As Christmas is nearly upon us and then a week after that we will be in the New Year I thought I would do a quick blog on my year of 2011.
This year has been a great one, the best in years. After a dodgy start the year really picked up with loads of filming, festivals, travelling and has ended in both me and Mel back in my home
One of the best feelings in the world is to watch a film that you truly think is going to be pretty god awful, and it turns out to be a real treat. I talk of “Orphan”, a horror/thriller about a family who adopt a 9 year old girl who turns out to really creepy. The orphan of the film is the true start. The actress, too lazy to research name, was very impressive creating a realistic
Two other films that surprised and did not totally suck of late, were my green themed rents. The first being “Green Lantern” which managed very well not to be too cheesy by taking it’s self seriously, a lot more then the naff Fantastic 4 films!
The other one, also a superhero movie, “The Green Hornet” was not great but again out did what I thought it was going to be like. It was funny, which is something that Seth Rogan (a comedian) has missed out on of late!
So other all watch bad rated films because sometimes your be surprised what you find!!
At the minute I am trying to write an idea which I hope to film soon and put on the internet like that picture of a kitten that your mum put on the fridge to show how proud she is of you. But at the minute I think I got that thing called writers block as I got the ideas but I can not seem to write them down, and that is just really annoying! So I thought I would write a short Blog instead to tell you about another thing that is close to my heart.
About a year ago I became part of something that has changed my feeling towards both acting and writing for the better. “I am Tim” is the weird, strange, funny (both Haha and looking) brain child of Jamie Simcox’s and Simon Fisher, and it is these fine gentlemen who decided to give me a chance and trust me with what I see as a pretty big role, Tim’s helpful sidekick. And to say the least I have loved ever minute, from the gore, the brilliant locations, the amazing actors who have taught me so much and even the late shoots!!
I wish everyone would take 10 minutes and check out the first episode, I understand it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but you never know you may love it, the first time I watched Misfits I hated it, now I can not get enough. And if you are a fan or about to become one (wink wink), I want to ask a little favour.
Making these episodes is not cheap and everyone involved puts in as much as they can, and I mean everyone! So to help us along, I ask you to take a minute and check out the contribution towards the Wonderful World of Tim, please help us out. But overall keep watching and enjoy, o yer one last thing please pass on the message of “I am Tim” to anyone you think would enjoy it.
Thank you for reading!
As I sat in the cinema with the lovely Melissa Kennedy sitting next to me, I didn’t know what to think of the play I was about to see. A play at the cinema! And I’m not talking about when they take Shakespeare and make it into one of those films that school kids think it is ok to watch instead of reading the play! No this was beamed though the air waves from the great city of London and onto cinema screens not just over the UK, but also the world! Today’s performance was one which seemed to be doing well in the National Theatre, starring a fine actor who had managed to impress me and complete wow Mel with his performance as a modern day Sherlock Holmes, and a director who always seems to do a great job with what ever material he is given. I’m talking about the latest version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and directed by Danny Boyle. The play is performed in a very interesting way, Cumberbatch along with his co-star Jonny Lee Miller take in turns to play Frankenstein and his Monster. When I found out that we would be seeing Cumberbatch as the monster I was a bit disappointed as I did not think we would see him at his best. Silly me I was thinking the monster would be a wooden character pushed to one side allowing the spot light for the role of Frankenstein, how wrong I was! Danny Boyle (and of course the writer Nick Dear) had decided to bring the monster into the lime light and make the story more about him, having the play start with the birth of Frankenstein’s creation and not bringing Victor Frankenstein in till about 40 minutes into the play. A short documentary at the beginning of the live broadcast, showed an interview with Cumberbatch discussing his research into the role of the Monster, saying that he studied people with learning disabilities and people who have had to re-teach their bodies and minds after trauma and this was very much visible from the moment he appears on stage. The Monster’s birth scene is like watching evolution in action, seeing him flip around the stage like a new born fish to a baby fawn finding its legs. Cumberbatch is brilliant at pulling this off, never making you what to laugh at the Monsters clumsy ways but feeling sorry for him and wanting him to survive in this harsh world.
The creature that Frankenstein creates really made me think. Why do I not feel angry at the Monster when he burns down the cottage of the man who helped him learn to speak, as the old man and this family are still inside? Is it the fact that after everything the Monster does for the family, doing the farm work allowing them not to go hungry, they see him as a devil and beat him and tell him to get away! And of course you should feel sorry for him as he has not done anything wrong, and in away the creature is still a child learning the difference between right and wrong. Maybe it was just the way Cumberbatch portrayed the beast!
After seeing the play it left me wanting more and to know how close the story was to Mary Shelley’s original text. I do not own the novel, but I do own a copy of the 1994 feature film directed and starring Kenneth Branagh. I know this is nowhere as good as reading the book but at the time I wanted to fulfil my fix and that was as near as I could get to the novel. The film helped to answer some of the questions that the play left out, like how Frankenstein came round to creating the monster. It was an interesting film and managed to keep me entertained throughout the 2 hour running time. The acting was a bit thin in places and maybe a little hammy. It also felt a bit weird that a heavy hitting actor like De Niro was given the role of the Monster which felt like a second thought more then a main character. But maybe that was because I was treated so much with Cumberbatch’s take on the creation, that De Niro felt a little flat. This is being a little picky, but he could have tried to lose the American accent and blended in with the other English cast (Ok, I know it is not an English story but at least they all sounded the same). Do not get me wrong I really enjoyed the film and Helena Bonham Carter, Ian Holms, John Cleese and Richard Briers all made it that bit more enjoyable. Plus the Monster was portrayed as that, a Monster! He was made out as a murdering creation that was built from parts of murders and lowlifes and even though he had the brain of a genius doctor he seemed to just use it to be sneaky and plotting!
So I guess I have 2 things to achieve now, 1) read the book (or in my lazy case, listen to the unabridged audio book) and 2) watch some more of the many Frankenstein films that haunt the history of cinema. You never know I may follow up this Blog with further thoughts on the Legend that is “Frankenstein”.
Today I gave something up, two things in fact. The first, fast food, which I give up most years, but have only managed to complete the whole 40 days without the greasy food once! The second is a thing which eats away at my life and seems to hold me back from doing anything, that evil doer would be that little social website called facebook. And already with the latter, I have been tempted but at the same time I feel so free. I feel a weight has been lifted off me and I hope to god I can hold it out to the end of the 40 days!
I also hope that the hours I would normally waste on checking my 3 housemate’s status instead of walking a couple of feet to see how they are, I will do a load more blogging! I enjoy doing it so much, but I’m a silly fat man and instead of doing it I’m normally looking to see if anyone has posted anything on the “I am Tim” site in the last 2 seconds! So change must, nah, WILL happen.
Ok, onto the List of Films. Since starting the challenge a while back now I have watched another 5 of the films and I will now give you a quick review of each.
“Best in Show” – A very funny Mockumentary. Creating some amazing characters, who all brilliantly echo the dogs they are presenting at the Dog Show they are attending. Short and very snappy, so good for a quick watch. ****
“Moonwalker” – Emmmmm, well…….. All I can really say about this is that I got it about 3 years ago now, after wanting it for years and remembering how much I loved it as a child. It shows at the time how much power Michael Jackson had, and after reading an article in empire, released the day after I watched it (I found that spooky not sure why!) it is made very clear that he had a load of money and a very big ego! From the opening scene of masses of girls crying over him to the scene where he is being chased by very scary fans, it is clear that Jackson got his own way! It is boring and pointless, just a load of silly and stupid music shorts stringed together badly! *
“After the Sunset” – “From the director of Rush Hour and Red Dragon” two films I very much like. So as I added this to my pile of 4 for a 10er, I thought “this will be ok”. And I could not have used a better word, “Ok” is all I have to say about this. It is avenge, nothing different and nothing new. ***
“Underworld: Evolution” – I have never seen the first one (maybe not a great start) but the flashbacks just about make it clear what happened. The only problem I had with this was the very TV/Video game CGI, and even video games have better CGI these days (check out the new Batman trailer). Apart from that I liked the storyline and liked the action scenes. ***
“Annie Hall” – Ok, I admit it, I was a film student and it was not till 2 years after finishing my degree that I watched this. I liked it, it was funny and the structure was very impressive. I would not rush to watch it again, but it would be something that I’m pleased to have in my collection. *** ½
So till the next time, which I hope is very soon, take care.
So as many of you know I love a good Horror, and nothing is better then sitting down and watching an old skool Frightfest which you have never seen before, and last night I had the pleasure of doing just that. About two years ago I made the mistake (that happens a lot) to buy a really bad remake of a classic horror film made by none other then John “The Legend” Carpenter. I had never seen Carpenter’s version of “The Fog”, but the remake was cheap in good old Blockbuster and if I remember right I needed a 4th to make up the 4 for a 10er deal. I watched it and as I thought and been told by many, it was shit. A couple of days later in my other fav haunt of my years at uni, I was in Bulmers and I saw “The Fog” for 2 quid, and instead of going “I like horror and I have been told by people who have the same taste as me that I would like this and should watch it as soon as I can” I put it into my collection under “F” and did not really look at it again till a couple of days ago. And yer I am very disappointed in myself. It was a very good film, maybe a bit dated in places but it still had the power to scare and make you jump! And the point never to show the whole of the pirates but to keep them in the shadows was brilliant so not to cheapen the idea, plus things you can not see are always scarier! Also the characters and stories worked a treat and I was gripped from the campfire to the priest begging to know why he lived (whoops Spoiler). Well done Carpenter you created a film, like most of your others, which is still scary and as enjoyable today!
4 Stars
The first film I decided to watch is the one I think I have owned the longest, at least 3 years, maybe 4.
“Steal”, “A Slick Thriller…” quoted from Entertainment Weekly, was the first DVD I ever brought from Poundland. So was the film a “Steal” for only a pound. Or was Poundland “Steal”ing from me! Well I tell you this I was pretty impressed, I thought it was going to be a total flop and not entertaining in anyway, but the action was big and showed off very well in most of the action scenes. In places the acting did fall apart a bit and in one scene there was a massive plot hole, but most films have one or two of them, even the bigger Blockbusters, so give it a break. The actors seemed pretty unknown but that did not stop me them enjoying a good action packed, heist filled, adrenaline pumping movie. If you fancy a film which glorifies robbing banks, making it look easy and fun, then give us a text, call or poke and I will let you borrow it as I got a feeling this would be a hard one to find, wait a minute, lovefilm has it!
3½ Stars
I did not think of doing a list till the lovely Jason said I should so guess what, I did. This is what I will be watching, and like I said I hope to do a mini review of each one and post it on here. Also Jason thinks you should all say what you think of the film/programme I have watched. So after each review give me your views or a star rating, but only after I watched it, do not want to be off put by people’s thoughts
The Films
Smart People
Rumble Fish
Running with Scissors
Phone
Right at your Door
Steal
Taxi 2
Shrooms
Sherrybaby
Seven Swords
Series 7: The Contenders
Scum
Scarface
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
Revolver
Two Hands
Underworld: Evolution
Sixty Six
Alfie
The Lawnmower Man
Train to Hell
Chopper
Eye of the Beholder
Hurly Burly
Help! I’m a Fish
Steamboy
A Bittersweet Life
The Big White
Best in Show
The Amityville Horror (Remake)
After the Sunset
One Million Years B.C.
Arachnophobia
Annie Hall
Australia
The Crow
The Cooler
Colour of Magic
The Chronicles of Riddick
Bride of Chucky
Black Snake Moan
The Deer Hunter
Dear Wendy
G.I.Joe The Movie (Animation)
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
Fargo
Flags of our Fathers
Night of the Hunter (Remake)
The Invasion
Intolerable Cruelty
House of Flying Daggers
Hollywoodland
Hellboy: Blood & Iron
Letters from Iwo Jima
Moby Dick
Monster House
Moonwalker
Fast Food Nation
Factotum
Do the Right Thing
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
The Fog
The Programmes
Jekyll
State of Play
Taken
Quantum Leap Season 1
The Tribe Series 1
Doctor Who: The Leisure Hive (Tom Baker)
Dead Like Me Season 1
Black Books Series 1-3
Billy Connolly’s World Tour of England, Ireland & Wales
Batman the Animated Series Vol. 1
Police Squad!
The Osbournes First Series
Sliders Season 1 & 2
The Muppet Show Series 1
Naruto Unleashed Series 1
Robot Chicken Season 1-3
Mongrels
The other day I got to thinking, which takes a lot of time, and 3 days later a thought popped into my head, “Why the Hell do I own so many DVDs that I have never watched?”. I go out and buy something that sounds good and say “I’ll watch that later or soon” and 3 years later it tries so hard to look different (most of them have got pre-owned stickers from Blockbuster) from the other DVDs, to get me to pick it up and watch it. But still I just pass it over trying not to give it eye contact, like picking a puppy or adopting a child (I guess that is what it is like). So I went through all my DVDs, mine are easy to find because I am a weirdo and I put green stickers on the spines, and picked out all the ones that I have never watched and I made another pile in my room, 2 piles, one of Films and the other of Television programmes. I then counted and in total I have 63 films and 16 Programmes that I have never watched or in the case of the programmes, never completed watching.
So I have decided to only watch from those piles and to try to watch them all by the time I leave York. I also feel to get me writing more I will do short reviews on each of them, including a reason why I brought it in the first place. So check back on how I am doing.
