New Who

Blakeborough

I had to get in there first. We've (the B and M and I) have just finished watching the first episode of the new series of Doctor Who. New aliens, new storylines and most importantly, new lady. The lovely Freema Agyeman is the Doctor's soon to be new assistant Martha Jones in the TARDIS and the world of intergalactic travels and adventures. As much as I loved Billie (because we want to) as Rose Tyler, I'm thinking that this new one can have a special place in the Sci-Fi portion of my heart.
ANYWAY...the new and much hyped episode was a mere half hour away, and despite an attempt to play the dire Who boardgame, it all came around suitably quickly enough. It's very rare that you get complete silence during a television programme these days, especially from me, but this time I was entirely absorbed. I bloody loved it. The costumes, the quirky one-liners and a brand new darker feel to the plot (I've certainly been put off old ladies bearing straws) all add up to a fantastic start to the series, and I shall be watching every single week to see how it progresses.
I suppose I should let the other two have a say...

Blackett

I dont know what I can add becasue I agree with everything Claire said. Looking forawrd to the many repeats so I can nerd over little bits and peices. Martha did seem to make me forget good ol Rose who I did love but I think I might love Martha even more as she does seem to think alot more and as questions and also point out that the doctors space ship is made of wood, which i always wondered why no one seemed to have pointed this out befor.


The references to Saxon have already started with a poster in the back ground during the final scens and Martha names him earlier on in the episode. I am really looking forward to next week and Martha getting a proper outing in the TARDIS and a travel through time. Finally I want to say I think that the music has improved, not that I havent been a fan but I felt that was a difference in todays episode which seemed to mesh better.

Homophobic films

Blackett

Films like this make me feel a little sick. How they manage to get funding and why A list stars decide that it would be a great idea to be in it is a mistery to me. But what can be done, people do need to learn that gays are for making fun of.

Blakeborough

I have to say that so far I'm not offended by this film. I do wonder how much of my annoyance is swayed by the fact that the sham marriage is for the sake of childrens welfare, but as yet the main thing that puts me off it is that it's yet another Adam Sandler film. Since Happy Gilmore, nothing that he has done has made any sort of impression on me...and its a shame cos he can do this kind of comedy really well when he tries. I don't know that the plot relies entirely on taking the piss of the gay community, rather than later on making an issue of the prejudice the two guys face being a gay married couple.

We'll see I suppose, but I really won't be paying to go and watch this.

Sonic, Mario and Potter oh my

Blackett

There are no words to describe how excited i was yesterday with these two bits of news. First of all the Harry Potter covers are released. Just as I was start to deal with the buzz of this as i wasn't expecting the covers to be shown for another two months the second load of news came through that made me wonder if I am in some of waking dream, or through some sort of good luck fairy, genie magic i have been transported onto "Jim'll fix it" and my one dream (except for creating my own monster in my pocket) has been brought to life, yes the day has come that Sonic the Hedgehog and all those from Morbius (or Earth depending on which game you play) and all those of the Mushroom Kingdom will be coming together.
But first lets get nerdy about Harry Potter.

Im not one to rant about the covers of books and what I think they change, im more for picking at the images in the vain hope that they will tell me a little bit about what is going to happen in the story. The American cover (the bottom more bown one) is a first for America, with a wrap around cover, with Voldermort not being seen until you actually open up the book. A number of things i think are interesting here, first of all Harry and Voldermort dont seem to be fighting each other instead they seem to be attacking something to the right of the cover, They also appear to be in some sort of theatre, as the curtains are obvious to see this is making me wonder if this is some sort of death room, other than the one in the ministry of magic, which it cant be as we can see the sky.

Now argue with me if you think that im wrong but is that or is that not the same peice of jewellry that is described in Grimmauld Place? Are we thinking a horcrux has been sitting under the Orders nose but no one realised. Then there is the UK edition which has so much going on. It looks like Ron will be fighting with more than magic this time, sword in hand. Many a coin floating around so it looks as though Gringotts will be of importance then there is Harry's animagus just standing there. But intrestingly there is a weird cirlce thing on the back cover which I have no idea what it is.

Im so excited about this book and a little sad that its going to be the last one. The covers are looking good and im thinking that if they are releasing the covers this early there are going to be alot more qoutes and parts of the book going to be released. Rol on July 21st.

Then there is the Mario and Sonic news. When i first heard the news I did have a little wee in my seat. But im starting to feel more and more dissapointed about it. Its lovely and great they are finally going to be in a game, but from the description of what these mascots will be up to it sounds like this is going to be a gloriffied wii sports, which means more mini-games for the wii. Obviously I will be purchasing both versions, for the DS and the Wii but I dont have high hopes and due to my Nintendo purist tendencys I'm going to feel a bit sick when i see that a Mario game is going to be published by Sega in Europe in America. But its my problem I will deal with it.

The Lovely Bones

Blakeborough

As the sole literature bod amongst us, I thought it was probably about time that I included a review of one of my favourite media mediums.

'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold tells the story of 14 year old Susie Salmon raped and murdered by her next door neighbour from this protagonists own perspective in Heaven. Having read this book when it was first published a few moons ago, I felt that giving it a second read would be a good thing to do seeing as though it didn't provoke much of a reaction in me whilst giving it a first go on various trains to and from Leicester.
I certainly didn't expect to react in quite a violently melancholy way to it though! This book is terrifically written, unsettling and completely unputdownable whilst never faiing to make me weep like a baby at each sitting. In my opinion this is always a test for me of a good novel. Since I first read Robin Jarvis' 'The Woven Path' where the soul of a WW2 pilot inexplicably trapped in the inanimate body of a teddy bear given to him by his long dead sweetheart is plunged back in time to prevent her grisly death, I have never had such an emotional reaction to fictional characters.

Although at times 'The Lovely Bones' fails to progress the narrative with as much fluidity as I would hope, by the next page, or at least the next chapter the fictional universe is back on track. There are a few moment within the story that I did think were slightly unnecessary, i.e Susie's brief 'fall' to Earth, or entirely irritating- the ending.
Obviously I didn't pay enough attention to this book the first time, but this most recent reading had me actually caring about each character and rushing back to read it, even when something good was on telly! However, I have a gripe. And that, is the ending. If you choose to read this book, you will, like me want to see swift and painful justice be handed out to the killer of Susie, but he elludes capture and instead is doled out his 'justice' in the form of an accident. An icicle to the heart. Nice.
If I'd stopped reading about 20 pages before the end, in fact, at the end of the penultimate chapter, I'd have absolutely no complaints. As such, I just felt a little bit annoyed.


Still...it's definitely worth a read and will definitely raise some interesting thoughts about life after death and the possibility(ies) of heaven.

Blackett

I agree with you here Claire. I loved this book, lots of smiles and crying and then anger. If you read this book your emotions will be flung from one extreme to the next with each turn of the page. Sadly one of these emotions is frustration one of the most interesting characters in the story was criminally under developed, Ruana Singh although portrayed as a mystery and best kept that way it would have been nice to have seen more of her than of her annoying sun and his "I see dead people" friend. They might have worked in another book or even as an extension of this one but in this story Ray and Ruth only serve to distract away from more interesting events.

As mentioned the end of this book makes me very sad, Susie coming back to earth and then wasting the time rather than using to help her family was out of character and made no sense because she can do everything in heaven that she could on earth. it kind of made me think i had missed something in the story but apparently not it is just a random moment. A more interesting ending George Harvey was needed. Death by ice not only implied that Susie some how managed to do it ( because she talks about killing with an icicle being the most perfect murder weapon) but it also seems so cheap for a book that is for the most part amazingly written and a joy to read. I would recommend this book but warn against the ending.

Doctor Who (Trailer 2)

Blackett

And this is the new trailer, bed wettingly good. Role on a new companion. Mucho things to look forward to in this series. The whoniverse is starting to fill my television fantasy needs. I really hope this goes darker with the doctor and that the Daleks remain a highlight of the series and dont do a Borg on us and can be outran, destroyed, bargained with by any middle aged woman who happens to dander across the delta quadrent.

Buffy Season 8

The day came on thursday, Buffy returned form the grave.......again......sort of. The highly anticipated (by me and Claire) first issue arrived on our shores. The life and soul of Buffy and almost every thing loved about Buffy is present in an amazingly written (what else would we expect from Mr Whedon) beautifuly drawn comic. I say almost because a few things were missing but thats only because im greedy. Our favourite ginger haired wiccan is only referenced but not seen, but clearly thats going to be part of a bigger with the re introduction of a Sunnydale survivor. Im really interested to see if the Buffy franchise is going to "feel" the same in this much more epic form of story telling. The buffy gang are no longer a close core gang and there actions are not centralised to the library or magic shop also Buffy seems to have gained a whole load of money with helecopters, command centre and laser guns a go go and with thousands of slayers will this take away from the feeling that Buffy was actually in danger all alone in the world and would scrammble for increasingly desperate measures to get rid of the evil in Sunnydale.

Just some of my thoughts, im going to stick with it till the end any way. It has me hooked and I believe what ever Joss is given actual control over will turn to gold.


Blakeborough

Having now read it for the seventh time I feel I can fully comment on what is promising to be a highly entertaining and possibly seat wetting 8th season of Buffy. I entirely agree with Blackett's thoughts so far, but I'm a little bit concerned that the new army of hi-tech slayerettes is going to hinder the story lines a little. Laser guns and helicopters kind of says 'demon annihilation' to me, and I just wonder what Whedon has planned that could take on this formidable new scooby gang. Also, why are they in Scotland? Ooh err.

Anyway... I just needed to take a second to have another look at the expected cover for issue 3:


Sigh. Nothing can be right in the world until I'm finding out about more of Willow's antics.

Two Worlds...

Morgan

Love it - but not as cool as the.. you wanna come with me series 1 adverts. more later when i'm not at work!

Blakeborough

I bloody well love it. I had small tingles throughout my being when I saw this first. David Tennant on a platter please.

Skins...

Morgan

Starting to like it. Boo.


Blakeborough

I just don't know who you are any more. A Skins boy smiled at me today at Uni. I'm hip.

Blackett

Oh no it has become a sad day. Thought i was starting to like it to but then watched the O.C. and remembered what a script is, i think the people on skins should be reminded of this and a series of controversial images, naked people and durg references does not good television make. Although i am looking forward to when ITV do its own version with c list celebrities actually no wait thats what channel 4 have done. And there is the news that its going to come back for a second series! I wonder what it will try and do next to try and get commented upon in the media, my wish list for second series of skins is alot of plastic surgery i want boys becoming girl, black people becoming chinese and the south park inspired, man becoming dolphin.