Hi all. Yes, I've actually remembered to input a blog entry in finally. I wish I could come up with a decent excuse for not doing a blog entry for several weeks, but I can't come up with a decent excuse, so my apologies for not giving you my readers a blog entry sooner. Stick with me, I'm still learning the art of blogging. In an effort to get back to my weekly bloggings , you'll find that your slaidback blog entry will come out on a Tuesday until further notice.
Okay, enough of the apologies. Down to business.
You may have noticed that at the end of February and early this month, there was a little event called the Winter Olympics in the Canadian city of Vancouver. The coverage of this event by Sky in New Zealand was light years ahead of what the previous coverage of an Olympic games was by the state broadcaster, TVNZ with four channels 24/7.
The same can't be said for the coverage of the Winter Olympics companion event, the Winter Paralympics. The coverage of this event is quite frankly shocking with a nightly highlights package that was originally placed at midnight, but quickly moved to a slightly more acceptable time at 10. Which is still a shocking time placement.
Its not like the Paralympics is a bad sporting event to watch- the salom and ice hockey at the winter olympics are considered ideal sports to watch- but what if a skier was doing that salom blindfolded or a sitting down on a sledge? What would you rather watch a guy doing the salom normally or a guy doing the salom who's legally blind?
I'm not asking for four channels of Paralympics that would be excessive, given the importance of the Paralympics in tv sporting events. It would just be nice to be able to watch all of a Paralympic event rather than bits and pieces.
If we, as society are for all equality and equal opportunity, we should treat the pinnacle of sport for people with impairements as an equal to that of an able-bodied event.
Okay, rant over. Tell me what you think.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The 7's. The Top Rating Movie's of all time .
While on holiday in Blenheim, a few weeks ago, the topic of conversation came around to what movies are our worst and best movies of all time-the one's i would rank 0 and 7 retrospectively.
At time the time I couldn't come up with a definite list- i could only sprout a few off my tongue. So this the answer to that question.
Disclaimer: the quotes used in this blog may be a little off.
So seeing its the start of a new decade, here's my list of the Top Rating Movie's of all time, the movie's that deserve a rating of 7 for classic movie in no particular order:
There is a distinct qualfying aspect to this list- its fill of movies I've seen so while movie's like the Godfather are regarded as the best of all time- i haven't included them due to not seeing them- after you can't rank if you haven't seen it.
La vita e bella or Life is Beautiful (1997)
Yes, right now I sound like a foreign language/indie film lover. But this movie deserves to be in any top movie list. This movie will have you shaking with laughter one moment and sobbing the next. While you may have to deal with subtitles- if you are not effected fundamentally in some way by this movie- you could call this movie a classic psychopath test. This movie is famous for the Jewish father in this story disguising the holocaust treatment to his son as a competition to win a life-sized tank. Any synopsis i would write would not do it justice so for synopsis: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/plotsummary
Appropriate Audiences: As this movie involves violence- i would of course not recommend this movie to anyone below the age of 14. However, this is a movie that needs to be seen.
Forrest Gump (1994)
If you haven't even heard of this movie, let alone watched it- then rock you have been living under must be mighty comfortable. This movie about the life of a not-so-bright man called Forrest Gump who succeeds through life and history's challenges despite his difficulities, give's you that inspiration tinkle. Famous for lines like "woah! you step in a whole of pile of @&#*" "it happens".
Appropriate Audiences: This movie has the jackpot of warnings: nudity,violence and coarse language, so not entirely appropriate for young children or those that can't stand the above jackpot.
Schindler's List (1993)
This movie was introduced to me in fourth form by social studies and form teacher, as the one movie that you need to see in order to understand the holocaust. This movie in case you don't know is about the true story of "Oskar Schindler, (a rank and file member of the Nazi Party) uses Jews to start a factory in Poland during the war. He witnesses the horrors endured by the Jews, and starts to save them." (quote taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/)
Completing out this list of the Top Ranking of all time are:
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The original Star Wars Triology
for pure popularity sakes.
The Green Mile (1999)
Fight Club (1999)
Lord of The Rings Triology
because it brought New Zealand and NZ film making into the open.
Life Of Brian (1979)
The Lion King (1994)- the animated movie i grew up with.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
This is what I believe to be a concise list: if you disagree or want to add a movie, leave a comment.
Have fun out there,
Stephen.
At time the time I couldn't come up with a definite list- i could only sprout a few off my tongue. So this the answer to that question.
Disclaimer: the quotes used in this blog may be a little off.
So seeing its the start of a new decade, here's my list of the Top Rating Movie's of all time, the movie's that deserve a rating of 7 for classic movie in no particular order:
There is a distinct qualfying aspect to this list- its fill of movies I've seen so while movie's like the Godfather are regarded as the best of all time- i haven't included them due to not seeing them- after you can't rank if you haven't seen it.
La vita e bella or Life is Beautiful (1997)
Yes, right now I sound like a foreign language/indie film lover. But this movie deserves to be in any top movie list. This movie will have you shaking with laughter one moment and sobbing the next. While you may have to deal with subtitles- if you are not effected fundamentally in some way by this movie- you could call this movie a classic psychopath test. This movie is famous for the Jewish father in this story disguising the holocaust treatment to his son as a competition to win a life-sized tank. Any synopsis i would write would not do it justice so for synopsis: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118799/plotsummary
Appropriate Audiences: As this movie involves violence- i would of course not recommend this movie to anyone below the age of 14. However, this is a movie that needs to be seen.
Forrest Gump (1994)
If you haven't even heard of this movie, let alone watched it- then rock you have been living under must be mighty comfortable. This movie about the life of a not-so-bright man called Forrest Gump who succeeds through life and history's challenges despite his difficulities, give's you that inspiration tinkle. Famous for lines like "woah! you step in a whole of pile of @&#*" "it happens".
Appropriate Audiences: This movie has the jackpot of warnings: nudity,violence and coarse language, so not entirely appropriate for young children or those that can't stand the above jackpot.
Schindler's List (1993)
This movie was introduced to me in fourth form by social studies and form teacher, as the one movie that you need to see in order to understand the holocaust. This movie in case you don't know is about the true story of "Oskar Schindler, (a rank and file member of the Nazi Party) uses Jews to start a factory in Poland during the war. He witnesses the horrors endured by the Jews, and starts to save them." (quote taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/)
Completing out this list of the Top Ranking of all time are:
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The original Star Wars Triology
for pure popularity sakes.
The Green Mile (1999)
Fight Club (1999)
Lord of The Rings Triology
because it brought New Zealand and NZ film making into the open.
Life Of Brian (1979)
The Lion King (1994)- the animated movie i grew up with.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
This is what I believe to be a concise list: if you disagree or want to add a movie, leave a comment.
Have fun out there,
Stephen.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Happy New Year.
First things first; before I launch into this week's entry- I want to wish all those who take the time to read my blog fill of my ranting and ravings and those that you and I know a Happy New Year fill of wonder, joy and all things nice. While I'm wishing good fortune, I also have to beg a bit of pardon. As you will notice the date for this entry is Friday 8 January 2010- i was so intending on doing this blog yesterday- but you tend to lose what day your on- when your holidaying.
Right, to the topic of the week- as you may of noticed from my last blog I was on hiatus- due to me going on holiday to Queenstown, Blenheim and Wellington. This blog entry may have a future-looking tilt to it- this was due to me writing the bare bones of this blog entry in Christchurch airport waiting for my plane to unload. For my regular reader(s), this blog entry is not my usual blog entry. Don't worry, normalcy will revert soon.
This hoilday entailed Queenstown for Christmas, Blenheim for that period between Christmas and New Year and Wellington for New Years.
You know something is going to be good, when your sister says ' before (completely) you step off the plane, take a deep breath and breath the cleanest air in the world'. This seemingly tourist byline did not do the experience of getting off a plane in Queenstown. It sounds clique- but when you refer to a place like Queenstown words don't really seem to do it justice- if you don't believe me check out my sister and brother in laws blog: http://gregandandreajarvis.blogspot.com/
Let's just say there's a reason why they call Queenstown and its surrounding areas 'heaven'.
I was only in Queenstown from the 23rd-26th, but the exprience has me putting that in my 'good stuff to replay' file. I went up and down the gondola, did the luge- the scenic and i think it was called the experienced track- i just call it the fast track. I got criticsed for taking my sweet time on the scenic track- its scenic- you look at the scenery! Did some target shooting which i was surprisingly good at. You would think a person with a tendency to have uncoordinated moments and guns shouldn't mix- but the bullets we're hitting their mark. Oh also went up the Remarkables- which interestingly enough- sit on a true North-South plane, which is a hairy ride, in summer.
My next stop on my journey was Blenheim. However in order to get to Blenheim- i had to go via Christchurch and Wellington. I would just like add something quick about Christchurch-my first expriences of Christchurch- which aren't that much, because i didn't venture beyond the airport doors. Firstly, Christchurch is flat...like a size zero super model. I did seem some hills..kinda in the distance though.. As for the airport it is the most depressing airport- it has no features- the food court is stuck upstairs in a corner out of the way and just a tiny small bookstore. Maybe I was infected with airports-are-boringitis. Wellington's domestic airport at least looks like a shopping mall.
Once I had finally got to Blenheim and had to chance to exprience, I was pleastantly surprised- i was expecting your average New Zealand town with a church, a square, a row of shops- Blenheim was still your still your average town- but dressed well and bigger than just a church, a square and a row of shops- think a small university campus mixed with a typical urban centre you get in the city suburbs of Wellington, Auckland and probably Christchurch. From what gathered with Blenheim is that you use it as good base for all the stuff to do in the north south island, which invariably involve the Marlborough Sounds.
I got two expriences of the Marlborough Sounds- one by car and one by boat. You just keep going 'ooh, pretty', just at differing speeds- by boat the 'ooh pretty lasted a bit' but that's the point your supposed to immense yourself in good old natural New Zealand pretty. By car, you simply turn a corner or go over a hill and you get your classic wow moment.
The exprience of seeing the Marlborough Sounds had another less important purpose- it got me to Wellington. I got two experiences of Wellington- your typical airport transit exprience-refer to airportitis above. My Wellington exprience was one of exploration-exploring downtown Wellington, the houses of parliament and Te Papa. Now parliament on tv looks big- however in real life it's surprisingly small. You could easily start to run across the main debating chamber and have to stop before you hit the wall or a chair. But its impressive, no doubt. Anyway power or decision making is made has that aura of importance. Te Papa is one of the those places where its very different, depending what you see and how your with- i saw a Goldie- my god the guy could draw-you could see the wrinkles in the Maori grandmother's face.
After all that, I came Home.
I hope this satisfies the 'how was your hoilday' questions.
Look after yourselves and have fun,
Stephen.
Right, to the topic of the week- as you may of noticed from my last blog I was on hiatus- due to me going on holiday to Queenstown, Blenheim and Wellington. This blog entry may have a future-looking tilt to it- this was due to me writing the bare bones of this blog entry in Christchurch airport waiting for my plane to unload. For my regular reader(s), this blog entry is not my usual blog entry. Don't worry, normalcy will revert soon.
This hoilday entailed Queenstown for Christmas, Blenheim for that period between Christmas and New Year and Wellington for New Years.
You know something is going to be good, when your sister says ' before (completely) you step off the plane, take a deep breath and breath the cleanest air in the world'. This seemingly tourist byline did not do the experience of getting off a plane in Queenstown. It sounds clique- but when you refer to a place like Queenstown words don't really seem to do it justice- if you don't believe me check out my sister and brother in laws blog: http://gregandandreajarvis.blogspot.com/
Let's just say there's a reason why they call Queenstown and its surrounding areas 'heaven'.
I was only in Queenstown from the 23rd-26th, but the exprience has me putting that in my 'good stuff to replay' file. I went up and down the gondola, did the luge- the scenic and i think it was called the experienced track- i just call it the fast track. I got criticsed for taking my sweet time on the scenic track- its scenic- you look at the scenery! Did some target shooting which i was surprisingly good at. You would think a person with a tendency to have uncoordinated moments and guns shouldn't mix- but the bullets we're hitting their mark. Oh also went up the Remarkables- which interestingly enough- sit on a true North-South plane, which is a hairy ride, in summer.
My next stop on my journey was Blenheim. However in order to get to Blenheim- i had to go via Christchurch and Wellington. I would just like add something quick about Christchurch-my first expriences of Christchurch- which aren't that much, because i didn't venture beyond the airport doors. Firstly, Christchurch is flat...like a size zero super model. I did seem some hills..kinda in the distance though.. As for the airport it is the most depressing airport- it has no features- the food court is stuck upstairs in a corner out of the way and just a tiny small bookstore. Maybe I was infected with airports-are-boringitis. Wellington's domestic airport at least looks like a shopping mall.
Once I had finally got to Blenheim and had to chance to exprience, I was pleastantly surprised- i was expecting your average New Zealand town with a church, a square, a row of shops- Blenheim was still your still your average town- but dressed well and bigger than just a church, a square and a row of shops- think a small university campus mixed with a typical urban centre you get in the city suburbs of Wellington, Auckland and probably Christchurch. From what gathered with Blenheim is that you use it as good base for all the stuff to do in the north south island, which invariably involve the Marlborough Sounds.
I got two expriences of the Marlborough Sounds- one by car and one by boat. You just keep going 'ooh, pretty', just at differing speeds- by boat the 'ooh pretty lasted a bit' but that's the point your supposed to immense yourself in good old natural New Zealand pretty. By car, you simply turn a corner or go over a hill and you get your classic wow moment.
The exprience of seeing the Marlborough Sounds had another less important purpose- it got me to Wellington. I got two experiences of Wellington- your typical airport transit exprience-refer to airportitis above. My Wellington exprience was one of exploration-exploring downtown Wellington, the houses of parliament and Te Papa. Now parliament on tv looks big- however in real life it's surprisingly small. You could easily start to run across the main debating chamber and have to stop before you hit the wall or a chair. But its impressive, no doubt. Anyway power or decision making is made has that aura of importance. Te Papa is one of the those places where its very different, depending what you see and how your with- i saw a Goldie- my god the guy could draw-you could see the wrinkles in the Maori grandmother's face.
After all that, I came Home.
I hope this satisfies the 'how was your hoilday' questions.
Look after yourselves and have fun,
Stephen.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
2009: A Year to Ignore?
I know it seems a bit early to give you a year in review- but seeing as each of these blog entries come out on a Thursdays and next Thursday is Christmas Eve and I'm on hoilday to Queenstown, Blenheim and Wellington from the 23rd of December to 3rd January, this will be the last blog of the year.
This being my last blog of the year- brings a key point to mind- how was 2009?
At first look, this year is pretty much a year to ignore and put it into the history file "Bad Years".
The case for 2009 being one of these "Bad Years" obviously starts with economics. The word recession went from one of those square words you never say to the best possible economic outcome to 2009. I really don't need to go into in depth analysis of what a recession did to 2009-it's plainly evident in the numbers of umemployed and less money floating around.
Politically, 2009 has been a year of nothing much happening. Internationally, there is a still war raging in Iraq & Afganistan. North Korea and Iran still like playing with their nuke toys.
Closer to home, Fiji got a military dictatorship, Samoa and surrounding countries got swamped by tsnaumi.
At home, the biggest two things to happen where a smacking debate and the government's decision to sidestep the Royal Commission the Auckland Super City and Referendum on the super city (which was required by law) all in order to get in sorted in time for the local body elections next year.
While this may look all negative and such, but when you compare 2009 to other years in history 2009 comes off as quite a bland year, there have been years that make 2009 look like a walk in the park. Just think about these years: 1989, 1945, 1939 anyone?
It all probably boils down to this: If we had a bad year- then we should our best to make it better. Take the reccession example- while the effect is immense- we know the price of uncontrolled greed.
So have fun and look after yourselves,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, the next blog will on the 7th of January at the latest.
This being my last blog of the year- brings a key point to mind- how was 2009?
At first look, this year is pretty much a year to ignore and put it into the history file "Bad Years".
The case for 2009 being one of these "Bad Years" obviously starts with economics. The word recession went from one of those square words you never say to the best possible economic outcome to 2009. I really don't need to go into in depth analysis of what a recession did to 2009-it's plainly evident in the numbers of umemployed and less money floating around.
Politically, 2009 has been a year of nothing much happening. Internationally, there is a still war raging in Iraq & Afganistan. North Korea and Iran still like playing with their nuke toys.
Closer to home, Fiji got a military dictatorship, Samoa and surrounding countries got swamped by tsnaumi.
At home, the biggest two things to happen where a smacking debate and the government's decision to sidestep the Royal Commission the Auckland Super City and Referendum on the super city (which was required by law) all in order to get in sorted in time for the local body elections next year.
While this may look all negative and such, but when you compare 2009 to other years in history 2009 comes off as quite a bland year, there have been years that make 2009 look like a walk in the park. Just think about these years: 1989, 1945, 1939 anyone?
It all probably boils down to this: If we had a bad year- then we should our best to make it better. Take the reccession example- while the effect is immense- we know the price of uncontrolled greed.
So have fun and look after yourselves,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, the next blog will on the 7th of January at the latest.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Let's all become like Australia!
In case you haven't taken notice of New Zealand political news in the past week to month, you would not have noticed that Don Brash came out of the woodwork, spouting how we can bridge the gap between the Australia and New Zealand. The gap Don Brash was refering to is not the gap that is the Tasman Sea but the economic gap between Australia and New Zealand.
There is quite a significant idea floating around those with National and/or Act feelings, that Australia has good quality stuff that we small poor New Zealanders should strive and get, that we should bridge the economic gap between the Australia and New Zealand and that we would be just rich and powerful as Australia.
Such negativity towards one's own country really bugs me. When one country trys to become like another country, you just get a cheap imiation with a whole bunch of trouble lying not very far under the surface. I firmly believe, like individual human being, each country has their own characteristics and follibles that make that country unique and giving it an identity. If you tamper with that, you end up with a whole raft of problems. Just ask the citizens of country with a dicatorship.
I know New Zealand has some problems that we need to fix, but we should not try to to fix these problems by becoming a lesser version of country that some of us, have a love affair with.
Besides, briding the gap between Australia and New Zealand is impossible, there will always be a gap between us. Why?
New Zealand and Australia are two completely different countries. Australia has a population that dwarfs us, New Zealand has a population similar to the size of Sydney. On the economic scale, Australia is mineral based-gold, uranium, iron etc... whereas New Zealand economy has a agriculture look to it.
On the comparison front, Australia is not a good country to compare ourselves with, after all, you don't determine what's a good quality apple by using a kumara has a reference guide. You compare ourselves with countries like Ireland (they have the same population numbers, plus their next door to a dominant country and have similar policies to us) and Scandinavian countries and we're not that bad. Plus in order to be like Australia, we have to give up stuff that we hold dear. Anyone for not helping poor people or elderly?
Okay, rant's over. Bye now.
There is quite a significant idea floating around those with National and/or Act feelings, that Australia has good quality stuff that we small poor New Zealanders should strive and get, that we should bridge the economic gap between the Australia and New Zealand and that we would be just rich and powerful as Australia.
Such negativity towards one's own country really bugs me. When one country trys to become like another country, you just get a cheap imiation with a whole bunch of trouble lying not very far under the surface. I firmly believe, like individual human being, each country has their own characteristics and follibles that make that country unique and giving it an identity. If you tamper with that, you end up with a whole raft of problems. Just ask the citizens of country with a dicatorship.
I know New Zealand has some problems that we need to fix, but we should not try to to fix these problems by becoming a lesser version of country that some of us, have a love affair with.
Besides, briding the gap between Australia and New Zealand is impossible, there will always be a gap between us. Why?
New Zealand and Australia are two completely different countries. Australia has a population that dwarfs us, New Zealand has a population similar to the size of Sydney. On the economic scale, Australia is mineral based-gold, uranium, iron etc... whereas New Zealand economy has a agriculture look to it.
On the comparison front, Australia is not a good country to compare ourselves with, after all, you don't determine what's a good quality apple by using a kumara has a reference guide. You compare ourselves with countries like Ireland (they have the same population numbers, plus their next door to a dominant country and have similar policies to us) and Scandinavian countries and we're not that bad. Plus in order to be like Australia, we have to give up stuff that we hold dear. Anyone for not helping poor people or elderly?
Okay, rant's over. Bye now.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
New Look
Hey People, just a quick update on blog housekeeping matters, to let you know what's up and coming.
Firstly, you'll notice the New Look. The reasoning behind this is to have something flexible that I change to suit the season or mood i'm in. So yes, in a week or two the blog will look kinda christmasey.
Now to the what's coming up bit:
Expect some social policy/ political blogging from me soon. In particular Don Brash, appearing out of the woodwork proposing that we should just be like Australia! I would've have posted that article today-but that involves research which i haven't done yet, so expect that.
I've had a positive comment from this blog's number one fan about me posting my hopefully future novel, if it's any good that is. That'll be up to you. I promise to leave you in suspense at the end of every novel posting.
That's pretty much it. Sorry for the lack of substance post. Big postings are coming. Don't forget if you have anything you would like me to talk about, i'll do so.
Have fun out there.
Firstly, you'll notice the New Look. The reasoning behind this is to have something flexible that I change to suit the season or mood i'm in. So yes, in a week or two the blog will look kinda christmasey.
Now to the what's coming up bit:
Expect some social policy/ political blogging from me soon. In particular Don Brash, appearing out of the woodwork proposing that we should just be like Australia! I would've have posted that article today-but that involves research which i haven't done yet, so expect that.
I've had a positive comment from this blog's number one fan about me posting my hopefully future novel, if it's any good that is. That'll be up to you. I promise to leave you in suspense at the end of every novel posting.
That's pretty much it. Sorry for the lack of substance post. Big postings are coming. Don't forget if you have anything you would like me to talk about, i'll do so.
Have fun out there.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sometimes you have nothing to write about it.
Yes, I'm pulling that Editiors Note trick when you have nothing to write about. You write about writing you not having the ability to write something in this place.
Whenever I read Editors columns or notes I thought that writing a column about writing was a complete cop-out. While it is still invariably a cop-out, those people have my sympathies. It's not like I don't have subjects and stuff to talk about it I just can't possibly think of anything to write about.
Writer's block is my main enemy. I have some excellent ideas for stories/books/novels but the closest I get to writing something decent is one chapter, then stuff just starts fizzing out on me. Hmm...
I do have some ideas to write about, its just expanding on those ideas. Here's some ideas I want to run past you lot;
I'm seriously considering for the fun of it, gradually posting in chapters of my fiction story that runs through my head. I'd love to know what you think of them.
Plus If you have a social policy issue that you want me to investigate for you, I'll do that.
While this blog entry doesn't seem it, i would it love it for more people to read what I have to say, call it my egotistical trait, so feel free to spread the word.
Sorry about the dullness. Bye now.
Whenever I read Editors columns or notes I thought that writing a column about writing was a complete cop-out. While it is still invariably a cop-out, those people have my sympathies. It's not like I don't have subjects and stuff to talk about it I just can't possibly think of anything to write about.
Writer's block is my main enemy. I have some excellent ideas for stories/books/novels but the closest I get to writing something decent is one chapter, then stuff just starts fizzing out on me. Hmm...
I do have some ideas to write about, its just expanding on those ideas. Here's some ideas I want to run past you lot;
I'm seriously considering for the fun of it, gradually posting in chapters of my fiction story that runs through my head. I'd love to know what you think of them.
Plus If you have a social policy issue that you want me to investigate for you, I'll do that.
While this blog entry doesn't seem it, i would it love it for more people to read what I have to say, call it my egotistical trait, so feel free to spread the word.
Sorry about the dullness. Bye now.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Hi. I'm Stephen and I'm a Twihard.
Unless you've been living in a cave working on your diabolical plan to take over the world, you may have noticed that certain 2nd installment of a pop culture phenomenon has hit the world today. This pop culture phenomenon comes in the form of a movie titled: New Moon.
It's always a danger reviewing a massive movie that's hit the hyperactivity levels of a two-year-old on sugar, purely because said movie has a army of fans ready to devour this film, not once but several times.
In case your perplexed about this little cultural phenomenon, The Twilight Saga and New Moon is your classic romance with vampires and werewolves thrown into the mix. The Twilight Saga is one of those stories that trying to explain it makes the recipient of the explanation even more confused then when they started out. Basically it goes something like this: girl moves into a small town, falls for a mysterious guy who turns out to be a vampire, other vampires want to kill her, in order to protect her vampire boyfriend leaves her who promptly falls into the arms of a shape-shifter werewolf and saves vampire boyfriend from Vampire royalty after he believes she's dead.
Confused? If so, before watching New Moon, read the books of the saga, things will make more sense then the quick summary above.
When a movie such as New Moon, is based on a popular book of the same name, it can invariably hard to include all the moments in the book, into the film. Like its predessor, New Moon had conversations in different places from that of the book and had props and features that didn't exist like an elevator in the Volturi ( that's the 'vampire royalty' i was talking about earlier) but i'm probably nit picking.
The best bits in this film were the special effects used with the viewer being able to see the emotion in the werewolves eyes. Also, being the big boy that I am the action scenes made me jump and get right into the movie.
Rating: On my scale of 1-7, New Moon deserves a 5. New Moon would have got a 6, if it didn't rely on the movie audience having read the books. That being said, New Moon was entertaining and worth a seeing to. I'm expecting a range 2-3's in professional reviews.
Appropriate Audiences: Fans of the Twilight Saga. More grown-up from the previous movie that the saga gets its name from, so not appropriate for anybody who can't stand mild violence.
It's always a danger reviewing a massive movie that's hit the hyperactivity levels of a two-year-old on sugar, purely because said movie has a army of fans ready to devour this film, not once but several times.
In case your perplexed about this little cultural phenomenon, The Twilight Saga and New Moon is your classic romance with vampires and werewolves thrown into the mix. The Twilight Saga is one of those stories that trying to explain it makes the recipient of the explanation even more confused then when they started out. Basically it goes something like this: girl moves into a small town, falls for a mysterious guy who turns out to be a vampire, other vampires want to kill her, in order to protect her vampire boyfriend leaves her who promptly falls into the arms of a shape-shifter werewolf and saves vampire boyfriend from Vampire royalty after he believes she's dead.
Confused? If so, before watching New Moon, read the books of the saga, things will make more sense then the quick summary above.
When a movie such as New Moon, is based on a popular book of the same name, it can invariably hard to include all the moments in the book, into the film. Like its predessor, New Moon had conversations in different places from that of the book and had props and features that didn't exist like an elevator in the Volturi ( that's the 'vampire royalty' i was talking about earlier) but i'm probably nit picking.
The best bits in this film were the special effects used with the viewer being able to see the emotion in the werewolves eyes. Also, being the big boy that I am the action scenes made me jump and get right into the movie.
Rating: On my scale of 1-7, New Moon deserves a 5. New Moon would have got a 6, if it didn't rely on the movie audience having read the books. That being said, New Moon was entertaining and worth a seeing to. I'm expecting a range 2-3's in professional reviews.
Appropriate Audiences: Fans of the Twilight Saga. More grown-up from the previous movie that the saga gets its name from, so not appropriate for anybody who can't stand mild violence.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Movie Reviews: Julie & Julia
Hi all. As some of you know, maybe from reading last week's blog, ( If you haven't read last week's blog just scroll to the next one, it'll explain what i'm doing with this blog) one of my pastimes is to watch movies and then write a review about it. This week's review is about a cooking orienated dual biography: Julie and Julia.
Before I get into a review of this movie, i must explain how I do reviews because my reviews are not your typical run of the mill reviews. I like to think i do things a bit differently. While I do some things a bit differently in my reviews, I do the things that you would expect in a review- like actually talk about the movie itself. Okay, the things I do differently are....
Ratings: I don't use the normal 5 star rating. I personally think it dosen't give you a clear indication of what I think about the movie at a quick glance. I use a 7 star rating. I do this to get a distinction between good and legendary on one end of the scale and Poor and Average and the other end of the scale. So my scale goes like this; 1: Don't Ever Watch it/Bad 2: Poor 3: Only a few wierd people would like this/ Ok 4: Average/ Run of the Mill 5: Good 6: Excellent 7: A future classic-legendary.
The other thing i like to add which is not that common in reviews is a suitable auidence, i'm not talking what the movie is rated, but who would most enjoy the movie.
Ok to the movie review itself:
Julie and Julia.
Plot: Like I said previously, Julie and Julia is a dual-biography movie, about the lives of two women- Julia Child- the famous and one of the first celebrity chefs and trials and tribulations she goes through in getting her first french cooking book written and Julie Powell- who wrote a blog about making her way through Julia Child famous 1st recipe book and the trials and tribulations of achieving that goal.
While saying ' trials and tribulations' makes this movie sound like a boring biography angst driven movie, both biographies are done with such humour that makes your sides hurt as though you've run a marathon, so in fact this movie is actually- comedy/ drama. A dramedy if you like.
Normally, a movie would have a dull point in which they would need to have a montage or something of the like to move time along, however with Julie and Julia there is no dull spots, by the end of the movie, one is devouring the what the real person has done/is doing now information.
Ratings: Julie and Julia is 6. Excellent, but I don't think it would get an academy award, maybe a Bafta- the brits understand comedy a bit better.
Appropriate Auidence: While Julie and Julia is centred around cooking and the trials of cooking, it dosen't just cater to just the foodies. Julie and Julia does an extremely of making the movie enjoyable for everybody- when something was funny- the whole movie theatre was cracking up. With this in mind- an appopriate auidence for Julie and Julia would be for everybody, although kids may not find it neccessairly too entertaining- so for an adult family.
Before I get into a review of this movie, i must explain how I do reviews because my reviews are not your typical run of the mill reviews. I like to think i do things a bit differently. While I do some things a bit differently in my reviews, I do the things that you would expect in a review- like actually talk about the movie itself. Okay, the things I do differently are....
Ratings: I don't use the normal 5 star rating. I personally think it dosen't give you a clear indication of what I think about the movie at a quick glance. I use a 7 star rating. I do this to get a distinction between good and legendary on one end of the scale and Poor and Average and the other end of the scale. So my scale goes like this; 1: Don't Ever Watch it/Bad 2: Poor 3: Only a few wierd people would like this/ Ok 4: Average/ Run of the Mill 5: Good 6: Excellent 7: A future classic-legendary.
The other thing i like to add which is not that common in reviews is a suitable auidence, i'm not talking what the movie is rated, but who would most enjoy the movie.
Ok to the movie review itself:
Julie and Julia.
Plot: Like I said previously, Julie and Julia is a dual-biography movie, about the lives of two women- Julia Child- the famous and one of the first celebrity chefs and trials and tribulations she goes through in getting her first french cooking book written and Julie Powell- who wrote a blog about making her way through Julia Child famous 1st recipe book and the trials and tribulations of achieving that goal.
While saying ' trials and tribulations' makes this movie sound like a boring biography angst driven movie, both biographies are done with such humour that makes your sides hurt as though you've run a marathon, so in fact this movie is actually- comedy/ drama. A dramedy if you like.
Normally, a movie would have a dull point in which they would need to have a montage or something of the like to move time along, however with Julie and Julia there is no dull spots, by the end of the movie, one is devouring the what the real person has done/is doing now information.
Ratings: Julie and Julia is 6. Excellent, but I don't think it would get an academy award, maybe a Bafta- the brits understand comedy a bit better.
Appropriate Auidence: While Julie and Julia is centred around cooking and the trials of cooking, it dosen't just cater to just the foodies. Julie and Julia does an extremely of making the movie enjoyable for everybody- when something was funny- the whole movie theatre was cracking up. With this in mind- an appopriate auidence for Julie and Julia would be for everybody, although kids may not find it neccessairly too entertaining- so for an adult family.
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