Pages

Sunday, November 19, 2006

PWOAR! WOO-HOO! DROOOL!

Another child-free weekend, which meant a few days of sleep and movies. Actually, to be honest, not that much sleep because I've started a nasty habit of waking up at about 3am with a head whizzing, full of plans, and then BB wakes at 6 automatically and then so do I. It's very annoying. Anyhoo, BB has just gone to Newcastle for 2 weeks to step in for someone in his department, so I'm going to do some serious sleeping in... well, at least until 7.30am. Hooray!

Movies! We saw:

-- God on My Side, a documentary about US fundamental Christians by Andrew Denton. This was good, in a mild-mannered and gently ironic Dentonesque way, but I'd save your money and watch it when it comes to ABC tv in the next year or so. There's really no need for it to be seen on the big screen, especially at the prices cinemas charge these days. But if you do fork out the money, for gawd's sake sit through the credits, because the best line (involving the three brothers) is saved for the absolute end, and it's the kind of tone I would have enjoyed right through the piece.

-- BB saw Road to Guantanamo, and enjoyed it. I decided not to see it and instead cruised the National Gallery of Australia looking at books and posters made by Revolutionary Russians. Excellent show, BTW, totally overshadowed by the Egyptian exhibition (I'm saving that one for later in the summer when I need the air-conditioning).

-- Today we saw The Prestige. Let me first say: PWOAR! WOO-HOO! DROOOLLLLL! Great. Now that I've got that out of my system, may I recommend this excellent movie to you. This IS worth seeing on the big screen, especially if you only have a small screen at home. (I added that last bit because I was talking to a dear friend on the phone this afternoon and told her that she should catch this on the big screen, then we stopped and laughed because she's got a frigging home theatre set-up, so everything she watches is on the big screen. Sigh.)

I repeat: PWOAR! DROOOL! Hugh Jackman! David Bowie! Christian Bale! Scarlett Johanssen! A good story, full of ambition and revenge! Plot twists! Excellent sets and costumes! Watching the credits to a Thom Yorke song! Magicians! HAWT ACTORS!

What more do you need me to say? According to Wikipedia, this movie is based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Christopher Priest, something I shall be hunting down in my local secondhand book store, because apparently the differences are worth reading.

Oh, just go treat yourself. You won't regret it, and if you do, blame me.

Best Beloved left for Newcastle at 4.30, and Bumblebee arrived at 5. The suburb had a blackout at 5.30, so I decided to take Bumblebee to see Mal Webb, as I'd previously advertised. We sat with Crit and her Beloved, right up the front, which resulted in my being pulled up to waltz with Mal during his final song, much to Bumblebee's delight. He sang all our favorites, and a few new songs, one of which I swear was written for me: Day-old Porridge Brain.

The power is back on now, obviously. It's a bit worrying when the power cuts off and you have to find something to do that doesn't involve computers. it's usually not a problem for me, but today I had a minor technology withdrawal; thank goodness for Mal, otherwise I would have been forced to do some housework.

I think, since BB is not here to scowl at me, I will now watch another movie while the little B slumbers, make myself REALLY tired, and then hopefully sleep soundly myself. BB went to hs favorite Indian supply shop yesterday, and came back with a copy of the latest Bollywood to come through Canberra (which I missed), Don, starring Shahrukh Khan. I say again, peoples, PWOAR, WOO-HOO, DROOOL.

11 comments:

Reel Fanatic said...

You're certainly right that you can't ask for much more from a movie than you get from "The Prestige" .. I was thoroughly with how the Nolans transferred Christopher Priest's complex novel to the big screen

Amanda said...

I'm very much looking forward to seeing the Revolutionary Ruskies. Davai!

Ampersand Duck said...

Oh, they are hawt. I love red and black in typography.

worldpeace and a speedboat said...

coo, it looked good when Margaret and David reviewed it - except that it sort of sounded like Christian Bale was trying to do an Australian accent and failed, rather than doing an English accent. did it work?

and David Bowie, phhhhoarrr cooo etc ;-)

Ampersand Duck said...

Well, to be honest I didn't find his accent grating in any way, it didn't stick out as anything unusual, so I'm not sure. I was too busy trying to decide who I fancied more. I think Christian won out in the end.

comicstriphero said...

So would the Revolutionary Russians exhibit be suitable for a lunch-hour gallery visit?

Sometimes I like to take the full hour and just wander round the Australian art - the special exhibitions can sometimes be a bit too much for the 45 minutes or so I can spend there.

Ampersand Duck said...

Yep, I think you could do it comfortably in 45 minutes. It would be a great lunchtime visit, actually. I went to the bookshop and bought the booklet for $5 before I saw the art, and walked around adoringly making my own notes, and I was still in and out in under an hour.

comicstriphero said...

Ta :)

comicstriphero said...

Mmmmm...Kandinsky porcelain *dribble*

Ampersand Duck said...

mmm... you can have that if I can have the El Lissitzky black & red glazed earthenware.

Rach said...

Oh man! The Prestige was so freaking good! Especially the part where they hoisted SJ's delectable rack up to her chin! I wholeheartedly agree with your review.