Aref-Adib

Volver Look-alikes

Pen?lope Cruz & Sophia Loren

I went to see the latest Pedro Almod?var film Volver starring Penelope Cruz and Carmen Maura. It's a great film full of vibrant colours and a subversive plot. In Volver, Almod?var returns to exploring the lives of Spanish women - which characterized his early films - and to his quirky sense of humour. Apparently for Volver, Almod?var asked Cruz to wear a "false bum" so she would appear more curvy like Sophia Loren.

Chicken with Plums

I have just read Marjane Satrapi's fourth Graphic Novel Chicken with Plums. In this book she tells the story of her great-uncle, Nasser Ali Khan, a musician overtaken by a sense of futility and emptiness over the loss of his tar. Though Nasser Ali Khan tries very hard, he cannot find another tar to replace his broken one. In despair, he takes to his bed, renouncing the world and all its pleasures. Over the course of eight days that follows, his family and close friends attempt to change his mind, but Nasser Ali Khan slips further and further into his own reveries, with unexpected appearance by Sophia Loren. Despite the minimalism of its approach, Chicken with Plums still packs quite a punch.

One thing though, Satrapi's drawing of Sophia Loren's bosoms looks more like two fish to me!

>> Snapshots from Marjane Satrapi's new illustrated book

Sheriffs

Iranian and American Sheriffs!

DVD Look-alikes

I went to rent a DVD from the local library. I couldn't choose from these three!

The Flying Steamroller

The Flying Steamroller by the Artist Chris Burden is a twelve ton steamroller that is attached to a pivoting arm with a counterbalance weight. The steamroller is driven in a circle until its maximum speed is reached. At the same time, a hydraulic piston is activated and pushes up the beam from which the steamroller is suspended, causing the steamroller to lift off the ground. Because of the combined weight of the steamroller and the counterbalance, which is approximately 48 tons, the steamroller, once lifted off the ground, continues to spin, or "fly" for several minutes. As the steamroller nears the end of its circular motion, or when the spinning momentum is exhausted, the hydraulic piston is slowly retracted and the steamroller gently lands. I filmed this last Sunday outside Tate Britain.

History matters

Tomorrow UK computer users are being invited to upload their diaries and thoughts to www.historymatters.org.uk.

The campaign, backed by the National Trust and English Heritage, wants as many people as possible to record a 'blog' diary which will be stored by the British Library as a historical record of everyday life.

>> Update: my entry is here

Maxzilla

Max doing a Godzilla impression at Trafalgar Square!

3 Big Heads

Three big heads in London!

Nuke Bang-ill

The new Coat of Arms of North Korea!

The "Dear Leader", Kim Jong-il (read Nuke Bang-ill) went ahead and conducted its first ever nuclear test this morning.

>> BBC: North Korea claims nuclear test
>> The Guardian: Nuclear test sparks international condemnation