Songs: Carolina Drama

Jack White is one of my favorite musicians ever!    I love him as part of the White Stripes, I love him by himself and I love him in the Raconteurs.   I love his music, I love his voice, I love his look and his clothes, I love the slightly weird vibe he gives off...I just love everything about him!   This one a recent discovery.   Neither catchy or happy, I just love this one for the drama.  

Book Reviews: I Capture the Castle

I Capture the Castle, by Dodie smith (of The Hundred and One Dalmations fame), is the best book I've read in a long time.   While I was reading it I became so completely absorbed in it that I forgot entirely about everything that was going on in my own life.   All that mattered was Cassandra Mortmain, the book's narrator.   I suppose it's basically a 1930s Pride and Prejudice.   A family living in poverty, rich men, sisters, love and heart aches, but it's much more eccentric.   The family live in a crumbling castle.   The father is an author and the family were once well off, but he's got writer's block now and they have no income.   They're selling off the furniture to live.   The stepmother is named Topaz and likes to commune with nature in the nude.  Cassandra wants to be a writer and the book is presented as her diary; her practicing writing.   It's absolutely charmingly written.   Completely realistic and extremely absorbing.   On the cover there's a quote by J. K. Rowling: "This book has one of the most charismatic narrators I've ever met." and I agree with it entirely.   I love Cassandra Mortmain.   She feels like an old friend.   Like a lot of books there are also quite a few references to art, literature, legends, poetry and music that make me think that people back in those days were just much more cultured than we are now, and make me wish I'd had a better education.   Sigh.  

At the time I was quite angry that this book doesn't have a happy ending.   Cassandra is in love with Simon Cotton, her landlord, who her sister, Rose used to be engaged to.   Simon asks her is she wants to come to America with him and she says no, knowing that he is still in love with Rose.   Wise decision, Cassandra, but I wish you could have had your happy ending.  Stephen, the late cook's son, is also madly in love with Cassandra, and at times it looks like Cassandra is going to fall in love with him too, but then she doesn't.   I kind of wish she had.   The line from the book is: "It is part of a follow-my-leader game of second-best we have all been playing . . . it isn't a very good game; the people you play it with are apt to get hurt."   I think we can all relate to this.   Now that I've had some time to think about it, though, the lack of happy ending probably fits better.   It's more realistic, because love isn't like that, and maybe Cassandra is just a bit too young to get her happy ending yet.   I think she will though.  

  

Film Reviews: Pitch Perfect

As previously mentioned, I have a serious Pitch Perfect problem.   I must have watched the DVD about 15 times since I bought it.   It's the best film I've seen in ages.   It's about an angsty girl called Becca who goes to college and joins an a capella group, against her better judgement.   The group is set in its ways and afraid of change.   Obviously Becca saves the day and leads them to victory in the national championship.   How original.   Part of the appeal is obviously the brilliant soundtrack.   I really do love the a capella stuff.  It's gorgeous, and hilarious in parts.   But the songs in the film that aren't sung by the cast and are just part of the score were really well chosen too.   Favorites include Punching in a Dream by The Naked and the Famous, Keep you, by Wild Belle and Open Season, by High Highs.   As well as the musical appeal, it's also hilarious.   Most of the comedy comes from Rebel Wilson, who plays Fat Amy, one of Becca's bandmates.   Since seeing the film I have developed a great admiration for Rebel Wilson.   Most of her lines in the film were improvised, and I have wasted a huge amount of time watching interviews with her on youtube.   She's a funny lady!   Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins also deserve special mention for their brilliantly funny lines as the competition commentators.   All the main characters are really well written too.   Great script.   I will admit it is very girly though.   Probably not one for the gentlemen.   But girly in a strong, feminist type way.   Oh, and it does have a very over-the-top unnecessary vomitting scene, but apart from that, couldn't fault it.