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8/21/2008 Mistaken Identity
Mood: In Hysterics 
Classic ... and they say all Asians look alike!!!
As reported by stuff.co.nz (as seen on SMH Online).
CHINESE MOB PHELPS LOOKALIKE August 21, 2008 - 1:13PM Former Olympic swimmer Steve Parry, a BBC TV commentator, has been mobbed by Chinese Olympic fans as he broadcast live from Tiananmen Square because they thought he was US super-fish Michael Phelps. Ironically, Parry, who won a bronze medal for the 200m butterfly at the 2004 Games, was beaten in that race by Phelps. "I am not Michael Phelps," he kept shouting as fans tried to have their picture taken with him and asking for his autograph, "I am Steve Parry from England." Parry, the BBC reported, had been asked to take a cardboard cut-out of Phelps into Tiananmen Square to show how many people would want to have their picture taken with it. But he was instantly mobbed by over 100 fans and it took several minutes to convince people he was not the winner of eight gold medals in the photo. Parry told the BBC: "I can't imagine what it is like to be Michael Phelps. "If he actually did come down it would be absolute pandemonium." 8/20/2008 Movie Review: Wanted
Mood: Squee! 
Is it just me, or are there a lot of superhero films around this year?
Ok, so the protagonist isn't exactly a superhero, but he does have extraordinary skills, and ways and means to rapidly heal his battered and bloodied body, so I'm going to call him a superhero for the sake of a name. And how could I say no to a film that has lots of explosions and car chases / crashes and lots of guns and shooting? Based upon Mark Millar’s explosive graphic novel series and helmed by stunning visualist director Timur Bekmambetov—creator of the most successful Russian film franchise in history, the Night Watch series—Wanted tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice. In 2008, the world will be introduced to a hero for a new generation: Wesley Gibson. 25-year-old Wes (James McAvoy) was the most disaffected, cube-dwelling drone the planet had ever known. His boss chewed him out hourly, his girlfriend ignored him routinely and his life plodded on interminably. Everyone was certain this disengaged slacker would amount to nothing. There was little else for Wes to do but wile away the days and die in his slow, clock-punching rut. Until he met a woman named Fox (Angelina Jolie). After his estranged father is murdered, the deadly sexy Fox recruits Wes into the Fraternity, a secret society that trains Wes to avenge his dad's death by unlocking his dormant powers. As she teaches him how to develop lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility, Wes discovers this team lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: carry out the death orders given by fate itself. With wickedly brilliant tutors -- including the Fraternity's enigmatic leader, Sloan (Morgan Freeman) -- Wes grows to enjoy all the strength he ever wanted. But, slowly, he begins to realize there is more to his dangerous associates than meets the eye. And as he wavers between newfound heroism and vengeance, Wes will come to learn what no one could ever teach him: he alone controls his destiny. Believe me when I tell you that this is an awesome movie. In my books, it rates right up there with Iron Man as almost the best movie I've seen this year. To use someone else's words, as Todd Mccarthy said in his movie review for Variety.com, "Like it or not, Wanted pretty much slams you to the back of your chair from the outset and scarcely lets up for the duration." That's how chock full of action this movie was. So much so I had to keep reminding myself to breathe throughout the movie. Look, let's be honest, this movie is fluff. Pure, unadulterated, adrenaline rushing, heart pounding, CGI enhanced fluff. No one is going to win an Oscar for their acting, nor for their scriptwriting. But I did love seeing it on the big screen, and wished the volume had been louder. I definitely would have jumped more if the volume was louder! James McAvoy would not have been my first choice as the hero, but after seeing his very buffed physique, who am I to say no? And Angelina Jolie ... well ... let's just say I would turn for her. Morgan Freeman did the best he could with what he was given. I wasn't completely convinced, but then, I have to remind myself that this movie is fluff. Terence Stamp's appearance about two-thirds of the way into the movie added another big name presence on the screen, and he too did the best he could with what he was given. Support players Thomas Kretschmann as Cross and Common as The Gunsmith were also entertaining. The special effects were great! Oh, and I nearly drew blood from J as I dug my fingernails in so hard at all the jumpy bits! Rating:  
The movie actually deserves a rating of 4¾ stars as well, for the same reasons as The Dark Knight. This movie will definitely become part of my DVD collection when it becomes available. Continuing the Six Degrees game, from Fight Club to Wanted, there are 3 direct links: * Brad Pitt was in Se7en (1995) with Morgan Freeman. (Yep - back again!) * Brad Pitt was in Full Frontal (2002) with Terence Stamp. * Brad Pitt was in Mr and Mrs Smith (2005) with Angelina Jolie. (Duh!!!) And Bacon numbers: James McAvoy has a Bacon number of 2. * James McAvoy was in The Last King of Scotland (2006) with Forest Whitaker. * Forest Whitaker was in The Air I Breathe (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Angelina Jolie has a Bacon number of 2. * Angelina Jolie was in Sledge: The Untold Story (2005) with Jim Cody Williams. * Jim Cody Williams was in Rails & Ties (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Morgan Freeman has a Bacon number of 2. (Already established in the review for The Dark Knight.) Terence Stamp has a Bacon number of 2. * Terence Stamp was in Bowfinger (1999) with John Cho. * John Cho was in The Air I Breathe (2007) with Kevin Bacon. We had a week's rest last week - J was so sick he could barely get himself out of bed. So we resumed our viewing this week with the Jason Statham flick The Bank Job. Movie Review: Fight Club
Mood: OMG!!! 
I was one lucky duck in the week before last when I was treated to not one, not two, but three movies.
J and I received an invitation from Emily to "have a night in" with her and Penny on Saturday night, which would be a relaxing and no-fuss evening of good food (Emily cooked an amazing chilli chicken stir fry) and good company. Emily also spent up big on discounted DVDs on Saturday afternoon, so we were asked to help her kick off the viewings. I had a quick squiz through the pile, and as the one who had viewed the least number of movies in the past few years, it was left to me to choose the movie for the night. So I chose Fight Club. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, look away now. And get your butt immediately into gear and see it - rent it, buy it, borrow it from a friend, steal it from the internet - I don't care how you get your hands on a copy of this movie - just do it. You will thank me later. Trust me on this one. For those of you who have, but for some odd reason need to be reminded what the movie was about, below is the synopsis. FIGHT CLUB is narrated by a lonely, unfulfilled young man (Edward Norton) who finds his only comfort in feigning terminal illness and attending disease support groups. Hopping from group to group, he encounters another pretender, or "tourist," the morose Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), who immediately gets under his skin. However, while returning from a business trip, he meets a more intriguing character--the subversive Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). They become fast friends, bonding over a mutual disgust for corporate consumer-culture hypocrisy. Eventually, the two start Fight Club, which convenes in a bar basement where angry men get to vent their frustrations in brutal, bare-knuckle bouts. Fight Club soon becomes the men's only real priority; when the club starts a cross-country expansion, things start getting really crazy. Like Tyler Durden himself, director David Fincher's FIGHT CLUB, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, is startlingly aggressive and gleefully mischievous as it skewers the superficiality of American pop culture. Outstanding performances by Norton and Pitt are supported by a razor-sharp script and an arsenal of stunning visual effects that include computer animation and sleight-of-hand editing. One of the most unique films of the late 20th century, FIGHT CLUB is a pitch-black comedy of striking intensity. Yes, of course I know what the first rule of Fight Club is. I also know what the second rule of Fight Club is. But I have to. I just have to talk about it - even shout it from the mountain tops. In a word: stunning. I completely agree with the Rotten Tomatoes general consensus statement: solid acting, amazing direction, and elaborate production design make Fight Club a wild ride. I can't believe it took me nearly 10 years to see this movie. Neither could Em, Penny or J. And the extra special bonus for everyone else on the night was my reaction to the movie - my facial expressions, audio reactions and physical expressions were second to none in entertaining the masses. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt were terrific. They were equally good in this movie - I honestly could not pick one over the other as having given a better performance. Norton's world weariness was perfectly balanced by Pitt's maniacal frenzy. Their budding relationship was superbly played out - I almost felt sorry for Norton's narrator as Pitt's Tyler Durden rode in like a knight in shining armour and took control of everything that was once theirs in equal shares, but slowly emerging to be Tyler's domain. I am normally not a fan of Helena Bonham Carter - mainly because I have never developed a full appreciation of her unique style - but I have to say that she was terrific as Marla added yet another level of instability to the bigger picture. The pace of the movie was great - I enjoyed every minute of the bumpy, unpredictable and exhilarating ride. And Em, Penny and J all got a great laugh at my reaction to the big twist of the movie. Rating:
Yes. Yes I did. I gave it a 5-star rating. So, to continue the Six Degrees game, from The Dark Knight to Fight Club, there are 3 direct links: * Gary Oldman was in True Romance (1993) with Brad Pitt. * Morgan Freeman was in Se7en (1995) with Brad Pitt. * Maggie Gyllenhaal was in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) with Brad Pitt. And Bacon numbers: Edward Norton (I) has a Bacon number of 2. * Edward Norton (I) was in Primal Fear (1996) with Alfre Woodard. * Alfre Woodard was in Beauty Shop (2005) with Kevin Bacon. Brad Pitt has a Bacon number of 1. (But of course!!!) * Brad Pitt was in Sleepers (1996) with Kevin Bacon. Helena Bonham Carter has a Bacon number of 1 . (As well!!!) * Helena Bonham Carter was in Novocaine (2001) with Kevin Bacon. Next up - Wanted. Squee! 8/14/2008 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony
Mood: Olympic Fever! 
It's taken me a few days, and after scouring the internet, I have found, in my opinion, the best pictures of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony held on 8 August 2008. I loved every minute of the artistic part of the ceremony. Starting off with the 2008 Fou drummers, who beat the LED-embedded drums to light up the digits in the countdown to the official commencement of the proceedings. These guys were just amazing - they were perfectly synchronised throughout their entire routine. The dancers performing a contemporary routine while painting the scroll were awesome. The floor of the Beijing National Stadium (aka the Bird's Nest) opened up to reveal the he set of movable type blocks, surrounded by the beautifully costumed Han Dynasty-era performers representing the 3000 Disciples of Confucius wearing feathered headgears and carrying bamboo slips. The movable type blocks were made up of 897 characters in the Chinese alphabet, and these blocks moved up and down to form different words and pictures - amongst those were the character 和 (harmony) and the Great Wall of China. I was sure that the blocks were moving via a series of hydraulic lifts and other mechanics set to a program, and J was certain that human performers were inside the blocks. And even when flowers sprouted from the blocks, I was still adamant that machines were moving the blocks. Imagine my surprise and delight when J turned out to be right and 897 heads popped out of the top of the blocks and 1794 arms started waving madly at the audience! The Chinese opera was gorgeously choreographed, with sensational costumes and a myriad of performers littering the stadium floor. Then there were the little men in green suits dotted with fairy lights who formed the human version of the Bird's Nest as well as the peace dove that flew for a time along the floor. Then came the 2008 Tai Chi masters who performed mass Tai Chi. The fireworks were spectacular - the Chinese showed the world that they not only invented the fireworks, but they are second to none in how to use them. No words can describe how good the fireworks were and I was all set to enjoy the spectacular, if only stupid Channel 7 would let me! The idiot official Australian broadcaster kept cutting to ads throughout the ceremony! I didn't need to be reminded that Coles and Red Rooster were broadcast sponsors, nor do I care! And don't get me started on how poorly they have performed so far. Anyway, back to happier thoughts. My favourite parts were definitely the drums and the movable type blocks. I was quite moved by the entrance of the Chinese team, led by basketballer Yao Ming and Lin Hao, the 9-year-old primary school student who had rescued two schoolmates during the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. And I watched in absolute utter amazement as Li Ning (gymnastics, China's most decorated athlete at its first Olympics in 1984), suspended by wires, was lifted to the top of the stadium. Once in position, Li Ning then appeared to run horizontally along the walls of the stadium through to the Olympic cauldron, with images from the Olympic torch relay projected on to the walls. The cauldron was lit and a flurry of spectacular fireworks ensued. Poor London - how can you top that??? Enjoy these wonderful pictures!                                                   
8/11/2008 The Hits Just Keep On Coming!Mood: Stunned   A big shout out to everyone who has been dropping by this little blog and reading my random musings.I am completely stunned and amazed by the number of hits on the blog for this week - 138 views in approximately 42 hours. That's what I called "high traffic"! Thanks to everyone for paying a visit. Please feel free to drop by more often! Updated as at 9.59PM Page views today: 58. Page views this week: 148. Thanks and keep visiting, and hope you're enjoying flicking through my random musings! 8/7/2008 Movie Review: The Dark KnightMood: Excited   J has been talking about seeing The Dark Knight since we met, and after a long and exhaustive wait, the day of the night finally dawned last Friday.The plan was to see the movie at the IMAX, but alas, no one would listen to me when I told them that bookings would be essential to secure seats at the IMAX on a Friday night. J and I had acquired a few IMAX discount vouchers along the way and were keen to use these for The Dark Knight, but alas, they will now be saved for another time. The follow-up to the action hit "Batman Begins", "The Dark Knight" reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne. In "The Dark Knight", Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organisations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker. Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain") stars as arch-villain the Joker, and Aaron Eckhart plays District Attorney Harvey Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal joins the cast in the role of Rachel Dawes. Returning from "Batman Begins" are Gary Oldman as Lieutenant Jim Gordon; Oscar winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") as Alfred; and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") as Lucius Fox. There has been so much hype surrounding this movie, most notably the tragic death of a young actor whose career would have skyrocketed into the stratosphere based on his brilliant portrayal of the Joker. Heath Ledger's performance garnered him much critical acclaim, and by all accounts, the chances of Ledger winning an Oscar from this role are high. I found Ledger's Joker gripping - he was maniacal and evil - a true Magnificent Bastard. By definition, the Magnificent Bastard is intelligent, charismatic, capable, supremely competent - almost implausibly so - and always in control. He's a devious liar playing everyone for his own selfish ends, but he goes about it with such panache that you can't help but be impressed. A Magnificent Bastard inspires (often grudging) admiration from friend, foe, and audience alike. He can get away with the most outrageous schemes because he's just that damn awesome. Christian Bale was good as Batman. I still haven't seen Batman Begins (I really should have watched that first before venturing into the sequel), but from the little I'd seen of him in the shorts for Batman Begins, Christian Bale is the best Batman to date. In The Dark Knight, Bale's Batman was dark, brooding and tormented, and he worked well with the rest of the cast with his understated and controlled performance. Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart were both terrific. Oldman is always a pleasure to watch, and his portrayal of a good cop relentlessly working for the good of Gotham was very engaging. I felt myself rooting for him the whole way through the movie. Aaron Eckhart's restrained turn as Harvey Dent brought a good balance to the movie, while his tortured Two-Faced made me want to hold him and tell him everything will be all right. Maggie Gyllenhaal was just sparkling as Rachel Dawes. Maggie is quite an extraordinarily beautiful woman and lit up the screen whenever the camera was focused on her. I was glad to see Gyllenhaal's Rachel was not merely a damsel in distress, but as an integral player in the storyline who didn't have to resort to whining and crying to make herself heard. As usual, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman were magnificent to watch on screen. I cannot think of two better actors to play the parts of Alfred and Lucius Fox. Christopher Nolan deserves to be heaped with praise for his delivery of The Dark Knight. At 152 minutes, the movie was a bit long for my weary body to handle on a Friday night after a hard working week, but the movie was always engaging - I was completely drawn into the story and the action, and enjoyed every last "jumpy" and "scary" moment of the movie. As an aside, J thinks it's hilarious that I get so involved in movies that I jump and dig my fingernails into his arm/hand/leg and occasionally forget to breathe at crucial points of the movie. Rating: The movie actually deserves a rating of 4¾ stars, as I thought it was better than Juno and Charlie Wilson's War, but not quite as good as Iron Man. Continuing the Six Degrees game, there are 2 direct links between The Forbidden Kingdom and The Dark Knight: * Jet Li was in Danny the Dog (2005) with Morgan Freeman (I). * Michael Angarano was in Lords of Dogtown (2005) with Heath Ledger. And Bacon numbers: Christian Bale has a Bacon number of 2. * Christian Bale was in Batman Begins (2005) with Sarah Wateridge. * Sarah Wateridge was in Where the Truth Lies (2005) with Kevin Bacon. Heath Ledger has a Bacon number of 2. * Heath Ledger was in Patriot, The (2000) with Kanin J. Howell. * Kanin J. Howell was in Death Sentence (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Aaron Eckhart has a Bacon number of 2. * Aaron Eckhart was in Black Dahlia, The (2006) with Steve Eastin. * Steve Eastin was in Rails & Ties (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Maggie Gyllenhaal has a Bacon number of 2. * Maggie Gyllenhaal was in Criminal (2004) with Laura Ceron. * Laura Ceron was in Rails & Ties (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Gary Oldman has a Bacon number of 1. (Surprised, but not really, since Gary Oldman has been in so many movies.) * Gary Oldman was in Murder in the First (1995) with Kevin Bacon Michael Caine (I) has a Bacon number of 2. * Michael Caine (I) was in Curtain Call (1999) with Marcia Gay Harden. * Marcia Gay Harden was in Rails & Ties (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Morgan Freeman (I) has a Bacon number of 2. * Morgan Freeman (I) was in Lonely Maiden, The (2008) with Marcia Gay Harden. * Marcia Gay Harden was in Rails & Ties (2007) with Kevin Bacon. At the time of writing this review, I revisited my list from earlier this year to try and reconcile what movies I'd seen and which ones I've yet to see. After reviewing the list, I've decided to abandon it based on the revised release dates of most of the movies - quite a few of them have been and gone from the cinemas, and a lot of the ones I've seen this year aren't even on the list. So, as I'm abandoning the list, I'm going to deviate from reviewing movies only seen at the cinemas to reviewing one I watched on Saturday night with Emily, Penny and J - Fight Club. 8/6/2008 Movie Review: The Forbidden KingdomMood: Gobsmacked   After a horrific start to Tuesday last week (see entry below), I was definitely keen to be taken away from my freezing soggy apartment. Having spent the day indoors sitting near a very loud noisy fan, where the temperature inside was colder than outside, I needed to get away.J and I had agreed that I should stay at his house on Tuesday night. As is the tradition, Tight Arse Tuesday gave us a chance to see another movie on or off the list. I left J to choose the movie, as I wasn't able to think or see straight by the time I arrived at his house. The choice was The Forbidden Kingdom. The synopsis is below. In "Forbidden Kingdom," American teenager Jason (Michael Angarano), who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung fu classics, finds an antique Chinese staff in a pawn shop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King (Jet Li). With the lost relic in hand, Jason unexpectedly finds himself transported back to ancient China. There, he meets the drunken kung fu master, Lu Yan (Jackie Chan); an enigmatic and skilful Silent Monk (Jet Li); and a vengeance-bent kung fu beauty, Golden Sparrow (Crystal Liu Yi Fei), who lead him on his quest to return the staff to its rightful owner, the Monkey King - imprisoned in stone by the evil Jade Warlord (Collin Chou) for five hundred years. Along the way, while attempting to outmanoeuvre scores of Jade Warriors, Cult Killers and the deadly White Hair Demoness, Ni Chang (Li Bing Bing), Jason learns about honour, loyalty and friendship, and the true meaning of kung fu, and thus frees himself. Let me start by saying that I'm a fan of Jackie Chan and Jet Li. I think they are both fun actors with awesome martial arts skills, although they are definitely better actors when they are speaking their mother tongues. I also like martial arts movies. Some of my all time favourite movies involve martial arts - The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III ... you get the drift. But, I haven't always been a fan of Monkey Magic. Matter of fact, I can honestly say that I'm not a fan, as I was never exposed to the cult classic TV series as a child. I found it very difficult to engage with the storyline. The movie was said to be inspired by the novel on which Monkey Magic was based, mixed with a healthy dash of what we loved most about The Karate Kid - a young man learning about honour, loyalty and friendship and the true meaning of karate. I certainly liked the Wax On Wax Off stuff, but the Monkey Magic thing kind of went over the top of my head. In the end, I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure if I'd be rushing to recommend the movie to others. The fight scenes were great, and there were some funny lines between Jet Li and Jackie Chan. Crystal Liu Yi Fei was stunning on screen - very gorgeous girl to look at. Collin Chou and Bing Bing Li had just the right amount of evilness about them without being too cheesy and OTT. And the scenery was amazing as well. Rating:  Continuing the Six Degrees games, there are zero direct links between Hancock and Forbidden Kingdom - no surprises there - I thought it would be difficult to make a direct link based on the actors' appearances in movies alone. However, if we were to bend the rules a little bit, there is 1 direct but tenuous link: * Will Smith (I) was a guest presenter at the 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996), where Jackie Chan also presented an award. And Bacon numbers: Jet Li has a Bacon number of 2. * Jet Li was in Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) with Kelly Hu. * Kelly Hu was in Air I Breathe, The (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Jackie Chan has a Bacon number of 2. * Jackie Chan was in Around the World in 80 Days (2004) with Luke Wilson (I). * Luke Wilson (I) was in My Dog Skip (2000) with Kevin Bacon. Michael Angarano has a Bacon number of 2. * Michael Angarano was in Man in the Chair (2007) with Kuma (II). * Kuma (II) was in Saving Angelo (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Collin Chou has a Bacon number of 2. * Collin Chou was in Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) with Leigh Whannell. * Leigh Whannell was in Death Sentence (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Yifei Liu has a Bacon number of 3. * Yifei Liu was in Forbidden Kingdom, The (2008) with Michael Angarano. * Michael Angarano was in Man in the Chair (2007) with Kuma (II). * Kuma (II) was in Saving Angelo (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Bingbing Li has a Bacon number of 2. * Bingbing Li was in Maang lung (2005) with Maggie Q. * Maggie Q was in New York, I Love You (2008) with Kevin Bacon. From this little detour from the big blockbusters, the next movie we took in was The Dark Knight, arguably the MUST-SEE movie of 2008. Stay tuned for the review. 8/4/2008 Water Water Everywhere ...Mood: Peeved   July 2008 will go down in history as the month of plumbing disasters. Looking back on what was a horrific month of lots of money being spent with little to show for, I should probably have stayed in bed for those 31 days and called it a holiday. After all, I did spend my "holiday fund" on fixing everything. July kicked off with a debilitating recurring medical condition that left me incapacitated for a couple of days, and more than a little worried. Although it is a recurring condition, I usually suffer from this condition about once a year, twice if I'm unlucky, so three times in three months was really quite concerning. I felt bad enough to warrant a visit to the doctor, who gave me a script for some rather expensive drugs and sent me on my way. A week later, I was to discover that indoor water features suck, big time. On a bright and early Monday morning, my bathroom drains decided to completely block up while I was in the shower. I had noticed the water wasn't draining well but continued my morning routine, only to hear J yelling for me stop the water. I was grateful for J's presence - he kept me calm while grabbing towels and sheets to mop up as much water as possible that was spewing out from my bathroom into my hallway. I had never had to deal with issues of the same nature and really didn't know what to do, so it was great that there was someone else to help me deal with the mess. The building maintenance guy was called, and he came up and found the problem - a massive clump of my hair collected from years of shedding through shampooing had nestled in the central drain and blocked all the secondary drains, causing the water to overflow through the central point, all over my bathroom and into my hallway. A few minutes and quite a few dollars later, Enzo unblocked the drains with his stick and the water flowed freely again. The building cleaner was also called to help vacuum the water from my carpet. Nanna came up with her "wet vac" machine and spent an hour sucking the water out of the carpet. She also brought with her a high powered fan to help dry out the carpet, which I had to leave on for the duration of the day. I ended up working from home to let Enzo and Nanna in and out of the apartment, and the noise from the fan grated on my nerves all day, but by the next morning, the carpet was dry and Nanna was $100 richer for her efforts. July is generally a bad month for me as too many things need to be paid by the end of the month. The most important of all being my car rego and green slip, which this year amounted to $600. So you can imagine exactly how impressed I was with having to fork out nearly $200 to get my drains and carpet done. However, having reworked the budget a little bit, I worked out I would still be on target even with the extra expenditure, especially since I was lucky enough to be included in some market research which paid $140 cash in the hand. All of which went into getting rid of a second indoor water feature in a fortnight. Yes, folks, that's right. When it rains, it pours, literally. Last week, my apartment sprang another leak. This time, the leak was the result of a broken rubber seal in the hose connecting the taps to the dishwasher, which had been slowly dripping for days before the water finally seeped into my dining room. To say I was upset would be an understatement. I woke to soggy carpets last Tuesday morning, and immediately burst into tears. The magnitude of the latest drama overwhelmed me and a few people had to deal with a very tired and emotional me. J copped the first phone call. I could barely talk as I sobbed into the phone, and J's reassuring tones calmed me down to a point where I was able to make the next phone call to my line manager Ash. Unfortunately for Ash, the minute he answered the phone, the floodgates opened again. John the building concierge was the next to be hit by my tears. He sprang into action even before I started crying again, and called Craig the building manager immediately. Within minutes, Craig appeared at my front door, and after fiddling around under my kitchen sink for a while, informed me that he would not be able to fix the problem but he knew a guy who could. Not only did he give me the number of Rob the plumber, Craig also mobilised Nanna and her merry men to do their thing with my carpet again. Armed with large machines, Nanna and her merry men converged on my apartment and worked on getting as much water out of the carpet as possible. There was just so much water - the leak had been dripping slowly for up to a week and I'd only noticed the problem when the water patch covered half of my dining area. If you're thinking "What took her so long?", the wall between the kitchen and dining area is an extremely low traffic area and is usually covered by a beanbag and a spare dining chair. Nanna's boys did a great job vacuuming the water out of the carpet and left me another heavy duty fan, to be returned whenever I felt the carpet was dry enough. Nanna also left me $200 poorer. Rob and his merry man arrived shortly afterwards and set about fixing the water leak. 30 minutes later, they left me with a brand new rubber seal in the hose, a new mixer tap for my sink, and $150 poorer. To say the least, I was extremely disappointed by the turn of events. I had to delve into my "holiday fund" to pay for most of the damages. I was so upset on Tuesday night that I couldn't talk without crying, which worried J as he would ask me a question, and I would answer through floods of tears. I chose to stay at J's on Tuesday night as I had to leave the fan running all night, and at one point, as he walked back into his room with a glass of water for me, found me sobbing into his pillow for no reason. And no, the story doesn't end there. I still haven't paid for rego or the green slip, which means I still have to hand over $600 at some point this week. And I'm suffering from the recurring medical condition again. Yay for that. Thankfully, we are now into August, so here's hoping this month will be a lot better than the last! 7/22/2008 Movie Review: HancockMood: Meh   Everyone who is anyone wants to be a superhero - or so it seems with so many superhero films around.Last week's cinematic adventures involved a society misfit with super powers who does more harm than good with his efforts to fight crime and evil. Featuring an all-star cast of Will Smith, Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron, the trailer looked really good when we first saw it quite a few weeks ago. The synopsis of Hancock appears below: There are heroes…there are superheroes…and then there’s Hancock. With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, except Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause. In light of all the superhero films that have been screened so far this year, Hancock would have to be the film that I liked the least. There were just too many ideas going on in the film, and too many things that were explained in a very rushed way and not be allowed to develop in their own time. I really would have liked to have seen certain relationships develop at a more leisurely pace, as well as certain points of the film unveiled more gradually than in the flurried manner by which they were pushed out. I enjoy watching Will Smith on screen - there's just something about him that is so highly likeable and watchable - whenever I see him on screen, I see the fun, cheeky kid who was the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. As the movie's title character, Smith gave a very restrained performance - he was good to watch, but he wasn't as much fun as he could have been. I have loved Jason Bateman since the days of Valerie (later renamed The Hogan Family). I thought he was absolutely brilliant in Arrested Development. And I loved watching him as Ray Embrey, a loving husband and father wanting to save the world, one person at a time. I felt a genuine connection between Hancock and Ray - on screen, Smith and Bateman had chemistry that felt warm and fuzzy and was easy to watch. Right from the get-go, there was something fishy about Charlize Theron's Mary. You knew the minute she laid her eyes on Hancock that she held the key to his past. Here is where I felt the movie could have improved - a bit more suspense. Charlize played the protective wife and mother well - and she is absolutely gorgeous! I walked out of the cinemas unable to decide whether I'd had an enjoyable time. A week later, I'm still undecided. It will be interesting to see if they make a sequel - not sure where they can go with the storyline - by the end of the movie, Hancock has redeemed himself and is playing a good superhero while Ray and his family are living the happily ever after ending. Perhaps they will delve more into Hancock's past in the sequel? Rating: Continuing the Six Degrees game, from Sex and the City: The Movie to Hancock, there is 1 direct link: * Kim Cattrall was in 15 Minutes (2001) with Charlize Theron. And Bacon numbers: Will Smith (I) has a Bacon number of 2. * Will Smith (I) was in Welcome to Hollywood (2000) with Kelly Preston. * Kelly Preston was in Death Sentence (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Jason Bateman has a Bacon number of 2. * Jason Bateman was in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) with Julie Gonzalo. * Julie Gonzalo was in Saving Angelo (2007) with Kevin Bacon. Charlize Theron has a Bacon number of 1. (I didn't know this one!!!) * Charlize Theron was in Trapped (2002) with Kevin Bacon. So now I'm all caught up on the outstanding movie reviews. We may be seeing Get Smart this Friday night, or I may be taking myself to see Mamma Mia! over the weekend. Stay tuned for more reviews! 7/21/2008 Movie Review: Sex And The CityMood: Not Fussed   So much hype surrounded this movie - from the rumours of a film version of the very successful TV series, to the weeks of filming in and around New York, and finally to the world premiere - I couldn't help but be excited about spending my hard-earned money to see Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte on the big screen.In the weeks leading up to the world premiere, the film was a hot topic of conversation - almost every female I knew were eagerly awaiting their chance to see the film while sipping their Cosmos and/or bubbly at a Hoyts La Premiere / Greater Union Gold Class session, the diehards gloated about their Sydney premiere night tickets (that were sold out months before the film opened), and those without the tickets had even entered competitions to try and snare those elusive tickets to be amongst the first to see the flick. I, on the other hand, was happy to see it when I got around to it. And to be honest, I'm glad I didn't race to the cinemas like everyone else. There was no chance at all that J would accompany me to the viewing. That much was certain. I think he said something along the lines of "I'd rather pull out my fingernails with pliers than sit through that clap trap", and as he had agreed to see Mamma Mia! with me, I figured I'd let him off the hook for this one movie. Boy, am I glad I didn't force J to sit through the movie. The film's synopsis is below: “After years of living in the city I assumed that if my friends and I ever got our fairy tale endings that would be the end of the story. But real life – always has a twist.” -- Carrie Bradshaw When it comes to screen size, bigger is definitely better! The film promises to answer all of the lingering questions – will Carrie and Big finally tie the knot? Can Samantha really be satisfied with just one man? Will Charlotte ever get pregnant? Can Miranda and Steve actually live happily ever after? Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), successful author and everyone’s favourite fashion icon-next-door, is back, her famously sardonic wit intact and sharper than ever, as she continues to narrate her own story about sex, love and the fashion-obsessed single woman in New York City. Sex and the City finds Carrie, Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) four years after the hit HBO series ended, as our favourite friends continue to juggle jobs and relationships while navigating motherhood, marriage and Manhattan real estate. “Year after year, twenty-something women come to New York City in search of the two “L”s: labels and love. Twenty years ago, I was one of them. Having gotten the knack for labels early…I concentrated on love.” -- Carrie Bradshaw Chris Noth reprises his iconic role of Carrie’s handsome yet elusive Mr. Big; David Eigenberg as Miranda’s down-to-earth husband Steve Brady; Evan Handler as Harry, Charlotte’s dependable and loving husband; and Jason Lewis as Smith Jerrod, an actor, client and devoted lover of Samantha’s. Also co-starring are Candice Bergen as pre-eminent Vogue Magazine editor Enid Frick and Academy Award®-winning actress Jennifer Hudson as Carrie's young and inexperienced but still label-savvy assistant Louise, a character new to New York and introduced in the film. Also returning are Mario Cantone as Anthony Marentino, Charlotte's opinionated wedding planner, and Willie Garson as Carrie's sartorially splendid pal Stanford Blatch. To be perfectly frank, the movie was definitely not nearly as good as the TV series. In my opinion, the movie could have ended 30 minutes before it finally did end. The whole movie felt far too long and could have been split in two, and with the tone of the movie a lot darker and heavier (and clunkier) than the TV series, I found it very tough going to sit still for a whopping 145 minutes to see Carrie finally go from A to Big. The girls were still fun to watch - the chemistry that was so prevalent on the TV series translated to the big screen well. It was great to see that Samantha was still with Smith, although for a while I was a little bit annoyed with the character evolving from the founder of WIIFM to someone whose only purpose in life was to look after a man. I loved that Charlotte was still with her wonderful Harry and life for them and their little girl could not be better. I was happy to see Miranda with a meatier storyline for a change - so often in the TV series, I felt Miranda was pushed into the background and it was good to see Cynthia Nixon getting stuck into a role that was more than just bitchy one-liners. As for Carrie, well, she was just less fun. I get that people have to grow up and act a certain way at a certain age or station of life, and the minute she started prepping for her wedding was when the fun slowly ebbed away. Short of turning Bridezilla, Carrie got, well, carried away with the wedding plans and it was easy to predict the whole thing would ultimately explode in her face. One must remember that Carrie and Big had an on-and-off relationship throughout the entire TV series, so one should expect that somewhere during the movie, the relationship would also go through the on and off phases. No surprises for guessing when the "twist and turn" happens, and at that very point, the movie should have ended leaving room for a sequel. But, alas, the movie went on for another 30 odd minutes before it mercifully ended with the group gathered to celebrate a major milestone with their signature Cosmos. Rating: Well, at least I can say I've seen the movie. 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