Thoughts of the week

Greetings readers and thank you for all the positive comments I've received so far from everybody i really appreciate it. To think I've had over 100 profile views and been seen in countries such as USA and Brazil is incredible to me so thank you. So whats been on the agenda this week.

The Muppet Show

First mention has to go to the muppet show as following seeing the film recently and seeing the dvd of the first series going cheap in Tescos i have been watching this series and I have to say I'm loving it. My favourite muppet has to be the Swedish Chef which strikes a chord to a Monty Python and League of Gentleman fan such as myself as being totally bizarre but utterly hilarious. This being my favourite clip so far:

(again owned by Disney, used by me)

Beency, bouncy burger indeed! Also loving Statler and Waldorf's sketches with Fozzy Bear, example:

Statler/Waldorf: We love seeing you!

Fozzy: You want to see me?

Waldorf: Retire!

This series has to come back.

Monarchy

Having recently completed watching the series Diamond Queen by Andrew Marr and thinking on the Jubilee celebrations later this year I am even more a confirmed royalist than I was before. I do believe that there is a far smaller number of people that would want a republican state in this country than some sources would have you believe (sorry Johnny Lydon but its just a good tune!). I have a great respect for the Queen and all she does as being 80+ and still having to work as hard as she does is remarkable, and in Prince William and the younger generation of royals the future is in good hands. Also the royals greatest ability is to adapt to the times. So I'm looking forward to this summer with the Jubilee and the Olympics it will be a time to say I'm British and proud and I dont care who knows. Whatever country you live in or support always be patriotic .

Lionel Messi and weekend football  

Was watching a documentary Wednesday on Messi and was watching the highlights of Barcelona's recent 7-1 win and I cant cease to be in awe of the legend to be that is Lionel Messi. What this young 24 year old can do is extraordinary and to still be so young and have so many years in football ahead is frightening. Easily the best player in the world right now. In my opinion its a matter of when and not if he will perform on the national stage and become one of the best of all time.

Finally, damn that win felt good its been a long time coming but what a relief! As far as the other results go stick that City! The ball is now once again in United's hands and long may it continue to be so. I'd sooner have Man United as champions than anybody else particularly City.

Anyway that will do for now, more next week. 

Movie Review: The Woman In Black

Movie Review: The Woman In Black


This movie is based on the book of the same name written by Susan Hill that was released in 1983. The book has some gravitas as a play was written based on the book which is still to this date running on London's West End and is the second longest running play on the West End after The Mousetrap.
The main interest in this film of course is Daniel Radcliffe who is in his first straight role since finishing Harry Potter although as many people know Daniel Radcliffe has done other work other than Harry Potter, 2007s theatre production of Equus being an example of an outside success for Radcliffe (Radcliffe actually being nominated for a major theatre award for his role). Although people from the Potter generation seeing this film for Radcliffe can expect a very different movie.
Daniel Radcliffe however is as much the movies major draw as he is the movies major flaw. The character Radcliffe plays here, Arthur Kipps, is a young solicitor who lives with his 4 year old son whose wife has recently died and therein lies the problem. Age wise Radcliffe could just about pull this off, being 23 it is possible for a man of his age to be in this situation. Unlikely but possible. We as an audience however just having seen this man play a character of 18 are being asked a lot in suddenly being expected to consider a 4 year old child and a recently died wife for him. Radcliffe still simply looks too young for the role. If able to see past this however into the movie itself, the movie has a lot to be recommended.
In an era dominated by such horror films as Paranormal Activity and the recently ended Saw series it takes a   great deal to shock an audience of today. What this film concentrates on is the paranormal side of horror, a risky venture as this will always carry comparisons with the aforementioned series by Orem Peli, but to its credit it largely carries it off.
Beginning with a scene with 3 children seemingly under psychological control who end up dying (i will not spoil how), a bold start, it wastes little time in setting the scene. We then follow Kipps as he takes up a last chance legal case, settling the estate of a lady who recently died, as we are told he is struggling financially and has this one last opportunity to prove himself before being fired.
The case leads Kipps to the estate in question, Eel Marsh House where the owner Alice Drablow lived with her adopted son Nathaniel and husband and her sister Jennet Humfrye. We soon learn that Nathaniel died while young being drowned at the nearby beach and was actually Jennet's son. Jennet hated her sister Alice for adopting Nathaniel and not allowing her to raise her own son.
As soon as Kipps arrives at the estate he is haunted by the 'woman in black' and the activity gets steadily worse as the film progresses leading to a quite surprising twist at the end. The horror and scares in this film are very effective and capture a real sense of terror, being genuinely frightening and holding their own against the scares of its current peers. A lot of viewers may actually prefer this film to Paranormal Activity as it has a proper, and quality, story; Radcliffe also, despite the above mentioned problems plays the role well enough showing promise that he may yet escape the curse of most child actors who eventually seem to fade away or get too typecast
Radcliffes next role however, much more so than this one, may yet decide the path his career will take from here on but does act as a good bridge as in its own right it is a reasonable horror movie putting the legendary Hammer back on track.
Verdict:***--

Movie Review: The Muppets

Movie Review: The Muppets
Owned by Disney, used by me.

Now I love the muppets. Having watched the legendary film that is Muppets Christmas Carol every Christmas Eve since about 1994 (one more sleep till Christmas!) my hope was high with this that the muppets would finally recapture the magic and finally once again have a good film. Years of poor book adaptations like Wizard of Oz and Treasure Island had tarnished their reputation but hopes were high with this as this was the first film to feature the muppets in their true form since the 80s.

As everyone knows Disney purchased the rights to the muppet brand in 2004 so combine one of the wackiest shows ever to have existed and the traditional brand of true Disney magic and this should be a match made in heaven and thankfully it is. This is a gloriously entertaining film putting the muppets brand back on the map.

We begin with a brand new muppet called Walter (Peter Linz) who lives with his human brother Gary (Jason Segel) but always feels left out for being different by everyone else until discovering the original muppet show and finds beings just like him and rapidly becomes the worlds biggest muppets fan. As the years go by obviously his brother Gary gets older and gets a girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) but Walter doesnt and remains just as big a muppets fan. What no-one tells him however is, matching reality, the muppet show doesnt exist any more and the muppets brand has fallen. When Walter eventually realises the truth, when the three go on holiday to Hollywood and make a visit to the original muppet theatre only to find it run down and largely abandoned, Walter makes a decision to gather the gang back together and put the muppet show back on to try and raise the money required ($10m) and prevent the theatre falling into the hands of millionaire businessman Tex Richman who plans to tear the whole thing down.

What follows is brilliant as beginning with the return of the legendary Kermit the Frog gradually each member of the gang is introduced individually until finally the gang go to France and we have the return of the queen diva herself Miss Piggy and the muppets are back.

The best moment of this film is when we have the whole crowd together and the original famous music hits and it really is time once again to 'play the music and light the lights' as the rest of the movie, in a brilliant move by director James Bobin, is virtually given over to what feels like the first new episode of the muppet show in 30 years. Highlight of which for me has to be a barber shop quartet doing a barber shop style version of the nirvana classic Smells like teen spirit which works even though it really shouldn't.  Cue in a suitably ulifting ending, although as is fitting not exactly as we may be expecting, and we have a greatly entertaining movie.

With great music (the song Man or Muppet even won the oscar for best original song), great comedy and the return of one of the greatest assembled cast of characters of all time this is a full and glorious comeback for the muppets and with a sequel already being written due to demand it appears that we will be meeting the muppets and starting the show quite alot in the next few years, and this reviewer for one is absolutely thrilled.

Review of Latest WWE Raw

As many people who know me know I love WWE, have done for years so will be reviewing Raw and PPV's in amongst my other reviews. Dont tend to watch Smackdown so wont be reviewing that.

Raw came from the TD garden in Boston today which of course means Raw was haling from John Cenas home town.

Shawn Michaels v Triple H confrontation
This keeps getting more interesting. The latest twist in this saga came at the end of this one with the announcement that HBK was going to be special ref for Undertaker v Triple H at Wrestlemania. The thoughts will be that Shawn Michaels will screw one of the two in that match but this is not Shawn Michaels first time as special ref and each time hes called the match straight down the middle. I believe Shawn Michaels has too much respect both for the wrestling and Triple H and the Undertaker to screw either one. But this one is heating up nicely.

Rock v Cena
Have to admit every respect has to go to Cena here for holding his own against the greatest on the mic of all time. Interesting vignettes from Rock about Boston throughout the show but in the confrontation at the end Rocks statement that he will 'rip your throat out' shows that Cena has him rattled. Not many have held mic against the Rock through the years and came out well, only Austin has in the past but Cena is looking great recently. Whether the match will live up to the hype depends on how ready to go Rock is but neither are the best wrestlers so we will see.

Orton v Kane
This is an intriguing rivalry that has built up recently, clearly building up to a match at Wrestlemania. On the face of it it seems purely a way to get two of the biggest names who arent in for a title match on the card at WM but Kane has been wrestling a lot more fluidly recently whereas Orton always has a good match so if this comes off look for this to surprise many. My thoughts are is this is where the Miz will become involved in a triple threat maybe a four way with R-Truth.

Theodore Long v John Laurinitis
The prize for the most pointless rivalry at the moment has to go to this one. Obviously a match will take place for this at WM with a rep for both Long and Laurinitis probably with the contestants that fought here Marella and Swagger for the US title. Many congrats to Marella for winning the US title here feeling is this has come about through sheer popularity which is very refreshing.

And yes Jericho pinned CM Punk but quiet with this one this week. Still think this match has the potential to steal the card like Jericho and Punk have each done on several occasions.

News for next week:
Undertaker v Shawn Michaels will both be on the show to continue their storyline.

Thats it for now folks. More next week.

Champions League and FA Cup Results opinions..

Due to popular demand I'm back! Thanks for all the positive feedback regular readers really appreciate it. So what am I thinking today

Latest Football.
Barcelona just keep getting better. 7-1 against Leverkusen is an unbelievable result and Messi is amazing, 5 goals in a champions league match is an inhuman effort. Big shout out has to go to Apoel Nicosia who I believe are the first ever Cypriot side through to the quarter finals of the champions league.
Also sympathetic shout to Arsenal who came so close to an amazing comeback but just came up short. Have to believe that Arsenal will buy in the summer, they cant rely on Van Persie alone any longer and still stay in the same position they've been under Wenger these past years.
FA Cup has gone as predicted but every respect has to go to both blues (who look great this year, much to my displeasure, despite all their current troubles) and Stevenage for forcing the replay in the first place.
Hoping for a win this saturday but not expecting a win. Fulham have been great recently whereas we havent but when it comes to it form tends to go out the window.






 

Thoughts of the day

Its been a nice relaxing day today. Just what I needed after working 42 hours last week. I thought I would start a blog page, not that I expect many people to read it just a place to get my thoughts down. So what am I thinking today.

Russia
Just heard the news that Vladmir Putin has yet again one the Russian election amidst talk of a rigged election. What Putin and Blatter have in common is that both are in charge of major international organisations, one a country one FIFA, both are people thousands all over the world no longer want in power, and both are dictators just the world or their own people doesnt want to admit it. If youre in charge, siezing power dubiously and dictating to people what to do that is a dictator. Okay maybe they dont have the usual killing people and other horrors that go with being a dictator but youre still a dictator all the same.

Chelsea
Inevitable that Andre Villas-Boas was going to be sacked after losing to West Brom. Okay West Brom are having the best season of all the midland clubs at present, I of course am a Villain, but Chelsea should be having the likes of West Brom for breakfast. Couple that with the other bad results and Abramovich had no choice.

Villa
While Im on the subject of football, yet another poor result for us. The last two draws at Blackburn and Wigan have been depressing. Coupled with losing Bent for what will  probably be the rest of the season and where are we headed? To hell in a handbasket thats where. Cant blame Mcleish totally, the players have to take some of the blame. Maybe it is our turn to be relegated this season as sad as that will be but at least the season ticket prices will be cheaper. But where would that leave us as a club?

Guns N Roses
I was listening to Guns and Roses earlier and imagining what a reunion would be like. As we fans know its closer now than ever with the Hall of Fame coming in April but probably still wont happen and if that proves the case I think we can say that it almost definitely never will. The way Slash is now and the way Axl is now you just cant see them performing on the same stage but it would be good if they just put the past behind them and did. I can see them launching with Welcome to the Jungle. Picture this, Steven Adler begins with a drum solo then Slash begins in the dark so you cant see him. Gradually Duff then Izzy go on stage and the lights go up on Slash as the main song then begins only for Axl to run on stage when it comes to the vocal in true Axl fashion and the roof comes off the place. It would be good.

Anyway more next week when I do a thoughts of the week blog. Please also see my movie review blog which I will do on a regular basis.

Movie Review: The Artist

I intend to launch blogs on my page reviewing recent movies I've seen and music albums etc aswell as my usual random thought blogs. This will be my first so bare with me if its not that good!

Movie: The Artist (Best picture oscar winner)

Now I dont like the french, cant stand the French actually even though Paris is probably my favourite city, but one thing the French do have is an outstanding movie industry. They after all gave us cinema and the movies with the Lumiere brothers producing the first commercially produced movie, Oberammergau Passion Play released in 1898 (title confirmed by Wiki), as much as Hollywood dont like admitting that the French came first. The French movie industry however has been a sleeping giant for too many years staying rather introverted and not getting a chance to push past the Hollywood big studios, not that they tried. So despite my dislike of the French I cant hold it against one of their directors if he wants a shot at the big time.

So as many people know this film has been akin to a juggernaut sweeping up all the major awards including the big kahuna in the Oscar. On the face of it it appears your standard best picture oscar winner fare in ticking all the usual major boxes (take the following as a guide how to win the best picture oscar)
1. Released between December and January.
2. Have a theme that will stand out from the rest.
3. Dont feature any fantasy or science fiction (yes LOTR will always remain the exception to the rule)
4. Make sure it doesnt do very well at the box office (again there are a few odd exceptions such as Titanic and LOTR)
So the major question is how is it as an actual movie, is it actually any good?

Having watched the movie to form my own impressions yesterday my overwhelming answer is, quite refreshingly, yes. This is an outstanding movie, one of the few I've seen that I would call a masterpiece.
The movie takes up the story of an actor called George Valentin (Jean DuJardin in a masterful performance) who is one of the big shots of the silent movie era who when talkies take over refuses to become a talking actor and so gradually loses everything. As far as I know this is a fictional story but it does reflect reality as this happened to many actors of the early cinema era. The movie opens with a shot of a packed cinema theatre, like all the major cinemas were back then (hence the phrase movie theatre) at a premiere and follows George leaving the cinema and taking the applause of the masses, something we are very familiar with in this celebrity obsessed culture of ours. It is most definitely imprinted that this guy is major news. On leaving the theatre however a tangle ensues with a young lady there who is a major fan who kisses George and so subsequently all the papers of the time are in uproar, just as they would be today, wondering just who this girl is. Anyay the movie continues to show that they start a bit of an affair, George being married at the time, and she becomes an actress who the talkies then embrace and becomes major. The film follows our two actors as George loses everything, the young lady, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), becomes the next major movie star.

What works so very well in this movie is the sense of humanity it captures. The increasing despair of George is counterbalanced with the increasing joy and success of Peppy, the themes we are talking about here and the feelings of the two featured characters are ones we can all empathise with as human beings and we wish to follow the characters to find out how they will end up. The amazing thing here is of course that all of this is done without a single word being said as this, as has been so very well publicised is a silent movie. But watching it you can see that this wouldnt work as well if it was done any other way. In being silent the thoughts and words in your mind are your own, apart from the occasional caption on screen, as such you feel for the characters in a far more personal way.

My favourite sequence in this movie is a sequence of a dream that George has when he encounters sounds for what is made to seem the first time and his despair and realisation that all the objects around him are making noises apart from his own voice. This I would place up there with the Ezekiel 25:17 sequence from Pulp Fiction as being sheer genius movie making.

Verdict: If you can see a movie as an art form then see this one as its one of the best you will see. If all you want from movies is spectactular sequences and CGI its probably best avoided as none of it is here. ( But I'll say if that is your thing is try and broaden your mind). Every respect to the French and indeed the director Michel Hazanavicius for creating a true masterpiece of our time.