From the iPhone
It’s replaced “I’ll wiki it” as my favorite computer phrase (“Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again” notwithstanding, natch):
“There’s got to be an app for it, and if there’s not, there ought to be.”
Sometimes
I want to stay up all night, to see if I can still do it. Then I remember the hell I’ll pay in the morning, since I’ll still get up before the sun rises.
Next stop? Pajama central.
Last week’s Telstar film fest
- Freedomland
No. Not even Julianne Moore could save this picture. In fact, I didn’t like her one bit, which is rare.
- Snow Angels
This was an odd little movie, one I probably could have lived without seeing, though I enjoyed it. But Kate Beckinsale was in it. And all was right in my world.
- Laura
There’s no need for me to give a quick one-liner about this film, since I’ve already declared joining the cult of Gene Tierney. Put another way, I’ve gone off the deep end for her.
Tagged: freedomland, gene tierney, laura, snow angels
Excerpt
I rapped twice on the door frame, noticing with morbid interest my hand was shaking and realizing I really disliked the engagement ring I’d worn for only a week. When there was no response, I peeked in, praying the office would be empty one nanosecond and the next, hoping I’d see the Brigadier behind his desk. When I didn’t see anyone, I breathed a deep sigh of relief and stared into the empty room. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear the footsteps reverberating down the hallway. “Miss Shaw, may I help you with something?” a man’s voice asked, his tone sharp. I must have jumped half a foot
I turned, heart pounding. “B-Brigadier,” I stammered, feeling very foolish. Whether the feeling was brought on by being startled or by my stuttering or by something else, I wasn’t sure. My cheeks flushed as I noticed the playful smirk on the man’s face.
“Well, Miss Shaw, how can I help you?” The Brigadier’s smirk turned into a genuine smile, almost instantly replaced by puzzlement. “I thought you were meant to have a short holiday in Cornwall?”
I shook my head. “May we speak in your office, Brigadier?” I asked; he held out his hand, ushering me into the wood-paneled room. I sat down in the very chair he’d indicated I should take as he’d interviewed me nine months earlier when I’d been brought to UNIT HQ to be their science advisor. That appointment didn’t pan out as planned, but it had afforded me the most amazing experiences of my life up to that point. The Brigadier rounded the desk and sat down, watching me keenly. “Brigadier,” I began to say as I played with the hem of my skirt nervously. “I am…I am….” Again I flushed, redder this time than before, if the heat I felt on my cheeks and ears and neck were any measure. The Brigadier cleared his throat softly and my head jerked up so I was staring right into his face.
What I saw in his eyes startled me almost as much as hearing his voice just a few minutes earlier and I looked away, sensing what I’d seen to be a reflection of what he’d seen in mine as I’d stammered and flushed when he’d found me at his office door. “I’m a very busy man, Miss Shaw,” said the Brigadier. “Is there something you need?” I looked back up, his tone of voice surprising me. Whatever I’d seen in his eyes seconds earlier was gone, replaced by the steely gaze I’d grown inured to.
I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “I’ve made arrangements to return to Cambridge,” I announced, my voice strong. “You don’t need me, Brigadier,” I continued, voice growing slightly less strong. “You don’t need me and he certainly doesn’t need me. What you both need is some sweet girl to defer to you without argument and to pass him his test tubes and tell him how brilliant he is and remind you what a good idea it was to hire him as your scientific advisor.” My words came out of my mouth in a rush and when I was through, I fell back against the chair breathlessly.
Tagged: doctor who
Turtles at my desk!
- Turtles at my desk, dude!
And a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge thout-out to Weth for the little thelled guyth!
Please pay no mind to the unfortunate placement of Leonardo’s foot behind Raph.
Tagged: tmnt
Miss Gene Tierney
Needless to say, last night’s Telstar cinema was a hit and I have joined the cult of Gene Tierney. One of the extras on the DVD is an A&E Biography of the actress, which I’ll finish tonight.
And the Heartbreak Blue Eyes? I dunno – the blue seemed more blue and less gray when I created it last night.
Tagged: color, gene tierney, palette, pattern
And now for something unexpected…
After last week’s conversations (and unprecedented nineteen comments) about film noir and what makes a film so (or doesn’t), I’ve decided to give the genre another go, properly this time and with a better understanding of what noir is or isn’t. I’m slowly getting over my hard-wired belief that one Miss Barbara Stanwyck must be present to make a movie noir. Considering I’ve never had a soft spot for her and that may have unfortunately contributed to my (finger quote) dislike in general, this is quite a step for me.
Case in point: Laura. No Stanwyck sightings expected, but Gene Tierney is expected to be seen (and probably crushed on, at least a little bit). And a bonus: I have never seen this movie before, nor have I ever seen any of Tierney’s films. Actually, would that make it a double bonus?
- Miss Gene Tierney!
If you’re interested, Doctor Macro has a page of film noir movie posters; I wanted to at least link back to the site, since I’ve nicked so much from it over the years. Also, check out In the Mood for Images. I’m forcing myself away from it for now, because I could seriously become lost there for hours.
Tagged: barbara stanwyck, film noir, gene tierney, laura, noir
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