Ripley's Game

I have always liked John Malkovich as an actor, and this has the added bonus of Ray Winstone being in it also. Ripley's Game is a hard film to describe. Ripley (Malkovich) a retired dodgy geezer living in a picturesque Italian village, helps fellow dodgy geezer Reeves (Winstone) out by offering up an annoying neighbour (Dougray Scott) as a potential hit man. Said neighbour does the hit, but doesn't want to do a second one and Ripley feels a bit bad at this and decides to help him out and it all goes a bit tits up. This is way over-simplifying it but it is a good film to be captivated by Malkovich's on screen presence and charisma, making the normally charismatic Winstone look like a wet fish. The setting and Malkovich's house are splendid, the story less so, but it is not bad. The film is not fast paced (it wouldn't suit it if it was) so can seem to drag at times.

6.5/10

X-Factor has Christmas Number One

It was no surprise that Shayne Ward took the top spot with his debut X-Factor single That's My Goal. It is apparently the second fastest selling non-charity single of all time after Will Young's Pop Idol victory song Evergreen/Anything is Possible.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

The top four couples from the last series competed against two ceelbrities from the American version Dancing With Stars - Rachel Hunter and Evander Holyfield. They were all to dance to a Christmas song and be scored by the judges and then the studio audience will cast their votes.

First up to dance was Colin and Erin dancing the Cha Cha Cha to Let It Snow which was done very well and pretty flawless. It scored them 35 points. Model Rachel Hunter went next, she was paired with fellow Kiwi Brendan Cole, and they got on very well in rehersals for their Rumba, which was performed to Chestnuts Roasting by an Open Fire or similar and was described by one of the judges as "Not so much a dance of love but of lust". Technically it was very advanced, there was just a little slip up at the end but the judges were otherwise pleased with what they saw, and they scored 36.

James and Camilla danced a very impressive Foxtrot to Santa Baby and scored their best ever score of 37. Zoe and Ian went next with a Foxtrot to Winter Wonderland which was impressive and popular, although the judges spotted a couple of errors, but scored them 38.

Next up was boxer Evander Holyfield from the US show, who was going to be dancing with Karen Hardy to the jive. It was painful to watch as it looked like he had forgotten the routine on several occassions and was not up to the standard of the others. The words "Rabbit" and "headlights" came to mind as he Karen had to lift his arm for him to turn under as he didn't remember that he had to lift his arm and I think she made it up a but at the end. They were scored 22 points. Darren and Lilia then did a Quickstep to Jingle Bells which was full of energy and fun scoring them 40 points.

The studio audience then voted and made Darren and Lilia the Christmas Special champions.

Most Popular Baby Names 2005

According to the report out today, girls names vhange more frequently and are more adventurous as Jessica takes Emily off the top spot. Jack has been on top for eleven years.

Top Girls' Names:

1. Jessica
2. Emily
3. Sophie
4. Olivia
5. Chloe
6. Ellie
7.Grace
8.Lucy
9.Charlotte
10.Katie

Top Boys' Names

1. Jack
2. Joshua
3.Thomas
4. James
5. Oliver
6. Daniel
7. Samuel
8. William
9.Harry
10. Joseph

Soap stars still influence the names chart, as Demi, Ruby and Aleesha from Eastenders are all high percentage risers.

Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith

I had seen all the others and this was the only one left to watch. The special effects were very good, Yoda rocked and there were rather a lot of fight scenes during which I got fidgety. However, the real reason for watching this film was for it to tie up the loose ends for Episode IV (the original) by explaining how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader.

Overall, I enjoyed the film but am unlikely to sit through it again for a while.

6.5/10

The English Pub at its Unspoilt Best

Chester
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl.

Pub sign taken from the city walls in Chester, November 2005.

iJukebox?

Famous jukebox manufacturers Wurlitzer have brought out a jukebox that you can connect your iPod to to listen beyond the 100 or so CDs it stores.

Xinran - The Good Women of China

Xinran is a famous Chinese radio presenter who presented the stories of many women in China over the years she broadcast in Nanjing.

The book is a compilation of individual stories of women who lived through the Cultural Revolution and various other times of great upheaval in China. It is only a small book, and quite an easy read, though I have read better of it genre, it is good to have lots of stories of people, rather just the experiences of one family.

The X-Factor - The Final

There has been a big hype between the channels to see who will be watching each show, and who will win each show. Journey South kicked off the show with Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me which they belted out, and Andy (the quietest brother) gave one of his most confident performances, and both did very well and it was loved by the audience and the judges. Andy went next with When A Man Loves A Woman which was done more upbeat and different than the original, again he wowed the audience and the judges, leaving a lot for Shayne to live up to. He did the Daniel Bedingfield song If You're Not the One and did a professional and slick job and was predictably raved about.

For the next round they all did Christmas songs and I was highly sceptical as it was all looking at getting a bit too cheesy, even for me. Journey South did Merry Christmas (War is Over) complete with kiddie chorus. Andy then did O Holy Night and is voice is most suitable for a classic, choral carol, though may not be commercially appealing. Shayne then did When A Child Is Born which was also excellent. I was almost disappointed that they all did 'sensible' Christmas songs.

They then brought on the auditonees who didn't make it, that were amongst the most memorable, to sing their unique version of My Way.

For their final number, Journey South reprised Let it Be from last week. Personally I don't think it suits their rock style and their jeans and t-shirt persona, but they scrub up well in their suits and it demonstrates their versatility. Andy then did Me and Mrs Jones which was definitely one of my favourite performances of his from the past weeks. He did it well again and showed that he did deserve to be in the final on the strength of his phenomenal vocals, even though his versatility and ability to perform contemporary numbers is questionable. Shayne then did Somewhere Over the Rainbow which was a risk to do, but he did an upbeat, jazz version and managed to demonstrate is superb vocal range. Simon said it was "not the best performance of the night, but...the best performance of the entire series". It is absolutely impossible to tell who will win the show as all three acts have done well and have a broad appeal amongst typical X Factor viewers, though Shayne is the well deserved favourite.

At the beginning of the second show it was announced that Journey South were third place and leaving the competition.

The remaining singers then performed the single That's My Goal which will be released by the winning act next week. Andy went first and did as well as he could do with such a bland ballad, Shayne probably pulled it off marginally better, as the song was more suited to his voice.

It was no real surprise (though it was dragged out as long as possible) that Shayne was the winner.

Strictly Come Dancing - The Final

Three couples remain and will dance four dances tonight. The first round was Ballroom and it was Colin and Erin who started off with the Quickstep, which was not their best dance (scoring or judges' comments wise) and they danced to Nice Work If You can get It. It was done well, full of fast footwork that was hard to keep up with on the TV and the judges raved about it. They were scored 39 out of 40 (with Craig giving them the measly 9) and they were thrilled to bits, with Colin almost crying. Darren and Lilia were up next, relieved to be through after the last week's wardrobe malfunction. They decided to do their Foxtrot again to Big Spender which was typically dramatic, in time with the music and well executed. The judges managed to argue about his hands (as usual) but generally thought it was excellent. Len gave then a ten, but they still only got 36 points. Zoe and Ian decided to do their Tango again, which previously had scored them two tens. It was always a very theatrical dance and it was well executed, netting them a score of 38 (two tens again).

All the finalists have struggled with the Latin dances so this round was always going to be interesting. Colin and Erin danced the Rumba, with this time Colin refusing to show off his entire chest and wearing a more discrete shirt. They danced to Beautiful and did it well and got a standing ovation from the audience. The judges praised the emotion and sensuality and scored them 36, with a grand total of 75 out of 80. Darren and Lilia went next doing the Paso Doble. They danced it to a Latin version of Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood and it was dramatic, passionate and in perfect synch with the music. They got a score of 36 which they were pleased with, and a grand total of 72. Zoe and Ian danced the Samba for their Latin dance, to The Age Of Aquarius keeping to the Brazilian spirit of the dance. The Judges loved it and they got 38, with a grand total of 76.

We then had a retrospective film of the other dancers and their best (and worst) bits. They then came back for a brief dance each. Brendan obviously gave up with Fiona and just picked her up and twirled her round.

All three finalists then performed a Viennese Waltz together to Can't Help Falling in Love with You, it was not scored but the judges commented on it and predictably picked on Zoe for praise.

The third place couple were to be knocked out at this point and it was revealed that this couple was Zoe and Ian, who whilst the judges' favourites, were not as popular with the voting public. They danced their Freestyle dance to America from West Side Story and it was phenomenal.

Dancing head-to-head for the remaining votes, Colin and Erin started off in an unusual novelty routine where they are dressed as men and danced with lady puppets, it was a bit odd and the judges were disappointed in it, and based on what Zoe did previously, I have to agree with them. Darren and Lilia then did an upbeat routine to A Night To Remember with plenty of lifts and different steps which were appreciated by the studio audience and the judges alike.

The winner was revealed as Darren and Lilia.

Penguin ball

This is an amusing game for a few minutes. Click the mouse to make the Penguin dive, then again so that the Yeti (?) hits him and see how far he'll go. I managed 317.

Transparent Screens

Not convinced about them myself, I think they would be very distracting. But Flickr have a good sideshow.

Fluffy iPod

Awwwwwwwwwww.

Fluffpod now have a fluffy cover for your iPod.

They also do one in satin with a feather boa trim for the nano.

The X Factor - Semi Final

The show opened with Andy's Everything I Do, I Do For You which he dedicated to his children who were brought out for the audience, it wasn't that good and I hate the song anyway. Journey South sang Rod Stewart's In My Heart which was a lot better than last week, and I quite enjoyed. They sand with just the guitar and a violin, kept it undertstated and pulled it off. Brenda did Aretha Franklin's Respect, she also went into the audience, but as usual, did it well. Shayne sang If Tomorrow Never Comes (Ronan Keating) and it was OK.

For his second number Andy did Lately, a Stevie Wonder song I love, and he did not do it as well. Journey South brought out a choir and sang Let it Be which went down well, Brenda sang Without You and was as consistently excellent as ever. Shayne did an OK version of Unchained Melody.

Sadly, it was Brenda who left the show.

Strictly Come Dancing - Semi-Final

Running late this week, it has been a busy one.

The show kicked off with Darren and Lilia performing a waltz to Your Song, it was very elegant and Darren took the lead well and they got 35 points. Zoe and Ian did one point better with their Viennese Waltz which was graceful and in step. James and Camilla finally got some praise from the judges for their Foxtrot, which was kept simple but they managed to pull it off. 33 points was one of their highest scores. Colin and Erin's waltz was to I'll Always Love You and was once again very elegant and Colin was thrilled with another 10, in their total of 37 points.

Darren and Lilia did a Samba for their Latin number, to You to me are Everything but Lilia's strap broke and she had to perform the whole dance holding the top of her dress in place which was distracting for them and the audience. They were disappointed with their comments and got 29 points. Zoe and Ian did a Pasa Doble and Zoe looked very nervous and uncomfy, the judges argued a bit over their performance and Zoe got a bit emotional (probably not connected), but they still got 33 points. James and Camilla's Rumba was slated and they were criticised for having gone back to their old form and that a lot of it was redundant with very little movement and they got 22 points. Colin and Erin did the jive to Footloose and Colin struggled with it, he did not have much bounce and it was one of his weakest, but they also got 30 points.

The bottom two were Zoe and Ian and James and Camilla, and it was James and Camilla who left.

Wake Me Up

Excellent stickers to wear on the tube so you don't sleep past your stop. Hope they have one for mine....

Interesting e-cards

I found some interesting (and Free) e-cards.

What an Excellent Idea

The MoMA from the good old US of A has come up with an excellent gadget that will hold your handbag securely to a bar or table and let off an alarm if tampered with. I shall be keeping an eye out for one in the UK.

Batman Begins

I was very impressed with this prequel in the Batman films, showing how Bruce Wayne became Batman and started to clean up Gotham City. Christian Bale was a very good and dark Batman and he had an excellent supporting cast of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman.

We see Bruce do all his training and preparation in order to combat crime in Tibet and returning to Gotham to not have a romantic relationship with the wooden and unappealing childhood friend, the idealistic Rachel (Katie Holmes). We see the introduction of the Batmobile and some interesting baddies.

7.5/10

I'm A Celeb update

It is all over. Tommy Cannon was the first evictee and the final three were Sheree, Sid and Carol, with Carol being crowned a well deserved Queen for being so tough and not being fazed by any challenge put in front of her. God knows what I'll do in the evenings now.

Alice Sebold - The Lovely Bones

I had heard mixed comments about The Lovely Bones, some thought it was excellent, most found it sad, but also others found it quite badly written. Thus, it was with some dread that I started it thinking I would be disappointed.

Yes, the book is sad. It is written from the perspective of Susie Salmon, a fourteen year old girl in heaven who was raped and murdered by a neighbour, and we hear how she watches over her family and friends in the days (and ultimately years) after her death. The writing isn't bad although I have some issues with an individual's 'heaven' and the fact that it exists at all, that is the worst part of the book for me. However the police process in the investigation of her murder and observations in the way her family is torn apart by the tragedy are interesting. The ending is very disappointing and even more unbelievable.

Overall it is not a bad book, it has parts that are moving and gripping. Unfortunately it also has parts that are very weak.

The Cavern Club

The Cavern Club 3
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl.

This is the back wall inside the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

X-Factor: Week 8

Tonight all five acts perform two songs, and the person with the lowest viewer votes leaves, meaning that the judges do not have the final say.

Journey South opened the show with a contemporary cover, Daniel Powter's Bad Day and I have to say that I did not think it was their best performance, although the judges praised it. Chico then did James Brown's I Feel Good complete with running around the studio, throwing water over himself, ripping open his shirt and wiggling his pecs. I rather liked the performance and Simon said it was good in its own "exceedingly awful" way. Brenda then knocked everyone dead with I'm Outta Love showing why she should be in the final and has really blossomed since Maria left, and as always gave a full on 100% performance. Shayne sang an odd choice, a cover of the Scissor Sisters Take Your Mama Out which was very odd and not his best performance. Andy then did Easy Lover and was slated by the judges who hated it. I thought it was OK, though his finger snapping got a bit annoying.

For their second number Journey South did Candle in the Wind although I was not blown away and Sharon said that no one should sing that song as it made people sad. Chico then proved he was a novelty act with Time warp before Brenda brought some class to the proceedings with I Know I'll Never Love this way Again (I think) which was described by Simon as a vocal lesson. Shayne did a much better performance of Careless Whisper which I think he made his own though the judges weren't entirely convinced. Andy then closed with one of his typical Big Band type ballads When I Fall In Love.

The bottom two mean nothing this week, but they left Andy to last with Chico, and it was no real surprise to discover that Chico's X-Factor career had run its course. I doubt it will be the last we have seen of him as their are rumours that he has recoded a single of his song It's Chico Time. Heaven Help Us.

Strictly Come Dancing - Week Eight

This is the quarter final stages, and tonight all five couples will perform two dance, a Latin dance that they have not attempted before and a new dance called American Smooth which is an old Hollywood style ballroom routine with a lift. First up were the Latin routines and Colin and Erin performed a rumba to James Blunt's Beautiful which was described as 'smooth; and quite raunchy, which netted them 36 points. James and Camilla's samba looked Ok to me and featured some skirt ripping but the judges disliked it and the dancing so much they only received 20 points.

Patsy & Anton performed a jive to Two Hearts and her footwork remained awkward but the judges saw improvements in her and she got 27 points. Darren and Lilia's rumba was also well received to score them 30 points.. Zoe (who had the flu) and Ian danced the Cha Cha Cha to Ain't No Stopping Us Now, which was a bit error strewn, but they still got 32 points.

Colin and Erin did the first American Smooth, and it was very elegant and foxtrot based, they were very pleased to receive their first 10 and a score of 37. James and Camilla pulled off a dramatic (and quite hard) lift, though the judges did not think there was enough sway and it was not exciting, and scored them 28.

Patsy and Anton danced to It Had To Be You and she was still a bit clumsy, but they got 31 points and were told it was one of their best dances. Darren and Lilia danced to the only non-Big Band track, The Sweetest Feeling which was fun, upbeat routine and garnered them 32 points. Zoe and Ian were the only couple to do a waltz based American Smooth which was more graceful and scored them 36 points, meaning overall they were beaten by Colin and Erin, with James and Camilla at the bottom in the judges' score. However, in the second show it was Patsy and Zoe in the bottom two and Patsy left the show.

Strictly Come Dancing for singers

Just The Two of Us is the BBC's reality offering for Spring 2006 and will pair up celebrities with the nation's favourite singers, and they will attempt to sing different genres each week and the public vote for their favourite pairings.

Saw

I had resisted watching this film for a while, as I thought it would be a bit gory. However it is much more than a horror, more a psychological thriller as prisoners have to play challenging games involving killing others or harming themselves in some way to survive. It is a bit gory in places, but the sick minds behind the puzzles make the game more interesting. There are some jumpy bits too, but more than anything you are driven to want to understand who and why is playing this game (which involves making others play sick games). In the film you see two men trapped in a secure bathroom. They have cassette tapes with instructions, and one has a bullet. There is a dead body in the room covered in poisonous blood, with a gun and a tape recorder. Both men are chained to pipes on opposite sides of the room with different challenges, and one must kill the other. They also have saws so that they can saw their own leg off to free themselves. Nice. There will be no acting awards for thecast, but all in all a very good film that is a much a thriller/mystery as a horror as many things are not as they seem.

8.5/10

Top Ten iTunes

Belated iTunes update due to PC hissy fit, and Blogger hissy fit, not allowing me to change the date on draft posts so you see them now, and not in the depths of three weeks ago.

1. Paul Weller - You Do Something to Me
2. Snow Patrol - Crazy in Love
3. Barenaked Ladies - One Week
4. Fleetwood mac - Don't Stop
5. Justin Timberlake - Rock Your Body
6. Sugababes - Killer
7. Supergrass - Moving
8. The Lightning Seeds - Marvellous
9. The Jam - Town Called Malice
10. In Deep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life