The Academy Award–nominated film Persepolis is back, this time in English!

Well, it's not actually back yet, but it will be in a few weeks. On April 11, an English-language version of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis will hit the big screen. So, if you missed it the first time because you don't like subtitles, you have no excuse not to see it this time around. (Of course, if you missed it the first time around because you were just too lazy or busy and you would rather have seen it in French with subtitles, you're out of luck. But you still get to see it, so, really, you're still better off.)

I'm not a big fan of dubbed movies, but this seems like it will work. First, given that it's animated, the voices won't be out of sync with the actors lips — which is really the worst thing about dubbing.

Second, some of the original cast recorded the English version as well as the French. Catherine Deneuve is the mother in both versions, and her real-life daughter, Chiara Mastroianni, is the adolescent and adult version of Marjane in both versions. So you still get to hear the loveliness that is Catherine Deneuve, even if you missed the original. … continue reading

I think I want Capone over at Ain't It Cool News to be my new BFF, because he keeps interviewing the coolest women! A few weeks ago it was Loretta Devine. This week, it's Persepolis creator Marjane Satrapi.

Scribegrrrl blogged about Persepolis in December but, if you missed it, you should go back and read about this fascinating movie, which I'm chagrined to admit I still have not seen. (But I just decided I'm going to remedy that this week!) Also, if you have not seen it, you should definitely take a moment to watch the Persepolis trailer.

Frankly, I don't know how I've waited this long to see the movie. It looks so incredibly good!

But enough about me. What's actually interesting is to read what Marjane Satrapi has to say about the original graphic novel, the movie and her life. Here are some highlights. (And keep in mind, as Capone noted, “if her English isn't grammatically correct, remember that she is fairly fluent in probably a half-dozen languages.”) … continue reading

You know when you see something and you just have to have it? You want it, you need it. You simply cannot live without it. Well, that’s what I felt the first time I saw the new MacBook Air ads.

How amazing is that? Wait — sorry, you thought I meant the laptop? I mean, sure, it’s thin and all. But what really caught my attention was the song. That light, dare I say airy, tune playing in the background is “New Soul” by French-Israeli singer Yael Naim.

I have to hand it to Steve Jobs; the man can pick some good music. He helped launch the spectacular Feist with her ubiquitous iPod nano commerical. And now, Yael is poised to become Apple’s next big superstar. … continue reading

My girlfriend has been filling up our DVR with movies that she feels she should watch and kind of wants to watch, but is never in the mood to watch. It's hard to get excited about Boys Don't Cry and Hotel Rwanda because, even though she knows they're good, they're so incredibly depressing. I just stumbled across a book that triggered a similar conflict for me. It sounds fascinating and well-written, but convincing myself to read it is going to take a little effort. The book in question is My Life as a Traitor, by Zarah Ghahramani (with Robert Hillman).

My Life as a Traitor is the story of Ghahramani's 29 days in Iran's Evin Prison, which is notorious for its political prisoner wing. (This place is no Larkhall.) When she was 20 years old (in 2001), the relatively privileged Ghahramani was arrested after taking part in a student protest about the strict dress code and the general rigidity of the mullahs. (She had been protesting dress codes since she was six years old and drawn to forbidden pink shoes.) … continue reading

The nominations for the 35th annual Annie Awards were announced this morning. Never heard of the Annie Awards? They recognize the year's best animation in several categories, from film and TV to video games and commercials.

This year's Best Animated Feature nominees include fairly obvious choices ilke Bee Movie, Ratatouille and The Simpsons Movie. But I'm more interested in a little gem called Persepolis.

Persepolis is based on the graphic novels (essentially a memoir in two parts) by Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Satrapi now lives and works in France, and Persepolis features the voices of two French national treasures, Catherine Deneuve and her daughter Chiara Mastroianni. If you're not already fascinated, take a look at this stunning trailer: … continue reading

Well, damn. Now I’m going to have to watch Life, too. After carefully plotting out my fall TV viewing schedule, I had committed to not adding any more shows. I am but one poor, tired blogger. I cannot carry this weight alone. At some point I need to sleep and see sunlight again. Please, no more. But, alas, the television gods had other plans for me, because after I had decided against watching Life — despite the delicious Sarah Shahi — they had to go and show me this.

Oh, Sarah. A white tank top? You’re not even playing fair. It’s like the lesbian Field of Dreams: If you wear it, they will come. I fly the white flag of surrender. You win, I’ll watch. Go ahead and cover up now — your diabolical plan worked. … continue reading