I am exactly a fan of the romantic movie genre, often citing its lack of explosions as a reason. More accurately stated, the romantic comedy and drama in general lack an element that allows me to overlook faults in plot or character exposition, or overall execution. This is because I am unwilling to let myself […]
I am not sure how this album will go over for somebody who does not understand the lyrics, as to me much of the appeal of Licht’s music rests in the relationship between the clash of childish naivete and intellectualism in his words and the innocent music he chooses to sing them to. I am […]
Die Motorhaube senkt sich dem Belag zu, der Wagen bremst und wird also, wie vorgeschrieben, am Stoppschild für einen Moment zur Ruhe kommen. Ich selbst rolle ungebremst weiter, aber schliesslich bedeuted es für mich auch eine Anstrengung, das Rad zum Stehen zu bringen und anschliessend wieder ins Rollen. Die Ausnutzung der kleinen Pause zwischen dem […]
For years I had suspected that the historic truth is being stretched and bended, possibly even mutilated, in order to make Dresden into the innocent symbol of allied war atrocities dominating the German discourse of the bombings. Now, having read Schubert’s book on the subject, I am better equipped to dispel the myths, and predictably […]
I came across this book on one of the shelving carts in the main UC Berkeley library while searching for a completely different one that had gone missing (and sadly hasn’t been located since). Its author, briefness and subject matter immediately commanded my attention, and after having read it, I’m happy I stumbled upon it. […]
Better than its modern incarnation, this thriller might not capture Highsmith’s story completely, but it works fairly nicely as a movie standing on its own. The moral ending is disappointing in principle, but also because it’s unconvincing, it being such a stupid oversight for Ripley not to have gotten rid of the anchor, and it […]
I have seen Frears version of de Laclos’ awesome book multiple times, and wasn’t surprised that a movie from the 1950s fails to stand up to Malkovich, Close and Pfeiffer. I was surprised, however, to see the plot transplanted to the present, and Valmont and Merteuil made into a married couple, odd decisions both, and […]
The puzzle, it seems to me, is not how to find out about the multiple ways the current setup of commerce and power is defective, producing forces that can not help but be evil. Rather, it’s how to turn this realization into smething that has practical consequences, and not being forced into quiet resignation, because […]
With the Cryptonomicon in mind, I expected a story similarly overfraught with meandering detail, but found myself pleasantly surprised. A well worked out future world, centered on changes in politics brought about by the development of nanotechnology, provides a nonintrusive background for a neo-victorian play on education and the value of the individuum that is […]
Es ist unerträglich heiss im Zelt und im Kopf. In der ersten Nacht hatten wir darum das Überzelt nicht aufgezogen; ein kurzer tropischer Schauer in den frühen Morgenstunden sah uns durch den Sand unter palmenförmigen Schatten taumeln und mit Zeltstoff wedeln. Zwar sah es am zweiten Abend nicht so sehr nach Regen aus wie am […]