Ups And Down Under

Monday, April 18, 2011

IN DREAMS

I want to dedicate this post to Sir David Lynch. I recently got the Cahiers Du Cinema on him and have been reading it religiously. On top of that I have been watching his amazing TV show 'Twin Peaks'. I also just signed up for Australia's version of Netflix, Quickflix, and will be starting my own sort of festival watching all his movies in chronological order (some for the second or third time). Maybe I will refer to it as the "Don't fLynch Fest"? I really think he is one of the best American filmmakers alive and I hope he does something new soon. He has a beautiful mind and I'm glad that he is one of the few that can tap into our subconscious, challenge our imaginations, our thoughts and what we think is "normal".

On top of that we both share a love for the 50's and Roy Orbsion. He is also a pretty cool artist. In fact, it's what he wanted to do before going into film. But he realized what art lacked was sound and movement and thus why he found solace in movies. I especially like his lithographs. Here are a few that stood out to me (in this book that was far too expensive for me to afford):

"I find it very difficult to understand what is going on these days."

"Murder Victim"

"Dreams"

"Valley of Shadow"

Also after I got dressed today, I realized I was dressed like him. After my realization I had a bunch of fun taking pictures of my outfit. Long live David Lynch!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

LAST NIGHT

I had a great time last night. It marked a huge turning point in my time here in Australia: The first night I went out with kids my age. I had a blast. I know Jerry, or Jeremy, from Guam and he is living out here for "Uni" as they call it. So, being the nice guy that he is, he invited me out to his friend's house-warming. It was crazy, apparently his friend had just bought...bought...his own apartment and it was not just any apartment. No, this apartment had a full on Legends of the Hidden Temple like fountain, 3D TV, automatic soap dispensers (??), cool hanging basket chair, a nice little modern fish tank, and an iRobot vacuum cleaner (which we had fun with after a couple drinks). It was awesome!

To top it off Jerry and his friends are some of the nicest people I've ever met. His two roomates are brothers and their parents own a farm they frequently help out at. If that didn't sound cool enough, they also help on the vineyards to bottle and label their own wine. I mean come on, how cool is that?

Also one minute, someone will be playing guitar and the next a full on like jazz duet will be happening. When they asked if I played any instruments, I just laughed thinking of myself in comparison. I also had the much-talked about "Maccas" in Australia finally. Aka McDonalds. Maybe it was just the time of night but it seemed especially good.

Before all this, I had an interesting couple train rides over. I wish I had had my camera but instead I forgot it on my bed right before leaving. At every station I was determined to try this energy drink I had never seen called 'Mother'. But for some reason at each one something went wrong. The first ate my two dollars. The second, the girl in front of me took too long before the train came. The third, they had ran out. It just wasn't meant to be.

Also later I retrospectively decided that forgetting my camera was a good thing considering I didn't want to be deemed "camera girl" or like "blog girl"..who knows. You'll just have to trust me on this one.

Art by Megan Whitmarsh and Deth P. Sun.

LA MIRADA FILM FESTIVAL

This is a great film festival I have been going to in dowtown Melbourne at the ACMI (Australian Center for the Moving Image). I really love the building, what it's about and their variety of media. I'm hoping to get more involved there, whether it be even just volunteering so hopefully I will have more to post about that later.

Melbourne has been a living dream by the way. If San Francisco and Europe had a baby, it would be Melbourne.

So far I saw Gael García Bernal in 'También la lluvia' or 'Even the Rain' for you non-Spanish speakers. It was a dramatic film showing a paradoxical story of a film crew determined to make a movie about Christopher Columbus amidst the 2000 Cochabamba water crisis in Bolivia. As they strive to make this film using native actors, a parallel story of greed comes to surface practically comparing the filmmakers to Columbus and his immoral treatment of natives. It was hard to watch because being a filmmaker myself, I know the feeling of "needing" to finish a film and wanting to do anything to make it happen. But after repeatedly asking their actors to surrender themselves to the movie and not participate in protests initiated to protect their intrinsic human rights--one where their water supply was gravely in danger--they begin to realize that maybe the bigger picture was bigger than their picture.

I also saw 'Abel', the great actor Diego Luna's directorial debut. I especially enjoyed this movie. Always bordering between comedy and drama, it told a story about a troubled child who finally comes home after two years of being looked after in a hospital. As he finally breaks out of his shell, he begins to take on the identity of a father figure--literally. He begins to take on the mannerisms, dress, talk, and even take on responsibilities for his family way beyond his years. Afraid to provoke another anxiety attack the family goes along with it. Heartbreakingly funny, you begin to wonder where the line between identity and reality needs to draw itself. Especially when the blurred line is the only thing bringing happiness and stability to the once chaotic and broken family.

The kid, Christopher Ruíz-Esparza is one to watch. His performance makes you feel all fuzzy inside. Seeing someone so young pull his own family together: tuck them in, worry about them, fix their problems, teach them--it's too much. Identity fake or not, his role as a father becomes more than real.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

WHITES

I discovered this BBC show last night while running in the gym (by the way I made a record for myself: 2 miles in 12:58 seconds!!). At first I wasn't really watching because I thought it was a cooking show and I didn't want to torture myself too much while ya know, running. But it turns out it is a comedy series based on a bunch of cooks and it is absolutely hilarious. I would liken it to America's 'Party Down'--in fact it HAD to have been influenced by 'Party Down'. Whose first episode aired a year before 'Whites'... I checked.

I could be bitter about that (but it's rare that America ever comes up with anything original and not borrowed/adapted from other countries etc.) instead I will just be happy that I found something to watch here that I actually like. After all you can only take so many episodes of 'Kourtney and Kim Take New York' before it isn't a joke anymore.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

WET CEMENT

It's been raining in Melbourne. The weather may be down but I'm still up and out.

FOOD PARTY

This shall be one in the first of many "food chronicles" to come. Everywhere I look are amazing restaurants, fresh food and produce--a (sea)food lovers dream. I haven't had one bad thing yet but I'll keep you all posted. My first night out we went to a place called Dalmatino. Considering the name of it, and my day, I felt like I was living in a Brett Easton Ellis book. Especially the fact that there were "tall, blonde, and tan" people everywhere. I had veal in a garlic potato puree with mushrooms. And it. was. splendid.

The next morning, not only did I wake up to the most beautiful sky (and a view I am going to have to get used to) but my Dad took us to one of the best coffee houses in Melbourne called St. Alli Roasters. I don't know how he found it, but it was down a seemingly random alleyway with some great street art. The coffee was beautiful and beautiful tasting. I decided to try the syphon coffee which is a pretty cool process to watch: it looks like a science experiment. Bunson burners included. I also ate thee best breakfast I have had in a long, long time. A "Childhood Memory": fresh baked thick toast-ish bread with coffee cream, poached plums and cinnamon dukkah. I still don't know what "dukkah" is but it sure was tasty.

I've also been unpacking the boxes that finally came all the way from little Saratoga, California. It took awhile but we're finally finished. You know, a broken back and five hand-splitting glass cuts later. I've been eating a lot more than these pictures show but I didn't want to look like a total pig. Thank goodness there is a gym downstairs, right? More to come.

"Defend Julian Assange"

Drink it in.

A section on the menu just for those with hangovers. Toothbrushes, classic!

Childhood Memory.

Syphon coffee

The alley that my Dad found this gem of a coffee house.

The Melbourne hook turn: a driving maneuver only here!

The first friend I made in Melbourne. A dead cricket.

Boxes, boxes, boxes

Sunday, April 10, 2011

YOU'RE SO VAIN

This is a short, somewhat vain post. I woke up really early the other day and apparently no one is out at that time. I have more pictures but too much moving and too little time to post today. You will just have to do with this (again, forgive me, I know no one wants to just look at pictures of me but I was bored OK?) Note to self: sleep in and stay out later.