Our Picks (aka your personal procrastination guide)
Every week one of the Insomniac writers takes his or her pick of books, movies, songs, videos… whatever they fancy really. It’s kind of like your personal procrastination guide! This week Claire Henderson has wracked her brain to come up with some suggestions.
Book – Grimm’s Fairy Tales This collection of traditional fairy stories is the perfect light reading to dip in and out of for a break between mid-terms and essays.In 1812 the Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilheim Grimm) collected and published a collection of traditional children’s stories. These are the basis for many modern classics such as ‘Snow-white and the seven dwarves’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Rapunzel’. However, you might not recognize the tales as the Disney version! In fact most of these stories are probably not suitable for children. They are dark tales, often with extremely creepy overtones or extreme violence (getting put in a barrel of nails and rolled down a hill until dead is a common punishment). Despite this (and a little because of it), they are a really fun read. They will take you back to your childhood and the first time you heard these stories, and they’ll give you a few good surprises at the same time. The style is beautifully blunt, a nice change from more modern writing (and academic essays!) |
Song – Someone Like You, AdeleWith Adele’s hauntingly beautiful voice, this bittersweet ballad takes your breath away. Written by Adele and Dan Wilson for her album 21, ‘Someone Like You’ was inspired by a relationship of Adele’s which failed. The lyrics follow the trials of coming to terms with the ex-partner’s moving on. With only a simple piano  accompaniment, the purity of Adele’s voice is given the prime spot to truly shine.A powerful, emotive and beautiful song which touches the listener with the complexity and pain of moving on.“Never mind, I’ll find someone like you.I wish nothing but the best for you. Don’t forget me, I beg, I remember you said Sometimes it lasts in love, And sometimes it hurts instead.” |
Music Video – Last Friday Night, Katy Perry (2011)You know that night, you kinda remember it, kinda don’t, you wish you did… but it was definitely AWESOME! Well, you probably only wish it had actually been as awesome as this night. The music video to Katy Perry’s song ‘Last Friday Night’ tells the story of nerdy Kathy Beth Terry who gets dragged into her next door neighbor’s wild party (Rebecca Black). With a little encouragement she gets  transformed from geek to party princess and joins in the madness. It’s a quirky, fun little movie full of brilliant moments which capture the weirdness of a teenage house party, including the necessary drunken dance-off, hot jerk and nerd-love.Great fun to watch, especially if you play the game of spot the celebrities joining in the party. Notable cameos include Rebecca Black, Darren Criss (Blaine from Glee), Kevin McHale (Artie in Glee), Hanson, Kenny G, Debbie Gibson and Corey Feldman!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlyXNRrsk4A&ob=av2e |
TV Show – Sherlock (2010) Maybe this is just a British thing, but if so, then it needs to be brought to Singapore! The BBC’s modern day adaptation of the classic British book “The adventures of  Sherlock Holmes” (Arthur Conan Doyle) finds a young (and strangely attractive) Sherlock Holmes solving unsolvable crimes in modern day London using his incredible powers of deduction.Holmes, who is played by Benedict Cumberbatch (what a suitable name for an eccentric Englishman) is a troubled genius, lacking in most social skills but with an uncanny ability to read people. He is aided (and kept in line by) Afghan war veteran Dr. Watson (Martin Freeman) who is a much younger and more influential character than in the original books.In the first episode of the second season, a cocky Sherlock comes up against a formidable rival in the insatiable Woman Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) who has ‘compromising’ pictures of a royal nature. The plot fast tracks into more dark avenues with terrorism and the CIA getting involved. Throughout, it is the electric and sharp tongued relationship between Sherlock and Adler that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Witty and exciting, this show’s two seasons have taken audiences by storm. To quote Miss Adler, ‘clever is definitely the new sexy’. |
Movie – LimitlessIn this psychological thriller, the (may I say) rather dashing Bradley Cooper stars as a down and out writer, dumped by his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) who in desperation tries a friend’s new miracle drug, NZT. We are told that this (fictional)  drug enables the parts of your brain which are normally dormant. Indeed Cooper is suddenly a certifiable genius, cleaning up his appearance (becoming even more yummy), writing his book overnight and taking the stock market by storm. (Wonder if I could get some for exam time?)Now you may be wondering where the thriller bit comes into this, but just think how valuable that sort of drug would be, who might want it, and what they might be willing to do to get it… and of course it has some nasty side effects. Lots of action and the sort of plot that leaves you still figuring out what exactly happened for days afterwards.A fabulous film, with excellent cinematography that makes it a joy to watch, and a plot that really makes you think! But don’t worry – it’s not actually that scary, unless the idea of a super genius freaks you out. Come to think of it, maybe it should. |
FASS Insomniac 