pogoism

Every weekend I talk to my mum back in England, and I always suggest films she should watch. She watches them, and most of the time she likes them. So, on Sunday’s I’ve decided to do a short blog called “Read, Listen, Watch”, where I recommend things I’ve come across during the week that you should, well, read, listen or watch.

• Read: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. [Amazon.com]

I love Swedish crime novels, particularly Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallander books, so this book really appealed to me. Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced financial journalist, accepts a case to investigate the disappearance of teenage heiress Harriet Vanger. Helped by sociopathic hacker Lisbeth Salander he unravels the mysteries of her disappearance. I cheated and listened to it on audiobook, but it’s a gripping story that’ll have you hooked.

• Listen: Fist of God, MSTRKRFT [iTunes]

There were quite a few contenders this week, as I also got Röyksopp and Erin McCarley’s new albums. As much as I love these, MSTRKRFT’s new one is the one I’m going to recommend. It’s a brainless album, and seems to take a lot from Justice’s debut Cross. It’s intense, the only down tempo track being John Legend’s Heartbreaker, and it’s the first album I’ve listened to in a long time that left me worn out after the 39 minute run-time.

• Watch: In the Bedroom [IMDB]

I’ll be honest, this film wasn’t what I was expecting. Instead, the story begins with a college kid, Frank, back at his parents home in Maine where he is dating an older women with two small children. Her ex-husband returns, and after a few violent episodes, he kills Frank. The film portrays his parent’s relationship and life as they grieve for their son. A powerful film.