The Wrestler

Randy 'The Ram' Robinson is a wrestler who in the 80s was at the height of fame with bouts in Madison Square Gardens. Now times are a little harder and he is doing small bouts in small halls in small town America. Living in a trailer park his closet friend outside the ring seems to be a local stripper.

The bouts he's now in are far from glamorous and involve items such as barb wire, ladders and staplers. They are taking their physical toil and after one bout he has a heart attack - but he has also been offered one final large pay day with a 80s style match against 'The Ayatollah'. Can he rebuild his life outside the ring, or risk his health with one final fight?

Wonderfully shot this movie really captures the atmosphere of a ageing athlete now down on their luck. It highlights the camaraderie backstage in the world of small town wrestling, and the brutality that can occur in the ring. Ultimately it is about someone looking at their own mortality and wondering 'is that it?'

Mickey Rourke is simply excellent as The Ram - vulnerable yet reluctant to give up the only life he knows. Marisa Tomei is warm and thoughtful in a 'tart with a heart' style role as the ageing stripper who is also having to accept that ageing is impacting her 'career' - it's a role that should have been bigger, but Tomei does well with the limited screen time she's given.

Personally I felt disappointed with the ending, which felt like a cop out. However, this is Rourke's movie and, unlike The Reader, you care about his character and what happens to him - he should be a certainty for the Oscar in the best he's been in his entire career.

The Reader

Set in post war Germany The Reader is a film about Hanna Schmitz, a woman who seems to have no friends and possesses a secret, and Michael Berg, a young man/boy with whom she has an affair. The story follows their lives from the post war years through to the 60s and up to the 90s.

Directed by Stephen Daldry (probably most famous for Billy Elliot) with a screenplay by David Hare and starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, this is the first of the 'big Oscar hopeful' movies to hit the UK in 2009. It has already been nominated for 4 Golden Globe awards.

It's pity that it is such a dull film. Coming in at just over 2 hours it does little to holder the viewer for huge chunks of it, and seems to contain at least 2 false endings if not more. The main problem is that neither of the lead characters is remotely sympathetic and you, or at least I, didn't really care what happened to them. Hanna has a secret, well two actually, and she keeps one of them even as the first, her war past, means that she is sent to prison for longer than her war crimes should dictate. If you've read the book, or even the review in the Independent which contained this plot 'twist', then you know what the 'other secret' is. Ask yourself this question - if you were in her position wouldn't you just have admitted your 'shame' rather than face a lengthy jail sentence? Would you rather be known as x than as a 'Nazi whore'? Unfortunately it's on the acceptance of her rather ludicrous decision that the whole film falls apart.

There are some good parts to the film. Kate Winslet is excellent, especially later in the film as her character ages, and the section set in the 60s around the war trials contained some thought provoking and interesting moments. But unfortunately these do not make up for a dull plot with leads you just don't care about - indeed sometimes they seem to vie for who is the most unpleasant. Ralph Fiennes reprises his 'cold and emotionally distant' acting that was last seen in The Duchess.

It's disappointing and I left the cinema wondering why this was made as pretty much a 'British' film when, having seen what German cinema has done with their history in Downfall and The Lives of Others, left in local hands it could have been so much more.

Hello to 2009

So how was your Christmas and New Year? How was 2008? Looking forward to 2009? How many more pointless questions will he ask?

The image is from one of the Christmas cards I sent to some friends - slightly tongue in cheek to build up my grumpy old man persona. The ironic thing was that the 'Bah Humbug' card was actually the most expensive type I sent!

I hope that Christmas and New Year was good for you - a time of joy, peace and celebration. How will 2009 pan out?

For me 2008 was a peculiar year. Many good things and one-off highlights that I doubt I'll repeat - trips to Buckingham Palace, 11 Downing Street and the British Grand Prix - and others I hope to repeat, though perhaps not soon - trip to the US and seeing the NFL game at Wembley. I felt happy and settled living in the part of London I do, and can happily see me staying here for some time - the first time I've felt that since moving to London in 1996. The career continued to flourish with a new role. So overall, a good year?

Well... I don't know. It must be because it had so many highlights, and yet... I end the year feeling somewhat restless. I can't pinpoint exactly what or why I feel this, I just do. It's nothing 'major' - there is no crisis, no really deep worries, no life changing thoughts. I'm not about to have a midlife crisis, buy a convertible and starting dating a "model/actress/whatever" - although that does sound fun! There is just a sort of restless unease sitting there - nothing more, nothing less.

I'm looking forward to 2009, and I hope you are too. May it be a year of what we'd like it to be - it's a new year, let's all grasp it.

I'll be back

Apologies for the unbelievable lack of blogging for the past couple of months. I'd originally hoped to do daily updates on my US holiday - but was having too much fun cramming various things in and generally being very touristy. Since coming back, the last two months have just been very busy with various things.

Anyway, I'll update and backpost the thoughts I had when on holiday and a couple of other things. Hopefully some sort of 'normal service' will resume quickly...

New York - day 2

Day 2 and I decide to something very touristy - a 3 hour boat trip around the island of Manhattan. I love the way a city can look so different from the water - London takes on a different feel on a commuter boat and Liverpool is a truly beautiful city when viewed from the Mersey.

The trip is fascinating with the guide doing a commentary which combines history with humour, interesting fact with wonderful trivia. He handles very well what could have been an awkward moment as he talks about the World Trade Center; dignified but not going in to mawkishness nor unthinking patriotism.

At one point he comments that he majored in speech and theatre at college before moving to film school and NYC (to be honest the most surprising thing he said during the entire commentary was "my wife and I"...) and whilst his career may not gone how he intended, he is in effect giving a 3 hour one man show several times a week. A highly recommended way to spend a morning in NYC.

After lunch I head to the Museum of Modern Art - no doubt the first of many galleries I'll enjoy on this trip. What a lovely building and a fascinating collection. Modern art may not be for eveyone - but I like it and this is a beautiful haven of art just off the bustle of 5th Avenue.

This weekend is the start of the NFL season and with the New York Giants being the current Superbowl champions the honour of the opening game falls to them. To celebrate there is a free NFL Kickoff concert being held at Columbus Circle - quite why there so we have to watch it from a blocked off road when Central Park is next door and would make more sense I've no idea. Anyway, closing the road in the rush hour adds to the midtown traffic chaos and I wander over to take a look. All I will say is that it's a slighty strange line up - Natasha Bedingfield (I've come all this way to see a Brit artist....), Usher, and Keith Urban (probably best known in the UK for being married to Nicole Kidman) - and I leave pretty promptly.

I head back to the hotel but stop off at Top of the Rock and go to the observation deck. What a contrast to yesterday's Empire State Building. I'm there at a similar time but there are no queues and it's cheaper. It is better organised with more viewing space - on several levels - at the top and, of course, you get wonderful and breathtaking views of the skyline. Its location means you get see across Central Park as well as the beautiful Empire State Building and my undoubted tip so far - if you visit New York forget the Empire State Building, head straight to the Top of the Rock.

New York - day 1

So I made it - and they let me in the country! For a few years I've been wanting to do a trip to the USA and combine visiting New York City and Washington DC. Finally, this year I actually got around to doing something about it.

A few initial observations;

• Terminal 5 at Heathrow is nearly excellent. Check in and security were swiftly dealt with and there are numerous shops and restaurants. But it does seem to be a shopping centre which happens to offer flights, rather than a decent airport putting the passenger first. All that money spent, and still had to queue for the inadequate number of toilets!
• I really hope that the immigration officer's name on their badge is more an acquired name than their birth name - to be a woman called 'Mutt' would seem a tad cruel. And I'm not making that up - that really was her name on her badge
• JFK airport seems to have achieved the impossible and is actually more confusing and ugly than Heathrow
• they clearly don't have speed cameras in the USA. My transfer from the airport was by minivan. Having been driven around JFK airport and seeing it from all angles as the vehicle was filled, we headed off at breakneck speed. Speed limit = 50; we were going at 70 and once touched 80 as we undertook, tailgated and went right across all the lanes on the way to Manhattan, all whilst the driver seemed to be shuffling the paperwork to work out which hotel to stop at first! Good fun - but glad I arrived in one piece!
  

First impression - New York really is Gotham!

My hotel is right in midtown and just off 5th Avenue - room is smallish, but it's all location, location, location! I'm going to be such a tourist on this trip and I walk down to the Empire State Building. It's a beautiful building to look at, and the view from the top - well the 86th floor, to get to the 102nd is another $15 - is amazing, and slightly scary. However, the interior of the building the tourists see is tired and there is a long line to join to pay - though not as long as it could have been judging by the layout of the waiting area. Also, all the staff are dressed in ESB suits styled to allude to the 30s - but none of them seem to fit anyone. I've never seen such a large number of ill-fitting suits in one place. Makes you wonder whether is some deliberate and bizarre branding idea...

Anyway, the view is amazing and a good, though tiring start, to my stay.

North Devon

Post Greenbelt have spent a few days in North Devon for some R&R. I have a real soft spot for this part of the country - it is peaceful, laid back and the geography throws up contrasts from beautiful sandy coves ideal for surfing, to the more rugged rocky coastline a few miles to the north. British weather is still a bit poor - though was finally a few hours of sunshine later today. Enough for me to get a red glow going on my bald pate!

Greenbelt - post festival

The day after the night before.

The festival is over and the tidying up begins. A busy and long day yesterday - there was a moment at about 8pm when I felt really shattered but fortunately it passed fairly quickly.

We tidy up and sort out the last few things - making sure that the stuff which needs to be thrown away is not mixed up with the stuff that needs to go back to London!

Another festival over and one which seems to have been successful - very succesful when the vagaries of the British weather have been taken into account.

Things are sorted fairly easily, goodbyes are said and at 2.30pm I head off for a few days much needed R&R in beautiful north Devon.

Greenbelt - Day 4 - Monday

The final day of the festival often produces mixed feelings - relief that the festival has gone well and is nearly over; busyness in that whilst the rest of the festival is winding down, Monday night is often the busiest time for me; a sense of sadness that the festival is almost over.

Under strict instructions to get my portrait taken as part of an onsite photo project - see here for the whole series but I'm not going to link to my particular picture!

I don't know about you, but often I think of the better thing to say about an hour after the event - and perhaps not more so than today at the Greenbelt press conference. Had a microphone put under my nose and was asked by BBC Radio Gloucestershire to sum up Greenbelt in one or two words. How do you sum up something so strange and eclectic up in one or two words? Of course, I know now, but at the time I fear I perhaps waffled on a little.

So, another festival draws to a close - busy, quirky, fun and thought provoking - tiring but completely worthwhile.

Greenbelt - Day 3 - Sunday

A long and busy day at the festival today - and no time to take any photos but have a look at the excellent photos on flickr. The Rising Sun theme is almost becoming ironic given the weather this weekend. With a few showers some parts of the festival site are distinctly squelchy - but what's a festival in the UK summer without some mud!

However, overall the weather, whilst a little windy in places, and the odd passing shower, has been acceptable. Little sunbathing under the Rising Sun, but there has been daily yoga in the morning.

Greenbelt - Day 2 - Saturday

The festival gets more fully underway.

Weather looking good and might escape the worst of the British summer.

And some have found something to interest them.

Greenbelt - Day 1 - Friday

Well, in true Field of Dreams style - "we have built it, and they have come". Always reassuring when the gates open and you see the site fill up with Greenbelters.

A couple of showers have dampened the ground first thing this morning, but on the whole the forecast looks fairly favourable for the next couple of days - certainly in comparison to what we've had over the past few weeks.

Don't know what will happen over the next few days - a lot of hard work, but also plenty of fun and a chance to catch one or two things that might take you by surprise.

Looks to be a good weekend ahead!

Greenbelt - pre festival

It's the August Bank Holiday weekend so I'm making my annual 'pilgrimage' to the excellent Greenbelt Festival.

Arrived yesterday to help with the set up. Always fascinating to see the skeleton of the site take on flesh over the next couple of days. Lots of anxious looks at the weather forecast and seeing how the weekend might pan out - surely the 'British Summer' must arrive at some point??

Much going through my mind pre-festival so little sleep had last night as I couldn't switch off - not long now 'til the start.

More Olympic thoughts

How annoying are the BBC Monkey/Gorillaz style opening credits and indents - and particularly the Monkey Madness part of evening round up show?

Just how bad an interviewer is Garry Richardson?

The Olympics have been been great - the BBC presentation of the event, very poor.

On the Buses

Spotted what looked suspiciously like the cast of Gavin and Stacey on the top deck of an open top London bus, complete with file crew, going around Parliament Square at approx 4pm.

Website of the week

Has been a bit of break on this front.

Still, if you think you have little 'quirks' then look here - you may even want to add your own.

Some Olympic Thoughts

1. If you're in charge of 2012 opening ceremony just how annoyed/worried are you at the moment - follow that! Fear not for do not forget the Manchester Commonwealth Games opening ceremony featured David Beckham, a parade of old cars and the Wombles - the 2012 ceremony will be fine...

2. Just how good are the GB cycling team?

3. Just how quick could Usain Bolt be if he ran flat out for the whole 100 metres?

4. Just how normal and refreshing is Rebecca Adlington?

5. Just how poor has the BBC presentation been? Way too much of the presenters rather than the sport, poor 'human interest' and 'amusing' pieces (I particularly hate the Phelpsometer/Jaws theme and the 'previously at the Olympics' start of the evening show), not enough coverage of other 'minor' sports and some incredibly poor commentating. Notable exceptions on the commentary front are Michael Johnson (refreshingly calls it as it sees it), Gerry Herbert (knowledgeable and passionate, if slightly hysterical) and Hugh Porter (like most cycling commentators - such as Phil Liggett on C4 and David Duffield on Eurosport - he's completely mad but the spirit of Alan Partridge lives on). Also did you used to watch some football programmes just to see what John Barnes or Barry Venison would actually be wearing? Doesn't the same seem to apply to Gabby Logan and the Olympics coverage?

Is an interesting article here about just how unequal the Olympics are. Is it still little more than a posh people's sports day?

Needing a Nudge

Although I've linked to a few books to read, I've never really discussed books here before. Still, always time to try something new!

I've been reading Nudge, a new book by American academics Thaler and Sunstein, and the only reason I'm writing about it is because it is on the current 'must read' lists of numerous politicians.

I think it's safe to say that this is first book by Yale University Press I've ever read, let alone purchased. However, in a similar vein to Freakonomics, Microtrends, and The Tipping Point, it's a comfortable, accessible read. In it Thaler and Sunstein say that if 'choice architects' give things a little thought they could design decisions so that people are 'nudged' in a certain way for the overall public good. For example, on starting a new job you are automatically enrolled in a pension scheme rather than having to make a conscious decision to join one. In doing this you save for your retirement and everyone will be better off. However, because they also want to allow choice, you always have the chance to opt out, thus the freedom to choose is preserved. They call this 'libertarian paternalism' and it will be a big thing in both the upcoming US election, and the next UK one.

This seems fairly sensible - but let's also be careful here. The pensions thing seems sensible, but another example they suggest is that organ donation should move to an 'opt out' rather than, in the UK at least, the current 'opt in' system. This is perhaps a bit more controversial - in effect the state would 'own' your organs for transplant upon your death (and more organ donation is needed) unless you'd made a conscious decision that they couldn't. Suddenly a nudge seems a bit more of a shove?? And I speak as someone who has had a donor card since aged 16.

Personally I feel there is an innate contradiction between 'libertarian' and 'paternalism', and it's one they don't quite solve - and I'm also not saying which one I tend toward! Nonetheless, it's a fascinating book and well worth a read. You may really agree with it, or may find it all very worrying, but it makes you think. You may not yet be aware of 'nudging' - but many key politicans are.

Have a browse at nudges.org.

The Dark Knight

The new Batman film - much anticipated, much awaited and with the added poignancy of Heath Ledger's last performance. But is it any good?

Let's make no mistake - this is a nasty, nasty film.

Just who is the audience supposed to be supporting in this film. Batman? Doubt it, he comes across as annoying and spoilt rather than tormented and full of anguish. The good DA Harvey Dent? Perhaps but then, somewhat ironically given Batman's graphic novel background, he becomes a one dimensional cartoon character. The cop Gordon? Well, let's just say I'm glad I'm not his wife. The Joker perhaps? Well, yes if we are meant to sympathise with a double crossing sociopath who has a knife fetish.

The film is horrible. There is an almost pornographic celebration of knives - and given the current climate, especially in London, this makes this film even more depressing. The 'plot' is risible and the film is violent and gruesome - how this film has got a 12A certificate (the same as the excellent Man on Wire!!) I don't know. It starts well but is at least 20 minutes too long and after a couple of hours I was bored and just wanted it to end.

Are there some good things? Yes, some. Heath Ledger is good as the Joker - all twitches and ticks - and it is a fitting final performance, but talk of an Oscar is wide of the mark and his best work remains Brokeback Mountain. Old stagers Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are excellent and light up the piece, but their parts are small and you wish they had more screen time. Aaron Eckhart is good as Harvey Dent; it's more his movie than Batman's. But overall a nasty film and one that is not a 12A - if you have kids under 12 don't take them, it can be pretty gruesome. If you have kids over 12 I still wouldn't take them - it's just not good enough.

Paris for President

Now, I'm like so not a fan of Paris Hilton - but I have to admit that the recent Paris for President video done in response to John McCain comparing Barrack Obama to her and other celebs is very funny.

What's even more worrying is that her environmental policy makes more sense than McCain's or Obama's.

Paris for President - she's, like, totally ready.