favorite kisses

Because for the larger part of my life I had covered my eyes during kissing scenes, and on the whole had not been particularly moved by the man kissing the woman and vice versa, most of these are from the movies I've seen in the last 2-3 years! Selection bias for the win!

Casino Royale (2006)Eva Green's Vesper Lynd, shaken after seeing Bond (Daniel Craig) beat up some baddies, crawls into a shower, cleansing herself mentally (and physically) of what she has just witnessed. James, in a curiously sensitive, unprecedented (I think) move, climbs in next to Vesper and sits in the stream of water, and ever so gingerly sucks the water? blood? off her fingers. Man, after this scene I was SO sold on the re-imagining of the 007 series.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)To be truthful, I couldn't remember from reading P&P if Darcy and Elizabeth had really encountered each other on the moor in the wee hours of the morning (for shame!). But for the film it made for a sacred series of moments - each caress building with the rising of the sun and as it breaks over the horizon, the cheeky meant-for-you's finally lock lips!

Amelie (2001)The entire movie is chock-full of magical moments, so when we get to the face-off between Amelie and Nino, it's surprisingly... simple. I think that's what makes it work though. Amelie's finally stepped out of her solitary fantasy world, her protective shell, into the real world to tackle love and give it a chance. Nino and Amelie start with reciprocal, childlike kisses which then lead to much more...

A Knight's Tale (2001)I really don't have to say much more than how cute Heath Ledger was when his character Will's bright smile and crinkly eyes appear in triumph and in awe of Shannyn Sossamon's Lady Jocelyn. So in the overblown and cheesy kiss they share at the end of his winning joust everyone cheers and yells, but in the quieter, private kiss they share everyone sighs happily/wistfully and wishes for a Will/Lady Jocelyn of their own.

Donnie Darko (2001)After presenting a hypothetical science project in class, some of Donnie's classmates cruelly tease the new girl Gretchen Ross (Jena Malone) about her dark family history, which in turn causes Gretchen to run out of the classroom. Donnie runs after her, apologizing for their behavior, and all she does in response is reward him with the hungriest, anguished, most grateful kiss ever.

Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)Zia and Mikal are in a strange purgatory world, a world where suicides are doomed to inhabit. Their search for the "people in charge" - to find a way out or at least to get an explanation, brings them closer together. In one scene on a beach, with no dialogue and beautiful atmospheric music, we see Zia and Mikal flirting, hovering close to each other, speaking softly to each other, then we see the softest flutter of a kiss land between them. Really perfect in depicting a first kiss scenario.

Secretary (2002)It's an exhausting series of scenes to watch. Maggie Gyllenhaal's self-harming character Lee Holloway, who has come to depend on the domineering tendencies of her boss E. Edward Grey (played by James Spader), has been sitting palms-down, legs apart for days - because she has fallen in love with him, dominant qualities and all and cannot bear to leave him. She never wavers, and after three days, he tenderly carries her away from her ordeal in the sweetest, gentlest instance of him that we see in the entire film.

Jules et Jim (1962)Best friends Jules and Jim both have feelings for the lovely, enigmatic Catherine. Catherine marries Jules, so Jim can only admire her from afar, secretly. Year later, upon a visit from Jim to Jules and Catherine, Jules notices he might be losing Catherine to Jim - and so he bestows his blessing to them as he would rather lose Catherine to Jim than lose her forever. As the new lovers embrace, the narrator murmurs "Their first kiss lasted all night." Sigh.

Rebel Without A Cause (1955)James Dean's character Jim Stark, the new kid in town, meets Natalie Wood's Judy, who stands there as her friends make fun of him. Later she apologizes for the way she acts when she's with her friends, to which he says nothing but kisses her lightly on the side of her forehead. She asks "Why did you do that?" And he goes "I felt like it." Wow.

The Fountain (2006)Hugh Jackman's Tommy Creo is an oncologist, searching for a cure for brain tumors, which his wife Izzi (Rachel Weisz) is dying from. In this scene Izzi is taking a bath, and Tommy watches from the doorway. They talk about his work, etcetera, and in a fit of passion showing his determination not to lose her, her leans into the bathtub, and they kiss, and kiss, and kiss.

Eastern Promises (2007)Viggo Mortensen's Nikolai says farewell to Naomi Watt's Anna, because he admires her strength & humanity, and most likely because he will never see her again.

Becoming Jane (2007)My favorite parts of this movie involved shots of James McAvoy (as Jane's love interest Tom LeFroy) gazing intently at...whatever in some very becoming 1800s English clothing, hehe. This candlelit kiss shared by the film's eponymous Jane (Anne Hathaway) and Tom made my heart go all a-flutter when I first saw it.

Cashback (2006)Cute, arty film with Sean Biggerstaff as Ben, a student artist who develops insomnia after a terrible break-up and so gets a job at a supermarket to help pass the time. In a funny twist he realizes he can freeze and unfreeze time, a skill he finds useful when wooing the girl he realises is the girl of his dreams. Here, he stops the snow. :)

what you looking at?

What you looking at? (Maxie)

What you looking at? (BB)

What you looking at? (Maxie again!)

requisite tools - pens

Pilot Precise Rolling Ball V5 (Extra Fine)
I'm in love with the Pilot Precise Rolling Ball pens. How do I count the ways in which I love thee?! First, for their price their quality is amazing - I have yet to have a pen explode ink all over the place, or leak on me. The handy dandy "window" to show the ink supply lets me know when my pen is running low (though I carry several at a time everywhere I go). They also come in tons of colors - I mostly just use black, red, and blue. The V5 is perfect for note-taking in class (it doesn't bleed through the pages as much as the V7) and finer detail sketches...

Pilot Precise Rolling Ball V7 (Fine)
...The V7 is fantastic because the stroke is nice and BOLD. I use it for shading, but also when I want whatever I write or doodle to YELL off the page. I forgot to mention - the Pilot Precise Rolling Balls flow amazingly, they pretty much melt onto the page. Mmmm...

Sakura Pigma Micron
I love the Sakura Pigma Micron in 005, 01, 02, 03, 05 (haven't used the 08). The 005 is probably the thinnest pen I have encountered, and it has a good lifespan, though daily use definitely takes its toll and grinds down the tip to a dry, sad nubbin after some time. I stopped liking this pen when the graphic text on the barrel would degrade to a gummy mess on my hands, but I now use this just for when I need fine, fine lines; this is definitely less of an everyday pen and more of a "special occasion" pen for me.

STAEDTLER Pigment Liner
My favorites of the Staedtler pigment liner - 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 0.8. I favored these over the Sakuras for a while, but each one feels different and it really depends on the mood I'm in for when I grab hold of one to use it. Most of the time it's when I want something sturdier than a Sakura. I don't quite know how to describe it...!

chomp

This is how Max greets me; take whatever hand I make available to him - right, left, oftentimes both as he switches from one to the other and joyfully gnaws on my wrist bones & phalanges with his still puppy-ish teeth. Tasty!

I will most likely be dumping an obscene amount of photos, mostly of my Westies, all over the blog because, at the moment I have nothing much better to talk about! This is me gushing all over my pets because I didn't really get to do this as a child. :)

The Luck O' the Irish!!

After viewing In Bruges last night, and having just celebrated St. Patrick's Day, I got to thinking about all things Irish. Ireland is arguably most famous for birthing the famous writers Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and William Butler Yeats. But namely I began thinking about my favorite Irish thespians! Therefore this is a post in the fashion of "The Scottish Vacuum of Charm", with half the number of Irish actors that pack the same amount of punch! Ah, I do love Celtic culture.

Cillian Murphy hails from Cork, Ireland and first made a splash as bike courier Jim who awakes from a coma in London to find the city in a complete shambles in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (which also features Brendan Gleeson! see next). What's not to love about him. Gorgeous, intense blue eyes and...that face! Beautiful as a man OR a woman. Other notable roles include Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in Batman Begins, Jackson Rippner in Red Eye, Damien in The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Robert Capa in Sunshine (my favorite role of his thus far). Lots of films of his that I still need to see!

Of late Brendan Gleeson (Dublin, Ireland) is best known for his portrayal of Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody in the Harry Potter films and Wiglaf in Beowulf, but I remember him first as Hamish Campbell, best (childhood) friend and badass comrade of Mel Gibson's character William Wallace in Braveheart! I loved him as Frank in 28 Days Later, and of course Ken in In Bruges. He brings a steady, solid demeanor to his often mentor-like roles; he's the embodiment of a big heart within a big body.

Liam Neeson, from Northern Ireland is probably best known for his role as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Qui-Gon Jinn in the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey, and for providing the voice of Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia. My favorite roles of his are Daniel in Love Actually and Henri Ducard in Batman Begins, though it is safe to say I like every role he is in. And next he's set to play Abraham Lincoln! Quiet but commanding, earnest and thoughtful, I love watching Liam Neeson onscreen.

To be honest I have only watched this Dubliner in Bend It Like Beckham and parts of Velvet Goldmine and Mission Impossible III! Oh the shame. Haven't seen Match Point, August Rush, or the acclaimed TV series The Tudors, so I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of viewing Jonathan Rhys-Meyer's talent, but he sure is gorgeous.

You probably all know who Colin Farrell is, I don't think I need to bother reminding you about his roles in Daredevil, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, Alexander, S.W.A.T. - I've seen three of the six mentioned (hangs head in shame). I would however like to see his performance in The New World, and I am itching to see his coverage in the tri/quad-role of Tony in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (quick FYI - the last role of Heath Ledger that had to be recasted with Johnny Depp, Jude Law & Colin Farrell - but preserving Heath's performance). In my younger years I remember his 'Hollywood bad-boy' reputation and rolling my eyes at him, but he's okay as an actor... and easy on the eyes. Rawr.

Other notable Irish actors that I did not include:
Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Gambon, Dylan Moran, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole.

I ♥ san francisco

Giant hearts, lush flowers (sometimes in unexpected places), the sea breeze, the misty atmosphere, people milling about, the hum and clang of transportation, rolling hills. I think I belong there.

favorite directors

I was watching one of my favorite movies again last night - Sunshine, and it got me thinking about my top five favorite directors. This is the list as of now...

DANNY BOYLE
Danny Boyle is wonderful because everything I've seen by him to date I have absolutely loved, or else have been completely blown away by. He's done them all - drug film, zombie film, family film, sci-fi film, bollywood-ish film - and he excels with every single one. I am happy for him about his Slumdog Millionaire sweep at the Oscars, but I could care less about him getting so much acclaim right now because I have loved and will love him all the same.

DAVID LYNCH
His films are challenging, complex, dark, bizarre, and a gorgeous sight to behold. He doesn't care what people think of his films, so long as they make one THINK. And best of all he doesn't bother to explain his films - you the viewer have to make what you make of it.

INGMAR BERGMAN
Pure poetry. I didn't fall for black and white foreign films until Bergman. His impeccable narrative is so personal, yet relate-able. The themes he explores in his film are as real as life, heartbreaking, damaging, and redeeming. Best of all, he knows what it is like to be a child.

STANLEY KUBRICK
This should go on without explanation.

EDGAR WRIGHT
The youngest and... lightest of this bunch? Everything Edgar Wright touches is pure comedy gold. Everyone needs some brevity in their heavy heavy lives, no? Edgar Wright is the source for when I need some funny. <3

P.T. ANDERSON
P.T. is a funny one. After seeing one of his films I usually don't like it right away, but each time it'll get stuck under my skin, and as I let my thoughts stew, I just appreciate it more and more. And they are strangely unforgettable. A quality I'd like to have, if that makes sense.

deliciousness

Phillippe's. top to bottom - split pea soup; pork french-dip sandwich with a side of potato salad; bowl of chili; $.75 glass of lemonade; our meal!

excerpt - Whatever You Think Think the Opposite

(Manny handed this book to me randomly during one of our lectures today - a quick but engaging read, I finished it in 15 minutes.)

STEAL.

Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.

Devour films, music, books, paintings, poems, photographs, conversations, dreams, trees, architecture, street signs, clouds, light and shadows.

Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.

Authenticity is invaluable.

Originality is non-existent.

Don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it.

Remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."

[I stole this from Jim Jarmusch]

-- Paul Arden, "WHATEVER YOU THINK THINK THE OPPOSITE"

polaroid land camera 320

first two shots!

Polaroid Land Camera 320
Polaroid 669 Film

Carnet de Voyage

"My eyes burning and hand crumbling, I felt like I was performing some pathetic martyrdom -- but for what cause?
...to break the language barrier?
...to win the favor of strangers?
...to distract myself from heartbreak?
...to commit slow suicide?"

I bought this from my favorite local comic book store, telling myself I'd read it when I finish my final project next week but alas, I read it all in one sitting after sneaking a peek at the first two pages. This is basically a sketch journal, complete with written narrative, of the time that artist/author Craig Thompson (of Blankets & Goodbye, Chunky Rice) took traveling and researching for his upcoming book Habibi. Upon viewing the images and reading the words, the reader feels the same excitement, anxiety and weariness of the 'wandering artist' and how one copes with being away from home by finding solace in (new) good friends and small comforts. I find out next week whether or not I get to study abroad in Asia this upcoming summer, so if I do, Carnet de Voyage is a great source of inspiration for the level of documentation I plan to execute; if I do not make the program, then it's just all the more reason for me to keep draw-draw-drawing. :)

I love my dogs

Only photos of BB. (Max can't hold a pose as well as she can.)

you must protect it

"You cannot betray your identity for too long, or it will die. If you hear it screaming, if it undergoes the slightest torture, you must protect it, you must be your own rescuer."

Goodbye, Chunky Rice

"There is no goodbye, Chunky Rice."

hasselblad.

look what arrived today.

Dan and Trevor, we are going to have much too much fun with this. I can't wait.

free ways

one of the slides I shot for my photo class. exposure something like ten seconds.

"the faint cry of freeway like that of sickly lungs expelling final wheezes of suffering before deflating at last in the presence of cold death...the rainbow that streaks across the night sky bears no witness but assembles regardless, illumined by moons & smaller satellites no less bright...must have been the eye of death to peer upon the living, communicating their will to the slumbering Grave Diggers"

I miss him. in a lazy way.

excerpt - The Happy Birthday of Death

from "DEATH"

Let's all die
Let's practice a little
Let's play dead for a couple of hours

Let's everybody weave elegant everlasting cerements
build fantastic tombs
carve lifelong coffins
and devise great ways to die let's!
Let's walk under ladders, cross the paths of black cats,
break mirrors, burn rabbit feet, snip the 4th petal,
Yes! Let's draw the ACE OF SPADES --
Let's sleep with our doors unlocked


--Gregory Corso, The Happy Birthday of Death

if I got stranded on a desert island...

It has been a while. I was going to do a desert island survey, but halfway realized it was too stupid to go on, so I deleted it and all that remains of the original post is the title.

I have been gone a while. I wish I had a cool reason but really it's because I reverted to the analog method of blogging - writing with pen on paper. But I return to this blog to say hello, because I don't want this thing to lie dormant. No one really reads this, and that's okay. It's how it should be.

I've a lot to do this Sunday night, but I'm taking my sweet time getting around to completing my assignments. A better life update to come, later.

Blankets

This one is absolutely perfect. I read it while listening to Sigur Ros. I can't even believe how many of the same childhood thoughts I shared with the novelist/artist Craig Thompson, though not as eloquently, nor poetic, nor as heart-wrenching. This is the first book of my adulthood that has made me cry.