Which Hero are you?

Which Heroes Character Are You?
	You are Hiro. You are everyones favorite Japanese tourist. Your time is well-managed and you make sure things get done. On top of that, the girls always want a second chance with you.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Prepare for Landing

I thought I was prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that this film was, but that is not easy to do. For those who are not familiar with this film it is a reconstruction of the fourth flight to be hi-jacked in the USA on September 11th 2001. The other three flights hit their target - the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, this flight, believed intended for the White House or the Capitol Hill, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania killing all on board. There is a lot of info known about the flight - the passengers were allowed to make phone calls, and it was known that they were planning on trying to take over the flight from the hi-jackers, but there are also some gaps, that writer and director Paul Greengrass has to fill in himself, and for the most part appear to be reasonable assumptions. Also, information was available from air traffic control and other planes and visuals in the area.

The film sets the scene early on in the morning of September 11th as we see the pilots and passengers leaving for the airport and boarding the plane. Greengrass goes to great lengths to set the scene through phone calls and conversations with loved ones. We are introduced to nearly all the people on the flight (I cannot bring myself to call them characters) through their ID cards and their names on their boarding cards as they go through the machine. However this is too early in the film to remember exactly who they are.

The flight commences uneventfully (albeit late) and we see a bit of what is happening back on the ground as family members watch events unfold in New York, and the pilots getting messages from the air traffic control warning of cockpit invasions and the crashes into the World Trade Centre. In spite of this they let the hi-jackers in (I don't imagine I was alone in shouting "No!" at the TV, as futile as it was) with very little pressure, in spite of a flight attendant under threat. This is one assumption I found hard to take, that the pilots were aware of the risk, yet caved in seemingly so easily and opened the cockpit door. Once the plane is hi-jacked we see a little of the terrorists, and see that the 'pilot' is not very competent. I am not sure whether that is based on an educated guess from information given by air traffic control, or just how Greengrass wanted to play it.

Generally the depiction of the characters and events seem authentic and 'real', the actors are not known names, and it appears they took the time to meet family members and understand the people they are portraying. The emphasis is in making them seem like regular people like you, and your family or friends, having found themselves in a nightmare situation. I found it very easy to empathise with the passengers and crew, for although I have never been in that situation, they have depicted the story so realistically (based on prior knowledge of events) that you can understand how they feel as they exchange phone calls and the full gravity of the situation dawns on them. I am sure I am not alone in wondering how I would react if it was me, and it is certainly a tribute to those on board that decided they were going to attempt to take the plane. Again, the exact nature of this is open to interpretation, but I feel the portrayal of this aspect of events makes sense and is realistic.

There have been some criticism as to whether this film should ever be made, but I feel you cannot ignore history, nor forget it. If that was the case films like Schindler's List and The Pianist depicting the holocaust in World War Two would never have been made, and equally that is something we should not forget nor let happen again. The film is in no way exploitative of the events and the people involved, but in fact, comes across more as a tribute. If you watch this you obviously need to be prepared for all the emotions of sadness and anger that you would expect, but at the same time there is a positive vibe, over the support that other human beings are able to give to strangers, even when in need of help themselves. The film is very understated, and it seems to me has been made as re-enactment (I hesitate to use the word 'dramatisation' as it makes it sound more over-done - the story doesn't really need more drama) for posterity rather than a desire to garner awards and accolades.

There are some effects in the film, and they seem to be very well done and convincing.

If there was music in the middle of the film, I didn't notice it, only the haunting flute piece played over the closing credits.

The filmmakers donated a percentage of opening weekend profits to the Pennsylvania memorial to this plane. This totaled over US$1 million. All the deceased crew and passengers (excluding the terrorists) have their names listed at the end of the film as a tribute.

Kerepesi Cemetery

Kerepesi Cemetery 22
Originally uploaded by Essexgirl

Kerepese Cemetery, budapest. January 2007.

If I Live to See The Seven Wonders

So sung Fleetwood Mac.

The original seven wonders were man-made constructions, of which only one (The Pyramids at Giza, Egypt) , still exists. It was recently decided by a Swiss corporation to decide the New Seven Wonders, from a nominated short list of 28. On the new short list the pyramids were featured, but did not make it onto the final 'New' list. Others that didn't make it included the Statue of Liberty and Stonehenge. Winners were decided by a public Internet vote and there were criticisms on bloc voting, where certain countries encouraged their citizens to vote for their own country's monument. Int he end the final seven were:

1. The Great Wall of China
2. Petra, Jordan.
3. Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio De Janiero, Brazil.
4. Machu Picchu, Peru.
5. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.
6. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy.
7. Taj Mahal, India.

I have so far visited only two of these - Chichen Itza - pics to follow and the Colosseum in Rome (over-rated). I have visited five of the runner ups - Stonehenge, the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, Statue of Liberty and the Pyramids of Egypt (which to my mind should have been an automatic shoe-in to the 'New' list).

Foot Fetish

No-one does a good feel-good flick like the Brits. This film is all about feeling good about oneself. It is not an out and out comedy, you won't be roaring with laughter but there are some amusing and touching moments.

The film is actually loosely based on a real Northampton shoe factory. In the film, Price's Shoemakers have been making quality men's shoes for generations. The last generation, Charlie (Joel Edgerton), doesn't really fit in with the mould and moves down to London with his fiancée to work in Marketing. However, upon the death of his father returns to the business that has been left to him. Muddling on for a bit, he discovers a major order had been cancelled and the company was on the brink of collapse. It is on an unsuccessful business trip to London that Charlie first stumbles across Lola, a drag queen (Chiwetel Ejiofor), with a broken boot. Back in Northampton he is forced to make staff redundant but feisty factory girl Lauren (Sarah Jane Potts) fights back and asks what Charlie is trying to do about it. This sets Charlie thinking and finally the penny drops (the audience had worked it out about fifteen minutes earlier) and he persuades Lauren to come down to London with him to meet Lola.

Obviously the path of fabulous shoe making does not run smoothly. Lola has a few teething problems with some of the staff at the factory. This is done sensitively and with humour, there are no cheap gags. The film is basically about knowing who you are, and being comfortable with that. It is not just Charlie and Lola who has to work this out. Director Julian Jarrold, whose background until now has been in TV direction, makes this a simple, easy to watch film that is not over-long or complicated. You don't have to try hard to make a good film and the story (inspired by a TV documentary) tells itself. Yes, it is a tad predictable in places but I found I didn't really mind. You don't watch this film if you are looking to be challenged or intellectually stimulated!

Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance as Lola is full of charisma and enthusiasm. I gather his performance was appreciated by the transvestite community as being sensitive and accurate, rather than a parody. He has a good singing voice and is a talented performer. If the acting didn't work out… He is ably supported by a cast of actors that are 'normal', and although some are recognizable for past TV roles, generally they play regular people with no pretensions, which is exactly the appeal of the film. Potentially the film could have stereotyped 'Northern' (Lola's description, before anyone wants to pick me up on my geography!) factory workers as well as drag queens, but seems to narrowly avoid all the pitfalls to make this a very watchable film. I would definitely recommend it; this is no ground-breaking cinematic masterpiece but perfect if you are looking for an amusing, entertaining film with its feet on the ground.

DVD EXTRAS: There is a 15 minute featurette entitled 'The Real Kinky Boot Factory' about the documentary that inspired the makers to turn the story into a film, and the training the actors had in order to be able to operate the machinery. There are also four deleted scenes, which are OK, certainly I have seen worse. They are even finished properly with background music also, unlike some I've seen which are just rough cuts. There is a short montage to music entitled 'Journey of a Brogue' showing pictorially how a shoe is made. Audio Commentary is also available.

The film is a certificate 12, there is limited bad language.

Running time is 104 minutes.

Top 25 iTunes

There wasn't a Top 25 in Dec/Jan so I will do one now. Positions in brackets are from my last Top 25 at the end of June last year, 'Re' means a re-entry having been in a previous chart and 'new' means it has made its debut in the Top 25.

1 (1) Snow Patrol - Crazy in Love
2 (2) Paul Weller - You Do Something to Me
3 (Re) Blu Cantrall Feat. Sean Paul - Breathe
4 (5) The Three Degrees - Givin' Up, Givin' In
5 (12) Rufus and Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
6 (new) Jennifer Lopez - Let's get Loud
7 (3) Jody Watley - Looking for A New Love
8 (new) Level 42 - Leaving Me Now
9 (new) Jennifer Lopez - Get Right
10 (Re) Style Council - Promised Land
11 (19) In Deep - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life
12 (7) Lisa Scott Lee - Lately
13 (new) The Rembrandts - I'll Be There for You
14 (new) The Superman Lovers - Starlight
15 (3) Salt 'N' Pepe/En Vogue - Whatta Man
16 (11) Erasure - Sometimes
17 (new) Phil Oakey & Georgio Moroder - Electric Dreams
18 (new) Sheryl Crow - My Favourite Mistake
19 (new) The Fun Boy Three - The Lunatics (have taken over the asylum)
20 (Re) Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
21 (new) Girls Aloud - Love Machine
22 (9) Robbie Williams & Tom Jones - The Full Monty medley
23 (new) Jakob Sviestrup - Talking To You
24 (new) Propellerheads - History Repeating
25 (new) Muse - Feeling Good

Interesting Facts (to me) -

Lisa Scott Lee, The Three Degrees and Blu Cantrell Feat Sean Paul were in my first Top 10 in Aug 2004.

This is the First Top 25 chart that the Lightning Seeds and Supergrass have not appeared in.

Paul Weller has never been out of the top 2 since November 2004 and has been in every chart except the first Top 10.

Jennifer Lopez's double appearance in the Top 10 could be down to being on my Gym workout mix. Expect Deep Dish's Flashdance to appear in the next Top 25 for the same reason, along with Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle.

New songs struggle to get in the Top 25 as this is an All Time* Most Listened To Top 25. It seems a minimum of two years is needed.

*Since June 2004

Still Alive

Discovered Facebook and lost hours of my life. Oh - And I have been on holiday.