Archive for December, 2005

Dec

So fill me to the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all

Posted by: Fence in Ramblings

So tonight I should be up in Drog-heda getting all dolled up, drinking champagne and cocktails with NM and copper-copper. This party was the reason I came down from Sligo a day or so early. Only woke up this morning with a headache. Which didn’t go away, and then I got a bit snifly. I’m thinking the first of 2006’s cold-type-things has arrived. So instead I’m staying home, curled up on the couch, with my duvet^[1] watching crappy tv.

Think I’ll switch on Veronica Mars in a while. There is only so much nonsense I can put up with, and the telly is full of it. Mainly Gerry bloody Ryan and his pop hitlist. Let me tell you, Westlife are not good, not good at all. Although, that Mark McCabe remix of Maniac on the dancefloor does bring back memories.

Linknotes:

because I figured I should try to eat something earlier, and ended up spilling crap all over my dressing gown ↩

Tags: nothingness

4 Comments

Dec

Rome 1.10 - Triumph

Posted by: Fence in Moving Pictures, TV

How better to start an episode than with forgiveness and a threat? As he takes his seat as dictator Caesar tells everyone that he forgives them, isn’t he a nice boy? But he also makes it very clear that if you do anything wrong again I’ll chop your head off, not in so many words no, but you more than catch his drift. We also get to catch up with poor old Brutus. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. His mother may have been stripped, beaten and had her hair chopped off, but somehow it is so very hard to find any sympathy for her.

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Tags: 9 Stars, Chicken and Lamb, lipsalot, murder, Rome, Rome 1.10, Rome season 1, slave, Triumph, violence

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Dec

Je suis un gÃ©nie, pas un ingÃ©nieur

Posted by: Fence in Ramblings

Hola peoples, how was everyone’s christmas, I’m just back up in Dublin from Sligeach, had a very nice time, we even had snow so we did. Not on christmas day itself, but yesterday. I’ll stick a few photos on flickr later on.

I really should be unpacking, but I flicked on the telly when I came in and The Man In The Iron Mask was on. Such a terrible terrible film. That writing, tut tut tut. This is the 1998 version, with Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, GÃ©rard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne and Leonardo DiCaprio. Honestly, is this one of the worst films ever made? That Randall Wallace boy^[1] sure did write/direct some stinker, but at the same time, if you ignore the scenes with DiCaprio, and the crap storyline and just watch the auld lads having a laugh playing with swords, then it is worth a watch.

Plus, it has yer man in it, who was in Garden State, and both NM and I said that he sounded very like John Malkovich. Who did Peter Sarsgaard play here? Raoul, John Malkovich’s son.

Anyways, I’m off to play catch up on other blogs out there.

Linknotes:

him of Braveheart fame ↩

Tags: Gabriel Byrne, GÃ©rard Depardieu, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Leonardo DiCaprio, Peter Sarsgaard, terrible film, The Man In The Iron Mask

3 Comments

Dec

Week 151

Posted by: Fence in Weekly memes

Virus::
Poop:
Smart::
Agent::
Wrap::
Brass::
Waste of time::
Suspicious::
360::
Dummy::

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Tags: Luna Nina

3 Comments

Dec

I’ve always wanted to do one of those classic animal stories that make people cry, so this is like that…Disney with fangs

Posted by: Fence in Books

Yesterday^[1] I did my top films of 2005, today I guess it is time for my top reads of the year.

Iron Council by China Mieville - This is just a great read. I’ve enjoyed his other books, but they normally take a while to get through. I flew through this one. Loved the golems, and while I didn’t have any characters to love, I was interested in them all. I’m still undecided about the ending.
We3 a graphic novel by Grant Morrison & Frank Quietly - You’ll have to read this for yourself to get it because telling you that it is a sort of Homeward Bound meets Robocop would probably put you off. Not too sure about the proposed film adaption though.
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett - Another great addition to the Discworld ‘verse, this book introduces the character of Moist Von Lipwig. Hi-larious reading.

Only three books because I’m often harder on books than films, but also because I haven’t really been doing a lot of reading this year.

Linknotes:

actually it wasn’t yestarday at all, it was today, but not the today that you are reading this. This is a post from the past. A time traveling post, if you will. Or not, whatever, its all good. ↩

Tags: favbooks2005, Favourite books, Going Postal, Iron Council, We3

3 Comments

Dec

what in the sphincter of hell are you playing at?

Posted by: Fence in Moving Pictures

Obviously as the end of the year is nigh we have to have a few “best of” lists, a review of the year. It is one of those unwritten rules. We’ve invented seconds, days, weeks, months, years and so have to mark them somehow, so without further ado, My top 5 films of 2005:

King Kong - I didn’t think this would make it to my list, but it has. A really great film, not without its flaws, but overall I really felt that it worked. Almost like three different films in one, we start off with the drama of Denham and the depression of the 1930’s, then once we reach the island we are launched into a horror monster movie, and the final third is the tragic love story. Needs to be seen on the big screen.
Brotherhood of the Wolf - I know this didn’t come out in 2005, but I bought it and watched it for the first time back in March, and I love it. It is French, and subtitled^[1] and the plot revolves around a mysterious beast, the Beast of Gevaudan, in the 1760’s. This creature, many believe it to be a wolf, is killing people so the Chevalier de Fronsac is sent to investigate. A very stylish film, it looks great.
Downfall - The last few weeks of Nazi Germany as told by a young woman in Hitler’s employ, this film is a great look at Hitler the man. Yes it does have that cliche of the banality of evil, but you’ll be left incredulous by the behaviour of Hitler and his followers.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - wonderful film with Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer. It’ll keep you laughing all through the film, but you’ll also fall in love with the character of Harry.
Serenity - Like I wasn’t going to mention this one Sci-fi meets cowboys for the follow up to the tv series Firefly. It has got something for everyone, action, violence, humour, death, love, religion and belief. Just watch it.