b r a v e c r e a t u r e s

Ok. I an coming to recognize I have an addiction.

Yes folks, you read it here. I am admitting it oir the world to read - or at least the 4 people and 87 bots that read my blog with any regularity (yes I know who you are). I am addicted to iTunes, specifically the purchase of TV and Movies.

There was a snaffu* with my US credit card on the weekend and as a result I was declined the rental of "Clone Wars"** until I sorted it out. I felt I'll, I had the shakes, I couldn't focus. Classic cold turkey.

Tragic really.

You would think I could come up with something more interesting, wouldn't you.

K, T and E, my directors from film school would tell me that this is likely to be the cinematic gods protecting my pschy from a heinous travestey, but I would beg to disagree. I was permitted to rent (ok purchase) the recent Brendan Fraser (not aging well) "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" - no argument.

This is a film of epic predictability and shakey digital effects which stays in the memory only because of a glancing connection to a Science Fiction and literary classic. While I wasn't actually scarred by watching it, I was cushioned by a mildly dazing hang over, pizza and a could of "glasses" of spicey Italian Pinot Gris.

I did also place myself immediately under** a doctors care, which really helped.

*Namely I didn't pay the bill on time

**Technically it was actually over rather than under, but same same

This was reported in a sad British Tabloid (who I will not dignify by naming or linking to) presumably to get them selves Slashdotted to drive up ad revenue.

I doubt it's true - but if it is I will find the responsible parties, give them a sound talking to and quite possibly kick them square in the nuts.

DO NOT stand between me and my goofy Sci-Fi. You killed off Rose, that was bad enough, don't be taking the whole thing away now.

To be serious for a second, I find it hard to credit that the BBC would give up such a lucrative franchise - nor do I think that Russell T. Davies and crew would be so petty as to pick up bat and ball, and go home rather than passing the torch.

The article was clearly writen with non-film people in mind. It says the "senior staff are feeling the strain of the heavy workload imposed by the show, nine months a year of 16-hour days, and plan to resign en-masse in 2008.

Um hello! 9 mths of 16 hour days is standard for the film industry.

Here is something kind of important you need to know about me - I love animation.

 And I particularly love well made kids animations. I know they are cliched, corney and obvious, but there is a reason that cliches mean something to us.

So imagine my sadness at the last decade of lack lustre work from the Disney Studios. Once a shining light, they fell into a sad decine over the last few years, lost in a quagmire of technical geekery, desperate avoidance of digital, trite plots and uninspiring cameo voices.  None of which is what I go to see an animation for.

I go to have my heart warmed.

At one time Disney ruled the animation roost and looked set to reinvent musical theatre on screen. And then in 1995, with the overly chesty Pocahontas, it all seemed to die leaving Pixar to struggle on to create beautiful stories. Stories that warmed the heart and lifted the spirit of the young at heart.

That seemed to be the thing that Disney forget - Its not about the technology, or the actors, or the effects or the marketing or the franchise - it is about the story. Nothing else REALLY matters.   

Last night for me things changed.

My mate P and I went to see "Meet the Robinsons". My heart was warmed, my faith restored.

At last Disney seems to have recovered their way. I am not going to go into plot details here, they are pretty obvious to be honest, but it was thoroughly enjoyable - even the added geekery of the 3D glasses didnt dampen the films glowing smile. Disney even managed to recover some of their music cred with a great tracksoundtrack from Danny Elfman (of course) including a corker from Rob Thomas (see below).

There is even an interesting lesson in the films villain; look to the reasons WHY someone does the things they do and seek to help the cause, not punish the symptoms. A lesson that comes straight from Americas growing awareness that they need to share the planet with the rest of us.

All of this in a kids film. 

If you are a child at heart, go see it. Trust me, speaking as the worlds largest 9 year old, you will love it. It wont expand your horizons, it wont challenge you, it wont provoke thought - but it will lift your spirits. Sometimes thats what we need.

I am currently COMPLETELY addicted to the BBC Quiz Show - "QI " with Stephen Fry as the quiz master.

Mr Fry is currently rocketing to the top of my Englishmen-I -must -meet- when -I-get- to -London list; close to Mr Izzard (although I am not revealing in which direction) and WAAAAY out in front of Sir Elton and Mr Michaels (bless em both). 

David Tennent is also on the list, but not in advance of Izzard and Fry.

If you have not see QI, your life is a truly sad and sorry place. Best you check yourself into YouTube for an afternoon and catch up - meanwhile, here is a snippet for you.

I defy any world leader to be as funny for charity. Whatever you might say about Tony Blair, I cant see Dubya or Little Jonny Howard doing anything this imaginative.

With immaculate timing, worthy of the monarch Herself, "The Queen", new film from Stephen Frears has been released here in Australia right on the heels of the release of the Stevens Report . The film examines closely the week between the death of Diana Spencer in Paris and her funeral in London and focuses on the, at the time, highly controversial behaviour of Royal family and in particular the apparent inaction of Elizabeth the Second.

Helen Mirren is superb in the title role and she is brilliantly supported by the rest of the cast including James Cromwell as the bombastic Prince Phillip, Alex Jennings as the tentative Prince Charles and outstanding amongst them, Michael Sheen as the newly elected Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

The main dramatic tension in the film is between The Queen, who is attempting to maintain reserved dignity in the face of events, and Tony Blair who finds himself working to modernise the Monarchy in an unexpected way by showing them the need for a more emotional and engaged approach. These two central characters are dynamic and multidimensional, and the performances of Mirren and Sheen brilliantly show the difficulties these two complex, proud and powerful people face in coming to terms with one of the most globally watched events of the 20th century.

Although some of the emotional transitions are a little unsubtle, they are heartfelt and appear honest leaving me wondering how much of it is strictly true and how much is fiction.

This is a intimate, familiar film showing a human and recognisably dysfunctional family trying to deal with a tragic accident the best way they know how. It is personal and engaging in the way the British do best while capturing the enormity of the events. The cinematography is beautiful and the production design superb, although there are some dodgy digital set extensions that some might find off putting.

At the end of the film I was left with an deep sense of compassion for The Queen, who from a very young age has devoted a lifetime to a service to her people, her country and the world - a service she saw kill her father and which has to a large extent robbed her of any normalcy in her life or the life of her family.

While "The Queen" will translate well to the small screen I would highly recommend seeing it in the cinemas as some of the scenes have a grander that deserves to be seen on the large screen. This is a film that I would gladly see again, it is beautiful, engaging and heartfelt.

Bee Movie is a new film by Jerry Seinfeld. Maybe I will get this one, cause I really didn't get the series.

Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld), is a bee who has just graduated from college, and is disillusioned with his lone career choice: making honey. On a special trip outside the hive, Barry's life is saved by Vanessa (Renée Zellweger), a florist in New York City. As their relationship blossoms, he discovers humans have been stealing and eating the honey, and subsequently decides to file a class action lawsuit against humans. Soon, Barry's actions raise a hectic war between humans and bees and he's caught right in the middle.

I caught the trailer on the Daily Show the other night and it REALLY got my attention - because its live action.

I shit you not!

Just watch it, its funny.

And keep your eye out for Eddie Izzard as the director - he is fan-tas-TIC.

Clearly somepeople have WAAAAAAAAAY too much time

Thanks to Scott for digging this one up