Volume II

Moved!

2006-07-29T18:47:00.000+01:00

You can continue reading my rubbish here. God, it sure feels good to go back to WordPress again.

Unexpected

2006-07-18T15:11:00.000+01:00

I didn't think I'd actually take a break from blogging this summer, but it sure looks that way. To be honest, I don't really have much to say. Or even blog about the things I do/I'm doing because there aren't many things I am doing. If that makes sense.

In other news, I'll be moving back to my domain soon. Just realising I have it for 2 years and have only used it for a few months, I really should start using it for my blog and home on the web. But I'll need some better hosting first, and then get myself back on to WordPress. The only thing now is the theme. There are so many out there, which one do I use or customise for myself?

Where's 'There'?

2006-07-05T13:30:00.000+01:00

Yeah, it's been a while.

So, just enjoying the sun, getting loads of sleep, and having more than enough bananas making sure the siblings don't get any. Having loads of cold milk too. It's a good job mother has a new cool fridge. Been job hunting aswell. Not going too good though, but got a few things in the pipeline so yeah, looking forward to some progress.

Man, I'm tired of people telling me to get out 'there' and find a job. For fucks sake, stop saying 'there' all the time and tell me exactly where. Idiots, my guess is they just as thick as me when it comes to finding a job.

Wiki 3-2-1

2006-06-24T18:27:00.000+01:00

Spotted this on Trench's blog some days ago, and since I've nothing else to post other than the ugly thoughts I have about some people right now, I thought I'd stick up a meme instead. It is a meme, right?

Anyway, so here we are, three events, two births, and one death, all of which occurred on my birthday and taken from the wholesome thing that Wiki is.

Events:
1928 - Michinomiya Hirohito is crowned the 124th Emperor of Japan
1951 - Direct-dial coast-to-coast telephone service begins in the United States
1970 - Soviet Lunar probe Lunokhod 1 launched

Births:
1977 - Brittany Murphy, American actress
1978 - Eve, American rapper (Sunil)

Deaths:
1549 - Pope Paul III (b. 1468)

Don't be shy now, give it a go yourself. Drop us a comment too if you do so that I can hop along to your blog/blogs and check it out.

College: Officially Over

2006-06-21T13:40:00.000+01:00

And just like that, college is over for another year. This year is somewhat different since I've also finished my course. I can't believe how fast things have gone this year, gone like the wind they say.

I got back some results for my FMP today too. Did pretty ok I guess, and I didn't argue with my tutor about any of it either which was a change. I thought I'd give her a break for this last day. Got to say though, this FMP has really put things into perspective for me, and in a way has kind of shown me the light of what I need to focus more on when dealing with the big guns next year.

The show. Hmm, I couldn't make the opening evening but I was told it was pretty good. Hilarious are what some people are saying. And the best ever is what another said. Yeah, whatever. And I got some snaps too, all for your viewing pleasure of course.

yeah, we had to share the room with another group since there was only five of us and we had a pretty large room.

showing off his mark making techniques.

illustration insanity.

getting witty with typography.

he likes it savvy.

inspiring to be clean.

Well that's about it I guess, although I still need to find a job to get some cash flowing in again, and also not be a total bum. So that's a happy job hunting and good luck to me, a bring on the summer, and a come on England!

It's Getting Hot In There

2006-06-12T23:24:00.000+01:00

Crap crap crap ... after 2 years and 2 months, my notebook finally decides to tell me it's had enough. Yes, the bloody thing is starting to overheat, and quickly too. From what used to be hearing the fan for like a good few seconds after 10 hours of usage, it now 'whirs' on just after a mere 15 minutes and then continues to 'whir' every 5 minutes after.

Yes, tell me about it, it's a problem. I don't have warranty no more, and nor do I have the cash to fix it. I'd rather buy a new notebook if it came to that anyway. I've tried vacuuming the darn vent slots too (there's 4 of them) but not the slightest difference did that make and in the process, I sucked up a sock - 'whoosh', it just got sucked in. The vacuum that is.

Now I'm crappin' my pants. Though I've backed all my work on to DVD's, and moved a few other important stuff on to the home desktop, I still fear for when and if it burns out and breaks down on me. My notebook is my life, sort of. Aswell as the router. I don't know what I'd do if either of them breaks down. I'm such a bum.

Wrappin' It Up

2006-06-09T19:57:00.000+01:00

Another week gone, another argument done. I don't get it, what is it with me. Or my tutor shall I say.

So yeah, just another week or so left till I get away from college, officially. Handed in my FMP today, and had to present it to a board of teachers in like a little conference room too. Now not that I sweat presentations or times where it comes to stand up and talk about my work, but I was a bit nervy on the idea that I hadn't done well. But frankly that didn't matter too much to me either, all I wanted and had hoped for has already been secured and God willing nothing will stop it from happening. An attitude I hear you say, so what.

About the argument, see whenever I get into discussions about my work/work in general with my tutor, we always seem to have a little kick-off. Honestly, I don't recall a time where we've had a conversation about my work and us not having a little argument over it. Sometimes it'll get heated and I'll back down. On the one hand I think she enjoys these little arguments, but then I also think she finds that I'm a cocky arrogant little bastard which clearly if you knew me I'm not.

Anyway, I'd just finished presenting my work, got some feedback, and then we (all 3 tutors and I) had a little chinwag about what pieces of work I should put up for the show next week. That's when it happened. We had yet another argument. It ended quickly though since someone else was due for their presentation next. Oh well, I'm sure she appreciates these little debates of ours we have, and that I know as she's mentioned to other tutors the passion I have for my work.

About the show, we'll be preparing for it next week. Painting boards, mounting and cropping work for display etc. Should be a chill week, a nice way to wind down an interesting two years I have to say. As I've said before, if you're in near Dewsbury or surrounding areas and would like to attend, drop me an email.

All that lies in between now is a period of sunny weather and sweaty nights. Hopefully the course next year will be far more challenging and really opens up the doors of recognition for me. I dream about that day.

True Romance

2006-05-28T23:40:00.000+01:00

Recently I've been watching a lot of movies that were made back in the day, and I can't deny that I've enjoyed almost every one of them. Yeah you get the odd fake/unusual bit of acting at times, but the whole feel and taste of the movie kind of cancels that out.

Now I've not seen many as a whole rack full, and I don't think I've seen all the best ones either, but I'm going to shout it and say that True Romance is the best I've seen. Personally, I feel it's the best pulp ever written (by Tarantino). And I dare to say this, but even better than Pulp Fiction.

It's a straight forward plot of what love can do to a person. Make them crazy, change, and make a mind and heart clogged with filth turn into something pure and clear. It's full of the graphic violence and the no nonsense dialogue Tarantino is known for, and with an unforgettable cast it's very hard to put this movie down. I only wish I could've watched this movie when it was first released just to feel the buzz and excitement it must've created amongst movie buffs back then. But years later now, I'm sure this movie is still admired, and is simply one of the best movies ever made.

Oh, and although it's taken me somewhat months to convince myself this, but I got to say, movies made back then, they thrill me more than most of the movies made today.

Poppin' It

2006-05-27T13:53:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I did my first ever photo shoot. I must admit, it went pretty well and I'm satisfied with the results I got. I've not had a chance to look at them (images) properly yet, but that is planned for later.

Before you look at set-up below and say that's not professional, let me just say that I'm just a beginner in photography, and didn't really want to go all savvy since the project I'm doing now (FMP) or the one's I've done will not be going anywhere. Now that's not to say I don't take pride in my work because I do, but I'm sure we all have things where we just want more than the basic, but not go really far so that it becomes a burden.

I decided to go digital (for obvious reasons hinted above) and went with a Fuji. The lighting didn't have to be really savvy so a basic tungsten was used and the backdrops ... well as you can see I used card. Tacky and cheap looking I know, but it worked, and will suffice for now. I do have hopes of using the studio more next year and really step up the game a little with equipment and direction, but that'll matter on the kind of briefs that are set.

Hmm, seems like this is my first ever image post aswell. It's odd how I didn't even think of posting any images before. Hopefully I'll try posting images more often now, but only if they're really needed.

Right now though, I have a weeks break in which I must complete the project and get it printed and ready for my presentation on the Friday we go back. Oh and I do have more details of the show, but will get to that later.

On English

2006-05-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

When it comes to English, I'm no professor. I didn't pass my English at school, and didn't get the best marks in the papers all the time. I do however know good English from bad English.

Although the English language is very crazy and weird, there is always an explanation. I don't know the answers to any of these, but I'm sure there's a reason as to why the plural of tooth is teeth yet the plural of phone booth is not phone beeth and why the alarm clock goes on when it goes off. But one thing I do know is that there surely isn't an explanation to this phrase, '...maximum infinity', which I heard from downstairs on bus today morning.

Yeah, how stupid. I don't normally like to listen into people's conversations, but on a bus so packed and with that one person that always insists on speaking over everyone else, you have no choice other than to listen in. Anyway, I couldn't help but grin a little when I heard that. Made the rainy weather out the window this morning seem a little distant for a while.

Another Friday

2006-05-19T15:46:00.000+01:00

I got into another critique session argument again with my tutor today. She didn't moan about me not being in college for like a week, but she did decide to have a go at me with the direction of work I was taking.

There was my point, and there was hers. I was 100% sure my point was stronger than hers (like most times) and as expected, she ends up saying 'but I'll be marking it and I know what gives marks'. Fuck, don't you just hate that. Now I have to go back a bit, re-brainstorm my thought train, and get started on some new layouts.

Now believe this, we got robbed a whole week of project time. The hand in date has been shifted back a week so that we can set up the end of course show for those who want to come and see. See like we got given a timetable of the whole year and a lecture on time planning, and now we have to speed things up and get told to stuff the timetable and any time planning we'd done because of some show which will mostly be attended by old folks with walking sticks. How friggin' deceptive of them.

But honestly, I don't even really care. I'd planned to finish a week early anyway, and I think the earlier we have this show done, the quicker this course is over and done with. I'll be blogging more about the show at a later date. And if you're in around near Dewsbury, you might want to attend. There'll be free nibbles and some wine too.

Time to get some sleep now, I'm knackered

Movie Musings

2006-05-12T17:12:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I wrote about any movies I've seen recently, and so I thought I'd give a quick rundown of some of the cool things I've watched over the past few weeks.

When talk first came around about animated movies, it didn't really appeal to me. I was taking it to be a thing for kids, and kids only. Then when a classmate who loves comics and is an avid fan of the whole comic-superhero movement told me they're not, and that some of the animated movies which come out nowadays are actually for quite mature audiences, I decided to give them a go. I have to say, I feel like a fool for not watching them earlier. Animated movies are so cool, and I've already made notes of future releases which I must watch.

Although not very original, Hoodwinked was one I really liked. The way the writers pinched bits from other scripts and decided to create one big twist from the very beginning was a good job nicely done. Ice Age was also cool too (no pun intended), and I can't wait to get my hands on Ice Age part 2 when it's released. I just hope that poor squirrel gets the nut. Both of these had well created computer generated graphics, and ended up being a real treat to watch. Other animated movies I've watched are Tim Burton's Corpse Bride which I didn't fancy too much, Ultimate Avengers which was fun, but since I'm not into the whole superhero thing it didn't entertain me as much, and The Incredibles which I loved very much.

I can't help but think now that some day in the future we can move away from Hollywood and blue-screens and hand crafted backdrops to fully computer generated movies in animation. I'm sure some of you will also love to see the next Bad Boys in animation - that would be so cool!

Moving away from animation, yesterday I watched Lucky Number Slevin. The promotion for this movie was up and running early on billboards and t-side bus ads everywhere in the UK and I'd made mental note to watch it since then. When the ending credits rolled on screen yesterday, I sat back and couldn't help think that this movie was a little over the top. With a lot of loopholes in the script, it was enjoyable to watch, but not so convincing. I like to watch a movie and then think 'crap, that shit can really happen' but with this movie, it was the opposite.

Following in the same trait, Chaos was one movie I quite liked. With a script lending its ideas from The Usual Suspects, it ended up being a good movie with the right amount of action and twists towards the end. Jason Stratham played a really good role in this, aswell as Wesley Snipes. Although Stratham is one of my favourites, I don't feel the same about Snipes anymore. Another movie of his I've watched recently is The Detonator which I think was a straight-to-video/DVD. The movie; it was nothing but one big rip-off.

And just before I forget, I've just caught Firewall too. I was expecting it to be some really good action filled tech-robbery, but ended up with nothing but a mere product placement movie. I could've just walked into a room full off computers in a bank operating Windows OS instead. Did that make sense?

That's it for now anyway, hopefully I'll blog some more on movies at a later date.

Like Kids and Candy

2006-05-09T12:41:00.000+01:00

My FMP is hard as it is. It's a total of 3 units and which I intend to ace all 3. The criteria for each is pretty though too, but with a little effort, there's nothing that can't not be done.

The hardest choice to make with my FMP is type. The type in any design work should be considered and given much thought, but when you have a choice of one thousand and plus typefaces, you don't really know where to start. You could say the beginning, but that'll take hours. I spent the most of Sunday looking at all the many typefaces I have available, and I've been through almost 600 or so and still not yet made a decision. Well I did at one point, only to get told it's not the right choice to go with after by people who consider themselves experts at typography.

You could say I'm being silly, or paranoid, but making the right typeface choice could be the difference between a design working and not working. I don't want to get a lower mark just because I didn't care too much about the type, I want to go through whatever it takes to make sure this projects turns out to be a success. Even if that means endless hours on sketching layouts, selecting typefaces, or fighting with colour.

Halifax Bank Sucks

2006-05-07T16:07:00.000+01:00

One of the things I've never been able to do successfully is to open a new bank account for myself. The last time I tried to open one was on Friday. Before that, it was sometime last year. I wanted myself a debit card and so I went into a Halifax bank branch in town to open it. Why Halifax? Well I've already got a savings account with them which I've had since I was a kid.

Anyway, I told them I needed a new account, something which would give me a debit card so I could purchase things online using it. I filled out an application and got a reply back some weeks later saying it had been declined but they'd like to offer me another account - an easycash account. So I said ok. When the card came, it was a damn Link card which ofcourse is of no good when you want to purchase things online. Some days later I walked into the main branch in town (we have two Halifax banks in town) and told them what had happened. Now apparently, I hadn't scored high enough on their credit scoring system (being 18, at college, with no job) and so they couldn't offer me one and could give me an easycash account only. I must say, I was unhappy about it all and it took me a while to come to terms with it. I used my sisters' card after that anyway.

This past Tuesday I went bank into the main Halifax bank branch in town again and this time asked them if I could open a student account. I got given an appointment for Friday because they thought I needed to have a chat with one of their advisors to see what financial solutions I should need since I'll be a student. Hmm, whatever. Anyway I went, and would you believe it, the same darn thing happened. I hadn't scored high enough on their credit scoring system again. Now this was weird, I'm needing a student account, how on earth am I supposed to score high with credit? The advisor, a Miss Natalie something, was also shocked about this and said she couldn't understand why it had declined me for a student account. Anyhow, we chatted for a bit more and then I said it. 'Forget it, I'm going to HSBC.' The smile on her face dropped and she was lost for words. All she could say was 'you could come back later once you've started your course, maybe it'll score higher then?' Yeah right.

Anyway, I went into the HSBC bank which is round the corner and got the job done like clockwork. It was being renovated too and was looking extremely nice. I got myself a student account with a debit card, credit card, cheque book, and also a much bigger interest free overdraft limit than what Halifax were offering. If only banks could be this easy on their customers.

I've also decided to close both of my accounts with Halifax in a few weeks time and tell them goodbye too. Halifax bank sucks!

Hey You, Strip!

2006-05-05T16:30:00.000+01:00

From above, I thought only God had the right to give us direct commands which we must obey or suffer thereafter. Today, I realised the sun also has this right to give us men and women on earth the command too, and shall we choose not obey, we will suffer.

Yesterday was hot. Today seems even hotter. Still, it isn't that hot that you should feel the need to strip down and remove almost every item of clothing on your body, yet why do people insist on removing every item of clothing and roam the streets like they've just been dropped out their mothers wombs? I don't know whether it's a cool thing to like walk around with no top on, but it is pretty disturbing for those in the right (my) mind.

On the way home from college I had my head against the window trying not to move and cool down a little. I tried to get some rest too but had to keep an eye open to keep watch over the wasp that was buzzing a few windows away from me. I hate wasps. Anyway, I saw one guy who had nothing on other than a yellow tracksuit bottom and some gloves. Would you believe it, he was wearing gloves, but no top to cover his not so manly body. Weird I know.

It scares me to think that the days are only going to get hotter now. I just hope it doesn't get so hot that everyone starts walking around naked.

GIGO

2006-05-03T16:41:00.000+01:00

Back in high school I used to hear the word 'gigo' (garbage in, garbage out) all the time during ICT lessons. I didn't know whether they, the teachers, were just trying to be smart with us, or actually if there was such a thing/phrase that existed. GIGO is ... well I'll let Wiki tell you.

GIGO is usually said in response to users who complain that a program did not "do the right thing" when given imperfect input ... For example, a badly written TeX document will look bad because the user did not correctly typeset the TeX source properly. This instance of GIGO could be described in a similar vein to WYSIWYG - what you see is what you get.

Well anyway, this phrase has lived with me ever since. Today was a perfect example of when it surfaced again. I'm currently doing my FMP, and since it's going to be marked by the exam board which I think I will have to present to, I have to make sure it looks thick, and well created. Everything must appear of good quality. That means the work, and the pages the work's been done on.

Hmm so sketchbooks. Now at the college shop they come pretty cheap. The paper quality and batch isn't bad too, but this time I went a little out of league. Rather than buying a sketchbook (A3) for £4 at the college shop, I got one for £12 from a shop in my town. I've already finished one of these bad-arse looking sketchbooks, and bought another today. I felt bad of how I'd just spent now a total of £24 on just sketchbooks, but whilst buying it I kept thinking 'GIGO'. The more I put into the whole presentation and look of my work, I should get better marks. I should hope so anyway.

Walking The Road

2006-04-28T19:26:00.000+01:00

So I've started walking that road now. I caught up with my actual course tutor today (as we do every Friday) and we decided to make a few amendments to my initial brief since I had to write and brief myself a project and get it approved.

Anyway, I think I have a much better idea of where I'm heading with this project now. There comes a point where you must really stop digging for more research and start getting some ideas down on paper, and today was that point. Although with me, I never stop doing research. I'll always gather a few more bits and pieces even whilst developing my ideas and sometimes even when I've almost finished a project ready for print and hand-in. Not only does it get you extra marks (sometimes), it also helps the direction at times too. So with the research coming to an end now, I'll be spending the weekend eating, sleeping, and thinking up ideas to start developing on Tuesday - college day back.

Having an extra long weekend this week means I should spend Sunday and Monday to start and finish my movie scene storyboard. Heck, whilst making my way out of college today I had to bump into my visual communications tutor who once again asked how I was getting on with the storyboard. I told him 'it's almost there' - yeah, I lied, but it'll be there on time for Tuesday.

Do you like Starbursts? I do. Wooly's are now doing them for cheap, and knowing my mum she brought a load of bags home the other day. Juicy things!

Seeing The Light

2006-04-25T17:53:00.000+01:00

Tuesdays used to be art history and contextual studies followed by visual communication with regards to film and motion picture. Two lessons, one lecture theatre, a pen and a pad, and one whole morning. Imagine the fun. That was till 6 weeks ago though where we had to end it and start a final unit to help us ready our portfolios for any upcoming interviews (mine's done; successfully too) and also help get set (mentally) for the big courses we're each hoping to go on to and enjoy next year.

So, since I've already kind of liked passed this unit, I decided to get on with my FMP. Yesterday I was pretty bog down about it, but after going through with it with a tutor today morning, I'm kind of seeing the light. The road which I need to get on now, and get down quickly too before it's too late. I couldn't be more thankful, if only we had him for more lessons.

Going To Sleep

2006-04-24T17:43:00.000+01:00

Life is just starting, for me it is anyway. Forms, appointments, current accounts, evidence of who I am and where I live etc, the list just goes on. There's just so much going on right now, I wish I could be teleported to some place in Mexico and hang out riding horses all day. Not that I can ride a horse, but I'm sure it's a lot of fun.

I only got spoken to very briefly today. Seems as though I'm not very behind as I thought I were. Maybe take this week to finish off on research and then on Friday start working on and developing any ideas that I have currently. This last (FMP) project I must say is turning out to be a nightmare. Coming up to it some months ago, I was really looking forward to it. I was told I shouldn't get too excited as it'll tire and exhaust me out, but like always, I take the words of my tutors like second-hand advice. I'm such an idiot.

Why do I sound like I'm about to go and jump out of my bedroom window ... well not that I'd get very far to the bottom since the front door extends underneath it, but I got my PN1 form today. Add to that, I'll have to open a new bank account which I hate doing since the last one I tried to open turned out to be a disaster. But that form, it's got 28 pages of filling in to do. Yes, 28!

But who cares, right now I'm off to catch some sleep in the evening sun before it goes down. Maybe wake up in a few, get some supper, check my e-mail (again), and then back to bed for another early start tomorrow.

Blocked

2006-04-20T11:24:00.000+01:00

So I tried, I really did. I gave it my all. Pleased to say I managed to do some, but not enough. See this is the problem.

To stop doing a project and not working on it for a few days (weeks actually), you get out of the mind set. And when you return, sometimes you just can't get back into it. It's a bummer, and so I'm just going to sit out till I get back to college again. Hopefully I'll get a jump start again from one of my tutors first day back.

I guess I should expect a telling off and a not-so-impressed look too.

Procrastinating

2006-04-18T21:39:00.000+01:00

It's what I've been doing recently. I just can't seem to find the motivation to work on my projects, any of them. Sure it's an Easter break, but I still have work to do, and loads of it too.

Still, yet again I plan to do some work tomorrow. I had the idea that telling other people might help in the sense that if when tomorrow evening comes, if I say I haven't done anything, I'll feel a feeling of shame - which might be enough motivation to get me to do some work the following day.

So tomorrow, no e-mail, no blogs, no RSS reader, no downloading, and no surfing. Matter of fact, I'll be tucking the notebook into it's case and under the desk when I log off tonight.

A Diary Life

2006-04-13T10:54:00.000+01:00

In simple terms, this blog is a diary, an online journal. I've never kept any regular diaries, but I do have a production diary, a visual diary, and a copy diary. That's a lot of diaries I know, but it's important I keep them.

The production diary is one I've just recently started to keep. For each individual project, I must list tasks, targets, ideas, and show routes taken to how I reached the final solution/s. It's a job to do on the side, and I hate side jobs. I just like to get on with the darn thing, and finish it. But my tutors say it's essential I keep one. And I won't realise it just yet, but in due time I will see how important it is to keep a book of notes for each project. In most cases I'm known to disagree with them, but I think this time I'm going to go along with it. Hopefully it's the right choice.

I never did really think I'd keep a visual and a copy diary, but after a conversation with peers, I see how useful it is to keep one no matter the hassle. See for some strange reason, once the clock ticks 01:00 hours, the creative blender inside my head starts to make juice, and loads of it too. Ofcourse at the time I'm in bed trying to get some adequate sleep before getting up for 6 in the morning again, but the ideas just keep flowing. At first I used to shut them out and say to myself I'll remember them for the morning, but as you might've experienced, you never can remember them, hence why I started to keep a visual and a copy diary. So now instead of shutting the ideas out, I sit up, get hold of a pencil, and scribble the ideas down very quickly. It's worth the effort.

But why 2 separate diaries? Well say when the time comes to route for a copy line (for example), I'd know exactly which diary to go through, rather than having to sift through one big diary with a load of visuals and copy mixed in. It's just the way I work, I like organisation.

Easter Break

2006-04-08T11:28:00.000+01:00

Living in England means we have our own names for holidays and unique culture which the rest of the world finds odd. Those Yank comedians just think we're weird for some reason, to hell with them. It's Easter break.

Anyway, here comes a 2 weeks of no college. Sadly it won't be a 2 weeks of nothingness though. I need to get a storyboard for a movie scene done for when we get back, and also kick some arse with my FMP which I've started a few weeks late again. I'm starting to get slack ever since I got my place on the new course for Sep '06.

Would you believe it, the battery on my notebook just died when I hit 'Publish Post'. Might aswell add now, I'll also be giving my hole a good tidy up too. Too many sketchbooks and other bits are lying around, and the dust is almost taking over.

Seriously Boring

2006-04-07T19:48:00.000+01:00

Times are changing. I remember in the old days audio was on cassette tapes which would be played in personal walkmans. Then came the CD players. Now it's the time of the 'Pod and MP3 players. Don't get me wrong, but I quite like the way technology has evolved and made life better, easier, and geek yet chic both at the same time. But I'm not going to talk about that. I'm going to blog about books, audio books to be precise.

The first ever audio book I heard was when I was a kid. About 8 years old or something, my kid brother got diagnosed with asthma and he got a load of goodies from the nurses whilst in the hospital. One of them was this book that was on a cassette tape. It was about a dragon that gets asthma attacks and about how others helped him around and made life easier for him. Cut a long story short, it was cool. Since then, I've always read books by actually reading them. Till a fortnight ago.

So I downloaded my second audio book. Now if you knew me, you might've guessed already it was one of Tom Clancy's. Strangely enough though, I didn't get listening to it right away like I would've done had I got it in print, but anyway when I got some free time that weekend, I started listening to it. To be honest, at first I quite liked to just sit there and listen to someone narrate the story to me. It did feel a little awkward, but I thought it would get better later on. I'd just need to adapt to it or something.

I was wrong. Just after 3 chapters, it started to become a drag. The whole thing of having to find time first of all, then getting comfortable, then picking out the chapters, and then being able to listen to it became a tough thing to do. Even more annoying was having to go back on the time elapse bar finding parts to hear again when you didn't hear them right first time round. God, it is seriously boring. I didn't think audio books could be so boring, even though they are written by my favourite authors. I guess I'll just have to stick to the real reading of books instead. It is better in many ways, and makes a better read too. Not to mention that authentic feeling you get, if you get what I mean.

On the subject of books, last week I bought my first ever fiction book. Yeah, I only loan the books I read, never buy them. I only buy books if I know I'll need them over and over again. In all cases, it's always books on design. The books I read, I loan. I'm not passionate about reading, it's just a hobby.

Second in Command

2006-04-03T10:36:00.000+01:00

And he's back, Jean Claude that is, and this time in Second in Command. He plays the role of an official known for his efforts in 'Nam I think, and he gets made second in command during an assault on an American Embassy.

Ok I'm going to get to it. Firstly it was nice to see him back in action. I loved his movies, all of them. The martial arts mixed in with guns and high explosives, it's what I lived for back then.

Anyway, the storyline was good. Well good, and told nicely too. Couldn't care too much for the clichéd lines, but there's not much new you could do to avoid them in movies like this. Frankly, I really wanted to like this movie. But there were too many things that I just couldn't accept. The cinematography for example, it was a load of rubbish. No war showing technique, the camera direction was boring, and the effects were lame old, same old.

The acting was horrible too. With a cast I've not seen before (other than Jean Claude), I'm going to assume it was a low budget. Whether I'm right or not, it was terrible acting. Half the marines and hard hitting re-con soldiers looked like wimps. They were almost like smiling, as if happy they are playing a role and being filmed on a movie set. I sat there pulling faces and was sure that even I could've looked more convincing than them.

But the worst bit of all, the technical bits. Seeing a lot of army/military movies and playing games and reading books of the sort does kind of make you somewhat a knowledgeable if not expert in the field. I admit I'm still learning about such stuff, but the knowledge I do posses currently tells me that most of the technical issues in this movie are very far fetched.

God there were so many, I can't even remember most of them. The communication tower for example. The Embassy is faced with militia fighters. Maybe it's just me, but why would they bother to take out a single security camera and then RPG the entire communication tower? Just doesn't make sense. What's more? As the RPG guy comes out from behind the car, the snipers on the Embassy roof fail to spot him and as if like they'd mistaken him for somebody else, they shout 'in-coming' as they see the rocket blasting towards them. And then when it hits, the power in the Embassy goes out. Seconds later the back-up frame kicks in and it's restored again, but for some reason the computers don't work. Maybe it's just me again, but even if the communication is down, the computers still ought to work right? Heck, my notebook still works when my router is being an arse. And to top it off, the two snipers on the roof were the best they had. Yeah right.

Another thing I was amazed to see was that the militia had bugged one of the hostages. Well we only find that out after they were rescued from outside the Embassy. But wait, the bug used was very sophisticated. It was tiny, and I'm talking MI5 tools here. Maybe it's just me, but the militia were not even in hard body armour, yet they have a device 50mm in length that can listen and transmit? I do find that hard to believe.

I can see this entry is getting very long now so I'll end here. And so like I said, I really wanted to like this movie, but I guess something's just shouldn't be liked. And as for Jean Claude, he sure still has it. But I'd prefer if he continues on with the likes of Inferno instead.

April's Fools

2006-04-01T22:19:00.000+01:00

The real fool is the one who tries to fool someone else on a day well known.

What do you say, it must've been a real good day for con-men worldwide. To be honest, I was constantly thinking about what if I had continued on with my side hobby of years ago aswell. Make no mistake, today surely would've been lottery day for me too.

Cheaper by the Dozen 2

2006-03-31T18:21:00.000+01:00

Yeah, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 was a big let down. The first part was excellent. All the tricks, games, funny moments were all there in great build ups too. And in part 2, half the fun was lost.

The need for building up characters was not really needed. The plot also didn't need much of a hack either. Just let two rival fathers with their kids run wild. And since it was done like that, there was not much craftiness. Nor much child games either. In other words, there was not as many laugh out loud moments as expected.

I'm starting to think that Yours, Mine and Ours which was released about the same time is the better movie now. It was like the dozen kids part 1, but with a slightly different tale. I wonder what happened during the production of dozen kids part 2.

Oh, and when the fireworks went off at that gathering, I wasn't expecting them to be put out so soon. I can't help but think part 2 has really lost the edge in bringing out the comedic moments those energetic kids could've brought into many of the scenes.

Randomly Enough

2006-03-30T12:52:00.000+01:00

Yes I've gone all masala on the template. A friend showed this template to me and after comparing it to my custom made template of Dots, I decided to go ahead and change it. I quite like it actually, being Indian an all.

Spring is in full flow now. The rain, the winds, and the sun all mixed up creating a nice range of whether for us each day. Yesterday was more rain than sun. Today there's a little more wind and sun, but less rain. It's all good.

Mounting my printed artwork was a crazy task. After getting no offers for a pair of feminine hands, I had to use my own. Making it worse, the bloody trimmer was bust so I had to use a pair of scissors which not only meant more time, but a little more effort too. They all came out nice though. Spray adhesive rocks!

Wow, what an interview I had today morning. To fill you in, I only applied to one course at one place only on my UCAS application. I know, I'm a dumb-arse who likes to take risks. Well anyway, after a week of constant waiting, I get an interview. I was over the moon as you could imagine. Then came the process of getting the portfolio ready, and all that was done by last night. Now up till last night I was very confident and not nervous at all. But soon as I slipped into bed, I started to panic. The words 'interview tomorrow' kept and creeping in and out of conscious. I couldn't sleep at all, so I had a quick game of checkers (which I won) and before long I was knocked out.

Today morning however, I was feeling confident again. On the bus, I was still confident. Walking up to the building, I was still confident. Waiting in reception, still feeling confident. It was 10, and I hadn't been called in yet. So I asked Pauline our lovely receptionist and she said it may go overtime. Then it happened. I started to panic again. Within an extra waiting periods of 15 minutes, I was from fully confident to a nervous wreck again. Anyway I decided to get a drink from the water cooler and like clockwork, she appeared, and amazingly enough, the wreck had gone and once again I was feeling confident. Spare you the details, it was a very successful interview which resulted in an outcome which I couldn't be any more happier with.

Kid you not, it's nice and sunny, but started to rain again. Just show's what happens with British whether within the duration of writing a single blog post.

Mercenary for Justice

2006-03-26T14:19:00.000+01:00

I don't believe this, Steven Seagal has done it again!

I'm not going to even bother going into this one. Mercenary for Justice is another already played out movie. If you like guns and CIA ops, give it a watch. Don't blame me for the lack of originality though.

Mr Williams

2006-03-24T23:03:00.000Z

When I was about 9 back in junior school, I had a really cool teacher. His name, Mr Williams.

Now in junior school you have the same teacher all day every day throughout the whole school year. Maths, English, P.E, you have the same teacher for every lesson. It never really got boring, because that's how we knew school back then.

Anyway Mr Williams was a magician. He did gigs at his local house and also fairs that stopped in town. He was a great magician too, but nothing too savvy. I think it was one Friday I was told to stay behind after school because I'd been a naughty boy. I must've not washed the brushes and left them on glue pallets or something causing them to stick and jam up. I remember finishing cleaning them up and him calling me over. He told me not to forget next time, and asked if I wanted to see something amazing. Being 9, I was all 'hell yeah!'

So he took out a quid, put it in his palm and rubbed it. The quid disappeared. He then went behind my ear and took the quid out. Wow! Now I used to think of myself as some clever kid, so I asked him to do it a few more times to see how he did it and catch him out. But there was no luck that day. Eventually he showed me how, and all the way home I was practising. Without a quid ofcourse.

Weeks later I learnt new tricks. I even ended up doing a show at the end of school year in front of the whole year. I had everyone going. This was great, I was already something. I'd get asked at home to do stuff. Show my cousins when they came over the amazing things I could do. But I was getting bored of this magic stuff. I wanted something more challenging. More real in life. I wanted to not trick someone into thinking, but giving. Yes, I wanted to con.

But life as a con artist was very short lived. Not to mention that my religion forbids it, so I had no choice but to give it up. Out of interest, my first mark was my cousin. What a daft bitch she was.

College Is Over (Not Officially)

2006-03-22T16:09:00.000Z

So college is over. I handed in my final (I'd like to think) project today, and had an early day off. All that remains now is a single project (FMP) which will run for the duration of 13 weeks or so which will also take us right up to the official college is over day. I can't wait to start my FMP next week though, it's a great opportunity for me to set my own brief, do it, evaluate, and then present it. I'm told it's a real 'grade booster'.

The only other tasks that remain are getting through a successful interview which will require getting my portfolio ready, and also a storyboard for a few scenes of a movie that you got to create yourself. The only not so difficult bit to that is - well, the movie/storyboard must show influence of the director that we wrote an essay on earlier on during the year.

I might aswell, yesterday I walked into the print shop again and I also walked right back out within 10 minutes with a set of amazing quality prints ready to crop and mount. I also bought some mount boards which are foam centred too. But the real amazing thing is, it all cost just little under £40. So why not, I bought myself a muffin from the change I spared.

Oh, and I keep wanting to be a con-artist again. I'm just not sure whether it'll work for me now.

And I Thought I Knew

2006-03-17T18:32:00.000Z

Right now there's so much going. Finishing up of projects, writing proposals to get approved for the Final Major Project, finding a part-time job, getting UCAS interviews sorted which means to get my portfolio ready.

Yes, I love my portfolio, and I scream with my eyes if anyone ever so even bumps into it giving it a little knock making me look down after to see whether any damage has been done. So I don't love it that much, but I do take good care of it. It didn't come cheap afterall.

So for the portfolio, I'm getting my design pieces reprinted via digital print. I've had enough of cheap college printers and tacky cropping jobs. Anyway, I think it was Wednesday morning when I popped into a print shop in town, and it was right early too, around 8 or so. The shop was well hidden in an alley and less you were looking for it, you wouldn't notice it. Surprisingly though, inside the shop it's all modern. High tech computers and huge press machines. I remember it was well heated too.

Anyway to the point, I asked for a quote on a 15 A2 colour printouts with no bleed but vinyl covering print job. In my mind I had estimated it to cost no more than £70-80, but lo behold, a huge £210 came out of her mouth. I was gob-smacked, and she even noticed it too. 'It's a little dear I know, but we do do 15% discounts for students?' - yeah, forget about it. I stood there like a div thinking what to do, so I asked for the same job, but this time for A3 sheets and guess what, it only costs a little under £40, with vinyl covering too.

So you see my estimate made sense, it should cost double for what it costs for A3 since the paper size is double, but I guess that's not how it works. It looks like I'm going to have to get some A3 digital prints, and then find some feminine hands to crop them up and help me mount them on some boards I'll have to buy now too.

Ah, how little do I know about my chosen industry.

Paradise Now

2006-03-12T22:07:00.000Z

After seeing the one sheet for this movie, I made a mental note to watch it. I didn't expect much from Paradise Now, but it sure gave me a lot.

The story telling in Paradise Now was nicely done, and the plot was very realistic. The acting was good too, and although I hadn't heard of any of the actors before, they sure as hell made a good first impression. Not to forget the cinematography which was done brilliantly, and with good camera direction.

I wouldn't really mention this, but the movie didn't really strive for much attention from the viewer either. At times I felt sorry for the families of the bombers, but that was it. And not seeing any action and terror from the opposite side made this movie almost one sided, but when reading the plot line again, it makes perfect sense. It's a movie about two men, not a nation who recruit men to blow themselves up.

Bandidas

2006-03-10T21:44:00.000Z

Guilty pleasure my left foot, Bandidas was a really fun movie and I loved every bit of it.

Many Westerns have a similar trait and give the same sense of feeling and drama. Bandidas did just that. The story of two girls from opposite walks of life make together to take down the bad guys who are not surprisingly 'gringos' from America looking to take over their land. A noble act indeed, and with the help of another American they win the fight. So the plot maybe a little clichéd, but most Westerns are.

Although I think the characters weren't built up too well, it still worked. I'm not so fussed about the story telling here, or even the plot, but the action was great. Add to that the loads of laugh out loud moments and two lovely bank robbers, there's not much you could really moan about.

There was a lot of nice cinematography too. Really beautiful scenery, all shown breathtakingly with a bright and crystal clear image. Now although I'm not a big fan of the whole showing the bullet piercing and trailing gunpowder effect, it did spice up the movie a little which made it all the more enjoyable to watch.

If you too just want to have a fun to watch movie, you need to give Bandidas a try. Or if you just want to see Hayek and Cruz in some legendry outfits. Whichever fits your bill.

Four Brothers

2006-03-08T17:34:00.000Z

I don't even know why I postponed watching this movie. I guess the title, Four Brothers, didn't sound as appealing.

Ok so that was an excuse, but I'm glad I finally did watch it. Very quickly, the plot was something different, and I think the story was told pretty well too. The action was just right, giving that street - almost believable feel. The character profiles weren't built up well as they could've been, but it all fell into place easily.

The imagery was great too. There was some really nice camera direction, again giving the whole urban feel. Not to mention the title sequence, it was different, with some really nice use of typography.

Out of ten, I'd say an unexpected nine.

New Look!

2006-03-08T14:57:00.000Z

Today I finally got some free time to personalise the look of the blog. The Dots template created by Douglas Bowman which I was using previously is very nice, and so I decided to just build on top of it giving it my personal touch and good use of white space. Just like all my other design work.

Please leave any suggestions, criticism, and feedback in the comments.

Hostel

2006-03-06T15:56:00.000Z

Violence and the ability to thrill is his trait. Hostel was no different, but followed through pretty badly.

I read, heard, got told that Quentin Tarantino has worked on another movie which was to be released soon. I was so excited, and even though the genre was categorised as horror, I still wanted to see it.

I might aswell tell you now, I've not watched another full horror movie since I was nine. Yes I had a terrible experience once, and it's lived on inside me ever since. Apart from when I watched Constantine by accident last month.

Anyway, Hostel was a yucky-yuck movie. I was so confused as to why it had taken such a bad direction. I was hoping for another Pulp Fiction, but I was left with nothing but a mere porno flick with some bondage and not so much horrific, but rather comedic scenes. The blood, violence, and gore were all there. The unique narrative style was also evident at times. The funny yet amusing scenes were there too. But even with all that, how could a script go so bad?

I definitely think that somebody was watching a lot of European porn whilst they were writing the script. There's no real horror in this movie at all. It was all sex and bondage which I think can also be classed as horror depending on how it is portrayed.

The small television in the reception/lounge at the hostel was very interesting though. Would I be right in saying that the movies shown on the screen were all the influences for Hostel? It sure did look like it.

I would never have thought a director could be so sex obsessed. So sick.

Walkers Just Got Savvy

2006-03-04T22:03:00.000Z

Packaging of products change almost daily. Some get worse, others get cooler.

It appears Walkers have recently gone over the packaging for their best selling crisps. They look cool now. Very cool infact. Gone with the times, a sort of techno-san serif edge to the type, and overall design.

I'm feeling much more tempted to pick another Walkers Ready Salted off the shelves now.

Locked-On

2006-03-01T17:59:00.000Z

I started on another game past Sunday. The latest from Tom Clancy's works, Rainbow Six: Lockdown.

The first of Clancy's games I ever got was... well I can't remember to be honest. I got it off a high school friend who said it was the only game he had of the kind I was looking for. You must understand that ever since I was a kid, I was a sucker for espionage and military-intel orientated stuff. And yes, movies like SWAT are nothing but my thoughts, plots, and dreams for a movie come true.

But back on with the game, I have to say it is awesome. That feeling that it gives; a somewhat experience of feeling and knowing what it is like to work as a field operative as part of a small task force sent in to rescue hostages in an under-base camp somewhere in Algeria. So maybe I'm getting a little ahead here, but this game is like I said, simply awesome.

The real time effects, perfection to detail, not allowing the user to get too fussy with the weaponry and getting away easy with firing an unlimited round of ammo, the not so over-dramatised operations; the whole game is just superb. Ofcourse, with it being a game you get to save it in places. But had the saving game feature been limited to the beginning and end of each operation, it would've given it that extra 'real' feel.

But I'm not going to moan on about that, because this game is the closest I'll ever get to be that team leader leading a small group of trained anti-terrorist soldiers in an underground camp somewhere half-way across the globe.

I do however hope my tutors don't end up reading this. They'll then soon catch up on why I don't seem too bothered about getting through the final year of the course right now. Then I will be the one moaning.

Ah, if only virtual reality was life.

Roger that.

Waiting...

2006-02-24T19:21:00.000Z

It just happened to come my way and I watched it. Waiting... and to be honest, I didn't find it as funny.

Set in a restaurant, the story unfolds by kind of previewing each employee and their problems and then slowly goes on towards the end to show how each one is solved, though not entirely. With a good but not mega-funny cast it gets through, although most of the jokes fell flat for me. It may be because I've never worked in an environment as such, and that's why I didn't really LOL at most of the jokes. So.

I can't say the cinematography was great either, although there was a cool scene of extreme close-ups at the beginning and then shown again towards the end. I really think the movie needs more spice, especially with the image. And because the cinematography was so poor, it made it look like a real cheap movie. Had they'd gone that extra bit with creating a fresher image, it would've been far more enjoyable to watch.

Mr Tough Guy, Steven Seagal

2006-02-23T11:06:00.000Z

What is the deal with this guy? He walks around like he owns everything. He can do what he wants, to whom he wants and shouldn't face any consequences after.

Ok Mr tough guy, first of all your acting is crap. You need to learn how to walk. Then, how to talk. Stop trying to impress me by talking quietly so that I have to put a unit next to my ear to hear what you're saying. Next, stop the whole Chinese/kung fu rubbish, leave that to Jet Li. Then I think you should learn how to tip-toe. Clearly in your latest piece you look like a fat bloke trying to hide from some skinny punks looking to bust your arse. This also means try shedding a few pounds, it'll look better for when you do those quick hand moves of yours. Fat chubby arms don't make it look real. You ought to know that.

Now if you want to start making movies, stop using the same plots each time. No your family doesn't always have to be killed or kidnapped. Nor that of your partners. And please, you need to stop being an ex-CIA field agent or ex-con.

Yes revenge is good, but you got to make it look good too. So I admire how you bring high explosives and MP-5's onto the scenes, but you need to stop showing off by going to get revenge almost all alone. You aren't that tough, they'd have you in a few seconds idiot. And if you want to use a stunning woman as a side-kick or accomplice, do fuck her. It doesn't look authentic if you don't. Ok, so it's better if you don't. Shows you can be just friends or mission-partners with women.

I enjoy watching the 3-4 movies you make a year. And I don't care whether they're blockbusters or not, it's the only few that give more or less what I look for in a movie. But if you continue using the same lines and plot, then I think someday me and the others will give up on you. So get your head straight, and bring some quality stuff on the screen.

Oh and one last thing, you need to take your bloody coat off!

Fun Time

2006-02-19T14:32:00.000Z

It's fun time. If you enjoy jigsaw puzzles, here's some movie posters you can try piece together. Have fun.

Flightplan

2006-02-18T11:35:00.000Z

There are times where you see trailers for a forthcoming movie and you make a mental note to watch it when it's released. However as time passes, the priority given to that film disappears and even though you come across several opportunities to watch it, you don't. This was the case with Flightplan.

Now there's not been many plane hijacking movies post 9/11 as it is a very sensitive area for certain people. For this reason, Flightplan I must say is a ridiculous movie. Not only was the story very far-fetched and gone, but the ideas shown in the movie are unacceptable. Looking at the plot, there are many flaws. Some are plain silly and to try and comprehend them makes my head hurt. If you've seen the movie, you'll understand yourself how stupid it is.

However there was only one aspect of this movie which I liked, the cinematography. The camera direction was slick, and very polished. The angles, views, and heck even the title sequence was astonishing. But still I found this movie nothing but a cheat. Right from the very beginning we're being led into what we think is going to be a breathtaking thriller. Everything is built up nicely, and then it all flops.

The explosion at the end was not needed either, although I can understand that some people out there must see something explode in every movie they watch.

The Net 2.0

2006-02-14T18:00:00.000Z

There's a geek inside of me. I like computers – frankly I like technology. When it came to watch The Net 2.0, I just couldn't say no.

Straight up I'm going to admit it's a very lame movie. The acting was childish, the story telling, the plot, basically the whole nine yards. Every bit of the movie was rubbish. If it wasn't for the use of technology, I wouldn't have watched more than the first 10 minutes.

I think had there been a better cast, and a better lead actor who didn't look like they were trying too hard to convince what was going on is real, it would've been somewhat better. The story telling also, it could've been told better in many parts of the movie. The plot was not original either. My mind instantly tracked back to Enemy of the State within the title sequence. Even the dialogue was too cliché - the ending had already formed in my head before I'd even got to it.

However it was a pleasant viewing. Firstly if you like Turkey, then you're in for a treat. The whole movie apart from a single scene shot in California, is set in Turkey (Istanbul). Most of the cast is even Turkish too. You then got the technology. The tablet notebook, hi-speed satellite internet, super computers and wire bank transfers, palm tops, tracking devices etc, it was all there. There was a lot of Microsoft too. I wonder if the placements were a deal, or the director was just feeling a little Microsoft friendly. Last of all, it was a surprise to see the SUV of my dreams, a Volvo XC90.

It may seem as though I really enjoyed it, but what can I say, this movie was like a child. You like a baby for a few reasons, but the rest of it is annoying.

Venice Underground

2006-02-14T15:28:00.000Z

If you watch a lot of movies, you're bound to come across a bad one once in a while. Sometimes a bad one pops up a little too often. Venice Underground is one of them.

The title scene was superb, a great piece of motion graphics using the blur and zoom effects and I must admit I loved it. It led me to think I was in for a good movie. But I was wrong. The whole movie turned out to be cheap and tacky. The script was cheap and gave hints to a rip-off of one of my all time favourites Training Day. The acting was tacky, and the story was told like every other with the same plot.

I honestly had no idea it was going to turn out to be like this. This movie was so bad I felt like I'd stuffed some ice cream in a empty space inside my mouth where a tooth once was.

London

2006-02-13T13:22:00.000Z

Curiosity led me to watch London. Initially I had thought it was a movie set in the city of London, but far from it. London was the name of the girl which not surprisingly the whole movie was based around.

Set in one whole night and inside a bathroom, the story is told by the clever use of flashbacks. It turned out to be a pretty interesting movie with some great acting and camera direction. I've seen many a movie where a guy is trying to get his girl back, but London turned out to surpass them all. The script was well written and the story was told with flare, and not with the usual lines and ending.

I didn't think I'd say this, but London is not as predictable as you think.

The Mechanik

2006-02-12T23:01:00.000Z

I'm not a Dolph Lundgren fan, so kill me now. The Mechanik was nothing but your average revenge movie. The hero, he gets wronged by a group who surprisingly deal in illegal trades, and hence goes out and seeks revenge.

Within the first few scenes you know exactly how the movie's going to end. The only added bit to this already used plot is that the hero has at first seemed to have moved on. When he gets a chance to seek revenge, at first he refuses. But that can't be right, he'd be seen as a softie and sure enough, he soon takes up on the offer. Or has that been done before too?

However, I still think the story was told well and the characters were built up very nicely. The visual effects in this movie were superb too, and although there was a little too much, it was enough to get you feeling like that feeling you get after you've just had a full box of chocolates and feel satisfied, but a little fat. You also get another short but pleasant view of the Eastern Europe sex scene, though I'm not a fan of scenes such as. The chase on vehicles was there as expected, but a little too short and stupidly easy for my liking.

At the end, sure enough the hero gets his revenge, and saves the thing (in this case a girl) which drove him to revenge in round two. I was thinking that the hero and thing would embrace at the end in either a sex scene or handing over, but there was none of that. It seems the hero just wanted a sweet dish of revenge, and saved the thing for a good and noble cause. I'm sure I've seen another Dolph Lundgren movie where he plays a similar role.

The amusing thing about this movie was that although the hero is ex-military and knows how to use every single weapon, he's also a mechanic and funnily enough the getaway vehicle breaks down a few times. Ofcourse that wasn't a problem since the hero was a first-hand mechanic. How cheap.

I have a question, can you really fix a timing belt with some suspenders?

Cutting Corners

2006-02-12T20:52:00.000Z

What's happening to car designers nowadays? It seems they're all on crack, or cutting corners. The new C-Class Mercedes (for 2007), if you've seen pictures of it, you'll react the same. 'That's a bloody CLS!' Too right it is. So what it they both wear the same badge, each car should still have its own flare. I can understand similar lines, but a whole stretch the same is just too lame.

The C-Class is not a car I like anyway. It's a little too used by the bitch with a mobile phone or the rich guy who has too much money and wants to fill the drive up a little more. But I do like the CLS, and this C-Class is out to ruin its image. This is not on.

Munich

2006-02-12T13:10:00.000Z

I had a theory. Any movie which runs on for over 100 minutes will be slow, stretched, and most likely a drag. I was wrong in this case. Munich is an absolute thriller, from beginning to end, the whole 164 minutes.

I've not been into film long, but the name Spielberg does ring a bell. When I saw the trailers for Munich and read that it was being directed by Spielberg, I knew that very moment I would need to see it. I've seen a few of Spielberg's other works, but at the time I didn't take to film as much. It was just a watch and excite thing - to past time in other words, with some fun.

When I think of spies, espionage, hit-men etc, I think Bond. The only problem I have is that Bond glamorises the whole field. It doesn't give you the 'real' feel of what it's like though there are a few other films out there which are of similar nature that don't glamorise the field such as the Bourne movies. However, Munich was set back in time. It had history, and was set in a time were espionage was on a different level, a level which I find more interesting to watch and also read about.

Munich gave me almost everything I could ask for in a film. It had spy agencies involved, assignments given out, a team of hit-men, the double agent suspicions, assassinations, explosions etc. It was everything a spy-mystery lover such as myself could ask for. It even had the sly cunning woman (which we didn't see having sex like we do in Bond movies) kill, and then get killed. The plot was different, the story was very realistic, and the cinematography was just exquisite. Amazing angles, good direction of camera, bleach overpass lighting, and the grainy feel which gave a brighter picture and imagery.

One thing I did however hope for were more car scenes such as a chase or an even more intriguing tail though I'm not too fussed since the era had to be portrayed correctly.

The movie also gave me a chance to watch actor Daniel Craig. After finding out he's to be the new Bond, I thought Bond was over. I had my doubts, but Craig played a good role. His acting was not extraordinary, but as a hit-man with a history, he didn't have to try too hard. He does have that cold look about him, and hopefully he'll continue that over into the new Bond.

I was surprised to find that there wasn't too much of Hollywood shown in the movie. I assume it's what the made the movie better, and more interesting to watch. In all, I think Munich is a perfect movie, but not quite a masterpiece.

Never Again

2006-02-09T18:17:00.000Z

Anyway if you want to buy something for the home, something domestic, don't go to Comet. No matter how cheap or good an offer they will give you, it's a no-shop zone. They have worst after-sales service ever. This isn't just after one experience, but after many from a range of products recently purchased from Comet.

Want to know something funny? A technician lost his way to the store which is why there was a delay. His handheld GPS device led him elsewhere. Amazing, they can't even lie properly.

Not For Trash

2006-02-09T13:21:00.000Z

Living on a 13-house estate is cool. All the houses are new and stand out from the other houses on the surrounding streets. Open drives and open gardens out in front, it's a really nice place to live. With it being a cul-de-sac, it becomes even cooler. Just like Grove Street in Grand Theft Auto. However, living at the corner house has some negative points.

Years ago it was cool living at the corner house. Away from view where no one can see what's going on less they come around the corner. You got a nice wide drive which stretched out onto the street. It made a great place for friends to play mini games of football and even cricket too. As the years pass, the space becomes small and no longer can sports be played.

We don't have a car no more either, so the drive is always empty. But what on earth gives the right for people to park their stolen/damaged/'hot' vehicles on our drive at 1 in the morning whenever they feel like? This is our drive. Our property. Go park your vehicles elsewhere!

Why Am I Doing This?

2006-02-08T19:35:00.000Z

I have a lot of thoughts. On life, people, items, ideas, and movies too. Rather than discussing them to myself with myself, a blog is the ideal platform for this i.e. what goes on inside my head. If you don't enjoy reading what's here, then just bugger off.

Cool Money

2006-02-08T18:55:00.000Z

Every once in a while comes a movie which isn't what you call 'big'. A small budget production or something of similar nature. Cool Money is one of those.

The one-sheet may look a little like Ocean Eleven, and surprisingly both movies do have similiar plots - a robbery or series of robberies, but one has a complete different style.

The title scene was great with nice illustrations, but after some minutes into the movie I started to loose interest. I didn't know what to expect, a slow start which goes into a high-flying robbery, or a slow start to an even glum finish. Yet still I continued to watch.

Cool Money tells a robbery story like none other. I've not seen anything like it, and I have to say the script is original. The 'cool' robbers - one has a crisis, the other has nothing to loose, one's in it for the fun, and the rest are just tag-along guys who have nothing better to do. The movie was good fun, well directed, and acted out coolly by a handsome cast. The robberies were not your average movie robberies either, like casinos, banks etc. I think this is what made the plot a whole lot more interesting. Rather than a gang robbing a casino, what you got was a group of well planned street thieves sticking up local Hotels and scoring millions on the last heist.

One other thing I found pretty interesting was there was not a single shot fired in the movie. Sure there was a gun in the movie which was used to scare the victims, but the hammer was never released.

If you're looking for a cool movie, well acted with a slick plot, then you need to watch Cool Money now.

Basic

2006-02-05T13:22:00.000Z

There are some movies you end up watching over and over again. For what reason that will remain unknown to others, but here's why I had to watch Basic again.

When I first watched Basic some years ago, I didn't know why I was really watching the movie other than passing time and having some fun whilst in the process. The cover led me to believe I would see some machine gun action, explosives and bombs, and tactical army missions with some neat gadgets like painters have in ranger teams. In short, the kind of things I like in movies. What I ended up watching though was a load of talk, with some flashback scenes giving the action I wished the whole movie was full of. As the ending credits rolled on, I remember sitting there thinking 'what a pile of shit', honestly. What's worse, I was also confused. I couldn't understand what the whole movie was about.

Being young and a little naive at the time, I didn't really take to film as I have now. Now I watch movies with a different eye and in another mind-frame so when I came across a chance to watch Basic again, I had to take up on it. This time however, as the ending credits rolled on I felt more satisfied. I understood what the whole 'talk' was about and felt much more content with what at first was just little bits of action.

You may disagree, but Basic does not have a bad ending at all either. Ofcourse, it could've been better if the 'car tail' scene had more enthusiasm thrown into it, and if the 'bad guy' had not been shot in an instant but taken away by higher ranking officers and then gunned down by M-16 machine guns as he tried to escape over the fence. Apart from those two bits, I really liked the ending. Not one of a kind, but in its own right a unique approach to the end of a movie full with twists.

Basic may be old news, but if you haven't already seen it; it's a must on your next trip to the DVD rental store.

A Great Combination

2006-01-28T19:57:00.000Z

2006 has some great movies coming. One of the many movies to look forward to is Inside Man staring Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster. What more can be said, that's a great combination of lead actors.

Only thing left now is to see if director Spike Lee can pull off the flick. It sure looks good, and the plot looks like it's something fresh.

I Don't Want To Hear It

2006-01-26T07:31:00.000Z

You know what's the most annoying thing about blogspot bloggers nowadays? No not the design of some of the blogs, but the background music. It's the most annoying thing ever.

Why do people force every viewer to listen to something they refer to as a 'great song'? What's worse, some have it embedded in the background so there's no other option like turn it off or something, other than switching off the audio output. Now doesn't that just get you a little angry?

Just Chocolate?

2006-01-25T20:53:00.000Z

What's up will all this nonsense. Years ago all I knew of was chocolate. Something brown, sweet, and fattening. Now it's a whole new game. There's milk chocolate, dark chocolate, orange chocolate, double chocolate ... the list is endless.

Ok so maybe I was exaggerating when I say 'endless', but seriously it's a little annoying that you just won’t get chocolate anymore. I'm not saying I hate these new chocolate types, but sometimes I just want pure chocolate. The real thing, you know. No additives.

Forgetting Cola

2006-01-25T03:09:00.000Z

When it comes to a cola alternative, Sprite is the way to go. For years I’ve always gone with Irn Bru, but that’s all changed now. Sprite is a great tasting drink when properly chilled, and really does refresh you after a meal.

If you hate the Coca-Cola Company for some reason, you can always go with Seven Up (7 Up) which is just like Sprite.

As for a cola drink, I say Pepsi rocks!

Heating Solution

2006-01-24T17:31:00.000Z

Fan heaters are rubbish. They never do what they're supposed to. The air that comes out is not nice either, and they make a lot of noise too. I prefer an electromagnet-thing one. Not sure what they're called, but they are really cool.

I don't know if they're still around, but we have an old one at home. You just plug it in, and two red tube like things start to glow and within minutes they're bright orange and the room gets hot. Very hot. It doesn't even make a sound either. What's more, you don't have to worry about the gas or motor or anything of the sort. There's no such things to maintain and look after.

All you got to do is just make sure not to cover it up when it's on. You'd know what would happen if it was covered.

Speed It Up Will You

2006-01-23T13:44:00.000Z

Now when I say speed it up will you, I'm not talking about women and old aged folks on the road. That's a cliché. See some women I've seen drive faster than men. Even grannies too. No, when I say speed it up will you, I mean bus drivers. Folks who drive the buses for us every day.

Some of them drive well. Giving a smooth ride and quick too. Then every once in a while you'll get a safety first idiot. The real thing that annoys me about these idiots are just say for example you're on the way home from college/work or whatever it is you're on the way home from at 4 in the evening, you expect to get home quick. I do anyway. You see a jam ahead, and the lights are green, and you’re inching to get past it. All of a sudden it turns amber and you could've easily just slipped through with a tiny little more pedal pushing, but you slam the brakes down really hard instead.

Now that is what gets me raged about these bus drivers. I know it's their job to drive us and safely too, but who on earth is going to get hurt at the lights with no pedestrians?

Fast-Food Joints

2006-01-22T13:24:00.000Z

The thing with local fast-food joints is that they ask too many questions. What I mean by local is the ones that stand on the street corner run by a fat Asian guy who drives a Benz. Or maybe a Nissan.

Nonetheless, you walk in knowing what you want. The guy behind the counter knows what you want. Can't they just serve you up your meal and let you out? If you're a regular and only buy one of two meals all the time, what need is there to ask anything else other than 'the usual?'.

Hello There

2006-01-22T02:47:00.000Z

They say blogs are now being created like one every second. I thought I'd keep that going, and create another one. All Things Criticised.

Hold on tight.