with more than you intended. Men are also different types of shoppers compared to women. We don't like to browse or window shop - I find this excruciating. Men are hunters. We know what we want and we find it. When I walk into a store my eyes literally zoom across the room and then it hones in (like a sniper) towards what I want to buy. It's easier to do this on the Internet. I would rather use a search engine than dilly-dally in a number of stores. From personal experience I find women love to dilly-dally (I love this word!) 

Dilly-dally, dilly-dally, dilly-dally. Woo!

Anyway, time for everybody's favourite. Shopping porn! Here's what I recently bought online:

Personalised tumbler from Glitzy Glam. Don't judge.

A box of Criterions from Barnes & Noble

Airplane eye mask from BibBon via Etsy

iPad Moleskine case from Pad & Quill via Etsy

All images are owned by me and cannot be reused without permission

Bookish Fashion and George Orwell

I blogged about Out of Print here before. They're an online shop that sell T-shirts and sweaters designed with iconic book covers. I was meant to get the Moby Dick one but, alas, they were out of stock of that particular style and it was already discontinued. 

They sent me George Orwell's 1984 fleece instead. I haven't read the book but I downloaded the e-book to my iPad when I received the fleece, just so I wouldn't look silly if people ask me if I have read the book I'm wearing.

I've never really had any urge to read this book but after the first chapter I was hooked. I don't know if it's because I'm a pessimist but I've always been drawn to dystopian fiction. Both The Giver and The Road are two of my favourite books of all time and I think I'm about to add 1984 to that list.

In one of the earlier chapters in the book, our protagonist starts to write in this blank journal he found in a store with a good, old-fashioned pen. In this futuristic world both items seem to exist as relics. He writes a banal entry but discovers that the act of writing, of putting thoughts into paper, is gratifyingly liberating. I can't help but look back when I was younger and identify with this particular sentiment. I felt (and still feel) exactly the same way every time I write.

Enough of the book rant. Let's talk about this unabashedly nerdy sweater. The fabric is so soft and cosy it's the kind of thing I would wear when I want to snuggle up and read a good book. I love the colour and according to the company's Facebook page, they're releasing new styles very soon, so I'm definitely going to get some more.

All images are owned by me and cannot be reused without permission

Criterion Haul

My last Barnes and Noble box full of Criterions arrived yesterday and it's time to show you my full haul!

Unfortunately, I'm currently in assignment mode for uni and I've only been able to watch a couple but my favourites so far are Onibaba (a creepy, atmospheric Japanese film that looks incredible in glorious black and white) and Bicycle Thieves (one of the most important films from the Italian neorealist movement).

Images are all owned by me and cannot be reused without permission

Instagram: Film Memories #2

Instagram: Film Memories are a series of posts showcasing great films I saw during a certain time period. Includes a super short, two line recap (like a haiku, but not really) and a screenshot of the film taken via Instagram.

Films I saw from 16 Aug 11 - 1 Sep 11

Breaking The Waves

A film by Lars Von Trier

Husband left paralysed after an accident.

Tells troubled wife to sleep with other men.

The Son

A film by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne

Carpentry teacher nervous and not willing to teach a boy.

Not telling you why.

L'Avventura

A film by Michaelangelo Antonioni

Girl disappears after a boating trip.

Her lover and best friend fall in love.

Grizzly Man

A film by Werner Herzog

Bear-lover gets close and develops "friendships" with wild bears.

Not a good idea.

Vampyr

A film by Carl Theodore Dreyer

Guy checks into an inn.

Weird things start happening.

Written on the Wind

A film by Douglas Sirk

Alcoholic guy marries a girl, but his best friend loves her too.

Alcoholic guy's sister is in love with her brother's best friend.

Bicycle Thieves

A film by Vittorio De Sica

Someone steals a guy's bicycle who needs it to do his job.

Searches for the thief with his son.

The Night of the Hunter

A film by Charles Laughton

Children hide money for their imprisoned dad.

Guy tries to take it away from them.

Images cannot be reused without permission