Falkirk Wheel, Panoramic view.

Falkirk Wheel, Panoramic view.
Image by Cameron Lyall, GNU license Wikimedia

15 June 2011

An Afternoon at the DCA ( Part I)

(Kate and I are drooling over this picture of Niels Schneider)


Kate and I decided to see an afternoon matinee at the Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) on Wednesday. I had made us turkey baguette sandwiches for a planned picnic, but the weather seemed to disagree with our plan. It was all for the better because the baguette that I used and toasted earlier that morning to keep fresh had become stale by the time class was over. Danielle gave us the idea to wrap the sandwiches in a moist paper towel and then put it in the microwave for a few seconds to add moisture to the bread. It worked, but unfortunately, by the time we were nearing the end of our sandwiches, the bread had already stiffened up. Luckily, Kate’s delicious brownies from the night before gave my lack-lustre lunch some flavour.

Full-bellied, we walked from our flat to the DCA and bought our tickets to the film. On Wednesdays, there is a special student rate so we got in for £3.50, which is quite a bargain. We headed downstairs and sipped some hot beverages before our movie. Kate had an exquisite looking hot coca with foam, and I had a latte. At 13:00, Kate chugged the rest of her hot coca, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to bring it into the theatre. I decided to take the risk, and was pleasantly rewarded when I was able to finish my latte through the previews.

Most people hate previews, but we were happy to watch them. They highlighted two films, one of which is playing at the DCA in two weeks. They also had the same Volkswagen commercial as The States: the one with the little kid who pretends to be Darth Vader, however the model of the car was different. My favourite of the previews was Bacardi and Cola commercial, which I didn’t know was being advertised until the last three seconds of the advertisement. For a commercial, I think it is highly thought evoking, and can be viewed here: (Bacardi and Coke commercial) EDIT: I posted this in the lab, and did not notice the video was in SPANISH. Please click this link for the advertisement in ENGLISH. (Bacardi and Coke commercial- ENGLISH)

At last, the film Heartbeat (Les Amours Imaginaires) began. The film distinctly has two parts: the first is of people talking to the audience about their love lives, whether they are stalking someone, post-breakup, or being blatantly rejected. Each of their narratives ties into the idea of imaginary loves, which dovetails perfectly with the second part of the film: the actual plot. The audience is introduced to Marie (Monica Chokri), a twenty-five year old intellectual who likes to dress like a nineteen-fifties housewife, and her friend Francis (Xavier Dolan), a romantic. The duo is introduced to Nicolas( Niels Schneider), an attractive, literature student from McGill. The story follows the friendship of the three, and how Marie and Francis compete for Nicolas’ affection. It is unclear to both the audience as well as the characters Nicolas’ orientation, which drives the plot of the story. Niels Schneider was casted perfectly into the role of a Greek God: beautiful, fun loving, cruel, and a heartbreaker. The thing I loved most about the film was that it was written and directed by Xavier Dolan, who is only 21! I find that so inspiring. I would HIGHLY recommend this film. The trailer can be found here: (Trailer for Heartbeat) Unfortunately, there are only two screenings left: 15:15 and 20:30 tomorrow.


Be sure to check out Kate's post to discover more things to do at the DCA

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