Youtube Channel

I haven't posted in such a long time because:

1) I was on a family holiday in the Philippines and every time I sat down to blog about something my inner voice told me that I should be on holiday mode. So all I did was sit on the beach and do absolutely nothing. I would read from time to time but mostly just sat and 'cleared my head'. And also sleep. A lot of sleep.

2) I had assessments due - mostly essays so my writing spirit had died. Well, technically spirits can't die because they're already dead. But whatever. Now my head hurts. This is too much thinking.

3) I found no inspirations over the past month. Every film I saw was so boring it wasn't even worth writing a review. I haven't discovered any new bands or any fresh new songs to listen to and write about. One of my school major works was for art - so I was drained, art wise. Not even clothes inspired me. Everything was a bit blerghh.

So I did what anyone would do in my situation and found myself a new medium to pour my thoughts into. It's this little website called YouTube. You might have heard of it.

So subscribe to my channel here.

And here are my first two videos. I did a 'What's in my bag' video because I've been watching a lot of them on YouTube *cue laughter*





Stay tuned everyone! After I graduate in high school and escape from all these exams and assessments I will try and do so many blog posts your computer will crash.

THEATRE: Hamlet (Bondi Pavilion)

"A little more than kin and less than kind"

I saw a stage production of Hamlet in Bondi Pavilion months ago as part of my critical study of Hamlet for school. I’m starting to enjoy Shakespeare’s works now. Having only read it in class with students (including myself) reading lines in a painfully monotonous tone, I thought Shakespeare was pretty damn boring. And overrated. Apparently that’s a really big statement to say about such a revered writer and Shakespeare fanatics will probably poison me through the ear while I sleep. But I have balls. I can deal with it.

Anyway. Throughout the years I was utterly bored reading plays like Richard III and Macbeth (the name reminds me of a mix between a Big Mac and pakbet – lovers of Filipino cuisine will get this joke). I found myself longing to read novels like Of Mice and Men and poetry like Porphyria’s Lover instead, which we also did in class.

But after experiencing the words of Shakespeare come alive on stage, as well as in film interpretations, I grasped an understanding as to why his works are still studied and enjoyed by readers today. His words are not meant to be read in class – they were meant to be acted out by professionals who can read the lines and deliver them with a higher degree of emotional range.

The production I saw was evidently low budget. It was held at a very small theatre with limited costumes, sets and lighting designs. It’s probably not the best Hamlet stage interpretation I will ever see in my lifetime, but it was adequate. They injected more humour in the play – the whole theatre was full of schoolkids so I thought this was a good decision as it gave it more vitality and energy. The actors were also very much engaged with the audience and there wasn’t any moment when they lost that connection.

However, there were flaws. Firstly, the characterisation of Gertrude was too simplified. For such an ambiguous character, they could have taken her characterisation to a much deeper level. For me, she was one of the most interesting characters in the play and I felt a bit cheated. There were also faults in the use of music and sound.  The music was too filmic, instead of atmospheric. It would have worked in a film version, but being on stage, it took me out of the experience and was distracting. The sound was quite tacky and sounded like it was taken from a sound clip they found from a video editing software.

The highlight of the play was the opening scene, the clever use of flashlights (it was set in a more contemporary setting- Nazi period to be exact) created a sense of immersion and was quite captivating.

Their main target audience would have been high school kids studying the play and they achieved enough to reinforce an understanding of the plot, as well as highlighting the main themes. This is not the best thing I’ve seen on stage but it’s certainly not the worst either.

Image Credit

FASHION: Animal Necklaces

I'm not much of an animal lover. I walk the other way when there's a cat/dog/pigeon standing in my way on the street. I don't hate them but I'm not usually the first to pat someone's pet.
But I do love wearing them around my neck.
Now, don't go contacting PETA, I don't mean animal abuse stuffed-animal-parts necklaces, I mean the artificial, made with materials, fashionable kind.
First is this metallic octopus necklace I found on Etsy. It's made by Zara Taylor and the best thing about them? They're only 16 bucks. Now, you only need to match them with an American Apparel Striped Tee and ahoy! to you.

Next is a wood-carved squirrel necklace from Kester Black from their Maiden Voyage collection. Designed by Anna Ross, the line was inspired by Noah's Ark. I'd take two of each please. ($80 each)

My personal favourite, the "bull" necklace. Made of sterling silver, it's by Thomas Sabo from the Rebel At Heart collection. Saving up for this, just in time for summer. They're between $300-$700. Hey, it's an investment right? I'm planning to wear it forever so it's worth it.

Images taken as screenshots from linked websites. All prices are in Australian dollars and are an estimate. Prices may change at any time, check website for details.

Sydney Film Festival 2010: Last Train Home

"Taste the bitterness first and the sweetness will follow"

The Three Gorges Dam, the biggest hydroelectric dam in the world was built in the Yangtze to support China’s rapid and unstoppable growth. This development changed the countless lives of those living near the river. Some rejected its construction while others accepted the dam as an accepted part of China’s quest in becoming an industrial force. This was the main premise of Up The Yangtze a documentary I saw two or so years ago. Thankfully, instead of wasting running time on political mumbo jumbo which would have inevitably bore the life out of me, the film focused on the personal stories of the people directly affected by the dam. 

Last Train Home, another documentary exploring similar social issues and also made by the same creators, took a similar approach. While it could have easily taken the political shove-your-ideas-down-my-throat-instead-of-letting-me-think-for-myself route (Michael Moore, anyone?), the film instead took the well-chosen cinematic route. The film didn’t feel like a documentary, it felt like a story that was real. The way the film is structured infers a narrative, the way it is shot suggests a quiet grandeur of cinematic proportions. The difference between the two films is the way they captured the interactions between the subject and the camera. In Up The Yangtze the camera is seamlessly invisible, save for face-to-face interviews. It achieves a state where the camera is able to capture the rawest form of emotion. There was a consistent sense of honesty and integrity throughout the entire film.

 In Last Train Home the initial interviews and the interactions between people felt a bit scripted and more aware of the camera. This is by no means a flaw. As we see later on, in a pivotal scene when a father hits his daughter for saying ‘fuck’ in his house, the daughter turns to the camera, and yells: “You want to film the real me? This is the real me!” All those bottled emotions finally get to bubble to the surface. The daughter holds a grudge against her parents for leaving her and her brother to be looked after by her grandmother while they travel to the city for work in order to give their children an education. While she tells us this, it felt scripted and I get the feeling she’s not telling me the truth. She is essentially a gathering storm, suppressed and unaffected at first but we feel something brewing, and unleashed (to borrow the Syd film fest’s tagline) later on.

 I felt angry towards the girl but at the same time I completely understand where she’s coming from. She is living in a country undergoing industrial change, indirectly impacting on the change in values. I see a girl losing the traditional values of Asian family life and is being forced to embrace the values of “new” China. She may appear completely selfish but I can only see her as a victim of a massive cultural shift happening in her country – a change both Up The Yangtze and Last Train Home capture so well.

Directed by Lixin Fan

Screenshots from trailer.

Versatile Blogger Award + A chance to acknowledge 15 blogs I love

The always wonderful filmgeek who writes for Final Cut has kindly awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award. So now I'm going to share the love around by acknowledging 15 other bloggers I've recently discovered and now read religiously. But first:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award. (tick!)
2. Share 7 things about yourself. 
3. Pass the award along to 15 who you have recently discovered and who you think fantastic for whatever reasons! (in no particular order)
4. Contact the blogs you picked and let them know about the award.

Now it's time to talk about myself. Everyone go to the loo if you need to and grab some snacks and drinks because this is going to be a looooooong list. Yes, I love myself what are you going to do? Kidding, I'll keep this brief (reluctantly).

1) Every now and then I like to buy myself a massive cheeseburger and pretend that it's a Big Kahuna Burger while drinking a $5 milkshake and pretend to be Uma Thurman/John Travolta (depending on my mood)

2) I know the complete dialogue from A Bug's Life by heart

3) I fell asleep watching The Godfather (to be fair, I was talking about the third film)

4) My lifelong dream is to be photographed by either The Sartorialist or Jak and Jil

5) I fall asleep to music by Azure Ray. They have really soothing voices. I recommend their music to insomnia sufferers

6) My favourite things to eat in a cinema are Pringles and M&Ms. To drink: Vitamin Water or a latte

7) I always laugh when I watch people eat. Try it. Everyone looks so funny when they're eating.

Now the awards go to...

Sunset Gun written by Kim Morgan - The most beautiful blogger ever. She's super gorgeous and super smart. She writes incredibly insightful and lengthy posts about films, I always go to her blog for inspiration especially when I get a case of writer's block.

Last Night With Riviera written by Matt Riviera - A Sydney-based blogger who always puts up interesting posts. He's the very definition of a film buff. Plus, his Life in 100 films series are probably the most entertaining and inspiring posts I've ever read.

Jak an Jil written (or photographed) by Tommy Tan - A fashion blogger whose photos make me squeal in delight. I love how he always focuses on the details.

Epistemysics written by Adam - the funniest theatre blogger in the blogosphere. I really like how he reviews the theatre programs as well as the actual play.

The Style Rookie written by Tavi Gevinson - She's sat in front rows of fashion shows, been in Vogue, has very smart fashion posts and has a quirky and unique sense of style. And she's only thirteen. ( I think she's just turned fourteen though).

Daily Film Dose written by Alan Bacchus - Film reviews are always honest and really funny. The blog lives up to its name and is the most prolific blog I know.

Stale Popcorn written by Glenn Dunks - Another Australian blogger. Has interesting commentaries on everything related to film. 

Books on the Nightstand written by Ann Kingman and Michael Goodness - This is a blog/podcast that has book recommendations and discussions about books. They're responsible for my very long list 'To Read' list. Since both Ann and Michael work in publishing you also get an inside peek into the industry. 

BOOOOOOOM written by Jeff Hamada - The most updated design/art blog I visit. Always has interesting posts and every single one is pure eye candy. Note: There's 7 Os (I always forget that).

Style Salvage written by Steve and EJ - There's a plethora of fashion blogs out there about women's fashion. This one focuses on men and it has become my go-to place for inspirations and men's fashion reads. 

Garance Dore written by Garance Dore - She's one of the reasons why I'm angry at my parents for not being French and not making me french. Effortlessly elegant and takes beautiful photographs. And that accent!

Scare Sarah written by Sarah - A horror fan? You'll love this blog. Not a horror fan? You'll love it anyway.

Moleskinerie written by Armand Frasco - I have an unhealthy obsession with Moleskines and this blog just adds fuel to the fire. It's got fantastic posts about everything Moleskine, including artworks, Moleskine user profiles and Moleskine news. In short, it's Moleskine mecca.

Racso Ledger written by Douglas Racso - Very comprehensive filipino film blog. It makes me feel like I'm back home whenever I read one of his posts. He also shares similar film taste with me, so that's a bonus.

BryanBoy written by Bryan Boy - If you read about fashion, you know about BryanBoy. Marc Jacobs named a bag after him and is definitely one of the "superbloggers". I love how his blog is half travel, half fashion. Always funny, always interesting, sometimes bitchy. His twitter is also great.

Coming Soon: The FILM MUSIC ART LuckySeven Cinematheque

I thought I would give everyone a sneak peek into my latest film project. Knowing how much I procrastinate (I was watching rhythmic gymnastics videos on youtube before posting this, don't ask) this project might fail. But I'm really, really excited about this because it's really going to build my knowledge on cinema and fill in the many gaps that continually make me feel out of place in film buff conversations (who's this Bergman I keep hearing about? And what the hell does cinema verite mean?). I'm going to treat it like a film study class. You can join me if you wish and it could be like a film club. But because I'm currently in my final year of high school and drowning in an ocean full of assessment tasks and exams, I might not be able to begin doing this very soon. Or each one might take really long to do. I mean, I still need to finish my Sydney Film Festival reviews. But I just want to get this out there and see if people are willing to join with me.

So the idea is simple: I choose seven films, hence the "LuckySeven" - fugly name I know but I couldn't think of any cinematic associations to the number seven - and they're films that fit a certain description. It could be anything from similarities in the title, films with certain actors or made by particular directors. It could belong to a particular sub-genre in film or contain a single theme or idea. Anything really. I choose the seven films based on their significance in cinema, people's recommendations and some of my own personal favourites.

 I've made four "LuckySevens" so far and I've made posters to accompany them.

The first one is called: "Two is Company" and the rule here is the title has to have two names of characters in them, separated with "and". Simple.

The next one is called 'Killer Animals' and they're movies that are based on...well...killer animals.

The third one includes films that star Meryl Streep in them. It's called 'Meryl's Choice'. Get it? Meryl's choice? Like Sophie's Choice? Okay, never mind. Here's the poster with her beautiful face on it.

The fourth LuckySeven focuses on a particular idea: love destroyed or created by war. It's called 'Make Love, Not War'.

                     

About 90% of the films here I've never seen before so I'm super excited to experience them. But for now, I'm going to go hunting for DVD copies of the films in sales bins. If you're interested in joining me with this project please e-mail me, or comment. You don't have to be a blogger to take part.

P.S. I designed the posters myself and they're copyrighted. I think (where do I do that?) And I don't know why the Streep poster is edging towards the left. I think I messed up the HTML :(

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Sydney Film Festival 2010: Bill Cunningham New York

“Clothes are like people’s armour to the reality of the world”

Bill Cunningham captures fashion photographs for the New York Times and is well-known for his street and social pictures. “We all get dressed for Bill” Anna Wintour says. We see her briefly stop for Bill while ignoring the other photographers. “When he puts his camera down, it’s death”.

Bill is a man of contradictions. Even though he adores people who wear the most fabulous clothes and those who have the most eccentric personal styles, he himself is the antithesis of his photographic subjects. He wears a blue worker’s coat on a daily basis. Practical? Yes. Fashionable? Not really. He also uses tape to patch up a raincoat because “they’re going to be ruined anyway”. There is a refreshing nature in his character, he’s not the kind of person one would expect to be successful in an industry that functions by portraying a certain, and an idealised image.

Halfway through the film I was struck with a question. Why on earth did Bill pursue a lifelong career in fashion photography? I mean, why fashion? Why not architectural, commercial or maybe even travel photography? Why not portraits?

Then I hear him talk about his photographs. He literally loses his breath from excitement when he talks about the tiniest of details. Tiny fragments of beauty that many miss and only few can notice. He photographs fashion because it’s what makes him get out of bed in the morning. It’s pure passion.

Bill doesn’t just capture pictures of clothes but the mentality, the mood, the personality of the people he photographs. Isn’t fashion just an extension of our inner self? A visual representation of who we are or, in most cases, who we want to be. He doesn’t just capture the trends he, as one person in the film puts is: “captures life”.

There was a particular scene that made me cry, the interview when he was asked why he goes to church. There’s a moment of silence then he puts his head down and weeps.

Although it was highly emotional and allowed us to see another side of Bill, I felt that the interviewer was being too pushy. Instead of letting us see it come out naturally in a less impetuous setting, we see the reaction forced out of Bill. Yes, he did warn him first that they were going to be very personal questions. But something about that scene made me very uneasy.

Maybe this is just me becoming protective over Bill. In less than an hour, I fell immediately in love with him. Bill to me became like the role model grandfather. The one that always gave you the most insightful advice about life and how to live it, the one whose random thoughts said out loud can easily become a life motto, or a quote to live by for the younger generation.

This may sound very cliché but this film was truly inspirational and, well, changed my perception of the world.

I’ve always wanted to move to New York and I’ve always thought that to survive in such a harsh city brimming with the most competitive people in the world, one needs a heavy dose of narcissism, superficiality and vanity. This film made me re-think that attitude.

It’s very easy to dismiss the fashion world as being materialistic, superficial and shallow. But people like Bill show us that even in an industry where appearances and images are paramount, scratch the surface and you’ll always find a deeper purpose.

Next Sydney Film Festival review: Last Train Home. Sorry for taking so long with these.

Photo Credits: 1, 2,3,4