Lent, No Facebook and 5 More Films

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.

It's Foggy Out!

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 4^th 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, and One Which I have had for a long long time....

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

The List

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

Gotta watch'em all!!!

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.

5 Button Rocker, HSM and Film 2000 and Crap!!

Ok just a few random thoughts today, starting with the brilliant but money eating computer games of the last few years and still to be released. So my problem with the Wii, Guitar Hero/Rock Band, the PS3 wand thing and the 360’s Kinect, is when will it end! I am a pretty big fan of the Guitar Hero series, and I probably will never play the guitar, but like a lot of people I have been known to jump round to rock music throwing my arms round pretending, very very badly, to play air guitar, so the 5 button plastic guitar is like a step up from the air guitar. And you know what? It is a good laugh. I do not take it that seriously (I have had it for 2 years and I can only just about play the medium setting), and I know that it is no way as skilled as the real thing, but it is great to just sometimes put on the tracks that you love, and pretend to play along! What I’m unsure about is the new version of Rock Band being released at the end of the month, now including an updated drum kit, a keyboard and the “real” guitar. I think the drum kit is a cool idea as the old Rock Band one did not have cymbals, and the keyboard is something that I knew would be released at some point, but the guitar confuses me. Why buy a plastic guitar with a hundreds of buttons on it and what looks like some strings, when you could go out get a cheap REAL guitar and learn to play! I do see a small point to it, it will teach you very simply how to play the chords, but only to the songs on the game.

I think “South Park” has it down to a tee. In one of their episodes Randy, Stan’s Dad, shows the boys that he can play a track the boys are playing on guitar hero, on a real guitar. After playing the song note prefect the boys look in shock and tell him that it was “Gay” and “Stupid”. I think it goes to show how important technology is today for kids and that makes me sad. I am not saying that when I was a kid I was really active and I would go and run and play sports, because that would be a total lie, but I did spend a lot of time at the park outside with my friends. I remember one year we even got more then one days worth of fun simply by just jumping into a crash mat we made out of cut grass! And as years go on the games get even more life sucking taking away a child’s imagination, just look at Xbox 360’s new invention, “The Kinect System” which is a hands free controller. It uses a camera and sensors to pick up your movements and put them in the game. Ok I know that is pretty active and better then just sitting on your arse and playing “Halo” or “Grand Theft Auto”, I just feel it is taking something away from going out and exploring the outside, even if it is the boring task of helping your father pick up sticks or fallen plums from the plum tree, it gets you out and into the world! So all I am saying is calm down Sony, take it easy Microsoft and have a rest Nintendo, let us not forget the real skills of learning a hobby or what we can find in own back gardens!

Ok I went off on one there; I have two other things I want to talk about for a couple of lines. The First being a mouse house creation, the wonderful world of the musical, but manly “Why am I put in such a great mood when I listen to songs of High School Musical”? I wonder if it is the up beat pop sound or the really cheesy lyrics, I just can not understand it, normally something this shiny and clean would make me cringe, but I just can not help clapping along and feeling all warm inside when they all realise that they have each other at the end of each film. Please someone help me understand, I am sure I will talk about this in more detail at a later date.

And finally, what the hell have the BBC done with Film 2010? What was wrong with the set up of the last series, of just one man sitting behind a desk and telling you his thoughts on the up coming releases? At least he sounded like he knew what he was talking about; I hope Mark Kermode had a good enough reason to turn down the role! Why the hell would you give it to a woman who can not even open her eyes all the way, looks like she has been dragged through a hedge backwards and seems to have no idea what the hell she is talking about! I do not think I could do a better job but I am willing to give it a go, so watch this space!

Youtube = Happy Memories

Until about 3 months ago I really did not see the point of youtube. Yer, I’m one of those people who goes on it a lot and manages to waste hour after hour watching dancing bears and ninja cats. But lately it hit me, what a pointless waste it is! What is so amazing about a kid who sings like Barry White, a sneezing panda bear or a guy wasting probably thousands of pounds/dollars to dance around the world! Then about 3 months ago after having a conversation with my housemates about old school television, I finally saw what the point of youtube is, and my good friends the answer is to re live those lost programmes that no one will release on DVD. And the programme that made me realise this? “Are You Afraid of the Dark”. An amazing programme that was both entertaining and scary as hell. Then I moved on to something that I know both me and my girlfriend loved as kids, “The Demon Headmaster”, and I jumped straight into series 3, and damn the acting really is as bad as I remembered!

About now I bet you are wondering why I’m telling you this, well I am trying to open your eyes! Take a minute, close your eyes if it helps, look back into your past and remember the things you watched, the things that made you happy, scared, excited, sad and just wanting the days to go faster till the next episode. Maybe I just watched too much television when I was a kid, but I do not care! Television, I think, is a key element to where I am today. Ok maybe I am in a shitty job and not sure where I am going, but I am truly happy. One of my great memories growing up was the joy of a Sunday night, sitting on the white wool rug in front of the fire, my parents behind me on the sofa, waiting for the Sunday family drama to start! “The Borrowers”, “5 Children and It” and “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” are to name just a few of the brilliant programmes that we would watch. And that is one of the reasons why I took up the decision to study a course on film and television, and maybe one day I will write something that at least one kid can sit at home and watch on a Sunday afternoon, in ore of the magic, adventure, romance and gripping cliff hangers at the end of each episode.

So please use youtube for the right reasons, do not waste time, use it to remember and have that warm feeling. Maybe it will not be good as you remember but I am sure it must bring back a good memory or two! I’m off to watch “The Last Train” and “Noggin the Nog”!