The Science of Sleep
Hey! I saw this reeeally amazing trailer today, and I just thought I´d share. It´s the new movie of the director of the great "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", Michael Gondry. I don´t know who to give more credit to in that movie, the director, the actors (I don´t like Jim Carrey at all, but the acting in that movie is flawless), or the writers - the director and Charlie Kaufman, who is an absolute genious. But anyway, this new movie is "Science of Sleep", and it stars the always lovely Gael Garcia Bernal. It´s completely nonsense - like Eternal Sunshine - but it seems to be just as surprising and beautiful.
Some people dislike the nonsense things (all the people I know that didn´t like Eternal Sunshine, which were about 2, told me just that), but, now I have begun to realize, more and more, that there is nothing more absurd than life and people, not even Jim Carrey appearing in a bed in the middle of a beach or in a crumpling house. So, let´s just give the movies a chance to show us, in fact, how absurd everything around you really is, and maybe that will help us find some more beauty in that.
beijos
Girls, Girls, Girls
Roses are redSome diamonds are blueChivalry is deadBut you're still kinda cute"Promiscuous Girl"
They treat me really nicely,They buy me all these ices.Dolce & Gabbana,Fendi and NaDonnaKaran, they be sharin'All their money got me wearin' flyBrother I ain't askin,They say they love my ass ‘n,Seven Jeans, True Religion's,I say no, but they keep givin'So I keep on takin' a
nd no I ain't takenWe can keep on datin'I keep on demonstrating."My Humps"
I know you like me, I know you do 
Thats why whenever I come around shes all over you And I know you want it, It's easy to see And in the back of your mind I know you should be home with me Dont cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me Dont cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me Dont cha, dont cha Dont cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me Dont cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me Dont cha, dont cha Fight the feeling, Leave it alone Cause if it aint love It just aint enough to leave a happy home Let's keep it friendly, You have to play fair See, I dont care But I know she aint gon' wanna share"Don't Cha" Good God!!! Such shitty music!!!!!!!! I know, they are nice to dance to, I'll admit to that. But the lyrics!!! Ahhh!!!! And feminists everywhere must cry hearing the destruction of their idea of the smart, equal woman. So, there you are, some of the most sucessful songs of the year, Nelly Furtado (didn't she used to sing "I'm like a bird"??), Black Eyed Peas and the Pussycat Dolls (whay a name for a band, but ok, fine). Why the post? I have no idea. I liked Nelly Furtado's lyrics and tried to find something similar to fill the post with. Stereotypes? You bet.
beijos
The most comical thing in the world
"The farther he goes the more good it does me. I don’t want philosophies, tracts, dogmas, creeds, ways out, truths, answers, nothing from the bargain basement. He is the most courageous, remorseless writer going and the more he grinds my nose in the shit the more I am grateful to him. He’s not f---ing me about, he’s not leading me up any garden path, he’s not slipping me a wink, he’s not flogging me a remedy or a path or a revelation or a basinful of breadcrumbs, he’s not selling me anything I don’t want to buy — he doesn’t give a bollock whether I buy or not — he hasn’t got his hand over his heart. Well, I’ll buy his goods, hook, line and sinker, because he leaves no stone unturned and no maggot lonely. He brings forth a body of beauty. His work is beautiful."
And there you were, thinking maybe I had in fact written that beautiful paragraph, but unfortunately, no such luck. It's something Harold Pinter wrote about Samuel Beckett, and it's just the best I can come up with - I don't wanna write a crappy review of his work, what the hell do I know about it, so let's just let somebody who knows best describe it. It is hard to describe a genious and his work - and sometimes it is even harder to watch the result. "Endgame" is a play of Samuel Beckett's I read in high school, and it stayed with me and some of my friends until now, when we got the chance to see the play. Apart from some changes that didn't please any of us, it was great seeing how they take the text and work with it, in very different ways than I would have imagined it. Some things looked better on paper (middle monologue the "I can't leave you" repetitions, for example). But the ending made me feel so much sadder than the book had. Much more dramatic and lonely than I thought while reading it. Maybe the lighting, maybe the actor, maybe all of it together. All I know is that it was, without any doubt, deeply sad.
It is not an easy play to watch - but, like the quote says, that is not
Beckett's point. As he says, in the preface of the book: "My subject is failure". So you can't really expect something happy, colors and bunnies everywhere. But who says there can only be beauty in that? The text is full of repetitions - there are no more blankets, sedatives, caramels, people, hope, future or past - there is nothing left. Clov is always leaving Hamm, and yet he always returns. They are always "making progress", although nothing ever changes. They just exist, alone, in the dark, in the grey, tormenting each other until... until maybe they can cease to exist.
"Nothing is funnier than unhappiness, I grant you that.... Yes, yes, it's the most comical thing in the world", they say in the play. Well, it may not be so funny (Although the play has very comical moments, even with all their unhappiness) - but it is, indeed, a beautiful thing.
pics:http://www.samuel-beckett.net/Beckett_3.JPG - (+ the Harold Pinter quote)
http://www.teatroestoria.it/illustrazioni/SAMUEL%20BECKETT.jpg
Pessoa
"Fiz de mim o que não soube
E o que podia fazer de mim não o fiz.
O dominó que vesti era errado. Conheceram-me logo por quem não era e não desmenti, e perdi-me. 
Quando quis tirar a máscara,
Estava pegada à cara.
Quando a tirei e me vi ao espelho,
Já tinha envelhecido.
Estava bêbado, já não sabia vestir o dominó que não tinha tirado. Deitei fora a máscara e dormi no vestiário
Como um cão tolerado pela gerência
Por ser inofensivo
E vou escrever esta história para provar que sou sublime.
Essência musical dos meus versos inúteis,
Quem me dera encontrar-te como coisa que eu fizesse,
E não ficasse sempre defronte da Tabacaria de defronte,
Calcando aos pés a consciência de estar existindo,
Como um tapete em que um bêbado tropeça
Ou um capacho que os ciganos roubaram e não valia nada"
"I made of myself what I did not know how,
And what I could have made of myself I failed to do.
The domino costume that I wore was all wrong
And I was immediately recognized as someone I was not and I did not deny it, and I was lost. When I tried to take off the mask,
It was stuck to my face.
When I 
took it off and looked myself in the mirror,
I had already grown old.
I was drunk, and I no longer knew how to put on the costume that I had not taken off.
I threw the mask away and slept in the dressing room
Like a dog tolerated by the management
Because it is harmless.
And I am going to write this story to prove that I am sublime
Musical essence of my useless verses,
If only I could face you as something I had made
Instead of always facing the Tobacco Shop across the street,
Treading at my feet the consciousness of existing,
Like a rug a drunkard stumbles on
Or a doormat stolen by gypsies and not worth a thing.".
To balance off the football, a bit of literature. Tabacaria - or The Tobacco Shop. One of the best poems of one of the best poets, Fernando Pessoa. It's just a small piece of a poem that is almost six pages long - if you have the chance to read it full, do so. And if one person goes looking for it after seeing it here, I'll be as happy as I can be. It is important, and it is as beautiful as it is sad. If you can look for it, do so. And Enjoy.
beijos
pic: http://acultura.no.sapo.pt/FernandoPessoa.jpg
Dishes, lemons and life
So, here we are again, back to doing what I do best: movies. Or in a better desciption, criticizing them randomly. This week, my movie of choice is The Breakup, which is kind of cute, not exactly the by the book romantic comedy. It would be completely not interesting, but.... how can you miss Jennifer Aniston in this movie? First of all, I kept thinking about her life, on her real life break up, because it is simply impossible not to think about it, since it was all so public and so recent. And the story is so similar, you kind of feel bad for her. She's Rachel forever, I am afraid. The clothes, the hair.... the weird mini tantrums that she still throws in all her parts..... it's just Rachel. Or maybe it's just how Jennifer Aniston really is, but still, it takes some of your attention away. And Vince Vaughn tries, poor guy, he is nice and everything, but for me, I just kept thinking: "well, that's not Brad Pitt". Sorry, but I did. True, maybe he isn't the jerk kind of kind either, maybe he is the kind of guy that wouldn't leave a pretty woman like Jennifer Aniston because of Angelina Jolie, fine, true. But I just kept thinking about all that during the movie, it's all too close to reality. And he is also playing the same person he seems to be in real life, the funny, american sort of disgusting guy that doesn't grow up and annoys every woman in the audience in 5 minutes.
But now, to the second part of the movie, which I wasn't really expecting: it's sad. Jennifer Aniston has a scene in which she cries and cries (maybe still reaching to her past for inspiration) and you just feel so bad for her.... I don't see why anyone would want to go through a make-believe divorce just when you are going through a real one. But the movie has some very sad moments, some scenes when you just think that things are too hard, relationships are complicated and sometimes, things just don't work out. No matter how much work or love, it just doesn't. (And I am kind of telling the end of the movie now, so, if you don't wanna know, don't read anymore). Sometimes what is broken can't be fixed anymore.
Anyway, the movie isn't as funny as I had expected it - apart from a greeeat sentence from Rachel/Brooke, that says something like: "Sure he reads a lot. Nobody talks to him, what else is he gonna do?". Bit stupid, but it is a good sentence. But if you like Vince Vaughn, or if you would like to see the movie industry play a sick joke on Jennifer Aniston (ok, they give her some revenge in the end, but still), it's "nice" - and on an idle afternoon, with a few friends, it's just right.
beijos
Zidane. Again.
hiii!!!!
so, I know, I promised no more football, but this link is reeeeally good!!!! And the pictures is just for show, of course. i'm not trying to make it sound very cute that Zidane hit the guy, but well, it was sort of funny. And now we'll never know which were the "harsh words" Materazzi used, me and my curiosity. But anyway, this is the last post, I swear. Really. Enjoy the link!
http://www.dailybits.be/item/462
pics:http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/SPORT/football/07/11/fifa.zidane/story.butt.jpg http://www.folhadesp.com.br
ps: thaaaaaaaank you Lotte for the link!!! One more Zidane post, your fault! xxx
beijos
The final, finally
This is the last post about soccer, I swear to God. I am tired of them, I can only imagine you are as well. But well, let's talk about the final. So, Italy wins! No problem with that really, it's not Argentina or Germany, and I got to see Kahn take yet another goal yesterday, which I have to say was lovely. I have a real problem with that guy. but ok, today: not much to comment on the game itself, except one thing: what the hell did Zidane do?
To those of you who don't know what I am talking about, I am veeery sorry, but I cou
ldn't find a picture on the internet of it. If I find it later, I'll post it. But basically, one of the Italian players said something to him and he, well, he hit the guy, pretty hard, in the middle of the game. With his head. It was really amazing to see. Later they showed the 2 of them having some sort of argument before Zidane hit him, but when it happened it was just sooo strange. And seeing him walk off the field, being booed off the field, it was really sad. Not to defend him here, but being biased as I always am, maybe it was sort of justifiable. What the hell did the guy say??? I am too 
curious for this sort of thing, but anyway..... maybe it was something horrible, and he was already stressed and tired... it's not ok that he did it, but it is less bad. Maybe he was defending something important, and it's nice to see a guy do that sometimes. Be a real old fashioned-Neanderthal sort of man. Yes, I know, he shouldn't have hit the guy anyway, and the image was just soooo awful, but well.... it's nice that he stood up for himself. And if you are thinking that I am saying a lot of crap to try and defend him, you are right. He was wrong and rude. I am just curious to why he did that. And it's soooo hard to be against him...... but anyway, it was a pretty shitty way to say goodbye. Marching past the trophy...... marchons, marchons..... 
So, congratulations Italy, and their goooooorgeous players. Jesus Christ, what the hell is that??? They are all sooooo good looking!! Example: Luca Toni, to your left on the screen. And may this be the end of my veeeery informative and interesting posts on the worldcup. (by the way, one of the pictures - i think it's pretty obvious which one - is totally useless, and not even from this game, but it's just soooo nice.... I couldn't help myself, sorry people....). Beeeeijos
Same old insomnia, now with old news
Oh God, here I am in my insomnia yet again. It's... 5 in the morning now. So, I have been honestly trying to fall asleep for about 3 hours, with absolutely no success. I read, I closed my eyes and rolled around in bed, I watched tv. Maybe I should have drank more tonight. But well, too late for that now. And since nothing seems to be working, here I am again. And to comment on something that is almost old news but I just haaaaave to: Germany is out!!!!!!!
I have to say that I am kind of happy. I was so sure that Germany would win the worldcup I wasn't even paying attention at the beginning of the game. But then... it got interesting - no goals, nothing hapenned. But I still wasn't really watching the game, just sitting in a room with 15 people and the tv was on, when, at the very end of the game, when we were just talking and waiting for the penaltys, my friend just says, very quietly, "gol". My only thought, honestly, was: "what?". And then I say the Italian guy s
creeeaming his lungs out, and the thought just changed to "nooooo!!!". But there it was. Germany lost the worldcup, in Germany. I know, I am not in that much of a good position to mock that, but I mean, they lost!!! In Germany!!! That's just... incredible. No, now really, I felt really sorry for them, they played great, and it was just luck. And I would just give Klinsmann congratulations and a hug, because seeing him trying to keep them going after they suffered the goal (which was almost impossible, there were 2 minutes left), and trying to comfort the team after they lost was just beautiful. That's how a coach should be. So, this was just to comment in fact, and not to mock. I never thought Germany would lose, but well, when am I right anyway? And they still lost with much more dignity than we did. But still, bye bye Germany and their polish players, goodbye Germany and the looovely Ballack, goodbye Germany and Kahn (yes I know, he didn't play, I don't care. He plays today - for the third place game - and I still don't like him).
And now, to the big question: what do I do? Zidane or the genetically blessed Azurra??? Though choices in life...... Enjoy the game, for those who watch it!
bjos
All that could have been.....
Hello nice people... so, there are way too many good comments on the internet and on the newspapers today for me to comment them all here, but, as you know, I have to comment something, since I am already with the computer on and everything. So I'll go with just one, my favourite: "no magic, no tactic, no breath, no stars, no team, no strength, no hexa, NO EXCUSE". Veeeery nice indeed, makes me want to be a journalist just to write something like that on the cover of a newspaper. But anyway, the pictures are pretty much the same I posted before, but I found a great one from another guy that's going home today, the Hobbit Wayne Rooney. He was another promise in the worldcup, so young and so good, but he didn't really do much, at all, like Brazil. He managed to get kicked of the game on a veeery mean play (Jesus Christ, what was that? How that guy got up after being kicked like that, I just don't understand.), and throw 2 very girlie fits as he was leaving the field. But I am honestly afraid of that guy, he is such a weird mix of a rugbi-player/ hoolingan/ hobbit. It's just scary. But nike makes it all ok... with this beautiful campaign. Such an idiot, but the photo looks perfect. So, along with another one from Brazil (I know, I can't help myself), Wayne Rooney, in the "just do it" campaign. Great publicity, lousy play. But hey, what can we do but watch, right?All that could have been, and just.... wasn't.
Beijos
pics: Michael Kappeler/France Presse in: http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/esporte/fk0207200602.htmand http://www.elconfidencial.com/fotos/deportes/2006062287rooney_t.jpg
Marchons, Marchons......
Ok... i know. I know. Shit, crap, etc. It did happen. Brazil lost to France. Again. Unbelievable. Just.... ridiculous? Pathetic? What's the word I am looking for here......
I can't really explain it that well, since the game was a joke, kind of similar to 98's final. I mean, Jesus Christ. We have the best players in the world, with the small little detail that they don't actually play. They just stared at Zidane today, basically. Barthez had to move once, in the entire 90 minutes. Once. How pathetic is that?
And as France moved, Brazil complained, stared, yelled, or not even that. They just seemed to be perplexed themselves of how bad they were playing, and not even trying to fix it. Like when you stare at a car accident but don't really try to help? You are just so seduced by your own voyerism and perplexity that that is all you can do. And Zidane. Jesus. Zidane just played.... beautifully. I don't know the names of the plays in English to mention them here, but it was just beautiful to see it. He knows what he is doing, and that's all it took today. The other thing that bothered me, apart from the laying down and not fighting at all, was the fact that they didn't even cry. 2 or 3 did, and that's it. The rest just, left, mumbling curse words and maybe pretending this didn't actually happen. And that's all. The English cried!!! I mean, the English! They sat down on the field and cried. What did most of our stars do? Just walked away, like it was no big deal, or maybe trying to run away from that, and for knowing you are going to have to explain that veeery soon. Some of them tried, but too few, and not enough. And what else is there to
say? They didn't play, and France did. Like someone told me today: what can we do if they didn't wanna win? if they didn't wanna play? the answer is, not much. They lost, and the our sixth star and our golden team will have to wait 4 more years for another chance. If they'll decide to take it, we don't know yet. But anyway, it's 4 more years. So for now, adiós hermanos, farewell to the english knights, and bye bye Brazil. E avante Portugal! - what else can we do here, right? So, let's move on and find someone to blame for this..... ps: thiiiiiiiis is why I don't like football, now I remember. Or competitive sports, for that matter. Or better yet, in a more general sense, this is why I don't like getting my hopes too high. Just furthers the fall. In Murphy we trust.
Hey! 
