Dir: David Yates
Writ: Michael Goldenberg Based on novel by J.K. Rowling

• Daniel Radcliffe … Harry Potter
• Emma Watson … Hermione Granger
• Rupert Grint … Ron Weasley
• Ralph Fiennes … Lord Voldemort
• Michael Gambon … Albus Dumbledore
• Imelda Staunton … Dolores Umbridge
• Gary Oldman … Sirius Black
• Mark Williams … Arthur Weasley
• Julie Walters … Mrs. Weasley

I don’t remember much of the book. I know that I did read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I do remember the ending, but a lot of what went on in the middle. No recollection whatsoever. So in a way you could say that I wasn’t faced with comparing the novel and the film. Which is a good thing. And without that comparison I’d have to say that this is a good film. (there are spoilers for the previous books/films below the cut. None for The Order of the Phoenix.)

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Writ & Dir: Sylvester Stallone

• Sylvester Stallone - Rocky Balboa
• Burt Young - Paulie
• Milo Ventimiglia - Rocky Jr.
• Geraldine Hughes - Marie
• James Francis Kelly III - Steps
• Antonio Tarver - Mason ‘The Line’ Dixon

It isn’t often that you describe a boxing film as sweet. It isn’t often I describe a film as sweet and mean that in a positive light, but if I was asked for a one word review of Rocky Balboa, then sweet would be it. And that is sweet in an “awwww” sense of the word, not the Col. O’Neil from SG type sweet.

Honestly, I think this is my favourite film of the year so far.

I know, it is only January, and the films I’ve seen so far haven’t been great, but I really, really enjoyed this film. I’m not saying it a great piece of art or anything, it is what it is, a Rocky film.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who greeted the news that Stallone was making a new Rocky film with a snort of laughter. I enjoyed the first film, and have seen a few of the others, RTE had a Rocky season at some stage, but I never loved any of them. And I fully expected this to be a piece of drivel. But then I saw some of the trailers, and began to want to see it. And, lo, it was great.

You know the basic plot, Rocky, in his fifties starts to think about making a comeback in a small way. Fighting in local, small bouts, because a fighter is all he has ever been. But the current undisputed world heavyweight champ isn’t too popular. He wins all the time, and his opponents don’t offer much, so the public begins to turn away. His promoters are worried about the lack of revenue, so when a tv show uses a computer simulation to find out who would win, Mason “The Line” Dixon or Rocky “The Italian Stallion” Balboa in his prime, and Rocky wins, they get very interested.

Can I say again I really enjoyed this film. From the little flashbacks and echoes to the earlier films, that music, everything was just right.
Is it clichéd and full of cheese? Yes, but in a good way. In a way Rocky has pretty much the same message as The Pursuit of Happyness, but it lacks the selfishness that I think was at the heart of my problem with that film. Instead of trying to succeed at anything in particular Rocky is about being true to yourself. Taking all the knocks life has to offer and still moving on.

This’ll be one I add to the dvd collection, I may even buy the earlier films, even the ones I know are trash. No pain no gain afterall.

IMDb | First Showing | Cinematical | Flimsy.com | Word of Mouth (scroll down for Rocky)

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Dir: Christopher Nolan
Writ: Christopher Nolan, & Jonathan Nolan

• Hugh Jackman - Robert Angier
• Christian Bale - Alfred Borden
• Michael Caine - Cutter
• Andy Serkis - Alley
• Piper Perabo - Julia Angier
• Rebecca Hall - Sarah Borden
• Scarlett Johansson - Olivia Wenscombe

I really wanted to enjoy this film. I thought the trailer made it look intriguing, I liked the films of Nolan that I’ve already seen. And who isn’t a fan of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman? But, something, I’m not quite sure what, felt flat and dull about this film.

The plot revolves around two magicians in London at the end of the 19th century. They start the story as friends, working in the same act, but then an accident happens and they end up bitter rivals. At first they try to ruin each other’s careers and lives, but soon both get caught up in “the ultimate trick” and try to figure out how it is done.

The plot unfolds through flashbacks and the reading of diaries, both men picking through the lives of the other. We start towards the end of the story, with Borden (Bale) in prison awaiting trial for the murder of Angier (Jackman), and at the end we return to that time for the grand finale.

All the acting is top-notch, but the story is a bit of a let down, and more than a little obvious. There are twists and turns, but all are signposted and although not everything turns out exactly as you might have thought, in most cases I could see what was going to happen. Then again I suppose that is part of the film, and for the most part the rest of the film makes up for this limitation.

What I really liked about The Prestige was the fact that there were no good guys and no bad guys, no one in a white hat to cheer on. Both rivals had their reasons for acting and the audience’s sympathies do switch from one to the other.

I did like the film, but I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed in it.

IMDb | SSD | Slant Magazine | Me against the Keyboard

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Last episode of season 2 of Lost was on last night. And can I just say that this has to be the most pointless telly watching I have ever done. I don’t like the characters. Even Charlie is annoying at this stage. I despise Jack with his “leadership issues”. Kate is a moany cow who thinks she is tough but all she ever seems to do is stare out to sea mournfully. Okay, so Sawyer is interesting on the eyes, but, characterwise he aint going anywhere except round in circles.

None of the characters are.

Sure, we have flashback after flashback after flashback telling us backstory and revealing the trials and tribulations they all faced, along with cool, neat^[1] appearances from other characters that they didn’t know back then.

But it is all so annoyingly pointless and irrelevant. There is no development of characters. None of them understand the others any better because while we may see the flashback there is no sense of them sharing their histories with each other. And showing Sun in the background while Jack moans at the airport? I mean it isn’t even really all that much of a coincidence, they were boarding the same plane afterall.

And I totally get that there is this one big arc that will be revealed when the entire show is completed, but you know what’d be nice, do you? Any fucking sort of resolution. To anything. but we never get that. Everything is so openended and open to interpretation that it is pointless to watch what happens, because none of it means anything.

So why am I still watching? Honestly? cause there is nothing else on at the same time. but I don’t think I care enough to tune in next season. I’m bored with their boring adventures. Even that Show Spoilers ▼

Because I just don’t care. Course it does provide me with moan-worthy posts, so maybe that’s all it needs to do?

The problem, I think, is that they are going in circles, and even when shit happens, it takes so long that it feels like nothing has happened. And, despite all the stuff that has happened, it hasn’t had an impact. Nothing has changed. And it is all so boring.

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I have nothing to say. Well, this isn’t actually true. There are things on the tips of my fingers^[1] but I don’t actually know what they are. So I find myself typing the start of a sentence. Stopping, rereading and going Huh. Don’t think I meant to say that. And deleting.

Other people can post on issues like god^[2] , society, the nature of humanity^[3] shopping^[4] fun in Paris^[5] I can’t even get a sentence out.

Obviously, I’m lying. Because look at all those sentences. But at the same time, its the truth, because they are all saying nothing. The noise to data ratio on this post would suggest that yes, empty vessels make most noise. And have you ever heard an empty delivery lorry^[6] roll past? Noisy is an apt description.

Still, 4 day week, so its all good. Off on Friday, and Monday for Easter. And I’m taking the following Monday off cause I’ve got a christening to go to. So that is three whole 4-day-weeks. What could be better?^[7] And I may even go take a peak at the whole Easter Rising commemorations, and to get in the mood I’ve just started reading On Another Man’s Wound^[8] which doesn’t actually deal all that much with the Rising, but with the aftermath. And it is well writen too, which is always a bonus.

Oh yeah, and whats the deal with BSG and its frakkin flashbacks. This is, what the third? episode in a row to start near the end and then use the whole 92 hours earlier crap. Get over it. Just tell the story and stop fucking about. I mean, it’d be different if there was a reason, but there doesn’t seem to be one, apart from the fact that they think flashbacks and jumps in time are cool. And yes, they can be, but not when done for no reason. Don’t they know that trying to be cool means you aren’t. Oz never tried to be cool. He simply was. As Yoda once said, there is no try.^[9]

Well now, for a post that started off the way this one did, there sure is a lot of words. And, while I checked my spelling^[10] of Orthodox I discovered that there is such a thing as a Tea Glossery. People can devote entire websites to tea, but I can’t even think coherently enough to write a comment.

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Episode # 13

A good episode here. I didn’t review the previous one Whatever the Case May Be because it wasn’t good and I didn’t have anything to say about it. This one however was very, very interesting.

We got to see Boone’s flashbacks, and they said a fair bit about his and Shannon’s history. I have to say I was a little unsure of their exact relationship and once we saw a little of their past it was safe to say there was no way they were just brother and sister.

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