I'm in the corner.

(via GIRLS Caps)

So, yesterday... I got a job! I am feeling a little less Hannah Horvath than I was the day before yesterday. This now means I can worry less about where my rent money is going to come from and that I won't be stuck in the flat on my own all day. I'm hoping that the hours aren't too bad as I would still like to get to see Moon on the odd occasion, but I'm sure everything will be easy enough to arrange and for now I'm just happy that I've got a job. I'm playing it up like it's something amazing, but really it's just a customer service assistant role with Vue. So I'm still an undiscovered genius, but now I have less money worries, plus I love the cinema and will now get free tickets for myself and everyone so it's pretty sweet. Tomorrow's my induction day so I guess that's when I'll be finding out more, it seems like it's time for another CV update.
As we're on the subject of job hunting, two additional things happened to me yesterday. The first was receiving the bluntest, rudest rejection email I have had throughout the whole time I've been applying for jobs, claiming my CV was too 'Photography-biased' and that maybe if I tried harder, I might have had a shot, yeah okay. The second was a lovely telephone call from Grace at Give A Grad A Go who provided me with a great morale boost regarding my experience and CV, just before I got the offer to start with Vue tomorrow. Maybe the former was just having a bad day, but I thought it was important to mention GAGAG as I've seen them floating about since graduating and I think they need commending on their stellar advice, service and overall polite manner.

---

I'll stop rabbiting on now and get the the real point of this post and that was to tell you that I might have gone and broken my clothes-fast after just under a month. Not a bad effort really, and in my defence, two of the items I bought were in the kids section and therefore super-cheap! You know what though, I might even pop out later and break the fast even more, although this time it's much more reasonable - I need dark, smart things of which I have none; smart, yes, dark, yes, but not the two combined.

Multi-way handbag, £12.49 eBay
I blogged about a similar bag last month and although I ordered it a couple of weeks after that, it only arrived yesterday. I have to say I'm slightly disappointed, but I think it might just need a bit of wearing in, as it's very 'out of a warehouse' stiff right now. It's useful to have anyway as I have a 'good' bag and an everyday bag but nothing for in-between so I'm hoping this is where it will come in, for the price I'm not complaining too much anyway. I'm also a bit excited that it doubles as a rucksack.



Dresses, Both £5.99, H&M Kids
These were a confidence boost, I took a bit of Gem Fatale scrimping initiative and ended up wandering into the kids section of H&M yesterday. I couldn't resist the cute heart print which I've seen everywhere lately, and I figured I don't really have anything block-coloured, so why not break my fast with these bargains (I didn't think they would fit anyway)? I got these in the largest kid-size 14y so that's nice to know. If you want a proper look, they're the same dress pattern as these ones on the website.


Belt, £6.99, H&M
This isn't super-exciting but I've not been impressed with my belt collection for ages, it was a toss-up between this minty one or the same one in coral, would it be wrong to go back and pick up the other one too, you can never have too many belts when you have as many dresses as I do.


Cropped blazer, £14.99, H&M
I mainly got this because of how 90s it is, but also because I was a bit bored of my other jackets. It's the perfect colour for when the sun decides to show it's face too.

---

Thanks to yesterday's good news I'm not half as sorry for these purchases as I was going to be. As it was the first time I'd bought anything in ages I thought I'd share them with you anyway. Have you found any bargains in the kids section before? I'm pleased more than anything, maybe I'll take the time to browse more often.

Film #8

In which Ruth lets you know that she's keeping a film diary this year and that the eight film she's seen is the American remake of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'.




The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 2011. Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer. (Dir. David Fincher)
So, I think that this is a first for me, I can't remember the last time I watched a re-make having not previously seen the original film and I had a major case of the skeptics about this one. This uncertainty was not just because it was a re-make a film that is less than five years old, but also because it was an adaptation of a book that is less than ten years old, I am a bit overwhelmed by the lack of original material within the film industry, since when do you write books to make films?

However, saying all that, I am just little ol' me after all, this film was a bloody cracker. Perhaps I was also unsure because although I am a fan of many of David Fincher's films, I have not enjoyed his most recent previous efforts, The Social Network or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, they just weren't my cup of tea.
However, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, contains the key elements that fundamentally make up a good film; stunning visuals, brilliant casting and a great soundtrack.
I have not read the book either, but have heard that both versions, despite already being well-received, vary greatly from the original story.

For most of the film, there are two separate narratives, seeing disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) working towards uncovering a forty-year family secret of wealthy entrepreneur Henrik Vanger (Plummer) and troubled, highly intelligent ward of the state, Lisbeth Salander (Mara) struggle with money and her newly instated power-mad social worker. The two come together due to a Lisbeth's work as a private investigator and her involvement vetting Mikael before he began work for Henrik. The film is a thrill and delight to watch, with twists and action throughout.

Mara is excellent as Lisbeth, and committed entirely to the role by getting real piercings specifically for this character. A very different role to those she had done previously; Mara made her debut as a teen victim in the 2010 re-make of A Nightmare of Elm Street, hardly empowering. Lisbeth is incredibly different, anti-social and aggressive, but some how vulnerable and sexy, added to her genius, she is, in my opinion, a perfect (if there is such a thing) female lead. Daniel Craig also adds a depth to this film and very much not James Bond, which is brilliant, I read he even put on weight to make sure we remember he's an actor, in case we forgot...




I loved it and would recommend to anyone, maybe the trailer doesn't give enough away but something about it didn't inspire me to see it, but I'm glad I did, it's probably my favourite film I've seen so far this year.

If it had been bad, at least Moon and I wouldn't have paid to see it, thanks to the Cineworld voucher my Gran got him for Christmas. It's a weird place, Cineworld, at least the Crawley one is, the biggest building yet practically all balcony with everything hidden in the walls.

Anyway, get on this film if you can, I'm usually right about this kind of thing.

Vamps, Crooks and Killers.

Last year's New York Times Hollywood issue videos blew my mind, showcasing the finest acting talent Hollywood has to offer and showing us what they do best, this year, they might just have outdone themselves.

(via New York Times Magazine)

I enjoyed 14 Actors Acting mainly on an aesthetic level, the series was beautifully filmed with a gorgeous accompaniment of slick, polished images. This year's 13 Villains pleases me even further, showing actors and actresses as you may have never seen them before, with more specific references to popular films and cult classics. NY Times have kindly put together a rogues gallery mood board to help out with the references you might not get so quickly.
My favourite performances are those by Gary Oldman and Viola Davis but each video is visually pleasing in it's own way and I think I will make a special effort to keep my eye out for the next year's edition. The '13 villains' series also features Ryan Gosling, George Clooney and Rooney Mara to name a few, not to mention Brad Pitt as you may never have seen him before.

New York Times Magazine: Touch of Evil

630: Drive.

What a way to round up a weekend (pre-X factor, of course).


I'm fairly gobsmacked, I have no idea what I was expecting because all I had in my mind when deciding to watch it is: 'OMG it looks so nice' and ;Ryan Gosling is in it'. I really wasn't expecting Drive to be as good as it was.

(Excusing myself in advance) The cinematography of this movie is absolutely jizz-worthy and I don't care how many or how few people on Tumblr agree with me, it actually is. The film is beautifully lit and shot, with a great grasp on scale and depth. Can you tell that I loved it?

Although I, like many, do have a slight crush on Ryan Gosling, there is no doubt in my mind - not that there was before - that this guy can really act. With the most minuscule facial movement or change in body language he is able to convey such a quick change in emotion. This is something I noticed previously in Lars and the Real Girl, a completely different, but also brilliant film. So, I really appreciated Gosling as an actor and due to the film being released during 'guaranteed Oscar season', he may be in for a shot.

(Images: Google)

Apparently I love a good gangster movie anyway, but it's more than that, the casting is spot on, Carey Mulligan is both convincing and worthy as the vulnerable love interest and we see a slightly different side to the usually polished Christina Hendricks, but I don't want to give anything away.

The soundtrack is also brillant, flowing really well throughout the film with a brilliant consistency to the visuals as well as sounding good, most importantly. I know what I'll be downloading onto my iTunes next.

I would be surprised if this film isn't Oscar material, and if The Social Network was, this deserves to be. Director, Nicolas Winding Refn has demonstrated in previous success, 'Bronson' that he knows what he's doing, and Drive has taken his craft to the next level.
In short, and I'm aware that the rest of this wasn't, go and see this movie, you need to, it has everything in it to ever make any film work.


Now I can settle down with my much sought after copy of Little White Lies and enjoy it properly.

Other films starring Ryan Gosling that I have seen and liked:

The Notebook.

Blue Valentine.

Lars and the Real Girl

All Good Things - Bit weird, but still enjoyable

Not Half Nelson, I can see why hipsters love it but I disagree.

On my list:

Crazy. Stupid. Love.

The United States of Leland

The Believer

Fracture

Growing up and HP & DH.

It's pretty fitting that the day I graduated should turn out to be the same day that the new Harry Potter film came out. I mean I'm not like a 'Potter-loser' or anything but I've loved the books for a long time as well as enjoyed the films. It's very important that despite the title of this blog post, I am definitely not a creep.

If you haven't read the books but enjoy the films (what is wrong with you?!) I respect that, but expect spoilers.
Basically, it's just nice at the end of Harry Potter and everyone is all grown up, I'm now mirroring this in real life because I've officially graduated and therefore by definition am also a grown-up, despite not wanting to be.
Although I have certainly not always appreciated the films, it's a strange experience to have something you have grown up with ending at the same period in your life when something else important is ending.

I suppose I slightly prolonged the experience because I only just got round to seeing the film this afternoon, after this weekend's celebrations, making it all perhaps slightly more emotional due to the partying coming to an end as well.

I sign off on the house tomorrow and hope that I have very little need to ever return to Portsmouth, but I've had a great four years here and I hope that it's all been worth it...

Ladj Ly, Kourtrajmé; The Creators Project.

Kourtrajmé is a group that were involved making a creepy film I watched last summer called, 'Sheitan', it was brilliant, they're a really interesting movement and I'm very excited that they're being featured in The Creators Project with Vice and Intel. Kourtrajmé were also involved with making the cult short, 'La Barbichette', starring Vince Cassel, who they have had quite a bit to do with.

Ladj Ly, a member of the movement is who is being interviewed for this video, he cites Mathieu Kassovitz - director of La Haine - as one of his main inspirations. There is also mention of working within the African film industry to bring it forward, I wonder how far it will be taken and in what part of Africa they are involved with. With Kassovitz's involvement with Johnny Mad Dog - a film shot in Liberia - as well as his and Vince Cassel's close involvement with Kourtrajmé I really hope it's there, not only is it something Liberia needs, but it would also be great for my dissertation. I can't wait for The Creators Project to come to London.

via Electric Sheep Magazine for The Creators Project

0281.

I've had my hair lopped off for the summer season. It's essentially the same hair cut but much shorter, I am not that brave. I like it though.

After getting my hair cut, I took myself to Gunwharf and went to watch Street Dance 3D, on my own, this is because I had to come to terms with the fact that no one would ever want to see it with me. I am sad that I even watched it. Not only is it now forever the first film I saw at the cinema by myself but, it was just as bad as everyone who didn't want to see it with me said it would be. It was pretty wet, but I did enjoy some of the dancing, and because that's what the film is about, I guess it did the job. I think I have come out of the film liking street dancing less, just because the characters were so lame, they were either really 'street' or posh, but I won't ruin the rest of the story. For all the criticisms I could ever give it, the film does use 3D much more effectively than Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland ever did.
As for going to the cinema by myself, it was ok.

I could have watched this for longer than I did, I don't know why they're knocking this down, it was meant to be a new gym, but that never happened.


Here's another attempt at a little planet, it's a bit better than the last one, I like the seagull, even though it doesn't completely match, as I'm still getting the hang of when to use the right photos, I think it works a bit better because it's got more 'sticking up' things. Ha.

All images, © Ruth Johnston 2010.

3D is awesome.

Just come back from seeing Avatar, which undoubtedly everyone has heard of.

It's as brilliant as everyone says. I can't really say much about it without ruining it but the 2h42m is definitely worth the bum-numbing.
There is great integration of 3D technology and the storyline, unlike previous 3D movies I've seen which often substitute storyline with obvious 3D effects. It does sneak one obvious one in there but by that point, everything is so mind-blowing that it's just a minor reference to bygone tacky 3D.
I recommend it to everyone and it's a deserved film of the decade - too bad it's come out right at the very end. But I don't think it's going anywhere obscure for a while.

It's just a shame that when it comes out on DVD that everyone will have to watch it with those horrible red-and-blue specs, although who knows, there could be an exception on the horizon - I hope so, this is the film that 3D came back into vogue for.
I wish that someone could explain the difference in technology to me. All I see without the 3D glasses in the cinema is blurry lines, not the usual red-blue-green that you get at home. I guess I'll just sit in anticipation for that one.
Surely with the emergence of 3D SkyTV, the crappy glasses are gone for good?

On top of how good that Avatar actually was, it also relates to my Issues in Contemporary Media essay. Was happy when it did, it was interesting how my brain processed it all, now I've informed myself so much about disability in the media. It does have a restrictive - in terms of disability - ending, but unless it's an issue that is particularly close to home, I doubt many people would see it as that significant. It is also slightly perturbing that the lead actor is able-bodied when his character isn't, but again unless you are part of a disability activist movement, it won't be that important to you.
I can't say much else without giving anything away, but I definitely give it a 10 out of 10 - even letting go that the reason for the action in the film is the substance 'unobtainium'.

The Invention of Lying.

Went to see it yesterday, was a bit of a disappointment, Ghost Town was funnier, but then this isn't really meant to be funny.
I'm surprised it's not had too much grief yet, it's basically two fingers up at Christianity.




Karl Pilkington is right about it though, it does stop before you get bored, any more of what started towards the end of the movie and I think I would have cried.
Also, Jennifer Garner has the oddest mouth, puts me off.

Stephen Merchant's scene is by far the best. If I could find it, I'd show you, it's so awesome.
Hopefully Cemetery Junction will be better.

Still sad I don't get to see Gervais at Guildhall in any case.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1058017/

It is very hot. Pappadom?

I went to the cinema to hide from the heat, I am glad of this, all the sun seemed to tucker me out none the less. I watched Drag Me To Hell, I got scared because it was loud but it was pretty stupid, and looked so low budget, what is happening in Hollywood at the moment?

I am glad that Susan Boyle didn't win Britain's Got Talent, although I believe she has much more personality than she's letting on, despite being a bit of a homely beast - to which she owes her success anyway, there is quite a bit of humbleness to her. I hate her caricature though, it makes me feel sick.

..And just for the record, she's still terribly overrated.