Brilliant…
Via Steve Clayton
Morrissey – That’s how people grow up – video
I was driving my car, I crashed and broke my spine…
So yes, there are things worse in life than never being someones sweetie
Morrissey – That’s how people grow up (2008)
0.0018% – that’s Six Sigma!
The production of LEGO bricks is so accurate that only 18 out of 1 million LEGO elements produced is considered defective.
Review – Michael Clayton
In the second installment of my BA053 movie festival, I watched George Clooney doing his thing in Michael Clayton. I can see why women like Mr Clooney – he’s easy on the eye, has a nice smile, a cool voice and he wears lovely clothes, so it’s no wonder he is one of the most popular film stars around for the laydees.
However – he doesn’t seem to play on this too much, he could quite easily just do fluff movies and make loads of moolah – but he seems to have found himself quite a niche in the sort of thoughtful, well paced movies with something real to say…I’m thinking of Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck, and Solaris which appear as highlights next to blockbusters like the Oceans series and rom-coms like Intolerable Cruelty.
In Michael Clayton – he teams up with producer Steven Soderbergh to play a lawyer/fixer in a huge law firm, which is involved in a billion dollar law suit with a corporate client who is hellbent on protecting their interests.
As the previous lawyer (played by the excellent brit Tom Wilkinson) involved unravels spectacularly, Clooney gets in to help clear up – and whilst doing so uncovers the reasons behind the breakdown.
It’s a great movie – understated and quiet, tightly written and directed by Tony Gilroy – underpinned by good strong performances by Clooney and the rest who highlight the inequity of the corporate bad guys in the case but still leave enough space to develop the character of Michael Clayton. Its been out for a while in the UK and was largely overlooked – definitely one to get on DVD.
Yes. We. Can.
Ahead of Super Tuesday here in the US, this seems appropriate
Yes. We. Can.
(via Crooked Timber)
BA053 Movie Reviews – The Valley of Elah
Nine hours on a plane leaves you with few options…you can work (on a Saturday night – yeah), you can sleep (even in Premium Economy I can’t sleep sitting upright) or you can avail yourself of the in-flight entertainment system – which was my choice yesterday as I took BA053 from London to Seattle.
I watched two films on the spin – In The Valley of Elah, and Michael Clayton (more of that later) – it was like a complete film festival in one seat (with no popcorn).
In The Valley of Elah stars Tommy Lee Jones as the father of a man just returned from Iraq who is found murdered near his barracks. Susan Sarandon plays the mother, who watches (mostly) from a distance as her husband uncovers the details behind their sons death.
It is an interesting and engaging murder mystery, which of course raises excellent commentary on the Iraq war and the actions of US troops over there, Tommy Lee-Jones is absolutely excellent, as are Sarandon & Charlize Theron who joins the cast as a local rookie detective looking to overcome her own issues to help investigate the murder.
Thought provoking, sensitive and really well scripted, the characters emerge quickly and fit together well in a fairly complex story that is not afraid to comment on current events. Highly recommended movie, opened in the UK on 25th January – across loads of cinemas now.
American Newspaper?
I like travelling to the US, Seattle is a nice place to go (with nice countryside and views), the food is pretty good, the service is great and shopping is excellent.
Even the hotel I stay in is pretty good – The Hyatt in Bellevue – with big, clean rooms, a gym nearby, good connectivity.
Despite all of this loveliness – the whole trip is missing one thing – newspapers. Its Sunday morning and I’ve just tried to read the Seattle Times whilst having breakfast – WHAT A TERRIBLE PAPER. I’ve had to turn the the intarwebs so that I can read articles from the Observer and The Independent on Sunday, because The Seattle Times (albeit free in the hotel) is such a pile of crap.
I wonder what paper I should be reading whilst I’m here – I could go and buy one…but I don’t know what compares with The Observer, The Indie or even the Sunday Times.
Later with Jools Holland – 200th Edition
Headlining were Radiohead, who did 15 steps, Bodysnatchers and Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (all from In Rainbows). Then there was a holy trinity of cool lady singers – Feist who played a guitar bigger than she was and did My Moon My Man, 1234 and Sealion. Cat Power who did New York New York and another song I can’t remember and Mary J Blige who turned up as the leather clad soul diva and did three awesome songs from her new album.
Rounding it off was Robyn Hitchcock, who sounded like an acoustic Sparks and Dionne Warwick who interviewed but sadly didn’t sing.
Top show – you can watch more of it at the BBC Later website, I can’t see it on the iplayer yet – but I’ll keep checking
Lord Street – Southport – 1906
Lord Street, Southport – 1906, sent to New Windsor Street, Uxbridge – the message here is funny, ‘I hope I did not hit you with that stone on Wed. did I?’
Read the full message by clicking more
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