Listening to Paolo Nutini’s sophomore album, its quite a bit slowed down from the first pop-folk-contemporary, okay let’s just say ‘hybrid’ genre. Never will I forget the moment when my sister and I were trying to find out info on him after hearing Last Request for the first time, and exclaming SCOTTISH?! not realising that Mr Nutini was very heavily Scottish – and if you listen to the live or accoustic tracks, its quite clear. (And only 22!)

This is one voice that you would not believe belongs to a 22 year old, so husky and rich with emotion, belying his age or baby-faced good looks.

In saying that, he is.. incredibly easy on the eyes. Incredibly. The first track from the new album Sunny Side Up is Coming Up Easy, and the slow to mid-tempo folky retro feel of it conjures images of dancing on the balcony, head on my lover’s shoulder and just forgetting the world. Never did I think of a white beer-guzzling butt-grabbing dancing bunny rabbit. You have to see it to believe it..

I’ve mentioned Twitter a-plenty and wondered how something that encourages the briefest of interactions can inspire so much dialogue, and bring about inspiration in so many forms. Whether that be the ability to bond over a TV show via hashtags (Masterchef or So You Think You Can Dance ftw), whether it be via communicating with someone local that you’ve added via a mutual friend, or via re-tweets (RTs) of interesting blog posts and articles that you wouldn’t have otherwise come across.

Via this very medium, I noticed that celebrities let alone advertising agencies and their clients were using it to promote products, concerts, songs, or appreciating the competition! Who knows who was the ‘first’ to start the trend – how would that really be calculated? Lily Allen (@lilyroseallen) caught my attention first by how blunt, and honest she was with her tweets,  but then what made her altogether more genuinely wanting to interact with her fans was the scavenger hunts she would create, via tweet clues – in random cities where she would perform, she would hide concert tickets for tweet followers to find. In some cases, she would be hiding alongside the tickets! A twitpic attached to the announcement that the tickets had been found would show that she was more than willing to meet the scavenging twinners (tweet-winners… lame?)

Perhaps it was the idea that if Lily Allen could promote her concert, promote her music via this method in a creative way, if Ashton Kutcher can promote his wife’s butt, and if Miley Cyrus can pimp best buddy Demi Lovato’s new album, the sky is the limit! After all, celebrity influence counts for a lot, and if you pay attention -  models are less used on magazine covers than movie stars, singers and such in order to encourage passers-by to pick up a copy.

The fun of such tweets is where the Levi’s campaign spearheaded by Host comes in. Under the tweetname of @iSpyLevis – imagine this.

On the streets of Melbourne or Sydney (more cities in Australia and New Zealand to be scheduled) a guy or girl is wearing a pair of Levi’s Jeans. Possibly a few people are. But imagine via twitpics, and tweet clues if you go up to a certain person and ask them ‘Are they Levis’; imagine the response being that they drop their pants and give them to you. On the spot. Re-read that. They drop their pants. Let that sink in.

With clues such as ‘on the street in 10′ – the twitpic attached illustrates the footwear that the ‘Spy’ is wearing..

Apart from shoewear, imagine a clue where the Spy languidly says ‘Just havin’ a read’…

If that doesn’t inspire you to go on a scavenger hunt, I don’t know what would.  If I could have left my shackles/chains/desk – I would have gone on the ride, being as close to Melbourne CBD as I am, but alas I could not join the pursuit.

Twitter friends didn’t do anything half-hearted when pursuing a new pair of jeans! In some cases, for those less chained to their desks and bound by a heavy conscience – an ‘enthusiastic’ girl has nearly crashed her parents’ car in pursuit of the Levis’ girl. Or there was a resourceful guy that used Google Maps to the infinite degree, found where they were and won the pair!  Another guy in particular had the time (shaking fists in jealousy) to stalk * follow * the Levis clues for 3 different occasions and won 3 pairs..! Nice healthy addition to the wardrobe!

Without directly marketing the jeans, or pimping them out via a C-Grade Australian soap star, what Host and their strategic media unit partner in Bring and PR Agency ‘One Green Bean’ have created are people talking about Levis again. They have indirectly fuelled a new mindset about Levi’s and rebuilding its reputation from what used to be known perhaps as ‘Dad jeans’ or reversing the imagery that they were high waisted daggy bluejeans. Plus, its just a little bit naughty to be chasing someone in hopes of getting them to drop their pants… Needless to say really!

It doesn’t look like slowing down at all, perhaps the iSpyLevi’s campaign triggered the PR department of Project Runway Australia to conduct their own scavenger hunt with couture pieces and hard to find labels on the run through the streets of Sydney and Melbourne. I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for a) free clothes and/or b) hot guys I can chase in the pursuit of said free clothes.

In trying to watch any films that had been Oscar nominated and intrigued me enough with its critical reception, I’ve been working through this list at a leisurely pace, and what came through to my mailbox this weekend was Vicky Cristina Barcelona. This is the Woody Allen film that Penelope Cruz won a Best Supporting Actress award at the Oscars, as well as the British Oscars, and the film won best comedy/musical at the Golden Globes this year. (I’m not entirely convinced it was a comedy film though..)

The film starring Woody Allen’s latest muse in Scarlett Johannsson, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Hall and Penelope Cruz is much like a traveller’s guide for Spain, and Barcelona in particular as Vicky (Hall) and Cristina (Johannsson) travel to Barcelona for the summer in hopes of being inspired by art and architecture in Vicky’s case, and for Cristina, a bit of a summer fling.

The film is laid out somewhat theatrically, throughout the film an almost dry humoured narrator descriptively summarising how as best friends Vicky & Cristina were chalk & cheese; Vicky, engaged to be married to her smart, financially safe boyfriend, happy and content with an organised and planned out future, whilst Cristina was laid out, wanting love to not be planned at all, but spontaneous, passionate and fiery.  The friendly narrator spelt out that in love, and life they were both looking for different things entirely.

Until Bardem, as Juan Antonio enters the picture; introducing himself by inviting the two women to a small town for good food, wine and making love. Of course, Vicky is equally offended and appalled by his candor whilst Cristina is intrigued by his frankness, and how sexily rugged he is. So both women go on this spontaneous trip, in a small plane on a stormy night with a complete stranger. He seduces Cristina, quite easily; though she falls ill after a bit too much alcohol clashes with her ulcer, and then sets off to seduce, and woo Vicky. The conquest is much more pleasurable if the subject of the pursuit is reluctant, yes/no? This is the turning point at which Vicky questions what she always thought she wanted, and what she thought she didn’t in the unpredictable Juan Antonioo (yet despite her playing a much stronger role than Johannsson arguably, she doesn’t appear on the film’s poster)

The film looks like it should be the tourist advertisement for Spain; 15 minutes in and I wanted to book a holiday. Its beautifully shot, the scenery stunning, the cast gorgeous but when the plot is introduced as two women wanting love, though not knowing if they knew what kind of love each wanted; the film veers into a ridiculous path as Cruz is introduced as the unpredictable and fiery Marie Elena, Juan Antonio’s near suicidal ex-wife enters the picture.

The paradox here is that whilst Penelope Cruz as Marie Elena is captivating, and the rapport between her and Bardem is explosive and absolutely believable, passionate, volatile; the rapid-fire arguments in Spanish or broken English marvellous to watch; this characterisation stands out above the entire plot. Definitely Oscar worthy material. She and Bardem together are certainly responsible for holding up the film; however the lack of real direction, or a ‘point’ to the questions raised in the film are too frustrating to say this film was worth the Golden Globe for best Comedy/Musical.

Sure, its realistic to show that mistakes are bound to be made, and that growth and maturity is often enabled via these mistakes; but whilst Woody Allen is more than happy to show regrets and changes of mindset in the two lead characters during this Spanish summer; there is no resolution nor even an ambiguous ending to let the audience interpret it for themselves. Its almost as if the film ends slightly too early before any sort of ‘happy’ or ‘sad’ ending eventuates for the characters. I’m not entirely naive that I hope for fairytale endings and that the guy always gets the girl, or vice versa, but the story and characterisation should always at least point to a plausible ‘resolution’ in order to satisfy the viewer and feel as if there is closure to that moment in the protagonists’ life, in this case for Vicky & Cristina as they depart Spain, and even for Juan Antonio and his relationship with Marie Elena.

I recommend watching it, but only perhaps for inspiring a Spanish wanderlust.

So.. Its Harry Potter week. Finally. July has arrived, and with it the world premiere of Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince, the 6th and penultimate book in the series. (Though the last book will comprise of two films)

I have loved watching Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson grow up before my very eyes through the characters of Harry, Ron and Hermione and I at least try to insert random spells and enchantments through everyday conversation. Just because I’m incredibly dorky like that. Such as if I want someone to stop talking, I utter ‘Petrificus Totalus’ in hopes they will freeze up, and fall in a paralysed state, and I can walk away from their static body. But unfortunately, its just a book, and its just a movie..

In the lead up to Half Blood Prince, I’ve been thinking about my favourite movies in the series and here is my order of favourites –

5 – Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
4 – Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
3 – Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
1 – Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone (though, ‘Sorcerer’s if you’re in the US)
2 – Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets

I love how each of the films has quite naturally and in accordance with each of the films been gradually darker, naturally a bit more mature and slightly frightening depending on how old Harry is and how close the Dark Lord, ahem, Voldemort is to being completely brought back from ‘exile’.

I guess I’ve pretty much loved it from ‘dark to light’ yet, Chamber of Secrets annoys me. I don’t know what it is; aside from my phobia of spiders being very close to the way Ronald Weasley reacts, it was just very blah and weak compared to the others, and not paced very well.

So, Harry Potter fans, what movies do you love? Which one/s do you hate? What do you think of the evolution of Draco Malfoy’s hair? Or the awesome vests Ron continues to wear?

I am still yet to describe the hot mess that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was. Sincerely. I’m a big fan of Michael Bay, I love a good action flick; but really. It was ridiculous – but I won’t say too much. I’ll write a proper review soon. But after seeing this on Letterman last night, I just had to share this with you – the Top Ten Things that sound cooler when spoken by a giant robot. Namely.. Optimus Prime. Hysterical!

I’m not one to generally post trailers alone – as I watch far too many to simply keep posting trailers and people know where they are. But this is a major exception.

Though the film trailer premiered today on its official website today, I was privileged to view the film yesterday at a screening the film-makers hosted for the families connected to the Balibo 5, Roger East, and the East Timorese community. I am connected, apart of that community and was immensely honoured to be able to attend with my sisters.

At the moment, it is too soon, too fresh to share with you my thoughts on the movie, and how powerful it was, to conjure memories, and emotions connected with East Timor, and my parents. At the moment, the best I can say is if the trailer does not convince you that this is a masterpiece in Australian film-making (and those that know me, know I am not particularly patriotic when it comes to such films) hopefully, my upcoming post on the film, and how I’m connected to it will.

The film opens the Melbourne International Film Festival on July 24th, and will be released nationally on August 13th.