The Weekly Croissant: Art Hoe Roundup
French Literature (so on brand!)/ Kiwi Film / Australian Music / British TV
Hello Croissants!
January has marked my joyous return home for a few months, and I’m feeling pretty great about that. Winter is for hibernation, summer is for aspiration, just ask a 🐻. Here’s some delicious art I’ve been enjoying this month:
Book: Vernon Subutex I by Virginie Despentes, translated from the French by Frank Wynne
This book was gifted to me by my brother and sister in law, who spent some years living in Paris before settling in Utrecht, NL. It’s a pretty intense read, lots of drugs, sex and depression, but I enjoy its cynical negativity. It’s definitely not boring and also reconfirms my impression that Parisian people are absolutely terrifying.
Recommended if you want a literary page turner
Not recommended if you get frustrated by characters making bad choices
Movie: Stray (2018) by Dustin Feneley
I came across this beautiful film on my AirNZ flight to Auckland. The film takes place in Central Otago, a sparsely populated mountain area of the South Island of New Zealand. The movie is about a romantic encounter between a man on parole and a woman just released from a psychiatric unit. I found it stunningly beautiful. That being said, not much happens.
To give you an idea of this movie, it has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, ART HOE AS HELL! One critic writes “If you can meet its pace, and agree to bask in the visuals, the tone, and the performances, the fact that little happens should be of minimal concern.” HAHA love it.
Then, here is some audience feedback: “Not since Gus Van Sant’s ‘Gerry’ has a film so long said so much of nothing; ‘Stray’ is Inept in almost every way. The only positives are some striking cinematography and performances.”
Recommended if you are on a long haul flight and ready to sink wayyyy into a vibe
Not recommended if you want dialogue and plot.
Music: Wirlmarni by Kankawa Nagarra
My mother in law introduced me to this record, which was awarded the 2024 Australian Music Prize. The debut album from 82 year old Walmatjarri elder mixes Blues and gospel influences with Aboriginal language and tradition.
I love the sense of place created by this recording, and Nagarra’s singing reminds me of Karen Dalton on the opposite side of the globe.
Recommended if you like wild representations of globalization via music
Not recommended if you don’t like bird sounds in your music
Tv Show: New season of Vera out now!
You heard it here first, PET! The final season of Vera streaming now. Joe is back, and him and the boss are both grumpier than ever. Kenny is still the punching bag for no apparent reason. There are only two episodes in the season, so we shall have to savor them while we can.
Alright, I hope that keeps y’all busy for another week.
Wishing you all a happy MLK day and a smooth start to the new year.
-Rachel