Tutorials kicked off this week. The way I’ve allocated everything across a week means I have a heck more spare time on my hands – maybe not once essays and assignments start kicking off, but for the time being I’ve managed to carve out a nice balance.
13 Assassins. Takashi Miike’s ode to all things Kurosawa and samurai genre. It worked on so many different levels, but Miike couldn’t help but put his stamp on certain areas of the film, not that it detracted all that much, but it was a noticeable departure from the already established tone. The following is not an exaggeration. I’m almost certain you see at least 500 people get killed during this film. The last hour and a bit is one drawn out set action piece – amazing work by the editor of this film, because it never felt lacking in terms of pace.
Vash is home and loving every bit of attention ever. He’s obviously wiped out by the procedure, but I’m wondering if he has realised his true potential as a cat, living up to the three tenets of the feline code – sleeping, eating and generally not giving a damn about anything. I’ve basically become a ‘feeder’, he stretches out across my lap (like he is right now as I’m typing this) and eats from a bowl placed just beside his head and decides when he wants to eat and when he wants to sleep. And if he’s not getting enough petting/cuddles, he will shoot me a look as if to say, “Hey, you. Fucking pet me. Now. Woe is me. Surgery and that. Now make with the stroking!”
My bro had told me we should watch a film called Wristcutters: A Love Story, circa 2006. I really didn’t get much out of the film at all. Partially due to the fact that I was writing/reading/checking various manners of things, but largely because the protagonist (the kid from Almost Famous) had that kind of self-aware wistful melancholy throughout which just shit me from a writing perspective. Admittedly, the title of the film should have tipped me off.
Midweek provided me with an opportunity to catch up with an old uni buddy I hadn’t seen in just over 3 years. Ridiculous how time passes like that, but it does. We all develop and change priorities as we get older – get jobs, get married, have kids, initiate hostile takeovers of foreign countries because we don’t like the taste of their cheese – all manner of things. All that really has to be said is that it was good to see this guy and I really doubt it’ll be another 3 years before I happen to catch up with him (and the other people there too!).
The very next day, post-work, I managed to partake in something I’ve been doing recently – aimless wandering. I walked for at least 45 minutes around the edges and centre of the CBD. I also tend to do this if I wind up arriving early anywhere. On Bridge Road a few weeks ago, I spent 30-odd minutes walking around and trying to get a feel for certain districts/areas within this city of ours. Not in a gropey kind of sense, but just trying to establish a sense of connection with what we have around us in ye olde Melbourne.
The result of these aimless wanderings? Not a heck of a lot, actually. Maybe I appreciate the beauty of this city a little bit more, but I have a problem with what I like to call ‘writing pretty’. Although, while sitting near the State Library the other day, I did hear two young women (perhaps 20-odd) discussing what I can only refer to as aimless wondering. “My hair is just sooo bad”…”No, it’s totes fine.”…”ORLY?”…”Yeah.”…”KTHX. OMG, do you think he really likes me?”… Ad infinitum.
I also had the pleasure of catching up with two student media alumni who are doing amazing things these days. It too had been ages since I had seen them last, but good times were had all the same and I shall be making more of an effort to see them due to their extreme levels of awesomeness. They also passed on some extremely tragic news, a former editor of Rabelais suffered from an aneurysm and a stroke and passed away only a few days ago at 26 years old. 26?! What the hell can we count on as being guaranteed to us at all in this life? So sad.
I didn’ t know her that well, but the times our paths crossed she was notably full of beans and generally a very happy person to be around. She will be missed by many, that’s for sure. My sincere condolences to her nearest and dearest.
Later that night, I went to see Dylan Moran perform his latest stand-up set. I’ll give him credit for actually putting in some effort this time around, as the last time I saw him his act was rather flat and not very engaging. He had a nice balance between random observations and set jokes, and I’m not entirely convinced that he was drunk while he was on stage this time. All in all, quite entertaining.
When I had spare time and was writing this entry, I was watching Source Code for the second time and enjoying it just as much as I did the first time around. And it’s interesting to watch with my parents to see their reactions. (It was also a Friday night and I probably should have been out and about creating all manner of self-inflicted chaos upon my internal organs.) I shall recommend this film to you all yet again if you haven’t seen it!
Alas, for now I must away and bury my head in some books to prepare for this week.