Monday, June 11, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Waitress
Every time I read a poem by “Forough” I thought “You can have absolutely no idea who wrote this poem but still bet your life that the poet certainly was a woman”. Adrienne Shelly’s Waitress is one of those few examples, impossible for a man to be the creator of.
A humble, honest, low-budget but impressively stylish film, a romantic satire (the genre “romantic comedy” was previously hijacked by the bulk of senseless, stupid blockbusters so I’m not going to abuse this great movie by assigning it to that notorious genre) about a simple girl called Jenna (marvelously played by stunningly beautiful Keri Russell who remarkably looks like Nicole Kidman but a bit cuter and a lot warmer!) working as a waitress in a modest Pie Shop in a small city. Jenna is not just a waitress but in fact, is the brain behind all those twenty something variety of the pies on the menu as well as a new Pie-of-the-day she creates every single day, inspired by daily events in her rather miserable life.
Although we do not have the privilege of tasting any of those seemingly appetizing pies that take the centerpiece of this film, we actually don’t need to. The movie has been made so deliciously beautiful and so delightfully witty that I doubt it would be any less tasteful than any of those scrumptious pies would possibly taste like.
Apart from the style, Waitress is also truly earthy and surprisingly non-judgmental piece of work. Where almost every character in the story leads a stupendously boring and somehow pitiful life, it is considered absolutely no one’s fault. Even the darkest character of the film which is Jenna’s controlling and rather crazy husband, whom is a big inspiration for quite a lot of pies indeed, is much more pathetic than sinister.
More interestingly, Shelly portrays her main character as a girl who cheats on her husband with her married gynecologist while she is pregnant with the baby she genuinely hates while stunningly does not let the audience judge Jenna, even for a split of a second.
In fact, I’ve encountered a few stories in which one could understand and connect to all characters this easily, as eating a piece of pie!
Finally, for the bitter-sweet this movie was, I would found the ending a little too perfectly sweet for my taste, but giving the bitter ending of the brilliant and talented writer/director of this splendid film, I’m afraid to say that in general, all has been too ironically balanced!
Adrienne Shelly might not share Forough Farokhzad’s distressingly bitter views of the world, quite contrary her movie is filled with hope and optimism, but they surly shared the same tragic destiny indeed, when their fruitful lives come to an end, much too quickly.
As tragic as it is, she left the scene with an intimate, clever, giftedly crafted movie which guaranties that she would be missed, even by those who never knew her in person, such as me.
Rest in piece girl...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Hats off to Alanis Morissette
First time I saw Fergie’s “My Humps” video, I was really shocked and truly appalled by how sickeningly low this industry has gone to earn a few bucks more!
But who could have thought that a simple re-performing of exactly the same song, only with a different rhythm, a variation on the same theme if you like, could this beautifully and eloquently reveal the hideousness and vulgarity of the idea behind that piece of crap!
I am stunned, pleased and gratified by what I would like to call “Alanis Morissette’s quintessential of sarcasm”! A precious reminder that the stupidity is so self-destructive that sometimes, just repeating a foolish idea with a somehow different tone, might so vividly expose its absurdity, in a way that no critic would ever succeed to do.
Bravo girl, Bravo…
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Queen-Free quarter!
Today at work, as I was about to get a cup of hot chocolate from the vending machine (I mean, a brown disgusting slush we call Hot chocolate cause it has been written so, on the machine! and by the way is neither hot nor has any chocolate in it!), I realized one of my quarters looked weird!
As you might have guessed, it was an American, queen-free! quarter, honoring the state of
Seriously, how dull a state could possibly be that her BIG SKY is the only distinctive feature, worth mentioning on a national coin?!
And I thought “
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Let's Get Nuc!
As I was in
You know, something to think about!
Monday, April 09, 2007
Pol e "Sheikh Fazl-ol-laah" az roo "Sataar khaan" rad mishe!
“Eshgh e Sor’at” is Kiosk’s latest video clip (but to be honest, I have no idea if they had any before!).
This little five minutes and something, is a fantastic musical documentary that lists almost every problem facing
The video is just amazing. It’s sharp, tasteful, simple and cleverly satirical. The music is brilliant, still feels a bit too much dire-straitsy! but with enough personal touches to make it just an honest influence and still tremendously better that most the of musics out there and finallty the lyrics, where it is the only part that have room for serious improvement, still bitterly funny and extremely witty.
Well, if you’re not Iranian, don’t even bother to watch cause you won’t get anything but if you are, invite yourself to 5 minutes and an almost half of a peculiar mixture of pleasure and pain! Beleive me, you won't regret it.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Too much excitement will kill ya!
Last night I was watching “City TV’s evening news” and I swear to God I don’t make this up. There was a report about this bus driver who was talking to his cell phone for half an hour while he was doing his job, driving the city bus in
Well, you might think that due to his reckless behavior, he must have accidentally driven the bus into a gas station and blown up himself and the whole neighborhood and killed 250 people … but No No No! He was talking to his cell phone for half an hour. That’s the news! In fact, that’s the whole news!!! That’s city TV’s fascinating reportage!
He was talking to this cell and apparently one of the responsible passengers (who obviously didn’t have a life!) took his picture, ironically with her cell phone! and gave it to CityTV's reporter. Now it was time for our brave little “Frank Gardner!” to take the picture to the bus company’s deputy to the regional manager! and embarrassed him with the scandalous picture of this shameful behavior so in the future such catastrophe could be prevented!
And then, Mr. Woodward!! continued with the thrilling news that “the search for this irresponsible driver still goes on” as if he was talking about “mission impossible 4”! Like how hard it would be to find a perfectly photographed bus driver in Spadina!
Later, he finished this exciting “reportage of the century!” with the typical, alarming and mysterious tone “we think we ride safe in our buses, but ARE WE SAFE ENOUGH!?”
Oh for Heaven’s sake, somebody please do kill somebody so at least, they can fill up their evening news with something a bit more decent! What’s next?! Mr. Whisker, little Julia’s kitty has been insulted by Magi’s intolerant Hamster's racial remarks ?!!
When the world says we’re boring, I think they have a point!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
William Crawley meets Richard Dawkins
Whether you believe in God or not, whether you’re religious or agnostic, the most recent book of Professor Richard Dawkins, “The God Delusion”, is a superbly controversial piece, certainly worth reading. Here is a brief introduction to the author, one of the most outspoken atheists of our time. I believe those who do not share his ideas could still admire his courage and his sincere, blunt and honest tone.