The Dark Knight

I went to see this with my sister. We had gone to see Batman Begins. We went to see this one
A few times here, I have complained that my mood, may have cost me the movie. I had arrived at the cinema too early.
Well today I was at the cinema, hungover. I was drinking the night before. I am not sure why. The Russians are very worried. I was somewhat overdressed. I have a Banana republic cardigan, and I wanted to wear it. It was about 30 C. I had arrived a half hour early.
Anyway the film was spectacular.
Heath Ledger, puts in a dazzling performance as the Joker. A mad man. Sometimes, stumbling sometimes mumbling.  Heath does not try to do the OTT, performance that Nicholson did. Heath at one point is captured and sits quietly in a cage.
The violence, often happens off scene. There is a cut away, when the Joker maims and mutilates
Anyway, its been a year since, the events of Batman Begins. Batman has the criminals in Gotham on the run.
There are wannabe's posing as Batman. One of the subplots of the film. Batman has a symbol has inspired people to take action
Then there is Harvey Dent, played by Aaron eckhart. A brave and fearless D.A snatching a gun, Harvey plans to break the crime lords of Gotham. He is a former employee of internal affairs
A man on a white horse. At one point Aaron, mentions the Roman office of a dictator, the position, occupied by Cinnacticus and the delayer Fabius, and finally a man named Caesar.
The Chinese, seem unconcerned that an American vigilante, steals one of their citizens.
There is the always reliable Mr Caine, and Mr Freedman.
Once again, we see the fair city of Chicago. We see the green chicago river, I am confused, about this. If you live in Chicago, and your watching this, do you not notice, that its Michigan avenue, and not Gotham.
But that's a minor quibble. Its a great movie. See it, don't read about it

Aliens do exist

I don't mean to sound condescending, but Kerrang radio, is one of the stations, that I always flick past. I associate the brand, with High school indie kids.

They were interviewing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Mitchell


He holds the honour of being one of the 12 men, to have walked upon the surface of the moon. Like Martha Jones, he has stood in the Earthlight

Sky news, can take up the story:


``Top Astronaut: 'Aliens Do Exist'


Aliens do exist and have even contacted humans on Earth, according to top astronaut Dr Edgar Mitchell who was the sixth man on the Moon.

Dr Edgar Mitchell says aliens are just like little men


The truth has been hidden by governments for more than 60 years, the Moon walker says.

And he claims he is lifting the lid on a conspiracy to keep aliens a secret.

Dr Mitchell, who was on Apollo 14 in 1971, has told how he was aware of many UFO visits to Earth during his career with Nasa but each one was covered up.

The 77-year-old claims the space agency made contact with aliens, describing the beings as "little people who look strange to us".

He said supposedly real-life ETs were similar to the traditional image of a small frame, large eyes and head.

He claimed our technology is "not nearly as sophisticated" as theirs and warned "we would be been gone by now" had the aliens been hostile.

Dr Mitchell is joint record holder for the longest ever Moon walk, at nine hours and 17 minutes.


Dr Mitchell ready for space

During a radio interview he said: "I happen to have been privileged enough to be in on the fact that we've been visited on this planet and the UFO phenomena is real.

"It's been well covered up by all our governments for the last 60 years or so, but slowly it's leaked out and some of us have been privileged to have been briefed on some of it.

"I've been in military and intelligence circles, who know that beneath the surface of what has been public knowledge, yes - we have been visited. Reading the papers recently, it's been happening quite a bit."

Dr Mitchell has a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering and a Doctor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Officials from Nasa have said the organisation did not track UFOs and was not involved in a cover up. A spokesman added: "Dr Mitchell is a great American, but we do not share his opinions on this issue."''

NASA, is 50 years old. The Guardian article on the Story, notes its not so long ago, a trainee Astronaut drove across country, wearing a nappy to punish a love rival.

As an organisation, NASA does not seem to have aged well. The debate on Space travel, alien life, should be lead by action. Not reaction, a new generation should have walked on the moon.

10 000 BC

I had planned to catch this in the cinema. it may have lost something on the small screen.
I was a little dispointed. Perhaps I had set myself up for a fall. perhaps I know too much. I was under one miconsception about this film. Looking at the fauna, I thought it would be set in the ancient Americas. I should have thought of it more as Conan, set in some Hyperborean age.

Well its an old story, a young man, is abandoned by his father, who fears that  shaman's dream, will spell doom for his tribe. The son grows up, and wishes to redeem his name, and win the heart of a blue eyed girl.
The tribe are a dreadlocked  multi ethnic bunch. I assume they were living in what is now Alaska.
Some one made, an effort, to teach the actors an accent. To keep Nu Yawkers, and Valley girls out of the cast is a good idea. Spartacus had occasional outburst of standard american, which can jar.
The first set piece is a Mammoth hunt. This is done well, I am not sure about the use of a net, to catch Mammoths. If you can weave a large net, you can make bows, and the hunters, here are still using spears. Not that Clovis point are not horribly effective tools. Archaeologists have died, forgetting themselves, and placing Clovis point heads into their pockets.
Anyway, the hero. By doggedness, and dumb luck, kills a Mammoth, wins the white spear, and is now free to marry his beloved.
However the honeymoon is interrupted by RAV's (Russians Arabs Villians) mounted on horses, conducting a slaving raid. This is not badly done either. The RAV's speak another langague. They are terrifying. The hunters, loose horribly to them, they can only cower, while there women and children are stolen by ``Demons''
The film does a little better then its given credit for by showing the grief, the gnashing of teeth, after a slaving raid. This is something that still happens today. In Africa, and
So our Hero, follows the tracks south,
It is here that he and his companions, are tested by CGI.
There are
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phorusrhacidae
These are South American fauna, and long extinct before 10 000 BC They are depicted as the Raptors of Jurassic Park, with feathers.
Then the Hero, rescues the Sabre tooth. Plays

Androcles And The Lion

The film draws strongly from the Bible, or rather biblical epics. More on this later.
Mean while the RAV's despite the lack of fodder for their horses, bring their slaves over moor and mountain, and desert
The heroine, tries to leave a trail, she is whipped.
Our Heroes following the path of the slavers, run into some Zulus. Or some other obviously African tribe. The animal hide shields, are somewhat problematic. As I don't see any domesticated animals
Our Heroes put together a rainbow coalition against the  RAV's
Instead of running the horsemen down. A horse cannot travel as far and as easily as a human being over time. Our heroes, follow the RAV's back to their city.
The RAV's have taken to sail boats to make their trip easier. They reach after a few days a city
Oh dear a city
It looks Egyptian. There are two lines, indicating the city may have been founded by Aliens, or by Atlantis. The RAV's take their orders from the priests of the city. Who speak another tonuge. Who use Mammoths for construction, who have thousands of slave working on a project.
The hunters, believe the Priests of the city may be gods. They are ruthless they practice human sacrifice. Well they throw someone of a building to encourage the others.

(SPOILER SPACE)

Well now its time to play Moses. Time to free the slaves. The hunters, infiltrate the camp, and start a revolt.
Meanwhile, the heroine, is to be sacrificed as her scars mark her as special.
The hero, leads a revolt. Kills, the RAV who stole his woman, unmasks the priests as Men. Destroys their great ship. A large ocean going ship.
There is a good scene, when the Priests are shown defenceless and terrified as the slaves storm their pyramid, temple.
Alas, the beloved of our hero is lost. The RAV, in a final act of spite, kills her. However the death foretold by the shaman, the wise woman, not the band, belongs to another. The Shaman sees a vision of herself, after all. It is her death, in exchange for the young girl, that sets her people free
So from Moses, to Jesus. The whole of the bible, in 90 minutes.
In the end of heroes head north , reunited, with corn, to grow food. The hunters, settle down. All well that ends well.

Superbad

Two friends, are invited too a party. They have to bring the booze. They hope the kudos from this will win the hearts and other organs  of two lovely ladies. Its the last days before college. Their final summer. Afterward they will go their separate ways.
They are still in HS. They rebuke a classmate with the information they remember him pissing his pants. One of the two friends,
A third friend, has managed to create a fake id. A Hawaiian state organ donor card. Which was entitled Mclovin. He manages to buy booze, for the party, when a robbery, has him shanghaied by a pair of Cops.
An African Jew, an odd crime for jews.. The police try to be very PC, with the pretty shop clerk
The people at the older party, are often in soccer shirts, Brazil, and Italy. There is more of a threat, at the older party, then in the normal teen movies.
No real hi jinks. Rather  a sense, that the boys could be beaten, and blooded. They might really be hurt. This is not a bunch of kids playing Ice Hockey
You probably know Yoda from attack of the Clones. Not from Starwars.  There is
Teenagers still drink Groschlager. Does anyone over 25 drink the stuff?
The penis pictures at the end, is wrong. Its really wrong...
The film, is a comedy and resolved almost in the traditional sense. However, its different, in there is resolution after the fact. The one wild night, ends up as they so often do disappointing
The heroines of the story. Or the love interest, get a POV scenes towards the end. There could have been more of this. Most teen films, mean girls coming to mind as an exception, oops, clueless, pretty in pink, and 16 candles, okay, most teen films are not exclusively male. I think they could have done more with the female contrast and comparison.
Superbad catches onto the the fact that youth is a time of great anticipation, great expectations. Despite, you haven't lived for very long, you can still feel a lifetimes disappointment at 16

Sunday 20th July

I am still having problems, with my DVD recorder. I suspect that the machine is worn out.  I would have thought it would have been the freeze frame that went first

My Internet connection seems, patchy. I can't find, the Nero cd, for my computer.

They are looking for people to supervise at work again. I will almost certainly apply. It is not something I relish. Supervising people, is annoying.

A little story, one of my coworkers, has got outside calls cut off, for our department, by constantly being on the phone. They could have transferred her, they could have sacked her, they could have warned her.  Instead they just cut off the phone

 

The work becomes more frustrating. I have to chase down individual items, and determine what happened to them.

Rather then applying myself, to a set goal. Do these requests, escort this item here....

On the other hand, I have been longer in my job, then the Second World War, I want something to show for it

Wanted.

Wanted

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Warren has a role, as the repair man. Hurrah he was in Hustle, and Dr's Who Blink.

The Russian director, Timur, shows his hand early on. Wesley's boss, is a grotesque. A shrieking red headed monster. Tormenting Wesley with her stapler.

The ending also uses rats, as a weapon. The Pied piper. Wesley in a modern day Hamlin. (Chicago) Speaking of Hamlin

The film, has a somewhat more European feel. There is a butcher, with an accent. The Carcasses reminded me of

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delicatessen_%28film%29

A villian is chased to the Czech republic. Where Angelina, steals a Yugo/Lada. Some type of People's  republic's car. 

There is a shoot out on a train. A proper train, not a city metro.

The fraternity is based at an actual textile factory. There is a cool segue to a monastic palace in Moravia. Where the weavers, found the secret in the threads.

Wesley in the earliest scenes, wears a Casio watch. A nice touch. They cost about 20 dollars.

I was unconvinced of the chemistry between Angelina. (Fox) and Wesley, Wesley, is kissed by Angelina, at one point. To allow him to score a point over his cuckolding ex. We see Angelina's pretty bum at one point. Indeed Wesley makes the superhuman effort,  of steering down Michigan avenue, while Angelina's crotch is in his face.

The critic in the guardian, described the film, as aimed at teenagers. Very young teenagers, who have not yet gone all the way. In that sense Angelina, character is perhaps the playful friend, of an older sister. Or a slightly teasing teacher. The film is derived from a comic book, the main audience of comic books is teenage males, and up

 

But Oh my God those eyes. Those eyes.

A Sopranos reference surely. The hit, on the gentleman, with a pinkie ring, while ....time to say goodbye'' plays in the back ground

The weapons are fantastic too. The film starts with an Indian woman, or perhaps Indian American. (Desi not Dakota) examining a bullet. Perhaps this is what I was thinking when I said, European. Its a fairy tale.  The Honest weaver. Remember Cinderella was Russian.

The weaver meets a beautiful woman, who helps him avenge his father. With magical weapons, he triumphs over the cheating woman, and the ogre.  With Guns, CGI and Angelina

Update

I was awarded Thursday off, as a reward for my hard work.

I went to see Wanted on friday, I will post my review of it here.

Happy birthday, to my friend Kiki

I fear my dvd recorder, has  become broken. The dvd burner on it, seems to have worn out. This is a nusicance.

My dinosaurs

 

Aside from Farm. I also keep a collection of toy Dinosaurs.

The large T-rex, is from Chicago. It is called Sue.

The larger green Triceratops, is from Texas. The Museum, in Corpus Christi

The small raptor, I found in the park. I have been told off for this, for picking up things in the park. As well, as stealing some poor child's toy.

The rest were from Macdonald's Happy meals. There is yellow stegasaur, a red triceratops, and a Green T rex

My Farm

 

These are my farm animals.

10 years ago, a nice lady gave me a toy sheep, as a gag gift.

It was Scottish, I went to a Scottish university. So...

I picked up the pig, one day going to work. They were handing them out as a promotion. I remember I took home, and showed it to someone, online. I used it to set up a joke .

The goat, which is now a cow. Hangs from my ceiling. It hails from Koln. I was hanging out there a lot, in 2006-2008

The little black horse, I got in Iceland

The Chronicles of Narnia.

The Lion and the Witch and the Wardobe.

I have read the book, and seen two other versions. Of clive staples lewis work.
One was a Cartoon version, of the 1970s. Where they wore flares.
We had the BBC's 1990's remake on video as well.

As I thought about going to see Prince Caspian, I thought, I might as well, pick this up.

I was most pleasantly suprised.

I am familar with the Narnia series being viewed as a Christian Metaphor. This is of course true.
Yet that is not the be and end all of the story. Disney have made a war movie.
Thats not as asburd as it seems.

Just to drop some history in here. The children, are evacuaees. The UK, evacuated inner city children, and occasionally their parents.
Well, their mothers, sometimes. To the countryside, to speare them, the tender mercies of the Luffwaffe. C.S Lewis, took in a few children.

Can you imagine this happening now.

Lucy seemed much younger, then in the BBC version. Or I guess I am just getting older. The children bicker, and bark at each other.
Lucy, is triumpthant. I told you he was real. Susan, is told off for being smart.
Susan's fate at the end of the Narnian series has angered some. Edmund is a nusicance. As boys of that age are. Sullen defensive and sneaky.

Kudos, to Ms Hawthorne, on her Northern accent.

James Macavoy plays the faun. One nice touch, he shuffles his hoof, upon entering his home.

Whilst the Faun, tries to lure lucy, to sleep. We see an image of the Lion. Aslan.
I am note sure about this. I don't want to check the book. Yet I thought Aslan, was not responsible,
it was Tumulus guilt, and shame, that prompted him to action. Rather then Aslan, which hints at a form of eternal vengance.

After Edmund has recieved his gift, its notable, the dwarf, hurls the goblet away.


We are not heroes , we are from finchley. Mrs T might disgaree.

I believe in a free Narnia. The beavers, the badgers, the fox, can be seen as the little folk.
The plebs, and peasants. Who are being opressed, by the wolves. The last throw of the dice of the Nazi movement styled itself Werewolf
It was written in the dark days of 1940. When the war was going badly.

We see Tumulus and edmund, in the Witches Ice palace, dungeon. Edmund keeps giving away information, risking everything,


The sacrifice of Aslan, at the Stone table. Has a more of a ritualistic element then in other versions.

The forces of darkness, are the Witch, the wolves, Minotaurs, goblins and bad dwarfs.
The Witches chariot is lead by Polar Bears, A dig at the the Golden Compass

Peters battle with the wolf, is perhaps toned down. I remember the BBC's version. In retrospect. I think that was better.
BBC, did a red mist thing, and the wolf was more anthromorphic. Perhaps there was some squeamishness, about killing an animal.


Peter is more of a relucant Hero, when told by the centaurs, thats weapons and numbers do not win, battles he remarks, yes but he is sure they help

The Phoneix flying and flaming the field, is something only modern CGI can do

The lord of the rings influenced, cast of thousands battle, is something I wondered about.
The strength, of the film, was the effect of the Witch, of the terrible winter, always cold, never christmas on, the little people.
They were not shown fighting, this makes some sense, Orcs, wil swat beaves, but something is lost, with anoymous centaurs, dashing off to glory.
If the little people, the smallest beasts, were good enough to suffer, why not to fight.


After the triumpth, the heroes return to the spare oom.

Good luck, to Valya

Good luck, and best wishes to my friend Valya, don't let the bastards get you down.
Stay strong

Hancock

It starts off pretty good. I have seen Will Smith, in a few movies. I own a few, I Robot, Independence day, I am legend. In this one, he seems different. He does seem, to be rougher, dirtier, grittier here
Hancock makes a mild crack about the sexuality of some Korean Bangers. Hancock says Christ. ( This is Columbia, which is part of Sony, Japanese money. The Japanese don't make waves)
Our Hero John Hancock, is the resident superhero, of LA. Except, he is something of a drunken bum. He hangs, out in dive bars, he drinks too much. He wrecks, signs, and streets.
He doesn't wear a costume though. Hancock, described one caped, and crotched superhero, as a ``Norwiegan fag''
Hancock's misadventures are reported on You Tube. His tryst with the trapped whale,
Jason Bateman is referred to as the Bono, of PR. He is trying to get companies to give away, their drugs, food, and power. He wants everything to be given away Pro Bono.
There is a decent line, in the Boardroom scene, in which one of the suits describes, free, as having the same resonance as with lethal side effects
Jason Bateman's son, is tormented by a French accent and french named bully, Michelle.
So, once rescued by Hancock, Jason Bateman, (who dated Charlize Theron, in Arrested Development, who was also in Bagger Vance, with Will Smith) Brings, Hancock, home for dinner.
This is not the first, Super hero movie our Charlize has been in either, anyone but me, remember Aeon flux?
Hancock, is eventually subpoenaed by the LA, DA. His PR, tells him to take his punishment, after a while, the LAPD, will come back looking for help.
So Hancock goes to jail, does his time. He is visited by Charlize, and Bateman's son. Who leaves Hancock, a Hadrosaur, to play with. That was his favourite dinosaur. I think Hadrosaurs, are a poor choice, after the T-rex, Raptor, Ankylosaurus but to each their own
and then the police come calling.
There is bank robbery in progress. An officer pinned down behind her vehicle, and a hostage situation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Hollywood_shootout

A smooth faced Hancock, shows up, parroting his PR's injunction to commend everyone on their work.  He dodges, 50 caliber rounds, and explosive shells.
There is a nice set up, with Hancock, fooling the bank robbery. By sleight of hand, he had been called an asshole,
The villain of the piece's back story is interesting. He is a psychology professor gone bad. A Cajun by his accent too. He is an interesting foil to Jason Bateman.
After the successful, foiling of the crime. ( Contradiction in terms? ) Hancock becomes the toast of tinsel town.
We learn, that Hancock, has no back story. He is not an alien, he was born, or became aware, 80 years ago, in Miami. He had two tickets for Frankenstein. That's what all they know, he took the American moniker, of John Hancock, as he thought it was his name.
Then the twist happens..
I didn't think it was that bad, but the mood of the film, changes. I would watch the leads, in a lot. Charlize, Smith and Bateman. However it loses the dark comedy of the first hour. What is left, is an episode of Heroes with a great cast. Well thats good, but just not good enough, If you build a great foundation, for an ordinary house, hasn't something been wasted
Be interesting to see the dvd.

July 2008

 

I lost my phone,on my recent trip abroad. I purchased a replacement today. I got the same model as my brother. As I know that it is reliable. I must say the bluetooth function is wonderful. It really does make things easier.

I have been playing Star Trek Supremacy on my PC.

PS Valya says I look like a ghost

It is with deepest regret

(It is with deepest regret I must inform my friends and readers, that my relationship is over )


I want it on the record here, that I never saw anyone prettier then my redheaded mother of two in the shower. Nor did I feel richer then eating sweet and sour chicken, and drinking applejuice in Akranes

Viking days In Iceland

http://www.annagassanvikingfestival.com/history.html

 

I was asked if there were Icelandic days in Ireland. Not, but there are several viking festivals.

 

We have 20 authentic Danish Vikings coming over to recreate what their forefathers once did however this time the Irish will put up a better fight.

Race down the river in an authentic Viking ship, 10 people per boat - limited places available!

Discover how the Vikings lived with guided tours of the village by local experts.

An authentic Viking village will be created with crafts, foods, drinks, weaponry and the general Viking way of life on display.

There will be a feast of music from both cultures with
traditional Irish music, modern local bands and traditional
Danish folk.

Annagassan is lucky to have many craftspeople in the area and also quality food producers who will set up their very own village to showcase and sell their products.

Apart from the Viking boat races we will also have Kayaking, Kite surfing and Scuba diving in the harbour area.

This is a dog show with a difference. The only entrants will be Irish Wolfhounds and Great Danes and we hope to break the world record for the tallest dog!

Tom and Patricia will show the kids all they need to know about
horses.

Bouncy castle, face painting, games. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Iceland 2009 snaps

Icelandic lake seen from the Air The road to the Airport The road into the capital from Akranes

Happy Independence Day

 

(Flag is from sevenoaks art)

Happy Independence day

Round up

 

Congratulations to my friend Laura, with her new position at work

Congratulations to my friend Kate's sister,

There was another case of Library madness at work. One of my co workers, returned from Lunch, to vent his frustrations on the wall.

He did return to apologise later,  in tears.

Life in the Library, it is a different world

( Allo Charlotte ca va ? )

I am off to Iceland again, from tomorrow. I hope you can all behave yourselves.

Clerks 2

I got round to watching this finally. It had been sitting on my shelf, for about a year.
I chose, to watch the intro with Kevin Smith, and Jason Mewes  

``37''
``Home boy f-cked a Martian once. '' Yes there are many bad words. It iss that part of Jersey, which without the Sopranos, is pure white bread and mayo. The heroes of this tale, are fast food clerks. Randal and Dante, the stars of Clerks.
Hellen Keller and Anne Frank are confused, by Randal
Ben Affleck makes a brief appearance, as customer. 

Only a few lines, there was a slight falling out after Jersey Girl
Transformers are a gift from god. Randall is 33, Transformers should have been something he caught the end of .
Kevin Weisman (Marshall from Alias) plays a Lord of the Rings fanboy-baited into sickness by Randal
Jason Lee, now TV's Earl- (My name is Earl) makes an appearance as a former classmate. This classmate is remembered infamously, as Pickle F-cker.
The Pickle F-cker has now made millions via the Internet. Amazon bought his company for millions. Randal's crude attempt at revenge, is sidestepped. This leaves Randal, flustered and flummoxed
Randal, and Dante, retire to ride go-kart's To the tune of Burt Bacharach's
"Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raindrops_Keep_Fallin'_on_My_Head

After there ride, Randal expresses his fear. 

The world has left them behind. The world is leaving him behind. His best friend Dante, is moving to Florida, and is off to get married to a pretty blonde . Randal will be left with a co worker half his age.
Raindrop's keep falling, reminds the viewer that Dante and Randal, are like Butch and Sundance. 

The world is leaving them behind. The kids, prefer Lord of the Rings. The kids, they teased now triumph in the stock market.  The partnership Randal's life is based on, is now going to be superseded
There is actually a Musical number. 

In it, Dante, confesses his love for the divine Rosario Dawson. His Boss,
One of the more disturbing skits, is the newbie, description of his girl friends ``Pussy troll''
One of the best set piece jokes- I can remember.- It is very obviously foreshadowed 
Randal speaks of watching Bachelor Party on Beta. 

We are getting old. Maybe we should stop trying to conform, and do what makes us happy. We had our day in the sun. Now its time for someone else to be the kids.

Don S. Davis

Don S. Davis  (1942-2008)

``General Hammond''
``Major Garland Briggs''

Father, Veteran, Artist.