St Kilda, Borat, Superman and Me
I'm a Brunswick St girl.
Now, I know that's not something I should be shouting from the rooftops. I'm not always into labeling myself in those sorts of "I only get coffee from these four places:..." or "I'm only into jazz fusion" ways. I'm pretty flexible and, I'd like to think, openminded about my practices. I like Justin Timberlake. I think Reese Witherspoon rocks (although she does look bitchy). But I'm going to have to make a categorical judgment based on very limited but potent experience:
I don't like St Kilda, I don't go there much and never plan to.
Its like Chapel St parading as Brunswick St. Its like Napoleon Dynamite. Produced by MTV but playing to the Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze audience: enjoyable at first glance, and funny and inventive even. Then you look around you at the cinema and you see the people who would normally be watching an Adam Sandler comedy going "this is really different! Cool!" and you think, well, no actually it's not that different at all: it's Rushmore meets Freaks and Geeks. Now I know that's all very snobby and elitist and wanker of me: "haha, these plebs who watch Adam Sandler, little do they know of Freaks and Geeks", and its the whole "things that are cool and underground loose their cool when they become mainstream blah blah blah" but seriously, St Kilda sux. Napoleon Dynamite has some funny one-liners, but to call it original and worth effort - not for me.
I was at this bar called Robarto on Wed night to see a friend play with his jazz combo. I was given the eye by this guy in a suit who looked about 35-40 while watching my friend, brother and Trumpet jam. I felt like such a boring groupie. There were heaps of young girls dressed either like the girls on Big Brother or like they were from 1995. Serena from Neighbors was there. I GOT I.D.ed!!! It was just like The Secret Life of Us. I never liked The Secret Life of Us because I didn't like the world. The friends were this weird mix of people who you knew would never really get along, all living this weird St Kilda lifestyle. With angst. Its too pricey to pass as Carlton/Fitzroy/Northcote/Brunswick student/bum area but it tries to create this air of edginess to give it some sort of cool. It did seem like the actor's town. You can tell why Dave Hughes lives there: its where non-cool people go to get cool.
Now, I know Brunnie isn't what it used to be. It's "sold-out" a bit. Boy, I'm sounding so emo. But its still scummy enough to feel a bit scared at night unless you're with a boy, and there are still a few freaks around there, and that's cooler than a few hookers will ever bring you, St Kilda.
Meanwhile, the trailer for Sascha Baron Cohen's (aka Ali G, aka Isla "I'm a writer too" Fisher's fee-an-say) Borat movie has been released here at Yahoo. Yeah, I'll see that.
Harry_Knowles over at AICN has published his review/rant of Superman Returns. Always a good read, old Harry. The movie looks pretty solid, but I haven't been impressed with trailers or marketing so much.
I'm starting to write my first draft of my thesis now, I'm feeling good. Not confident, per say, but good about finally starting.
The Footscray Yarraville City Band was on ABC774 Wednesday night. I'm in it. Listen to our performance and vote for us here. Sorry about sound quality. That's my bro playing "the rather big drum" and Trumpet playing the Queen of the Night solo on Soprano Cornet. What stars the boys are.
* I should apologise to anyone from St Kilda. I did have a good time (due to my company, mostly) and it was not meant as an attack on any individual. I'm sure you're all very nice. I'm more complaining about the Fitzroy St vibe as a whole. Feel free to bag Brunswick Street or my lack of coolness (i'm pretty use to it) if it'll make you feel better.
The Classic Pose
