Friday 27 March 2009

Recently, I have mostly been listening to...



As I thought it took some time to get to, but well worth the wait

Friday 20 March 2009

Madrid



From the Bob's not wrong file....

Wednesday 18 March 2009

Just finished reading



More Edginton D'Israeli goodness

Friday 13 March 2009

Recently, I have mostly been listening to...

Songlines Magazine "Top Of The World 57" Compilation

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Just finished reading

Saturday 7 March 2009

Watcher(men) Of The Skies

Eagerly awaited, does it deliver on its promise? Well, I guess it depends on what you believed that promise was.

It follows the source material faithfully - apart from when it doesn't. And to this extent provides a useful schooling in the difference between plot and story (and between comics and cinema and on this it truly transpires Alan Moore knows the score) - "Where we have gone you know you never can go".

On other occasions tweaks have been made, often to no great effect, though in others simply to move the pace along (and this for a film clocking in at 2 hours 40 odd). And yet, on other occasions too much effort was made to keep characters, simply to show that they had not been forgotten, a knowing nod to the source.

While some of the changes annoyed - though not generally the ending which was more cinematic than the comic and as such given the medium - a good thing. A convincing space squid would have been difficult - even for a film with a floating blue guy.

Returning to pace, I doubt if anyone not familiar with the source would (could?) appreciate all the information being presented. For this one familiar with the source, I found a number of things annoying, including the forced, overwrought, kinematic nature of all the fight scenes. In this regard it would likely have worked better as a mini-series, as suggested by Terry Gilliam.

Still this is the film we got, not the film it could have been. It could have been much worse. So good, but not great. 7/10 (with the nagging feeling that I may still be being generous).

Friday 6 March 2009

Recently, I have mostly been listening to...

Jazzwise Magazine - The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions Compilation

Includes a groovy cover of the Thunderbirds theme and proof (if any were needed) that you really can't go too far wrong with a Lyle Mays tune

Sunday 1 March 2009

Recently, I have mostly been listening to...



Mid 80s Birmingham skiffle. Top tunes!