Google - Stop It!!!!

Okay, so when Google acquired Youtube suddenly they wanted to combine the two accounts. Fair dos.

But recently I keep getting asked on Youtube in different ways to change my user name to my real name. I keep picking the option that says that I don't want to use my real name - and I keep getting asked again anyway.

Google, I do not want to use my real name online. Get over it, dammit!!!

Movie Review of "Les Miserables"

Les Miserables (2012)

Normally when you write a review, you kind of want the final verdict to be a bit of a surprise. If someone doesn't want to wait for the surprise they can rush to the end, but to really understand the final verdict you often need the commentary.

This time I'm shifting that tradition and telling everyone straight off that my rating for this film is *drumroll*:

C-

If I'm really satisfied by a film I'll give it an A. If I think it was pretty good, I'll give it a B. C-, however, is my "your mileage may vary score". It often means that I can recognise that a film is not exactly bad, but for one reason or another it didn't appeal to me personally. C+ is a little different because it means I think there was some small issue that, if corrected, would change my opinion. I cannot say that here.



Les Miserables was just totally NOT my sort of thing. I've never seen the musical on stage and might well have had a different impression there, but judging it as a movie I cannot say that it appealed. However, I can also recognise that certain scenes and performances were incredible and the film benefits from an impressive cast. It's also beautifully shot.

So from this point on I suggest that you disregard my score, because what it comes down to more than anything is "would I enjoy a musical like Les Miserables in the first place?" For me, it seems the answer is no. Ignoring that personal issue though, I do have a number of things to say about aspects I liked and disliked, and those do not always line up with what I heard before I went in...


( Read more... )

My Top 10 Favourite Movies of 2011 (Plus some honourable mentions)

I already posted a massive list of 23 films last year. However, I've seen a few more films from 2011 since then. Also, my opinion has somewhat changed. Perhaps the bigger thing this time around, however, is that I'm now trying to narrow the list down to a much more manageable figure. So here goes....

Of course, I promised to provide this list and more when I came up with my top 10 of 2012 (which will no doubt need revising next year too).


10. Source Code (2011)
UK release: 1st April 2011

Duncan Jones' follow-up to the excellent "Moon" was another sci-fi movie. Apparently Duncan Jones turned up late on for this project, but what he came out with was very special indeed.



My review here

Duncan Jones is currently working on a biopic about Ian Fleming (the writer of the James Bond novels).




9. The Woman (2011)
UK release: 30th September 2011

This is an adaptation of a book by Jack Ketchum, an author known for his pretty twisted imagination. However, as twisted as things get and as horrific as the subject matter may be, Lucky McKee somehow manages to produce a darkly sweet film.

The central father figure comes off a bit like the mayor in series three of Buffy. (Sorry for the somewhat random reference here.) He's a conservative yet cheerful figure who, underneath the surface, is a bit of a monster.

"The Woman" is unlike anything else you may have seen and, for me, it's Lucky McKee's best film so far.



My review here

Lucky McKee is currently working on a remake of his straight-to-DVD debut movie "All Cheerleaders Die".


( More favourites of 2011 under the cut... )