Movies, Books, Beaches and Movies

I am a little bit of a bookshop addict, so after checking out a listing of the locals I did my rounds. Some decent bargains to be had, though I shouldn't really be buying stuff I can't cart around. And I hate to leave behind a good book even if I have finished it.

I finished Peter Biskind's "Down and Dirty Pictures" last Sunday. Very entertaining and insightful, but I couldn't help feeling that for all that the Weinsteins (the co-chairman brothers of Miramax) are monsters (and are they monsters!), Biskind was a little too unrelenting in his expose of the pair, especially when one feels there is a lot about Independent movies he is leaving out. Given that he had promised to devote as much attention to Robert Redford and Sundance, it is notable that he doesn't (October Films get as much page space). Granted Redford comes across as a colourless, if charming, waste of space, and the Sundance sections are the least entertaining, but one gets the impression that Buskind is leaving out a lot of relevant material simply to fit in more on Miramax. For instance who are the IFC and what are the Independent Spirit Awards? He touches on all these shadowy (apparently) peripheral players when he can't avoid doing so, but you get the impression there's more going on than meets the eye. All in all though, I doubt he'll be eating lunch in Hollywood any time soon.

Yesterday I got a call from my cousin, Lynda, staying and working in Bronte, a suburb near Bondi Beach. I had called her whe I arrived, but unfortunately was ringing her Irish phone number. As soon as she got my email, she got in touch and I ended up on the beach at Bronte. Wonderful beach it was too. bad swimmer though I am, I had to play among the waves. They are tall and intimidating here, and a lot of surfing was going on, but big kid that I am, I had a great time. Naturally for all my suntan lotion, I didn't quite cover my back and got a little burnt, though not badly. Lynda's housemate, Rachel, on the other hand, seemed to burn her face uncomfortably.

You never notice the time going when you're enjoying this kind of sunlit beach, and before we knew it it was 7. We went back to the girls' house, which is really lovely, lots of space and light, and lounged around for a little, eating Thai and chatting. Then near 9 we went to the cinema.

Though I'd seen it, I had no problem going to "The Prestige" again. There are questionable aspects to the movie, but I have to admit to really liking it. A curious thing though; it struck me that this was a slightly different cut to the one I saw. I could have sworn you see the complete Tranported Man trick the first time Bale performs it, though here they cut before the second door opens. There were other slight differences (or so I thought) that seemed a little sloppy, but to be honest it is a very well edited film. Consider the number of different threads you are watching (Bale in prison, Jackman with Tesla, their early history, the last scenes) mixed in with the two diaries, and it is admirable how unconfused the audience always is. Enjoyable and intelligent, it's another triumph for Christopher Nolan.

Quick train back into town, and I was home.