A different approach to the Nativity

For a different take on the Nativity story suggest you dip in to the The Natwivity.

You can follow on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook.

A classy flash mob

From those crazy canucks...

This is bringing culture and arts to the people - very enjoyable.



Hattip to the excellent Richard Littledale blog.

Website of the week

Now we all know there are various dating and matchmaking websites out there. But forget about Match.com or eHarmony. May be Guardian Soulmates or even Sarah Beeny's My Single Friend is more your thing.

Perhaps... but there is an alternative. Welcome to The Ugly Bug Ball.

I know - I'm showing far too much knowledge about this...

By Christmas it'll all be over - well just after actually...

In a month it'll all be over.

I find the long run up to Christmas all a bit annoying - yep, we're into grumpy old man territory here - and the fact that some shops started selling Christmas decorations in August is just, well, wrong. I have a rule that I don't really discuss Christmas, or start Christmas shopping, until the start of December.

Today I broke that rule. At a craft fair I purchased a couple of things that I'll be giving as presents.

I feel so dirty...

That was the week that was

It's been a strange old week or two.

Busy, in that things I committed to a few weeks or months ago have all suddenly come along. Good, in that I caught up with some people who I'd not seen for a while - always good to catch up with old friends. Tiring, it was just too busy and tipped from being 'good busy' to 'bad busy'.

The week ended with an invitation to a performance of Random - a one person short play looking at the impact one day's events has on a family written by Debbie Tucker Green. The performance was stunning, comic, poetic and powerful. Perhaps I should have stayed and chatted with people over a drink afterwards - but the combination of the play, and a long week or two, led to a polite decline but a thoughtful bus ride home.

As I said - a strange week or two...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - part 1

So the end is nigh and the final part of the Harry Potter series makes it way to the big screen - in two parts.

Firstly, the decision to split the final book is correct - to limit it to one film would be doing it a disservice, especially after all the years it's taken the series to get this far. Secondly, the end of this part is in the exact right spot. The nearest cinematic equivalent I can think off is the end of the Empire Strikes Back - it's also a film that has similarly dark moments. Thirdly, if for some bizarre reason you've not seen or read parts 1-6 yet go to see this, then you won't have a clue what's going on. The film assumes knowledge of what has passed previously. But is it any good??

It's beautifully shot with a bleached/wash out look. The story is fine and although it weighs in at around 2.5 hours it rarely drags. It is a dark story but there are some moments of humour and there are also some beautifully played passages. However...

The film concentrates on Harry, Ron and Hermione - the other characters are rarely on screen yet when they are the screen is completely lit up. Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter are excellent but are there for fleeting moments. A lot falls to the three young leads to carry the film - and to be honest I'm not sure they do. The simple fact is that the older actors are miles better than any of the younger cast.

After a while your mind can wander. I know Hermione has created a bottomless bag but just how many outfits did she manage to pack? Harry is 16-17 years old - has anyone not told him to get some trendier specs?

The leads are all great looking - special mention must go to Emma Watson's stylist as Herminone looks nothing less than wonderfully attired throughout - but sometimes it looks like a shoot for the latest Boden ad campaign rather than a film.

Overall it's good film, but you felt it could have been some much better.

A picture worth a thousand words

Friday evening I popped in to the Royal Festival Hall to have a look at the World Press Photo exhibition. I've managed to see this the last few years and would highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance.

The photos contained their usual mix of beautiful and challenging images portraying joy and hardship. Images of Gaza and the rioting in Madagascar are particularly tough, but there are also images of great beauty such as those of the wildlife in South Georgia, Antarctica. I particularly liked some stunning photos of Barrack Obama's inauguration - from a private moment backstage to addressing the mass crowds in the National Mall.

The winning photo was of the rooftop protests that accompanied the Iranian demonstrations following the last election. I have to admit I didn't agree with the choice - it's the right story but I felt other photos were better images that were more powerful or conveyed the situation better.

But what do I know? Look for yourself - the winning photos can be seen here. There is also a magnificent archive.

Back to Blogging?

The blogging has been on a bit of break. It wasn't intended.

I was away at the end of August and during some of September. When I returned various other things got in the way and the blogging took a back seat. It wasn't designed, and I've missed doing it. Twitter has been good - I can be followed @smittyonline - but occasionally I need more than 140 characters. So, another attempted reboot.

I've taken the opportunity to slightly tweak the design and hopefully some semi regular blogging will return. Though no promises - there have been a couple of abortive restarts in recent history

Knight and Day

Stars of Top Gear (see here) Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are the leads in this summer chase movie. Cruise plays an agent - is he rogue or not? - who is trying to stop the baddies from getting a source of power, some sort of super battery that can power a small town yet is the size of a AA. He meets Cameron, an innocent woman who restores old cars and is returning to her sister's wedding, on a flight and chaos and chasing ensues.

It's a pretty formulaic chase movie with various backdrops from around the world - USA, Azores, the Alps - and you're not going to find deep meaning in it. But as a light comedy caper movie it's okay. Like many movies these days it's 20 minutes too long, and could have done with editing back to 90 minutes, but the leads are likeable and engaging.

Both Cruise and Cameron have aged well - Cameron is stunning, though I can't help thinking of Wallace and Gromit films when I see her - and both are good at light comedy, Cameron especially. It's not going win awards and it could be better, but as sort of 'no brainer North by Northwest style chase film updated for the noughties' you could do worse.

A light 'popcorn movie' - but once in a while we all need one of those.

Website of the week

Apparently in the USA Old Spice has move on from Carmina Burana and surfing and is experiencing an upsurge in sales (see here) due to viral ads like these...







No sure what my Grandad - who always used Old Spice - would have made of it...

And for the nostalgia fiends...

All of the above?

Was filling out an equality monitoring questionaire the other day. Got to a question on sexual orientation - the options were;
a) Heterosexual/straight
b) Gay/lesbian
c) Bisexual
d) Other
e) Prefer not to say

Other?!? Wasn't sure whether to be slightly scared or whether I'm missing out on something...

Biking with Boris

Have taken the plunge and signed up with Boris' bike scheme.

It could be very useful - a cheap and pleasant way of getting around central London, especially in the summer.

Early impressions are good as my activation key arrived very promptly - the next day in fact. Not sure how it will work out but will update once I've had a go.

Mind you - the phrase 'with hilarious consquences' keeps coming to mine for some reason. Large slow bikes with inexperienced cyclists going around central London - what could possibly go wrong...

Just like buses... but in a good way!

It's been a busy few weeks - well months actually - and for me, like for many who work in the Westminster village, the run up to the summer recess has been full on and very busy. This year the 'summer madness' seemed to start earlier than ever.

Given that, it was lovely to spend three evenings this week catching up with friends over food and drink. Always good to see them, all are excellent company - it's the sort of thing I don't do enough.

So, having had a busy time, and having seemingly put my social life on hold for a few months, it was a little 'bus like' when three wonderful evenings came along at once.

Slightly ironic perhaps - a busy spell in my social life highlights that I need to get one!

Leaving

The story in Leaving (Partir) is not particularly original - but it is one of several recent French films to hit the UK for which that doesn't matter. It's a simple story, well told.

Kristen Scott Thomas is the housewife of a successful doctor - she has a nice middle class life complete with stylish house and two great children. Then, when renovation is carried out on the property, she falls for the builder and starts a passionate affair, eventually leaving her husband. The film follows this story.

Some parts are better than others - for example, I don't think the scene where she confesses to her husband is either realistic or good. Equally, sometimes you actually wonder whether you like any of the characters at all. Nonetheless it remains a neat little drama - a bit Lady Chatterley meets Romeo and Juliet maybe, but still a worthwhile trip to the cinema. If nothing else you get to see another great performance by Kristen Scott Thomas.

Perhaps still best known for the posh and bitchy Fiona in Four Weddings and a Funeral, a very English role in a very English film, her best performances have been her ones in recent French films. There may be a slight irony with a seemly quintessentially 'English actress' doing her best work in French films, but with Leaving, Tell No One and the truly excellent I've Loved You So Long she has recently put together some sublime work.

Website of the week

Sometimes when the news is a little too annoying or worrying then head over to newsbiscuit - although occasionally some of the stories they have seem way too real...

Inception

The basic plot of Inception is pretty good - the bloke from Titanic and the bloke from Third Rock from the Sun can get in to people's dreams. Once there they can steal ideas or thoughts and they either do this 'to contract' or sell to the highest bidder.

Titanic bloke - for reasons never really satisfactorily explained - can't go back to the USA and see his kids. Then, one day, he is offered a way back. The price? To go in to someone's mind and plant a thought in their subconscious that leads them to commence a chain of events to the hirer's benefit.

It's a good set up. Unfortunately it doesn't really go anyway in a fulfilling way. Talk of level two, level three, triggers and dreams within dreams seem impressive - but when you stand back for a moment you just think.. meh!

The effects are good - including the scenes of weightlessness in a lift - and it's wonderfully stylish. You just can't help think this a bit 'Matrix lite.' If you're a 14 year old boy it's probably deep and brilliant. For the rest of us we actually become a little envious of the sleeping and dreaming the characters do - a quick kip and dreaming would probably be more enthralling that sitting and watching the film.

Website(s) of the week

Well given yesterday's entertainment it's only right I highlight some sites from the sci-fi world...

Perhaps you want to have your own R2D2? In that case there is the R2 D2 builders club

Or you could join the Heroes Alliance UK

Or you could just make new friends and join the League of the Non-aligned

The geeks shall inherit the earth...

Been a busy week at work and wanted a Saturday completely off. On the train last night an advert for the London Film and Comic Con caught my eye. Well, although I'm a bit geeky this would be differentand so I headed off. Was a bit worried whilst queuing as some people in front were dressed as Harry Potter - there was also the obligatory stormtroopers.
Didn't know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised - various stands from comics to how to build your own R2D2, some talks, and opportunities to get signed autographs from various cult and sci-fi actors, like the two in the picture.

A couple of things did intrigue me. Numerous people dressed up - not just as stormtroopers but as Dr Who and assistant, as manga characters and even as Jessica Rabbit. Not something I'd do but fair play to them - they'd spent a lot of time and effort on the costumes and it's a safe environment in which to dress up; the worst that'll happen is people will want to take your photo. This is linked to the second thing. It wasn't just Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons types who were there, or indeed dressing up. In fact there were very few Comic Book Guys. The crowd was surpringly young - like at the Bon Jovi concerts I was 'above average' in age - and I'd guess 40% were women, including those in costume.

Stereotypes were suitably dented and a very enjoyable couple of hours - I'll be back.

And for those who don't know the photo is of Kenny Baker (R2D2 in Star Wars) and Dave Prowse (Darth Vadar and the Green Cross Code Man).

Unknown danger of cigarettes

Been a bit of funny/strange weekend. Very bitty and though I've not had any major commitments there has been a fair few 'odds and ends' I've done - from catching up on a few work things, to buying some towels and being slightly too happy when I also bought a matching bath mat (I know, perhaps a cry for help!), to serving some food to a group of visiting Belgian teens and again proving that my French is truly appalling/shameful.

I've also managed to spot the odd funny thing. Driving this afternoon I stopped at traffic lights. Checking in the rear view it was very amusing to watch the woman in the car behind take a drag from her cigarette, go to flick the ash out of her window, then realise that her window wasn't actually open as she got showered with the hot ash.

If you saw it in a sitcom you wouldn't believe it - but it happened and was very amusing...

I don't like cricket...

.. and whilst I wouldn't say I love it, I do enjoy it.

So after work last night I headed to the Oval - sorry, The Brit Oval - to watch, somewhat strangely, Kent v Essex.

I've not followed much Twenty 20 cricket - the short form of the game - but can see it's attractions. A chance for the batters to innovate new shots, fielding becomes an important skill as every shot and run counts, and good, tight bowling is rewarded.

It's all done in a manageable time frame of 3 hours - no commitment of four days and the result still being a draw - yet even in this shortened form the game can ebb and flow, as this one did.

I wouldn't want this to become the only form of cricket - and there is always the fear that the administrators will over commit to T20 thus ruining part of its attraction - but with some friends after work in wonderful weather it's definitely a very pleasant way to start the weekend.