*The Plant Picture Does Make Sense Once You Read The Post!
Such a well-written beginning of how two 20ish people in London meet, spend their first night together and how it all happens.....oh.....and it also has this weird plant twist ;) Read it....super sweet and very cool.*The Plant Picture Does Make Sense Once You Read The Post!
Such a well-written... more
The Daily Mail must win headline of the year and must have been salivating to find this story. They report that a gay guy tried to poison his lesbian neighbours by putting slug pellets into their curry after he was accused of kidnapping their three-legged cat.
Gary Stewart from Manchester, had been fighting with his neighbours Marie Walton and Beverley Sales for months. But apparently he tried to err.... curry favour, with them, by inviting them over for a curry.
Sounds like a great plot line for Neighbours!The Daily Mail must win headline of the year and must have been salivating to find... more
Richard Curtis had a death in the family. I’d flown in to London to do the interviews for my PIRATE RADIO coverage, and the director was at the top of my list. Some things, though, take precedence over spending fifteen minutes with a dumpy New York journalist, and for Curtis, this had to be one of ‘em. I had no argument there. I did my sessions with actors Tom Sturridge, Talulah Riley, and Nick Frost instead (you can hear them in Part 1 of this series) and silently wished Curtis well.
Three weeks later, he and I finally had our sit-down. Frankly, I’m not sure I could’ve scraped it all together in so short a time under such conditions, but I was grateful he did. That conversation wraps up this installment, along with my exclusive one-on-one with Bill Nighy — who plays the paternal, impeccably dressed, and seemingly gay (he’s one of the few characters who doesn’t get it on in the course of the film) proprietor of the pirate broadcaster Radio Rock — and the roundtable interview with “The Count” himself, Philip Seymour Hoffman. You’ll learn a little about Nighy’s inner wild man, Hoffman’s experiences as the sole American in a cast of Brits, and Curtis’ decision to trim PIRATE RADIO (nee THE BOAT THAT ROCKED) by some fifteen minutes (or more — reports vary) for its U.S. debut.
C-PROJECTS : Bon Dye Jere Hood La : New Video Coming Soon : New Album Coming Soon, previous albums can be bought on iTUNES and AMAZONC-PROJECTS : Bon Dye Jere Hood La : New Video Coming Soon : New Album Coming Soon,... more
So here’s what I did on my class trip to London: shoot a video featuring people on the street discussing whether they preferred PIRATE RADIO or THE BOAT THAT ROCKED as the title of the latest Richard Curtis film; interview some of the stars of the film itself; and eat British airport pizza. Two of those things were a helluva lot of fun, and one of them was an ungodly plummet into the depths of Hell. I’ll leave it to you to figure out which is which (hint: glad I brought some Pepto tablets with me).
The three actors featured in this first installment of our special, two-part PIRATE RADIO coverage form something of a romantic triangle in the film. Tom Sturridge plays Carl, the teenager who is sent by his mother (Emma Thompson) to spend some time on Radio Rock, the notorious pirate radio ship that in 1966 was beaming rock and roll from international waters into a United Kingdom whose own BBC couldn’t be bothered with the form. Talulah Riley is Marianne, the young woman that Carl’s godfather and Pirate Radio owner and captain Quentin (Bill Nighy) brings on-board to alleviate some of the boy’s sense of isolation. And Nick Frost is Doctor Dave, the sexually unquenchable Radio Rock personality whose interference in the kids’ first meeting proves to be something of a distraction for Marianne — because true love may be forever, but getting nailed by a DJ nets you serious street cred.
The conversations in this ep ranged far beyond the topic of PIRATE RADIO itself, covering as they did the legendary 007 water tank, the Cirque du Soleil, Steven Spielberg’s on-set attitude, and Rupert Everett in drag (but, then, don’t all conversations eventually wind up there?). Click the link to hear the show:
Thursday 22 October 2009: Unite Against Fascism (UAF) protested the BBC studios in White City in response to Far Right BNP leader Nick Griffin being invited on Question Time. Protestors made several attempts to breach the studio security, leading to many arrests and batons and pepper spray being used by police and riot officers.
The New York Times' Well blog reports that 'for some time, researchers have been finding that people who exercise don't necessarily lose weight.' A study published online in September 2009 in The British Journal of Sports Medicine was the latest to report apparently disappointing slimming results. In the study, 58 obese people completed 12 weeks of supervised aerobic training without changing their diets. The group lost an average of a little more than seven pounds, and many lost barely half that. How can that be?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the poster for TURNING GREEN lies. It showcases Tim Hutton, Colm Meaney, and Allesandro Nivola, but while they’re prominent figures in the film, it ain’t about them. Off in the lower right, with his back turned towards the camera, there’s your protagonist: A teenage boy, played quite engagingly by newcomer Donal Gallery. I can understand the motivation for pitching the name players in your marketing, but really, can’t you at least show the kid’s face?
Granted, beyond that poster, Michael Aimette and John G. Hofmann’s TURNING GREEN has had as convoluted a history as can be imagined: The story of James, a teen who, with his brother, has been shipped by their father to Ireland and who decides to rally up the cash for an escape by peddling contraband pornography to his classmates — much to the displeasure of his bookie boss Nivola and the bookie’s enforcer Hutton — the script was a finalist on the first season of PROJECT GREENLIGHT (the one that ended up producing STOLEN SUMMER — dodged a bullet there, eh, guys?), was actually shot in 2004, has been in release since 2005, and is only now making its U.S. debut. It’s a small film, but a cleverly conceived, beautifully photographed, and well-performed one — as neat a directorial debut as I’ve seen this year. Ben Affleck and Chris Moore should be kicking themselves.
Aimette and Hofmann gave me some insight into the film’s extended genesis and the olfactory-challenging lengths to which Tim Hutton would go to develop a character. Click on the link to hear the interview:
The Guardian reports that tribal elders were aware of policeman's links to the Taliban. Further underscoring his connection, he is now under Taliban protection.
On November 3rd, five British soldiers were killed by gunshot wounds at a checkpoint in Helmand province. A manhunt was launched to find the Afghan policeman accused of the killings.
The policeman had been trained by British soldiers, prompting the British media to label the killings as a "bloody betrayal" (The Times) and to question "who is the enemy?" (The Guardian). Gordon Brown told MPs today that an investigation into Taliban infiltration is underway (BBC).
"The Ministry of Defence is blaming a "rogue" Afghan policeman for the deaths of five British soldiers killed in a shooting spree at the Nad Ali checkpoint in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.
The dead and injured were flown by Chinook helicopter from the scene of the shooting to the military hospital at Camp Bastian."
Wow. Bring the troops home before they're sent home in body bags."The Ministry of Defence is blaming a "rogue" Afghan policeman for the deaths of five... more
What is it about the British and zombies together that equal instant comedy? Who can say, really?
This cute little viral clip, which landed in our mailbox today from our friends in the UK, definitely evokes a bit of the spirit of Shawn of the Dead. In it, our two erstwhile hosts give us a series of tips on how to survive the “L4D2 Virus”.
And, as a fun bonus fact, we also learn that weed whackers are referred to as “strimmers” (a contraction of string trimmer) across the pond. Actually, they could likely be called that over here too, but it’s the first time I’ve ever heard it, so it’s news to me.
But enough rambling… enjoy! Oh, and taking notes would probably be a good idea too.What is it about the British and zombies together that equal instant comedy? Who can... more
British cinema was born in a hall on Regent Street in central London in 1896 - when the Lumiere brothers put on the first public show of moving pictures in the UK.
The space - now part of the University of Westminster - could be about to be restored to its original glory, thanks to a million pound donation from a Saudi billionaire.
Makes a change from them knocking down our oldest houses to make way for cardboard boxes.British cinema was born in a hall on Regent Street in central London in 1896 - when... more
So I figured, while I’m in London interviewing some of the people involved with PIRATE RADIO, Richard Curtis’ film about those intrepid souls who in the 60’s brought the UK their daily dose of rock when the BBC was loathe to, why not try a little experiment in whether one dude with a netbook, a pocket camcorder, a copy of QuickTime Pro, and his hotel’s complimentary WiFi service can beat the international news bureaus at their own game? Hence this episode of MMP, our first video episode, wherein some Londoners voice their preference for film’s original, British title, THE BOAT THAT ROCKED, or the title it’ll be carrying in the U.S.
A few technical notes: First, if you’re watching this ep on Sunday the 18th or Monday the 19th, then mission accomplished — I’m actually still in London conducting my interviews. Next, I have to admit that cutting in QuickTime doesn’t allow for the most elegant product (I believe the sage physician Leonard McCoy coined the most fitting analogy: “Threading a needle with a sledgehammer”). Finally, this ep may not play on an iPod. Sorry, I just didn’t have enough time to research the proper formats. I’d appreciate hearing if you were able to see this ep or not. Just use the comments form on the MMP website.
In any case, please enjoy my chiseled good looks, and a set of rather interesting opinions on one of the more pressing issues of the day. (Okay, maybe I have to get my priorities straight.)So I figured, while I’m in London interviewing some of the people involved with... more
An American document that allegedly describes the torture of a former Guantanamo Bay inmate should be made public, a British court ruled Friday, dismissing Britain's argument that it was suppressing the information to preserve its intelligence-sharing relationship with the United States and to uphold national safety.
The document contains a seven-paragraph summary of the treatment that Binyam Mohamed received in 2002 after being detained as a suspected terrorist. Mohamed, 31, a British resident, alleges that he was subjected to torture, including beatings and sexual mutilation, by interrogators in Pakistan and elsewhere with the full knowledge of American and British intelligence agents. The high court ruled that the secret synopsis, which had been blacked out in previous court filings, had no intelligence value and could be released.
Rather, the judges wrote, "the public interest in making the paragraphs public is overwhelming," because the summary could shed light on illegal activities carried out by the U.S. and British governments.
The controversial case has been closely watched by government officials and human-rights lawyers. News organizations on both sides of the Atlantic, including the Los Angeles Times, have sued for disclosure of the secret summary, arguing the public has a right to know what kind of actions the British and American governments engaged in.
In spite of the ruling, however, the information was not immediately published Friday in order to give the government time to lodge an appeal.
David Miliband, Britain's foreign secretary, expressed "deep disappointment" with the decision and said that the inviolable principle of intelligence-sharing -- mutual secrecy -- was under threat.
"The consequence of the court's judgment today, if left unchallenged, will be a restriction on what is shared with us," Miliband said. "The fundamental question at issue in this judgment is not the mistreatment allegations made by Binyam Mohamed. It is solely about the principle underpinning intelligence sharing."
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly criticized the ruling, saying it was detrimental to British and American intelligence cooperation.
"We both have a stake in ensuring that this kind of intelligence sharing continues to the fullest extent possible," Kelly told reporters.
The high court judges disagreed.
"It cannot be suggested that information as to how officials of the U.S. government admitted treating [Mohamed] during his interrogation is information that can in any democratic society governed by the rule of law be characterized as 'secret' or as 'intelligence,' " the court said, adding that "the risk to national security . . . is not a serious one."
Mohamed, who was born in Ethiopia but became a legal British resident, was arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2002 for traveling on a false passport.
His lawyers say he was taken by the CIA to Morocco and Afghanistan under "extraordinary rendition" procedures and subjected to interrogations that included beatings, sleep deprivation and cuts on his penis with a scalpel. He wound up at the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he was to be tried on charges of plotting with Al Qaeda to set off a "dirty bomb" in the U.S.
Mohamed maintains that his confessions to the supposed plot were extracted under torture. Last October, the Pentagon dropped all charges against him, and in February, he returned to Britain, the first Guantanamo inmate to be set free by the Obama administration.
His lawyers called Friday's high court decision a "great victory for press freedom and open democracy."
"The judges have made clear what we have said all along -- it is irrational to pretend that evidence of torture should be classified as a threat to national security," said attorney Clive Stafford Smith.An American document that allegedly describes the torture of a former Guantanamo Bay... more
Researchers in Holland measured the sexual performance of nearly 500 men from five countries against the clock.
They found that British men had sex for 10 minutes on average before reaching an orgasm.
American men came second with an average performance of eight minutes, followed by the Dutch with a 6.5-minute innings.
Spaniards were fourth, giving their lovers 4.9 minutes of pleasure, while Turks trailed in last, clocking up an average 4.4 minutes.
One man, whose nationality was not identified, lasted just six seconds, the study by experts at Utrecht University in the Netherlands found.
However, another participant in the research put in a 52-minute performance before peaking.
A spokesman told The Sun: "The UK had the longest time. We found no major difference in those who used condoms. But men who drank alcohol before sex tended to last longer."
The study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, was examining premature ejaculation. The condition is medically defined as the inability to last more than a minute.
Forty per cent of British men are thought to suffer from the condition.Researchers in Holland measured the sexual performance of nearly 500 men from five... more
Warning: This video contains language some may find offensive. It is not published to offend, nor to support the opinions of the EDL or other racist groups, but to expose the truth behind this growing UK far right group.
Saturday 10 October 2009: The English Defence League (EDL) appeared on the streets of the UK again, this time in Manchester.
Unite Against Fascism (UAF) called a counter protest to what they consider a fascist group with links to the British National Party (BNP) among others.
But, as has been caught on film in their past protests, when EDL supporters chant, "Take your Allah and shove him up your arse", that single line is an offence to every single Muslim on the planet, not just those considered extremists.
Also on Saturday, as with other EDL manifestations, their supporters were caught yet again on film and photograph doing Nazi "seig heil" salutes and chanting racist rermarks like "If you all hate Pakis clap your hands".
Away from the main group EDL supporters clashed with UAF protestors and police. 48 people were arrested. The policing bill for the day was £200,000, employing some 500 officers and plenty of police dogs to keep the two protests apart, which led to several serious bite injuries on protestors of both sides and journalists.
News reports claimed more anti-fascist supporters were on the street than the numbers of EDL, some 1400 anti-fascists and 700 EDL supporters, but from this video it was a close call, with up to 1000 EDL members descending on Piccadilly Gardens by 5pm. Other EDL groups continued to roam the streets where several more clashes with local youths and riot police occurred.
The concern here is the massive increase in EDL supporters since the clashes in Birmingham. From the T-shirts it showed the EDL were willing to travel vast distances to protest - from places like Southampton, Bristol, Arsenal in London and Scotland - and showed the rapid increase in EDL divisions.
Another concern, shown clearly in the interview in this video - young white citizens, due to disillusionment with all other political parties, including the BNP - and the current economic and social ills - they are joining the ranks of the EDL, despite openly admitting there are racist elements in the group.
You wanna talk extreme? Charles Bronson, ne Michael Peterson, has spent thirty-four of his fifty-six years of life in incarceration of one form or another — most of that time has been in solitary confinement. The system has been violent to him, but he’s been violent back, and an anti-authoritarian cult has risen around his two-fisted brand of rebellion.
He’s an artist and poet, and has published an instructional book on how to keep fit under restricted resources (like, say, if you’re kept in solitary for most of your life). He’s not the guy you’d want to have a beer with. He’s most likely the guy you’d fear is going to break the beer bottle over your head. (Although, to be fair, he’s been certified as clinically sane and hasn’t been violent for the last seven years.)
In telling Bronson/Peterson’s story in the new movie, BRONSON, Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn has decided to meet extreme with extremes. The narrative style is surreally hyperbolic; the violence is blunt and unsparing; a framing device has Bronson — played by Tom Hardy — telling his tale from a proscenium stage. There are saturated color schemes, animated sequences, and even, for obscure reasons, a reference to the artist Magritte. Some of this seems to push too hard (Whiteface? Really?), but Refn clearly has his reasons and, while I may not have bought it all, I didn’t regret being taken on the trip. If you’re going to go out there, I think, then, frack, you’d better go all the way out there. Congrats, Nick, mission accomplished.
Refn and I got to talk about the motivation behind the narrative madness and discussed how one confronts an audience with a character who defies empathy. (I also got to meet his three month old daughter, who’s another kind of extreme: extremely adorable.) Click on the link above to hear the interview.You wanna talk extreme? Charles Bronson, ne Michael Peterson, has spent thirty-four of... more
To celebrate Oktoberfest Brett breaks down the Top 5 Best Drunks in the
Movies.
The Rotten Tomatoes Show is a movie review show that airs on Thursday nights at 10:30 e/p on Current TV. From reviews of the newest releases to
commentary on cult favorites and movie trends, each episode of The Rotten
Tomatoes Show is a fast-paced, comedic journey through the week in cinema.
