Finding perfection in imperfection.

After rewatching all my favorite series I needed something new (for me, anyway), so I asked around a bit and a few friends of mine recommended Dexter. Although I knew what it was about - it's kind of hard to forget a plot consisting of a serial killer killing serial killers -, I have never seen any episode before so I thought I'd give it a try.
I knew it was impossible to live up to the level of Mad Men and The Sopranos, but I was pleasantly surprised. The protagonist is extremely well-written, one of the best characters on TV I think, and this not so tiny detail makes me watch all the episodes one after another. Dexter has a lot of flaws (the other characters are often quite flat and many of the dialogues and scenes are boring, sometimes even annoying), but the leading man's internal monologues, his philosophy, sarcasm and indifference save the show, big time.
As you might know, the show (and especially the first season) was based on a novel called Darkly Dreaming Dexter and it's pure genius. It is sad though that it took the creators another two years to come up with a comparably interesting storyline, but it was worth it - the fourth season is just as good as the first one. Currently I am watching the 5th and have yet to decide whether I like it or not... But for someone who's interested in writing (books, articles and screenplays as well), this series is a great lesson; on the one hand, you can learn how to write a character so that it's perfect, and on the other hand, you can wonder how you could improve those people and scenes that aren't so brilliant.
There is only one thing I cannot understand: how is it possible that one component of a series is one of the best things we've ever seen on TV, while the rest is only a so-so...? How can screenwriters be so right when describing a character, writing scenes and sentences for him and be dead wrong when doing the same for other characters of the same fictional world? Maybe it doesn't matter... Maybe we should just appreciate Dexter for what it is - Dexter himself.

Following the signs.

I've been rewatching a few of my favorite series this past month and that meant I did not really watch any (new) movies - I just get so attached to the story and the characters that I don't feel ready to bond with any other fictional people. However, tonight I felt the need for something else, for a different world with different problems, so I gave a chance to the Duplass brothers' Jeff, Who Lives at Home. I've had this film for a few months now and I forgot what it was about and who the actors were so it was a pleasant surprise to see Jason Segel's in it, because I liked a lot of his other movies and he really seems like a nice guy.

The plot is about a man who believes that we must listen to (and follow) the signs life (or God, maybe) sends us in order to meet our destiny. Now that's a thought I think many of us has had throughout our lives. Just think about it: you get a wrong number, someone's looking for Kevin, and then a few hours later you see a boy with a sweater and the name Kevin on it. Most of us would stop at thinking it's a coincidence, maybe a sign, who knows, it's interesting, but not interesting enough to distract us from our everyday duties. Needless to say, Jeff, our leading man, is not one of us. He is convinced that this is  only the first of signs he must follow to find an answer to his question: who am I, why am I here, what is the meaning and point of it all. So he decides everything else can wait, today he will listen to the signs. This is how he runs into his brother and his wife who may or may not be having an affair, and the rest is a nice independent movie that makes you think, laugh and have a great time.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home has a deeper meaning, an entire philosophy that is omnipresent but never too much, never too forced. Of course we really can't just stop wherever we are and follow something we believe is a sign to maybe get somewhere that is supposed to be our fate but it sure is interesting to contemplate what would happen if we did - and any movie that can help us doing so is worth watching.

The power of sincerity.

I love songs that have a meaning, whatever that is, and this is exactly what is missing from most of today's music (and by this I refer to the young and "new" performers). I know I've said this a lot but that's my opinion. Of course there are many musicians nowadays as well who do actually know that the lyrics are important but sadly they tend to be the less popular ones. I guess I'm just one of those who admires past eras and their representatives a bit too much... But whenever I listen to The Crystals' He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss), I am dumbfounded. Not only because of the lyrics (simple yet shocking) but also because it is written about an issue that is probably more present in the media now than ever before, shows what some of those women who suffer domestic violence might feel. This song, written and recorded fifty years ago, is brutal because it not only justifies such horror but also because The Crystals sing it in such an innocent way and the music itself is great. If you think about it, you discover the romantic side of it and then you are shocked when you realize you find something so violent so beautiful - anything that absorbs you like this is, without a doubt, a masterpiece.

One picture, two legends.

It's no secret that I love photography, especially old black and white pictures of legends and Alfred Hitchcock is definitely one of them. There are numerous funny, creative and beautiful photos of him and the one below is my new favorite. The big cat is another film icon - none other than one of the MGM lions...

The exception makes the rule.

As someone who doesn't watch TV, it is obvious that I hardly know anything about shows like X-Factor and their participants. I generally prefer it this way (if someone is truly talented I'll hear about them anyway), but when I heard that there was a man in Hungary's version of Britain's Got Talent who sang opera and folk songs, I knew I had to see him.

For weeks I followed his performances and couldn't believe what I saw - not only because he has a beautiful voice and an incredibly down to earth character but also because he seemed to be one of the most popular contenders; to achieve this in modern mass media is something to remember.

Of course János Elek Mészáros couldn't avoid the comparisons with Paul Potts (an English tenor who won the first series of Britain's Got Talent), especially since János Elek also finished first in the Hungarian version just a week ago. Below you can see his beautiful interpretation of the Hungarian folk song A Csitári Hegyek Alatt.

As much as I don't believe in contemporary talent shows, if they found just one performer like him in every series, it would be worth it (for the record: in this specific series there was another talented musician who finished fourth).

The end of an era - or two.

Two of the 2000s most successful series ended this month and although they were quite different, I always found they belonged to each other. It's probably because they premiered more or less around the same time and I started watching them both together (back then they were on the same channel every Wednesday in my country): Desperate Housewives and House M.D.

I was just an adolescent when became a follower of these two and now, 8 years later it's like saying goodbye to two old friends. Of course during these years many things have changed not only in my life but also in these series and maybe they weren't as good anymore as they used to be but I never once doubted I will stay with them until the end - and the end came a week ago for Desperate Housewives and yesterday for House.

I believe that a series finale is just as important as a pilot. The latter is supposed to attract viewers and get them interested, while the finale should answer all questions, it should contain a little bit of nostalgia and it should be very careful with the tone since it has a huge influence on the way fans will think about the series itself when looking back.
Desperate Housewives' very last episode was written by creator Marc Cherry and it was everything it had to be and could be - watching it felt like watching those first few seasons that were the best and it was a great conclusion. House, on the other hand, was less impressive. Directed and co-written by its creator, David Shore, it wasn't until the last 10 minutes that I felt its tone changing for the better and it didn't give me that sense of proper farewell. Maybe they mixed up things so badly in the past two or three seasons that there was no other way out, but still, it could have been better (but I have to repeat myself and say that the last scenes were great). However, in House's case I am willing to forgive - his philosophy will always be remember, even when the ending is long forgotten.

I guess that's how it is when you part with old friends- sometimes you feel your goodbye was worthy and other times you feel it could have been more.

Now I get it.

For many years I've been a follower of Franz Ferdinand (the band, of course) but when back in 2009 they came out with the album Tonight, it didn't impress me as much as their previous two albums. I couldn't really tell you the reason, maybe it was too modern disco for me and I was expecting something else. However, a few months ago I decided to leave all my negative feelings behind and listen to it again and boy do I get it now.

Maybe I'm more open to this new kind of indie-ish music now, who knows, I just feel that if this is the direction dance music in the 2010s is going to take, we're still somehow gonna be okay.

Although I normally don't like what we call "modern contemporary" performers but this band (just like Muse) has that certain something that makes them different from the others. I like it when an artist does not only pay attention to one aspect of their performance but all of them and Franz Ferdinand qualifies. Plus, I've known it ever since Alex Kapranos uttered the words "you can feel my lips undress your eyes" that he wrote the sexiest lyrics nowadays (and by this I mean talking about it but not actually saying it) and with No You Girls he once again showed us how it's done.

It is said that they will have a new album out this year and I can't wait. Hopefully I'll like it right away, maybe it will take me a few years again but part of my heart (and my iPod) still belongs to these Scottish boys.