In Bruges – Film Review
The Notorious Bettie Page – Film Review
Frustratingly superficial but endearing biopic of the 1950s pin-up queen, mostly worth a look for Gretchen Mol’s irresistible and exuberant performance.
Chang Tuan’s Cats – A Poem
Scholar Chang Tuan was fond of cats,
And had seven of them,
Wonderful beasts with wonderful names.
They were:
Guardian of the East
White Phoenix
Purple Blossom
Drive-Away-Vexation
Brocade Sash
Cloud Pattern
Ten Thousand Strings of Cash
Each was worth several pieces of gold,
And nothing could persuade Chang
To part with them.
— Wang Chih (c. 1100 C.E.)
A Streetcar Named Desire – Film Review
I confess that most of my knowledge about A Streetcar Named Desire came from a classic Simpsons episode. But now I finally unwrapped the 1951 adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ stage play, after the DVD sat on my shelves for years.
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie – Book Review
This is only the second Christie novel in my re-readathon that I genuinely don’t remember ever reading before. I had the right instinct about who dunnit all along, but this Poirot mystery still boasts plenty of surprises and twists.
Mean Girls – Film Review
Somehow I spent the last fifteen years without ever once seeing this high school comedy classic, while still knowing its catchphrases (Stop trying to make Fetch happen). Watching it for the first time now, it still feels fresh and as deceptively effortless as a perfect pop song.
The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie – Book Review
I couldn’t recall much about this stand-alone murder mystery other than a few stray details, but that’s an unfair reflection on the novel. While it may not be one of Christie’s true classics, it definitely deserved to be remembered better.
Lockdown Photography Project: Look Closer
It’s safe to say that my travel options are severely limited right now, what with Australia’s international and state borders slammed shut and Melbourne suffering through Lockdown: Part II (a bigger but not better sequel nobody asked for). But who said that you can’t play tourist in your own neighbourhood?
Quote of the Day – Kindness
“Kindness is like snow –
— Kahlil Gibran
it beautifies everything it covers.”
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie – Book Review
Evil Under the Sun marks an important milestone in my re-readathon – if Wikipedia is to be believed, I’m now precisely halfway through Christie’s back catalogue of detective novels with the book review no. 33! Since I officially committed to this challenge back in August 2018, I should probably complete it by August 2022. Let’s hope that the world is in a decent shape by then, or at least limping back to normality.
