nowhere boy (2009 ) - sam taylor-wood

Focusing on John Lennon's teenage years and the tug of love between his prim and proper Aunt Mimi, and Julia, his fun-loving mother, up to the trip first to Hamburg, Nowhere Boy was a let down to me. I thought it was too obvious in places, presented a version of Liverpool that was a lot tidier and cleaner  than it is/was, and his mother was just waaaaay to wacky and joyful, or depressed. The first meetings with Paul and George, although based on facts, did not ring true with the acting, and the crazy way it was portrayed when they were riding the buses, or swapping the record, also seemed unbelievable, even though those kind of things happened. Most of it just seemed false, which is a hard thing to aim at a film based on well known facts.

toodle pip

the arc rouges gallery

While out and about recently, l was persuaded to go down to the Arc in Colburn as they were showing some football game or other I wasn't that interested in. Now don't get me wrong, l enjoy a drink as much as the next man. I also frequent the Arc now and again. But just take a gander at the collection of rogues they have in the (out of focus) picture above, which is on the bar. What a scary sight first thing in the morning.

toodle pip

nigella talks dirty

Childish but funny - Nigella Lawson talks dirty.

toodle pip

rob lowe - stories l only tell my friends

This book was not as good as l thought it might be, as, due to the title, l naively expected it to be full of scandalous tales, not just an autobiography like many others. It did however, have some tales that were surprising (it's not just all film roles and bonking), and Rob Lowe has certainly had an interesting life. Another thing is, he is obviously an intelligent man who has leanings to the left (politically speaking), so that ticks the boxes for appealing to me. Enjoyed it, but glad l didn't buy it, and it annoys me that he is so good looking.Git.

toodle pip

gemini man starring ben murphy and alias smith and jones

I think there is something missing from my brain (some would say a lot).
I used to love 'Alias Smith and Jones' when l was younger ("Starring Pete Duel and Ben Murphy"), but didn't realise that Ben was also 'Gemini Man', a character who could make himself invisible using his watch. That series has either just passed me by (unlikely), or l have just forgotten about it completely (which seems to be the case). How could my tiny little brain do this to me? What else have l forgotten? What if it has wiped out something l need to remember? What else is it doing to me?
I need a lie down (or is my brain just telling me that to take my mind off this subject?)
I'm confused.

toodle pip

clever and funny street art

I've got to get my spray can out soon, maybe once my car is legal again (it just cost over £500 for it's MOT!). I love this sort of artwork, clever and funny. Lots more can be found here.

toodle pip

kim jong - il and spike milligan

The late and great Spike Milligan wanted it on his headstone, but it is probably more fitting now, seeing as North Korea's leader, Kim Jong il has died.

"I told you l was il"

Thank you very much - I'm here all week

toodle pip

alan bennett - telling tales

The written versions of the TV monologues of his childhood (although l have not actually seen them on TV).
Superb stuff and very dry and droll (as expected). Very, very old school and English.
More of his stuff is gathering dust around the house waiting to be (eventually) delved into (amongst other things).
'Sings - If l only had the time...'.

toodle pip

the krankies in sex swop ding dong fun and games

This is certainly a story l did not want to be waking up to.
Apparently The Krankies have been indulging in partner swapping.
For sex.
We are talking about The Krankies here!

As Viz had in their letters page :
"I've been having sexual fantasies about Jimmy Krankie. Now I don't know whether I'm heterosexual, homosexual or a paedophile."

I think l will give my Cornflakes a miss this morning.

toodle pip

todd mclellan photgraphs and the new dvd player

I have just been trying to connect a new (but reasonably cheap) DVD player and discovered the Scart socket at the back is loose so l cannot get a proper connection. What a pain in the backside, as l can't stomach the thought of having to send it back for a replacement, which obviously won't come until after Christmas. I am therefore thinking about taking it apart and putting in a new Scart socket myself, something l have never done before, but as l am a pretty confident person most of the time (and reasonably bright), l reckon l can work it out, and use the Scart from the old one.
I am pretty sure l wont be as tidy as the above photographs, which are by Todd McLellan, who takes items apart and then photographs them, but l do relish a challenge.
Let's hope it doesn't all end in tears.


toodle pip

michael j fox - always looking up

Much as l admire Michael J Fox and the way he has handled his Parkinsons, l can't say l really enjoyed this book as it was mainly about his work with his foundation, his faith, stem cell research, and the way he was/is dealing with the disease. There was a part about the end of 'Spin City' (the final episode with him in made me blub), and about the 'Tour de France', both parts that l enjoyed, but that was about it for me. He was however, really good recently in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' when he fell out with Larry, willing to blame everything on the Parkinsons, which came as a big surprise to me as l was not even aware he was going to be in the episode. I certainly don't think l would be so positive if l got Parkinsons myself.

toodle pip

american beauty (1999) - sam mendes

I love this film, and am sure l have posted about it before, but it mainly concerns Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) re-adjusting his life and having a bit of a mid-life crisis (before he is shot). Everyone is excellent in it, the music is great, and the humour is pitched at just the right level. Great stuff.

 toodle pip

four months three weeks and two days (2007) - christian mungiu

Set in 1987 in (the then) still Communist Romania, this is a pretty stark Romanian film, following a girl who goes to a hotel to have an illegal abortion, assisted by her friend. Her friend does all the running around, also has to sleep with the abortionist they hired, and then disposes of the foetus afterwards.
Cheerful stuff.
Long silences, bleak settings, and not a lot of laughs.
I enjoyed it.

toodle pip

putting the hours in at joe finnegans

It's been a busy old week. The FPO has been slaving away with her assignments, l have been working as usual, and l have also had to find time to go out and about causing my usual mischief, including a visit to see crazy old Joe Finnegan at his palatial abode, as he is still waiting for his operation and hardly going out. I had Ritchie dragging me out of bed to get some booze from Tesco's (12 year old malt Jameson whisky and boxes of beer and lager), which we then dropped off early doors, and returned at about 5pm, after a couple of scoops in The Wine Bar. We ended up going with Jimmy Cav and Larry (in separate taxis), but Jimmy buggered off after one drink, Larry coughed up some more Jameson's from his place, and a splendid time was had by all. Joe was certainly pleased to see us all, but l wouldn't have liked to have to clean up the next day. Then again, that's what he has Peter for (why get a dog and bark yourself? etc). Ritchie managed to fall on his face in Tesco's and send a trolley flying forward (before he had even had a drink), l whacked Gary in his crown jewels by accident in The Wine Bar, and everyone was very, very intoxicated by the end of the evening. It's not easy putting in the hours (a Keith shift as l would refer to it), but sometimes it just has to be done.

toodle pip

diebold and co and the large forehead

I will admit l have never heard this record before and know nothing about the man on the cover. I do however, suspect he could be gay (nothing wrong with that), but he certainly has one of the largest foreheads l have ever seen.

toodle pip

some of the old super hero costumes - batman, robin and superman

These are some of the original (and old) superhero costumes. They certainly look pretty dated and would never be worn by any of your modern heroes, as their costumes all have to be state of the art, skin tight and fetishy creations to show off their strapping and ripped bodies. The old Batman from the TV series (an unripped Adam West) wouldn't last two minutes against the later versions. Holy Yellow Shoelaces Batman!

toodle pip

the changing face of the spider-man comics and mary janes' larger breasts

Now l love my comics, especially The Amazing Spider-man (amongst many others). I also bow down to no man in my admiration for a fine set of breasts, but l still don't like it when the classic comics that l love so much are given a revamp to appeal to a new and younger generation. I understand it has to be done for higher sales, but l discovered and loved the comics even though l was not an American high school kid and a lot of the references were aimed at Americans and the USA market. If the comics are good, they will sell, but l guess in not enough numbers, otherwise the companies wouldn't bother redrawing them. On the other hand, maybe all the messing around with the artwork devalues the original concept and kudos about owning the comics. Then again, what the hell do l know, apart from Mary Jane Watson certainly got a trendy makeover and larger breasts. So maybe everyone's a winner (especially Peter Parker).

toodle pip

an octopus sunbathing

Here's something you don't see every day, an Octopus catching some rays by Mount Vesuvius. I have (on my many travels) been to Italy, been to Pompeii, been to Mount Vesuvius, but never seen anything like this (not that l was looking out for a lurking Octopus). It's enough to put you off going into the sea, but from what l remember of the Naples area, a lot of it was crap, definitely not the 'See Naples and die' beauty l was led to believe, so l was a bit dubious about going for a dip around those parts anyway.

Photograph by Pasquale Vassallo.

toodle pip

robb hamel velvet art

Black velvet artwork by Robb Hamel, which is pretty moody (but in the good way). Buy it here (if you like it and have a spare couple of grand or so).

toodle pip