The 2008 Raymo awards

As predicted last December it was a patchy year at the movies but I still saw 33 films throughout the year, starting with the traditional light film P.S. I Love you and ending with Twilight. The difference between this and previous years is that I saw more crap movies or disappointing movies than ever before.
I don't know whether I chose wrongly or whether Hollywood's cheapening continued at a faster rate than usual - probably a bit of both. So here I present my top five films of 2008.

1. Lars And The Real Girl
A revelation. A film that dares to tackle a subject that could have been cheapened - man's longing for human contact. Ryan Gosling is outstanding as Lars, an average guy whose upbringing left him closed off emotionally and he turns to an internet ordered mannequin to find love. Yeah it sounds cheap but it is funny and touching and sad and utterly brilliant.
2. The Dark Knight
It's hard not to get caught up in the hype after Heath Ledger's death but this Batman sequel was his movie and he nailed it. I almost wish the film he was making when he passed doesn't come out because this is his supreme moment. He's taken an iconic character in the Joker and made Jack Nicholson look like a rank amateur. The best superhero movie made to date.
3. Horton Hears A Who
Jim Carrey's second attempt at a Dr Seuss classic is just that, an absolute classic. After a reasonable stab at The Grinch a few years back we head back to animation and Carrey steals the show, as he usually does, as the kind hearted elephant Horton who does his all to protect the world of the Who's which is located on a rogue speck of dust. Warm, very funny and with a message everyone can relate to. Loved it.
4. Gone Baby Gone
Casey Affleck stepped out of the shadow of his brother Ben (who directed the film very well) and produced one of the acting performances of the year, in one of the best films of the year and one where you didn't see the ending coming. Affleck plays a PI hired to find a little girl who has been abducted and he finds himself drawn into a web of lies, betrayal and mystery. A must see.
5. The Savages
If you like a film with flawless acting and a great story go no further. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney play siblings forced together to deal with their father who suffers from dementia. Both lead very different lives and learn valuable lessons from their estranged dad who actually sees much more than he is able to let on. Both actors are among my favourites and this is a tour de force for both. Not a flashy film but a worthy top fiver.

Honourable mentions: Prince Caspian (a worthy sequel), Twilight (but the book is heaps better), Never Back Down, Tropic Thunder (a classy comedy).
Surprise of the year: Newcastle. This Aussie surfie movie actually has a great coming of age story that you wouldn't have known existed from the trailer.
Flop of the year: Quantum Of Solace. A poor, poor cousin to Casino Royale which was actually able to hold your interest for two hours. This one couldn't make it past 90 minutes.

I had two films rated on 3 out of 10, the lowest I have ever given a film - they were The Happening (proving that the Sixth Sense was a fluke) and Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (proving yet again sequels aren't always needed).

With 2009 kicking off with a Jim Carrey comedy and a Harry Potter film due along with the Twilight sequel New Moon hopefully we are in for a better 12 months.

Duh moment

Today would have been nothing particularly special had it not been for my stupidest act of 2008.
My sister is in town and I gave her my keys so she could get in and out of the house etc and took my spare car key with me.
As usual when I arrived at work I put a steering wheel lock on and went off for the day. When I arrived back at my car, and stepped in, I realised I didn't have the key to the wheel lock. D'Oh!
I called the road service and they told me they weren't allowed to break it in case the air bag went off as they are liable if it does. So I had to convince my sister to drive into the city with my keys so I could retrieve my car.
This wouldn't be a problem if she knew her way around Sydney. I had to direct most of the way and she still got lost twice.
Long story short she eventually made it and I got my car home, feeling a shade silly. Not sure if I'm repeating the dose tomorrow but I have found my spare wheel lock key and have attached it to my car key.
I did try to force the wheel lock off but it just kept causing the horn to go off time after time and I thought it was a bit suspicious if that kept happening. So there we have it, my clanger of 2008 with only two days remaining.

Christmas recap

It's been a few days and I largely stayed away from email and other computer technology for them. Now to get up to speed.
On Wednesday after a rather short day of work and several hours of doing not much I flew home for Christmas, the first time I'd been there for eight years as I've normally had to work Boxing Day which rules out any visits.
I had some trepidation about the flight and to some the reason would be obvious. I wasn't nervous about flying as such as I have done that a number of times before including once to the USA. Anyway the flight went without any hitches and was only a 40 minute trip in the air anyway.
The whole unwrapping presents ordeal takes on a different meaning when there is a child involved and with an eager seven-year-old distributing presents at record pace it was quite a blur. For the record I received Mad About You season 2 and It's A Wonderful Life on DVD, the book Eclipse (from the Twilight series), a bathrobe, a business shirt and some casual clothes.
We had Christmas lunch at my aunt's place as is the norm and after eating settled in for some serious Singstar sessions including the classics How To Save A Life by The Fray and Alone by Heart duly butchered by myself.
The other couple of days away were your standard and were taken up a lot by watching the horse racing, cricket and my nephew tormenting the cats.
The drive back to Sydney was uneventful except for the consistent and not as annoying as I thought it would be inquiries of essentially `are we there yet' from the back seat. The young guy is staying in town for a couple of weeks with his dad before going back home.
So there's an abridged version of the last few days. A good Christmas, a milestone achieved and a reasonably relaxing time. Hope yours was good too.

Happy Festivus

Just a quick one to everyone out there to say a big happy Festivus to all.
Instead of airing my grievances I'll just say that I haven't helped myself out as much as I should and that I will try harder in 2009.
Merry Christmas to all, I'll be off line for a few days.

Chuck

TV networks here really wouldn't know a good show if it hit them in the face.
And it seems they've missed the boat with my wonderful new obsession Chuck which is due to start on Pay TV in January.
A comedy-action series, this show was recommended to me by a neighbour and after about 10 minutes I was hooked.

It's apparently been voted in the top 10 shows of the year in the USA and it is easy to see why.

With pay picking it up here that mean some genius at the networks passed on it, probably the same bunch that passed on Dexter, Gossip Girl and Friday Night Lights, just to name a few.
For the uninitiated, Chuck centres on the unlikely life of an average computer geek Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, centre) who is implanted with government secrets by an old college friend-turned spy. Yeah it sounds odd but it works really well and the support cast is great.

Yet another series I'll be watching on the net and trying desperately to get my hands on the first season DVDs.

Security blanket

So I finished watching It's A Wonderful Life and, after wiping the eyes, immediately thought how we lose sight of the little things.
I don't know about anyone else, but the scene where people pour into George Bailey's house with money is a really emotional one. He was so busy putting everyone else first that he didn't think he was important at all. He didn't realise the impact he had on the people around him.
Hopefully this Christmas we can all take a step back and realise how fortunate we are.
Getting a gift is nice, and to me it is really the thought that matters. I don't really need anything, I'm far from rich but would be an average middle class person.
If I could have anything for Christmas, I'd love it be peace of mind. That security blanket that we all have but that some of us lose when traumatic things happen. When we're really shaken to the core and lose that aura of invincibility.
Living without that false sense of security is a battle at times and I'd really like it back. A line from the film Into The Wild hits me when I think about that, something like - `I don't think it is important to be strong but to feel strong'.
I'd like to feel strong again. That's my Christmas wish.

Meh

My new favourite word.

Of course it has been popularised by The Simpsons in the episode Hungry Hungry Homer where Homer tries to get Bart and Lisa to go to a theme park an they reply with `meh'.

When Homer tries again Lisa says, `we said Meh. M-E-H, meh.''

Since then it has been officially recognised as a word, meaning an expression of boredom or apathy.

It also popped up in one of my favourite shows at the moment, The I.T. Crowd, when Roy wears a t-shirt with the word on it.

Just as an aside, that Simpsons episode also contains another scene that I love, where Homer wakes up in a Peanuts pose on top of the dog kennel. Bart comes out and says he could hear him yelling at the swing. Homer replies, with a dejected look, `but I love the swing'. Yeah, I know what you're going to say. Meh.

What's changed?

It's getting to the end of the year and that time when everyone has a look back.
For some reason I always remembered the line from Ally McBeal that went something like ``If you think back and replay your year, if it doesn't bring you tears either of joy or sadness, consider it wasted.''
I always loved that show.
Anyway, my year has contained many things though few, if any, tears for either reason. That's more of a chemical thing at the moment than anything else. It must be said that 2008 has been a tumultuous year, with the obvious event of the family house burning down midyear being one of the most significant.
I'm not going to go through a blow by blow, I can't remember a good part of it for whatever reason, and my annual movie reviews will be done in about 10 days or so. But the question I pose to myself is ... what's changed?
A couple of weeks ago I was told by someone that I'm a completely different person to the start of the year. The word unstable was used to describe me some 11 months ago.
I know I have come a long way but what has become apparent is that I have a long way to go. While stability-wise I am good I have stagnated in a few areas, tend to fall back on old habits from time to time and still worry far, far too much.
I don't know whether I need to take a different approach to things, like in the extreme, I'll admit, examples of George Costanza in Seinfeld doing the opposite of what he normally would do and the new Jim Carrey movie Yes Man where he starts saying yes to things instead of no.
Honestly I don't know whether I'd be able to go that far, when you're treading water you just grab hold of anything solid that you can and don't let go.
Call it a year of work in progress...

Ode To Joy, Beaker style

The hugely under rated Beaker does Bach in this awesome clip of Ode To Joy which is a nice light hearted, and very clever, piece of music.
It's right up there with the Manamana song. Yeah I know I am partial to the muppets but this is pretty funny. Like I said, Beaker is very much ignored when it comes to the best muppet characters.

Ben Cousins

I am not a massive AFL (Aussie Rules) fan but I do believe that Ben Cousins does deserve a second chance.
OK, I do follow it a bit but I am more into rugby league, being from NSW.
Today Richmond gave him that chance to put behind him his drug addiction and get back to playing football. Apparently he is a very good footballer, a Brownlow medallist, but you wouldn't know it after the circus he's been involved in with his arrest and admission of drug problems in the recent past.
I believe people deserve a second chance so I have no problem with Ben returning to play AFL next season. But he only gets ONE chance, if it was up to me. If he in any way returns to the old ways that got him in trouble it's out the door. You can't blame the media because Ben is, what, 30-odd and old enough to be responsible for his own future.
I'm sure that's the way most people will see his case.

One tooth less

My trip to the dentist this morning went pretty well and now I am in the period where you're waiting for the bleeding to settle. Yes I had an extraction, a tooth that for all purposes has become superfluous. I can't believe it is gone after so long, I can't remember how long it's been like it was.
I'm a very impatient patient though and really wish I could eat something properly and even drink without having an effect. I know it takes a day or two before things start to get back to normal. Last time I had a tooth out it wasn't too bad though I stupidly went to work that day - spent more time in the bathroom spitting blood than I did at my desk that day.
The tooth had to go and it was surprising how fast it came out - that has to be a good thing.

The spare wheel

So it is 10 days until Christmas and I have managed to avoid that fact for the most part of the month despite the tree going up at work a day after the Melbourne Cup.
I don't know what happened with me and Christmas.
As a kid you always love the anticipation of the presents and the magic of the time and as you get older it takes on a different meaning. You start to realise that, aside from the important celebration of the birth of Jesus, Christmas is about joy and family (whatever your definition of family is).
In the past decade I have had little of either of those things at this time of year. I've never disliked Christmas but I have always felt a bit on the outer. Work kept me from travelling home many times and a couple of times health got in the way. So after being ditched by my uncle I started having Christmas with my housemate's family. I always felt like the spare wheel.
Likely it is something in me stopping me from getting into the spirit. I've never liked being the one who is invited somewhere `because you have nowhere to go at Christmas'. I always appreciated the offer but felt awkward.
So over time I kind of ignored Christmas and treated it like any other day. I'm going to try not to ignore it this year, I feel I need to drag myself out of that way of thinking. Instead of enjoying spending time with people I do care about I have at times ended up feeling sorry for myself - why am I alone at Christmas, why is there no family, no wife or girlfriend etc etc.
That I think is a whole different story.
So I am giving it a go because I truly love Christmas and everything (non commercial) that it represents. I've even hired It's A Wonderful Life to watch this week.

Tonight I watched The Bucket List, finally, and am happy to report that it is enjoyable and thought provoking. Jack plays Jack and Morgan plays Morgan pretty much but neither are bad things but it does leave an impression.

SimCity 4

I have rediscovered a game from my teenage years and am playing SimCity 4 on my computer.
Many hours were spent building cities on my Amiga 500 in the early 1990s and I then took on whatever Sim game was released around that time.
I will admit that I have been using one of the cheats to get the hang of it again but I will have a serious crack at it shortly. The game has obviously changed a bit with the better technology and it has really enhanced the experience.

Twilight

Adaptations of popular books are always a bit controversial, in the sense that people who love the book tend to be a shade disappointed in the film even though the film makers did a good job.
Harry Potter is a good example.
I finished reading the book Twilight on Thursday and from about halfway through it I was desperate to see the film. First, the book.
Awesome doesn't go far enough, I was captivated from the early stages and it was just one of those books you can't put down. If you are into angsty teen dramas like I am partial to.
So to the film. Twilight introduces us to Bella (Kristen Stewart) as she tells us why she is relocating from Phoenix to one of the bleakest places on earth, Forks in Washington.
Upon starting school she is intrigued by the good-looking, white faced Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) who goes out of his way to avoid her, occasionally stiffens in her presence and stares constantly at her from across the lunch room at school.
Then he saves her life with a miraculous act of bravery and strength and this sees Bella even more intent to find out what's up with Edward.
It's not a new story but it is a well told one. It's also not a secret (to the audience and those that have read the book) that Edward is a vampire.
The story busts a lot of accepted facts about vampires, quite brilliantly I might add. Edward has four `siblings' at school all `adopted' by the local doctor Carlisle and his wife Esme. I could go on and on and on.
My thoughts are as follows...I enjoyed the movie immensely. It was much like watching The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe in that I knew the story and they were pretty faithful to it, to the extent that some lines were directly from the book.
I thought the casting was close to spot on but there were a few mistakes. Bella was as I imagined and Edward pretty close, though I thought he may have been a bit more buff if you know what I mean. The rest of the Cullens were spot on.
Bella's dad Charlie I thought they got right and her friend Mike Newton was spot on. Some of the other school characters were a bit hit and miss casting wise. I didn't see Eric as Chinese or Tyler as an African American, at least they didn't read that way in the book. Minor detail.
With the book fresh in my mind I was a bit disappointed that they didn't flesh out a couple of Bella's friends - Mike in the book was practically her shadow for quite while, following her around seemingly besotted with her. In the film he was goofy and not as prominent. There was a lot of interaction between Edward and Bella in the lunch room that went missing and would have been interesting and plenty of the pursuit by the tracker James (Cam Gigandet) that would have been helpful to non-book readers.
On the big plus side the setting was amazing and brilliantly shot. The soundtrack was perfect.
The ending was a shade different to the book but I'm not far enough into the sequel New Moon to have worked out whether it leads in or whether they are taking a different direction.
In all, this is a film that is helped plenty by having read the book. Having said that I'm giving a 8 out of 10 as I enjoyed seeing the book come to life.

Transit

Decided not to drive this time around on my break and instead am using a more relaxed mode of transport.
For the journey I have bought the book Twilight, that everyone seems to be raving about, so we'll see how that passes the time. I have a reasonable expectation based on what a few people have said and what I've seen of the movie preview.

Deconstruction

If you are a keen observer you would have noticed a subtle change - yes, I've dragged this blog into the 21st century and upgraded. Though I have to say it doesn't look significantly different.
What has changed is the addition of a soundtrack and I call it that because the songs are chosen deliberately as a reflection of, to an extent, my taste in music but moreso the songs that I turn to when I need a lift, comfort or reflection.
You might learn a bit about me from the selection there.

I have caught up with the latest series of Heroes in the last few days having missed the last TV episode here this week. Still enjoying it though I wonder where it is going. Also got into the new series of The IT Crowd and it is as funny as ever. In fact a few of the funniest scenes in the 15 episodes so far have been in the last two. If you haven't seen it do yourself a favour and seek it out.

I turned down an invite tonight from my housemate to go to a barbecue for dinner based on a conversation we had a few nights ago. I guess it had been coming, but I could never have guessed the direction it came from. To explain. There's something I do that I don't really think about a lot (an automatic behaviour) that has at times annoyed him. Sometimes I know it does and it's great to have a button to press if needed. Given we've known each other for the best part of 10 years it came as a surprise to find out he questions my intentions for doing it. Now, to be a bit clearer, I'm one of those hands on people when it comes to my friends. A tap on the shoulder, pat on the back, those kinds of things. So I didn't go tonight to give him a bit of space, even though I think the conversation was a positive one and an opportunity to reassure him (though I don't think all the issue is with me but a bit being early 30s and single). Am I over-analyzing this?

A different friend asked me yesterday what I was doing with church and it is a question I still baulk at a bit. I don't want to lie about it, but the simple fact is I am not going to a church at the moment. I intend to but something about it just makes me feel uncomfortable. I bought a new CD this week from a Christian band called Rush Of Fools, their second album after a self-titled one came out last year and was very good. This new one isn't as instantly likable but is growing on me.

Worst movies of 2008

Famous magazine has released its list of the worst movies of 2008 and it is a list I will largely agree with (though I haven't seen all of them).
I have only seen two in fact - You Don't Mess With The Zohan, which was a one joke film that was only funny for a while; and Rambo, which I thought was actually quite good if a bit over the top.
I've given a couple of pretty low scores this year, 3/10, for The Happening and Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. So I guess they are my worst movies of 2008.

A well earned break

There is something really satisfying about leaving work on the last day before you start holidays.
Happily I had that experience today.
A couple of weeks off really isn't enough but considering I will have a three day week then Christmas when I get back it's not too bad.
My plans for tonight were changed at about the 10th hour and it's one of those things that I didn't mind because it involved a family issue with my mate. I was invited to a barbecue by the housemate but elected to stay in, mainly because I feel like I'd rather not have a big night and I'd have to go in a separate car. I'd definitely be wanting to leave earlier.
So I think I'll just cruise around for a few days before I head out of this metropolis for a while. There's something about the country that is so refreshing. Everything is so simple, travel time isn't a consideration and it's not as cluttered. People are generally pretty nice (not that there aren't nice people in Sydney but have you ever had a decent conversation with someone on the train or bus? I'm betting not).
As usual breaks tend to go fast but I shouldn't get ahead of myself just yet.

Australia - the review

I've given this a bit of thought since it is now 24 hours since I saw what is easily the most hyped local film in years.
While my expectations were low, Australia is actually quite a good movie. Seriously, if you can't team Baz Luhrmann, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and just about every half decent Australian actor around and make something worth watching then I'd be very worried.
The big problem the film is going to have though is that while it will appeal to local audiences I think international viewers are going to struggle.
This movie is very Australian. Yes it is spectacularly shot and the setting is breathtaking but it is narrated by an Aboriginal child whose language won't be understood by a lot of people abroad and I think that a lot of it will confuse them. Don't get me wrong, the young boy who plays Nullah, the narrator, does a great job in the film but even I found the narration annoying.
The negatives first: it is far too long at about 160 minutes. I didn't like that Hugh Jackman's character didn't have a name other than The Drover, and the aforementioned narration.
The positives: it was great to see the depiction of the attack on Darwin as the centre of a major film, it is forgotten easily than Darwin has had no luck when it comes to being destroyed. Nicole Kidman wasn't nearly as annoying as I thought she would be and I thought she was actually quite good. David Wenham was excellent as the villainous Neil Fletcher and as said the kid Brandon Walters was great as well.
Luhrmann certainly stamps his movies and Australia is no exception. It is a bit cheesy and there are many references to other iconic films, most notably the Wizard Of Oz which became central to the story. Also a nice nod to the red curtain trilogy (Romeo & Juliet, Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge).
Basically it is a love story, a story of finding your true place in the world, and about prejudice. I have to admit I was a bit concerned about it not being that interesting, even with Oprah's seal of approval.
I'm giving a 7 out of 10, the length probably cost it a 7.5.

Instability

How much life is ruled by the past is consistently amazing me at the moment.
I'm going to use a word that isn't desirable but here it comes - things should be going a lot better than they seem to be.
The instability going on inside is uncomfortable and at times a source of either fear or anxiety. (I have to say though I have improved greatly on the latter score.)
I feel that I should (there it is again) have a better handle on things than I do. Am I expecting too much of myself? Am I too caught up in second guessing myself to actually live properly?
Because that is what it comes down to. A life half lived at the moment.
As much as I'd love to bust out and just do whatever there is something gripping on and holding me back. That is causing the instability. What might happen goes ahead of everything in the thought process.
I have taken many steps forward in the last 18 months or so, some steps back, but it is a net gain. Another step is set to be taken next month but more on that when it happens.
I seem to be always looking over my shoulder, waiting for something bad to creep up on me and set me back again. That in itself is self defeating.
Many people don't get the opportunity to look forward as I have and instead of embracing it I deconstruct it and play on the negative. I am getting better at looking at the positives.
I'm open to thoughts though I realise there is some cryptic stuff going on here. If you know then you know, simple as that.
I know that I can make it to a more stable place. I just want it now.

Not myself

Great song, but that's not the subject today.
I've been a bit, well, not myself the last few days. Not really sure why, or even how to explain it properly. Perhaps it is just one of those speed humps we all have to get over from time to time.

Quantum Of Solace

For a while there I thought I was watching James Bourne in Quantum Of Solace but this is actually the follow up to Casino Royale.
Picking up pretty much here CR left off, James Bond (Daniel Craig) is chasing those who killed Vesper from the previous film even though, as it was pointed out last night, he didn't actually love her.
Soon the hunt is on for the person who tried to kill M (Judi Dench) just to make it a bit more confusing.
The plot is there and there's no use going any further. If I can describe in one word how I felt about this film it is this - meh. (Also my new favourite word, almost anyway).
The opening 20 minutes was fairly entertaining but after that I found it largely uninteresting. No doubting Craig is a good Bond but he doesn't have much to work with here.
Even Dench struggles with what she has been thrown to work with.
Ultimately, Quantum Of Solace isn't a bad film. It's reasonable action but it is not even half as interesting and intriguing as Casino Royale. Back to the drawing board, Bond.
A 5 out of 10.

Newcastle

For some reason, the fact that there is a great story and great message underneath all the surfing and teenage promiscuity in the film Newcastle has been lost.

In the little promotion I have seen there is not a lot of reason to see it unless you are a surfing enthusiast and about 16. But it's a lot better than that.

Set in working class Newcastle, the film centres on 17-year-old Jesse who has his sights set on making the international circuit but lives in the considerable shadow of his older half-brother Victor.

Then there's Jesse's other full-brother Fergus. He's clearly a different creature to his siblings and is ridiculed even by them at times.

When Jesse bombs out of an event their group of mates including Andy, Scotty and Nathan and two lovely lasses head to a secluded beach for a weekend away. What ensues is plenty of frivolity, drinking, sex and discovery.

Fergus is still hassled by the guys except for Andy who accepts him and, dare I say, flirts with him. (It is unclear whether they suggest that a relationship of some kind eventuates or Andy is merely being accepting and friendly and I think that is good).

The only issue I had with the film is that it took a while for me to work out what story they were trying to tell. The use of the water shots were spectacular, especially in slow motion and they used the water as the scene of plenty of confrontations. Again that had great effect.

The cast is largely unknowns, aside from a few familiar faces and a couple of not surprising cameos, and many of them shine, particularly Lachlan Buchanan as Jesse and Kirk Jenkins as Andy.

It is remarkable watching Jesse grow from an arrogant, self centred young man into someone who can learn from his mistakes and the mistakes of others.

Fittingly, there isn't really an ending but there is a direction. It's not perfect but a surprising 8 out of 10.

Hello Love

When an artist produces some of the most inspirational music you have heard any new release is met with a degree of anticipation.
Such is the case with Chris Tomlin's new album Hello Love.
The classic song Indescribable was a number of years ago and is still unmatched in Christian music as far as I am concerned.
As the title suggests the new album is all about love. Not the love that Celine Dion or Justin Timberlake might sing about but the love of God.
And the title track is one of the standouts, sung with the help of the Watoto Children's Group, who I admit I know little about. However, their input is effective.
Unfortunately when you have set such a high bar more often than not there is a fair bit of let down involved. Hello Love doesn't escape this eventuality.
Some of it is classic Tomlin, still the best worship singer of our generation, songs like Jesus Messiah, You Lifted Me Out, With Me and Exalted (Yahweh) are real standouts along with the aforementioned (sort of) title track.
Largely, the rest is a little pedestrian for an artist like him.
Still, five cracking songs is definitely enough to warrant rushing out if you are a Tomlin fan. I have found sometimes the songs I don't like instantly can grow on me so I am not writing off the rest completely because as usual this review is on one or so listens.

A piece of the puzzle

There was an unfortunate incident this week involving my friend who puzzles me.
He was involved in an accident that quite clearly shook him up, though he was a little more concerned about the damage to his vehicle than to himself. Thankfully he was relatively unscathed, aside from a few grazes.
I spent quite a while trying to work out what to say and it was some 12 hours or so later I came up with `you are more important than any bike, it can be fixed'.
Later on we had a bit of a chat, and a rare hug, and he did actually talk a bit which is encouraging. And I got a chance to say don't hesitate to express what's going on if it will help. It was a shame that something like that happened first.
So progress has been made.

Puzzlement

I have a friend who really puzzles me.
He's a great guy, fun, far too impulsive, but he never lets you know what's inside.
That can be frustrating because when you ask the question (you know, how are you going? or what's going on with you? etc) you get some vague `yeah everything's good' or a change of subject. I don't expect to be told all sorts of intimate details but when you know something is going on, a struggle of some kind, but you can't put your finger on it then no communication is hard to take.
Now we've known each other for a while and been through a few tough times so it is not like I'm placing an unrealistic expectation on him.
I know as a guy it can be hard to let things out in the open, the natural instinct is to repress and ignore. I know all about it and I reckon I got pretty good at it over the years.
Let me tell you it is counter-productive.
I just don't know how to approach the situation. Do I just let him be? Should I press harder when we have a chat?
It is hard to care about someone when they won't let you.
There have been times when he has let me. These times were a fair chunk of years ago now, at least they seem that way. I can go back to one particular time that really changed my perception and without going into details (because that would be unfair) I saw the side of him that I know is there and that he seems reluctant to let out these days.
It's easy for me to say all this in a way because I have got a lot better at saying how I feel and I think it is important. I also think it is important to let the people you care about know it too - regardless of gender.
Personally, I think we're all a bit too old (!) to be pushed around by society's desperate need to label everything.

Rocknrolla

It says a lot about a movie when you start looking at your watch.
I started looking at my watch about 90 minutes into Rocknrolla and it wasn't just because I was wondering how long to go.
Whether it was during the making of this film that things went awry between Guy Ritchie (who wrote and directed) and Madonna I'm not sure but he was certainly distracted.
There is absolutely nothing we didn't see in Lock Stock and Snatch and they were much more original and much more action packed. Watching the preview you think you are in for a rollercoaster of a rise into the London underground world of heavies, thieves and hangers-on.
There are positives. It is not a bad film, in fact it is quite satisfactory. However, I expected a lot more than what was delivered.
Good cast, Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson are good as always and Tom Hardy (Bob) and Blae Ritson (Johnny) were among a good support cast. There's a lot of suggestive sex talk and some violence as you'd expect.
All things considered it was okay but disappointing. And I didn't really care what a Rocknrolla was at the end. I won't be seeing The Real Rocknrolla when it is released. A 5.5 out of 10.

Anti-climax

Well the Cup has been run and won and even though Bart Cummings now has his 12th win in the race you can't help but feel it was an anti-climax.
Viewed raced on Saturday and was easily beaten, though a shade unsuited. Still I didn't expect him to perform that well today. I'm happy for the guy who rode the horse as he is a good guy who deserves a win like that.
But, while I didn't back the winner, it still all felt a bit flat.
There's always next year.

Here we go again

Yep, it's that time of the year.
Tomorrow is Melbourne Cup Day. A quick word for the uninitiated, the Melbourne Cup is a horse race, also known as `the race that stops a nation', held at Flemington.
It's virtually a public holiday, it's actually a public holiday in Victoria, for everyone who is interested. It's almost like a religious holiday for me and people at work.
For the record I am tipping an English victory in the Cup (I suppose they should win something because they ain't going to win the Rugby League World Cup with a headstart).
1. Mad Rush
2. Profound Beauty
3. Septimus
Best outsider: Gallopin.

The usual disclaimer applies to these selections. Good luck and happy Cup Day.

Step Brothers

Yeah I know it's a silly comedy but when you know what to expect it rarely disappoints you. That's the theory anyway.

While Step Brothers is not really my type of film I went along with a mate who is more into it and we both agreed it was good but not great.

Not a Tropic Thunder, not a Blades Of Glory.

It's a simple premise: Dale (John C Reilly) and Brennan (Wll Ferrell) are 40-ish single men who still live with their respective parents. When the parents marry they become step brothers. And they hate each other.

I wondered while watching whether you were supposed to think they are actually 12 year olds and not grown men throwing tantrums and playing on their parents' sympathies.

I don't think the review needs to go much further. I had some laughs, there were some pretty funny scenes. But my main criticism is that when in doubt, the likes of Ferrell and co default to gross humour and is doesn't work as often as they'd like to think it does.

A 5.5 out of 10. Like I said, I had some laughs and that's all I really expected.

Priorities

I haven't been as diligent with my posting in the last few weeks and I think it has come down to priorities.
It's not that I have nothing to say but other things have been on my mind, not bad things, and I haven't made the effort I usually do. Having said that I have plenty to say in the coming days as I process some information that has come to light in the past week.
This coming week is going to be a big one as it is only nine days until the Melbourne Cup, so there is plenty happening.

Cold snap

It's closing in on the end of October and suddenly we have a maximum of 15 degrees and snow on the mountains. Add some rain and high winds (my umbrella escaped with its life this afternoon) and it's been a weird one.
For the benefit of those friends who are overseas, at this time of year 15 is a common minimum temperature - last Saturday is was 30 degrees and around 17 at night.
Funny weather, good for sleeping I suppose and I am opting for the long pyjama pants tonight.

What comes to mind

I don't have any plan for posting at the moment but I felt that I needed to.
It's been a good weekend on the whole, nice and warm and I had one of those lazy summer-ish times where I dozed a bit on my chair out the back and took in some sun.
I wouldn't want to fall asleep doing that, though, as sunburn isn't pleasant.
Friday was quite a big day. After work I went over to a mate's place at Bronte to catch up for a while, he's one of a few guys I know who is awesome to hang around, and there is something therapeutic about the beach.
I then progressed to Coogee to hang out with a couple of mates for the evening. It was an interesting night, aside from it being a much later one than I had wanted, there was a fight nearby us that broke out around 11.30pm and resulted in an ashtray being hurtled in our vicinity.
Anyway, it's all good. I had a great time there.
Sometimes I think I'm going to have heaps to say and unless I feel a huge need to unload what I'm feeling, which I'm not really at the moment, it can get frustrating. There are wheels turning but the information hasn't been processed yet. Watch this space, as they say.

It can happen to anyone

Something that has become clear to me recently is that no-one is immune from tough times and how they can unexpectedtly get on top of you.
I'm not talking about me here, but a long time friend of mine has been having a battle with depression that, initially, surprised me. Then I heard more about what has been going on in his life. The more I thought about it the more I realised that it can happen to anyone.
Just because you appear to have it all - vitality, family, children, health, strength - doesn't mean you can't be weakened and the things you took for granted can't slip away.
It hasn't come quite that far yet but just talking to him you can hear struggling in his voice. It's really unsettling. It's unsettling because this is a guy who I would never have thought would be beaten up by troubles like this.
I'll say it again. It can happen to anyone. If it is happening to someone you know then make sure they know you care. Tell them not to give in to it. It's not an easy thing to fight but it can be beaten.

Reassessment

I have been doing quite a lot of thinking this weekend and have come to some conclusions.
While I didn't set out to spent time assessing what is going on a number of events these last few days caused it to happen.
I caught up with a friend on Friday night and, at the time, I was feeling not myself exactly. I was preoccupied with a few things going on in my head and it was great to get them out. A lot of the stuff wasn't new. Somehow I had found myself in a state of mild anxiety (in hindsight. It doesn't feel mild at the time).
The piece of advice that resonated was his thoughts on joy and how it comes from the heart. It struck a chord with me because I had recently finished reading Happiness Now! (thanks Bron) and it is largely about discovering the joy in your life.
There is no coincidence there.
Saturday brought to the surface something that has been brewing for a while, despite my being aware of it to a degree. My work is great but what it has done has changed something I used to have as a hobby into something greater. Now I need to reduce it back to a hobby.
I'm not in any trouble or anything but I have just noticed some things about myself, my habits and such that has raised a flag.
It's a good time to be challenging myself on that score as well.
Today I kicked back after dinner and watched the Mariah Carey concert DVD I bought a while back. I could go on and on but, say what you like about her, I consistently find her songs overflowing with inspiration.
She kept saying to the crowd how you should never let anyone else put you down and to fight for what you believe in. I was taken aback to hear her talk about Hero, my favourite song, in terms like `I didn't think much of it when I wrote it', but she did say she came around to it after everyone just took it into their hearts. She told how she has to sing it every time she performs in case someone needs to hear the message.
It was a song that really hit me back when it first came out in the early 1990s. I was having a tough time and the words helped me no end. They still do. When I need a lift I will often play Hero and it always works. I will never forget when I saw Mariah in concert and she closed the show with the song and it brought the house down. I recall standing there (yes everyone was out of their seats) with my hand on my heart singing my lungs out (and I am not ashamed to say it).
A great moment.
So hopefully this weekend can be a watershed for me. I definitely rediscovered something tonight that I hadn't let go of but that I had put aside for a while.

Kath & Kim, US version

Why?
Seriously. Why did they make this.
I'm not crazy about the (original) Australian version but this makes it look like the funniest thing on TV. I watched 10 minutes, and I don't know why, and didn't even smirk.

Eagle Eye

Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) is an average guy, he swindles money off his work mates playing poker during breaks and he works in a photocopy centre.

That all changes when he returns home from his twin brother's funeral to discover a massive payload of weapons in his apartment. A voice on his phone tells him to run as the FBI were on their way.

Jerry is completely innocent but is captured and interrogated.

Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan) is enjoying a night out with the girls after dropping her son off for a school trip to Washington. She too receives a call and is `activated'. Unwittingly and unwillingly Jerry and Rachel are manipulated into following the orders of the voice on the phone.

Eagle Eye in some respects can scare us with the use off readily available technology to trap and track individuals and force them to carry out someone's will.

As plausible as it seems the film does fall short of being more than your average technological thriller. At times it can be pedestrian. And it is very disappointing when you work out what's going on.

Having said that Shia LaBeouf continues to be extremely likable and that helps a lot. Same goes with Michelle Monaghan. While they don't have an awful lot to work with their performances go some way to making up for the flaws and the cliches that bog Eagle Eye down.

I was expecting something a little less predictable and already tried. On that score I was let down. However, thanks to the leads it is enjoyable enough.

A 7 out of 10.

Surprise encounters, evaluations and grand finals

The past few days have been interesting to say the least.
Whether through coincidence, if you believe in that, or some higher reasoning, I bumped into a couple of people from a previous church this week.
Completely out of the blue. Had I taken different paths to where I was going at the time I wouldn't have had either encounter.
The first was with a guy I listed on my `old friends' post a week or so ago.
Seeing Nathan was great and I wasn't surprised to learn his life is still ridiculously hectic. Everything I like about him was still evident and he didn't give me the impression that I was bailing him up either. That's what makes my comments about some regret in the way things went while we were friends (I'm not saying we aren't now but it is hard to be friends with someone if you never see them) even more pertinent.
I left that conversation hopeful that there is a future there but, realistically, I'd say there probably isn't. But you never know.
Less than 24 hours later I bumped into Melissa at my local shopping centre.
Strangely enough I had wondered what she was up to not long before and there she is. Off overseas with the husband to try their luck.
By Saturday I was wondering who I was going to run into next. You know what they say about things happening in threes! Anyway I didn't so I guess there were no signs of anything there.
On Friday night I caught up with a good mate who, surprisingly, I hadn't hung out with at all this year due to several different circumstances.
Craig is a guy who was always a very good influence and support (and I'd like to say I've been the same back on the latter score) and little has changed there despite both our situations changing slightly. We didn't do much as it was the end of a long week but it was great going out for dinner and talking, about trivial and serious stuff. We have vowed to do it more often and I'd say we will. I haven't talked about him much on this page but he is one of my favourite people.
It's been a nice weekend, albeit a bit frustrating with some close calls with my selections for the races yesterday.
I enjoyed the weekend, particularly a reasonably laid back Sunday, and even Manly winning the grand final 40-0 won't spoil it. They played better and deserved to win. At least people won't feel bad about hating them next season. You know, everyone has two teams - yours and the one playing Manly. Just how rugby league should be.

I'm Yours

I'm Yours by the Script has fast become one of my favourite songs at the moment. Beautiful, simple, touching. Worth a listen.


You've touched these tired eyes of mine
And mapped my face line by line
And some how growing old feels fine
I listen close for I'm not smart
You wrap your thoughts and works of art
And there hanging on the walls of my heart.

I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
And though I may not look like much
I'm yours
And though my edge is maybe rough
I never feel I'm quite enough
And it may not seem like very much
But I'm yours.

You healed these scars over time
And braced my soul, you loved my mind
You're the only angel in my life
The day the news came, my best friend died
My knees went weak, and you saw me cry
Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes.

I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
And though I may not look like much
I'm yours
And though my edge is maybe rough
I never feel I'm quite enough
And it may not seem like very much
But I'm yours.
I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
And though I don't fit in that much
But I'm yours.

The I.T. Crowd

I've got to say I am a sucker for British comedy - they just seem to be able to hit the spot.
A while back I was given The I T Crowd by a mate but for whatever reason (distraction with Dexter probably) haven't watched it until this week.
What a mistake!
This is one of the funniest series I have seen in a while, and I've only watched series one (of two to date).
It centres around computer nerds Roy (right in the picture)and Moss (centre) and the newly appointed employee Jen (left), who doesn't know anything about computers.
I just loved the scene in one of the early episodes where Moss, who is amazingly well played, responds to a fire breaking out by sending an email asking for help when he can't remember the phone number. Look for it on YouTube, it's a classic.
I very much like witty comedy and for some reason British comedy hits the spot much more often than the Americans and they normally don't overdo it. Only 12 episodes of this show so far whereas a standard US season is around 24.
Check it out, it's a good laugh.

How to be a true friend

Lately I have been looking through some old notepads and journals from my uni (that's college for those overseas) days. It's been interesting.
At the top of one page of a book I have written Luke 10: 25-37 `how to be a true friend'.
It is of course the parable of the good samaritan.
Friendship is something that is important but it is something that, in today's world, is seriously taken for granted.
We have email, sms, the telephone, internet chat lines, facebook all pretending to keep us connected with our friends. I think they do more bad than good sometimes.
We weren't made to have virtual relationships with people. Unfortunately, especially in a place like Sydney, life has become so busy and stressful we take the easy way out. Instead of catching up in person we phone, or email (phoning is preferable in my books) and we lose the human touch that we all need from time to time.
This is where I can't understand why some people I know shy away from the personal touch. It is like keeping a distance. You can't hug your phone, the computer can't put a reassuring hand on your shoulder and the internet won't offer you anything personal.
One thing I try hard to do when I see those friends who are highly valued is tell them so. One or two don't know how to react to that, and I think it is a guy thing, but I feel it is important that people you care about know.
One thing I have to improve is actually spending more time with certain people, and this hectic city doesn't help in that respect, but it is also up to me (and them) to come up with a workable solution. The result can only be good.
(By the way Adam, I wrote this partly because of what you wrote. Cheers.)

The Script

I really like it when you find something new that has flown under the radar. UK band The Script haven't been super hyped here just yet but if good taste prevails they will very soon.

Coming across this self-titled album reminded me of how I discovered The Fray a couple of years ago and, interestingly, these guys aren't far from that ball park.

They are fairly conventional pop/rock but there is something about them that has attracted me.

With the amount of crap music around these days and far too much R&B/rap junk it's refreshing to hear some real music.

On the negative side there are only 10 songs on the album which, I think, is pretty poor at a time when 13 or 14 is necessary.

But on the positive side they are a cracking 10 songs so I guess a song or two of filler wouldn't add anything (unless they were great as well).

On first listen (and I always do these reviews on first listen) it is easy to like, the lyrics are good from what I can gather as I haven't listened to it while reading them yet.

The single We Cry is excellent and I could pick out any of the 10 as stand-outs and I love it when I get a CD like that in my hands. Another standout is the last track I'm Yours. Reminds me of when I got The Fray, The Woodenelves, Rascal Flatts, Gavin DeGraw, John Mayer and Lifehouse's latest.

These guys are a welcome addition, and you could do a lot worse.

From Where You Are

Lifehouse, and Jason Wade in particular, seem to always hit the spot. Take this song, From Where You Are for example.
Jason Wade wrote the song for Allstate's Teen Driving Program. Despite having very little radio air-play and not being on any album, the song reached #40 on the Billboard charts. It was the first song that was written expressly for a commercial to make it onto the charts since 1972's "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony). (from Wikipedia).
Broken is another great Lifehouse song worth checking out too.

28-0

And they said the Melbourne Storm couldn't win without Cameron Smith!
Funny thing, I said to a mate at work yesterday that I hoped the Storm would come out and bury Cronulla in tonight's game, kind of half serious because he is a Sharks supporter. And they did. 28-0.
The commentary was a bit annoying though, when you are up 22-0 with 16 minutes to go you're home and hosed yet they weren't declaring the result even then. Plus the commenatator, Gus, who kept saying Melbourne were gone and out on their feet with 25 minutes to go. He has to go.
The result will keep the nephew happy and now it will be interesting to see the result tomorrow night.

The In The Air Tonight myth

I always believed the classic Phil Collins song In The Air Tonight was based on a true story about an incident that was witnessed.
I learned today that is not the case and that Collins doesn't really know what it is about. Read about it here if you didn't already know.
It is a cracking song with amazing use of the drums in the middle, very distinctive.
These lyrics don't help the case of it not being based on an actual event....
`Well when you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend
But I don't know if you know who I am
But I was there and I saw what you did
Saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin
I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies'.
True or not true, it's a great urban myth.

Wall-E

Number Five is well and truly alive and his name is Wall E .
The latest film by the geniuses at Pixar sees Earth deserted after mankind's waste overran it and the planet became unsustainable.
Wall E is one of many robots charged with cleaning up the mess, but he's the only one still functional. His best friend is a cockroach which, hilariously, he runs over from time to time.
Eve arrives to search the Earth for life and Wall E takes a liking to her. It's amazing how you can get caught up in a romance between two robots.
When she finds a plant she is taken back to the base ship, where all mankind is living, and our hero tags along.
The brilliance of Pixar is that they can make such strange characters so lovable, like Nemo, like the Little Chef in Ratatouille, like the Toy Story gang. Wall E is a robot yet he feels more than most of us do and that is where the message starts to get through.
We all take what we have for granted and we all can get too comfortable with convenience. It's a timely reminder.
As for the film, this is not Pixar's finest moment (though the animation is amazing) but it is an excellent film and well worth watching. The traditional short before the feature is outstanding and probably their best yet.
A 7.5 out of 10.

Old Friends

This morning on the way to work I started thinking about some of the people I've known over the years who have been important to me or had an impact.
When your mind goes down a rain of thought it is surprising what you can remember. So these are some of the people I thought about today.

Michael - this is a guy who I'd say had the greatest impact on me while I was at university. We met while in line to get our photo IDs and for about 18 months we were really good mates. Then he vanished, for all purposes, and I don't know what happened to him or what he is up to now. I remember spending a great weekend at his parents' house in the middle of winter, it was snowing, very cold, but it was a great time. He got a bit drunk at the pub and I still remember him getting up in the middle of the night to throw up! An awesome guy, I still have the Christmas card he sent me before my USA trip tell me he was `jealous as hell'. Everyone should have a mate like him.

Tim - when I was 15 I was a very different person in many ways, and some people still don't believe me. Anyway, Tim was one of a group of friends of mine in high school and over the years we developed a friendship and then his family moved away. Fortunately it was to a town my family has a connection with so we kept in touch. I last saw him about seven years ago, or thereabouts, and as far as I know he's still around in Sydney. I have only good memories of Tim.

Rachel - when I moved to Sydney and started my job I was told about this girl who also worked there but was on leave. We didn't meet for some time but when we did we got on like the proverbial house. She was intelligent, classy, fun, beautiful and cultural. I'm not sure what she's up to now, last I heart she was studying again. We were great friends and I hope she's doing well.

Iain - this is someone I don't talk about a lot. I met him in the course of my job one day and chatted for a while as others did their jobs then met by chance at the pub. It turned out we had a bit in common and lived not far away from each other so we started hanging out. He was a good person to know at the time but that was a friendship that didn't really end so well. Still, it was significant because I learned a lot.

Adrian - easily one of the most genuine people I've ever known. Adrian was a mainstay as far as mates went through university. He's an awesome Christian guy and was always, and is always, encouraging and supportive and wise. We reconnected through church in Sydney several years ago and little had changed as far as getting along. He's a great example of someone who doesn't need `stuff' to be happy because he fills life with more important things.

Nathan - the most recent `old friend' and one that still kind of hurts a bit. He came along at a time I was really finding it difficult to be positive. Not only is he interesting and great company, he's got an awesome attitude towards life and it was great to be around that. I've got to take some responsibility for damaging our friendship and I regret that. We did set things right and I learned a very important lesson but in the end it cost me a mate.

There are a few more that come to mind but these have had the most impact. On the whole they are very good memories, despite a regret or two, and that's something I am grateful for.

Donkey voting

Until about four days ago I wasn't aware there were local government elections.
I've lived in my current LGA for around eight years or thereabouts and have never had any interaction with the council or any prospective councillor.
So that made it a bit hard to know who I was voting for today.
My vote was effectively a donkey vote, which made it a bit pointless.
The one thing I will say about council elections is that they shouldn't be partisan, it is bad enough that politics gets in the way at state level we don't need it on councils.

Life on cloud eight

Another trip down memory lane from my university writings.....it was in response to a Far Side cartoon called Life on Cloud Eight and it was something I could relate to when I wrote this in 1995.

I would have to say that the Far Side cartoon (Life On Cloud Eight) is an accurate summation of what life is like right now. Life is not bad, but there seems to be people out in the world who really know how to enjoy themselves.
It is possible that my interpretation of a `good time' is different to others'. I can say for sure that when my friends think I should be enjoying myself, most of the time I am not.
Skip Ross, an American motivational speaker, says `you have right now exactly what you want'.
Skip was right. I do have exactly what I want, so what's the problem?
I have narrowed down my possible solutions to two: either I am afraid of how I will act or what I would say if I let go; or I'm too concerned with what other people think and spend too much time dwelling on it.
Skip Ross also said `admit that you have a problem'. I have now done that, but I guess the next step is to admit it to the world. Happiness won't appear overnight but I'm confident that it will eventually and until then I will have to settle for life on cloud eight instead.

Looking back on what I wrote then, I can see a major flaw in my thinking. Largely due to a book I am currently reading I can see that by waiting to be happy I'm actually wasting my time. Happiness is a decision and will not come about when all the planets eventually align for you.
I still like that Far Side cartoon, though.

Old writings

I was going through some of my storage boxes from university the other day and came across some old poetry I had written. It is an interesting exercise looking back at some of the things I have written over the years.
By the way, these date back more than 10 years.

Broken Dreams

I'm dreaming broken dreams
I wish that they'd come true
Behind closed eyes everything's fine
A stream of light can be so cruel
My broken dreams are perfect
And life is perfect too
But a single word, a line, a phrase
Said harshly changes the mood
In a world of broken dreams
I'm slowly going mad
How can all I've ever wanted
Turn out to be so bad
I'm dreaming broken dreams
They're always in my head
But what you can see when you look at me
Is what my broken dreams have bred.

Something To Believe In

When you've hit rock bottom, no rope
It's hard not to feel there's no hope
The road ahead in winding and full of holes
That you keep finding
You know you just can't win
And you've lost the will to fight
We all need something to believe in
We all want someone to care
And when life is taking you nowhere
It doesn't even feel good to sin
Without love we have nothing to believe in
I just need something.....

Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay

I don't know what I'm more disappointed in, myself for watching this or the fact that it was very ordinary right from the start.
Harold And Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay is the sequel to H&K Go To White Castle, which I must confess I thought was absolutely hilarious hence my interest in this follow up.
The first scene, and I won't go into the details, was enough for my hopes to be dashed as they well and truly crossed the crudeness line.
Now White Castle, which was essentially the story of two pot-heads who see an advertisement for a burger store on TV and get the munchies so they go in search of it, didn't cross that line.
Harold and Kumar are seemingly ordinary young adults with little responsibility and a recreational drug habit. In Escape, as the title suggests, they get thrown in jail for being suspected terrorists when their bong is mistaken for a bomb on a plane to Amsterdam.
Through chance they escape and go on the run.
Neil Patrick Harris has his cameo again as himself and is mildly amusing this time around. A mention to OTH's Danneel Harris who has a role here but I prefer her as Rachel in Tree Hill.
In short, a load of crap, I barely laughed at all, there's a difference between gross-out comedy and disgusting comedy and this is the example. A 3 out of 10.

The verdict on the new 90210

Not a lot has changed in Beverly Hills since the original series finished some eight or nine years ago. There are still people who are playing teenagers, 15 or 16 or so, who look well into their 20s but I suppose that happens with all shows of this genre.
The most disturbing for me what that all the girls look far too thin. They don't look attractive and it all looks too wrong. Ironically Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty, who didn't look too thin in the original series, scrub up pretty well. The only girl in the previous BH90210 who looked too thin was Tori Spelling but she was cast out of this one.
It's her own fault because for me everything that is familiar about 90210 is what made it watchable. I liked that Kelly was there, she has a son (the father a mystery at this point but seems like a good way to bring back another old character should they be convinced) and some dignity. Brenda was great as well, even though she was only in it for a bit in the first episode, and she also had some dignity. This is unlike a lot of the other female characters who are just overtly bitchy and not very likable.
Nat is still running the Peach Pit, which is now like a coffee shop/bar, and the brief chat he had with Kelly and Brenda was great nostalgia. It also suggests Kelly comes there a lot.
Kelly's half sister Erin Silver is a major character which is a great move and also Andrea Zuckerman's daughter Hannah is a student at the school.
The Wilson family are the new Walshs, Harry and Debbie Wilson relocate to Beverly Hills from Kansas with their kids Annie and Dixon (who was adopted and you can't help but see tokenism in his character at this point). There are spoilt brats, the `hot girls' and `hunky guys' you'd expect.
Did I like it?
Yes and no. Some of it was quite interesting and well done. Some of it was pure soapy drivel. That's an overstatement as well. It's almost like two different people were swapping between scenes. It might get better, but as a fan of the original this is not in the same league - thank God for the returning characters. I don't see it lasting too long, a season or two, unless they try harder to not be the same mundane teen drama (there have been the odd exception) that's been on TV since the demise of 90210 the first time.

Touch Me I'm Going To Scream

The long awaited season 6 premiere of One Tree Hill, Touch Me I'm Going To Scream, wasn't as mind blowing as I was hoping but nonetheless a great start.
We pick up (spoiler alert) with Lucas daydreaming about the three women he could have proposed to at the end of last season. Then we find out he called Peyton.
A tad predictable and their storyline was way too mushy for my liking. Perhaps that means something is about to go wrong.
You've just got to love Brooke. Her battles with her mother (a brilliant Daphne Zuniga) are promising, I just hope they write the little girl out of Brooke and make her a tad tougher. Just my notes.
Elsewhere, Skills is still on with Nathan's mother and that's the comic relief. And it appears Nathan's comeback to basketball may be short lived.
Dan was hit by a car at the end of the last season and it turns out it was the evil nanny Carrie. I hope this one doesn't drag on too much, it's interesting because of their back story but I feel it is going to outstay its usefulness.
I'm being a tad critical here given the brilliance of season 5. This is a tough year for One Tree Hill because of the five year time gap between four and five not allowing as much reinvention.
I feel this should be the last season and I really want it to go out on a high because it really is in a class of its own.
A good start, but we all know what they are capable of. So lets see it.

Mark Priestley

It's been a few days since the apparent suicide of actor Mark Priestley and I have to admit it has been on my mind now and then.
I can't work out why he would have done it.
On the surface he had so much going for him - he was good looking, talented, on a successful TV show, he had a bright future - so, why?
It has developed that he suffered quite badly from depression. My question is how much help did he seek, what could lead him to think there was no hope?
I don't know the degree of what he was going through, though seemingly he was able to function enough to perform his job on All Saints. I guess you never can really know.
A couple of years ago I had my own battle with depression. It saps your energy, focuses your mind on yourself, drains you of the enjoyment of things, everything is really hard work.
When I think back on that time I wonder how I got through. Things got fairly dark at times for sure. Perhaps for Mark he was in the middle of one of those times and made a snap decision. That's just pure speculation of course but makes some sense to me.
I know it is easy to say here, but you should never lose hope. And thankfully for me, and everyone out there should they choose, God offers hope.
Anti-depressants are effective but they can also mess with you. I can say, as I am currently beginning a staggered reduction in mine, that while they take the edge off they have a very bad side effect that can be frustrating.
Simply, you can't release any emotion. You can laugh, but a lot of the time you can't cry. It's hard to release the things that are eating away at you. I really don't like that side of it and it is part of the reason why I am attempting to come off them (albeit slowly). The other part is because I am feeling great and don't really need them.
I think the best thing to do when a dark patch hits is to sleep on it.
I believe that nothing is as bad in the morning as it seemed.

Tropic Thunder

As far as comedies go, Tropic Thunder has to be up there with the best in recent times.
It's not intelligent comedy like in a British film but it's still a riot as Ben Stiller takes the mickey out of war films (and several other types) in a much needed return to form.
Stiller is action hero actor Tugg Speedman who has been cast in a film about the Vietnam war along with several other noted actors of his time. Jack Black is his usual crude self as Jeff Portnoy and Robert Downey Jr is outstanding as the multiple Oscar winning Australian Kirk Lazarus (who tends to remind you of Russell Crowe now and then).
Cameos abound here and none better than from Tom Cruise, much to my surprise, as film magnate Les Grossman. He's hard to describe and you kind of have to see it to believe it. He really has made a good move doing this film.
Others include Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mickey Rooney and, hilariously, Lance Bass.
The laughs start before the opening scene when we see the four main leads in advertisements for their products or films and it's a great intro because it gets you in the mood to laugh.
This ain't rocket science, it's a shade crude at times and a little offensive depending on your sensitivity but it's just good fun.
There's no deep and meaningfuls here and Ben Stiller does his best work since probably Zoolander even if his character does remind you of that character.
A very funny 8 out of 10, better than your average silly comedy.

Bland Games come to an end

I'm one of those people who loves the Olympics.
For a couple of weeks you become deeply interested in sports you pay absolutely no attention to for four years. I love watching the cycling, both road and track, the diving, the rowing, swimming, selected track and field events and beach volleyball.
I was also engrossed in the Australia vs Japan softball match that went into five extra innings.
Perhaps it is a patriotic thing, though I don't go around draped in the Aussie flag, but the Olympics is almost compulsory viewing.
This is something that our broadcaster, channel 7, is probably counting on. Their telecast was woeful at very best. Too many delayed events portrayed as live, too many cutting between the event and the studio as if to justify the host's job.
I got really sick of the Stephanie Rice/Eamon Sullivan `are they really broken up' thing. Didn't particularly care before the Games and don't care now.
As for his comment about his private life not being private anymore, that's the price you pay when you excel at anything in the year 2008 (particularly in sport if you are an Aussie) - and if he was so concerned about his private life he shouldn't have stripped to his underwear for that advertising campaign.
The one thing I regret about the Games happened last night.
I started watching the men's 10m platform final and when Matthew Mitcham went so-so in his first dive I decided to go to bed. I get up this morning and he's won the gold and broke the Olympic record for a dive score.
Damn. I found the coverage of his win in the news very interesting given his life circumstances. Regardless it was an amazing effort and I'm sorry I missed it.
So the blandest Games of my memory, and certainly the most staged, is over and the Olympic movement can go back to normal in 2012. There won't be lip-synching nine year olds, fake fireworks and tanks patrolling the streets.
It didn't help that channel 7 contributed to the feeling that it was very stale and controlled.
China did better than I think most people thought they would but they still managed to suck the spirit out of a celebration of freedom and sport, at least from an outsider's point of view.

Make Me Lose Control

While watching some episodes of Dexter tonight (man I love this show!) I came across a classic from the 80's.
It's Eric Carmen's Make Me Lose Control .
Come on, admit you know the words....
`turn the radio up for that sweet sound, hold me close never let me go, keep this feeling alive, make me lose control...'
I'm way past being embarrassed by my taste in music, TV and movies. I like what I like. Whether it's cool, daggy or retro there's something about it I liked. We're all shaped by our past and the things we experienced growing up.
Make Me Lose Control came out in 1989, I was 14. That was 19 years ago and I still know the words.

90210 - will it be any good?

Either this is a great idea or Hollywood has run well and truly out of ideas.
Bringing back Beverly Hills 90210 is a risk simply because the original was such a success and ran for 10 years (despite the quality dropping off about three quarters of the way through).
So judge for yourself, will the new 90210 be any good?
As a massive fan of the original when I was younger I have a high bar set or this one, but I will take a look and see what happens. Having a couple of originals in there does raise the curiosity level.

Season 6 teaser

Just days away from the Season 6 premiere of One Tree Hill.
Since I was so rapt with the fifth season and the new direction the hopes are high that this season, likely the final season, will be a cracker.
I may be a fan (and a big fan) but some of the other shows of this genre out there should take a look at One Tree Hill and why it made it to six years when others (like The O.C., which was good) faded out sooner.

Top of the Pops

Since I am rather disheartened with music at the moment here are the songs I keep coming back to over and over. They won't be everyone's cup of tea but they are the ones I love.

1. I'll Be There For You-The Rembrandts
2. Hero-Mariah Carey
3. Crash And Burn-Savage Garden
4. Walk On-U2
5. If You Could Only See-Tonic
6. Everything-Lifehouse
7. Not Myself-John Mayer
8. Spending My Time-Roxette
9. I Want To Know What Love Is-Foreigner
10. What About Me?-Moving Pictures
11. Name-Goo Goo Dolls
12. The Greatest Love Of All-Whitney Houston
13. You Belong To The City-Glenn Frey
14. Just Between You And Me-Lou Gramm
15. That's What Friends Are For-Dionne Warwick
16. Close My Eyes-Mariah Carey
17. Crazy For You-Madonna
18. Losing My Religion-R.E.M.
19. Lift-Shannon Noll
20. We Belong Together-Mariah Carey

That's the top 20, there are a stack of others I like (I've done a top 50). But I think they also tell their own story, or something of mine anyway.

The Savages

We go to the movies to escape from reality, largely, but what happens when reality in the movies is so real.

This is the case with The Savages a film for those who don't need special effects and a fantasy setting to enjoy a movie.

What you get in this film is a reality check, a frank look at how dementia affects a family and they've cast two of the finest dramatic actors around in Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney.

They play brother and sister Jon and Wendy Savage, whose estranged father has been diagnosed with dementia following the death of his partner.

With nowhere else to go Jon and Wendy must take care of their dad Lenny, played brilliantly by Philip Bosco, and confront their feelings about their past.

The Savages is definitely not a comedy but it is not all grim.

Wendy is in the midst of a midlife crisis, she's single but dating a married man and has temp work while she writes plays based on her childhood.

Jon is a professor and an academic and is much more settled, though also unmarried. He's dating a Polish woman whose visa has expired.

They are both going through the same thing in different ways yet Jon seems to handle it better. Lenny doesn't really know who they are, so it seems, though there is one scene where his kids are arguing and he turns down his hearing aid. It said to me that Lenny was more aware than he came across.

I thought this is was a brilliant film though I do feel the need to see a silly comedy and have a big laugh. I'm a sucker for Linney and Hoffman, who I think are among the best actors right now, but they were outstanding.

Not everyone's cup of tea but it is a very real and very moving story. An 8.5 out of 10.

It's Not About the Bike, part 2

When you're right into a book it's amazing how quickly you get through it.
Having finished Lance Armstrong's account of his `journey back to life' after cancer I have to say it was overall an inspiring story.
Sure there were some quite difficult sections but the bottom line is where there's life there is hope. He goes as far as to say that cancer is meant to improve us as people.
Hmmm.
`We have unrealised capacities that sometimes only emerge in crisis', he writes.
I think that is definitely true both in theory and based on some of my own experience with illness (though not cancer, admittedly).
I'd totally recommend reading this book if you haven't already. It is a great shake up and a great lesson about the importance of life and fighting for it when it is challenged.
It's a hard battle at times, the book, but Armstrong includes a lot of the details for our benefit and not to freak us out (though it probably will).

It's Not About the Bike, part 1

I'm about two-thirds of the way through Lance Armstrong's account of his battle with cancer and I couldn't wait to finish it before writing about it.
The book, It's Not About the Bike, came out a number of years ago and I reckon I've had it for at least eight years and hadn't read it until now.
I'm sure everyone knows Armstrong's background as a champion cyclist before his diagnosis of testicular cancer. And his feats after recovery, including winning the gruelling Tour de France, have also been well documented.
But I wasn't aware at all of what he went through.
The book is riveting, an amazing story of courage, but it is also highly disturbing and unsettling. Reading his record of how he fell ill and was subsequently diagnosed with stage 3 cancer (the worst kind) it is hard not to get emotionally involved yourself.
It's very fortunate that he had a strong upbringing from his mother and had plenty of fight in him because just reading about the tests, surgeries and the chemotherapy was very hard work.
(I realise actually having to go through them is much, much harder work in fact something I don't think I can fathom so don't think I am making light of it).
I remember thinking that there was no way I could be strong enough emotionally, let alone physically, to get through the chemo but his attitude was unbelievable.
I guess that when you are faced with the choice between fighting or dying you fight and fight as hard as you can.
I'm not yet finished the book but I do think I have passed the hard part - I hope at least. Reading something like this raises your awareness of such things and, while this is probably more information that you need to know, I have made much more of a habit of checking myself out regularly. I'd encourage the guys out there to do the same.

In with the new

This is a very trivial yet significant moment - today I bought a new wallet!
I don't know how other guys see their wallets, and I didn't think I had any particular attachment to mine, but it was a big deal cleaning out the old one and filling up the new.
I reckon I bought the old wallet, a surf-style Ripcurl wallet, at least 10 years ago and maybe more. I'd hung onto it while it deteriorated to the point where there were holes in it but today I jut felt it was time.
I was amazed at how much crap I had jammed into that thing. Now I have a slightly more stylish wallet, a shade less juvenile but only a shade.

Bert at the News Desk

One of the funniest things I've seen on TV for a while, it's Bert at the News Desk from Rove last Sunday night.
If you're familiar with the show they have a section called Carrie at the News Desk, an irreverent and comedic look at the week's news. Carrie was sick this week and Bert Newton filld in. Watching him makes you realise just how he has lasted so long in the industry and wonder why he doesn't do comedy a lot these days.
His get well to Carrie is hilarious and the crematorium joke is a cracker too. Enjoy!

Taken

I was determined to see Taken knowing nothing about it but a review in yesterday's paper caught my eye so I read it.
A one star review is hardly a recommendation so I went into the film (at a preview screening) expecting a stinker.
So I am happy to report I was pleasantly surprised. Taken is a pretty simple `daughter gets kidnapped, father vows to rescue her' film.
Liam Neeson is Bryan Miller, a retired `Government agent' trained to `stop bad things happening'. He reluctantly allows his daughter Kim to go on holidays in Europe with her friend.
While checking up on her via a phone call Kim's friend is abducted and Kim is soon taken also leading Neeson to utter the most hilarious threat seen in film in years.
He vows down the phone to Kim's kidnapper that he would find him and kill him. I did well not to burst out laughing.
So Bryan goes all over Paris trying to track Kim down and I must admit there is some excellent action here. Some great gunfights, a car chase as Bryan ruthlessly works his way to the man at the end of the phone.
There are much better films out there than this one, and there are some massive holes and missing parts to the story, but it's not bad and certainly not the dud I had anticipated.
I still can't see Liam Neeson as an action hero and that's a major flaw.
I'm going to give it 6 out of 10. Wouldn't say rush out and see it but you could do worse as a DVD one night at home.

The view from here

If I am being literal it is a brown curtain, just to get that out of the way.
When I look in the mirror sometimes I catch my eyes and I wonder what they tell other people.
You know, `the eyes are the window to the soul' so what do others see in my eyes?
It makes me think about things that I hide. Fears, emotions, thoughts that shouldn't be there, hopes, dreams.
Most people know what I fear above everything else but is it better to keep things to yourself or to get them out in the open?
It is easier to just say nothing personal and I know several people who do that and seem to be able to get by. Usually if I let things build up without letting them out I run into trouble. Physical trouble aside I tend to get very snappy and usually say something insensitive and/or stupid.
I've been asked a few times lately what is happening on the girl front. Thankfully it isn't just the married friends who are doing it.
My standard answer is nothing or that it is not a priority but the truth is I'm not sure I could handle such a relationship. I know how that sounds.
On the other hand it could be the best thing that has happened to me. I won't know until I give it a try.
Then there are the times that I wonder what I have to offer. Not material things, not even physical things though I am hardly an athlete. Maybe I don't like myself enough?
So I don't often look myself in the eyes. Maybe I should do that more until I work out who is looking back at me.