The Simple Pleasures

I mentioned a few weeks back that Jo and I checked out the Pixar exhibition in Edinburgh whilst we were up in Scotland. It seems odd, perhaps, that adults should be fascinated by animation films. But ever since A Bug's Life (I didn't care too much for Toy Story), I have been unequivocally hooked on Pixar. They have scored one hit after the other: Monster's Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars... and now... Ratatouille

Once I heard it was on at the local cinema, I simply couldn't resist. My unfortunate victim-companion for the evening was somewhat skeptical about going to what is essentially a kiddies film, at a late-night showing, on a Friday evening. All it took to get her hooked, however, was 30 seconds of the token brilliant Pixar pre-film short-feature "Lifted". In fact, the whole movietheater was in absolute stitches.

The feature film scored no less. I was captivated, enamoured, rolling with laughter and... touched. These guys, in my humble opinion, are genuine artists. They have an eye for the finer subtleties of life. Those little details that so intrinsically stitch together our daily being but all to oft go unnoticed, they manage to mirror back at us so recognizably, we can but find a part of ourselves in each of the characters and scenes.

If one thing could potentially have made my night more successfull, it was this: The announcement of the first movie installment of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I finished the last of the three books a little over 3 years ago, whilst experimenting in Zurich, and I've been itching to see the story visualised ever since. And in December... it'll be here at last. Perfect Christmas present: The Golden Compass (Jo babe, take note. Yer taking me to see it ;-))

- Lyra's alethiometer -