Music: Winter Snow

As the snow fast approaches, and the heating is blaring at full blast, I have decide it's about time to start counting down to Christmas with a selection of festive song recommendations. And, what better way to start than with a song I only just heard today?! They say every day is a school day, and this one has been no exception.

Winter Song is a track featured on Chris Tomlin's winter 2009 album, 'Glory in the Highest.' Last year I was completely in love with his song Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) but in my excitement (and general indifference towards the oh-so-very-CMM music of Chris Tomlin) apparently forgot to listen to the rest of the album. Therefore, this song has come to my attention a full 365 days-ish later!

Audrey Assad lends a beautifully ethereal vocal to the track, which speaks about God's choice to speak to the world not through fire, flame, trumpets or earthquakes, but through the action of sending a fragile and peaceful baby. The piano accompaniment is simple and the chords are, á la CCM, open and ringing. The song is not burdened by all the trimmings of a Christmas track; no sleigh bells, kids choirs or sax solos are anywhere to be heard, and it is all the better for it. The simplicity of the arrangement reflects the sentiment of the song; that the powerful God of heaven chose to speak softly as a light winter snow. It is refreshing to consider the amazing symbolism of the Christmas story and what it reveals about God, and this song leads you to just that.

Check out the rest of the album, if you want to escape the Wizzard and Wham, this season. More Christmas song reviews coming up soon!

Music: Skunk Anansie - Wonderlustre (2010)

Skin is back!

I am so excited about the return of Skunk Anansie. Famously dubbing themselves as 'an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage,' the band had huge success in the late nineties and early noughties before paling into music history. Lead singer, Skin, was that brand of rock-band front-woman who would probably smack you in the face just to be seen as one of the guys. Remember 'Hedonism (Just because it feels good)' and 'Brazen'? Well, fully re-formed and rocking, Skunk Anansie is back, and their new album is a wild ride.

Opening track, 'God Loves Only You,' is certainly a though-provoking song, switching between gentle vocals and huge rocking riffs. Next up is 'My Ugly Boy' which has an old-school brit-pop feel about it. It's the first single, to be released this month, and will definately do well in the charts. 'Over the Love' showcases Skin's delightfully expressive voice - another big anthem that is bound to do well. In fact, there's not a single song on this album which doesn't show off the front-woman's singing ability. It's gravelly, pissed off, tender and joyful all in one. 'You're Too Expensive for Me' borrows from recent brit-rock a little too much for my liking. But the album is redeemed by 'You Can't Always Do What You Like,' which seems to sound like an angry Annie Lennox. The album also offers radio-friendly tunes like 'Feeling the Itch' and the ballad 'You Saved Me.'

All in all, this is a great come-back for this band. Die-hard fans will probably be disappointed by the lack of mosh-tastic, dandruff showering heavy rock anthems, but I think it shows a matured band who have thought seriously about what they want to achieve. All the best to them, I say.

Standout tracks - Over the Love, My Ugly Boy, You Can't Always Do What You Like

My Rating - *** 3/5 stars

Recommendation: Give it a listen. You better listen to the back catalogue, too, if you don't know them!

Doctor Who at the Proms 2010 (BBC Three)

Doctor Who is one of those shows that you didn't realise you cared so much about, until it isn't on telly anymore. How I managed to grow up in a Doctor-less era, I do not know. I didn't cower behind the sofa at Daleks, or run around the house brandishing an item of cutlery for a sonic screwdriver. In my eyes, Doctor Who was, until fairly recently, just a creepy sci-fi show about an old man with a motheaten scarf being chased by irritating talking dustbins. Not anymore.

Last night, BBC3 showed coverage of Doctor Who at the Proms, a night dedicated to the spectacular music inspired by and featured in the newest regeneration of the television programme. I knew that the theme song was pretty special, but the music of Doctor Who had honestly washed over my head, as I became enthralled by the Ood, terrified by the Weeping Angels and oddly attracted to The Doctor. So, to have a show that focussed entirely on the music, expertly composed by Murray Gold, showed me just how instrumental (no pun intended) it is in drawing viewers into the programme. Gold taps into a sense of drama and excitement that is usually reserved for the Hollywood's summer blockbusters, while also producing pieces of such quiet intensity that you forget this is a sci-fi adventure soundtrack at all.

The BBC Concert Orchestra of Wales provided the evening's soundtrack at none other than London's Royal Albert Hall - some would say, the greatest music venue in Britain. As the show began, I was pleased to see hundreds of children in the seats with their parents, and quietly thought, If Doctor Who can't make these kids love classical music, there's no hope. The Doctor did not disappoint. The music was breathtaking, exciting, moving and thrilling. I watched audience members grin as the huge screens set up behind the orchestra and choir replayed their favourite scenes from the show to the soundtrack which filled the concert hall. However, there was more to this concert than incredible music and film. Mid-way through the evening, in a song aptly titled I am the Doctor, monsters began to appear in the aisles and on the stage. Judoons stomped down the stairs, Vampire Women hissed through their fangs at unsuspecting children, The Sylurians sauntered amongst the orchestra and CyberMan crashed around amongst the spectators. Children gasped and pointed excitedly from their seats. There were more than a few trembling lips. And yet the concert got better, a Dalek appearence and a Weeping Angel capped off the monstrous freak show, transporting the audience into the world of The Doctor. It's hard to explain how exciting this was just watching at home. I cannot imagine the pulsing, fluttering heartbeats of the people who were there! And then the most exciting part yet - The Doctor appeared, in charcacter, blundering around with some broken piece of spaceship which glowed lime green. It was amazing - children and adults were transfixed. A stroke of brilliance!

By this point I was whipped up into such a frenzy that the next piece of music finished me off. This piece of music, in many variations, has always accompanied The Doctor in his 10 regenerations over the years. As the orchestra began, the screens showed us William Hartnell, the first Doctor. At this stage, Mums and Dads were reduced to excitable teens. An affectionate applause went up as Tom Baker's Doctor appeared and then regenerated. The music, soaring, took us from 1963 to 2005 and Christopher Ecclestone who brought The Doctor back to our screens after 9 long years. Ecclestone did it for me, gave The Doctor a real credibility. He was stern and serious, but genuine and loving. However, as Ecclestone regenerated into David Tennant, perhaps the most beloved and now iconic Doctor, the concert hall filled with such whoops and cheers (and tears) that I could not believe. I cried at Tennant's last episode, and here it was again with heart-wrenching live orchestral music being viewed communally by hundreds of thousands of people. Tennant became Smith (The Eleventh Doctor) and more cheering erupted but I was long gone. Weeping into my fleecey blanket, I was completely overwhelmed by the emotion of that music, and that show.

Wow. Heavy. The evening's programme ended, of course, with the Doctor Who Theme. Dramatic, grand and frightening, it was the perfect climax to an entirely unexpectedly thrilling concert. Who says classical music is boring and old-hat? I only hope that lots of children got to see it, too. Doctor Who and Murray Gold beat Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers any day!


My Rating: ***** 5 stars/5 stars (duuuh)
Recommendation: Please go and watch this on BBCiPlayer! Oh, and buy the soundtrack.

Books: A 5 Minute Summer Review

Back from Bulgaria, I actually may have developed eye-strain from squinting at my books in the insanely bright sunshine!

In an attempt to save time (but mainly because I'm feeling a bit lazy) I'm going to combine three book review here. It's a whistle-stop tour and I hope that I can do them justice! Here goes.

1. Alone on a Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

I read this book with a view to read it with my Year 4s as part of our WW2 topic. I won't be doing that because it veers quickly away from the war as a topic. This aside, the book is interesting and engrossing (as I have come to expect from Morpurgo!). The story is split into two narratives, each with its own pace and style. The second half of the book mostlt taking the form of a series of emails sent back and forth from the narrator to her mum as she embarks on a round the world sailing journey. All of the characters are well developed and I found myself very satisfied with the ending. It seemed like the right way to end the story. My favourite part of the book was, however, in the first narrative section in which I felt much more attached to the characters and concerned about what would happen to them.

Though written for younger readers, the book does not shy away from sadness and injustice as was exeprienced by people who really lived the experiences written about. It is very realistic (no elephants to be found here!), witty and at times tragic. Morpurgo still has it. And I would like to know where he got it.

*** 3/5 stars

2. No and Me - Delphine De Vigan

This is a very sweet little book. Both profound and simple, it stayed with me long after reading. Through the narrative voice of the 12 year old Lou, who, distanced from her depressed mother and exhausted father, finds solitude in her 160pt IQ and the Gare Centrale in Paris. Here she meets No, a homeless 16 year old girl and they strike up an unlikely and, at times, unstable friendship. The two girls begin to share their stories with each other until Lou finally musters the courage to ask her parents if No can move in with them. Unbelievably, they agree. The story follows the two friends through the highs and lows of their relationship, and sheds light on a hugely relevant social problem that exists not only in Paris but in every large city in the western world. Lou has a unique view of the world and I spent a large portion of the story wishing I'd kept a pencil handy for underlining her little nuggets of wisdom.

On final thought, though, and I'm not going to lie. I hated the last page. I loved the ending of the story, but I hated the last page. It could easily be torn out...

**** 4/5 stars

3. The Princess Bride - William Goldman

The film adaptation of this book is one of my firm favourites, so I came to the novel expecting to enjoy it. Interestingly, Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which explains why much of the dialogue in the book reads exactly as in the film. I could imagine the actors saying their lines. Hilarious. However, to say this is 'just as good as the film' would be to sell it short. In its own right, this story (an abridged and translated version of the original by S. Morgenstern) is brilliantly satirical, full of adventure, romance and delightfully colourful characters.

As the 25th anniversary edition, this copy also afforded me an insight into the film making process, and Goldman also goes to great lengths to explain why this story was so important to him as a young boy suffering with pneumonia. There are little italic inserts throughout the text where Goldman steps in to justify why he has cut certain sections of the story (usually because he felt Morgenstern was babbling about trees or the monarchy!). From the hulking giant Fezzik, to the vengeful Spaniard, Inigo, and dashing Westley (aka Farm Boy aka Man in Black aka Dread Pirate Roberts) to the terrifying Prince Humperdink, there is not a single character that could be cut or watered down. This book offers something for everyone - off-the-wall humour, action, adventure, romance, swashbuckling, a miracle man, giants, princesses and evil six-fingered men. It should be a firm favourite on every bookshelf.

***** 5/5 stars

Done. Films coming soon. Click on the words in red to find out more about the books/films mentioned.

I Know What You Did Last Summer...

No, no, no I will not be reviewing that awful film or any of its self-indulgent sequels!

Last summer, I read a good few books and watched quite a healthy dose of movies and episodes of The Waltons...oh dear...

So, having just got back from Colwyn Bay 3 venture camp - amazing fun, see my blog - halfway through two books I thought I'd pick up three new ones in Waterstones just in case the pool side becomes a regular feature of my trip to Bulgaria!

The List of Summer Reads:
The Boy in Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne (I know, I'm soooo behind!)
No and Me - Delphine de Vigan
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
The God I Don't Understand - Christopher J H Wright
All Alone on the Wide Wide Sea - Michael Morpurgo

Bring it!
Hope you're having a grand summer so far. I'm off at 2am for Gatwick airport - joy!

See you in 8 days!
Bx

TV: Oliver Twist (2007)

Dir: Goky Giedroyc

Cast: William Miller, Edward Fox, Adam Arnold, Timothy Spall, Tom Hardy, Sophie Okonedo, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Morven Christie, Anna Massey

Surely it's obvious why I decided to rent and watch this TV series in hindsight this last weekend? No? Okay, we'll continue.

First, let me explain that, while I love Dickens, I am not an avid lover of Oliver Twist. I came to this series having read the book, seen the musical and watched half (I'm so ashamed!) of the version directed by Roman Polanski. I don't feel any ownership over the characters, and I am always up for a fresh adaptation of old material.

All this being said, I loved this Oliver Twist remake. It received mixed reviews from die hard Oliver aficionados, claiming that it goes too far in 'modernising' the story. As far as I can see, it is a refreshing, pacy, chilling and expertly cast adaptation.

Miller, an unknown teenager, portrays the protagonist with both a quiet innocence and gutsy character. He is an Oliver who isn't afraid to look Bill Sikes in the eyes and tell him he's not afraid. Go Oliver! Another surprising shock is the Eastern European sounding Fagin that Timothy Spall brings to the table. Gone is the wiry londoner rubbing his hands together, and we have instead the rotund, Jewish entrepeneur who is as charming as he is terrifying.

A real gust of fresh air comes in the form of Bill Sikes (Tom Hardy...*blushes*) and Nancy (Sophie Okonedo). The quintessential dysfunctional couple, the moments they share on screen are bursting with tension. At last, we have a Nancy who makes us understand why she stays with Bill, and a Bill worth sticking around for. As Sikes, Hardy is perfectly menacing and volatile*, balanced beautifully by Nancy's humanity and dependence on him.

Borrowing from the success of their adaptation of Dicken's Bleak House, Oliver Twist makes excellent use of pacey camera work, combined with long, wide shots taking in the grime of London's Dickensian underworld. The attention to detail in the costuming and locations is also very impressive for a 5-part tv series. All in all, I was very impressed. It's sleek, quick and very very watchable. Oliver Twist delivers everything I have come to expect from a BBC adaptation. They are not afraid to take on a well loved story, toss all of the characters, their motivations and the mood of the original story into a mixer, blend them on the highest setting possible, and pour out a spiced-up cocktail.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: It's not a musical! Enjoy the dark updating of a classic. It comes with a 12 certificate because it doesn't really pull any punches. Quite literally.

* It's worth mentioning that, to me, Hardy would act anything 'perfectly' if you asked him to. Genius.

Films: The Soloist (2009)

Dir: Joe Wright

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener

Apparently I have recently acquired a penchant for true stories of a gritty nature. The Soloist is just one such tale.

Nathaniel Ayers was a very gifted Julliard-trained cellist who wound up on the street after he dropped out of college at the first signs of mental instability. He embraced the acoustic qualities of busy tunnels and urban spaces and learned to play a two stringed violin. He carted around all of his possessions in a rusty shopping trolley. Then one day, Steve Lopez, uninspired columnist for the LA times, happened across the musical prodigy and found that he suddenly had someone to write about.

The two formed an unlikely bond, overcoming all that separated them from each other and the rest of society around them. Lopez's column became a book, which has now become a film. A beautiful, inspiring, moving film.

Foxx is excellent as the mentally ill Ayers. It's hard to 'do crazy' well, but he manages. His gabbling verbal diarrhoea is endearing, and, a classically trained musician himself, he shows a genuine connection to the music he plays. From moments of calm to emotional peaks, Foxx manages the task well. Excellently.

Downey Jr is, as ever, charming and fixating as the unmotivated and disengaged journalist. At first, you feel that his friendship with Ayers in entirely selfishly motivated (and it may well have been in reality) but, by the end, the relationship has brought as much to his life as Ayers'.

Wright brings a raw energy and grit to the film which was shot largely on location on Skid Row. Somehow, Wright has found a way to make even this grimy setting appear wonderfully vibrant. The crazy characters that colour the street scenes are probably still there even now, singing, dancing, chatting, smoking, fighting, yawning and curling up under sheets of card. The supporting cast (those that are actually actors) are well cast, never encroaching too much on the main focus of the two men. It's a great story, because it does not have a happy ending. The American dream fails some people. Often the most gifted and worthy recipients are the ones who fall short.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: Be wowed by Foxx and Downey Jr. Be inspired by Lopez and Ayers.

Books: The Elephant in the Garden

The Elephant in the Garden - Michael Morpurgo

What I love about Michael Morpurgo is that he writes wonderfully real, moving stories and then something wacky, like an elephant for example, turns up. Morpurgo has long been a firm favourite of mine amongst the children's literature canon. The first time I read Private Peaceful I was absoltely stunned by its simplicity, emotion and boldness. I love his style of writing and the delicacy with which he deals with big subjects, many of which would be entirely alien to many of his young readers.

And so, The Elephant in the Garden (Or Elephant as I will now call it) is set in Dresden, Germany and follows a small family - and their elephant - as they must travel to find shelter after their house is destroyed by RAF bombers. The story is narrated by Lizzie, now an old woman in a home, retelling her story for her carer and her son, Karl. Dismissed as slightly batty, Lizzie's stories about keeping an elephant in her back garden has been dismissed by the carers at the home. When Karl visits, however, he believes instantly. Eventually persuaded to listen, Karl and his mother sit together with Lizzie as she tells the story, from her time before the war, through family arguments about the Hitler uprising, the dreadful and hellish Dresden bombings and into post-war life.

Morpurgo creates the beatufully vivid characters of Karli, Mutti, Papi, Lizzie and Peter, the rescued canadian RAF navigator, and inserts them into the real events of that horrendous allied attack on Dresden. I cared about the characters. I wanted them to survive the bombings. And then there's the elephant. Named after Marlene Dietrich, the family will not go anywhere without their pachyderm companion (adopted by the Mutti who works at Dresden zoo). Remarkably, it is Marlene that diverts attention from the fact they are harbouring an RAF serviceman, as every policeman and refugee they encounter believes their story about rescuing the elephant from certain death at Dresden zoo. The journey is not without its obstacles but Marlene's persistance, solidarity and strength carries the tired travellers to their eventual destination.

It is a lovely book, beautifully written in a way that will interest children. It is bold to write a WW2 story set in Germany and from a German's perspective but Morpurgo is, as ever, sensitive with his subject matter and characters, and therefore with his readers.

My rating **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: Read the Morpurgo back catalogue. I suggest Private Peaceful, The Butterfly Lion and Warhorse (soon to be a Spielberg smash hit!).

Films: Inception (2010)

Dir: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy

The tagline simply reads, 'Your Mind is the Scene of the Crime.' That's slightly cheesy, but it will be the only negative point in this review. This is Chris Nolan at his finest. Does he want me to sleep well tonight? No. He wants me to dream about levels and limbo and projections and extractions. Lemme 'splain...

The rundown: Dom Cobb (Di Caprio) is a super specialist in the field of 'subconscious security.' He is able to take a 'mark' into a communal dream, and steal important information from their mind at its most vulnerable. Cobb is a vigilante, battling the demons of a marriage ended in tragedy and his exile from the USA and life with his children. On the verge of breakdown, a voracious Chinese business man, Saito, offers Cobb his most thrilling and complicated job yet; to reverse the art of extraction and instead perform 'Inception' - plant an idea into someone's mind. The mark is Robert Fischer Jr, heir to a multimillion pound energy corporation. The idea is that he should dissolve his father's business. Cobb assembles his team - I love a good ensemble movie! - and they delve 4 levels into Fischer's subconscious. Phew. Still with me?

Can we go back to the ensemble for a minute? Only, I'm mad for a good ensemble, and this is one of the most diverse, exciting and engaging I've seen! Leonardo DiCaprio is brooding, angry and intelligent as the tortured Cobb. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Cobb's pointman, Arthur, who is stable, calm and totally kick-ass at anti-gravity fighting. Yes. Ellen Page comes in as the newbie dreamscape architect, Ariadne. She is innocent and inventive, and she makes the viewer, as they sweat in their seat desperately trying to keep up, feel a little less like a lost sheep - she asks all the same questions! My favourite member of the crew (no points for guessing exactly why...) is Eames, the forger, played by the delightfully charming Tom Hardy. He has great screen presence and fantastic chemistry with all of the cast members - a bit of light comic relief but still in an intense sci-fi thriller kind of way! Watanabe is excellent as the ruthless Saito, who you are desperate to dislike but end up feeling incredibly sorry for!

I can't go any further without mentioning how brilliant Cillian Murphy is as Fischer, who wants so desperately to impress his dying father. Also, Marion Cotillard is sensational as Cobb's powerful and vulnerable wife, Mol. Can I stop for breath now?

*breathes*

This film is amazing. It glides so perfectly from deeply intense and emotional scenes to huge action sequences where stuff blows up and the world literally turns upside down. Shot across 6 different countries, we are transported from a blazing Morroccon street riot to the snow covered mountains of Calgary and an elaborate palace in China. And it's not just the location that changes, but the time in which the story plays out. It is never too hard to follow when we are in the dream world or reality, though, (that is, if the film ever really does show us reality...) and we are given helpful hints (or are they?) which indicate when the characters are in the sleeping or waking world.

I could go on for hours about the flawless visual effects and the dramatic landscapes. I could rave about how everything in the notion of dream extraction and inception completely resonates with real life - kick theory, projections, subconscious ideas and more. But now I'm just regurgitating jargon that you will not understand unless you have seen it.

Let me say one more thing. I hate the idea that people are brainwashed by the grandeur of a project, or the reputation of cult director. I am very wary that everything about a film like this is saying, "like me, love me, I'm everything you need in a film, because I am me..." I went without rose-tinted spectacles on. I came out with a slight headache and a stupid grin. This film is everything we need in a film. It is brilliant.

Wonder what I'll dream about tonight?

My rating: ***** 5/5 stars, duh!

Recommendation: Seriously? Please love this film as much as me. Please don't make me look a fool. Enjoy.

Film4 - LeoDiCappu,coming right up!

Is anyone else enjoying the Film4 Leonardo DiCaprio-fest at the moment?! He is a brilliant actor, and we all just knew it way back when he arrived with his heart-string-tugging performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

Needless to say, I am more than a little excited about the newly released Chris Nolan mind-bender Inception. Leo looks set to stun again in the 3D masterpiece. Tickets booked. I'm there.

Films watched so far this week:

The Beach

Titanic

Romeo and Juliet

Gangs of New York

I wonder what's on tomorrow...

Inception special (interviews with Leo and Nolan)

Memento - Chris Nolan at his most irritatingly self-indulgent.

Well, it's a damn good job I'm going to see Inception tomorrow then!

Films:TV:Stuart A LIfe Backwards

Stuart: A Life Backwards (2007) BBCTV

Cast: Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch

I am bowled over by Tom Hardy. Okay, so I have an entirely unparallelled crush on him, but every time I watch him on screen, I am completely convinced that he is one of Britain's greatest living actors.

When Stuart first aired on the BBC, I was a third year English student at Southampton, no TV, no concept of life in the real world. I missed it and I'm sorry. Today, 3 years later, I am soon to be a third year teacher, expensive TV subscription and all too much understanding of events in the real world. This is why Stuart has astounded, shocked, disturbed and moved me. This film has caused me to laugh, look away in horror and weep...and weep. And I can confidently say that it is largely due to the warmth and tenderness with which Hardy portrays Stuart Shorter, an alcoholic, heroin addict and violent offender.

The film - based on real events recorded in the book by Alexander Masters - follows the unlikely friendship of Cambridge boy, Alexander Masters and the homeless and virtually incomprehensible Stuart Shorter. United by Shorter's unique view of 'the system' in the light of the arrest of two homeless shelter workers, the two men go on the campaign trail and much more besides. They drink countless bottles of wine ("It all smells like sick") and cans of beer between them, and Stuart spews out endless, surprisingly philosophical observations about the cruelty and beauty of life.

Hardy is inexplicably attractive as his bumbling, shaky, violent and unpredicatble character. At one moment, he is screaming in anger at 'the man' and the next marvelling in the wonder of nature. He gives all of himself. It is refreshing. Cumberbatch, too, is first rate as the gawky Cambridge boy, suddenly forced to wake up and face head-on the demons that Stuart suffers with. He decides to write a story about his friend. Stuart insists it is not boring. "Why don't you write it backwards like one of those Tom Clancy novels, they're good. Give those nine-to-fives something to think about." And that is exactly what they will get. I cried for Stuart because he was a kind, thoughtful, giving person shut inside a mind driven mad by abuse, alcohol and pain.

I can't review the cinematography or soundtrack for this film (although the Badly Drawn Boy song at the end inuced a second torrent of tears!) because they were both outshone by the acting performances. All I will say is that this film will upset you and shake you through to the core. You know when you are so confused and disturbed that your chest aches and your mind boggles? That is what you will get. No, it is not an easy film to view. No, you will not frown and weep the whole way through. If I could have on loop a recording of the many ways Hardy's Stuart slurs the name 'Alexander' throughout the film, I would play it 24 hours a day. Shorter was fortunate to find a friend in Masters, and a friend who would write his story. There are so many others like him who will live this way, and eventually die and never experience love, friendship or forgiveness. And that's what makes me sad.

My rating ***** 5/5 stars

Recommendation: It is violent and tragic. If you don't like gritty or shocking then don't watch. But you will be missing out on an amazing performance from two fantastic British actors.

Music: The Baseballs - Strike

So apparently Rock 'n' Roll is back.

I've never been one to don the bobbie socks and do the twist, but when I heard The Baseball's cover of Beyoncé's Crazy in Love I was pleasantly surprised.

The result of a chance meeting in a German heavy metal club, The Baseballs have come out of the blue to blitz the charts with what the band is calling 'Voc-and-roll'. Complete with sleek rockabilly quiffs and with more than a few pairs of blue suede shoes between them, Sam, Basti and Digger are on a mission to "take good songs and lead them to their true calling."

Strike is the band's first album and takes a rip roaring roll from covers of Beyoncé to Plain White Ts and Usher to Robbie Williams, and all with a completely feel good, golden fifties slant. I can't help dancing. For me, the tracks that work the best are Crazy in Love, Umbrella and Hot n' Cold. Who would have thought that the unmistakeable sound of the 50s close harmony, shoo-wop choruses and walking bass lines could transfer so well to contemporary pop music. One thing I will say is that Robbie Williams' Angels may be a bridge too far, but one out of twelve is a pretty impressive freshman offering.

I'm looking forward to what is still to come - perhaps a rock'n'rollin' version of Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers? And in the meantime, I'm going to practise my forelocks styling and swing my hips at every opportunity!

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Recommendation: Whack it on, turn it up, dance and smile. I don't need to tell you. It will just happen!

Music: Glee - Showstoppers

I don't think I've ever mentioned my unashamed love of Glee on here before. Well, let me say now, against my better judgement, I am completely in love with Glee. It's fun, silly, upbeat and it is just what the world needs. I have to admit, there are episodes which I could live without, characters who grate and storylines that crash and burn. But the music, oh the music...

The latest of the 5 Glee albums (of which I possess 3) is called Showstoppers and features many of the big belting anthems from the most recent handful of episodes in the run up to the grand finale.

I love how this album journeys smoothly from covers of The Beatles Hello Goodbye, through Christina Aguilera's Beautiful, to Loser by Beck and U2's One finally arriving at a stripped down cover of Lady Gaga's Poker Face. It's pop, rock, jazz, showtune, rap, funk, ballad, swing and dance. A musical education in 20 tracks.

My stand out tracks are A House is not a Home, originally performed by Dionne Warwick. This song has been sailing around my head for two weeks. Chris Colfer (that's Kurt to you and me) and Cory Monteith (Finn) perform it beautifully. You cannot pass on Amber Riley's sensational rendition of Beautiful. She could be the only woman who can kill it like Christina. Another fantastic track is a cover of Safety Dance by Men Without Hats as performed by the wheelchair bound Artie (played by Kevin McHale). I use it to break up the monotany of working all day. The show's bad boy, Puck (played by the unfeasibly handsome Mark Salling) swings out to The Lady is a Tramp, joined again by Mercedes (Riley). It is fun, sexy and a complete surprise from these two performers.

My absolute favourite stand out track is one that has taken me by surprise. Chris Colfer performs an empassioned, powerful and near flawless cover of Rose's Turn from Gypsy. This boy has had no formal vocal training and yet turns out a brilliant performance of this track. I could listen again and again.

My rating: **** 4 stars

Recommendation: Watch the show. Take it with a pinch of salt. Buy the CDs. Dance, sing, smile and forget.

Films: Twilight Saga Eclipse (2010)

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Dir: David Slade
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner + a billion other people!

FINALLY! A Twilight film that is worth the hype.
In the third film in this massively popular series, David Slade has managed to blend the intense teen drama and the dark, supernatural conflict of the previous two films to produce an exciting, gripping, heart-breaking story. I could not be happier.

So, having experienced 'First Night Hysteria' for the New Moon release, I felt it was only right that I did the same for this film. Yes, the t-shirts, screaming girls and special edition popcorn-pepsi-keychain combos were all present - a place for which the term 'The Twilight Zone' may actually have been invented. Still, as the lights went down and the screen expanded, a few excited giggles and whoops quickly died down as the film suddenly dived straight in with the merciless creation of newborn vampire, Riley.

The film moves seamlessly from vampire-werewolf battle action to the smouldering love triangle scenes with Bella, Edward and Jacob. All three main characters have grown into their roles so much that you can finally look past the strange contacts, white face paint, awkard stuttering and propensity to go shirtless and actually feel empathy and affection for them. I want to make a particular mention of Robert Pattinson who I felt really faded in the previous film. It could have been the fact that he was in almost every scene of Eclipse but he was also breathtaking in his beauty and delivered a great performance. And here's something new - he actually smiles and jokes in this film! All this being said, Taylor Lautner's Jacob brings great warmth and humour to the screen - something that was merey glimpsed in the second movie.

The cast does not stop there, however. My dream realised, we get to spend a lot more time with the warm and boisterous wolf pack, and equally are allowed to delve further into the back stories of Jasper and Rosalie Cullen. In fact, this is a film of flashbacks, bringing greater depth to Bella's supernatural world of folklore, treaties and immortality.

The breathtaking mountains and rivers of Washington and Oregon once again provide a stunning backdrop to the action, with sweeping views of Seattle's city lights bringing an urban edge to the film. And, oh, the special effects are simply fantastic. One scene in particular which I longed to be 'done right' in its transition from page to screen is when Jasper trains the Cullens and werewolves to fight the newborn vampires. The CGI effects capture the speed, agility, power and ferocity of these creatures perfectly. I actually smiled for the duration of the short scene. Grinned like an idiot. If I could have punched the air without fear of being battered with empty popcorn tubs, I would have!

In short, this is the best film of the Saga so far. It gets everything right. My favourite book in the series has become my favourite film in the series. Isn't it nice when things just work?

My rating: ***** 5 stars

Recommendation: You will love this film more than the others. In fact, don't even bother to watch the other two first. Your 'Team____' status will be challenged more than ever before so be warned.

Back in Love

Good news: I have rekindled an old flame.

LoveFilm and I are back together!

This can only mean one thing - more film reviews. What I love best is that it's like I never left. Lf welcomed me back with open arms and had even kept my old queue of films to order. So, I pick up where I left off two years ago.

Half Nelson and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly are up first. Who knows what he'll send me next?! Also, hoping to catch I Am Khan before it disappears from the cinema this month. Good days.

What are they trying to do, here?!

Twilight is everywhere. Robert Pattinson is everywhere. There really is no escaping the hugely unprecedented fan following that this movie franchise has generated. And that's what it is becoming - a big bucks franchise. Sad.

Whilst browsing film blogs (a faultless work avoidance tactic) today, I stumbled across a rather ugly rumour weed. The worst part about this hazy e-speculation is that I think it may be true. Brace yourselves.

They are going to make The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in 3D.

Yes, 3D. In IMAX cinemas.

Let me first express my sadness that this is obviously a shameless attempt to follow the latest money making film fad. Secondly, that my excitement about the 3rd (and my favourite) story being brought to the screen has been completely shattered by this horrendous turn of events. And finally, that any shred of respect that Stephanie Meyers's books have left after the somewhat clumsy delivery of New Moon will probably be lost forever. Trust me, it's hard convincing a lot of my 20-something friends to read these books. One glance of the super shiny, special effects, indie music, sultry glances and "now all in spectacular 3D" will kill all of my efforts.

Don't get me wrong, I think 3D is a great and exciting innovation used excellently in Disney's Up, for example. Not for this movie though. Please, no. Will it stop me from going to see the film? Probably not, no. I will sulk for a while and then go and watch it in 2D because, despite this latest profit-mongering manoeuvre, I am desperate to see the Cullen family brought to life more. That will be all. You can keep your 3D vampire-werewolf battle sequences, Summit Entertainment. I'm sticking with the old school.

**Update 3rd January; Apparently they are also releasing the next installment of Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows Part 1 - in IMAX 3D too. Now I just don't know what to think!!**