Film 1/52

Four Lions [DVD] [2010]
Four Lions [Blu-ray] [2010]

Film night with Mike and Saz. Pleasantly surprised by the choice, had wanted to see it, perhaps more out of curiosity than anything else. But Mrs M not such a big fan of Chris Morris.

Having seen the trailers and read the interviews etc, nothing too surprising, but some lovely comedy moments (including "anti-surveillance"). The film never really wants to go near the underlying issues of the situation, it just sets up the premise and lets it play out. To what has to be an inescapable finale, but which, while not being in any way a twist, or an attempt to wrong foot or shock the audience, still has a horrible kick in the stomach feel to it.

It's not a film which achieves much, it's irresponsible and shallow and childish and patronising and simplistic and, well, it's quite funny.

Book 2/52

Dick Strawbridge - "It's Not Easy Being Green"



Ok, I want what he's got. I want to do that. Live on, with and from the land. Be (more) self-sufficient, (more) green and get out of the rat race.

Of course, I don't have the army background, the practical nature or the self belief, but you've got to start somewhere.

A very handy reference to the ideas and projects featured in the TV series, going into more detail and providing a bit more background and inspiration.

Jolly good. Thanks lil Sis.

A new blog for 2011

I've got a new blog project which will start in 2012, so this one is a stopgap one-year only affair.

The idea is to list 52 things in a bunch of categories by the end of the year. I'm not even sure what the categories are yet, but if I start listing something, it's going to have to be something I can get 52 down in however much of the year remains.

So, the first category up is books. I don't read any more. Well, I read a bit, but nothing like what I used to. I used to read voraciously. So, I want to read, on average, one book a week this year.

Book 1/52: Peter Purves "Here's One I Wrote Earlier"

Ok, let's be clear - this was an impulse pickup from a clearance bookshop. Peter Purves was there in the background of my childhood from his 10-year stint on Blue Peter (as part of the programme's golden age, along with John Noakes, Valerie Singlepersonwhatrumours and Lesley Judd).

It was only much, much later that I found out Purves had originally been an actor, and had played a companion in the early days of Doctor Who.

Do we learn much about the inner man? Maybe not. Is it a mildly diverting autobiography until it gets into the Crufts years? Yep.