Friday, 31 December 2010

1988 End of year film catch up plus rock concerts on New Years Eve 2010

For the second night in succession I have remained awake, eaten a little and worked or played games. I will go to bed soon and try and sleep. Last night I stayed awake in bed because the mind was racing following events the previous day where tonight I found it difficult to get comfortable with a blocked nose. Even the common head cold frightens me a little, sometimes a lot. I an defrosting a large chicken, some pigs in blankets and special almond and apricot stuffing balls. I shall also roast the ham and enjoy a small Christmas pudding with hot custard as well as drink a whole bottle of Asti. There will be cold cuts with salad and perhaps a curry from the chicken. As soon as the cold cough has departed I will attend to losing weight with renewed determination.

Inkheart is described as a young adult fantasy which attracted my attention during December. It is first book of a trilogy made into a film in 2008 with a major cast which includes Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren and Andy Serkis. This is a wonderful story about the power of the word and the creative imagination and concerns the 12 year old daughter, Meggie, of a man who discovers that he can make elements of any story he reads out loud to others come to life. It is important to understand that while the book tells the adventure from her perspective the film tends to switch between the perspective of the different characters which at times I did find hard to follow. It is important to pay close attention and reminds of those video adventure games where visual acuity is important together with a knowledge of the story upon which the game is based. Similar to the Harry Potter films which follow the books in great detail the film is aimed at those who have ready the original book, published in German but with an English translation.

The danger of her father’s ability as he discovers is that he appears to have read his wife into the story as she disappears, bring into reality a juggling fire eater from a travelling circus in the book called Dustfinger.

Meggie spends years searching for another copy of the book unaware that these have been bought up by another of the Inkheart characters called Capricorn played by Andy Serkis. He is a nasty criminal rogue he we learn lives in a castle dominated village which he has created in mountains of Italy. Her father is a book repairer which enables him to visit public and private collections and on one visit he finds a copy and Dustfinger who wants to be returned into the story and his wife unaware that he dies at the end of the book.

Without knowing the location of his wife the father refuses and goes to see his wife’s great aunt, Helen Mirren, who lives with her great book collection blaming Mortimer for the loss of his wife. They are followed their by Dustfinger who has reported the existence of Mortimer to Capricorn who promises to arrange for the juggler to be return to fiction.

Capricorn already has a reader, but the man has a stutter so the creatures are deformed and these include


He and his daughter then sped years on a pilgrimage trying to find another copy of the book to reverse the position. Mortimer is a repairer of books by trade and this provides the opportunities to inspect private as well as public libraries including the one held by the great aunt of his wife played by Helen Mirren and who lives in Italy. He makes the journey after being called into a bookstore and finding a copy of the book and then encountering Dustfinger who wants to be immediately read back into the story without first locating the whereabouts of the missing wife. Because of his refusal to act Dustfinger has alerted another characters who were released from the story and Capricorn played by Andy Serkis, and who at his isolated Castle has created a community of other characters including the Hound from the Baskervilles, the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz and the ticking crocodile from Peter Pan, together with a vicious Minotaur

The reader and the great aunt and Meggie are captured by Capricorn’s agents and taken to the Castle after the great private library is destroyed Mortimer is required to read for Capricorn to protect his daughter and this brings into the story a new and important character from Ali Baba who releases unlimited treasure. Mortimer has disclosed his power to his daughter and the great aunt and that he believes he unintentionally placed his wife in the book hence his search for another copy. The story becomes increasingly complicated, at least I found it so.

Unbeknown to either Mortimer or Capricorn the wife is not in the book but a mute artistic kitchen helper but she is discovered by Dustfinger who keeps the knowledge secret. The plan is devised to break out of the Castle and go in search of the author of the book in the hope he has a copy. The break out involves creating the cyclone from the Wizard of Oz and which also brings Toto the into the story as a friend for Meggie.

After locating the author played by Jim Broadbent, and finding he has a handwritten manuscript, a plan is devised to return to the Castle community and read a new version of the tale with a different ending as Capricorn is after bringing into reality the super monster which threatens mankind, similar to the monster of Outlander. Meggie discovers she also has the power and this in turn becomes known to Capricorn who also finds that her mother is working for him and blackmails the girl to read as he wishes. Fortunately they are able to alter the story, prevent the monster coming into reality also send back all the characters into their original stories. This enables Dustfinger to return and have a happy ending with his wife, but the Ali Baba character decides to stay with Mortimer and Meggie with whom he has struck up a relationship, suggesting the direction of the second volume. In attempting to simplify what is a fast moving and complex story I have done a disservice where the great aunt also has a ongoing role as does Mr Broadbent. It is he kind of film that one can enjoy better if you have read the book or watches attentively for a second time.

Deal, with Burt Reynolds is a film which will only appeal to Gamblers. A young man opts out of he life planned for him by his parents because he has a flair for poker, a flair which is spotted by Burt Reynolds a man who comes close to winning the world championship and who has withdrawn from activity in order to save his marriage. At first his role is to train the young man to achieve the success which eluded him but soon the bug bites back and the two men find themselves in close completion in the world Championship at Las Vegas. The film provides the opportunity for various known Poker players and Poker commentators to come to the big screen. There are times when the Sky TV channels appear to be covering Poker tournaments or advertising online and TV games for the amateur to lose money. I cannot now remember if I dozed off or was distracted and therefore missed how the film ends. Did I care then? Yes although a minor irritation. Do I care now.? No but I may catch the ending sometime as it continues to be shown.

I am writing this on New Year’s Eve after drinking almost two glasses of Asti. I was up until 5 am in part because of breathing difficulties with a head cold and because oft he altered body clock. I slept well until 8.30 and feeling OK came down having overnight enjoyed a little dish of Scottish Oats followed by a well filled bacon roll. it is 12.15 and so far since waking I had one coffee before the wine and now a first course of six pigs in blankest and two pieces of almond and apricot stuffing while listening, occasionally watching films in HD on the life and work of the Beach Boys, films I have experienced before and continue to enjoy.

The afternoon has been spent with Amy Winehouse, a hour and two hours with Tina Turner. Two of my all time favourite singers. One the example of how to survive every kind of setback and triumph. Tina is adored all over the world by people of all ages and puts on a fabulous visually stunning show with in topping singing of all her hits at he highest performance level. It is a master class. The Any Winehouse shows indications of beginning to go off the rails and now off destroyed by herself and the media in equal measure it appears unlikely she will get back, but I know never to say never.

I am convinced that I have written already about the International, a vehicle for Clive Owen, who performs as an Interpol agent with an Assistant District Attorney who want to bring justice to one of the world’s most powerful banks whose activities including money laundering, illegal arms trading and terrorism promotion as part of interfering with the independence of nations in order to promote and further its business and profitability.. In Italy they witness the assassination of a candidate for the Presidency, an arms manufacturer who refused to sell to the corporation. Through a local corrupt police the assassin is identified as someone local instead of a specialist hitman employed by the company on several operations in the past, However by persistence, some luck and some skill the individual is identified as based in New York which is fortunate as the two are ordered by their superiors to return home as the case is official close by the Italian Police.

The assassin us traced to a meeting at the Guggenheim museum which is a trap to end his contract and result in a great shoot out with modern multifiring weapons. Hr helps Owen to survive although dies without proving useful evidence. The arms manufacturer politician was killed in the belief that it would be possible to deal with his sons. This is a major mistake which will lead to the bringing down to the corrupt bank leadership, at least for a time. The action moves to Istanbul where the company needs an important deal where Owen is about to take the law into in own hands and kill the Banks Chief Executive. Her is spared as another assassin is successful, employed by the sons avenging the death of their father. However this is but the closing of one chapter, It does nit bring down the bank, suggesting either a sequel or more likely the reality that once these organisations are established with their network fused with crime all over the world they are difficult to dismantle whatever happens to individuals in the control and leadership level. This we have seen with he UK banks and those in states and elsewhere in Europe. When the entire system is under threat while individuals may be purged the basic structure and approach is supported reinforced and encouraged to flourish.

This just leaves the Faculty which I only saw the conclusion in which aliens take over a high school and the town but are thwarted just about. More on the film when I see who whole, if I ever do. The film was enjoyable because of the background score which includes Another Brick in the Wall, I’m Eighteen and Stay Young.

I am not fully up-to-date because there is the excellent series Turn Back Time The High Street and The Alexandrian Quartet.

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