reading and viewing

Over the past couple of weeks, my wallet has bled as I’ve willingly purchased books, comics and films.

books

The best bookstore in town is the newly moved Fully Booked over at Rockwell. I tell you, despite its insane layout, it’s a book lover’s dream. There are so many books I want to buy that I have to exercise incredible restraint. The two times I visited this week were somewhat painful. I’ll go back this weekend, when I have a little more cash and plan to indulge/reward myself. There are also ongoing sales in practically ever other bookstore, so Powerbooks at SM Megamall has most of my purchases.

Most of the books new to my bookshelf are anthologies (I do love anthos, not being able to commit much time to sitting down for a novel unless it’s a new Marquez or Rushdie). The anthos on Che Guevarra and Harlan Ellison’s previously uncollected short fiction are great reads:

Che Guevarra: An Anthology edited by Joseph Hart
Slippage: Previously Uncollected, Precariously Poised Stories by Harlan Ellison
The Rule of Four by Caldwell and Thomason
Year’s Best SF 10 edited by David Hartwell & Kathryn Cramer
Mystery: The Best of 2002 edited by Jon L. Breen
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Baum
The Marvelous Land of Oz by Baum
Ozma of Oz by Baum


comics

The truth is that I’ve backslid terribly and am now buying pamphlets regularly, but I really prefer getting trades, collections and original graphic novels. I like reading a complete story, for one, and these books can be added to the bookshelves.

I really liked the 4th hardcover volume collecting the run of Brian Michael Bendis on Daredevil (Paulo Manalo apparently does too, he’s even written a paper about Marvel Comics and how current superhero comic books relate to a post 9/11 world). The other hardcover is the first hardcover collecting the first issues of classic The Teen Titans run by Marv Wolfman and George Perez – I actually remember buying my first Titans comic book from Crishareth at the Padilla Arcade in Greenhills when I was in grade school in La Salle Greenhills). And finally, the new Catwoman trade is a hoot.

Tricked by Alex Robinson
various Uncle Scrooge and Walt Disneys
Daredevil HC Vol. 4 by Bendis and Maleev
Noble Causes: Blood & Water by Faeber and Bueno
JSA: Lost by Johns and Various
New Teen Titans Archive Vol. 1 by Wolfman and Perez
New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Catwoman: Wild Ride by Brubaker and Stewart
Batman: Faces by Wagner

film

Pirate Billy was late arriving at his stall at Metrowalk today. There was some violence during the previous day’s raid and two people got shot by the CID. I felt my hackles rising as he described the violence and how oppressed the Muslims there felt. “Sino sa inyo ang Muslim?” he remembered the gun-wielders yelling, and he felt the terrible stab of discrimination. Shooting the sellers of pirated films while more blatant criminals, especially those in government, get slapped on the hand – you tell me if that’s justified.

I picked up a few films, and just finished watching Millions. It makes my Top Ten list for the year so far, imaginatively directed and well-structured, with a pinch of magic realism and a touch of the surreal (and of course, the unavoidable dash of sentimentality). Other additions are films from Germany, Korea and France.

Millions directed by Danny Boyle (2004)
Birth directed by Jonathan Glazer (2004)
Was nützt die Liebe in Gedanken directed by Achim von Borries (2004)
Baramui jeonseol directed by Jeong-Woo Park
Comme une image directed by Agnes Jaoui