The Culture Feature | Winter/Spring 2014

The scheduling of my Culture Feature has gone completely out the window. By now it might have even gone out several windows. The real reason behind that is that I became so busy around Christmas that I watched barely any movies, and most definitely did not open a book that wasn't university related. I've now gone back into it and read some excellent novels! I'll be mostly sharing those today...

BOOKS | The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

Boy did this one take me long. It took me about six months to get through the three books, picking my Kindle on and off but it was so worth it! Tolkien is a wordsmith and a creator with an imagination that is beyond this world. Despite having watched the film adaptations countless times, I loved the books and they really added to my experience of Middle Earth. I especially enjoyed reading stories that were not featured in the films, meeting Tom Bombadil was brilliant! I would recommend it to anyone. It can be challenging for the best of readers but a little patience makes it worth it.

BOOKS | The Book Thief, Markus Zusak ♥︎

Four months had passed since LOR when I finally started a new book and The Book Thief was the best possible choice. This tells the story of a young girl in Nazi Germany who meets death repeatedly. The story is told by death itself, in such a poetic and original manner that I simply couldn't put the book down. Also, man, the emotions...

BOOKS | Lean In (for Graduates), Sheryl Sandberg

I've been in absolute graduate terror lately so I was thrilled when Sheryl Sandberg announced she was publishing a new version of her worldwide success aimed towards graduates. The main book is already so very helpful and eye-opening and I'm glad I get to read it before entering the workplace. I'm finding the additional chapters and stories really useful to plan for job search and interviews. I think it's one of these books I'll keep coming back to when I have tough choices to make.

BOOKS | Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan

Another very original story, this of a secret group of people scattered around the world who read 'books' full of strange clutters of words. I liked this for its quirkiness and amusement, and also for how realistic it felt.

It was a good light read!

TV | Portlandia

This show follows Fred Armisen (ex-SNL) and Carrie Browstein in lots of short sketches relating the lives of Portland locals. What you might not know (I didn't) is that Portland was ranked most hipster city in the USA. This is basically what is made fun of here, in a tasteful but deliciously sarcastic way. Cue feminist bookstores, hip breakfast places, cool mayor, pickles, tattoos, organic food and coffee houses. A good laugh.

TV | Masterchef UK
I have been spending all my time watching Masterchef so naturally had to include it in. Surprisingly enough, I had never really gotten into culinary competitions before. All it took was one "I think you'd like this" as it came on TV and I was hooked. Great for people who like food, people who like making food, and people who like watching people making food. Do not watch if you're hungry. 

The Culture Feature | August/September/October 2013

Wooo, once again here's three months of culture stuff in one! I haven't actually watched or read much new things recently, as all I have time for in a week really is an episode of Grey's Anatomy and Parks and Recreation each. Still, here are a few bits I enjoyed during my late summer. Once again, let me know if you follow my advice, and if you liked any of those! 

TV | House of Cards
Oh, man, do I wish the first season of House of Cards had been longer... I am not into politics, so wasn't too sure I'd get into it, but this is one of the perfectly finished shows I've ever watched. Exceptional directing (hello David Fincher!), spotless cast with Robin Wright whom I more than ever aspire to be like, and Kevin Spacey... How do I explain Kevin Spacey? His performance is remarkable, especially since he has the particular task of playing the only character who interacts with the audience. He displays the perfect balance of trustworthiness and dodginess that I associate with politicians. And the cinematography is an absolute gem. If all this doesn't convince you, I loved how it explores the shady ways of politics and breaks the fourth wall. I am PSYCHED for season two!

TV | The Tunnel
I've only just started watching The Tunnel, and am still confused about it all, BUT a few things I really enjoy and here's why you should watch it: it is a show BOTH in English and French. How cool is that?! I started watching it with my boyfriend as a "culture bonding" activity but really, I just enjoy being able to understand everything and not him. Also, it has Clémence Poesy, and she's awesome. Watch if you like hearing people speak French, enjoy crime/cop fiction and apocalypto-religious serial killers.

MOVIES | Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Chose this doc on a whim because it had some great reviews on Reddit, and I'm glad I did, for it was really different from what I usually watch. This documentary follows Jiro Ono, a sushi master who owns a 3-star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo. It's hard to describe how I felt... This movie really conveys the passion and art that goes into Jiro's sushi making, as well as a very serious sense of duty. Foodies with love it but I think everyone would get hooked... if only on trying to understand the very mysterious Jiro.

MOVIES | The Godfather
Yes I know, absolute classic, why hadn't I watched it before, I'm a disgrace, etc. Better late than never, eh? Well, despite my initial reluctance about a long-*ss movie about people with Italian accents killing each other (what I thought it would be), I really enjoyed it... But it was what I thought it'd be! Still, it's such a beast of a movie, and is entertaining, gripping and challenges your idea of family. A must-watch. Have watched the second and am ready for the third!

OTHERS | Spamalot
Here's a special one for you, a musical! A while ago, I went to see Spamalot with the man after 1) he insisted a lot and 2) we found very cheap tickets. I do love myself a bit of the Holy Grail, and got quite excited... and it was HILARIOUS. It's the best of the Holy Grail, with music, excellent anti-French jokes, terrific contemporary references and an overwhelming feeling of general happiness and old-school fun. Go go go!

The Culture Feature | May/June/July 2013

Let me start by saying from now on, I'll stop pretending that The Culture Feature is actually ever going to be monthly. It's just a 'once in a while/surprise!' kind of event.

So, surprise! The past three months have been good to me, especially in terms of books. I've read a few great novels (mostly because I spent a whole week in a place with no Internet connection), dived right in in TV and discovered the joys of documentaries. I hope this post makes you want to get your hands on all these!



BOOKS | Wonder, R. J. Palacio
Wonder was a real gem and it's definitely the one that I'd recommend the most in this list. It tells the story of August, a boy with facial deformity who goes to school for the first time. Guys, we all know what school feels like. Kids are tougher than the world seems to think and bullies are a common. August has it even worse. Palacio shows what it takes to make it through hardships that no one can really imagine. August is braver and stronger than most; it's actually difficult to believe he is only ten, but then he is not everybody else... Although the book seems to think, ultimately, that we are all different. And it's good. Now that's a message I love, and after reading such a touching book I don't see how you won't love it too.


BOOKS | Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
This had been on my to-do list for YEARS. I've been lucky to not have seen the movie (since I've been told it was terrible) so I came to the story completely uninformed. Another book about a boy, this one follows Oskar, 9, in his quest around Manhattan to try and solve a mystery left by his recently dead father. With 9/11 as a background for the story, the novel asks question about family, growing up and secrets, in Foer's very poetic writing style. This book is something else; the writing is special and precious, and the story will make you think.



BOOKS | Bossypants, Tina Fey
I downloaded this to my Kindle as a beach book; it felt like it'd be great to read with my toes in the sand. Except I started it an evening after coming back from the beach and couldn't put it down! I nearly finished it before introducing to the seaside... Ok so Tina Fey is hilarious + she wrote a book about her life = this will make you laugh lots (and especially so if you're a woman.) Fey is so full of self deprecation and twisted wisdom and speaks honestly about mountain climbing, the horror of cruises and even pee jars. It's just deliciously brilliant so read it now.

TV | Breaking Bad
Who hasn't heard of Breaking Bad? I feel like I'd seen Bryan Cranston's egg head everywhere ever since the show came on but I never got around to watch it (mostly because my mum, whose advice I highly trust, gave it a "meh.") But then summer and boredom and Netflix and I'm almost done with season two. The plot: a chemist teacher diagnosed with cancer starts cooking meth to save money for his family. I have to say I find it a bit slow to start, but the story in itself is so interesting and different from what I'm used to that I kept going on. Mostly, I'm hooked onto the characters (despite almost all of them really annoying me) and want to see how bad they can get.

TV | Luther
TWO YEARS. That's how long we had to wait for season three, but everyone behind Luther is amazing and it did not disappoint. Dark and full of secrets copper Luther comes back, angrier than ever. Everyone's against him, his (few) loves ones don't trust him and seriously creepy bad guys are still out there. I cannot insist enough on 'creepy': if you're easily scared, don't watch. You'll end up sleeping with scissors under your pillow just in case. But the scenario is so well written and the cast so very talented that it'd be a terrible miss.



MOVIES | Craigslist Joe
Once thing I discovered in the past month: Netflix is endless. So instead of just using it to watch TV shows, I ventured out of my comfort zone and went for documentaries... The first I watched was Craigslist Joe, about a guy who lived a month relying solely on Craigslist for food, shelter, money, transport; in short, everything. Besides very interesting, it's a moving doc that renewed my faith in humanity.

MOVIES | Exit Through The Gift Shop
If you like street-art, this one is a no miss. This documentary by Banksy describes the story of Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman established in LA who took his filming hobby to the streets... literally, and started filming the local street art scene. Through his cousin, artist Space Invader, he got to meet and film some of the biggest names of the graffiti world, from Shepard Fairey to Banksy, until he took a chance at street art himself. This is such a great docu, for its description of the street art world, of the artists' process, of the marketisation of the industry... and for Guetta's very strange transformation from nerdy passionate to annoying arrogant brat—in my humble opinion.

The Culture Feature | April 2013

I don't know what's happened recently, but after months on end of feeling stuck into music I knew and was bored of, I've finally started discovering plenty of new artists. So like last month, this month is a lot about music, with just a side of TV.

MUSIC | Different Pulses, Asaf Avidan
Everytime I go home, I head back to London with a suitcase full of freshly ironed clothes and my iTunes filled with my family's music recommendations. Easter was as fruitful as usual, since Asaf Avidan was the soundtrack of my two weeks at home.
Asaf Avidan has a voice like no other, strangely very clear then husky, and impressively high-fey for a man. I also really love the non-traditional drums and the sort of mysterious synth sounds in the background. It's ages away from what I usually go for, but man, I really do love it.




MUSIC | Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow, Hammock
Last month was all about essay writing, but it's very difficult for me to find good studying music. I can't listen to anything with words because it distracts me too much, which usually means I stick to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which despite being a great choice, can get a little bit old.
My friend James mentioned Hammock in one of his vlogs, so I went for it, AND I'M SO GLAD I DID. I find it hard to say anything specific about it, since it's "just" ambience music, but it's good and inspiring and positive with a tad of melancholia. Or at least that's how it makes me feel.

MUSIC | Some Nights, fun.
OK I know that's old and it's been heard and re-heard but I've developed a strange love for it recently. The song Some Nights makes me strangely happy. It's got quite a few good summer tunes, so if you want to give it a go, it's now or never!








MUSIC | Dead & Born & Grown, The Staves
I got this CD from my housemate Megan for my birthday, which was super cool because 1) I haven't been given CDs in ages, 2) especially by artists I had no idea about, and 3) I really love The Staves. The band is made up of three sisters whose beautiful, beautiful voices are laid out on quiet folky guitars. This album is really all about their voices and melodies, and would give chills to anyone.

TV | Broadchurch
I can't get over how good Britain can be at TV sometimes.
I'd been seeing a lot about Broadchurch on Twitter so figured I'd give it a go. From the first episode, I was hooked. A murder comes to shake the small and quiet town of Broadchurch, where DI Alec Hardy (Tennant, fantastic as ever and finally free from the drastic anti-Scot-accent rules of Doctor Who) is sent to solve the case. In typical mystery programme style, everyone gets involved, is suspected, is caught up with their past, is declared innocent, and is re-suspected until the whole thing becomes a tangled mess of doubts and suspicions. I thought I'd find the killer three times until I got the right one, but I had doubts until the very end.
But Broadchurch isn't just the story or the cast, it's also an incredible cinematography. I spent as much time shouting potential suspects' names at the screen than I did commenting on great shots. The composition, colours, and plays on depth of field were always excellent and really contributed to making Broadchurch as addictive as it is.
A+ would watch again—which is great because Broadchurch is coming back next year for a second series!


I also read a couple books this month, but both were so incredibly disappointing that I don't want to mention them. Honorary mention to Gangster Squad which was better than I expected, and this not only because Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were in it ;)

See you next month for more, and very soon with a recipe, at long last!

The Culture Feature | September 2012

I actually didn't do anything culture-ish in September apart from watching Dexter. All things listed below I only got into in the last week! All the packing and moving and furniture buying got me distracted. Give me suggestions for next month so I can get back on track!

And I'm going to try and make this short.

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En vérité, je n'ai rien faire de très culturel pour la plus grande partie de Septembre, à part regarder Dexter. Toutes les choses listées dans cet article datent de la semaine qui vient de s'écouler ! J'ai été distraites par les valises et le déménagement et l'achat de meubles. J'attends vos suggestions pour le mois prochain histoire que je m'y remette !

Et je vais essayer de faire un article relativement court, pour une fois.

BOOKS | A Feast For Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, book 4), George R.R. Martin.

As I said in the video, the third book (A Storm of Swords) was fantastic, and this one is slightly less good, but still very interesting. We're going deeper into weird stuff, we get to hang out a lot with characters that were almost inexistent before, and we meet new characters... again!
*
LIVRES | Un Festin pour les Corbeaux (A Song of Ice and Fire, book 4), George R.R. Martin.

Comme je l'ai dit dans la vidéo, le troisième tome de la série (Une Tempête d'Epées) est fantastique, du coup ce tome est un petit peu en-dessous, mais toujours très intéressant. On va plus loin dans les bizarreries magiques, on traine avec des personnages qui étaient auparavant quasi inexistants, et on découvre de nouveaux personnages... encore !

MUSIC | Spector.

I saw Spector live first in March, when they opened for Florence + the Machine, and I saw them again last week, so I think I can say pretty confidently that they're GREAT. Their album Enjoy It While It Lasts is a mix of dirty rock and electro beats, that turns into a serious dance-your-butt-off party when played live. They've got incredible energy and their music is just made for the stage. Personal faves are Chevy Thunder and Never Fade Away.
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MUSIQUE | Spector.
J'avais déjà vu Spector live en mars, en première partie de Florence + the Machine, et je les ai vus à nouveau la semaine dernière, donc je pense pouvoir dire avec certitude qu'ils sont GÉNIAUX. Leur album Enjoy It While It Lasts est un mélange de rock grossier et de sons électros, qui devient une sérieuse fête vas-y-que-je-secoue-mes-hanches quand on les voit en live. Ils ont une énergie incroyable et leur musique est simplement faite pour la scène. Mes chansons préférées sont Chevy Thunder et Never Fade Away.

photo Rachel Been

MUSIC | Of Monster and Men.

A folk band lead by two singers with the most amazing voices. They're soft and sharp and they seriously shake you inside. Plus the female singer is one of the classiest, most stylish, best-hair ladies I've seen. Surprisingly, most of their songs are not about love—a welcome change on the music scene.
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MUSIQUE | Of Monster and Men.
Un groupe folk mené par deux chanteurs avec des voix incroyables. Elles sont douces et tranchantes et elles vous remuent à l'intérieur. En plus, la chanteuse est l'une des femmes les plus classes, stylées et mieux coiffées que j'ai jamais vues. Il est surprenant de constater que la plupart de leurs chansons ne parlent pas d'amour—un changement bienvenue sur la scène musicale.

MUSIC | Babel, Mumford and Sons.
What can I say? Mumford and Sons have been one of my favourite bands for a while. I love them. I noticed some Simon & Garfunkel vibes in this album. Basically they're doing great. So you should check them out. And get me a ticket to see them live.
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MUSIQUE | Babel, Mumford and Sons.
Que puis-je dire ? Mumford and Sons sont un de mes groupes préférés et cela depuis un moment. Je les adore. Dans cet album, j'ai remarqué quelques sonorités très Simon & Garfunkel. En gros, ils s'en sortent très bien. Donc vous devriez écouter ce qu'il font. Et m'offrir une place pour aller les voir sur scène.

TV SHOWS | Dexter, created by Jeff Lindsay.

Ah, Dexter. You beautiful, sarcastic, witty little beauty of a serial killer. Dexter, the show, is a masterpiece. Starting from the bold idea of a serial killer main character, it explores notions of good and bad, friendship and family, death (no surprise here), and even topics such as power relations and religion. The show is a bit slow to start properly, but really hang in there, because the third season is going to blow your mind. As for myself, I'm ready for the first episode of the seventh season... which is on tonight!

And because I love a good pun, I can't resist posting this meme.

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SÉRIES | Dexter, créé par Jeff Lindsay.

Ah, Dexter. Espèce de magnifique, sarcastique, amusant petit amour de serial killer. Dexter, la série, est un chef d'oeuvre. Partant de l'idée assez audacieuse de centrer une série autour d'un serial killer, elle explore les concepts du bien et du mal, de la famille et de l'amitié, de la mort (on s'en doutait), et même des sujets comme la politique et la religion. La série met un peu de temps à démarrer, mais ne laissez pas tomber, parce que la troisième saison va vous scotcher. En ce qui me concerne, je suis au taquet pour le premier épisode de la saison sept... qui est diffusé ce soir ! 

The Culture Feature | August 2012

This was August... and it was good! / Voilà ce qui m'a accompagné en août... c'était chouette !

BOOKS | Commencement, J. Courtney Sullivan.

Celia, Bree, Sally and April meet in their first year of university at Smith, an all-girls American college. Their rooms are on the same floor, so, obviously, they become best friends. For their whole lives.
The plot is simple, but the book is more than just that. Thanks to Sullivan's writing skills, and the 'real events' aspect (Sullivan is herself a Smith alumni), it is very easy to get into the novel and feel like we're part of the girls' group.
I particularly enjoyed the first part that told of their university experience. As I said in the video, it felt quite close to my own experience, but of course in much nicer words than the confused mess that is my mind.
I liked that there was more to this book than just tales of friendship. It's about love and life, work and convictions, regrets and hope. But mainly friendship.
*
LIVRES | Les Débutantes, J. Courtney Sullivan.
Celia, Bree, Sally et April se rencontrent durant leur première année d'université à Smith College, une fac exclusivement féminine. Leurs chambres sont sur le même palier, les conduisant naturellement à devenir meilleures-amies-pour-la-vie.
L'idée est simple, mais le livre va plus loin que ça. Grâce à la qualité de l'écriture de Sullivan, et aux côtés 'histoire vraie' (Sullivan est elle-même ancienne élève de Smith), il est très facile de rentrer dans le roman et de faire partie du groupe des filles.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié la première partie du roman qui racontait leur expérience à l'université. Comme je le disais dans ma vidéo, ça m'a paru proche de ma propre expérience de la fac, bien qu'évidemment raconté dans des mots bien plus jolis que le mignon bordel qu'il y a dans ma tête.
J'ai aussi aimé qu'il y ait plus dans ce livre que de simples histoires d'amitié. On y parle d'amour et de vie, de travail et de croyances, de regrets et d'espoir. Mais quand même principalement d'amitié.

MOVIES | The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan.
Let's start with the obvious: if you still haven't seen it, I don't even know what you're doing reading this.
Most say it was abso-f*cking-lutely amazing; a few avant-garde people think it was terrible. I'm with the former, but I can understand some of the critiques. Mostly, Marion Cotillard was as ever a poor ambassador of the French acting skills. And things sometimes feel in place a bit too easily.
But these negative points are minor compared to the epicness of the movie. Nolan gives us an intense end to its trilogy, as dark as usual, with a new focus: the fall (and eventual rise—title, duh) of Batman.
Two particular things make it fantastic. First, the cast: Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman (!), newcomers to the franchise Anne Hattaway, Joe Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy as the very evil villain. And Christian Bale, who portrays a broken Batman with admirable talent. Second, Hans Zimmer's music. Phenomenal.

FILMS | The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan.
Commençons par le début : si vous n'avez toujours pas vu ce film, je ne comprends pas pourquoi ce que vous faites là à lire au lieu de COURIR AU CINÉMA.
La plupart des gens disent que c'était une p*tain de tuerie ; quelques avant-gardistes ne l'ont pas trouvé terrible. Je suis dans le premier camp, mais je peux comprendre certaines des critiques faites à l'encontre du film. Notamment, celles contre Marion Cotillard qui était comme à son habitude une piètre ambassadrice de la qualité des acteurs français. Et c'était parfois un peu trop beau pour être vrai. Mais ces reproches ne sont que mineurs comparés au reste du film. Nolan nous offre un film intense pour terminer sa trilogie, aussi sombre que d'habitude, et avec une nouvelle accroche : la chute de Batman, et sa renaissance.
Deux choses ont pour moi rendu le film particulièrement bon. D'abord, le casting : Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman (!), les petits nouveaux Anne Hattaway, Joe Gordon-Levitt et Tom Hardy dans le rôle du méchant vraiment vilain. Et toujours Christian Bale, qui incarne le Batman brisé avec beaucoup de talent. Ensuite, la musique de Hans Zimmer. Phénoménale.

MOVIES | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, John Madden.
This isn't near as good as TDKR, but ey, the two movies are as different as can be. I remember seeing the poster for this movie everywhere in London back in April-May, but I didn't make much of it. The only thing I noticed was that the cast looked interesting. Indeed, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Dame Judi Dench—amongst others—were great.
Do you notice it, now? Yep. They're old. Marigold Hotel is a movie about age and what comes with it: regrets, endings, but also new beginnings. As a young adult myself, I have to admit it's not really the type of movies I usually watch. Plus, it's not a theme I know really anything about. That's why it was so good, in my opinion. It's an eye opener, a look into the lives of people we don't really understand. Watch it with your grandparents and talk about it afterwards.
Plus, it's funny and set in beautiful India. The colours, man, the colours!
*
FILMS | Indian Palace, John Madden.
(Juste un mot pour commencer : il va vraiment falloir qu'on m'explique pourquoi certaines maisons de distribution françaises changent les titres originaux anglais des films pour les remplacer par… des titres en anglais.)
Ce film est loin d'être aussi bon que TDKR, mais hein, ces deux films sont aux antipodes. Je me rappelle avoir vu le poster pour ce film à de nombreuses reprises dans le métro à Londres, mais je ne m'attendais pas à grand chose. La seule chose que j'avais remarquée était le casting qui me paraissait intéressant. Effectivement : Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith et Dame Judi Dench—entre autres—étaient très bons.
Est-ce que vous l'avez remarqué ? Eh oui. Ils sont tous vieux. Marigold Hotel est un film qui parle de la vieillesse et de ce qu'elle apporte : des regrets, des conclusions, mais aussi de nouveaux débuts. Je dois avouer qu'étant jeune adulte, ce n'est pas vraiment le type de films que je regarde d'habitude. Ce n'est d'ailleurs pas un thème auquel je connais grand chose. C'est pourquoi je l'ai trouvé si bon. Ce film nous ouvre les yeux et nous offre un regard sur la vie de personnes qu'on ne comprend pas vraiment. Regardez ce film avec vos grand-parents et parlez-en ensuite !
En plus, il est drôle et se passe en Inde. Les couleurs, wow, quelles couleurs !

TV SHOWS | Girls, created by Lena Dunham.
This year has been ridiculously good on me concerning TV shows. I keep discovering gems. Girls is a big massive sparkling sapphire.
Created, written and (most of the times) directed by the equally hilarious and talented Lena Dunham, Girls tells life as girls in their early twenties today know it. Life's about friends, boys, parents, work and fashion distasters. It's about trying to find a way through things, and failing, failing hard and often.

But always with humour and hope.
Although I think Girls can appeal to both male and female, I find myself particularly drawn and attached to it as a woman. There's been a lot of new female-lead comedies recently, and from the extracts/few episodes I saw, none is as real and funny and accurate and diverse as Girls. It's not exhaustive or perfect, but it shows us women thin and fat, beautiful and crazy-haired, virgin and pregnant; and guys about as lost as girls are.
And I'm going to stop now before I bore you to death with a life-long list of compliments.
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SÉRIES | Girls, créé by Lena Dunham.
J'ai été particulièrement gâtée côté séries, cette année. Je n'arrête pas de découvrir des perles ! Et Girls en est une belle grosse et brillante.
Créée, écrite et réalisée (la plupart du temps) par l'incroyablement hilarante et talentueuse Lena Dunham, Girls raconte la vraie vie des filles à la vingtaine. Dans la vie il y a les amis, les garçons, les parents, le boulot et les tenues désastreuses. Il faut essayer d'y trouver son chemin, et de se planter, de vraiment et souvent se planter. Mais toujours avec humour et espoir.
Bien que je pense que Girls peut plaire aux hommes aussi bien qu'aux femmes, j'y suis particulièrement attachée en tant que femme. Un tas de comédies menées par des femmes ont été créées récemment, et d'après les épisodes/extraits que j'ai pu voir, Girls est le plus vrai, drôle, juste et varié. La série n'est ni exhaustive ni parfaite, mais elle nous montre des femmes minces et grosses, belles ou foutues de travers, des vierges et des enceintes ; et des hommes aussi paummés que les filles.
Et je vais maintenant m'arrêter avant de vous endormir avec une liste infinie de compliments !

The Culture Feature | July 2012

This month I did a LOT of reading and watching. I didn't include all of it below. Not all can have the incredible honour of making the list.

As for the ones that do...

****

Ce mois-ci, j'ai BEAUCOUP lu et vu. Je n'ai d'ailleurs pas tout inclus dans mon article. Tous ne peuvent pas avoir l'immense honneur de faire partie de la liste.

Pour ce qui est de ceux qui l'ont...

BOOKS | Delirium, Lauren Oliver.
A bit of context: I read Divergent and The Chaos Walking trilogy (that I mentioned last month) - both young adult dystopian fiction. Then I decided to be a bit more serious. So I read Jack Kerouac's On The Road.

Big mistake.

I still have no idea what that was all about. Hence my inevitable running back to what I know and love: YA dystopian fiction! I got Delirium after reading about it on the Goodreads "most popular books of the year" list (I think?) I'm very glad I did! It's no Hunger Games, in my opinion the best YADF out there, and I still liked Veronica Roth's Divergent more. But... It was still really good. As I said in the video, I thought the plot starting point was very interesting and well-constructed: love is a disease and needs to be cured. The events tend to be rather predictable after that, but the main male character, the beautiful descriptions of Portland and the excitement for more saved it for me!

This review somehow sounds negative but no! Good book! Nice summer read!

***

LIVRES | Delirium, Lauren Oliver.

Un peu de contexte : j'ai lu Divergent and la trilogie Le Chaos en marche (don't j'ai parlé le mois dernier) - tous deux des romans dystopiens pour jeunes adultes. Et puis j'ai voulu partir vers quelque chose de plus sérieux. J'ai donc lu Sur La Route de Jack Kerouac.

Mauvaise idée.

Je n'ai toujours pas compris ce dont ça parlait. D'où mon inévitable retour aux choses que je connais et que j'adore : les romans dystopiens jeunes adultes ! J'ai acheté Delirium après en avoir entendu parler dans la liste "romans les plus populaires de l'année" sur Goodreads (il me semble.) Je suis contente de l'avoir fait ! Ce n'est pas du niveau des Hunger Games, qui est pour moi la meilleure trilogie de fiction dystopiennes jeunes adultes, je lui préfère tout de même Divergent de Veronica Roth. Mais... c'était quand même très bon. Comme je le disais dans la vidéo, j'ai trouvé l'idée de départ très intéressante et bien construite : l'amour est une maladie et doit être soignée. Il est vrai que les évènement sont assez prédictibles, mais c'est rattrapé par le personnage masculin principal, les magnifiques descriptions de Portland et le suspense pour la suite !

Cette critique fait un peu négative, mais non ! Super livre ! Un bon bouquin pour l'été !

MOVIES | The Amazing Spiderman, Marc Webb.
Two words: Andrew Garfield.

Him and Emma Stone. This could be my actual review. He was enough to enjoy the movie! Especially compared to the sad and disappointing previous Spiderman trilogy that I hated for two reasons: Tobey Maguire and this scene.

What I really enjoyed is how the movie focused on Peter Parker as a simple teenager, who wants to have fun, who's awkward around girls and who often messes up. Garfield portrayed it perfectly.

***

FILMS | The Amazing Spiderman, Marc Webb.

Deux mots : Andrew Garfield.

Lui et Emma Stone. Je pourrais m'arrêter là. Il m'a suffit pour aimer le film ! Particulièrement en comparaison à la précédente triste et décevante trilogie Spiderman, que je ne supporte pas pour deux raisons : Tobey Maguire et cette scène.

J'ai vraiment aimé le fait que le film se centre sur Peter Parker en tant que simple adolescent, qui ne veut que s'amuser, qui ne sait pas trop comment parler aux filles et qui fout souvent tout en l'air. Andrew Garfield l'a parfaitement joué.

MOVIES | Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson.
Aaah, Wes. You never change. You're a bit of a Marmite-type person, really. People either love it or hate it. I personally love it. Anderson's movies are all about faded colours, a 60s atmosphere, Bill Murray and really touching stories. But mostly faded colours.

Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of young Suzy and Sam, only 13 but very in love, who run away together one summer. It was really like a little moment of pure happiness, delicate filming, true characters and incredible beauty. Yes, this sounds exaggerated. But no. Bonus points for the soundtrack  and precise camera movements.

***

FILMS | Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson.

Aaah, Wes. Tu ne changes pas. Tu es un peu comme la Marmite. On t'adore ou on te déteste. Moi, j'adore. Les films d'Anderson, c'est des couleurs fanées, une ambiance 60s, Bill Murray et des histoires toujours touchantes. Enfin, surtout des couleurs fanées.

Moonrise Kingdom raconte l'histoire des jeunes Suzy et Sam, seulement 13 ans mais très amoureux, qui  fuguent pendant l'été. C'était vraiment un petit moment de pur bonheur, d'images délicates, de personnages vrais et d'une incroyable beauté. Oui, on dirait que j'exagère. Mais non. Points bonus pour la bande-son et les mouvements de caméra.

TV SHOWS | Nikita.
Nikita, rings a bell to anyone French? Yes, the show is (loosly) based on the 1990 French movie La Femme Nikita. I'll be honest: I don't remember much from the movie. But I'm happy with sticking with the TV show, for several reasons:

- The plot. Nikita, an ex-agent of a US black-ops organisation called Division, has gone rogue and is trying to take it down. I love how everyone is two-sided, how everything always turns around, and how I keep being surprised.
- The cast. Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca and Aaron Stanford (yes!) are fantastic. And there's more. They've got a great connection, they're all very talented, and have such pretty faces.
- The writing. The action segments are thrilling and hook you up; (almost) everything else is hilarious.
- Seymour Birkhoff. This character, played by the very talented Stanford, is smart, funny, brave and bitchy. Plus, he keeps evolving and becoming more awesome!

***
TV SHOWS | Nikita.
Nikita, ça vous dit quelque chose, les français ? Effectivement, cette série est basée (de loin) sur le film de 1990 Nikita. Je vais être honnête avec vous : je ne me rappelle pas bien du film. Mais je me contenterai de la série avec joie, pour plusieurs raisons :

- L'histoire. Nikita, ancienne agent d'une organisation américaine top-secrète du nom de Division, a tourné le dos à leurs activités et tente de faire tomber l'organisation. J'aime comme les personnages sont tous de loyauté ambigue, comme les situations sont toujours renversées. Je suis surprise sans arrêt !
- Le casting. Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca et Aaron Stanford (génial !) sont fantastiques. Et il y a encore bien d'autres gens. Ils ont tous une vraie connexion à l'écran, ils sont talentueux, et puis bien agréables à regarder.
- L'écriture des scénarii. Les parties d'action sont palpitantes et vous tiennent en haleine ; (presque) tout le reste est à mourir de rire.
- Seymour Birkhoff. Ce personnage, joué par l'excellent Stanford, est intelligent, drôle; courageux et bitchy. En plus, il ne cesse d'évoluer et de devenir encore plus cool !


Now go buy all of that and see you next month!