What You Been Doing Toby?

Good day to you all, here is a little recap of what blahblahblahToby has been up to since last we spoke.

On the movie viewing front we have forged ahead with the noir-a-thon whilst not even considering telling you all about if for even a second. Last we spoke we were up to 1944 yet here we are having just seen the incredible Samuel Fuller directed Pickup on South Street from 1953. I can't even comprehend writing that many reviews as a catchup but I may one day soon fill you in on a brief rundown of each incredible piece of classic cinema.

We are now proud subscribers to the Australian DVD rental service Quickflix which keeps sending me movies to watch and never complaining at their late return.

The end of the English football season saw us cancel our sports subscription with Foxtel and replace it with some of the worst movie channels I've ever seen. Did you know that TCM hardly ever broadcasts high quality picture and sound? I have to listen to a really horrible hissing constantly. However I did get the chance to see something amazing, The Petrified Forest starring Trevor Howard and Humphrey Bogart in the role that made him a star.

We had a nightmare of a time trying to see the new Ridley Scott, Prometheus. The trailers were incredible, the hype in my mind built to extreme levels, surely it was going to be the greatest movie ever? Check out the trailer complete with tension building music and a lack of Rafe Spall whilst I prepare The Adventure of the Couple Who Wanted to Watch Prometheus.

The Adventures of The Couple Who Wanted To Watch Prometheus

Toby saw the trailer for Prometheus and finally realised it was sort of a prequel to Alien. When Leah came home Toby said "watch this" and pressed play. Leah said "oh wow, we have to actully go to the cinema to see that."

Prometheus was released on Wednesday. Leah and Toby had a day off of work on Thursday. Toby checked the listings for the Belmont cinema and they arrived for the 11am 2D screening.

"I'm sorry, the 2D screening is playing in our Gold Lounge and costs an extra $20 each." This was the mouth breather behind the popcorn desk speaking. "Fuck that we'll go somewhere else," said Toby.


Toby checked the listings for another cinema and Leah drove for 30 minutes to get there. "I'm sorry, that screening is now in 3D" This was another mouth breather behind the popcorn desk speaking. "Fuck that I'm going to download it, at least that will be 2D." said Toby.


Toby was angry, Leah was mad. "I'm so fucking mad" said Leah. "I can't believe this fucking place" sid Toby.


It was Tuesday. Leah said "we should go and watch Prometheus." Toby said "OK"


Toby checked a third cinemas listings. They said it was showing in 2D only. Toby and Leah went to see Prometheus. The movie was in 2D. It wasn't actually very good.

And so ended the first trip to the cinema since February. Not much fun really.

I've been reading a lot. At present count I've read 139 books in 2012.

Remember how I wasn't as excited by Drive as everyone else? (check out the review if you've forgotten) I read the original novel by James Sallis (review here) and discovered that the movie was much better than I gave it credit for.

Amongst my favourite books of the year so far has been Savages by Don Winslow, a fantastic novel with an opening chapter that consists of the following:

Fuck you.

You may have noticed that Oliver Stone has adapted it in to a movie due for release this September. I'm unsure as to whether he will do the book justice but I'm still excited to see it.

And for all those noir afficionados out there, the discovery of Megan Abbott writing fabulous pulpy goodness in the style of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson and James M. Cain is something that you should be very excited by. Even if it's just for the artwork:

We took a trip across the country from Perth to Sydney relatively recently, all in the name of seeing a band. Nobody ever comes to Perth. It's a very isolated city, no matter how much money there is from the mining boom. That band was Taking Back Sunday, performing in Australia with their oriiginal lineup for the very first time. For a couple of former emo kids like me and Leah this was something we couldn't resist, especially as their new album was a fantastic return to form.

The gig wasn't amazing as the lead singer can't actually sing but we had a great time anyway and we even walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge at night to get to the show. Highlight of the evening, despite my extreme fear of heights!

Just to round out the blog with more interactive elements here why don't you enjoy this music video from the band we spent four hours on a plane travelling to see:

 

We've also been putting the finishing touches to our trip around Europe for this coming September. But I think I'll save that for my next post "So Toby, Now That You're Back On BBBG What's Happening?"

Good post title no?

Now for making dinner. I highly recommend visiting The Post Punk Kitchen for all your dinner ideas.

Blogger Returns! Makes Claims of Feeling Reinvigorated!

To all those who are still subscribed to this blog on your readers, to all those who still occasionally stop by in the hope of new content I bring great news - blahblahblahgay is back! But has changed a little. Not just in my movie fried mind but in terms of content.

I've spent some time reading rather than watching, writing reviews of books instead of movies and recently came to the conclusion that my blog really should be my blog rather than an attempt to keep up with the insatiable demands of a baying public intent on reading yet another review for Transformers 8.

As such the about me page and the taste guide page have been updated to reflect the following:

I'm planning on posting some book reviews here but not all of them.

I'm planning on discussing music and perhaps even posting some of my famous mixtapes for you.

I shall review movies and make lists but I will keep no schedule.

I'll be honest, I haven't looked at another persons blog in quite a while and I may not get back on my rounds.

I'm even thinking that I shall post anecdotes from my forthcoming trip around europe, foodie adventures and discussions on the state of the world. Grandiose I know.

I may even post some stories here as and when I feel comfortable.

I'm sure some of you will drift away or not care for my non-film content and I appreciate that. But perhaps you'll come for the movies and stay for the pie?

I believe Chip of Tips From Chip fame has a similar model,  only this will involve less strenuous physical activity, no blahblahblah hiking for me.

I invite you to add me as a friend on Goodreads, the social networking site for book geeks. My profile can be found here.  Aside from the social networking aspect, Goodreads allows you to rate and catalogue every book you have ever read before providing recommendations based on your tastes and is constantly updated as you read more books. I find the place to be a useful tool for keeping track of the books I've read, how much I enjoyed them and why. Discovering new books to read is fantastic and was a major tool in my armoury as a bookseller. Currently you will also find Alex from Film Forager as a member.

I shall also invite you to add me as a friend on Last.fm, the social networking site for people who are obsessive about keeping track of what music they listen to, discovering new music and listening to free radio stations catered to your specific musical tastes. My profile can be found here.

Why Do We Love Film? An Open Letter To The Scene?

It's been over 3 months since I took a little holiday from the blog and for at least half of that time I've been meaning to write something but obviously I haven't. Is anyone still out there?

The major concern for any possible blog post during this period has been my lack of affection for the medium as a form of entertainment. Looking back to October you'll see how my weekly viewing habits slowly turned in to a struggle. And nothing has changed.

To be honest with you it has gotten to the stage where I can hardly bring myself to insert the DVD in to the player let alone keep watching until the credits roll. You could probably count the number of films I've watched in the past three months on two hands. And that state of affairs does not make for interesting blogging. Both in writing and reading.

I've been analysing the situation, believe me, I like to analyse things so it came natural to me. The major question I've been asking myself is this, 'why do I love cinema?' or perhaps more 'what is it about film that made me want to watch it in the first place?' the answer? I still don't have it.

I feel like saying something along the lines of "the way cinema manages to offer insights in to the human condition, the medium transcends from entertainment and in to something altogether more pure," which is the kind of thing I would say. But then some of us might look at a Michael Bay movie and wonder what the hell I was talking about.

Beauty. Beauty is what it seems to come down to. Whether it be emotional or psychological or visual. Sometimes that guy in American Beauty is so right about cinema, there's so much beauty that I just can't take it but mostly I feel like my standards have become too high and I just can't seem to find any beauty in film.

I can't bring myself to put the disc in the player because I know there's a very good chance that I'm going to watch something mediocre or overrated. And whilst Bonjour Tristesse seems to have a never ending supply of amazing artistic films to watch there's only so much room in my life for 3 to 4 hour examples of cinemas true majesty. Let alone writing about it afterwards.

Perhaps the disappointment I felt in seeing Drive the first (and still only) time was that point where my heart just wasn't in it anymore. The point of realisation, that thinking and reading and writing about cinema constantly was driving me to over think every movie I ever watch.

It's not your fault fellow bloggers, your content was always fascinating to me, your quality spurred me on to read even more of your great articles which in turn drove me to day time movie watching of more and more films and then the writing about them. It's my fault, obviously.

Among you I had my favourites. It's only natural. My friend Scott who I, quite horribly, left in the lurch over at Front Room Cinema with my aborted attempt to write for two blogs simultaneously seems to be going from strength to strength. His enthusiasm should be enough for 20 bloggers, I wish it would rub off on me a little. Alex at Film Forager was my initial inspiration to pick up my game and take this blogging business seriously, she always has great content that I looked forward to reading. Aside from those two and the previously mentioned super blogger at Bonjour Tristesse I should mention my fellow Antipodean, Tyler at Southern Vision, as a source of great film blogging joy.

I've not visited a film blog for over three months but I've missed those guys the most.

So what have I been doing? Aside from the usual suspects of work and (attempted) sleep I've been reading novels. Lots of them. Some good, some bad. I even started writing one myself instead of the same script I've supposedly been writing for 4 years now. So I guess you could say it's a positive change.

Which brings me to the main point of writing this post. An indefinite hiatus I suppose you'd call it if I was a band. I am admitting to myself that I will not be back writing here any time soon unless I find that magic spark once more, that aspect of film which makes me fall back in love with what I've been doing on this blog, what we've all been doing with our blogs.

If anyone is reading I'd like to thank you for being a comrade in arms, for your support and for returning when your reader said there was a rare post here at blahblahblahgay. And I'd like to ask you all to think about the titular question. What is it that you love? Share a link to a post in the blahs or just leave a long incoherent ramble in the blahs. Maybe it will be you that gets me back on the horse. Until we meet again, cheerio cobber.