The New Idiot Box

Mm, well today was a glorious day, it was warm, the sun was shining and my classes were actually engaging! Furthermore, I got to Uni early as well - if you know me well, you'll know I have a problem with punctuality. I even had time to kill and I spent it sitting on one of the tables outside U-Bar (I hear it's named something more catchy now) reading a brochure on what's on at the International Arts Festival. It gave me some interesting reading actually, I brought it with me to my first lecture (Cost Management at 1pm - yea I start late, I am a bum) and found some unique concepts like "Eavesdrop" which 'pushes the limits of cinematic and theatrical imagination' and is described as 'Part game, part real-time filmmaking, part spectator sport, part magical realism.' From what I gathered, it was similar to being able to change the movie the way you want to. The one that most caught my attention was "uBung," a Belgian theatre production where 6 children onstage are asked to watch a black and white film without sound of 6 adults interacting at a dinner party. As the dinner party wears on, tensions grow and petty arguments and hidden desires emerge. After this, the children are dressed up as each of the 6 adults and are made to act out the entire film, but with their own dialogue. Makes for some really interesting results ey? Pity this production ended 17th October. The whole festival actually ends this Saturday.

Other goings on in my world, I've been introduced to a bit-torrent site and it has been the primary reason for me not doing much homework these last couple of days! I managed to find all the episodes of "Joey" which is the spin-off of "Friends". Not to be mistaken for an avid Friends viewer, I'm just interested to see how the spin-off works. The idea isn't too bad actually, Joey moves away from New York and goes to LA to find acting work. The main characters are his sister, his 20 year old rocket-scientist nephew, whom he lives with, and the cute girl next door, whom Joey takes a fancy to but too bad for him she's also married.

I also came across "Laguna Beach - The Real Orange County" which is a reality TV show by MTV, most likely cashing in on "The OC" phenomenon. There have been four episodes so far, and it seems that it's not far off from "The OC", without the unrealistic happenings though - no houses being burnt down and no one has OD'd...yet. It follows 8 young, beautiful and rich kids, mostly in junior and senior high school (Year 11 and Year 12 equivalent), and their lives, from social parties to massive bitching about each other. It's quite bad actually, the overall vibe between some of them, it's the typical story where two girls like this one guy and they hate each other, someone has an 18th birthday and doesn't invite certain "friends"...it goes on. The thing I find most perplexing however, is if this is really "reality TV", the cinematography of the show is just way too good. I mean, how they get all the perfect shots and right angles, good timing too, whilst the teens are totally relaxed, almost oblivious of the camera, it seems a bit fake. The thing that quashes this theory though, is the way they talk to each other and interact, is believably boring at times, which I have no doubt in my mind that scriptwriters would not factor in. There are elements of realism at times and therefore, I guess I must just resign to the fact that the 8 "stars" of the show really don't give a f**k about how they're perceived on television, which is refreshing. One girl Kristin, I'm quite sure she's not getting any fanmail from any females out there, unless they're just as bitchy as she is.

So there you have it! Of late, I've been drawing blanks on the blogs, I don't know why, I seem to be ok on asiagroove! But em, yes I think my game's back...hmm anyway, enough of that, "till next time folks, take care of yourself and each other, I'm Greg Wong, goodnight." *applause*

...I wish