Interesting Things - Shaolin Monks and Singing Swords

This is a style of post that might turn into a series, but with my record don’t expect much. I’ve been watching, reading, and listening to a lot of stuff recently so I thought this as good a place as any to jot down some quick thoughts.

Things I’ve seen

• The Ninth Gate - A movie about booksellers and sex cults, staring Johnny Depp and directed by Roman Polanski.

• The 36th Chamber of Shoalin - The Shaw Brothers’ classic. A cut above its sequels in all respects but largely in terms of its sincerity. In doing so this movie has inspired a fervent legacy of imitators and innovators. A must watch.

• Return to the 36th Chamber - Not as good as the original but worth a watch for the more comedic spin it puts on the structure of the first movie. You may be able to take down a Shoalin Monk, but the true fighters of this world are the scaffolders.

• Disciples of the 36th Chamber - Nothing I could say could make this movie worth your time, unless you want to complete the trilogy. Easy skip.

• Shaolin Temple - If you enjoyed The 36th Chamber definitely give this a watch. A true martial arts film through and through, Jet Li in his debut role knocks it out of the park. Not to be confused with the 1976 movie Shaolin Temple.

• Sam O’Nella Crosswords - Daily uploads of the latest NYT’s crossword. A nice and easy video to have in the background while you do other things.

Things I’ve heard

• Forever Howlong - The newest album by BCNR doesn’t disappoint. I’ve seen opinions from people on the internet that the band has gone down the shitter as a result of Isaac Wood parting from the band but I prefer the more optimistic, less angst driven sound offered up by Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw. They had a lot expected of them after the massive commercial success of Ants from up there and I believe they exceeded in all regards. Standouts are “Besties”, “The Big Spin”, “Salem Sisters”, and the titular “Forever Howlong”.

• When the World Knows Your Name - I’m an anomaly in the world of music nerds in that I go to record stores to check out their, usually expansive, collections of cheap CDs. This was an album that I picked up off the back of their hit Real Gone Kid and I went into it not expecting anything more or less than bright, Scottish pop-rock in the vein of Orange Juice and Aztec Camera. I recommend it if you’re after more of that, though if you are you’ve probably already found this album.

• The Very Best of Cat Stevens - What it says on the tin. This is a CD I picked up with When the World Knows Your Name so that I could exceed the store’s £5 card minimum but I’m glad to have it.

Things I’ve read

• Protagoras - The most common dropping in point for people interested in Plato. Socrates is an asshole in this one, derailing the argument when it looks like he’s losing and constricting his opponents with fallacious statements (that they pick up on) in order to win, so it makes for great reading. Just don’t expect any god-given wisdom.

• The Weird of the White Wolf - I’m slowly getting through Moorcock’s Elric series. This one leans more into Elric’s rapidly molding personality as his moodiness and brooding is dialed up to eleven.

• Without Ever Reaching the Summit - Paolo Cognetti’s short sprawl over the Tibetan mountains and countryside is lyrical and philosophical, without delving deep into the Country’s deep spiritual and geopolitical conflicts. This one’s for nature lovers, by a lover of nature.

That’s all for now. I might do some more frequent, smaller posts in the future - perhaps weekly or biweekly, or I might decide to go for a big, all month round up like this one was.