Random Thoughts

New Music

Music I’ve bought and/or resampled this week.

I ❤ The Paris Review

My favourite thing to read while travelling is The Paris Review. It has like full-spectrum literature that’s perfect for reading while getting slightly drunk on airplanes.

So I just bought a whole stack of old issues from the sixties, seventies and eighties. You can still get them pretty cheap from sources on the interwebs.

Man, look at those covers. Makes me want the next holiday to happen now.

NOW!

WFC Ecuador: Feriado

Very metal.

I finally went through the curiosly divisioned (is that a word?) “Spanish/South American/African” shelves at the video store.

As suspected, it was 87% Spanish, 22% Mexican and 13% “other”. (Lots of copro-ductions.) I only found two films from countries previously not covered (of which this is one), so it’s getting really difficult to just stumble onto films now. I guess everything will have to be shopped via the Intertubes from now one.

Anyway anyway, yet another interesting film from South America: Still the part of the world with the highest good to bad ratio. Good actors, too. The fat kid is really convincing as an asshole.

It’s a really sweet film.

Holiday. Diego Araujo. 2014. Ecuador.

Canalazo

20 cl water
10 cl light brown sugar
5 cl rum
juice from one small orange
6 cinnamon sticks
star anise as garnish

Heat sugar and water until dissolved. Add the rest and heat, but do not boil. Pour into a cup (without taking the cinnamon sticks out) and add garnish.

This post is part of the World of Films and Cocktails series. Explore the map.

WFC Norway: Reprise

*gasp* Norway!

Such a frustrating film.

There are long stretches here of pure bewildering genius where I’m going THIS IS THE BEST FILM EVER.

And then there are scenes where it all falls flat and I’m all “perhaps this would have worked with better actors or lines or a better director or SOMETHING”.

It’s written by the guy who directed the brilliant film shot in my flat, but that’s totally not influencing my view of this film whatsoever.

There are several really funny scenes in here, and lots of original touches, but the middle section really drags.

Loved the ending.

Rerun. Joachim Trier. 2006. Norway.

Mountain Stream

2 parts aquavit
2 parts vodka
1 part orange curaçao
1 part lime
2 parts Sprite

Fill a glass with ice and add all ingredients, except the Sprite, to the glass. Stir. Then add Sprite.

This post is part of the World of Films and Cocktails series. Explore the map.

WFC Central African Republic: Song from the Forest

This is a documentary (I think… or is it!?) filmed in the Central African Republic, but it’s really more a US/German film than anything else.

Most of the dialogue is in English, but the DVD is subtitled in German only. So when the people who are speaking the language people in Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka use, I have to read and understand the German subtitles.

“- Versager! Arschloch! Schwanz!” I understand German! Wow!

It’s a fascinating and strange film. Beautifully shot.