Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction by Christopher Butler
✨ my rating: 4 of 5 stars✨
In comparison to the “Romanticism” book of the same series, I enjoyed this one far more. The author decodes postmodernism, which I had found slightly confusing, in simpler terms, though still slipping back into academic jargon at times. He had a stronger and more concise writing style, presenting arguments rather than just listing facts, and talking about postmodernism’s relevance, significance, and utility versus its downsides. However, he does come across as being rather against postmodernism, and even though his points are not wrong, I think it’s important as an academic to offer a balanced argument, especially if this is not a critique, but an introduction.
🌹 date finished: 20 jan 2019 🌹
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spqr
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
✨ my rating: 4 of 5 stars ✨
This was a really good read! Very detailed and surprisingly readable for such a thick tome that I was initially pretty intimidated by. With such rich information surrounding Roman culture, I think the challenge really is to construct a narrative and convey it in a way that is easy to understand. She generally succeeds in this, spinning a somewhat linear timeline while taking different viewpoints into consideration.
However, her insistence on the dubious credibility of historical records, while important, also came across as slightly condescending and cynical, and obscured the main content at times. For instance, she skims over the chronology of emperors as she focuses excessively on quelling any lofty stories about the more notable Roman profiles. I also wished there was more extensive cultural history, as the parts about ordinary Roman life interested me a lot, but I suppose that’s another book for another time.
In spite of the downsides, one has to take their hat off to academics who embark on these ambitious efforts. For an introduction to Roman history in the first millennium, it is really extensive and in-depth, with readable prose and minimal jargon!
🌹 date finished: 18 jan 2019 🌹
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the trader (sovdagari)
This was definitely interesting, showing a part of the world not often represented. I liked the innovative close-up shots, and the honest unfiltered depiction of life in the rural village. However, I felt that it lacked real depth. It’s a documentary and it’s evidently trying to convey a message, but whatever it’s trying to say is very muted. Lacking a sufficient narrative and containing just content, it merely reflected what I perceive is only the surface of their lives. If they really wanted to explore the issues of poverty or the different way of life, a lot more could have been done. There were also some parts that felt rather stilted, and I wondered if it was scripted (probably not), or perhaps the people were self-conscious due to the presence of a camera crew (such as in the scene in the fields when the men and women were talking about beauty). The idea is good, but the film is forgettable.
The Trader; directed by Tamta Gabrichidze
🌹date watched: 17 jan 2019 🌹
lion
✨ my rating: 0.5 of 5 stars ✨
Man, this film had potential but it fell flat. It started out good, especially with the talent of the child actor, Sunny Pawar! His acting and the plot up till then really conveyed the panic, anxiety and grief he was feeling at being separated, as well as the dangers of his situation. It roped me in.
Until the child grew up, twenty years later. Somehow, the acting by Dev Patel felt contrived from the start, and he just didn’t seem to fit the role well. The twenty year jump also left the character very two-dimensional, and made the story rather disjointed. It was as if he had zero cares for the family he had left behind, rejecting his identity as Indian and embracing his Australian side – until he, upon seeing a plate of jalebis, suddenly changes his mind. Moreover the romance totally blew it for me. Saroo’s romance with Lucy was excessive, unnecessary and draggy. The whole second half was just a tedious crawl to the end.
🌹date watched: 16 jan 2019 🌹
jim and andy: the great beyond
✨ my rating: 0.5 of 5 stars ✨
If there’s anything this documentary achieved, it was solidifying my dislike for Carrey and other actors like him. Contrast bearded older Carrey with his younger self, and you can see that not much has changed really – the sense of entitlement practically oozes out, just with a different tone of voice and perhaps more gravitas that age has conferred.
To me, this is not a case of method acting taken to the extreme, it’s narcissism on a pedestal. He spoke of having depression before, and I have nothing to say about anyone who is dealing with their inner demons. What bothers me is his utter lack of remorse, and continual justification of his abhorrent behaviour, as if he was being some great actor who was so immersed in his role, when really he’s just using it as a context for his own problems and issues. For instance, him trying to aggravate the boxer Lawler, when Lawler himself said that the real Kaufman and him were at the very least civil in real life. Watching the footage is like watching home videos of a five year old seeking attention from an exasperated group of adults who all look sick and tired of his antics. When you think it can’t get any worse, it does. In the last part, Carrey speaks as if he’s some kind of otherworldly, enlightened figure, and it’s full of pretentious nonsense with such little substance to it; I can’t even render it as a philosophical musing. As a viewer, it’s frankly quite unpleasant to watch.
Content aside, I felt that the documentary was flat too. If they had interviewed the directors, the actors on set, the producers – now that would have given a much fuller (and less annoying) picture of the situation. As it stands, the documentary seems to just be an ego-trip for Carrey, ending on a note that portrays him as transcendent when in reality, the universe he’s in is in his own head, full of himself.
Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond; directed by Chris Smith
🌹date watched: 16 jan 2019 🌹
cinema paradiso
✨ my rating: 3 of 5 stars ✨
Finally watched this after hearing much about it! I watched the “new” director’s cut version of it, unable to find the original shorter one. It was three hours, but wasn’t awfully draggy.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first part, which chronicled Toto’s childhood days. All the characters, whether major or minor ones, had subtle and endearing qualities – virtues and flaws alike. The purity and wholesomeness of Toto’s friendship with Alfredo, plus the lovely and sweet shots of Italian life really captivated me, and the plot buildup of the cinema and the joys it brought to the people was so lovely. My favourite part was when they managed to cast the movie onto a building so that the people in the outdoor courtyard could see it! It was so heartening :’) I also loved how the director used shadows and light to create striking shots (for instance, when lightning flashed on adult Toto’s face as he was thinking of the past).
However, the last hour of the film grew increasingly boring to me. Toto’s relationship with Elena took centre stage, and masked the more interesting dynamic of him and Alfredo. Adult Toto’s return to the town was dragged on far too long for my enjoyment. I thought that his reunion scene with Elena in the car, for instance, was unnecessary (and the whole part about him following Elena’s daughter around was just weird). And then the ending – some may love it, but it felt so unsatisfactory to me. In retrospect, I guess I can see how it was trying to be lightly touching, in conveying how the movies carried forth his romance in a way… but I just felt like it was off the mark, and once again, really protracted.
Ironically, I think splicing off bits of the movie, just like how they spliced off bits of film, and focusing on the first part would have made it better.
Cinema Paradiso; directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
🌹date watched: 15 jan 2019 🌹
romanticism: a very short introduction
Romanticism: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Ferber
✨ my rating: 2 of 5 stars ✨
A handy introduction to the main themes and ideas of romanticism. However, its broad scope and attempt to quickly cover as much as possible, made some parts feel like a listing of notable people (with excessive block quoting), rather than a more targeted and concise overview. Admittedly, my eyes did glaze over certain bits that I found dry or draggy.
🌹 date finished: 15 jan 2019 🌹
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moonrise kingdom
✨ my rating: 3.5 of 5 stars ✨
As with every Wes Anderson film, I greatly admired the cinematography and the sheer uniqueness of the world he created. His creativity and talent is seen in how he spins a normal boy-meets-girl story into a whimsical tale involving tiny boy scouts, a very intense female lead, and a narrator who reminds me of a leprechaun.
The characters were each distinctive and well-rounded – the two young leads were remarkably endearing despite (or because of?) their curt and bland dialogue; the adults were irresponsible, flawed but most of all human in their shortcomings and desires; the other children were determined and wholesome. The sunny, cheery compositions of the shots were thoughtfully juxtaposed with the underlying darker themes of violence and sadness. I love how Anderson does that – builds a surreal world where strange things that are normalised (like a mother running around with a megaphone), making it seem far away and unreal; yet at the same time, brings out themes and emotions that compel one to see themselves in the different characters.
However, I was pretty bothered by the sexualisation of the children, particularly of Suzy. She was basically in her underwear for a large portion of the film (while Sam wasn’t), and there was that scene where they’re uh, dancing and talking about sex. They’re twelve, by the way. It honestly made me uncomfortable, and the wholesome relationship to me was tainted by the sexually suggestive scenes. Furthermore, there were some parts that just seemed – random and abrupt, like Sam getting blitzed by lightning but turning out a-okay and continuing to run around. I’d say overall the movie was good, but these parts definitely cast a shadow over my enjoyment of it.
Moonrise Kingdom; directed by Wes Anderson
🌹date watched: 13 jan 2019 🌹
the art book: big ideas simply explained
The Art Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by Caroline Bugler
✨ my rating: 1 of 5 stars✨
I was eager to read this because of my interest in art history, and its seemingly lively style of presenting information. Indeed, if you’re looking for something along the lines of “fun facts about art”, this would cut it – it’s educational and simple enough to read due to its infographic-style layout, illustrations and explanations.
However, for someone who wants a clear and concise understanding of art, the information presented here is simply too messy and disjointed. It was organised chronologically, but instead of giving a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of the different art movements, it offered snippets and analyses of specific artworks. Consequently, I felt that some things were not covered in-depth or sufficiently placed in context. I’ll continue my hunt for a good art history book; until then, I unfortunately wouldn’t recommend this.
🌹 date finished: 10 jan 2019 🌹
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🌸 it be me (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) 🌸 