Happy birthday, Carl Philip!

Movie Review: "Loving Vincent"

I've wanted to see "Loving Vincent" for awhile. Even before the "Doctor Who" episode that got me interested in Van Gogh, I thought this sounded interesting - an entire movie made up of oil paintings. I had forgotten about it, however, until "Doctor Who" brought him up again. And so I've been on the waiting list at the library for a few months.
It finally came and I got to watch it tonight. It is amazing what they were able to do. 65,000 oil paintings make up the film. It's beautiful. There are a few times you can tell that it was done by various artists, but for the most part they stay pretty in step with one another and the transitions are pretty seamless.
The plot is a little weak. It takes place a year after Vincent died, and it's someone trying to find out the circumstances of his death. Actually there is very little Vincent in it. It's mostly people sharing their recollections of him and of that night. Unfortunately, by having so little Vincent it fell short in the emotional area, which seems a waste.

It is beautifully done, though, with clearly talented people working on it and lovely music. If you're willing to watch something slow, it is worth it, I think, just for the uniqueness of it. But if you're wanting emotional connection, stick to "Doctor Who."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGzKnyhYDQI

Some cultures just don't even know how to culture

The other day I was thinking about the weekend I'll be staying with friends in England. I feel a bit impose-y, as I really don't know them that well and as I know they're busy that weekend, as that Saturday is Armed Forces Day and they'll be involved in community activities. So I've been trying to come up with ways to stay out of their hair and ways to make them not feel like they have to feed me. 
And so I started thinking. "Sunday I'll have church and I want to go to the Manchester Library, so I can grab lunch on my own in there somewhere. Saturday I'll be Armed Forces Day-ing with them in some capacity or another, I'm sure, but I can grab lunch on my own, like a hot dog from a stand."
And then I stopped. 
"Oh my gosh! This is England! They're not going to have a hot dog stand! Maybe fish and chips or meat pies or something. But probably not hot dogs! I just don't even know what to do with that! How does one celebrate their Armed Forces without hot dogs!?!"