Seeking Xanadu

Purr or Pooch

M has been on about getting another pet. We have two cats, we got them together from a rescue centre and while they are fine with us one of them is still nervous around strangers , and by nervous I mean stays behind the sofa the whole time when new people come around. They are both affectionate but the bloder one is my shadow and sleeps next to me on the bed sometimes. The timid one loves us both but isn't a lapcat in any way. M wants something that's his relly. If we are honest he might settle for another cat, but what he wants is a dog. Someone to take for walks and play loud annoying games with. I'm not sure what the cats would think of a noisy new member to the family, and we are planning to have kids eventually, but i'm not sure whether a cat, even one tht dotes on him, is going to satisfy his need for a playmate. *sigh*

Thinking of talking to some rescue centres about what we need. What do you think?

Avatar

OMG! I don't care what you say about it's plot holes and lack of character development. This may not be the hardest thinking film ever but it's soooo pretty. Oh and the 3d was incredible, not like other films i've seen in 3d. Oooh it was just gorgeous and the main characters were cute and oh well it's slightly silly very shiny sci fi. Absolutely adored it.  

There as an evil general, greedy corporation, heroic jarhead, geeky scientist and Sigourney Weaver as head science chick. What more could you want? Ok you also get tree hugging, mechs, big flying things, sacred trees and weird alien horses. For saying it's over two and a half hours long it flew by. There are some slower bits where I got happily lost in the shininess and the 3d, it may be slower in 2d, dunno, will find out when I get it on DVD, which I will, coz I loved it.

Bringing in the new year

Well, over on Un:Bound we had a busy 2009. I read & reviewed over 100 novels which doesn't account for all the interviews, events, reviews by the rest of my awesome team, articles, guest posts and so on.

Well to start 2010 out as we mean to go on, I stuck up a couple of short reviews, Stray has added a fantastic review of a Wyndham novel and our very first post of 2010 was an interview with the delightful Cat Connor
.

I am looking forward to an even more brilliant 2010 from a bookish perspective.

As for everything else. I'm pleased to say being married seems to suit both me and my brother although sadly Piers has given up his pottery. He had a real talent but no business head and no time so he has finally called it a day. He has however bought a house. 

I'm optimistic about the coming year generally and heading off to see Avatar today. I've been neglecting the movie reviews and this blog completely, I intend to be back here this year, albeit still in a reduced capacity. Un:Bound is a timesuck.

I love Pride and Prejudice. I love the book and all the different film and TV versions. They all have different things that I love about them. At the end of the day though, there is something too wonderful about Colin Firth as Darcy.

My brother got married

M & I headed down to Devon for a long weekend. We had no idea what to expect from my brothers wedding. It turned out that since it was a gorgeous day and there was a mix of people either in suits of in full biker leathers and club colours and a hog roast there was a delightful small festival sort of vibe. The whole thing was really good fun, everyone was lovely and most people mixed well.
The bride and groom couldn't have looked more pleased with themselves which was wonderful because I remember how that feels and i am pretty close to my brother really.
Oh and my sister and I got a ride on the Trike. the lovely driver hung around for ages taking people out for a short spin on her cool machine. I got a welsh flag painted on my face too since Piers married a welsh girl and the bikers are all Welsh Coast
M & my pics are all here 

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

the latest movie trip was for harry potter. I was unsure about this one, especially after the last one was dreadful.
It was entertaining, although I got a bit fed up of Radcliffe's jaw clench expression which apparently is the only one he has for intense, or angry, or concerned. The guy who plays Weasley is much more subtle as an actor and has perfect comic timing.
Also, Giny is now taller than Harry *snigger*.
Anyway, otherwise, life is sweet, book blogging is keeping me busy.
Loves ya.

Drag me To Hell

Ok, I remember when I first saw the Raimi creation that was Evil Dead I was jumping every few moments and laughing hard a number of times. It's a peculiar blend of jumpy, genuinely creepy and kinda funny that became a bit sillier as the movies progressed. Bruce Campbell was wonderful as the unhinged Ash and Raimi made the clear statement that he didn't do happy endings with those films.

So roll forwa to 2009 and Sam and Ivan Raimi get to write and direct another horror. These guys have not grown up at all. The budget may have been better but the same balance of brilliantly creepy and schlocky hilarious horror that marked the Evil Dead films as cult classics is present here in spades.

I spent the whole time in knuckle biting tension and laughed so hard I cried. The fight scene in the car is brilliant.
Alison Lohman as Christine Brown was a brilliant replacement for Campbell, playing the part with amazing subtlety to bring you to just the right place emotionally for the end of the film. I can't help feeling that the wrong casting for this role would have been a disaster and I am very glad the part ended up with Lohman.

Some of the effects and events were almost straight from Evil Dead and it would be deeply offensive to gypsy's if it weren't so over the top. I really hope we see more of the style that made Raimi's name back on the screen and I hope we see a great deal more of Lohman in these tough rol

grrr snarl

I hate children. They have homes and nice gardens and a great park and the village green and all sorts of places to go and play, but no they hang out in a pack on the close being insanely loud and making me nuts. aaaargh. and the cat keeps farting at me.

Two Gentlemen Play the Pops

M and I went to the pub in the village last night for a couple of pints with some mates. We'd forgotten the band was playing and it's usually busy for these guys. Everyone must have been tied up at the wedding or something because the pub remained quiet, which is how M & I prefer it. None the less the boys put on a great set for all ten of us and we had a fantastic time. An unexpectedly delightful evening. M & I have always been a bit dubious as to what kind of cover set two blokes with a drum set, an acoustic guitar and a kazoo could manage but they are both extremely good and very entertaining.

Does anyone remember Brimstone?

other than me and Caitlin Kittredge.
It was a TV series based around the Devil (dude on the left) and a cop who died and went to hell because of a vengeance killing (he murdered his wife's rapist). Although Stone (the cop) went to hell he was basically a good guy who let his emotions get the best of him and when some evil souls break out of hell he is sent out to round them up. The tattoos represent the names of the escaped souls and one disappears every time  he send a soul back. It's kind of like Reaper but more adult and not funny. I loved it and was gutted when it was cancelled.
I'd like to see this one brought back, along with Firefly and Reaper.

What would you like to see resurrected?