It's movie, it's movie time!

Shockingly enough there are a few movies, I wouldn't mind seeing at the moment.

'He sees dead people... and they annoy him. '

I cannot wait to see Ghost Town - I love Ricky Gervais, I cannot control my laughter in anything he's in Extra's, The Office. Love it. Greg Kinnear I can take or leave, he's probably fairly under rated as an actor but he looks really good in this film.
I am slightly concenred, because it was writen and directed by David Koepp, who did the most recent Indiana Jones also of War of the Worlds, Spiderman, Panic Room fame. Bit of a mixed bag but fingers crossed! Pre released this weekend, so if I get the chance I might take myself off to see it.

Shamelessly I am also looking forward to seeing He's Just Not That Into You.
Writen from the book, which shot to fame after it's mention in Sex and the City. The cast is the definition of star studded.
Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore and even a camero by writer Marc Silverstein.I know it's probably not destined for greatness, no Oscars in the offing but I am hoping that it will be entertaining enough to not be a waste of $16.50.

How to lose friends and alienate me

I was excited to see that they had converted Toby Young’s memoir of his failed attempt to ‘make it’ in the US.

I was even more excited to see Simon Pegg, who I think is HILARIOUS, starring. Have you seen Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Run Fat Boy Run? The man is a genius, especially along side Nick Frost.
Also starring Megan Fox (who?), Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges. I have mixed feeling about this casting, but it’s really Kirsten ‘Kiki’ Dunst that leaves me cold.
I still feel the pain of paying money to see ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ *shudder* and can’t say that I have seen a movie with her in it I have truly enjoyed.
The Virgin Suicides was weird, maybe I’m not arty enough but I thought it was lame. Nor am I an MJ fan, perhaps Kiki’s portrayal of Spiderman’s flame is only as good as the script she’d given? Of course I’ve seen ‘Bring It On’ which is inoffensive enough, I guess.
I am morbidly curious about Marie Antoinette, but I have had little luck with Sofia Coppola movies. Lost in Translation, for me, was carried off by Bill Murray and to a lesser degree Scarlet Johansson and strange mesh panties.

I get worried, when there is a movie out that I have a desire to see. At, what is it now, $16.50 a pop? If my movie experience isn’t a sure thing I don’t want to jeopardise spending that much for a luke warm experience. Or is that just me?

Let's do the time warp again?

I heard news that shocked me to the core this evening.

After a feeling of queasy trepidation subsided, I launched into full tilt research mode.

Word around the traps is that MTV is part producing Brit-American remake of The Rock Horror Picture Show.
E! have even touted Marilyn Manson as Frank N Furter in the remake. In all honesty, this part almost relieves me to the thought that they are doing a remake, period.

Sure the guy is weird, but it's all show and that's what Frank needs.
I don't think there is a shred of truth to that section of the rumor, because I have also heard that Marilyn Manson in to play the Queen of Hearts in a dark Alice in Wonderland called Living in Neon Dreams.
Turns out that Manson is instead, apparently directing a phantasmagoric Alice redux.

Of course I immediately go to the font of all knowledge. IMDB. What this site does not know isn't worth knowing.
IMDB knows nothing, but apparently 'Riff Raff Curses MTV's Rocky Horror Remake' -- Richard O'Brien, scorning a bubblegum manufactured money making mammoth, who'da thunk?

Manson - an interesting Frank choice or a total f*** nightmare?

I've always found him somewhat intriguing (Evan Rachel Wood debacle aside) but others say repulsed.
If you've ever heard the man speak he does so with conviction and intelligence.

One day...

Props to K for this list.
A nice idea I thought :)
Afew too many reds there, get on that self.

Code:

Done it

Really badly want to do it

Bought everyone in the bar a drink, rung the bell in Thailand many times, and convinced many people to ring it
Swam with wild dolphin
Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
Been inside the Great Pyramid
Held a tarantula (no no no no no)
Taken a candle lit bath
Said I love you and meant it
Hugged a Tree
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightening storm at sea
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge sports game
Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars
Changed a baby’s diaper
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower
Gotten drunk on champagne [/vodka/wine/bacardi - get it?]
Given more than you can afford to charity
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse (not generally, I just pick the one with pretty silks hehe)
Asked out a stranger (go me!)
Had a snowball fight
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
Held a lamb
Seen a total eclipse (on tv?)
Ridden a roller coaster
Hit a home run
Danced like a fool, not caring who watched
Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for a moment
Had two hard drives for your computer (still do in fact, somone's wedding photos are on it)
Visited all 50 states [or all 6 plus 2 territories for Aussies - sadly still no]
Taken care of someone who was too drunk
Had amazing Friends
Danced with a Stranger in a foreign country
Watched wild whales
Stolen a sign ... cone yes
Hitchhiked in Europe
Taken a road-trip
Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach
Gone sky diving
Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were in love
In a restaurant sat at a stranger’s table and ate with them
Visited Japan

Milked a cow (don't know why I just want to give it a go)

Alphabetized your CDs, I genre-ise them

Pretended to be a superhero (Shera of the Unisaur! ... or Sheila of the Universe for those not in the know)

Sung karaoke

Lounged around in bed all day

Posed nude in front of strangers

Gone scuba diving

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud

Played in the rain

Gone to a drive-in theater
Visited the Great Wall of China (maybe soon?)
Started a business (doing what I don't know)

Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
Toured ancient sites

Taken a martial arts class

Played a computer game for more than 6 hours straight

Gotten married

Been in a movie
Crashed a party

Gotten divorced

Gone without food for 5 days (HELL NO)

Made cookies from scratch

Won first prize in a costume contest (For a medievel maiden)
Ridden a gondola in Venice

Gotten a tattoo

Rafted the Snake River [what is Snake River?]

Been on television news program as an “expert”

Got flowers for no reason

Performed on a stage (Yes, I was lead in some play but don't remember what)

Been to Las Vegas
Eaten shark

Had a one-night stand

Gone to Thailand
Bought a house
Been in a combat zone

Buried one/both of your parents

Been on a cruise ship

Spoken more than one language fluently

Performed in Rocky Horror [Magenta here I come!)

Raised children

Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

Picked up and moved to another city

Walked on the Golden Gate Bridge.. no real desire to go to the US
Sang loudly in the car and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have

Wrote articles for a large publication

Lost over 100 lbs (don't know if I want to lose quite that much)

Held someone while they were having a flashback

Piloted an airplane

Petted a stingray

Broken someone’s heart (not to my knowledge?)

Helped an animal give birth

Won money on a TV game show

Broken a bone

Gone on an African safari

Had a body part below the neck pierced

Fired a rifle, shotgun or pistol

Eaten mushrooms gathered in the wild

Ridden a horse

Had major surgery

Had a snake as a pet

Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

Slept for more than 30 hours over 48 consecutive hours
Visited more foreign countries than US States (more foreign countries than Australian states)
Visited all 7 continents

Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

Eaten Kangaroo meat

Eaten sushi

Had your picture in the paper (a rather intelligent peice about how good looking Adam Hills was... awesome lol)

Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

Gone back to school

Parasailed

Petted a cockroach

Eaten fried green tomatoes

Read the Iliad - I tried but when I asked for Homer the guy asked 'Simpson?'

Selected one important author who you missed school to read

Killed and prepared an animal for eating

Skipped all of your school reunions

Communicated with someone without sharing a common language

Been elected to public office

Written your own computer language (pain)

Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

Had to put someone you love in hospice care

Build your own PC from parts

Sold your own artwork to someone that didn’t know it was yours

Had a booth in a street fair

Dyed your hair

Been a DJ

Shaved your head
Saved someone’s life ... don't know if I want to do this but will if I can

Bloody Technology

Perhaps when I was younger, back when I had that iota more patience than I do now, I could sit for hours staring at pixels and writing/rewriting code to make cool scroll over effects to manipulate a box to appear a certain way, only to rewrite it all two weeks later.
That is gone.

On the weekend, I conceded defeat and unplugged my modem from my PC to connect to my laptop to use skype. This pissed me off so fatally because I had previously and painfully created a wireless LAN and set up total secure wireless Internet, file and print sharing.

But eventually the novelty of the laptop wore off, and when I reignited it of course everything had gone to bollocks and for the life of me I don't know how I managed to network it because I don't remember this computer even having a network card.

I'd love to get it working again, but my motivation is ebbing low.

It reminds me of the fact that my phone is dying a slow and annoying death.

And I have now changed my mind from the Nokia N969 to the Samsung G810 (pictured) which is basically the same only 400 bucks cheaper and has a longer battery life.

I managed to send a rather rude sounding (when taken TOTALLY out of context) text message to the wrong person. FATAL ERROR.

Fortunately the text went to the best possible person, a rather liberal minded friend of mine, who found humour in situation, as opposed to say - the very Christian mother like figure from my previous work place.

I recently read that in Israel they had launched a 'Kosher Phone' to cater for the strict Orthodox Jewish community.

The handset has purportedly had the internet, SMS, video and voicemail facilities disabled. Naturally the press have made a misnomer, a device cannot actually be Kosker but it does have the cencorship seal of approval from the 'Rabbinical Committee for Communications'
On the upside the 'Kosher Phone' is cheaper if you call another 'Kosher Phone' (I guess many Hasidic Jews don't have too many Baptist friends) except for the Sabbath when you get $2.44 US per min! Thats hardcore

Life as a Movie Reviewer; Sex and the City

Shopping for Labels, Shopping for ... Sex and the City


First as a disclaimer I have to admit I am a fan of the series, and as such have a totally skewed view on the movie.
I also don't want to give away any spoilers for those who have not yet seen it.

The movie starts out almost saccharine sweet, with a whirlwind run down on the happenings of all the protagonists, where the girls are seemingly content and happy for the last several years later.
Like the morning after, happily ever after.

As all the subplots begin to unfurl, it begins entering your consciousness that the movie is struggling to find a format, a medium between series and film.The plot (for my money) was built up to a climax at ‘The Wedding’ – by all the film shorts – but this promoted ‘climax’ happens early on and I was pleased that momentum was not lost when the plot continued.
That scene (you know what I mean if you’ve seen it) was so heart wrenching, it was almost real for me, I think that is the best I have ever seen Sarah Jessica Parker.

I found the addition of the assistant, played by Jennifer Hudson, fluffy but unnecessary to be honest, as the film goes I wouldn’t imagine it lacking if that section of focused subplot was cut. JHud did look good I’ll give her that, all soft bosom next to SJP’s pointy edges.

Of course a review cannot neglect to mention the couture. I read that Carrie wore 83 outfits, and the majority of them were a cacophony of designer labels, over the knee stockings, Eiffel tower handbags, shoe boots and bejeweled and flowered rouched dresses amongst my more loathed outfits.
Carrie’s style has always shot into the ‘eclectic’ stratosphere of course. And love it or hate it but 'that' wedding dress by Vivianne Westwood was a masterpeice.
Charlotte’s style as always was flawless and polished princess which played off Samantha’s sex kitten wardrobe but for my money I applauded Miranda’s look throughout the movie (with exception of leopard catsuit?) and complimented her figure and colouring.

All in all, I found the movie touching and comforting. Like having your favourite jumper returned to you in time for winter.
I didn’t find anything contrite or forced about the performances, and it left me almost wanting more but knowing that I didn’t want any sad sequel.
All in all, a pleasing result.
... always thine, always mine, ever ours...

Arty photos

What do you tend to take 'arty' photos of?

While I do enjoy the obligatory famous scene shot when visiting countries, I also have favourite scenes or objects that I also like snapping.

A lone tree for instance, really captures my imagination and always gets my shutter finger itchy, like wise an ordinary object at close range. Boats, also for some reason – maybe its hereditary as my grandfather enjoyed crafting and sailing boats. So I have created a small showcase of my favoruite 'arty' (farty) shots.


A lone tree 05 Sydney Harbour 06

Polyesian Katamaran Twisted French tree

Garden light through leaf Traditional Thai boat

Life as a CD reviewer;

Panic At The Disco - Pretty.Odd.

I was excited and intrepid when I pushed play on Panic at the Disco's new album. While I enjoyed PATD's first CD A fever you can't sweat out, I was afraid that perhaps that was it for them, and they could not evolve thier sound.
Recorded in Las Vegas, and mixed at Abbey Road Studios, it seems PATD have been digging around in thier parents records for this almost folky punk laced with electro-emo-pop.

From the beginning I feel, for my money, this album is better than thier debut.
Amusing intro song, Oh, how it's been so long
We're so sorry we've been gone
We were busy writing songs for you
The new single Nine in the Afternoon still hearkens on thier old sound to pull the fans in.
I Have Friends In Holy Spaces is a like introducing a ukulele to Christina Aguleria's Back to Basics album, while Northern Downpour, Behind the Sea and From a Mountain in the Middle show off some neat lyrical twists.
Pas De Cheval is hilariously my favourite, like a spaghetti western set to music!
The album has a sentimental feel to it, the melodies feel like a soundtrack pulling the songs through cheesy westerns, Chicago style gin joints, going off to court with Maid Marion and the gentility and into the Yellow Submarine for some flower power.

PATD have continued thier penchant for irritatingly long song names, I wasn't keen on it to begin with but its return does not please me.
Guess I can't like everything!

Its like Chicago meets Flower Child, watched over by Beatles of the past.

Track Listing:
1. We're So Starving
2. Nine In The Afternoon
3. She's A Handsome Woman
4. Do You Know What I'm Seeing?
5. That Green Gentleman [Things Have Changed]
6. I Have Friends In Holy Spaces
7. Northern Downpour
8. When The Day Met The Night
9. Pas De Cheval
10. The Piano Knows Something I Don't Know
11. Behind The Sea
12. Folkin' Around
13. She Had The World
14. From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins
15. Mad As Rabbits

Went up to the lab... Saw what was on the slab.

Brilliant.

Our seats we so fantastic mum had her foot trodden on by one of the Phantoms (bother) and if he was interested iOTA could look right down my cleavage as he went down the stairs.

I had my doubts about a bruntte Riff Raff (Blonde is good for Richard O'Brien and he wrote it!) but Paul Capsis pulled it off well and truely....

iOTA is amazing as Frank n Furter, and I could not fault his presence or performance an ounce.

My favourite though (aside from Frank) was probably Sharon Millerchip as Columbia, a tiny twirling lady who belted out her numbers with guts.

Costuming was fab! Cleaver, functional and hot!

Amuzingly enough (NOT, don't get me started) we got an understudy... well the understudy's understudy?

Both Simon Farrow and his understudy were unable to perform as Rocky, so we got the production manager! I bet he's glad he goes to the gym since he had to bop around stange in a pair of gold underwear.

SO GLAD I AM GOING AGAIN!