Just finished watching it, first thoughts, very jumbled and messy.

I may not ever rewatch this film, but I will definitely recommend it to anyone I know, should they express interest in seeing something I've recently enjoyed. This film has beautiful aesthetics, and in minutes I will be roaming the web finding as many screenshots as I can to save and browse through when I am in need of inspiration.

Funny, I'm not the hugest fan of cakes and pink and baby blue... Perhaps things change.

I have no idea how accurate this film is, history wise. To be honest, I'm one of those people who are willing to butcher up history to please their feeling of aesthetic appeal. This film has definitely done a wonderful job in just that -- aesthetically pleasing, to the core.

I wish I could still eat sugar.

Labels: history, movie

Hero of Our Time, by Lermontov;
I wonder if anyone out there loves Pechorin as much as I do. Many people think it absurd and wrong, and yes, absolutely, I agree with them. Pechorin is not the role model we should all proselytise to our children, but I say -- fuck that. The man was honest, honest with others, honest with himself -- the hardest and the worst judge there is. If only there were more pechorins amongst us, in at least a 1:1000 ratio, I'd deem this world a better place.

Selected Poems, by Lermontov;
I still have little to no idea why I was given such a high mark on my poetry analysis during the semester final exam -- I'm rather useless when it comes to it. I love Lermontov's poems, but can't put this love to proper words for the life of me.

the Overcoat, by Gogol;
I still don't know where everyone has found the humour in this story. By the time I was finished, I was fighting really hard between going ballistic on the first willing victim and bawling my eyes out, since I was in the middle of the class. It is, if anything, sad and very, very cruel. If there's a need to bring out society's worse aspects and shine some light in them, I think it's better to do in a different fashion.

Dead Souls, by Gogol;
I've struggled with this at first, but then it has grown on me. Gogol's language is amazing, true that. Still, at times I've dropped the book in my lap and idly stared at the wall trying to figure out why he'd chose to say what he'd just said. Somehow, I can see how this book killed him.

Labels: russian, school

Some of these are fairly old reads.

Breaking the Da Vinci Code, by Simon Cox;
I love books like Da Vinci Code because they give me a basic (and fictional) introduction to things I've heard and had a vague idea about. So usually after reading something DVC-esque, I ask, "Hmm... Is it true?.. I wonder," and go on a research spree. So needless to say I liked Breaking the DVC. Now I have a fictional introduction, and a basic introduction to subjects of interest. Basically, Breaking the DVC is some sort of a 'reading list' for me. Whenever I want to pretend that I'm a smart-ass, I grab the book, open it on any page, and google the subject. :P


the Vampire, by Montague Summers;
GOD AS MY WITNESS, it took me years to read this book. And seeing as I spent so much time reading it, I remember nothing, with an exception of a legend or three. I may have to return and reread it at some point in life, but definitely not in the foreseeable future.

Satanic Bible, the, by Anton Szandor LaVey;
I've had my issues with this book (even more so on the second reread, and even more so with Russian translation), but overall it's quite useful and informative. Groundwork, so to say. Starting point of thorough research.

I really like the way LaVey argues his points of view and theories, though. I don't always agree, but it's enjoyable to read.

Alexandrian BOS;
Yes, well, can't exactly take notes on BoS of varying traditions. Mostly read it to study further.

Witchcraft Today, by Gerald Gardner;
One of the first books on Wicca I've ever read.

69, by Ryu Murakami;
I am sad to note that I remember very little from this book. I've read it during a rather rough personal time. I recall some of the things resonating soundly with me. Not the drunken dirty orgies part, though. :P Some general life observations.

Labels: books, paganism, russian, satanism, vampirism, wicca

Live Free or Die Hard;
I can't not like a Die Hard movie, not ever in this life. In addition to that, Matrix has ruined me. I see something computer-related, I love it. Want to live in it. Squeeze it and hug it and call it George.

Yet another thing to add to my 'try not to try it at home': killing helicopters with cars. :P

Casino Royale;
Rewatch. I like rewatching films. I keep finding all these little details that I've missed the first time around.

Alpha Dog;
Didn't finish it. Not that I didn't like it, really -- I hardly dislike a film. I guess I was just in a wrong mood.

Blonde Ambition;
Oh. My. God. Well, it was amusing enough to keep me breathing for an hour and a half longer, but I could definitely have spent that time doing something else. I want excruciatingly white teeth now.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith;
I still love it after all these years. Not only am I a devoted Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt fan (as professionals, as a couple, as a family, as beautiful people, as humanitarians -- you name it), but I also like the hitmen/ special agents/ action/ romance/ comedy shabang. Never you mind all the things that are (possibly) wrong/ off in this picture. I really don't care. One of the rare things I want to get on DVD so I could watch it at any given time.

.

Television:

I watched first episodes of Gossip Girl and the Tudors, but neither of those had caught my heart. They're starting to air Heroes next week here, I'm not setting my hopes too high, since I dislike TV in general. But maybe, just maybe. Many of the people I love seem to love the series, and we've got similar tastes.

I ramble.

Labels: aj, bond, movie, rewatch