I know - I shuld support Iceland and Sweden and Denmark, or at least England, but ... my heart just does not beat in their rhythm.
I still get overly excited about Uruguay making it to the playoffs (even if I am not the biggest fan of Suarez) or feel sorry that James was not playing for Colombia after all. I am inspired by Iceland's team, but still rooting for Argentina. Don't even get me started on Germany vs Mexico ...
I guess it's the passion these teams have for the game not only a desire to win, but something deeper. Football is in their blood, it is something they can not live without and it shows.
Showing posts with label ENG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ENG. Show all posts
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Take Your Pills
2018
Alison Klayman
Every era gets the drug it deserves. In America today, where competition is ceaseless from school to the workforce and everyone wants a performance edge, Adderall and other prescription stimulants are the defining drugs of this generation.
Alison Klayman
Every era gets the drug it deserves. In America today, where competition is ceaseless from school to the workforce and everyone wants a performance edge, Adderall and other prescription stimulants are the defining drugs of this generation.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Cocaine Cowboys Reloaded
You watch these documentaries and really feel like reality is stranger than fiction. The things happening in Miami in the 80s ... how could that even be?
And it still surprises me is the complete lack of consistency in sentencing these people. I mean Griselda Blanco who was behind killing over 200 people went to prison for about 20 years, got released and sent back to Colombia. At the same time his hitman Jorge "Rivi" Ayala (with a significantly less murders on his hands) who also decided to cooperate was rejected even a shot of parole after 25.
And it still surprises me is the complete lack of consistency in sentencing these people. I mean Griselda Blanco who was behind killing over 200 people went to prison for about 20 years, got released and sent back to Colombia. At the same time his hitman Jorge "Rivi" Ayala (with a significantly less murders on his hands) who also decided to cooperate was rejected even a shot of parole after 25.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Cartel Land / Matthew Heineman
Just finished watching this documentary about the current situation on US-Mexican border.
Is there any hope, any solution in this madness? Who's interests are being protected by these murders and neverending violence?
What is wrong with us here, in Estonia, whining about couple of immigrants and old russian people not speaking our language? Better pull our heads out of our asses and try to see the bigger picture. There are real problems in the world that surrounds us.
Is there any hope, any solution in this madness? Who's interests are being protected by these murders and neverending violence?
What is wrong with us here, in Estonia, whining about couple of immigrants and old russian people not speaking our language? Better pull our heads out of our asses and try to see the bigger picture. There are real problems in the world that surrounds us.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Are there any nice people to talk to?
Art and Craft
2012
Cullman/Grausman
Stumbled upon this documentary on iTunes while checking out "The 0.99 Rental of the Week" selection. Ashamed to say I had never heard of Mark Landis - infamous art forger and fake (there might be a question mark) philantropist who conned (another question mark) art institutions and museums for almost thirty years "donating" them pieces by known artists, but actually made in Landis' bedroom while watching reruns of old films.
The thing with documentaries for me is simple. If I like the main character and I am able to feel empathy or sympathy towards him or her, I'm sold. But this story was something else in its own. Mark Landis was able to fool museums all over US for years, offering them fake pieces, NOT asking money for it and posing as a philanthropist sharing his late mother's or sister's belongings. He had a gift of copying various styles of painting and doing it incredibly fast ... while watching TV. The way he did it, almost without passion, somewhat methodically, but absent-mindedly at the same time.
He had been diagnosed with various mental issues and was under a supervision, but other than that - he was just like your next door neighbour, his rooms filled with sketches, paintings, frames, photocopies. He not once bragged about his work, just said it was an easy thing to do. He knew his craft.
A very captivating film indeed.
One of the aliases he had while visiting museums was Father Scott. He just put on a white collar and said that "“You can learn everything you need to be a good priest from the Father Brown DVD series”
Monday, January 5, 2015
tegeltkavä + Madge, get a life
See, kuidas suhtleme nt. FBs ja Twitteris n.ö. vabal ajal on üks asi ja mulle isegi meeldib, kuidas mõni oskab leida eriti nutikaid lühendeid ja sõnavigureid ning suurtähtede ja kirjavahemärkide puudumine mind selles kontekstis pöördesse ei aja, aga ... kui ma saan tööasju puudutava e-kirja, mis on samas stiilis "valmis visatud", siis ma küll kortsutan kulmu natuke. Ja teen oma veidras peas ühte kasti linnukese.
On totally another note - Benedict Cumberbatch and his maybe-maybe-maybe pregnant fiancee have won the internet. On every gossip-site there are tons of comments under any random Cumby-post. How has that happened? He beats Brangelina and Kim Kardashian, comments-wise. And on these same sites we find poor Madonna wrapping dead celebrities into black rubber stripes claiming them to be her fellow Rebel Hearts. Whatever that means. Number of comments? Too small to notice. I feel sorry for Madge. The woman is old enough to be my mother, but does not seem to have a clue how to sell herself at that age. I get her desire to be controversial, edgy, relevant etc., but to be honest - without at least a half-descent album she does not stand a chance. And the songs that "leaked", well ... they caused probably as much fuss as U2's latest forced download on iTunes. If that. She already is a pop icon, no need to make people forget that with her present-day awful PR.
On totally another note - Benedict Cumberbatch and his maybe-maybe-maybe pregnant fiancee have won the internet. On every gossip-site there are tons of comments under any random Cumby-post. How has that happened? He beats Brangelina and Kim Kardashian, comments-wise. And on these same sites we find poor Madonna wrapping dead celebrities into black rubber stripes claiming them to be her fellow Rebel Hearts. Whatever that means. Number of comments? Too small to notice. I feel sorry for Madge. The woman is old enough to be my mother, but does not seem to have a clue how to sell herself at that age. I get her desire to be controversial, edgy, relevant etc., but to be honest - without at least a half-descent album she does not stand a chance. And the songs that "leaked", well ... they caused probably as much fuss as U2's latest forced download on iTunes. If that. She already is a pop icon, no need to make people forget that with her present-day awful PR.
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Sons of Anarchy ... What a ride, brother
I fall into a very strange category of SOA fans. You see, just about three months ago I only knew these series existed and even that knowledge was a result of looking at Charlie Hunnam's IMDb page. Random posts by my co-worker/friend on FB suggesting soundtrack songs from SOA caught my attention, but I never moved past the music. My bad.
I decided to give SOA a go on one lazy Sunday afternoon after watching a Calvin Klein perfume ad where aforementioned Charlie Hunnam just made me forget everything about the product he was promoting. I mean, the man is hot. In a very old-fashioned way: dominant, but not aggressive, strong, but not condescending.
Jokes aside, I watched the first episode of SOA and I was sold. I watch a lot of stuff, some good, some bad, but I rarely get emotionally attached like I did with this.
And before I knew it, I had all the seasons on my iTunes library and exactly 50 days to watch a little over 90 episodes. Why 50 days, you ask. (Actually you don't, but I am trying to improve my creative writing here). After seeing the first three episodes I had no doubt in my mind that I have to see it all and the sooner the better. So I started my SOA marathon and although it makes me look like all twelve kinds of weirdo, I decided to be done with all the previous episodes by the time the final ride takes place. And I am so glad for that stubborn decision.
I got to experience this show in all its intensity. When you only watch an episode in a week, your own everyday life kicks in too strong and you lose touch with the characters or events. But watching it in a row, sometimes 4 or 5 episodes in a day (in a night - to be correct) gave me a totally different perspective of things.
Sons of Anarchy has created a lot of heated opinions, heavy debates about the use of violence and the overall conception of the show. I have no problem either with the concept or with the violence, because first of all - it's a fiction, y'all. And second - I see SOA more as a drama about family and brotherhood than a heroic praise-singing to a bunch of outlaws on a killing-spree. Yes, it can be totally senseless at times (hey, fiction, remember?), but it keeps you invested, attached. It keeps you caring about the characters and that's what I value the most. I love the casting of this show, it is hands down one of the best casts I have seen. It's real. It's realistic in the very best sense of the word. The interactions between characters come across as real as they can be on screen.
So I watched the #FinalRide on Tuesday with thousands of others. Coming through a thunderstorm of emotions this show had made me feel during the last 2 months. Some say the finale was too long, but I loved it. It gave me time to reflect on all my own feelings and thoughts while still keeping up with the events. It gave me time to cry and say good-bye to all of these guys. Somehow it made the right and wrong even. It gave me closure. I never doubted Kurt Sutter's ability to see the bigger picture and the finale proved it. Yes, it was pretty damn symbolic at the end, but c'mon - it was the last act of a play never seen on screens before.
I doubt I will ever rewatch these episodes. The first experience was too strong and I would like to keep it like this.
I decided to give SOA a go on one lazy Sunday afternoon after watching a Calvin Klein perfume ad where aforementioned Charlie Hunnam just made me forget everything about the product he was promoting. I mean, the man is hot. In a very old-fashioned way: dominant, but not aggressive, strong, but not condescending.
Jokes aside, I watched the first episode of SOA and I was sold. I watch a lot of stuff, some good, some bad, but I rarely get emotionally attached like I did with this.
And before I knew it, I had all the seasons on my iTunes library and exactly 50 days to watch a little over 90 episodes. Why 50 days, you ask. (Actually you don't, but I am trying to improve my creative writing here). After seeing the first three episodes I had no doubt in my mind that I have to see it all and the sooner the better. So I started my SOA marathon and although it makes me look like all twelve kinds of weirdo, I decided to be done with all the previous episodes by the time the final ride takes place. And I am so glad for that stubborn decision.
I got to experience this show in all its intensity. When you only watch an episode in a week, your own everyday life kicks in too strong and you lose touch with the characters or events. But watching it in a row, sometimes 4 or 5 episodes in a day (in a night - to be correct) gave me a totally different perspective of things.
Sons of Anarchy has created a lot of heated opinions, heavy debates about the use of violence and the overall conception of the show. I have no problem either with the concept or with the violence, because first of all - it's a fiction, y'all. And second - I see SOA more as a drama about family and brotherhood than a heroic praise-singing to a bunch of outlaws on a killing-spree. Yes, it can be totally senseless at times (hey, fiction, remember?), but it keeps you invested, attached. It keeps you caring about the characters and that's what I value the most. I love the casting of this show, it is hands down one of the best casts I have seen. It's real. It's realistic in the very best sense of the word. The interactions between characters come across as real as they can be on screen.
So I watched the #FinalRide on Tuesday with thousands of others. Coming through a thunderstorm of emotions this show had made me feel during the last 2 months. Some say the finale was too long, but I loved it. It gave me time to reflect on all my own feelings and thoughts while still keeping up with the events. It gave me time to cry and say good-bye to all of these guys. Somehow it made the right and wrong even. It gave me closure. I never doubted Kurt Sutter's ability to see the bigger picture and the finale proved it. Yes, it was pretty damn symbolic at the end, but c'mon - it was the last act of a play never seen on screens before.
I doubt I will ever rewatch these episodes. The first experience was too strong and I would like to keep it like this.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
From @instagram to reality
I can literally (I hate that word, but I can't help myself) spend hours looking at photos from total strangers. I find it really fascinating, peeking into someone's life, getting a glimpse of someone else's reality or dreams. A compilation of photos can say so much about a person. I tend to erase some of my posts from time to time, because I feel like they don't represent the real me.
Loosing your identity while being active on the social media happens sooner than one can expect. Or maybe it's just me and my split-personality issues. I truly think it should be wiser for someone like me to stay off social media all together. Which obviously is not going to happen anytime soon ... Is my fixation with certain forms of online self-exposure connected to my poor social skills in real life? Maybe.
I follow a lot of celebrity accounts both on @instagram and @twitter . I tend to follow the ones which have real people behind them although I should probably not count too much on the aspect of "real". But I have to praise my deductive online observation skills - I have managed to figure out a handful of people who really post their mind. And that is really worth the trouble of going through tons of junk.
.....
I got a bit lost with my thoughts as usual.
To be continued.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Expect the Unexpected
You know I am the least likely person to rave about a skincare product, but girl - you have to try this!
As I had trouble sleeping while in the country with kids, I came upon a Youtube beauty vlogger Nicole Guerriero and created a habit of watching her videos at nights. She is a really cool chick plus gives great advice without any BS. You know "Best drugstore beauty products" and so on. She is highly entertaining (could and should have a great career as a stand up comedian) and very useful for someone like me who needs to hear about something from firsthand experience rather than blown-out-of-the-proportion ad talk.
So she had a video about her skincare routine ... No, that was another one. Anyway, she had a video where she showed the face masks she liked best and she literally (btw, I hate the overuse of that word everywhere, but I have to because she really did that) sang praises to a product called "GlamGlow" Supermud which was supposed to be the best purifier out there.
And just couple of days later I discovered they sell "GlamGlow" here as well, hurrah!
It is pricey as hell, but worth every cent. My skin (and I have a bad skin, a really bad skin) has never felt better and the results were seen after the first time I used it. You can use it as a mask for your whole face (avoid the eyes!) or just as a spot/blemish treatment and sleep on it.
As I had trouble sleeping while in the country with kids, I came upon a Youtube beauty vlogger Nicole Guerriero and created a habit of watching her videos at nights. She is a really cool chick plus gives great advice without any BS. You know "Best drugstore beauty products" and so on. She is highly entertaining (could and should have a great career as a stand up comedian) and very useful for someone like me who needs to hear about something from firsthand experience rather than blown-out-of-the-proportion ad talk.
So she had a video about her skincare routine ... No, that was another one. Anyway, she had a video where she showed the face masks she liked best and she literally (btw, I hate the overuse of that word everywhere, but I have to because she really did that) sang praises to a product called "GlamGlow" Supermud which was supposed to be the best purifier out there.
And just couple of days later I discovered they sell "GlamGlow" here as well, hurrah!
It is pricey as hell, but worth every cent. My skin (and I have a bad skin, a really bad skin) has never felt better and the results were seen after the first time I used it. You can use it as a mask for your whole face (avoid the eyes!) or just as a spot/blemish treatment and sleep on it.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
The Counselor (2013)
Ridley Scott and Cormac McCarthy should be a sure thing, but .... despite of the visual excitement it provided, I fell asleep halfway through it. "Don't get involved in drug trafficking" Was that the message of this film? It must have been, because all the other storylines or characters didn't lead anywhere. Even more - they did not even start anywhere. In order to be attached to a film I need to like/dislike a character. I need something to base my likes or dislikes on. This film gave me nothing, so I couldn't help but yawn when Michael Fassbender tried to act the hell out of this.
I have not given up on Ridley Scott, but the days when only the visual counted, are over. At least for me.
I have not given up on Ridley Scott, but the days when only the visual counted, are over. At least for me.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
What you should and should not do
I should be writing about the election night coverage.
I should be depressed out of my mind that the time is running out and there is so much to do.
I should dedicate my every waking moment (I get to spend without kids) to organizing, controlling, screaming and shouting.
But no!
Instead I am genuinely happy about the fact that summer is finally over and my favourite TV-shows are back on screen.
First of all "Nashville" with fabulous Connie Britton. I became quite a fan of country music thanks to the first season of this show. I was under the impression of country music being a boring and ridiculous ji-ha for men too stupid to wear anything but boots and cowboy hats, but ... I could not have been more far from the truth. Country music - especially the early stages of it - is captivating and deep and brings out emotions like no other genre. This is me exaggerating again, but I can not help it. Think of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline or even Kris Kristofferson ... listening to their songs have made me revaluate some things. Seriously.
Of course "Nashville" is not that deep. And the main reason I watch this show, apart from the music and Connie Britton, is a pure lust after Michiel Huisman - a dutch actor who came to my radar while playing Sonny in Treme. He is just so damn attractive and so spot on for this role. Too bad they don't give him as much air-time as I would like e. g 43 minutes per series. Just kidding.
Ok, moving on.
I also started with ABC's other hits that have reached season 3 - "Scandal" and "Revenge" and I am experiencing the same problem as at the beginning of last season. After having such strong season finales they both just fell flat in my eyes. "Revenge" does not make any sense - the characters are blurry and not in a good way and the events are just piled together for the sake of it. Maybe it has something to do with its new showrunner Sunil Nayar and his desire to "Go back to basics". We'll see.
"Scandal" disappointed me by being so weakly constructed. Kerry Washington is as sharp as ever, but the storylines just don't add up. They feel so forced and unnatural - maybe it is done on purpose? I have faith on Shonda Rhimes, she is a very clever woman who gets the viewers on the hook, one way or another.
I also tried to watch ABC's new thing "Betrayal", but - excuse my French - it was just boring as hell. Stuart Townsend and Hannah Ware's lips are the best part of it, but it is not enough to keep me interested. As picky as I am. Joke.
I should be depressed out of my mind that the time is running out and there is so much to do.
I should dedicate my every waking moment (I get to spend without kids) to organizing, controlling, screaming and shouting.
But no!
Instead I am genuinely happy about the fact that summer is finally over and my favourite TV-shows are back on screen.
First of all "Nashville" with fabulous Connie Britton. I became quite a fan of country music thanks to the first season of this show. I was under the impression of country music being a boring and ridiculous ji-ha for men too stupid to wear anything but boots and cowboy hats, but ... I could not have been more far from the truth. Country music - especially the early stages of it - is captivating and deep and brings out emotions like no other genre. This is me exaggerating again, but I can not help it. Think of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline or even Kris Kristofferson ... listening to their songs have made me revaluate some things. Seriously.
Of course "Nashville" is not that deep. And the main reason I watch this show, apart from the music and Connie Britton, is a pure lust after Michiel Huisman - a dutch actor who came to my radar while playing Sonny in Treme. He is just so damn attractive and so spot on for this role. Too bad they don't give him as much air-time as I would like e. g 43 minutes per series. Just kidding.
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| photo via screenrant.com |
Ok, moving on.
I also started with ABC's other hits that have reached season 3 - "Scandal" and "Revenge" and I am experiencing the same problem as at the beginning of last season. After having such strong season finales they both just fell flat in my eyes. "Revenge" does not make any sense - the characters are blurry and not in a good way and the events are just piled together for the sake of it. Maybe it has something to do with its new showrunner Sunil Nayar and his desire to "Go back to basics". We'll see.
"Scandal" disappointed me by being so weakly constructed. Kerry Washington is as sharp as ever, but the storylines just don't add up. They feel so forced and unnatural - maybe it is done on purpose? I have faith on Shonda Rhimes, she is a very clever woman who gets the viewers on the hook, one way or another.
I also tried to watch ABC's new thing "Betrayal", but - excuse my French - it was just boring as hell. Stuart Townsend and Hannah Ware's lips are the best part of it, but it is not enough to keep me interested. As picky as I am. Joke.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Fichtner, Weber and WWW
Living at the time where world wide web has already asked and answered all the questions one can think of, coming across something no one has blogged/commented/linked about makes you seriously question your own judgement. Which would have never happened, say, twenty years ago when we were blissfully in the dark about ... well, everything. Of course I am exaggerating as always, but still - half of the questions we nowadays only need Google and basic skills of two-finger typing to answer, were left making circles in our mind not so long ago.
And that brings me to the main issue of this post.
How come there is almost no mention of the fact that Fichtner looks so much like Steven Weber? They could pass for twins replacing Mary Kate and Ashley or something. Especially now when they are both older. This discovery does not cure cancer or solve the situation in Syria, but why has not anyone (except one line in Weber's IMDb page) posted pictures of them, compared face-lines and eye colour? You would think that at least one bored fan has a page dedicated to their similarities. No.
The point of this baroque introduction lies in the discovery I made last night while watching "Crossing Lines", new criminal series on NBC. It's a good one, by the way. And it has William Fichtner as a "headliner" which was partly the reason I took interest in that show.
Fichtner is one of those actors who work so much both in film and TV, but never get the recognition they deserve. He really comes across true to the character he is playing and he does not get boring and predictable even in series. Not to mention he has amazing eyes which make him ... irresistable.
Fichtner is one of those actors who work so much both in film and TV, but never get the recognition they deserve. He really comes across true to the character he is playing and he does not get boring and predictable even in series. Not to mention he has amazing eyes which make him ... irresistable.
And that brings me to the main issue of this post.
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| William Fichtner photo: Primary Ignition |
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| Steven Weber photo: RedList |
Do I sound like a crazy person talking about this? Probably.
Do I absolutely love obsessing about insignificant stuff like that? Hell yes!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Eat Drink Love ... or not
You know my obsession with some really bad reality TV, right? I am not proud of it, but for some reason it is something that fascinates the hell out of me. And although I realize it makes me look like twelve kinds of crazy, I can not stop. Well, actually I just don't care about superficial opinions made about my character based only on the contents of my iTunes section of TV-shows.
There is a new show on Bravo called Eat Drink Love which - according to the Bravo official page - follows five single ladies as they claw their way to the top of the male-dominated Los Angeles food scene. Sounds quite interesting. Except ... there is not much "food" in all this. It is definitely more Real Housewives than an inside look at the LA food scene. We see someone mixing a bowl of salad or frosting a cake once in a while, but that's about it. Unless we count wine as an individual food group, because there is a lot of drinking going on. Maybe they should have called it simply, I don't know ... Drink? I am not being fair here - of course it features a lot of restaurants etc, but basically it is more about jealousy and d-bag (ex)boyfriends than food. The latter serves just as a garnish to the main course - a big plate of juicy gossip and weird (staged) relationships.
The cast, however, is highly likable. And equally dislikable at the same time. This is how it should be. The protagonists becoming antagonists over the course of episodes. I bet the ones I find relatable right now turn out to be my worst enemies at the end. There is always a twist in that type of reality shows. So I am curious to find out who will be the most "played" in this one.
There is a new show on Bravo called Eat Drink Love which - according to the Bravo official page - follows five single ladies as they claw their way to the top of the male-dominated Los Angeles food scene. Sounds quite interesting. Except ... there is not much "food" in all this. It is definitely more Real Housewives than an inside look at the LA food scene. We see someone mixing a bowl of salad or frosting a cake once in a while, but that's about it. Unless we count wine as an individual food group, because there is a lot of drinking going on. Maybe they should have called it simply, I don't know ... Drink? I am not being fair here - of course it features a lot of restaurants etc, but basically it is more about jealousy and d-bag (ex)boyfriends than food. The latter serves just as a garnish to the main course - a big plate of juicy gossip and weird (staged) relationships.
The cast, however, is highly likable. And equally dislikable at the same time. This is how it should be. The protagonists becoming antagonists over the course of episodes. I bet the ones I find relatable right now turn out to be my worst enemies at the end. There is always a twist in that type of reality shows. So I am curious to find out who will be the most "played" in this one.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Skater-Barbies & some eye-candy
I am watching "Real Housewives of Orange County" Reunions (Yes, shoot me now - that is how shallow I am) and before the ladies even started to speak I had a question. A serious one. What is going on with the dresses? They all look like contestants from a local figure-skating show. Where does one even get these .... weird pieces of fabric that does not make anyone either beautiful or stylish. And the "colour coordination" looks more like a kindergarten summer party than a get-together for 40-smth women. Bad, really bad. But it might be appealing to some audiences and bring the ladies some extra cash. Otherwise there is no explanation to that blue tablecloth so far from Heather's usual Chanel boredom or this peachy thing Vicky is tucked in.
How can I take seriously anything what they say when I constantly have to erase the picture of a doll-shop Barbie-shelf from my mind?
Oh, wait - seriously is definitely not the word I should use here, right?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now comes the part where you can all laugh at me for being such an airhead and wasting my time with such nonsense.
And totally out of the blue I just have to post some pictures of Eric Bana. Just because.
Damn, he is hot.
Now you can laugh again.
How can I take seriously anything what they say when I constantly have to erase the picture of a doll-shop Barbie-shelf from my mind?
Oh, wait - seriously is definitely not the word I should use here, right?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now comes the part where you can all laugh at me for being such an airhead and wasting my time with such nonsense.
And totally out of the blue I just have to post some pictures of Eric Bana. Just because.
Damn, he is hot.
Now you can laugh again.
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| photo: WENN |
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| photo: Fame/Flynet |
Friday, May 24, 2013
It's about me
Selle (mitte eriti järjekindla) blogi (järjekindlad) lugejad on ilmselt juba aru saanud, et minu peale ei saa loota. Selles mõttes, et midagi püsivat minult oodata ei ole. Ma olen nagu iga hinna eest abielu vältiv igavene poissmees, kes kannab südames - ja võib-olla ka rahakoti vahel - mälestust mõnest eriti eredast vallutusest ning usub, et tema pidev uueihalus on sarmikuse peamine komponent. Too poissmees on jäägitult truu oma emale ja kahele koerale, võib-olla ka squashipartnerile ja jalkakõrvasele õllele, kuid kõik muu, mis/kes ta elust läbi libiseb, peab olema sama värske kui Apple viimane rakendus.
Minuga on mõneti sama lugu.
Mul on püsivalt tsementeeritud suhted nii mõnegi inimese, filmi, plaadi ja raamatuga. Sellised, mis lähevad aastatega aina paremaks ning mille kadumine tundub loodusseaduste vastane.
Ja siis vaimustun ma igal aastal, igal nädalal ja tihti ka iga päev millestki uuest. Millestki, mis haarab mind korraks nii totaalselt oma haardesse, et kõik muu tundub tühine. Kuigi ka mu vaimustuse objekt võib üsna tihti seista "intelligentsete inimeste" poolt tühiseks peetavale väga lähedal. Või ollagi seda.
Minu supereklektilistest valikutest ükskõik mis eluvaldkonnas saaks kokku panna üleelusuuruse kaleidoskoobi. Ma täiesti siiralt kadestan inimesi, kes suudavad hoida raamaturiiulis ja öökapil ainult Alighierit, Akadeemiat ja Ahmatovat, bookmarksides National Geograficut ja avada iga päev NY Timesi ja Postimehe. You know what I mean? These people have their certain choices and preferences and you don't hear them getting excited about anything outside their "interest zone". I make it sound really harsh, but there are plenty of guys out there being so sure of their likes and dislikes. If they like 70s French cinema, they are not going to buy tickets to see the Machete sequal. Which is called Machete Kills, by the way - gotta love Robert Rodriguez, right? Or if they got smitten by Emerson, Lake & WhatsHisName, you can not convince them to give Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience a try. Which is a brilliant pop-album. Even if you are not so crazy about JT in general.
Well, I am not one of these people. Although I like both Alighieri and Ahmatova, not to mention 70s French cinema. But I also like US reality series and gossip-sites. I could easily go for months without opening any newspaper or start every morning with an hour of BBC News. I get totally mesmerized by Arvo Pärt, but have Bunji Garlin's "Brrt!" on replay for days. The list continues ... and I do get a lot of eye-roll for that.
I could not count the times someone has said "I can't believe you watch/listen/read t h a t ?!?" Well, I do. And although I do get tired of my constantly changing choices once in a while, I would not have it in any other way.
Maybe I will grow up someday ....
Minuga on mõneti sama lugu.
Mul on püsivalt tsementeeritud suhted nii mõnegi inimese, filmi, plaadi ja raamatuga. Sellised, mis lähevad aastatega aina paremaks ning mille kadumine tundub loodusseaduste vastane.
Ja siis vaimustun ma igal aastal, igal nädalal ja tihti ka iga päev millestki uuest. Millestki, mis haarab mind korraks nii totaalselt oma haardesse, et kõik muu tundub tühine. Kuigi ka mu vaimustuse objekt võib üsna tihti seista "intelligentsete inimeste" poolt tühiseks peetavale väga lähedal. Või ollagi seda.
Minu supereklektilistest valikutest ükskõik mis eluvaldkonnas saaks kokku panna üleelusuuruse kaleidoskoobi. Ma täiesti siiralt kadestan inimesi, kes suudavad hoida raamaturiiulis ja öökapil ainult Alighierit, Akadeemiat ja Ahmatovat, bookmarksides National Geograficut ja avada iga päev NY Timesi ja Postimehe. You know what I mean? These people have their certain choices and preferences and you don't hear them getting excited about anything outside their "interest zone". I make it sound really harsh, but there are plenty of guys out there being so sure of their likes and dislikes. If they like 70s French cinema, they are not going to buy tickets to see the Machete sequal. Which is called Machete Kills, by the way - gotta love Robert Rodriguez, right? Or if they got smitten by Emerson, Lake & WhatsHisName, you can not convince them to give Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience a try. Which is a brilliant pop-album. Even if you are not so crazy about JT in general.
Well, I am not one of these people. Although I like both Alighieri and Ahmatova, not to mention 70s French cinema. But I also like US reality series and gossip-sites. I could easily go for months without opening any newspaper or start every morning with an hour of BBC News. I get totally mesmerized by Arvo Pärt, but have Bunji Garlin's "Brrt!" on replay for days. The list continues ... and I do get a lot of eye-roll for that.
I could not count the times someone has said "I can't believe you watch/listen/read t h a t ?!?" Well, I do. And although I do get tired of my constantly changing choices once in a while, I would not have it in any other way.
Maybe I will grow up someday ....
Monday, May 13, 2013
@Revenge S2 finale really delivered
Not until recently I was almost giving up on ABC's Revenge. After a very powerful first season it kind of a fall flat in my eyes when storylines started to blur together and different conspiracy theories emerged in crazy speed and variety.
But I suffered it out and the season finale did not disappoint me. I was maybe hoping to see Victoria more involved with everything, but I guess she deserves a little break after a busy season, right? I definitely did not expect Declan to be crossing over to join Amanda and leave Jack blinded by lost and hate. By the way - where is little Carl when Jack is searching Graysons' house and planning his revenge? No nanny has been introduced and I am seriously worried about that baby. Kidding. He is probably written off productions payroll and returns in S3 as an adult. (Like they do in Bold&Beautiful).
Framing Nolan as Initative ... that must have been the shocker of the hour. Although after seeing the combo of Trusk-Padma-Camera I suspected it will come and bite someone's (Nolan's) ass.
So, I am looking forward to season 3 and I keep my fingers crossed that dead will remain dead. As much as I loved FauxAmanda and Declan, it would be too much to start with these 2 again.
But I suffered it out and the season finale did not disappoint me. I was maybe hoping to see Victoria more involved with everything, but I guess she deserves a little break after a busy season, right? I definitely did not expect Declan to be crossing over to join Amanda and leave Jack blinded by lost and hate. By the way - where is little Carl when Jack is searching Graysons' house and planning his revenge? No nanny has been introduced and I am seriously worried about that baby. Kidding. He is probably written off productions payroll and returns in S3 as an adult. (Like they do in Bold&Beautiful).
Framing Nolan as Initative ... that must have been the shocker of the hour. Although after seeing the combo of Trusk-Padma-Camera I suspected it will come and bite someone's (Nolan's) ass.
So, I am looking forward to season 3 and I keep my fingers crossed that dead will remain dead. As much as I loved FauxAmanda and Declan, it would be too much to start with these 2 again.
Monday, March 18, 2013
RHOBH season 3 ... It is happening
I absolutely love US reality shows and can not admire enough the evil minds who draw it all together.
The reality shows in Estonia only follow the (non)events and rely on hope that something m i g h t happen or someone from the cast m i g h t look like an idiot every now and then. There is never enough drama, never enough bitching and never enough money. We just swim through the episodes and feel unsatisfied at the end. While in US the viewers are being manipulated so well that even the smartest of us lose their better judgement.
I do believe that even highly staged and edited scenes carry at least some true value given them by the participants, but I also think you can make a bitch out of an angel and vise versa. The success of these shenanigans lies on the fact that for example even while called The Real Housewives Of Whatever there is nothing "real" about them. And I am not referring to plastic surgery right now. All the cast members are presented us as characters not responsible for their plot lines themselves, but being puppets in the hands of the almighty producers. And the majority of viewers would never know a damn true thing about these people. It works in US, not in Estonia. And that might be the reason why the reality shows don't really deliver here. Unlike in US, everybody knows everybody in Estonia (that sounds like the over quoted thing Brandi said about Beverly Hills, right?) and you probably know a thing or two about at least one of the people on the show.
Oh well, reading what I have just written makes me yawn. I tried to make a point, but I think I lost the point somewhere on the road.
One of the commentators - DialogueQueen - has summed it up pretty well on Vulture RHOBH recaps site. I hope she doesn't mind I quote her here.
"Which brings me to something I've been thinking about for a long time. All these shows, and what makes them sooooo interesting, is that they're kind of like flawed sociological studies on the democratization of fame and the effect of said fame on the completely untalented (didn't you used to have to practice, practice, practice to get somewhere?), uneducated, undeserving and mediocre (save for a few of our faves). Some of these gals have made money on their own, but most of it came through marriage or family. Button-eyed Barkin Yolanda and The Countess are true "anatomy is destiny" types. Had either been 5' 4", we wouldn't know their names.
Mostly, they're just not special and some are downright dumb /---/ What they do possess is the desire to flaunt whatever they believe they are in front of the camera. And that's what's so fascinating to me. How could you NOT spend most of your waking hours cringing after you watch yourself on TV?"
Enough said.
To make long story short. I, too, have been played here. Big time.
You see, only three episodes ago I wasn't a Kyle-hater or a Lisa-lover, but my boat has been seriously rocked by before mentioned evil minds aka Bravo producers. I am trying to be smart and insightful, but I find myself switching likes and dislikes by the minute. Or hot minute as Brandi would say. And I don't like myself for being so easily distracted. It has become like a contest (with myself, weird I know) to stay true to my evaluations. Making true evaluations in the first place. But as I explained before - there are no "true" material to base my evaluations on ... Basically I am doomed to fail.
I will watch couple of more episodes before I try to make some sense of it. And I understand if most of you don't share my passion for such a shallow form of entertainment. Feel free to stay on your high horse ... I don't mind. I take the high road every now and then, but right now I am a bit addicted to my crazy housewives.
p.s. Is there a single event in Beverly Hills - with or without the housewives - where white crystal chandeliers are n o t hanging from every possible hook?
The reality shows in Estonia only follow the (non)events and rely on hope that something m i g h t happen or someone from the cast m i g h t look like an idiot every now and then. There is never enough drama, never enough bitching and never enough money. We just swim through the episodes and feel unsatisfied at the end. While in US the viewers are being manipulated so well that even the smartest of us lose their better judgement.
I do believe that even highly staged and edited scenes carry at least some true value given them by the participants, but I also think you can make a bitch out of an angel and vise versa. The success of these shenanigans lies on the fact that for example even while called The Real Housewives Of Whatever there is nothing "real" about them. And I am not referring to plastic surgery right now. All the cast members are presented us as characters not responsible for their plot lines themselves, but being puppets in the hands of the almighty producers. And the majority of viewers would never know a damn true thing about these people. It works in US, not in Estonia. And that might be the reason why the reality shows don't really deliver here. Unlike in US, everybody knows everybody in Estonia (that sounds like the over quoted thing Brandi said about Beverly Hills, right?) and you probably know a thing or two about at least one of the people on the show.
Oh well, reading what I have just written makes me yawn. I tried to make a point, but I think I lost the point somewhere on the road.
One of the commentators - DialogueQueen - has summed it up pretty well on Vulture RHOBH recaps site. I hope she doesn't mind I quote her here.
"Which brings me to something I've been thinking about for a long time. All these shows, and what makes them sooooo interesting, is that they're kind of like flawed sociological studies on the democratization of fame and the effect of said fame on the completely untalented (didn't you used to have to practice, practice, practice to get somewhere?), uneducated, undeserving and mediocre (save for a few of our faves). Some of these gals have made money on their own, but most of it came through marriage or family. Button-eyed Barkin Yolanda and The Countess are true "anatomy is destiny" types. Had either been 5' 4", we wouldn't know their names.
Mostly, they're just not special and some are downright dumb /---/ What they do possess is the desire to flaunt whatever they believe they are in front of the camera. And that's what's so fascinating to me. How could you NOT spend most of your waking hours cringing after you watch yourself on TV?"
Enough said.
To make long story short. I, too, have been played here. Big time.
You see, only three episodes ago I wasn't a Kyle-hater or a Lisa-lover, but my boat has been seriously rocked by before mentioned evil minds aka Bravo producers. I am trying to be smart and insightful, but I find myself switching likes and dislikes by the minute. Or hot minute as Brandi would say. And I don't like myself for being so easily distracted. It has become like a contest (with myself, weird I know) to stay true to my evaluations. Making true evaluations in the first place. But as I explained before - there are no "true" material to base my evaluations on ... Basically I am doomed to fail.
I will watch couple of more episodes before I try to make some sense of it. And I understand if most of you don't share my passion for such a shallow form of entertainment. Feel free to stay on your high horse ... I don't mind. I take the high road every now and then, but right now I am a bit addicted to my crazy housewives.
p.s. Is there a single event in Beverly Hills - with or without the housewives - where white crystal chandeliers are n o t hanging from every possible hook?
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Toddlers & Tiaras aka Save the Kids
If you think "Saw 6" is the most horrifying thing you have ever seen on the screen, try catching an episode of Toddlers & Tiaras and actually watching it from start to finish. I bet the majority of you will be sick to your socks before the first commercial break.
Those of you blissfully unaware of what I am talking about, here's a brief recap: small children (some of them literally still in their prams and cribs) are competing in different beauty pageants all over US. No, let me brutally honest in my synopsis - mostly overweight mothers desperate to take home as many cups and tiaras as possible, dressing up their little daughters as has-been cabaret stars (I am avoiding the H word here. It's children we are talking about, y'all) with fake hair, teeth and eyelashes being the most innocent aspect of all this charade.
I am not sure which void these so-called parents are trying to fill, but little Aleyshas, Timiennas and Ankoyafildas (obviously the crazier the name the better) are pushed to the extremes to deliver. Have you seen a 10-month old with a hairpiece? Or 3-year old with fake teeth? Not to mention the nails, the lashes, the makeup ... the works. The producers have no problem showing poor kids crying while sitting through hours of beauty treatments, waiting their turn to perform in uncomfortable costumes or leaving the contest without desired prize.
I am not saying these mothers have no love for their daughters, but for some reason this affection of theirs has taken a really twisted turn. Which grown-up woman in her right mind will encourage her child to expose herself in a way that will only attract a totally undesired kind of attention. There are enough weirdos out there and to deliberately put your daughter in harms way objectifying her more than a Playmate of the Year ever would .... That is just sick. And I think the people who organize these pageants don't have anything else in mind but profit. Therefore being equally responsible for presenting these young girls to every bloody pedofile out there.
So I suggest you stick to "Saw 6" for your daily dose of horror.
Those of you blissfully unaware of what I am talking about, here's a brief recap: small children (some of them literally still in their prams and cribs) are competing in different beauty pageants all over US. No, let me brutally honest in my synopsis - mostly overweight mothers desperate to take home as many cups and tiaras as possible, dressing up their little daughters as has-been cabaret stars (I am avoiding the H word here. It's children we are talking about, y'all) with fake hair, teeth and eyelashes being the most innocent aspect of all this charade.
I am not sure which void these so-called parents are trying to fill, but little Aleyshas, Timiennas and Ankoyafildas (obviously the crazier the name the better) are pushed to the extremes to deliver. Have you seen a 10-month old with a hairpiece? Or 3-year old with fake teeth? Not to mention the nails, the lashes, the makeup ... the works. The producers have no problem showing poor kids crying while sitting through hours of beauty treatments, waiting their turn to perform in uncomfortable costumes or leaving the contest without desired prize.
I am not saying these mothers have no love for their daughters, but for some reason this affection of theirs has taken a really twisted turn. Which grown-up woman in her right mind will encourage her child to expose herself in a way that will only attract a totally undesired kind of attention. There are enough weirdos out there and to deliberately put your daughter in harms way objectifying her more than a Playmate of the Year ever would .... That is just sick. And I think the people who organize these pageants don't have anything else in mind but profit. Therefore being equally responsible for presenting these young girls to every bloody pedofile out there.
So I suggest you stick to "Saw 6" for your daily dose of horror.
RHOBH season 3 ... catching up
So I am catching up with season 3 on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills and the first 2 episodes have not actually delivered. The previous season was so shadowed with Russell's death that it was difficult to even make sense of the events and I was really hoping for a kick-start for this one.
I am a bit surprised they let Taylor stay on the show to say the least. I truly think there was a lot of begging from her side and she must deal with all the stupidity the producers come up for her. Looking like over-fried chicken on her introduction clip and saying things like "I can't squeeze myself in any of the cocktail-dresses I own". I bet she has sold most of her wardrobe by now in order to maintain the lifestyle of BH. Or maybe her pathetic book sells really well, I don't know. I have read excerpts of it and, well, even a telephone book looks like a best-seller compared to this nonsense. Although she gave "The bigger the purse, the smaller the butt" line while shopping (i.e ass-kissing) with Adrienne which I considered to be quite funny. And don't get me wrong - Taylor can be entertaining as hell, but something about her rubs me the wrong way and I am not gonna cave in just because she can make a joke every now and then. And let's be honest - one drunk per show is more than enough.
In, out or without rehab, Kim Richards still comes across as crazy as a bat in a broad daylight. And I don't blame Kyle for one bit to become so frustrated about her sister's crap. I would have probably hit her with a sledgehammer by now. Or maybe not. Whatever.
I admire Adrienne's ability to talk sense while looking like something stolen from a christmas tree. Girlfriend needs to change a stylist. Period. So I was not surprised by the style of her F***U flower-arrangement sent to Lisa. So her. So off. Part of the reason I like Adrienne is her adorable husband Paul. Who is not so adorable any more - in the present light of their divorce and DV-allegations, but I am not going to go there now. Paul strutting around in pink heels (and almost falling out of the store while leaning to the door) - like watching a cow learning ballet. Hilarious!
I will try to FF my way through the episodes and catch up with the other recappers and commentators out there.
I am a bit surprised they let Taylor stay on the show to say the least. I truly think there was a lot of begging from her side and she must deal with all the stupidity the producers come up for her. Looking like over-fried chicken on her introduction clip and saying things like "I can't squeeze myself in any of the cocktail-dresses I own". I bet she has sold most of her wardrobe by now in order to maintain the lifestyle of BH. Or maybe her pathetic book sells really well, I don't know. I have read excerpts of it and, well, even a telephone book looks like a best-seller compared to this nonsense. Although she gave "The bigger the purse, the smaller the butt" line while shopping (i.e ass-kissing) with Adrienne which I considered to be quite funny. And don't get me wrong - Taylor can be entertaining as hell, but something about her rubs me the wrong way and I am not gonna cave in just because she can make a joke every now and then. And let's be honest - one drunk per show is more than enough.
In, out or without rehab, Kim Richards still comes across as crazy as a bat in a broad daylight. And I don't blame Kyle for one bit to become so frustrated about her sister's crap. I would have probably hit her with a sledgehammer by now. Or maybe not. Whatever.
I admire Adrienne's ability to talk sense while looking like something stolen from a christmas tree. Girlfriend needs to change a stylist. Period. So I was not surprised by the style of her F***U flower-arrangement sent to Lisa. So her. So off. Part of the reason I like Adrienne is her adorable husband Paul. Who is not so adorable any more - in the present light of their divorce and DV-allegations, but I am not going to go there now. Paul strutting around in pink heels (and almost falling out of the store while leaning to the door) - like watching a cow learning ballet. Hilarious!
I will try to FF my way through the episodes and catch up with the other recappers and commentators out there.
Friday, March 15, 2013
RHOBH .... getting my dose
As I have said before one of my guilty pleasures include watching stupid reality-shows and being really addicted to them although I realize the lack of events there can only be compared to witnessing the grass grow. But they come really handy when I need a distraction. There is nothing better than observing the life of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when everything else gives me a headache of a lifetime. You would be really surprised to discover the contents of my iTunes library. But it gives me an opportunity to switch my mind off the serious stuff and be as judgemental as Kelly Osbourne on Fashion Police without no bad feelings whatsoever.
As I have zero tolerance of judging people by their looks under any other circumstances, I have no problem mocking everyone who has deliberately made a choice to put themselves out there in a reality show format. These people become characters to me and I can only laugh at the articles on US Weekly where the poor housewives accuse the viewers being too harsh in their comments. Well, that is the reason you are shown on the screen, darling - to get as many comments as possible. The bitter the better.
There is a bonus waiting when you know your way around these housewives. Julie Klausner writes absolutely hilarious recaps of RHOBH on Vulture and these writings (and comments) alone are a reason good enough to watch that show.
I am not very up to date with my comments on this show because I just started watching it recently and I have managed to fast-forward myself through season 1. So I am in the middle of season 2 and I have to admit I am really confused about these ladies. Bravo has done a lot of editing, even more than planned, I guess, because of the death of Russell Armstrong and the characters are becoming so categorized. Like - The Crazy Woman (Kim Richards), The Nut (Taylor), The Villain (Kyle Richards), The Madame Superior (Lisa Vanderpump), The Mute Who Decided To Speak Up Once (Camille Grammer) and so on.
What surprises me is the amount of hate Kyle has stirred up. There are few commentators who find her appearance on the show somewhat pleasant and most of them have filed her under the word "vile". I think it has something to do with the fact that she really is the most relatable one among these weird creatures and therefore raises a lot jealousy. She is not afraid to show her true colors, so to speak, and being the least "worked on" means she really c a n show the emotions she has. I think Kyle is no angel, but at least I believe what I get with her. And the fact she has such a long marriage and such decent kids says a lot.
Well, The British Empress also has been attached to Mr. Ken for a good number of years, but that does not take away the goosebumps I get every time I see her. So the solid marriage alone does not make me like her. She tries to project an image of being so over the small stuff, but I just can't take her seriously. An adult woman looking at a ridiculous boxed wedding invitation saying it is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen ... please, shoot me now.
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