Went to the Becks Futures opening at the ICA last night. I was very excited because I don't get invited to posh arty things often, but it was shit. I've got more time for conceptual art than most people, but with the artists variously stapling bits of computer printout to the walls, listing names of exhibitions, and showing a video of two men just sort of standing there, I wasn't impressed.

Example - one exhibit was a stack of copies of "Ulysses" by James Joyce. I found out later from speaking to someone that the artist had painstakingly created the books exactly the same as the original publication, but with the words inside arranged in alphabetical order. All very clever, but what's the point if you're not allowed to pick up the book and find out for yourself? In more normal circles that'd be considered woefully bad design.

Had fun talking to a few people. I was expecting a lot of difficult conversations about the nature of art, but amusingly most were along the lines of "This is crap" and "I could have done that". There was free beer as well, so I ended up having a lot of fun.

Films

V for Vendetta is excellent and I just can't see why it's getting such bad reviews. I think if you haven't read the book you'd find it simplistic and politically naive - because the book is - but it's a very faithful adaptation, give and take a few changes to bring it up to date. They've buggered up the ending but it's Hollywood, what do you expect?

Saw I, Robot. It's entertaining enough, good special effects, blah blah blah. What interests me though is the depiction US Robotics as an out of control multinational meddling in things they don't understand - did the company give them permission? Is it some wierd form of product placement?

Books

The Handmaid's Tale is stunning. Haven't read anything this good in a long time. I'll wait till I've finished it before I say any more.

Found that if I read poetry drunk and stoned it makes a hell of a lot more sense than it does when I'm straight. Been reading Philip Larkin whilst sat on the toilet smoking a spliff. Would he have approved? Can't really say I care, miserable old racialist.