"Crash" by Paul Haggis (2004)

A single event in somebody's life can have repercussions in many others. That is the point of departure of this post-modern holistic view of human interrelations in a modern multicultural multiracial Los Angeles.

Crash is a choral film in which each character's mini-story links to the others in an organic way. This is not a film with good and bad people despite the initial appearances. As the film progresses, we see that all the characters are deeply human, and they are depicted in both their splendour and misery - sometimes they are disgusting, reproachable, racist, angry and violent; other times they are heroic, tender, kind and good. The characters are not good or bad, are good and bad depending on the circumstances. As any human being in any country in the world. Humans are never a behavioural block of concrete, and there is more to any person than it catches the eye, as the eye is always biased. The movie also succeeds at offering a raw unadorned honest and empathetic image of American society and its social and multicultural issues wounds, and most importantly, of the depths and multifaceted nature of the human spirit.

Paul Haggis does a great job at creating unity and giving harmonic pace and sense to the emotional physical and cultural chaos in which most characters live. The story has action and introspection, and the main characters are wonderfully drawn and played by all actors. All the cast members are great in their roles, but Matt Dillon (as officer Ryan) really stands out in his performance.  

The film makes you think, but it is entertaining and approachable, sweet and harsh. A great film, with surprising twists. 

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Perth Revelation International Film Festival (Perth WA)

Revelation Perth International Film Festival
Astor Cinema
659 Beaufort St
Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 9238 1358
Website
Facebook 

The Revelation Film Festival takes places in Perth WA mid July every year since 1997. This is one of those events that happen in Perth that is really world class. One of those events that you should not miss if you like movies, for several reasons:
- The event is hosted by the Astor Cinema, a beautiful old-style cinema that is perfect for this sort of events.
- You will watch International independent and limited-release movies. The kind of movies that are difficult to see in mainstream movie theatres in general, and that we would rarely get to see in Perth otherwise.
- The festival does show movies, documentaries, short films, and multimedia shows with live music, and has academic and non academic discussion panels on different subjects. There is always a well-known independent cult movie star or director to whom the festival pays tribute (Crispin Clover was here last year), and around whom some special events are organised. There are so many cool things going on that, even if you wanted to attend everything, you wouldn't be able to do so.  
- Prices for individual movies are the standard in Perth, except for opening and closing nights, and the special events. However, these are not your average movies or shows, so the money you pay is worth it.  
- You will see and/or interact with Perth cultural elite, and with some of the national and international stars attending the festival.

Although I have attended the Revelation other years to watch individual movies, it just in 2012 when I took the plunge and devoted a good deal of my time and money to immerse myself in the Revelation. Some of the most fascinating films I watched last year were the ones I watched at the Revelation, and this is a lot to say.

Some of the screenings were really intimate, as they took place in the small theatre rooms; they were very especial because of their experimental nature, and/or because some of the film stars/directors were there to discuss the film with the public. That was the case of Mongolian Blink, Vigilante Vigilante, or Jeff Keen Retrospective, the latter with the presence of Keen's daughter after the recent death of Keen. Other screenings were a hit with the public and were massively attended, like the Georges Melies Project with a group of American Jazz musicians playing live. 

The organisation was great and everybody working at the event was terrific, friendly and cool: security people, volunteers at the doors, tickets sellers, bartenders - everybody. The movies started, almost martially, at the time they were scheduled.

OTHER GOOD THINGS ABOUT REVELATION
- They always have an awesome poster! Seriously, this is truly important for a Film Festival.
- The organisation has  the Revelation on the Road, a program devoted to showing films and organising film workshops in isolated parts of the Western Australia (Albany, Esperance, Port Headland and Broome).
- The Revelation website is good looking, very well organised, and truly informative. The Revelation newsletter will keep you updated all the year around.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
- Although there are different sort of passes (Gold Pass for the whole thing, The Minipass for six films, and Connect4 for four films), I missed an intermediate pass for people who do not want to attend everything, but will be attending more than six shows. Moreover, there were not specific passes for students; "Revelators" be generous, don't you remember your days of poor student, when you were really... poor?  

-  It would be great having a courtesy of five-minute wait for any film. I know the program is fully packed, and punctuality it is a great virtue. However, being o'clock is not always good, because you get people arriving a bit "late" and having to find their way to a free seat in the darkness, stumbling across other people's feet and distracting those already seated.

The Perth Film Festival is the best cultural event I attended last year, and I attended quite a few. I cannot wait for Revelation 2013.

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The Watch Spot (Perth WA)

Shop 12, Plaza Arcade
Hay Street Mall
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9421 1093
Website
Hours:
  Mo-Thu 9.00-17.30
  Fri 9.00-21.00
  Sat 10.00-17.00
  Sun 12.00-17.00

Watch Spot is an hybrid watch shop selling watches, alarm watches, wall clocks and stop watches, and offering repairs and replacements service. They are located in the Plaza Arcade, next to Infusions Café.

Regarding repairs and replacements, they offer similar services and prices to other shops around. However, I like them best because of the following reasons:

1/ The staff's sincere friendliness and great service.
2/ The lack of BS when dealing with you. Sort of, we cannot provide you with a band for your designer watch unless it is official. What what what! Yes, it has been told to me at my face. Almost fainted. However, they do not do that at Watch Spot.
3/ They have a larger, fancier and more colourful range of watch bands and straps than in other places. Coloured good quality French ones! Not just the usual boring black, white and brown.
4/ They have a great selection of watches of low, mid and mid-high range at good prices, including brands like Casio, Citizen, Seiko, Lorus, Emporio Armani, Calvin Klein, and Timex among others.
5/ The shop, despite its small size, is tidy, clean, polished, well illuminated, and good looking.

They open every day.

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"Mr. Nobody" by Jaco Van Darmael (2009)

** Warning - This review may contain spoilers. I recommend watching the movie and then coming here, especially if the ending intrigues you, and it will **


Mr Nobody is the story of Nemo, whose possible two life lines and three love stories are alternatively presented.


The movie is well shot and the cast members convincing, especially Jared Leto (as adult Nemo), who is always perfect in this sort of odd films and roles. Also excellent are Toby Regbo (15y.o. Nemo), Juno Temple (15y.o. Anna) and Sarah Polley (depressive adult Elise). Diana Kruger (as adult Anna), Rhys Ifans (Nemo's father, Natasha Little (Nemo's mother), among many others, are OK in their respective roles.

The visual effects are wonderfully understated, very well blended with and at the service of the story. The theatrical movie sets, the rich colours, the different hues attached to each different life path, the wardrobe, and the lovely music -which mixes some old classic tunes with pieces specifically composed for the movie- create an ensemble that is very easy on the eye.

However, Mr Nobody is a great movie mostly because of its subtle but profound  reflection on Human Nature, Human behaviour, Free Will and the meaning of life. The movie reflects on questions like - what makes us what we are? Why we act the way we do? Is free choice a key element to happiness? How does other people's choices affect our choices? The philosophical, psychological, and metaphysical questions posed are sometimes explicitly mentioned, while others are hinted and expressed through the story as a whole, each different life line story in particular, and through Nemo and the other characters' behaviour. Among others, some of the concepts presented here are:
 1. Butterfly effect. 
2. Principle of Entropy.
3. Schrodinger's Cat Paradox
4. String Theory
5. The Pigeon's Superstition experiment
6. The Nature of the true self.
7. Free will and fate.
8. The linearity of (or multidimensional nature of) Time.
9. Quantum Physics and parallel universes.

Do not worry if some of these things sound alien to you. They were also alien to me. However, they were intriguing enough for me to get more information, and try to understand what I have seen better. In fact, they are a reason to watch the movie again. However, you can watch it without even bothering, and you will find that the movie still speaks to you. 

Jaco Van Darmael himself commented on the script and on his initial intentions in an interview. However, the story  has taken a life of his own, way beyond the initial intention of the director. 

***

THE ENDING OF THE MOVIE - MY INTERPRETATION
The film ends in a way that is open to interpretation. Movie forums are full of comments on the ending, and on Nemo's different lives, actions and reactions. To, me, however, they miss a few important things that are pivotal to understand the way the movie ends. Or, at least, the way I understand it:
1/ The Lyrics of the song Mr Sandman, which is repeatedly played thorough the whole movie, especially the main verses. Are we watching something real or is it just a dream? A lucid dream?
2/ The beginning of the film, with the different possible endings, which all end with Nemo dead, lost in a rhomboidal aseptic nightmarish dream-like world. The narrator is Nemo himself.
3/ The scene where Nemo tells how he was born, which goes from minutes 12.20 to 15 approximately. Here my transcription of what Nemo's off voice says:

"I can remember a long time ago, long before my birth, in the squeezing with those not yet born. When we aren't born yet, you know everything. Everything that's going to happen. When it's your time, the angels of the living put their finger on your mouth and leave a mark on the upper lip. It means that you've forgotten everything.

But the angels missed me.

[Nemo immerses himself in a white milk-like liquid, as he is ready to being born]

Then you have to find a daddy and mammy, and that's not easy to choose.

[Different couples speak about their wishes to have a baby, until Nemo's parents appear]

In the end, I chose them because the lady smells nice, and the man said 'Well, I can tell you how we met. It meant to be. Have you heard of the butterfly effect?' ".  

4/ The title of the movie is "Mr Nobody". Shouldn't this, per se, be an indication of something? Anything? Any bell ringing in your ears, yet?

Many of the interpretations about the meaning of the movie focus on the event that is photographed in the poster of the movie, but we need to remember that unborn Nemo chose his parents. Therefore, the moment of decisive choice is not the one in the poster, but the one of choosing his parents.

We are told, explicitly, that Nemo can see the future, any possibility in the future, every possible action and reaction in his life because the angels missed him. Therefore, all the couples that appear at the beginning are a possibility. Nemo chooses one. The more you think about it, the clearer you come to the conclusion that unborn Nemo is seeing his possible life IF he selected this couple as his parents, NOT after selecting them as his parents. Not convinced?

Now, we have the part of the movie in which we see centenary Nemo telling his life story/ies to a journalist. At a certain point, the world in which they are living starts to fade out and disintegrate, as it was a projection or a dream. And that is what it is. Something that is not real at all. All this world is white in colour, the same limbo and space of possibility in which Nemo immerses himself before being born. Old Nemo is not real, it is the way unborn Nemo sees himself if he chooses the parents shown at the beginning. If that wasn't true, how do you explain the fact that Nemo is the narrator of the three possible endings that we see at the beginning of the movie?  

***

There are other movies that reflect on the effect that personal choice and randomness, free will, determination, fate, and the butterfly effect have in our lives. Just to mention three, just remember Sliding Doors, Run Lola Run, and Cloud Atlas. However, they do not have the clarity and depth that Mr Nobody has. 

Mr Nobody is a very complex film, which, however, is very entertaining and easy on the eye. After all, it is a possible multiple love story. You can see it in many different ways and give it the interpretation you want. However, this is a film that needs of certain frame of mind to watch it, as this is not your usual fantasy or science-fiction movie.

Mr. Nobody is one of the most interesting and thought-provoking film I have watched in a long time. Perfect for Philosophy classes, and for oiling the creases of your brain in those days in which you feel them a bit rusty. Mr. Nobody is one of those movies that linger in the back seat of you mind for days, long after you have watched it. "No choice is still a choice" is one of the statements presented in the movie on which I have been pondering for days. Would knowing your fate help you to make a choice? Is one of those questions that did the same to me. The film is full of statements and questions that will keep you thinking, for good. 
 
A cult film already.

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Sayers Sister (Perth WA)

236 Lake St
Northbridge Western Australia 6000
(08) 9227 0429
Hours  
    Tue - Sun: 07:00 - 17:00
Website
Facebook

THE PLACE

A bit hidden in Lake St, a few metres away from Hyde Perth, in the outer skirts of Northbridge, Sayers Sister is a replica of the menu of the mother house, but delivered in a funkier and smaller setting.

The place has a beautiful rustic romantic vintage decoration. Everywhere you look, you see something beautiful and special: From the little flower arrangements to the chandeliers and brass lamps, from the cute mugs to the colourful water glasses, from the artistically designed sweets and lollies containers to the old-fashioned sugar bowls. Everything, even the toilets. The ambience music is great, too.

The place receives patrons of all ages and conditions. From tradies to business people and everybody in between, but it is especially popular with young people and professionals.

 

FOOD AND COFFEE

They have Mediterranean inspired dishes in simple but winning recipes. Their food is well prepared, portions are generous, flavours fantastic, and the plating beautiful. Their tagine, croquettes, and full breakfasts are yummy and man-sized! The Ploughman's board is also huge, and has a nice mice of flavours and textures. Everything I have tried is great.

Their sweets are great, too. The gluten free chocolate and strawberry mini-cakes are one of those things that you think about often after trying one. Their pineapple muffins are delicious.

Coffee is good, smooth and not strong. They use a mix of the house from Five Sense. They do mugs. I repeat, they do mugs!

SERVICE

All the waitresses have been delightful, smiley, polite and willing to serve every time I have visited. Service is laid back, but they do their best to accommodate and please patrons, especially at peak times.

 

PRICING

At Sayers Sister, you pay more or less as you would pay at any other café for your breakfast, lunch, coffee or cake. However, the food you get is way bigger, better, fresher, tastier and prettier. 

I always wonder why Sayers and Sayers Sister can be successful businesses without ripping us off, while other renowned cafés in Perth need to overcharge us and treat us as morons with the excuse of them using fresh seasonal produce. I think the answer relies on the fact that the Sayers do not want to make money out of hype and laziness, despite the fact that they use local fresh produce too. They respect their patrons, the same that cue at their doors every weekend.   

DOWNSIDES

- It is almost impossible to get a seat at Sayers Sister during the weekends, and cues are common at peak eating hours. Weekdays are way better, still, if you go at certain times, it will be difficult to find a table. 

- As a consequence, the place can be a bit hectic and crowded at times.
- The cashier counter is a bit high, or better said, the place from where the staff stands. That always puts customers in a position of "looked down", unless, of course, you are 6 feet tall. 
- At times, their poached eggs are a bit overdone, and the muffins left too much time in the microwave.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

- Let's face it. Most people do not want to seat at the communal counter. However, there are not enough individual or two-people tables on one of the sides of the café, and some of the four-people tables are used by two people. Therefore, patrons arriving are turned down, or do not stay, or the staff have to ask people to move around. They should replace the four-people tables with two-people ones, so they can be joined or separated on demand. I do not need to say that a few more tables outside would be welcomed.
- It would be great having a few extra more magazines available for patrons.
- It would be great if they had their Sayers Sister-only dishes and specialities.

***

The Sayers have done it again! Sayers Sister shares the brilliant menu with the mother café, but I feel they are a bit behind regarding excellence. However, their food is still great, their service is very good, and this a funkier, more modern and stylish café than the original one. 

Location: 7.5/10
Layout: 6.5/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 8.7/10
Sweets: 8.5/10
Coffee: 7.5/10
Pricing: 8/10

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Moana Coffee (Perth WA)

Shop 1F/ 618 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
Moana's Website
Facebook
Hours:
    Mon-Fri 7:00 - 15:00





Note: Yes, I have eaten at Moana and visited repeatedly...

Moana is the beautiful Samoan name for "deep sea", and also the name of a documentary of the 1920s. However, Moana Café takes its name from the Moana Chambers Building where it is located - An example of the glamour and charm of the 1920s' Perth that, despite all odds, is still alive and thriving. The space has recently been refurbished and reinvented by Architects Nic Brunsdon and Beth George, and turned into a triptych space: business offices, a newly built womb-like jarrah exhibition area, and the café. 

Moana Café encapsulates the spirit of a Colonial-European café of the 1920s but it has been revamped for the needs of a modern weekday café. Old architecture, cozy cute decoration details, nice simple fresh food, welcoming quiet space, and great service. This elegant café is in the heart of Hay St Mall, but, at least at present, it is like an oasis of peace. It has a relaxed atmosphere -in part due to the smallness of the place-, which allows you to have a meal, chat with your companion or just relax on your own while seeing the world pass by from the balcony.

The food offer is small at present. The chicken and vegetarian quesadillas are simply delicious (with or without sour cream), full of fresh ingredients - A perfect light lunch. Their three salads on offer are simple but very tasty, and you can have them on their own or as a side dish with any other thing. Their wraps are terrible. Sorry, my opinion. They have a lovely good-looking home-made selection of cookies and muffins.

Moana' s coffee is good. They use Bonissimo beans; hit! They have mugs; hit! And their coffee tastes great and is well prepared; hit! 

Service is terrific, and the young ladies behind the counter are very welcoming,  friendly, and eager to please.

The place is taking off by worth of mouth, and it is becoming quite popular despite the fact that it has just opened. Great news for such a lovely humble café.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

• I would like their list of hot dishes and sweets enlarged, with more cooked options available.
• I would like those terrible wraps replaced with others that have something tasty inside.
• They can easily add some more individual tables in the balcony and in the indoor area. 
• I know I should not be saying this, but the jarrah exhibition space would make a very trendy restaurant dining room, if it was incorporated into the café. There are gazillion better spaces for an exhibition area around the city, but this would be perfect to turn the café into a restaurant. My opinion. 

Location: 9/10
Ambience: 8/10
Layout: 7/10
Coffee: 7.5/10 
Food: 6.5/10 
Service: 9/10
Pricing: 7.5/10

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The Gallery of WA's Exhibitions Lighting

Every time I visit one of the paid exhibitions at the Art Gallery of WA, I leave wondering why the Art Gallery people seem oblivious to what I call fatal flaws in an exhibition.

We leave in an isolated part of the world, off the beaten track for most cultural events. Now that our State's economy is booming, there is a demand for Art. More precisely, a demand for conventional traditional classic Art. Masters of the Past. Historical Pieces. Pieces exhibited in big Museums overseas. The problem with some of the paid exhibitions is that, many times, the material we get is the one other galleries want to lend us, not what we would like to see, or what is excellent. Still, this is better than nothing, and a sort of luxury we have to pay for.

Now, we have the flashy exhibition and the masterpieces, and what does the Gallery to exhibit them? Let me think. Hanging the pieces from the wall. Having paid information earphones. Having security people around. Controlling the access to the paid area...  

How many times have you seen the image of a bulb (or two) reflected on a canvas in a way that affected your viewing of it no matter how much you moved around it? This was the case in the last two paid exhibitions I have visited: the Picasso to Warhol exhibition, and the Picturing New York.

Both of them had the same problem. Lighting was bad. What I call bad? 
1/The lighting is not specifically adapted to the pieces exhibited, but the general one of the room with directional lights that are mediocre and work well for large format exhibition or rooms with a better layout. Therefore, the lighting reflects on the masterpiece, and it does not allow you to appreciate the colours, shapes, textures or images on display from a frontal point of view. 
2/ The glass used in the frames is not mate but glossy glass, so it reflects the lights, and the framed piece becomes a mirror where you see yourself (and the rest of the room) reflected. See, as an example, the image that accompanies this entry. Hello, me! Most of the photos hanging from the wall had the same problem, although some of them were less affected than others.

This would not be a problem, if were talking about an independent money-lacking exhibition or institution. However, this is the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and these are paid exhibitions. Our ticket should serve to have the pieces better exhibited, no? However, adjusting lighting and glass panels would cost more money and would take more effort. How is possible that the curators of the Gallery and the original owners of the pieces do not care about this? Perhaps because everybody seems to be content with the poor display, no matter the quality of the piece exhibited. Nobody seems to be complaining in Perth, Art critics, newspapers or the general public. So no one is making an effort to change it. My guess.

If I pay for an exhibition, I expect it to be exhibited in a way that honours the artists and pieces on display. Otherwise, I leave, as I did last time, feeling that I should have paid for the Catalogue; at least there the the pieces are beautifully photographed and can be appreciated properly. This is a bit sad, really. Especially because some of the pieces hanging from the walls are fantastic.

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"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" by Terry Gilliam (2009)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is Gilliam's return to his old and most playful self with an extravagant modern Fausto-inspired, cirque-looking, fairytale full of magic.

The movie tells the story of a travelling "Magic show" troupe, led by old Dr Parnassus, who gambled his daughter Valentina with the Devil thousands of years ago, and what happens when a charming roguish Tony start romancing her, and the Devil wants to claim his prize.

The acting is very good, especially on the part of Christopher Plummer, who is truly terrific as Dr Parnassus, as well as Tom Waits as the Devil. This was Heath Ledger's last film, and he is good in his portray of the naughty, nervous and charming Tony. Also good is Andrew Garfield as the good-natured but jealous Anton, and Verne Troyer as the little bright Percy. Supermodel Lily Cole is just OK as the homey dreamer devoted daughter Valentina; not bad for for a first timer.

The parts of Tony behind the mirror, which had to be played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell after Hedger's death, are cleverly used and well performed. The two first actors really keep in tune with Ledger's performance, body language and even the inflexions of his voice. The story is extremely believable without Hedger as what happens inside the mirror is a fantasy and projection, not a reflection of reality.

The images, costumes, sets, colours, and dream-like images of the film are spectacular, full of creativity and artistry; they are an intrinsic part of the story, never an indulging showy element. Is the heart and soul of the movie what captivates the viewer, not the special effects. One feels immediately drawn by the magic mirror to a world of enthralling fantasy that the viewer would also like to experience.

I found the end of the movie a little bit rushed, and Dr Parnassus's past  underdeveloped, and, well, everything a bit predictable.
 

This is a very enjoyable entertaining film with a good story, amazing creativity and decent acting. I would say it is a chick flick, in many ways, but I have found many men liking the movie, so it is also a blokey flick for some type of blokes.

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Simone Pérèle Outlet (Harbor Town, Perth WA)

Harbour Town
840 Wellington Rd
West Perth Western Australia 6005
(08) 9481 2345
Facebook
Opening Hours
   Mo-Thu: 9-17.30
   Fri: 9-21
   Sat: 9-17
   Sun: 11-17

Simon Pérèle is the quintessence of femininity and class in the underwear world, perhaps because it is a brand created by a female corset maker, who knew what I woman wants and needs. Their lingerie is colourful, delicate, classy, sexy, with attention to the detail, and enhancing of your body assets. I do not know you, but I would like to wear Simon Pérèle every day if I could afford it. 

The Simone Pérèle Outlet at Harbour Town Perth has provided me with innumerable moments of "ohmygoshness" and delight in the last three years. Even with the discount, the pieces are pricey, but they are affordable enough to feed your inner "hottie" now and then. They have regular discounts on full-priced items and on discounted ones, too, so it is a matter of being lucky when you visit, or visiting often to find real bargains. The cheapest prices are always on the items at the entrance racks. You get 15% off full priced items when you spend +50 bucks, which is easy.

The shop always has a mix range of styles, colours and prices, from the boring shapewear and invisible items to the movie-star-like lingerie. As in any outlet shop, finding your size might be a problem, or finding the matching pants of the bra of your choice, too.

The shop has four theatrically curtained spacious fitting rooms, which I love, but the space between racks is a bit narrow and uncomfortable to browse.

The staff members have always been helpful and welcoming. They let you browse around if that is what you want, or will give you a personalised attention if you decide to try anything, and they are very good helping with finding your perfect fit bra.

The shop has a VIP system that will inform you of discounts, exclusive events, and will give you a voucher for your birthday.

Simone Pérèle Outlet is one of my must fashion stops at Harbour Town Perth, together with the Oroton and Alanah Hill outlets. They always make my day.

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"Caramel"‎ by Nadine Labaki (2007)

‎Caramel is a Lebanon-France co-production with a charming story of female love, friendship and ageing. The story focus on the love lives of a group of young and middle-age Beiruti women who are regulars at a hair & beauty salon.

The movie mixes romance, humour and sadness with simplicity, warmth, and heart under the fresh direction of young director Nadine Labaki, who also plays the leading character.

The movie shoes a multifaceted image of Beirut and its dwellers, a city that is complex, diverse and rich in culture. Far from the stereotypes about the Midle East that we find in Western movies, Labaki is a local who knows her city, and brings to the screen the rawness and charm of everyday Beirut and of its dwellers. The movie has an honest and respectful approach to the interaction between Christians and Muslims, and how different social groups and genders relate in Lebanon.

The movie was shot in warm caramel tones, which is the colour of the home-made sugar wax traditionally used in Lebanon for waxing.

The music is a warm and sentimental mix of French and Arabic songs. Truly fantastic, but also very melancholic.

All the actors are terrific in their performances: Yasmine Elmasri as the modern Muslim girl Nisrine, who is going to get married; Joanna Moukarzel as the boyish Lesbian Rima; Gisèle Aouad as the aging divorced actress Jamale; Nadine Labaki as Layale, a good-hearted girl in love with a bad man; Adel Karam as the sweet policeman Youssef enamoured of Layale; Sihame Haddad as the patient and shy single tailor Rose, and Aziza Semaan as an impressive demented Lili.

Caramel is a heart-warming enjoyable chick flick, soapy at times, that offers a real portrait of life in Beirut and of Lebanese women. The story is narrated in an universal simple language, but breaks many stereotypes about religious confrontation in Lebanon and on how Middle Eastern Women think, feel or live.

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Esther's Cake Shop (Northbridge, Perth WA)

Shop 4, 364 William St
Northbridge WA 6003
(08) 9228 8783
Hours:
    Mon-Sun 8:00 - 20:00



If you like Asian cakes, buns and pastries on the go, Esther's bakery is a must stop on William St. You will notice the place if you walk along the street because of the lovely smell coming from the shop a few metres before you get there.

The shop itself it is very small, no specially charming, and mostly self-service. Nothing remarkable but for the lovely  sweet and savoury buns, cakes, cake slices, seasonal Chinese sweets, and some traditional European-style cakes and pastries they sell. As in many Asian cake shops, the sweets are mildly sweet, while the savoury stuff is a bit sweet. 

Most times, the pastries and buns are warm, just out of the oven. My fav things there are the mango crepes (with fresh mango and whipped cream, forget counting calories), the custard puffs, their sweet-savoury "odd" pizza slices (not for everybody as it is an odd mix of sweet and savory) and some of the cake slices.

THUMBS UP
Good prices.
Friendly service
Warm fresh stuff.
They open long hours, every day of the week.

THUMBS DOWN
No Efptos.
A place mostly for takeaways.
Some of the shop attendants have a limited English.
If you are not used to Asian bakeries, some of the stuff might taste odd. 

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Pimlott & Strand Café (North Perth, Perth WA) - CLOSED DOWN

Shop 21/391 Fitzgerald St
North Perth, WA 6006 

Ph: 08 9328 5002
Hours:
   Mon-Sat: 08:00 - 18:00
   Sun: 08:00 - 16:00

Website
Facebook

 

Pimlott & Strand is a new addition to the North Perth shopping Plaza. The place has an inner small but polished area with a a long common table, several individual tables, and a long decked table by the window; their alfresco area is quite big and spreads on the upper and lower footpaths. The ambience is relaxed, clean, and modern, with a nice mix of colours. They are an improved version of the old traditional continental deli you find anywhere, but more sophisticated and more expensive. They have a really nice selection of breads, cold meats, cheeses, and oil antipasti, plus a big selection of imported goodies.

Their blend of Bonissimo Coffee is very much my liking. Strong, flavoursome, not bitter. Good! Their ice coffee is also good and very tasty. Their selection of drinks is great, with plenty of flavoured sparkling waters, Bickfords beverages (try the sarsaparilla!) and organic juices to choose from.

 

Their cabinet food has a selection of already-made Italian favourites (arancini, lasagna, frittata, salads, and similar things), and some cooked casseroles, so they have never been appealing to me. I have tried their open sandwich, which was average, their pasta of the day, which was lovely, and the Atlantic Breakfast, which was great. Some of their sweets and savoury tarts are delicious, especially the gluten free macaroons, the tiramisu cup, and the Mediterranean savoury mini-tarts. I have never tried their breakfasts. Their menu of properly cooked food is limited, with classic favourites and Mediterranean ingredients - nothing wow, but nice enough to make you return.

 

Service is always terrific, with very welcoming, friendly, chatty and professional ladies behind the counter. The service was terrific at the beginning, but, unlike other places, their eagerness to please hasn't vanished, and the ladies at Pimlott are consistently delightful no matter how busy they are.

Pimlott & Strand is good place for takeaway coffee, antipasti, imported goodies, sweets and pannini. The relaxed atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, the convenient location, and a selection of decent hot and cold food options explain why the place keeps a regular amount of patrons of all ages returning regularly.

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"Conspirators of Pleasure" by Jan Svankmajer (1996)

Conspirators of Pleasure is a surreal comedy and Czech-Swiss-British co-production. 

The story focus on the idiosyncratic sensual compulsions and obsessions (aka fetishes) of six different characters: a couple of neighbours, a couple formed by a policeman and a newsreader, a newsagent, and a postmistress. The film mixes surreal scenes, deadpan humour, hallucinogen and gory images, and human-sized puppets. The film has no dialogues, the terrific music and street/ambient noise being the only sound. However, the characters express themselves by non-verbal language. 

Svankmajer's surrealism is both social and individual, not psychological. The exploration of the subconscious world of the characters is not the point of the story; in fact, we see two of the characters hiding in a closet (a metaphor of their personal subconscious), where they find a world of deep secrets that generate their fetishes, but the camera does not go inside and we do not know why, exactly, they develop their specific compulsions. In fact, the fetish objects in the story are objectively quirky, ridiculous, and comic, made of normal things, but they become something pleasurable and erotic because of the personal wishes of each person. In a way, the personal pleasurable compulsions of the characters appear as a clumsy imitation of the human physical contact that the characters do not have but crave. There is no real human interaction between them, and invisible walls of lack of communication prevent them from relating to each other, so at least they have their little pleasures.
 
Despite the story being highly erotic at times, there is not even one sex scene in the movie, and there is limited nudity. The supposedly raunchy scenes have nothing explicitly raunchy; all it is hinted, never explicitly shown. The most brutal scenes in the movie use human-sized straw articulated puppets with facial movement, so there is a detachment and softening of them.
 
Despite its surreal oddity, the story has inner logic and organicity, and the circular interconnection of the story and of the characters makes perfect sense; in fact, the ending of the movie is the beginning of another turnaround - The beginning of of a new round of borrowed fetishes. 

All the characters are wonderfully played by all the Czech actors: Petr Meissel (as Mr. Pivoine), Gabriela Wilhelmová (as Mrs. Loubalova), Barbora Hrzánová (as the postmistress), Anna Wetlinská (as Mrs. Beltinska), Jirí Lábus (as the newsagent), and Pavel Nový (as Mr. Beltinski).

The movie will unsettle and puzzle you, confront you, visually slap you, and put a smile on your face if you have a wacky sense of humour or you are in one of those days in which you fancy anything weird. The result is a thought-provoking film that is still daring and surprising despite its age. However, I would dare to say that you will not find it that erotic, in the traditional sense of the word. 

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