Another Year Another Big Brother

Yes, once again its that time of year again when everyone says they won't be caught dead watching big brother but low and behold its all they seem to talk about in work the next day. They call it the water cooler syndrome, we are always going to be curious about what the other guys are talking about....but then 7 seasons in we can't fool anyone anymore....just watch the bloody thing and admit to watching it. There I sat again waiting for this years housemates seeing attractive woman after attractive woman walk into the house realising there's going to be no men....happy days....what man wants to watch other men for 24 hours. But then what man wants to listen to 19 year old girls squealing in the tv show for 30 mins...Either way I'll watch it anyway....just because there's very little else to do with my evenings....

Ray Mears in the morning

I was like Ray Mears this morning, went to go into the kitchen only to find the door was blocked by something behind it. The only other way in was through the big balcony door and I needed a ladder for that (I live on the 3rd Floor)....So I had to use my survival instinct. A piece of cardboard under the door helped me move the object enough so that I could get something through to push it out of the way and hey presto.....here i am in the kitchen willing the NTL to work, as its doing some Tuning thing......might have broken the thing already......mumble....maybe forced to read a book or something....

Celbrity Big Brother

Its all kicked off again and we will be glued like goldfish to it now for 3 weeks, watching Z list celebrities scramble around in a house for something to do. This time we have the advantage of the appearance of Michael Barrymore; with his impending mental breakdown (like Les Dennis) on live television looking more and more likely. A bit of totty in Jodie Marsh, some Baywatch woman and a model who is just pretending to be a celeb. Oldies in Galloway and your woman who used to be married to the guy in minder and then a few unknown singers and a freak. Then theres Dennis Rodman who doesn't really know why he is there. He's a paranoid american on a British reality show....obviously took a wrong turn somewhere.

Wall to Wall Simpsons

I don't know about your television coverage of the Simpsons, but everyday I come home from work I could watch at least 5 or 6 episodes throughout the night, mean I could have my whole evenings viewing consist completely of the Simpsons. Though if I need a change I can switch to the 3 episodes of Friends that come on in between. Televison scheduling is becoming such a lazy job, where are the intersting new shows that aren't reality tv or cookery programmes?

Sopranos Day

Spent most of today watching the first season of the Sporanos. I borrowed it from my brother about a month ago and this is the first chance I have taken to sit down and watch it. It's great, its like a whole day of Godfather and Goodfellas all rolled into one.....loving it! I'll be all like a gangster in my head for a few days after I reckon.

Porridge

Its got to be one of the greatest sitcoms ever…….Ronnie Barker is just a comic genius!...Colin and meself sat and watched the second series straight through last night….and it just put a warm glow in my tummy…..like when you watch re-runs of fawlty towers, last of the summer wine, the good life……it just feels right…..you know that there won’t be comedy like this ever again!

The Incredibles

If you get the chance at all in the next wee while you should certainly go out and catch this in the cinema before they stop showing it! Make sure you go early as well....cause there is a small animation shown before it starts and it is nearly as good as the whole feature. The wee baby in the family is just amazingly created....so funny! Check it out soon! Ok!

Black Books

Just bought the Black Books DVD Series one and can't wait to sit down and watch it! Its all about a bookshop in England where lots of crazy goings on happen.....

Ohh and I booked my practical driving test today....they will call me with a date soon (its that busy).....so better get prepared so that soon I'll be driving like a man who can drive....woo hoo!

Movieoke

There is a new craze sweeping Belfast! It is a little like Karaoke only it doesn't just involve singing, instead you are required to act out a whole scene from a movie of your choice! Its pretty funny and is perfect for people who are more than fully aware that they cannot sing......Its a regular night in the Empire on a Monday and I can see its only a matter of time before it catches on elsewhere!

Ohh and I bought a wetsuit in a charity auction for 100 buckeroos......so theres no excuse now when I go surfing next time!.....I have to stand on the damn board I really must!

SPACED

I went out on a limb and bought a box set without ever having seen the television show that is featured in it, so i have two series (plural...how?) bought with my own hard earned money that I could potentially not like. I was going on the word of my friend, flatmate and all round comedy buddy Colin (not double-chinned) Dardis, who said 'it's great'......and so I was confident!

Now, I also had in my hand the first season (american word for series) of 24 and i got the 'doubts' (pacing back and forth, scratching my head and looking at prices). i hadn't seen 24 and I hadn't got a personal testimonial from my comedy buddy who instead said 'my sister has it'...so i had to put it back with the intention of lending it from his sister and watching a few before going out on another limb.

Anyhow, bought Spaced, took it home and laughed so much i fell asleep and missed the phone calls from Colin telling me he was in the Empire Pub at something known as 'movieokie' (not spelled right....but basically a mix between movies and karaoke without the music and the japanese)....instead i dribbled and made my way to my real bed!......Seriously Spaced is funny so if you get a chance to buy it....then buy it cause its worth it! Still haven't seen 24 so I don't know (anyone else seen it?) ohhh and I have the definative Collectors Edition! (means it has a cover like a spoof star wars film)

Fargo!

Watched that old Coen Brothers Classic Fargo last night and loved every minute of it! Frances Mc Dormand was amazing as the female cop....think she won an oscar for it! Alongside William H Macy and Steve Buscemi (who I think is a great actor)....it just oozed class!
I really enjoy Coen brother films, they always have a lot of quirkiness about them....like O'Brother where art thou (fantastic theme music), the Man who wasn't there (So many strong silent scenes) and the Big Lebowski (the Dude is a wonderful character)

Super Size Me

Went to see 'Super Size Me' in the cinema and along with reading 'Fast Food Nation' it has all just lifted the sunglasses from my eyes in relation to food. I mean its scarey what goes on in the process of meat in America and I think it has made me not so much want to give it up but know excactly where the meat I eat comes from.....so I am resolved to find a Belfast Butchers and use them from now on. The usual supermarket shopping is a product of laziness as is visiting the fast food companies.....it is just a mindless process and i'm not sure I'm ready to sit back and allow it to happen anymore. But, as with all these things i am likely to just keep it up for a few months and then decide that I might need to go back to the original methods.......Anyway, i'm going to buy Sausages (snags) and have mashed potatoes with them tonight.....just for starters!

Mc Donalds have a website dedicated to the countering of the supersize me film and it is quite tame actually just blandly re-inforcing the lack of effort it puts into worrying about what people think.

Going to bed last night i put on Radio 5 Live and listened to a similar debate raging about Mars decision to take the King Size version of the Mars Bar of the shelves due to growing public fears on health. The thoughts within Mars believed that the King Size version was excessive and there was no need for it, it just encouraged overeating. The reaction of the general public phoning in was quite surprising...most dissapointed that their favourite chocolate bar was now smaller and shouting about the disgrace of Mars taking away the consumers freedom of choice.

I think the same argument can be made about Mc Donalds, we don't have to eat their food but with more education about the harm it can do like through this film, then we can make an educated decision. Taking away fast food wouldn't solve the problem, but teaching us what is in the food will!

Kevin Costner Syndrome

Last night, I returned from watching Dodgeball in the cinema (not overly impressed, felt it watched like a spoof of Mighty Ducks would be like) to lie back and watch Open Range on DVD. Was in a dilemma in the Xtravision not really sure what I wanted to see when i just happened upon this recent Kevin Costner film. Little did I know that higher beings were at work!

So, I was half way through what is basically a slow meander through the wild west with a few cowboys played by Robert Duvall (Kevin's bud) and Kev in typical Costner typecast...a lonely hero who wins the girl....when I realised I was enjoying it. And then my mind did a little searching in its filofax only to realise that i tend to like Kevin Costner films....Dances with wolves, Untouchables, Prince of Thieves, JFK, The Postman, Field of Dreams...even Waterworld (slight blip with The Bodyguard)......in fact I was nearly sure i was a fan... Now at this I began to sweat. Surely people have been shunned from local villages for less and I need my city cause it provides income and a place to live, but the sirens I heard were surely Fire Engines and I didn't smell smoke....so I was ok! So I settled down to sleep...gradually fitting together an even bigger puzzle!
I also like Tom Hanks films as well, especially those directed by Speilberg......and this realisation made me want to tinker with my brain.....surely there is something wrong. But alas, i think I am just going to have to accept the truths of my life and move on.....careful of picking up any more uncool hollywood heros.......keeping strictly to a diet of De Niro and Pacino, with a bit Nickleson thrown in for good measure!......Save me lord!

Anchorman

Holy Jaysus batman, went to see this film and laughed my rocks off.....Its a fine display of cheesiness in the extreme and I think everyone with a sound mind and body should catch this fine flick whenever they can! Cameos from Ben Stiller as a mexican newscaster in a remodelling of the Gangs of New York scene steeler just adds to this smacking spoof! Incredible with a Capital I!

12 Angry Men

Just blinked my way through the day and then couldn't be arsed going into town so just laid down on the sofa and watched '12 Angry Men' a great wee DVD all telling the story of how 12 jurors spend a day talking about a case.....its a captivating performance and very refreshing even now.

Jack Dee

The New Jack Dee show on Monday Nights is great.....tonight it was Ardal O'Hanlon and he just made my stomach cackle with laughter from start to finish. I think his sit-com My Hero is a pile of pants but his individual standup is one of the best in my opnion......humble as it is!

Ohh Kevin Mc Aleer is playing at the Belfast Festival @ Queens, can't wait till that gig!

Hell Boy

Went to see Hell boy last night in the good ol' cinema, where I can still pretend to be a student and get cheap tickets.....having a youthful complexion can have its advantages. As I had never seen the comic book character in illustrative form it proved to be a leap into an unknown world as I sat and watched this devil man start into action.
I enjoyed the darkness of the film and they (the filmakers) have not made it completely animated and the bad guys are amusingly evil enough to make it good fun! Sadly, not enough footage of Selima Blair in the show and as she is a hotty in my book....this is a terrible shame among shames!

There are bound to be sequels as nothing was actually solved as it tends to be quite difficult to kill immortal bad guys!

Ohh and Ireland had a good victory in the international on Saturday walking away with a comfortable win despite it being against lowly Cyprus......Andy Reid stepped up with a nicely taken goal.