milton glaser - design genius and the unfit dogs of america

I was watching an excellent documentary on Sky Arts about Milton Glaser the other day, and it obviously showed some of his design classics, some of which are above (the New York one is the most famous). One thing that caught my attention however, was the packaging for dog food. It's not the design on the packaging itself, which does the job nicely, it's what the Americans were feeding their dogs in the first place. Burger with cheese flavoured dog food!! Only in America etc......

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scenes of a sexual nature (2006) - ed blum

Scenes of a Sexual Nature has some vaguely interlocking stories of people out for the day on Hampstead Heath and it features lots of stars from the UK (Ewen McGregor, Catherine Tate, Andrew Lincoln etc). It's pretty easy going, and whimsical in places, but it also has you trying to anticipate what is going on in a scene, or what the outcome of some encounters will be. Pretty well done, and so much better than other British (so called) comedy-dramas with local stars in (I'm talking about you - Richard Curtis!!), although it was still outrageously middle class. Tom Hardy was my favourite character, pestering girls and generally acting wacky. Don't know why l should relate to that though. It's also another role where McGregor plays a gay man (I've just watched him in I Love You Phillip Morris). This is getting to be waaaaay to regular an occurrence, for both him and me. I think l need a lie down.

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lilja 4-ever (2002) - lukas moodysson

There's nothing like a nice cheerful Swedish film to pass the time, and this (you've guessed it!), was nothing like a nice cheerful Swedish film (but it passed the time). Lilja 4-ever tells the story of Lilja (Oksana Akinshina), and her gradual (but downward) spiral into the sex trade. She is originally from the Eastern Block (it's not specified in the film), but is abandoned by her mother, has to use her wits to survive, and is then tricked into leaving the country for a (supposedly) better life. Pretty grim all the way through, but an excellent film, loosely based on a true story, and 100% believable.

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lost in translation

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signed (and old) status quo pictures

Status Quo used to be cool. Nobody believes me if l tell them now, but at one time, they were outsiders, a band of the people, and they knew how to ROCK!!!!

This was all many moons ago.

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david bowie heroes out takes

Does exactly what it says on the tin - out-takes from the David Bowie Heroes photo shoot (taken by Masayoshi Sukita). Iconic pop history would have been changed if they had used a different shot (and 99% of the world would not have cared less - only us sados).

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christmas with cliff

What kind of new Hell is this?

Christmas?

With Cliff?

With the Daily Mail?

No thanks - l think l'm busy.

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rather brilliant tom samui sculptures

These sculptures are made of recycled car and motor bike parts and can be made to order. Fantastic stuff - shame l am so poor, or l would cough up for a giant something or other (rabbit?) in the front garden to scare off the neighbours.

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some old silent movie posters

I just love the colouring and layout in these old posters. They certainly don't make them like that anymore.

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the basketball diaries (1995) - scott kalvert

Based on the book/autobiography by Jim Carroll, a promising basketball player who became addicted to drugs (mainly heroin). The Basketball Diaries was sadly lacking something or other, as it just didn't ring true, sometimes feeling too staged and over the top (although it did feature Carroll himself, who makes a short appearance as a junkie). Carroll (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), loses interest in basketball as he descends into addiction, and all the fun that brings (homelessness, lawlessness, prostitution) until, after a spell in the old chokey (Rikers), he cleans up and gets on with being a writer/artist. It deals with growing up and loyalty amongst friends and family, and also the hatred one can have towards classmates, teachers and society. There is an often copied fantasy sequence when Carroll shoots up a classroom (and the inhabitants) while wearing a long black coat, but most of the time his acting couldn't hold a bubbling spoon up to the cast of Trainspoting, which was sooooooooooooooo much better and realistic. I suppose these sort of films and tales are meant to put you off drugs, but l always want to have a bash and start cooking up the minute they have finished (or during them). I need help, as l am a very sad (and old) man.

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