katalin varga (2009) - peter strickland

Katalin Varga was made very cheaply in Romania (Transylvania!!), although the cast are speaking Hungarian (but luckily for me, it was subtitled). Katalin had been raped 11 years previously, but when her husband finds out the son is not his (and kicks them both out) she decides to get retribution on her attackers. Sadly, it was not that good a film, but there were a lot of great shots of the Romanian scenery (filmed in a natural way, so it looked real, not on film). It got better right at the end, when she stayed with the family of the rapist, but l certainly wouldn't recommend it that much (there's not even that much violence for pity's sake!).

toodle pip

lucky number slevin - (2006) paul mcguigan

Another film that has been out for a while that l had not got round to watching. Also, another film that l should have watched ages ago, as l loved it. Lucky Number Slevin deals with murders, lone sharks, crime lords and mistaken identity. Things are going bad for Slevin (Josh Hartnett), so he decides to stay at a friends in New York, but gets mistaken for the person he is supposed to be staying with. This means he gets caught between the two crime lords (Ben Kingsley and Morgan Freeman), and there is also a shady hit man lurking around (Bruce Willis). Of course (as they always do) Slevin falls in love with a girl (Lucy Liu), and there are lots of twists and turns in the story. Excellent.

toodle pip

more rudolph mates illustrations - a forest story

A Forest Story is from 1929 and l think the illustrations in this (by Rudolph Mates) are even better than his work on The Cock And The Hens. More of his work can be found here. Enjoy!

toodle pip

rudolph mates illustrations - the cock and the hen

These Rudoph Mates illustrations are from 'The Cock And The Hen' by Joseph Kozisek, and l like them a lot. More from him later.

toodle pip

attacked postter

toodle pip

good will hunting (1997) - gus van sant and elliot smith - between the bars

I must have been one of the few people in the western world never to have seen Good Will Hunting since it's release (apart from a few minutes), but l am afraid that is the case. Until today of course, as l have just successfully sat all the way through it, and l must admit, enjoyed it a lot. It's (as if most of you out there didn't already know) the story of a troubled lad, the eponymous Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who is discovered to be a genius. He is also a tearaway with abandonment issues, which he gradually deals with during his therapy sessions with Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). After acknowledging that his abuse as a child was not his fault, Hunting has to decide if he wants a career using his intellect, or a succession of dead end jobs in the same neighbourhood. Of course he also falls in love along the way, with a (to me) annoying Minnie Driver, playing Skylar (even the name is annoying, as was her accent). There is a great soundtrack by Elliot Smith, and the film deserved the Oscar nominations (and wins). I can't believe it has taken me so long to watch it.

toodle pip

art for places project - bootle 2008

I missed the Art For Places project when it hitched up in Bootle in 2008 (as l was swanning around New York at the time), but l grew up in the street next to this balloon and have been in the pub on the corner (The Pacific) on many an occasion. I'm all for art projects in deprived areas, although l would have preferred a permanent item, like the Antony Gormley statues at Crosby beach (Bootle beach to me). Just don't give the artists all of the money, and use local craftsmen to make the exhibits.

The Johnson's factory was the landmark l most related to as a nipper, but apparently, it is going to be transformed into flats and shops. At least it is not being knocked down, it should be (if it is not already) be classed as a listed building). I hope the renovation works out better than the bee hives they installed along the canal.

toodle pip

johnny cash (folsom city blues) and gordon jenkins / beverly maher (crescent city blues)

Now l would not like to say that Johnny Cash stole Folsom City Blues from Gordon Jenkins and Beverly Maher, but let's face it, as much as l love him, he did (and later had to pay up). Listen for yourself and make your own mind up.

toodle pip

at the caravan site and off work

Hurrah! I have been slaving away for the last week or so, but l am now off until Thursday afternoon. Haven't done a lot recently, apart from myself and the FPO visiting the relatives at the caravan site by Richmond on Saturday (they were calling in there, they are not travellers), but that was only because there was an offer of free hot dogs with onions laid on the table (in both senses). We all managed to fit into the caravan, despite the kiddie toys on the floor (I hope they were Lauren's), and we also managed a brief visit to the river before l had to head back, as l was working that afternoon/evening. On Sunday, Robbo and Kerry called round for the footie, but the less said about that the better (apart from little Jamie kicking my head). I actually finished work yesterday evening, but stayed up watching the first series of 'Pete Versus Life' into the early hours, as l had not seen any of them before. They were well worth the late night effort, and the show has really impressed me, it's both off beat and original. Rather sadly, I was then woken this morning by the FPO getting ready for work, so l was up and out of bed, downstairs and watching films by 7am (hence the reviews below). What a nightmare, but l just couldn't get back to sleep. I have been alternating between TV and the computer all morning, as l still feel tired, so l don't want to read a book at the moment. At least there is football on again tonight, time for United to repair their reputation against the mighty Aldershot in the Mickey Mouse Cup, in preparation for the Everton game on Saturday (when l am off for the weekend! - and there is a party!). No doubt little Michael Owen will score again and there will be a campaign for him to be recalled for England (yawn). It's a hard life, but you can't let the bastards grind you down.

toodle pip

the taking of pelham one two three (1974) - joseph sargent

The old school version of the film, as The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three was remade in 2009 (but l haven't seen that one, so can't comment on it). As you could probably guess (unless you were an idiot), a subway train (guess which one) is hijacked, and a ransom of one million dollars is demanded (it is, after all, 1974), or the hijackers (headed by 'Mr Blue' (Robert Shaw) state they will start killing the hostages one by one. Lieutenant Garber (Walter Matthau) negotiates and tries to stall them, but the money is paid. Now all the police have to do is work out how the hijackers plan to escape, and how they can catch them. It's pretty slowly paced for most of the film, but it is also absorbing and believable. George from Seinfeld's dad is in it (Jerry Stiller, father of Ben), as is Woody Allen's best friend in 'Play it Again Sam' (Tony Roberts), so there are distractions, albeit good ones. Tarantino ripped off the 'colours instead of names' idea for Reservoir Dogs, so there's an bonus recommendation, not that it is needed. Class.

toodle pip

ricky gervais and the mong controversy

So, Ricky Gervais has apologised for using the word 'Mong' after talking to the mother of a disabled child. It is good that he has taken other peoples opinions on board, and admitted he was in the wrong to use the word in the context that he did, because of the abuse that disabled children (or adults for that matter) may get. He had defended the use in the past because as far as he was concerned, the use had changed from describing a down's syndrome person (formally known as mongoloids), to just meaning an idiot in general (probably after people referring to themselves and others as 'monged' when on too much ecstacy). In the same way 'gay' no longer just means happy, he thought it had moved on. Obviously words can (and do) change their meaning over time and are also re-appropriated by victims of the word to give them autonomy over them (nigger, fag, queer, bitch), but l do think he used the word inappropriately. However, I do not think he should have been censored, and he should be free to say what he wants, after all, they are just words. It is then up to other people to let him know if they think the words are harmful, may incite bullying or hatred, or are just not funny. Anyone may (sometimes inadvertently) say something that is out of order, and if so, should be bought to task for doing so, which will (hopefully) prevent them from using the word (or words) again. If they continue to use an offending word, don't listen to them, hang around with them, or watch them (especially if they have a platform such as TV), but they should still be able to say them. That is the way to get them to change, not censorship. Comedy should make fun of anything, as long as it is funny and not bullying, but this would (in my humble opinion, which is really not that humble) exclude words that refer to specific disabilities and disabled groups (flid, spas, mong etc) who will suffer the consequences of their use. That does not mean that jokes cannot be made about disabilities, as long as the laughter is with them, not aimed at them. I also think new words of abuse will spring up, such as LD (to mean someone with learning difficulties of disabilities), but it does not mean they should be encouraged in any way. It's a mighty fine line to tread though, as peoples ideas of comedy and what may be deemed appropriate vary significantly. Good luck with the joke telling in the future.

toodle pip