It's Christmas week

Well gentle reader we have reached Christmas week at last. Over the next few days I will be running a taxi service to meet the needs of my childrens social diaries. I have survived the office Christmas dinner and have been contemplating the week's film offerings.

Tonight is a veritable feast of entertainment if you love film with no less than 8 films worthy of attention. But before I get on to those I watched A History of Violence which I recommended as being worth a look a couple of weeks ago. On watching the film myself for the first time this week I have to confess to being a bit disappointed. It isn't that it's a bad film it is just not as good as everybody else seems to think it is. Also I was reading The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn which is to be made into a film. I couldn't really recommend it to anybody else as I lost interest in the story part way through.

All evening will see you battle with deciding what to watch and what to tape, always assuming that you have the option. At about seven o clock the choice comes between a quirky little Australian number and an American classic. The Dish (c4 7pm) is the story of how a small remote radio telescope played a part in the moon landings. Sam Neill is the 'star' of this piece but it is just a gentle film and more than worthy of note. However, it is up against The African Queen. This is one of those marvellous films which just transcends time. The two stars Bogart and Hepburn are just outstanding. The film White Hunter Black Heart is loosely based on the filming of this masterpiece.Look out for cameos from Richard Marner of Allo Allo fame, Walter Gotell (General Gogol in the Bond films) and Theodore Bikel (Rabbi Koslov in Babylon 5).

At about 9 o clock there are two more films. One I have never managed to see all the way through and the other is pure 80's class. A Knights Tale is the film that many would argue brought Heath Ledger to international notice (certainly to me). I hope to give this one a look. The other option is Gremlins. This is just a classic comedy, horror, christmas story. It does look a bit dated but the story is great. It is rated 15 and would probably be a 12 today but it is certainly not one for the kids.

The late shift features 4 films which clash with each other. Geronimo is a brilliant adaptation of the tale featuring Robert Duvall and Wes Studi. Again I have never managed to see this through to the end due to technical problems. MI2 whilst being a diverting film is not a patch on the first cinematic release. Fans of the X Men movies rejoice at the fact that Dougray Scott was delayed making this and so was unable to play Wolverine. V for Vendetta is something that I watched on DVD recently and although it is disowned by its creator Alan Moore is still worth a look and is certainly entertaining. Also Cliffhanger is on. Stallone is no great shakes as an actor, although he is much better than people give him credit for. This is one of his better offerings. He is acted off the screen by John Lithgow. In addition Janine Turner provides a welcome diversion.

Sunday brings us Finding Nemo which is OK if you like that kind of thing. The new version of King Kong which I haven't seen but which everybody says is not as good as the original with Fay Wray. Also there is Road House featuring Patrick Swayze and Sam Elliot.

Monday has Brothers Grimm which was slated but then Gilliam films frequently suffer this fate. I haven't seen it and so can't comment. There is also Pan's Labyrinth. Again I haven't actually managed to make it all the way through this film. Whilst being visually stunning which is undeniable I found the actual story slow and difficult and it wasn't because of the subtitles.

Tuesday brings us a sci-fi classic with 20000 leagues under the sea featuring Kirk Douglas and James Mason. This is well worth a look. There is wuirky comedy Overboard featuring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. I caught this by accident once and found it to be mildly amusing. The film of the night though is Con Air. The cast in this film is just outstanding. Admittedly JOhn Malkovich steals the film, which he usually does, but Nick Cage, John Cusack, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi and Colm Meaney all provide excellent entertainment. This is Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking of the highest order.

Early on Christmas morning we have a rare treat. Nothing says peace and good will to all men like a Chuck Norris fight fest. I will be keeping a look out for Good Guys Wear Black. In the afternoon there is Bill Murray at his laconic best in Scrooged. As an adaptation of A Christmas Carol it is extremely well done. However the best adaptation is the one by the Muppets and Michael Caine which was on last week.

Boxing Day brings Crocodile Dundee which is really starting to show its age but is still good fun. Pirates of the Caribbean 2 gets its terrestrial premiere. Also the surprise of the season is black comedy Death Becomes Her. The cast is terrific with marvellous performances from Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis and 'Muriel Strepsil'. Also Ingrid Bergman's daughter, Isabella Rossellini, features.

So seasons felicitations to all readers and family photos will make an appearance in the next couple of weeks.

The pre Christmas build up

Well everybody it's nearly that time of the year when people pig out, drink too much, do things they really wish they hadn't and then detox in the new year hoping that nobody noticed the previous month.

Unfortunately for this group there are people like me who don't drink, notice a lot and have a photographic memory to use at the most appropriate times.

It is also the silly season for TV listings I currently have three this week and will have a fourth by early next week. So as I haven't indulged my reviewing skills for a while I thought I would go for it again particularly as the film world is a reviewer short at the moment. I believe he said something that a lot of people didn't like.

So what delights do we have for next week. There is nothing filmwise on Saturday that I can recommend either because I haven't seen the films that are on or because I've only recently recommended the films anyway. However, I would like to heartily recommend a documentary and a comedy program. On BBC2 we have the second part of Boris Johnson's documentary After Rome. Whatever you think about London's mayor he is an excellent broadcaster and this documentary is yet another wonderful offering. It is immediately followed on BBC1 by Outnumbered. I caught the second episode of this second series a couple of weeks ago and haven't laughed so much in ages. Andy Hamilton can always be relied upon to come up with something funny Drop The Dead Donkey and Old Harry's Game being my personal favourites. I never saw the first series but if it is as good as this one has been it will be a joy. Go on have a laugh.

Sunday night has a couple of films and one must see TV show. The films are Just Cause with Sean Connery. I will probably be giving this a look as I love legal dramas and haven't actually seen this one. However, it clashes with an excellent film. Master & Commander. I am told that the books are better than the film and have to admit that when I first watched it I wasn't expecting much as I am not a great lover of this period of history. But I was pleasantly surprised at the film as a whole and of the performances of both Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. On TV is Top Gear a program for the grumpy old man in all of us. It is not PC and never claimed to be and that is its key.

Monday night, when I can actually get to the TV after people in our household have watched the same episode of Dr Who for the 200th time is full of some great documentaries. There are also a couple of films of note. Channel 4 has Niall Ferguson's The Ascent of Money. It is a fairly dry subject but it is crucial that we understand the subject if we wish to understand our way out of the current difficulties. It is followed on the same channel by Catastrophe. Tony Robinson looks at the science behind how we actually got here at all. Horizon it isn't but as ever Robinson makes his subject accessible and understandable. At the same time on BBC2 is WWII Behind Closed Doors. Whilst it is an excellent documentary featuring the ever popular Bob Gunton as FDR I have to say that I don't think it is the best of Laurence Rees' WWII documentaries. Personally I think The Nazis: A Warning From History is the best and one of the most chilling series I have ever watched. It is still worth a look though. At 10 on C4 is A History of Violence. I haven't seen this film but it has had excellent reviews and the cast of Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and William Hurt would under usual circumstances guarantee a good film. Also later on is Tim Burton's first Batman movie. Stolen by Jack Nicholson as The Joker I have to admit that I think Michael Keaton has been the best Batman (other than the animated series) until Christian Bale. If you happen to have Sky Movies Sci/Fi then also check out Raising Cain. It is one of the best films I have ever seen.

Tuesday is a night for the film buff if you don't like football. The one drawback is that you will need some new fangled equipment or a helpful friend to enjoy it all. On ITV2 it is an Arniefest. We have Total Recall and Termonator 2 Judgment Day. The former is one of the best Arnie films I have seen. It is Arnie doing what he has always done best which is blowing things up and shooting people. It is based on a Philip K Dick story called We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. On the whole this author's work is very hit and miss when it is filmed. For every much vaunted Blade Runner there is a Minority Report. I personally think this is more the former than the latter. I also would like to say that I actually don't like Blade Runner that much. Arnie is supported as usual by people who can act. Namely Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside and Ronny Cox all of whom are excellent. This is then followed by the highly acclaimed sequel to The Terminator. This is just Arnie at his best and even if you don't like sci-fi or Arnie is a good film. At the same time on Film4 is The Transporter. Now I actually saw the sequel to this a few weeks ago and the plot, such as it is, is just a vehicle for moving from one fight sequence to the next. If the first film is as laugh out loud enjoyable it will be a treat.

Wednesday is Heroes. If you are so inclined you can also watch the aforementioned sequel to The Transporter and also Lucky Number Slevin which received some good reviews when it was released. Thursday is Jason Bourne night. Well at least the first two. ITV 2 is showing Ultimatum and Supremacy back to back. These are both excellent films with an excellent cast and are the reason Bond changed direction with Casino Royale. These are both good friendly violent fun. The only thing of note on Friday night which I haven't already recommended today is Judge Dredd. I know critics and comic lovers hated it but then they were always going to. This is a role which Stallone was ideally suited for and despite the panning it got it is still visually great and fantastic fun. Rob schneider spoils it but then he has that effect on most films he is in. As is the case for most action heroes they surround themselves with excellent support. Here we have Max Von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow to name but two. Also keep an eye out for a cameo from Ian Dury.

Until next time enjoy.

Well there really is no hope

Well we had barely a centimetre of slush here this morning and as expected normally good drivers left their common sense behind and the traffic system in Huddersfield came to a grinding halt. It is always the same the slightest bit of bad weather and all sense of reason or ability disappears and the country shuts down.

I remember when we had proper snow drifts not this namby pamby stuff we had this morning. As I recall the country coped reasonably well certainly much better than it seems to nowadays. It also depresses me that every time this happens we have the same outcome - chaos. I wonder what the Scandinavians, Canadians, Alaskans, Americans, Germans and Russians must make of our inability to deal with what to them are minor inconveniences. These countries do not grind to a halt they struggle on in spite of the conditions.

They probably have a version of You've Been Framed showing videos of traffic jams in the UK when there is barely a millimetre of snow on the ground. How they must laugh?

I hate driving in snow but I at least try and drive with common sense as far as is possible but find it frustrating that people driving Chelsea tractors can't cope largely because they have never been near a field in them.

Well rant over for now. Graduation piccies and post will be coming soon. Well as soon as I can find the camera with the photos on it.

The Joys of Travel

Many years ago there was an advertising campaign which said, if I recall correctly, 'Let the train take the strain'. Well if my trip last weekend was anything to go by I'd really rather not thank you very much.

In fact the weekend was a contrast of two train companies. My trip north was on Virgin Cross Country (amongst others). I happen to like Virgin Trains and would recommend them to anybody because the trains are modern-ish, the staff generally helpful and the journey usually relatively benign. Virgin were not helped on Friday night that their staff on the train I caught had failed to take action against the morons who had stuck their cases and luggage where they shouldn't. There was nearly a chance of us not getting on the train and the staff at Leeds Station didn't seem to care. More worrying than this was the possibility that my nine year old son might have been separated because of this crush. If that had happened I would have taken somebody's head off.

The journey was uneventful, however it felt like I was in an oven. Train carriages are airless places and I hate long journeys. Added to that the cost involved. Whatever politicians and train companies might say we are being overcharged for what we get which is generally poor service, lousy food, long journeys and staff who really don't give a monkeys about customers. The trains don't run on time. In my opinion the train fares should be coming down until we get a decent level of service.

The journey on Scotrail was pure comedy gold and I will be writing my first novel based on that short trip. If the intelligence services have trained artists as interrogators then god help us all. It was like watching a trained interrogator prise information out of their subject whilst given nothing away themselves. And as for the man with his ipod who appeared to be on another planet based on the gyrations he was making well...

But Virgin are almost at Japan-like levels of customer service compared to National Express who are really GNER by another name. In fact one member of staff was still carrying his GNER bag. He will clearly have to be sent to the salt mines for reeducation. A trip from Edinburgh - York which should take under three hours took the better part of 4 as we went South West and then back South East going to Newcastle via Carlisle. A man with his guide dog and a route map could have got there quicker.

As a taxpayer I feel that I am entitled to expect a good level of service, trains that run on time and reasonable fares. When cheap fares are advertised they are never actually available. Ladies and gentlemen we are being conned by the Government and businesses.

Off to design my own Maglev.

You Take the High Road

Well gentle reader I am just in the process of summoning up my strength to make the journey north with Tom this weekend. Given his and his team's performance last weekend it will be a little disappointing not to be there for the Rishworthians game on Sunday. I am also preparing for next week when I will be able to watch all those films I have had to put off watching because they are not suitable for children.


Jenni is taking a trip south on Monday for her first time away. Having booked my hotel room for my interview in a couple of weeks I was mildly worried that the booking was insured by AIG which in the current climate does not fill you full of hope.



So on to the films for the next seven days. All next week there are Bond films on. These are mainly showing on ITV2. The best of these is probably The World Is Not Enough which is probably the best outing for Pierce Brosnan. On Saturday afternoon there is also a showing of Live And Let Die which is probably Roger Moore's best outing in the role. Whilst I liked Brosnan in the role there was almost a sensation that it was his turn as he had been linked with the role since the dawn of time. The best thing about his tenure was Judi Dench as M. For me Connery is and always will be the best and Moore was the worst. Yes readers even Lazenby was better in my opinion. Dalton was never really given much of a chance. Daniel Craig has the potential to be the best.

Saturday night has two excellent films which are worth a look. The first is Red Dragon. This is Hollywood's second attempt to make the first Hannibal Lecter story. The original is Michael Mann's Manhunter. This film has some pros and cons. The pro in Manhunter was the performance by Brian Cox as Lecter. Arguably his performance is the most chilling portrayal of Lecter. The cons are that it is a lousy film (IMHO). Red Dragon saw the film remade with the most famous personification of Lecter by Anthony Hopkins. Now there is nothing wrong with the portrayal as far as it goes. Red Dragon is a better and more accessible film than its more lauded predecessor and the acting is fine but there is an argument that after the success of Silence of the Lambs Hollywood should have left well enough alone because this is not a patch on that film.





The other film on Saturday night is something of a hidden gem. Cop Land is a film in which Stallone is not playing some muscle bound hero beating the living daylights out of his foes. This is possibly amongst his best ever performances for that very reason. He is surrounded by some outstanding actors in Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. If I had to recommend only one of these films for Saturday it would be this. On Sunday night there is also a film which the critics slated but which I found stranegly enjoyable. Bulletproof Monk is one of those films which has a ludicrous plot, bad acting but is wonderful entertainment nonetheless.



Tuesday is another double header with two wonderful and contrasting films. Firstly we have Rio Grande. This is the final instalment in John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy. The on screen chemistry between John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara is there as ever. Wayne is also surrounded by his usual repertory company. This is a factor that Wayne shares with Bogart and Eastwood. All three had a group of actors who they worked with regularly and the ease with which they worked together is plain to see. It is also worth noting that the group was never a closed shop and all three brought other actors into the group. Contrast this with Hero and its cast of millions. It is a sumptuous visual feast with plenty of action. It is another film in the tradition of Crocuhing Tiger Hidden Dragon. It is well worth watching.

On Thursday there is a film on Five US called Shadow of a Doubt starring Brian Dennehy. It is one of those roles that he does so well and is probably worth a look.

There we go for another week.

News from the scrum

Greetings readers well today was a great day in the rugby career of Thomas. Today he played his first properly competitive full contact game of rugby. He played a game against the under 10s at Huddersfield last week and finished on the winning side. Training for the past few weeks has left people with the feeling that there was clear potential within the team but that they were missing something.

Well today they found it. Today Huddersfield u9's travelled to Ilkley for the first match of the season. As is usual we took two teams. Tom played in the first match which was won by 13 tries to nil. The second match was won by 3 tries to nil. The first match was just astonishing to watch and even the coach didn't know where the performance had come from.

To add to the day's events we met up with a university pal for lunch and can recommend the Ilkley Vaults pub for a Sunday lunch. I am now preparing for the trip to Scotland at the weekend.

What shall we do this week?

Well given the paucity of films on telly this week it will be a case of having to find something else to do. As regular readers will know I do not generally recommend films that I have already recommended in the last month or so. Unfortunately most of the films that are on this week in which I have an interest albeit a vague one I have either never seen and so cannot recommend or have been reviewed recently in these pages.

The only film that I can wholeheartedly recommend this week is War Games. It has dated badly largely because of the changes in geopolitics and technology. Also its two main stars have gone onto other things to varying degrees of success. This is a geek film set against the backdrop of the Cold War. I watched it recently with Tom not having watched it for many years. It like many similar films of the time such as Short Circuit, Flight of the Navigator enthral children and Tom enjoyed it.

I will be concentrating my viewing on a few programs this week. Clearly there is an awful lot of dross on television but it was ever thus the problem is that now there are more channels full of it. Tha being said there have always been gems hidden away which if you take the time to look you can find. Then there are others which you don't have to look hard for as they are rammed down your throat.

Saturday brings us Merlin which if a little tedious is nevertheless not as bad as some would have us believe. The 'purists' cry but you have messed around with the key relationships between characters. There is little or no actual evidence that any of these people existed so how do we know? There are so many versions of the MYTH that does it matter if there is another. My personal favourite has always been Excalibur by John Boorman. Also on Saturday there is Timewatch which as a history fan is usually good value for money. For me if I am interested in the period under discussion I will always watch. There is also Mind Body & Kick Ass Moves which is great if you like martial arts. There was a BBC series in the 80s called Way of the Warrior and this is just that brought up to date. I am in two minds about Blue Peter At 50 largely because I was always a bit ambivalent about the series anyway.

The BBC has managed to clash to great programmes on Sunday night. On BBC1 there is Stephen Fry in America. Ever since Billy Connolly did his World Tours I have been hoping that he would do Canada and America but to date this has not happened. Fry is an intelligent and eloquent presenter who is well known for being fascinated by America and things American. So I am looking forward to this series. Also we reach the end of James May's Big Ideas on BBC 2. This is the sort of thing that justifies the licence fee. Intelligent and witty discussion of the issues involved in the subject. These are the sort of programmes which make you wonder 'Why couldn't they have taught me at school?' When these shows are done well they are fantastic. Earlier on there is Simon Schama doing to American history what he did to British history. He is, as I understand it, using the premise of understanding the past to see into the future. Also we reach the end of the latest Charley Boorman road trip.

Monday brings us Panorama on the US elections, Amazon and The Story of Maths. Panorama can be hit and miss but the US elections are fascinating for all their faults. They make you wonder how a country that powerful can be that stupid. I have been dipping in and out of Amazon so to speak it's alright but I have to say I preferred the documentary narrated by Feargal Keane a few years ago. The Story of Maths is one for Alison. The presenter is one of those who makes the subject accessible in the mould of John Romer, Simon Schama, Michael Palin, Terry Jones etc. Also for the mathematically minded on Tuesday we High Anxieties: the Mathematics of Chaos. This one interests me as it is one of the few bits of maths that I am actually interested in.

Wednesday the only thing to recommend is Heroes. What more needs to be said?

Well that's all for now?

Greetings from a decidedly chilly Yorkshire

Well hello everybody. At the time of writing I am recovering from some mysterious ailment and Alison has now come down with it. As is the case, being a man, I have been affected far worse!! In forthcoming news I have an interview this week and another in the pipeline and have today booked my graduation gown. For regular viewers photos in one form or another will appear here so don't go away.

So for my brief film recommendations for the week. Firstly on Tuesday night we have Once Upon A Time In America. This is, so that source of knowledge Wikipedia tells me, the third in a trilogy which began with the incredibly tedious Once Upon A Time In The West and the instantly forgettable A Fistful of Dynamite. So on balance you might not be expecting much from this American gangster film. But like me you may be surprised. It is actually quite a good film with a very good cast. And here is my only plot teaser the one you would least think would turn into the psychopathic gangster type. Well worth a look.

The more sensible amongst you will be glued to Heroes for the next six months so nothing of any importance will be tolerated on a Wednesday night. Save Ourselves Save The World!!!

Thursday night has two cracking films the first is at 9pm on Film 4. It is probably Richard Gere's best film ever and almost certainly ranks as one of the finest performances by any actor in the shape of Lou Gossett Jr. An Officer and a Gentleman is a cracking film although I'm no big fan of the romantic element to it but if you set that aside you have a cracking boot camp story. The battle between Gere and Gossett is what makes the film and it is elctrifying from the first moment they meet until the moment when Gere graduates as an officer.

The other Thursday night offering is one of Hitchcock's greatest ever offerings. This is the original version of The Lady Vanishes. Now I have seen the version with Cybill Shepherd but that is not a patch on this. When Hitchcock gets it right he is great and when he doesn't it is Psycho. The version on Thursday night contains an appearance by Nigel Bruce playing largely the same character as he does in all the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films. In common with his version of The 39 Steps and North by Northwest, definitely his best Hollywood offering) the action is paced beautifully. This is classic filmmaking performed beautifully. The cast is excellent. This is probably the best film of the week in my opinion and one not to be missed.

Friday night has one of the most pointlessly violent yet hugely enjoyable films. Under Siege 2 is the sequel to the hugely successful Under Siege. Sadly it is not as good as that offering. Largely down to the fact that the supporting cast on this occasion is not as good. Tommy Lee Jones is a hard act to follow. That being said it is still hugely entertaining fun. Seagal is never going to play Shakespeare or win an Oscar for his acting ability. That being said he does what he does extremely well. This was probably the last good film that he did and then came the tedious years of European and Hong Kong made rubbish. Give Seagal a shrieking villain and numerous henchmen to eliminate he is brilliant and give him a half decemt supporting cast and any film can be carried. This is just good friendly violent fun.

Enjoy and watch this space.

Angels we have heard on high tell us to go out and buy

Greetings world,

Just felt the necessity to reintroduce the spirit of the grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge into the proceedings early and to wish you all a happy Easter.

Yes friends we are barely into mid-September and already our office Christmas parties have been booked and Sainsbury's have the Christmas selection boxes out on display. Now people assume that I am against Christmas because I have lost the magic of the children. These people are deluded. I don't like Christmas because it has become a crass, over-hyped, over-commercialised gluttony fest. I resent the likes of Sainsbury's and Tesco trying to induce me to part with money for Christmas when we have barely escaped summer (and I use that term advisedly in the UK). At least this year Sainsbury's are multitasking in that they are still pushing Halloween.

If people treated these festivals more for what they are than for what profit they can make the world would indeed be a better place.

Right I will now take off my sepia tinted spectacles and go and buy cards in bulk from St Clintons.

Enjoy

By the way 10 bonus points for any body who can tell me where the title for this post came from. And just a word to the smart alecs out there I do actually know I was just wondering if anybody else was as cultured as what I am.

News from the frozen north

Well I thought it was about time to add more news and views from the frozen north. So far it has been a very good week. Tom has started back at rugby. Pictures will follow as the season progresses. I managed to persuade my insurance company to reduce their renewal quote just by asking them. I have a job interview next week and some options that I hadn't considered have opened up for me to consider over the next few weeks and months. But before this starts to sound like an astrologers dream this is down to me and the efforts I along with others have put in over the last few months and years. There was recently a music festival here at Leeds featuring the likes of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Manic Street Preachers, Queens of the Stone Age etc. The coverage on TV was somewhat limited but I did get to see a band called The Last Shadow Puppets. They sounded different harking back to probably the late 60s early 70s in style. I got the album this week and it sounds as good as it did live. A 16 piece orchestra does add something to the sound.

So onto this week's movie recommendations. On Saturday night there is really only one film to watch and that is Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Arguably this may well be the best of the trilogy.

The scenery is stunning and the trilogy as a whole will go down as one of those cinematic masterpieces. Like Star Wars this needs to be seen in the cinema to appreciate the scale of what is being done. So from orcs and hobbits on Saturday we move to Sunday which is a night for multiple video recorders.

The evening kicks off with Where Eagles Dare. This is Alistair Maclean at his best. This film did once hold the record for the highest body count on screen I believe with Burton & Eastwood accounting for most of them. It is said that the film makers got Burton & Eastwood to do the film by saying that the other one had said that they would never do it and vice versa. I don't know whether or not that is true but the outcome is over two hours of fantastic action. Later on we have three films which would be worth a look if you have the inclination. First is Equilibrium. This is a film that I had seen in my local library but never got round to actually borrowing and watching. When I finally got to see it I have to say it was better than I was expecting. It is sort of The Matrix meets 1984. The cast is excellent. Christian Bale pre-Batman is excellent as the policeman about to see the light. Although the tale revolves around Bale the rest of the cast are excellent. Next we have Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton does dark films like nobody else and this is yet another excellent work. Johnny Depp is excellent as Ichabod Crane and is ably supported by Christina Ricci and a host of Britain's acting talent. There is also a marvellous performance from Christopher Walken but then again there usually is. Primary Colors is a black political comedy in which John Travolta does his own impersonation of Bill Clinton. My last recommendation for Sunday is to those who get the SciFi channel. Highlander which as you can see from the blog is one of my favourite films of all time is on.

Monday night has two 'excellent' films with which to tempt you. The first is one of Stallone's best performances on screen largely because it didn't challenge his acting ability. Judge Dredd is Hollywood's take on the British comic book character. The purists hate it and say that Robocop did Judge Dredd better than this. They may have a point. However, they are missing something else which is significant. When Stallone gets things right such as in Rocky, First Blood and Copland he is fantastic, and like it or not he does give a very good performance here. Rob Schneider is funny for the first few minutes and then does become a bit tedious. The senior judges played by Max Von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow are fantastic. There are cameos from Joan Chen and Ian Dury. But acting up to Stallone is Armand Assante. Don't dismiss this as just comic book rubbish although it messes around with the lore of Dredd it tries hard to be faithful. It is a shame that they didn't get round to doing a sequel.

Also on Monday is The Fifth Element. This is Luc Besson doing Sci-Fi. When Besson tries something he generally gets it right. Take Leon for example. He hits the target here too. This could so easily have turned into a triumph of style over substance but Besson manages to attain both. Bruce Willis is fantastic and the comedy support comes from Ian Holm and a very annoying Chris Rock. I find that comedy works better, Airplane etc notwithstanding, when it is underplayed and subtle. However, the film is stolen by Gary Oldman as the villain. Yet again he puts in a fantastic performance.

Tuesday night has nothing of note so on to Wednesday. Here we have one of Harrison Ford's best films. Witness is the tale of a policeman who is assigned to protect a young Amish boy who is witness to a murder. Ford goes undercover with the Amish who find his presence inconvenient and disturbing. Ford then discovers that the people he is protecting the boy from are other cops. Laugh a minute this is not. It is not as I recall a huge action fest. It is however hugely entertaining and watchable for both Ford and Kelly McGillis (whatever happened to her). You could also check out National Treasure which is on one of the digital channels. This is Indiana Jones without the wit, charm and good acting and directing. Nevertheless it is diverting entertainment.

Thursday is bereft of anything to watch filmwise so watch Portsmouth take their first steps into European competition football. I won't be able to as I will be at a parents evening. You would think that the school would have put some thought into their scheduling, I mean how often do the mighty Pompey get on telly anyway.

On Friday night Clint Eastwood goes all Marine Corps on us in this entertaining film. Eastwood is his usual excellent self here. He is ably supported by a variety of American regulars who you will recognise. It is not by any stretch of the imagination his best work but Eastwood clearly demonstrates that less is more and manages to out act most of the cast.

Well that is all for now and I will be back in due course with, news, reviews and opinions for you to ignore at your leisure.

A brush with sporting greatness

Well hello everybody. Last Sunday was the final home game of the season for the Huddersfield Giants. As has been the case for much of the season the game ended in disappointment. A small number of the players signed autographs and a couple posed for photos but most just disappeared down the tunnel. That was very disappointing particularly for younger fans. However, my personal thanks go out to the following players: Eorl Crabtree, Rod Jensen and Leroy Cudjoe.

Special thanks go to:

STUART JONES

AND ANDY RALEIGH

Obviously it goes without saying that it was the Giants who were rubbing shoulders with a future great. For those who keep up to date with these things Tom starts his rugby season next weekend. I understand that there will be a few weeks of training before the first competitive match and then it'son with the good, friendly, violent fun.

So on with the film reviews, you've all been waiting for. Sunday night has a couple of excellent films either of which would be good entertainment. Tim Burton's original Batman is an excellent bridge between the camp 1960's classic and the new version by Christopher Nolan. Michael Keaton does sullen well but the undoubted star of the show is Jack Nicholson. He steals the show as The Joker. This is often the case in Batman films. Jack has always played psychos very well. It was a welcome return to the Dark Knight version of the legend and nobody does dark and gothic quite like Tim Burton. Also on Sunday night there is the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Now I may be something of a heretic but I actually prefer this version to the original. Pierce Brosnan is suave, cool and sophisticated and is ably supported by Rene Russo. Now I saw the original after this version and was left disappointed. It was good but not as enjoyable as the remake. The only real downside is Sting's version of Windmills of Your Mind.

On Tuesday night there is Van Helsing. It is alright and is certainly not a desperately worthy film. It is just good fun and no more than that. On Wednesday night there is Stealth. It is a kind of WarGames for the 21st century. It is probably more style than substance but again it is good fun.

Friday night we have The Bourne Supremacy. The Bourne series is credited with giving the Bond franchise a kick and leading to Casino Royale. This is the second of the three films. There is much debate as to whether it is the best or not. I am not actually sure myself. That issue aside it is fantastic action.

I have also been watching a number of films and dvds since my last post and so I thought I would bring you up to date.

The first of my recent viewings was V For Vendetta. Now I have never read the source material. But its author has disavowed the film, and in fact all the film versions of his works. The film tells the tale of a future Britain which is under the control of a one party state. The three central characters are Evie, played by Natalie Portman, V played by Hugo Weaving and the police inspector played by Stephen Rea. Portman is drawn into a web of violence and intrigue when she is saved from the police by V. He shows her that not all is well with society. Rea plays the policeman charged with catching V and Evie. As his investigations progress he comes to question the truth that he is being told by the state. It is good comic book fun and I would certainly recommend it for a light evening in.

Since the 1990s we have seen a number of films which are in the style of the classic film noirs of the 1930s and 1940s. The difference for me is that the violence in the old films was more in the mind rather than on the screen. These new films are much more in your face. The Usual Suspects and LA Confidential whilst both being excellent films missed something. The same is true of The Black Dahlia. Brian De Palma who has never knowingly avoided violence in his films strikes the same chord and in my opinion the film suffers for that. He is able to capture the style and the image of the time much as he did in The Untouchables but the film is not as good as it could be. The cast are fine with nobody being particularly outstanding. The next two films must be seen together to be truly appreciated.

Letters From Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers bring together the talents of Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Paul Haggis. They both tell the story of the American landings at Iwo Jima which became one of the most iconic miltary actions of WWII. The stories are told from both sides of the events. Letters is the Japanese version of what the defenders went through to try and save their island. It is in Japanese so unless you are fluent you will need the subtitles. Ken Watanabe is spellbinding as the general charged with the island's defence. Battling with his duty to his family and his duty to his country. He is shown in a similar light to a young soldier who faces the same challenge.

Flags tells the tale from the point of view of the soldiers who raised the flag on Mount Suribachi in that now iconic image. It tells the tale particularly from the view of three soldiers and is partially shot in flashback. For me the standout performance comes from Adam Beach as Ira Hayes who has to endure the racism of the American nation and the thoughts that his friends didn't all make it back and why was he special. Watch out for Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot fame. In terms of films about the war in the Pacific these are two of the best films I have ever seen and are up there with Tora Tora Tora and The Battle of Midway.

Adam Beach coincidentally appeared in my final film recommendation of the week

This film by HBO tells of the tale of how the Sioux nation was brought onto the reservation and generally treated like dirt by the white settlers who wanted the gold that they could mine in the Black Hills of Dakota and in particular take revenge for the Little Big Horn. Adam Beach plays a young sioux boy who is given the opportunity to train as a doctor and to help advance his people's cause. Slowly he comes to realise along with Sitting Bull and Red Cloud that this will never happen. This is a sad and moving film with many great cameos. Beach is ably supported by Aidan Quinn, Anna Paquin and August Schellenberg. This is one of those films that you probably will only want to watch once but you should do so given the chance.

More soon.

Jonathan

Olympic avoidance part 2

Well this week I generally ignored my own advice and didn't actually watch any of the films I recommended last week. But as they say that is my prerogative. However, I did visit the library and borrow a couple of items. The first was the SciFi channel's version of Dune. Regular visitors will recall that I watched the movie version a few weeks ago ( and if you don't recall then shame on you for not reading my excellent review). Like it's 'illustrious' predecessor it does take some liberties with the source material. However, it tends to hang together considerably better. Although the effects won awards they are, in my opinion, secondary to the story and you actually notice them less than you did in the Lynch version. There are fewer well known actors in this version but the established stars do not overplay the role. However, the portrayal of Gurney Halleck did not work for me in either version. The other offering from the library was The Box of Delights which was brought out in the 1980s and although the effects look rusty today the story still holds together and it kept Tom occupied for a couple of days.



In other news I, along with my doubles partner, am through to the University Staff Badminton League semi finals. My beer gut diminishes and fitness looms. I have driven my car 3 times this month and have only used a quarter of a tank so the environment is slightly happier. In other sporting comment, I have to reflect on the fact that within minutes of the start of competition at the Olympics when British 'medal hopes' started to fail to perform the usual 'oh well he was never really expected to perform' comments started to be trotted out by the BBC.


On to the movie recommendations for this week. The first movie of note is The Mummy Returns which is, unsurprisingly, the sequel to The Mummy which I recommended last week. On any other day this would be my movie of the day. Unlike most sequels it actually compares favourably to its predecessor. The action comes thick and fast and the thrills are always there. Unfortunately it is showing on the same day as Fargo. This is a very black comedy by the Coen Brothers. Although there is no star and it is an ensemble film the 'ensemble' cast is exceptionally good. Frances McDormand and William H Macy are outstanding. However, the film is partially stolen by the hapless hitmen played by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. This is undoubtedly a 'better' film than The Mummy returns but don't dismiss the other film. Both will keep you entertained and hooked.

Sunday night brings comic book adventure in the shape of Hellboy. Ron Perlman is wonderful as the slightly world weary demon and the action just moves along at a great pace. This is the usual comic book stuff so don't watch it expecting much in the way of pathos. The supporting cast including John Hurt is excellent. This is just black comic book humour at its best.

Then on Monday night we have one of the blackest comedies I have ever seen. It also happens to be one of the best comedy films I have ever seen and has one of the best soundtracks you will ever hear on film. Grosse Pointe Blank is the story of a world weary assassin who starts to get things wrong and is given a final chance which coincides with his High School Reunion.

John Cusack plays Martin Blank but the film is littered with fabulous performances. Joan Cusack plays his slightly psychotic secretary who calmly goes round ordering hollow point ammo without batting an eyelid. Dan Aykroyd plays Grocer who is trying to muscle in on Blank's action and at the same time persuade him to join a 'union'. Alan Arkin plays Blank's long suffering psychiatrist who knows what Blank does but is too afraid to tell him to go away. Minnie Driver plays Blank's ex who has never left town. Blank is chased by feelance assassins, Grocer, the NSA and discovers that he has to kill his ex's daddy. Dad delivers possibly the best line in the entire film when Martin tells him what he does for a living.

On Tuesday there is X2 the sequel to X Men. Again it is a worthy successor and arguably exceeds it. Also there is Every Which Way But Loose which is one of those films which show that Clint Eastwood can do comedy. As usual with Clint's films it features an excellent ensemble cast of actors with whom Eastwood works regularly. The sequel Any Which Way You Can is showing on Wednesday night. Not, in my opinion, as good as the first but still worth a look.

Thursday sees T2. There are those who would argue that this is Arnie's best film. Allow him to operate within his limited ability he is great fun. The effects in this film were mind blowing at the time and still look good even today. When Arnie gets it right it is wonderful entertainment when he gets it wrong it is Mr Freeze in Batman. Robert Patrick is excellent as the other Terminator. Edward Furlong is suitably irritating as John Connor and Linda Hamilton is again outstanding as Sarah Connor. Ignore the spin off television series watch this. If you are after good acting then watch Marlon Brando or Laurence Olivier. If you want excellent entertainment you won't regret watching this.

Lastly on Friday night there is City Slickers featuring Billy Crystal being well the same character he always plays up against the late great Jack Palance.

Have a good week.

How to avoid the olympics and stupid people

Well hello again everyone and here are the film recommendations and reviews of the week. My aim this week I am giving you alternatives to watching the sport and having a normal life instead. My health kick policy of 'get fit or die trying' moves on apace and I am doing a 2.25 mile walk, badminton twice a week and the bike is about to be dusted off. Yes fitness beckons, it is a dim light at the end of a long tunnel at the moment.

The stupid people of which I speak are the woman who in her seventies without a child parked in a mother and baby spot when there was a disabled spot nearer the shop and general parking nearer as well. But even this was topped by the four lads who were in 2 cars parked up at a petrol pump who were smoking. They were in line for a Darwin award.

Now on to the reviews. Last Saturday night I went to see the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight. To say it was dark was an understatement. It certainly should have had a 15 certificate rather than the 12a it was given. Heath Ledger (below) was outstanding and assuming there are no other sick, simple or mad performances of equal stature this year he may be in line for awards.

It is worth seeing as it is excellent entertainment.

Saturday is an excellent day for avoiding exposure to sport if you so choose. There are three excellent films which are all excellent entertainment. The first recommendation of the day is The Mummy. This was the first film in the franchise and I actually watched it on DVD earlier this week. For pure entertainment and action this is an ideal film. The 12-certificate will probably have the kids getting annoyed but there is violence and death in it the certificate is probably about right. Rachel Weisz is stunning and Brendan Fraser is outstanding. With the third film in the series out shortly watch this first to get you in the mood. Later on there is The Sixth Sense. This film was famously ruined for millions in this country when a Radio 5 travel reporter blurted out the plot twist live on national radio. Fortunately I didn't hear this and was able to enjoy the film when I eventually got to see it. The twist is obvious from quite a way off but the film is entertaining and Willis and Hayley Joel Osment are exceptional not your run of the mill horror this one - you actually have to think a bit. Lastly there is Throw Momma From the Train. This is exceptional because it is supposed to be a comedy. Danny De Vito and Billy Crystal are outstanding but they are outdone by the deliciously grotesque performance of Anne Ramsey as Momma. This will have you howling with laughter and at the same time marvelling at the remake of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.

On Sunday there are two contrasting yet equally great films. The first is The Princess Bride. It is a wonderful family film. The children will love the fantasy and the adults will love the performances, comedy and one liners. If ever you meet anybody who does not love this film do not trust them they are dangerous people who have no soul and seek to take over the universe. By contrast there is Crimson Tide. This a post Cold War submarine thriller done in exuberant style by Jerry Bruckheimer. Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington put in outstanding performances and are ably supported by the likes of Viggo Mortensen. This is an exceptional thriller and will keep you gripped right the way through.

On Monday night we have I, Robot. Whilst it can never claim to be the greatest film in the world it is good entertainment. I have never actually read the book on which it is based so cannot comment on whether it is a good adaptation. On Tuesday we have yet more Bruckheimer fare with Armageddon in which Bruce Willis and his band save the world. Again if you are looking for thoughtprovoking entertainment this is not what you seek. It is a thrill ride.

Wednesday night we have an Elmore Leonard double bill - well sort of. We have Get Shorty and the sequel Be Cool. The first is one of Travolta's best performances. The cast that is put together is great. Danny De Vito, Gene Hackman and Rene Russo are all excellent. The story is fantastic and really does the original book justice. It is as with many of the films discussed tonight great entertainment. It is disappointing that the same cannot be said of the sequel Be Cool. Yes Travolta is good and is supported by Uma Thurman. Unfortunately we are also faced with Vince Vaughan and The Rock. It is good fun but not a patch on the first film.

Thursday night we have the history ignoring Scotland fest that is Braveheart. As with most Hollywood films it bears only a passing resemblance to real fact but is nevertheless a good diversion for an evening. Lastly on Friday night there is Lorenzo's Oil this is also based on true events but unlike Braveheart does at least tend to stick to them. This is one of those films which makes you feel good at the end but you may not want to watch it a second time.

More next week.

Films of the week

Well here we go again wuth my pick of this week's films. For those of you not currently in the UK treat these as DVD recommendations if you like. Saturday night has three offerings. In descending order of merit we start with The Killing Fields. This was one of the first films I ever went to the cinema to see on my own. It is one of the most spiritually uplifting films I have ever seen but it is not an easy watch by any stretch of the imagination. That being said the ending is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes I have ever watched. Watch out for performances from John Malkovich who is as impressive as ever and the much maligned Julian Sands. The tragedy of this film is enhanced by the fact Haing S Ngor was killed in Los Angeles. From the sublime to the ridiculous now. Die Hard 2. Not nearly as good as its predecessor it is nevertheless a good couple of hours entertainment. Lastly we make the jump to ludicrous speed with Escape To Victory. This is The Great Escape meets Match of the Day. Whilst the appearance of Stallone as a goalkeeper is faintly ridiculous this film is a real cult hit.

Sunday is not exactly awash with films but there is one outstanding offering. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is an outstanding film. As to how accurate a portrayal of the day to day reality of the life of the film icon it is I cannot say. As entertainment it is top rate. Jason Lee is compelling in the title role. Earlier on in the day is A Bridge Too Far which with its cast of thousands of the great and good. As great war films go it is not the best but it is worth a watch. Anthony Hopkins is as usual excellent. If you are looking for truly light entertainment then go for Carry On Dick. I am not a big fan of the Carry On films but this is one of the better ones. On Monday the only film of note is Local Hero. It is a great quirky film featuring one of the few Hollywood stars who can do quirky - Burt Lancaster.

Tuesday's two film offerings are Unbreakable and Kickboxer. Unbreakable is an offering from the man who brought you The Sixth Sense. This film is not unfortunately in that league (you don't see dead people everywhere). Bruce Willis meets Samuel L Jackson again. Willis cannot be harmed and is 'unbreakable' Jackson on the other hand is practically made of glass. Jackson is ultimately the bad guy and Willis a force for good. It is an intriguing watch. Kickboxer is one of the few Jean Claude Van Damme offerings that actually made it into the cinemas. As an action packed violence fest it is actually not bad at all. It does nothing to dispel the opinion that Van Damme couldn't act his way out of a paper bag but is nonetheless a diverting evening's entertainment.

Wednesday presents a number of alternatives. Heaven Can Wait is a remake of the 1940s film Here Comes Mr Jordan. It is widely acknowledged as being one of the best remakes in cinema history. Well worth a look. Steven Seagal gets a look in twice with two formulaic offerings in Belly of the Beast and The Foreigner. If you have seen any of his offerings you will pretty much know what happens in both of these. Lastly is the End of Days. Arnie gets all apocalyptic. He gets acted off screen by Gabriel Byrne as Satan.

Thursday brings Mission Impossible 2 and Murder By Decree. The first is the big budget sequel to Mission Impossible. It is not nearly as good as its predecessor but then few sequels ever are. For trivia fans the villain in this film is played by Dougray Scott. Had this film not overrun we would never have had Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the X Men films. Murder By Decree is a Sherlock Holmes solves Jack the Ripper story. Christopher Plummer is OK as the great detective. Unfortunately this focuses on the version of the myth that says it was the Freemasons covering up for the Royal family. It is about as plausible as Patricia Cornwell's version of the myth.

Friday night is the pick of the week. The outstanding offering is The Shawshank Redemption. This is without doubt the best adaptation of a Stephen King work ever committed to screen. OK it takes a few liberties with the story but it still works. The performances particularly by the two leads are stellar. But the supporting cast is also outstanding in particular Bob Gunton and Clancy Brown. Also outstanding this week is The Jackal. It is a remake of The Day of the Jackal. OK it shifts everything to the US it introduces the world to Richard Gere's terrible Irish accent but it maintains the good bits of the original. It is cracking entertainment. Also check out Wargames and Chicken Run. This final film is Aardman does The Great Escape. It is fabulous family entertainment.

Sporting success, bag ladies and other animals...

A week before making his First Communion Tom was at his rugby club for the end of season awards. The club doesn't have a player of the year awards but gives an award to all players. They do however have a few special awards. These are clubman of the year and most improved player of the year. This year a new award was introduced for tag dedication.

The inaugural winner of this award can be seen to your left. His prize was a rugby ball signed by Martin Johnson captain of the world cup winning England team So Tom has held something touched by a world cup winner and clearly destiny awaits.

Tom's award came one week after his team won the SubStottie trophy at the Alnwick Rugby Festival. This was awarded for the battle of the 5th placed teams in his age group. It was his last tag rugby union game. However a month ago Tom represented his school in a tag rugby league festival. He was the only year 3 player in the first team. He did have the misfortune to be coached by his dad on the day but the team was still triumphant.

The reason that the photo is so blurry is that just as the team were starting their championship winning match the heavens opened and everybody was soaked. Tom has adopted his usual position of standing in the back row (he is on the right).

But what I hear you ask has Jenni been up to? In general it has been her usual idiosyncratic approach to life and the occasional bouts of total chaos.

Meet Jenni the bag lady...

Jenni the mistress of chaos...




and finally Jenni the style icon.







More to come soon.

At long last!!!!

Well after much ado about very little here we are family pictures and recent ones too!!! Unfortunately due to a bunch of eager people who couldn't be bothered to wait this is about the best photo from inside the church that I could get. But you get the idea anyway. Tom is at the back left, just look up from the woman with the camera. This was on possibly the hottest day of the year and so most people were roasting alive inside the church. Everybody seemed to enjoy the whole event but it had to be done against the clock to get the next shift in.



Since chaos was ensuing at the church and the fact that I had gone all Nigella and baked flourless chocolate brownies and made summer fruit cheesecake the party repaired to chez Kirton for the photos. That is me in one of my new suits and the dark glasses (classy eh!!). Mum was none too happy about the photos but the public have demanded photos of the event.



Having been asked to lose the glasses we took this photo. To those of you who don't know the gentleman on the right is Emmett, Thomas' godfather who had come up from the deep south of the country especially for the occasion.

The Kirton men then gathered for this photo. It is not often that Dad and I are in the presence of sporting greatness but only a week before Tom had been awarded a special award for dedication at his rugby club. More on the future sporting great in a separate blog. If you look to the left on the slideshow you can see all the photos. Unfortunately the food didn't last long enough to be photographed.

More to come in a moment thrill seekers.

Bad Films

This week I sat down to watch two DVD's one to see if it was really as bad as everybody would have us believe and the other to see if it was any good in the first place. The films in question were David Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune and the second was Ultraviolet starring Milla Jovovich.

Dune is roundly condemned by critics the world over and provokes heated debate amongst those who have actually read the source material on which the film was based. When the inlay to the DVD itself tells you that a film is not that good you really have to worry. Is it is as bad as the critics would have you believe well no actually it isn't. Is it a good adaptation of the book. In parts yes in parts no. Whilst the use of a narrator is good the narration does not adequately explain who is who where they came from and why they are where they are. I found the script to be just terrible. The effects look decidely ropey which is never a help. Dune could, in the right hands, have become a masterpiece. Unfortunately it fails because the script and let's be honest some of the acting is dire. It doesn't matter how good an actor is if the material they have to work with is lousy. The later SciFi channel miniseries were better but only showed to a limited audience. It is with some trepidation that I have discovered that there is to be a new version out in either 2009 or 2010. Given the state of CGI today this could be monumental. But whoever makes this will have to get round the issue of script and explaining who everybody is ikf it is to stand any chance of success.

I hope that this along with another remaked in 2010, Highlander, are not condemned finally to the rubbish bin of the film world.


So then I sat to watch Ultraviolet. It appeared to me to be a kind of The Matrix meets Underworld meets Equilibrium. Unfortunately it is not even as good as the worst of these three (Underworld just in case any of you are wondering). The frightening thing is that this film makes Aeon Flux look good and that is really difficult. The script is lousy, the acting worse. To those of you who like vampire lore and vampire movies this really is one to avoid. The 'plot twist' such as it is can be seen coming after only a short while. To spare you the torture - the archcardinal is a vampire and his 'kid' ( who looks like Wesley Crusher) is not there to save humanity and end the war.


So if you are standing there in the video shop and all you can have is Dune or Ultraviolet get Dune it is at least bearable.

Movieweek w/c 26/7/08

Well movie lovers here are my weekly choices and views on the films available via Freeview in the UK. For me on Saturday the clear film of the day is Die Hard. This film made Bruce Willis a superstar and showed how Alan Rickman could act Hollywood's finest off the screen. According to Channel 5 in the UK this film is the best disaster movie ever made. I'm not sure that I would go that far but it is fantastic entertainment. It also has one of the best catchphrases ever to come out of Hollywood "Yippee kay aye ...". An alternative but equally action packed choice is Broken Arrow. This is the John Woo film with Travolta and Slater in the starring roles. They are well supported and the film is a rollercoaster ride of just pure escapist entertainment.

Sunday night has a couple of offerings you may wish to consider. War of the Worlds is Spielberg and Cruise together again. Personally I wasn't that impressed. Whilst the film succeeds inasmuch as it is broadly faithful to the source material it just did nothing for me. Watch Top Gear instead is my advice. Earlier in the day there is Stealth. again it is a film which does not require much thought just sit and watch the explosions but worth a look. Last tip is Muriel's Wedding. Long before Mamma Mia this rode the popularity of ABBA music. It is a quirky little film and might float your boat.







On Monday there is only one real choice and that is Jaws. You can keep your current 'horror' films. They are only poor quality gore fests in comparison. This film works because you don't actually see anything. That is why all good horror works. You are allowed to make the image yourself you don't need it rammed down your throat. The cast is fantastic. In fact the only real let down is the shark itself. Today it would be CGI but this one was an animatronic monster that was forever breaking down.

Tuesday is something of a write off for me so let's go on to Wednesday. This is probably the best day of the week. For all you boys own types there is When Eight Bells Toll. Based on the Alistair Maclean novel this casts Anthony Hopkins as an investigative type. It hasn't aged well but is worth a look just once and then read the book. At 9 o'clock you are spoilt for choice. You can choose between Outbreak. Another film along with Die Hard and Broken Arrow which made it into that list of disaster movies. The cast are magnificent but the stars are Dustin Hoffmann and Donald Sutherland. This is a battle to save lives between scientists and soldiers. all the bother was caused by the monkey from Friends. I always said that program would lead to no good. At the same time there is Team America: World Police. I watched this one by accident once. I wasn't sure whether I should be laughing at some of it but just couldn't help myself. This one is from the team that brought you South Park. Lastly you might want to check out Jet Li's The One. Citizen Kane it isn't but who cares.

Friday night we are back with yet more action. The fourth Tom Clancy film and effectively the prequel to Hunt For Red October. It is a good film and The American cast a largely well supported by a great British one. Colm Feore plays a bad guy (when doesn't he?). The British play the Russians. Hollywood goes for bad guy get a Brit. Ben Affleck isn't bad.The American film industry does paranoia really well and this is no different. Check it out. Last film of the week is Rocky Horror Picture Show. Again I was no big fan of this one but if you like musicals and/or Richard O'Brien then check it out.

Catch you next week.

By the way to my family I promise I will put some other stuff that you might be interested in up this week.