Friday, November 30, 2007

Indie friday with the Saund

Tonight I'm checking out the new indie place in Ljubljana on Zaloska 35. Actually the only official indie place in Slovenia as far as I know. Being genuine indie slut I've been really anxious about it since I heard the rumors about its opening.

Today the promise to treat us with a band that is playing songs of Franz Ferdinand, White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys and others. Indie after party included. So where are you gonna be tonight?

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Bussiness time

Thank you Jinx for introducing me Flight of the Conchords. New Zealand seems to have a lot to offer apart from being the first country to give women right to vote and filming Xena. Way to go!

I've lost control...

Irrational behavior might not always be desirable, explainable or predictable, actually it's not any of those things most of the time. But really, what feels better: doing what you think or what you feel? Naturally I don't make all the decisions irrationally, just the important ones. Being a women I don't need any other excuse for it.

Missing Control at this years film festival was almost unforgivable, so I went to see it the moment it hit the regular cinema program. Twice. There's just something irresistible in the combination of big screen, Anton Corbijn's black & white photography and Joy Division. The film is amazing and worth every minute spent on those uncomfortable seats. Intrigued?

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Because they're worth it

Usability testing results took an interesting turn at New York Times. If you don't know how to make online ads less irritating then at least you can annoy your readers with little banner ads. Make them remember it, so why not make an ad that:
  • appears from nowhere,
  • covers the content you want to read,
  • can't be closed down,
  • makes many annoying little cursors when you try to close it.














What an excellent idea! Maybe we can't make them buy the product but at least we can piss the suckers off. Just a little something for Nielsen to add to his findings.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Exaggerating?

I don't know, you tell me:

Natural cosmetics, not tested on animals.








I've tried lots of different brands until now but only Lush feels different.

So what's your excuse?

Friday, November 23, 2007

Irresistable blondes

The Long Blondes to be more exact, indie band from Sheffield. Their Album Someone to drive you home was released in November 2006 and received excellent critics. Their style is an interesting mixture of 60's pop, post punk an new wave but in the end it sounds like synthetic rock.

Band members Kate Jackson (voice), Dorian Cox (guitar), Emma Chaplin (guitar and keyboards), Reenie Hollies (bass) and Mark Turvey alias Screech Louder (drums) have unmistakable glam punk image and are worth all the attention.

Enjoy their hit Giddy Stratospheres

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Liffe after 2nd week

So it's over. Finally. It has been exhausting 15 days of intense film consumption: some good, some bad and some you just want to forget before you leave the cinema. This year the number of bad films I saw was a bit higher than usual but for all that I know it could have all been just bad luck. I'll go again next year to check :) So here's what I saw:

This is England: Interesting insight through eyes of 12 year old boy about skinheads, racism, British politics and first love. Story was supposedly based on director's/writer's personal experience and I must admit it revealed some new aspects, at least to me. I'd give it an 8 but probably wouldn't go to see it again.

Jar city is an excellent story that connects crime to DNA and people's pasts. Characters and relations between them are well built plus the casting was excellent. The film is typical northern European drama and has taste of bizarreness yet specialness. I loved the gradual revealing of the story as it kept me in suspense almost until the very end. I'd give it 10 and definitely go to see it again. Yes, I have a thing for northern European films.

Even though Michael Clayton has all the typical mainstream movie elements, it delivers absolutely brilliant story. Excellent screenplay is upgraded by George Clooney's marvelous acting. The story is quite simple yet somehow complicated and therefore lovable. Great directing, great feeling after the film. I'd give it 9.5 and would see it again too.

The Journals of Knud Rasmussen was somewhat confusing. Maybe I was expecting much more from Danish/Canadian crew than foggy story about Inuits becoming Christians with maintaining the distance between the audience and the characters. Maybe I just didn't understand it or it was too arty for me. Haven't got a clue who is that Knud Rasmussen character is since it wasn't mentioned at all. I'd give it a 6 for nice photography and good idea.

Viva was horribly stereotypical. I found the main character extremely shallow and annoying, dialogs seemed like patchwork of lines taken out od 60's commercials and the story felt like it wanted to be a parody, only it wasn't. It could be just me but I didn't find any real message about sexual revolution/emancipation of women in that movie. What I understood was: Liberation makes prostitutes out of housewives and rape is OK as long as it's followed by a success in the show business. Lame. I'd give it 1.

Les Anges exterminateurs
has an interesting story and some really great erotic scenes. However I failed to see angels motives, their role and drive of the main character. The ending was expected but still a bit weird and somehow unfair. I'm a bit confused, I'd give it a 5 and ask the director for additional explanation.

Le Pressentiment was extremely refreshing. For most part of the movie I wasn't able to guess what is going to happen or wasn't trying to guess at all. Lovable main character, great antagonists and I loved the whole plot about lawyer who gives up his luxurious life to become a writer. The false climax was simply brilliant and I think I'd go an see it again just for that. I'd give it 8.5.

Now I think I'll take a short off cinema recovery to give my eyes a bit of R & R. Not too long though as the next film festival will begin really soon.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Take it away, Stephen!

I discovered Stephen Lynch few years ago and developed almost immediate severe addiction. He's a brilliant singer and performer and I never get tired of listening to his songs. They are all so good I couldn't even decide what to publish. I chose two and was really tempted to have three. What the heck, you'll have to Google for more :P

If you haven't seen him yet I strongly recommend you download the whole show, especially if you're black humor fan. He's absolutely worth it. Here's what Irena might call the desert of the day.

Best friends



Lullaby

Monday, November 19, 2007

The recovery soup

All work and no fun makes Jane as charming as George Bush and less entertaining than The English Patient.

Having fun is essential to almost every human being (except Chuck Norris) and it's of extreme importance that we nurture it. While doing so your body might scream gimme more, but a day after that it might as well say it was too much.

Luckily there is a recovery soup that will give your body some quality shut up time. It is really easy to make and it takes about 20 minutes.

You'll need some:
  • potatoes,
  • leek,
  • flour,
  • oil,
  • salt
  • Vegeta and
  • water.

Peel the potatoes and chop them to smaller chunks, add some water, salt and a spoon of Vegeta and cook them for about 15 minutes.















Add chopped leek.



Take a spoon/two of flour and fry it on the heated up oil.




Add to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. All that's left now is to sit down and enjoy your soup :)

Friday, November 16, 2007

Ascertainment of the day

It's not worth to compromise culture for love life.

I exchanged Control for a heartache and I'd do just about anything to see that movie now. Silly silly silly things we do for love...

Interpol: C'mere

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Can you smell the snow?

When I think of snow and winter, I somehow associate it with Rammstein. I was surprised to hear many Germans don't like them because they are supposed to be right wing nationalists, only pretending to be left for the popularity.

Honestly, I can't think of any right wing person who'd be able to or would want to pretend to be left for the popularity. It's like vegetarian pretending to like meat just to blend in. Nevertheless, I adore their music and would go to their concert again. They definitely know how to make a good show.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Liffe after 1st week

So first week of Ljubljana's international film festival is over. Here is what impressed me most - in a good or a bad way.

The Darjeeling Limited was nice and cute. It's not what you call state of the art movie, but I'd definitely see it again. It's easygoing, fun with interesting story and characters who manage to find what they were looking for in the places, they weren't looking for it at all. It's a fair 8 with special plus to Jason Schwartzman for his co-writing skills and great role. I guess he liked his characters in I heart Huckabees and Spun so much he brought them to another movie. Well done Jason, the screenplay is excellent!

XXY
was surprisingly good, considering the topic it was tackling with. No big drama, no suicides or suicide attempts and no Hollywood baggage. Not to mention great directing and photography. The main actress deserves an award for totally owning the role of 15 year old hermaphrodite. I don't think I'd see it again but I still give it an 8.

Delirious was also nice, even though it had a little bit too much of Hollywood taste as far as I am concerned. Nevertheless it had few great dialogs and good directing. I'd give it a 7 and might see it again - it's a great easy movie to light you up but that's all.

Syndroms and century was the crappiest movie I've seen since Odete. Both Jotaeater and me fell asleep during it a couple of times. The story was somehow unconnected and some frames were absolutely too long to make any point at all. Two is more than generous mark for it. I can't believe this movie is competing for an audience award.

Empties is totally different story though - not only I loved the movie, I'd go to see it again immediately. It totally had my attention from the very beginning. Haven't seen such a witty story with great characters and unbelievable charm since Czech Dream and Dark horse. I'd give it straight 10, an award of the audience and best screenplay award. It's absolutely worth it!

2 Days in Paris was refreshing: good and witty dialogs, interesting characters with nice French touch. I loved the story for its slightly political tone, however I felt a bit disappointed as Julie Delpy elegantly avoided the building up of the characters and their final confrontation by explaining it all in an off voice. It was a bit of a let down to rip the audience off what could have been the best scene in the movie when she already proved she's excellent in screenplay writing. It still deserves 8.5 and I'd probably see it again too.

Goodbye Bafana was touching enough to make me cry. It's definitely not an easy Sunday movie, nevertheless it is worth seeing, especially if you life political films. Nelson Mandela's fight for freedom reminds you about true value of things, we take for granted. It also shows how personal experience can change people's values. I'd give it 8.5 .

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Last minute call...

...got me playing at tonights private girls only party. While refreshing my playlist this groovy song got its way onto my charts. Todays morning movie had something to do with it.

The Dandy Warhols
: Bohemian Like You

Friday, November 9, 2007

Song 4 C.

It's one of those Fridays that doesn't feel like a Friday because of the shitty weather. I need something strong and I need it fast.

Bloc Party to the rescue.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Another revolution in online advertising?

After last weeks boom with Google's OpenSocial Facebook is returning the new hit by changing the face of brand advertising online and unveiling their ad strategy. So what exactly is so revolutionary, changing or social about it anyway?

Not much really. After discovering banner blindness, marketers have found yet another way to stuff the ads down our throats. But not just any kind of ads - this time they are supposed to be personalized. Gee, thanks for caring.

The pop-up overkill was not enough to prevent annoying flash animations, putting commercials in public toilets and filling our mails/blogs with "customized" ads. Why stop there when there is still so much to be discovered? Now they want to customize the ads to fit our needs by advertising things we like/want. I'm not sure which I dislike more: the "progress" in advertising or the pretension of doing this for the benefit of the users.

We know it's really not about wanting to help you getting what you want, but earning few bucks with things we might like and probably don't need. The consumers don't know what they want anyway, right?

Now I don't know about others, but I certainly don't want anyone scanning my profile to offer me products I might like. If I ever wanted anything like that, I'd invite them over and let them check my closets to find out my favorite underwear brand or ask them for few book recommendations. Luckily I know what I want most of the time and have a temporary solution for the things I don't know. There are always things I don't want to know so please let me have the privilege of keeping it that way.

However there are two things I believe really could make a revolution in online advertising:
  • software that would "clean" the websites of advertisements
  • following a simple yet worldwide successful principle: Less is more.

Well, assuming they really care about the consumer ;)

Monday, November 5, 2007

Sassy seasons

Autumn gives trees gorgeous evening dresses.

Then winter comes and strips them off naked.

I blame him for the idea of autumn impression and the tree for inspiration.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Computer nag

Nothing pisses me off more than computers/programs that don't work as they are supposed to. Where there's love there's also hate. At this very moment I hate Bill Gates for his Outlook 2007.

I might have few ideas on how to fix the problem:

Friday, November 2, 2007

Sexy mushrooms

Mushrooms might be the sexiest vegetable I've ever tasted. They are so tender, soft and....well delicious. They are quite simple to prepare to and go well with just about everything. Willing to try? This recipe is not mine - I got it at the picnic after bugging a cook. Nevertheless it was worth it. Presenting:

The mushroom sauce:
  • mushrooms
  • butter
  • sweet cream
  • cheese
  • salt
Braise cut & salted mushrooms on melted butter until they soften up. Add sweet cream and cheese. Boil for few more minutes and your sauce is ready. As simple as that. It goes well with pasta or cooked & grilled polenta.

If you want to make your meal a bit more fresh and healthy, make an Autumn salad:
  • red chicory
  • tomato
  • corn
  • chic peas
  • tofu
  • olive oil
  • vinegar
  • salt




Bon apetit!