In Bruges
by Writer-director Martin McDonagh has a talent for snappy dialogue which makes this crime-drama surprisingly funny. He has previously written for theatre, and it is obvious from the intelligently constructed dialogue. Theatre does not often translate well to film, but In Bruges is violent, suspenseful and hilarious throughout. Shot in the picturesque medieval city of Bruges in Belgium, this drama features two hitmen discussing life and death after a recent job went awry. Too many times, supporting characters are one-dimensional, but these characters have their own storylines and come across as fully rounded in an economy of words. The storyline then snakes through many twists towards an unexpected but neat and gory ending. There are brilliant performances from leads Collin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and the dwarf is also very funny. But dwarves are always funny.
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Also by XAVIER TOBY
A film about a horrendously obese girl who has two kids, with Mariah Carey in it and produced by Oprah. Sounds awful and at first, I couldn’t be less interested, but it turns out, I couldn’t be more mistaken. Based on the novel Push, it’s a tight and intelligent script realised by dedicated actors and exquisite direction. Read more
‘Most bands that play traditional music, do it in a traditional way. What’s interesting for us it to keep it fresh and make it a living tradition,’ said Gergely Barcza of Hungarian gypsy-fusion band Besh o droM. Formed in Budapest in 1999, the name translates as ‘ride the road’, which they’ve done with performances at festivals all over Europe, Asia and soon for the first time, in Australia. ‘When we started, I never thought the music would travel so far, and take us all to so many different places.’ Read more
Often a film revolves a major action or series of events, while at the centre of the Italian film Quiet Chaos, is a mammoth but not uncomfortable hole. When a TV executive’s wife suddenly dies, he takes to spending his days outside his daughters school, but instead of his life falling apart, his friends and relatives come to console him, and faced with his calm, they end up revealing their own difficulties. Read more
YOU'RE SAYING (3)
Melissa Kojima - Artist in LA LA Land said | 27 June, 2008
Did anyone notice the opening credit? I mean I love them. Does anyone know who did them? Yeah, hilarious film.
Barry W Hughes said | 3 July, 2008
In Bruges is a fantastic film, which captures the Irish attitude and wit perfectly thanks to a brilliant script and acting. McDonagh is known for his razor sharp wit combined with dark subject matter, and I have to say its rare to see the two married so well in one film. The language is spot on, and anyone who lives in Dublin will certainly agree with me on that!
HAVE YOUR SAY
Artist James Benjamin Franklin has been brightening up every Saturday for me over the past month or so, accompanying an ongoing story by Laura Lippman in the New York Times Magazine. I really dig his simple, slightly surreal, minimal style, emphasizing folksy figures with clean spare detail and beautiful Milton Avery-esque palettes. Read more
From this artist selection of t-shirts comes this Michael Gillette illustrated t-shirt, limited edition and distributed in a vinyl sleeve, with a biography of the artist on the back of the sleeve. Each tee is numbered and signed by the artist, and comes in organic cotton.
I’m enjoying the writing on the recently launched The Epi-Cure blog, which discusses the ‘latest scientific studies on health and nutrition’, and features interviews with ‘expert scientists, dieticians, and nutritionists’. The site’s founder and editor, Michelle Grey, also runs tasty, healthy recipes from New York chef Benjamin Towill, including today’s installment: Stuffed Zucchini Flowers [above]. Hmmm hmm. Read more
I finally got my copy of Play Pen: New Children’s Book Illustration by Martin Salisbury in the mail today and was immediately taken by the gorgeous illustration on the cover. Marc Boutavant! I flipped to the pages featuring his work and I couldn’t be more smitten by his colorful, fantastically playful, and positively charming illustrations.
Kirk brings Molly to meet his family for a pool party but she doesn’t have her swim suit. Kirk, an average Joe, can’t believe his luck when gorgeous babe Molly falls for him even though he’s the first to admit She’s Out of My League. In cinemas April 1.
On my recent visit to Barcelona, my love for Animal Farm led me to the Plaça de Geroge Orwell. There I discovered Oviso. The tiny café features hand painted walls and low wooden benches, where inhabitants enjoy great coffee for €1 and discuss music, beer, photography and the hordes of tourists that bustle just beyond the quiet square.
We love the incessant rumble and roll of London’s The Duke Spirit. So we caught up with the group for a chat. Read more
WE'RE RESPECTING
WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
Kate Banazi’s silkscreen artwork
A three-lettered ‘wow’ explodes in my mind whenever I look at the work of Sydney-based silkscreen artist Kate Banazi. Her latest work is fantastically dynamic, stylistic and abstract, making clever use of colour-bomb palettes. Read more
Damn hipster dogs coming in here with their parents’ money, acting like they own the place, not respecting us real dogs who know what real culture and art are. We were here first and we knew about all those bands before they did. Read more
Creative advertising packaging
Despite the intentions of many, it’s not so often that advertising — as an industry — truly thinks outside the box. Yet, when executed well, clever eye-catching advertising actually works. It does. As these examples will attest to. Read more
Scanners’ new single Salvation
I love this track by London based rock group, Scanners, which is off their latest album, Submarine. Having toured with acts such as The Horrors, The Wedding Present, The Charlatans, Electric Six, and Juliette & The Licks, Scanners could well blow up in 2010. Figuratively speaking, not literally. No, that wouldn’t be fun.
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Greek/Italian artist Angelo Plassas creates flash- based websites that are each interactive pieces of art unto themselves. Read more
Illustrating the playful side of sexy, Donna Wilson uses burlesque and 60s pop art as inspiration for her original art cards. Read more
The new Runaways movie looks at the formation of the seminal girls’ group which spawned Joan Jett’s career. We have a Runaways prize pack to give away, including Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway, the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Greatest Hits CD, the film’s soundtrack, and Joan Jett’s photobook with Todd Oldham. To enter, just leave the name of the city you live in! Read more
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Jamie said | 26 June, 2008
I highly recommend this movie. It was incredibly funny, clever, interesting, thoughtful and did I say funny as hell?