The Guardian is confusing me.
Friday, 30 January 2009
Sunday, 25 January 2009
3 Films
In the last week I have seen three films at the Picturehouse in Exeter, starting the year as I mean to go on!
The Reader
I went to see this one by myself, Ivonne was slightly worried that it would not live up to the book, and although it was not as good as the book (what films are?) it was certainly a faithful retelling of the story, and caught a lot of the original spirit of the book. It is annoying that reviews keep saying that Winslet plays a Nazi Guard, because that is not what the film is about, the film is about a love affair, and mostly about guilt about the past. I hope this wins some Oscars, as it has been rather overlooked in the recent crop of films.
Slumdog Millionaire
The most talked about film of the moment, and for good reason. Not, as the advertising would have you believe, the Feel Good Movie of the Year, although it does have a happy ending. This film is extraordinary, it follows a clever story telling device of questions in the quiz show being the way of the main characters life story being told. It is in places brutal, but over all makes you feel that life is good.
Frost/Nixon
This is a story that predates my birth by just a year, but I was totally gripped. The motives behind Frost wanting the interview stay fairly shrouded, but the themes of success, fame and notoriety are clear in both characters. The acting of the support cast is shoddy in places, but overall this is a thought provoking film that will pique interest in part of our recent history that you perhaps don't know much about.
The Reader
I went to see this one by myself, Ivonne was slightly worried that it would not live up to the book, and although it was not as good as the book (what films are?) it was certainly a faithful retelling of the story, and caught a lot of the original spirit of the book. It is annoying that reviews keep saying that Winslet plays a Nazi Guard, because that is not what the film is about, the film is about a love affair, and mostly about guilt about the past. I hope this wins some Oscars, as it has been rather overlooked in the recent crop of films.
Slumdog Millionaire
The most talked about film of the moment, and for good reason. Not, as the advertising would have you believe, the Feel Good Movie of the Year, although it does have a happy ending. This film is extraordinary, it follows a clever story telling device of questions in the quiz show being the way of the main characters life story being told. It is in places brutal, but over all makes you feel that life is good.
Frost/Nixon
This is a story that predates my birth by just a year, but I was totally gripped. The motives behind Frost wanting the interview stay fairly shrouded, but the themes of success, fame and notoriety are clear in both characters. The acting of the support cast is shoddy in places, but overall this is a thought provoking film that will pique interest in part of our recent history that you perhaps don't know much about.
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Just a Minute
Yesterday afternoon we embarked on a mad afternoon to London, our friend Dave kind drove and got tickets for a recording of Radio 4s Just a Minute. So after a morning at work we drove up to London, parked up in a side street and got the tube into Oxford Circus to Broadcasting House.
It seemed surreal that in the morning we were at work, and then a few hours later standing on the pavement in London queueing to get into the home of BBC Radio. Two shows were recorded featuring Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Josie Lawrence and Jack Dee. It was very very funny and I can't wait to hear how they edit it all down into two half hour shows.
We then went for a bot of a wander to soak up some of London, and then set off home. Unfortunately we got stuck in a nightmare traffic jam on the M4, a serious accident closed it for at least 45 minutes and people (we men) resorted to getting out their cars and trying to ascertain what had happened up front!
Eventually we got home just after 2am, and I have been just a little tired at work today!
A great day out though, thanks to Dave for driving us all the way there and back - despite the late night I can't wait to do it again soon!
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Exeter Winter Ales Festival 2009
I was invited to the Exeter Winter Ales Festival by my CAMRA card carrying friend Nick yesterday. I must point out that he does not have a beard, and has never tried Morris dancing (to my knowledge). In fact he works in a bank and is quite normal.
So after work yesterday we wandered up to the University for the festival. You first have to buy a glass to use throughout the day, then exchange your real money for a sheet of beer tokens. On the sheet is a few 50p tokens, a few 20p and loads and loads of 10p tokens. If real money was distributed in this way we would be having to carry suitcases of 10p coins around to pay for anything.
With over 80 beers and ciders I decided I needed a system, so I only had beers that had a prime number. This worked as good as any, as most of the beers tasted essentially the same. I said this to Nick rather to loudly and thought I was going to be lynched by men with red noses.
I realised it was the first time I had ever been in a room that had more beards than women in it.
Was a really fun afternoon, something I have never done before. I think it is a shame that the venue is so soulless and rather stuffy (the smell of warm beer and men... hmm) and I also think it is a shame they don't tell you a bit more about the beers, who made them and where you can purchase it. I would even like to meet some of the people who make the beer and ask a few questions. Will certainly try and get along to the Summer Beer festival though.
I stayed on for a bit as I bumped into some old friends, and spent the rest of my tokens. When I got home I fell asleep on the sofa - that's daytime drinking for you.
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Frozen Exe
Anyone in the UK will have noticed it has been cold, very cold! Parts of the River Exe (mostly the flood relief channel) have started to freeze over. Seagulls are a little unsure what to do...
A heron has been wandering the stretch of river just outside our flat, but as yet has evaded mt camera. I will get a shot of him (or her) one day!
The ice has bee quite thick in some places, two boys were thwacking it with hockey sticks and not finding it easy to break through. One of the greatest noises of nature can be got from throwing a stone of bit of ice across a frozen river, it sounds a bit like Twhang thwang thwaaaang.
Some amazing icicles have formed on bushes overhanging the Weir.
I am starting to enjoy the cold weather, and kind of hope it hangs around for a few more weeks!
A heron has been wandering the stretch of river just outside our flat, but as yet has evaded mt camera. I will get a shot of him (or her) one day!
The ice has bee quite thick in some places, two boys were thwacking it with hockey sticks and not finding it easy to break through. One of the greatest noises of nature can be got from throwing a stone of bit of ice across a frozen river, it sounds a bit like Twhang thwang thwaaaang.
Some amazing icicles have formed on bushes overhanging the Weir.
I am starting to enjoy the cold weather, and kind of hope it hangs around for a few more weeks!
Sunday, 4 January 2009
New Pound Coin
At last, the final piece of the jigsaw that is the new design of the British coins. Actually not so much the final piece, rather it's the jigsaw box!
Post Christmas period
"On the twelfth day of Christmas..." and the preceding 3 or 4 days it always feels a bit weird to me.
The combination of adjusting your body to a less rich diet - yet still having lots of chocolate hanging around, a forest of dead discarded Christmas trees in gardens and dumped under bridges and anywhere else people think of, a slightly philosophical time of year thinking about new starts and the year ahead
I have been distracting myself in several ways...
Ivonne gave me the latest Danny Wallace book Friends Like These which I am really enjoying. He is of course a Hollywood star (almost) now, but this book goes right back to the roots of Are You Dave Gorman and Join Me, a very relevant book as it is about Danny Getting older and hitting his thirties.
We have also been watching the comedy DVDs we got for Christmas, Micheal McIntyre and also Russell Howard, both were hilarious (although I think I laughed at Micheal McIntyre a little bit more).
The River Exe flood relief channel has started to freeze, now at least a centimetre thick across most of the surface, We will go out and inspect it later, and perhaps take a few photos.
The combination of adjusting your body to a less rich diet - yet still having lots of chocolate hanging around, a forest of dead discarded Christmas trees in gardens and dumped under bridges and anywhere else people think of, a slightly philosophical time of year thinking about new starts and the year ahead
I have been distracting myself in several ways...
Ivonne gave me the latest Danny Wallace book Friends Like These which I am really enjoying. He is of course a Hollywood star (almost) now, but this book goes right back to the roots of Are You Dave Gorman and Join Me, a very relevant book as it is about Danny Getting older and hitting his thirties.
We have also been watching the comedy DVDs we got for Christmas, Micheal McIntyre and also Russell Howard, both were hilarious (although I think I laughed at Micheal McIntyre a little bit more).
The River Exe flood relief channel has started to freeze, now at least a centimetre thick across most of the surface, We will go out and inspect it later, and perhaps take a few photos.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Happy New Year
Well, it's 2009 already, it seems only yesterday it was 2008.
I have not made any new years resolutions again, apart from the usual "Do good things more and bad things less", but I can't promise to stick to it. One year I gave up Class A drugs, with remarkable success (that year and every year in fact). I may try to eat Humus a little less this year.
Christmas 2008 was really nice, just spending time with friends and family, got some great presents including the Bourne Trilogy on DVD and a book called Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities, as well as lots of other nice things.
New Year was spent out at Half Moon, a great house party with charades and the "rizzla game" and mini sparklers and nibbles. Thanks to Dennis and Lucia for the invite!
I won't promise to write more on my blog in the coming year, that would be foolish and doomed from the outset, but I will try and update at least every few weeks. I think even I can manage that!
I have not made any new years resolutions again, apart from the usual "Do good things more and bad things less", but I can't promise to stick to it. One year I gave up Class A drugs, with remarkable success (that year and every year in fact). I may try to eat Humus a little less this year.
Christmas 2008 was really nice, just spending time with friends and family, got some great presents including the Bourne Trilogy on DVD and a book called Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities, as well as lots of other nice things.
New Year was spent out at Half Moon, a great house party with charades and the "rizzla game" and mini sparklers and nibbles. Thanks to Dennis and Lucia for the invite!
I won't promise to write more on my blog in the coming year, that would be foolish and doomed from the outset, but I will try and update at least every few weeks. I think even I can manage that!
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