Dance & Drink & Screw

Stephen Fry has posted a long explanation on his website about the whole kerfuffle involving his "comments" on women not enjoying sex. The first thought I had when I read it? "How 2003 Livejournal of him!" Doesn't it remind you of one of those posts people used to write on LJ after they'd been caught in a flamewar where they shoved both feet in their mouth? Woe is me, woe is me, but wait oh I'd never say such a thing and look how silly I am and this is what I mean, and I'm going to delete my journal if you don't believe in me. I glimpsed a shard of megalomania beneath his response's Wildean pastiche which makes me want to Tweet to him: "follow Mozzer's example and be quiet".

On a separate note, it will be a miracle if Katie survives X Factor this weekend. Contestants are singing "American Anthems"; I had a look at some of the chosen songs and it's going to be a boring show.

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Feel free to expand in the comments section.

Edit: If you are British, please consider "Health Care" as including the National Health Service (NHS). Basically, what I meant by it was an umbrella definition for some kind of system (whether private or not) that offers you health care.

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This is the trailer for the new Friday 13th film, which will be released on February, Friday 13th.



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Who wants to go see My Bloody Valentine 3-D with me?!

My brother and his soon-to-be-wife have been thinking about names for their baby. They have come up with two names they like if the baby is a girl: Iara or Yasmin. (My brothers and I were supposed to be named Yasmin, whoever was the first born girl in the family.)

They can't think of any names they like for a baby boy! Also, there's growing suspicion she may be expecting twins! So, as you can imagine, your help in this matter is vital:

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I have to apologise to anyone who doesn't like babies about the sudden insertion of this topic into my journal. I don't filter my journal for anyone or anything and I'm not going to start doing it now just because some readers don't like babies. Sorry! I don't think I'll be writing much about my little niece or nephew since I won't play a big role in their lives (seeing as I live across the world); but in case I go all baby crazy on your asses, feel free to skip my posts or remove me from your Default View. No offence intended or taken. And no intention on my part, of course, of causing Drama with this post. Much. ;-)

Dear Austin, you will be missed. Apart from the green one in JLS (notice what happens when you say that band's name really fast) you were the only cutey in this year's X Factor. And now you are gone. You must be wondering whose fault it is. Well, I can tell you: it's suzi fault. Yup, that's right. The one who lives on Hoe Street, Walthamstow. The one who voted for Daniel. The one who said she'd shag you if you were lying down, though don't bother to approach her down the street because she's not interested in anyone shorter than 5ft 10. How does it feel to know she ruined your career and now there won't be anymore sexy short men with emo haircuts to look at on TV Saturday nights? Gutted.

Every week, the X Factor has a theme. One week the contestants have to sing Michael Jackson songs; the next one is big band, or disco. Next week is going to be a horror fest, with contestants doing Mariah Carey.

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Beautiful Thing, dir. Hettie Macdonald, 1996
This film is so adorable I dare anyone to dislike it. Filmed like a made-for-TV film, it retains much of the stageyness inherited from the play it is based on, but this doesn't matter because of the great job done by all involved. The chemistry between the two teenage boys who fall in love is palpable and may, erm, even make one watch the thing on repeat and wipe away a few stray tears! It also has tons of Mama Cass songs and some good laughs along the way. Life should always be this romantic and uncomplicated.

Imaginary Heroes, dir. Dan Harris, 2004
There's a good movie struggling to burst out of this American Beauty/The Ice Storm rip off. A typical American middle-class family is torn apart when the middle son - a popular swimmer primed for the big time - kills himself. The youngest boy, used to being ignored and treated like nothing, suddenly becomes the focus of the father's anger and the mother's grief. As he falls in with the next door neighbour's junkie son, secrets unravel and a lot of emotional scenes take place accompanied by sentimental piano pieces. There are gaping plot holes and character inconsistencies, and the darker (and more interesting) plot turns don't get explored. The end is a colossal cheese fest.

Franklyn, dir. Gerald McMorrow, 2008
This movie could have been this year's Pan's Labyrinth. Could have been. The story is set in two parallel worlds: a fantastical megalopolis called Meanwhile City, where religious multiplicity is the law and atheism is outlawed; and modern day London. Eva Green (from Casino Royale), Sam Riley (from Control), Ryan Phillippe and Bernard Hill are the four lost souls that navigate these two worlds, their paths destined to collide. The scenes in Meanwhile City are gorgeous and reminiscent of China Miéville's sci-fi novels. Sadly, not enough time is spent there or on the fleshing out of the characters. Some cliches get dished out, some plot twists are too obvious, and the predictable (and sentimental) ending is a let down.

The Anniversary Party, dir. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming, 2001
A group of 30-somethings get together for a party and soon they are taking drugs, sharing intimate secrets and having existential crises. No, this is not a re-cap of my last weekend but a film written and directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming. The plot parallels their own careers in some ways, with actors who are friends of the couple in real life playing similar parts in the film, Alan's published novel Tommy's Tale making an appearance, and even Jason Leigh's celebrated role in Last Exit to Brooklyn getting a mention. But this bunch of wannabe Hollywood types are boring, shallow and uninteresting, despite the many ups & downs they go through in one night of relationship committal celebration. The film was released just before 9/11 and it does a good job - in a historic kinda way - of showing the final days of a naive time in Hollywood.

( The X Factor )

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I've been thinking about my efforts in previous years - how I never managed to finish the damn novels, but also of how I always took them slightly too seriously ("once I'm finished, I'll re-edit this, and then I'll get published and make millions just like J.K. Rowlings.") This year I've decided to take the exercise completely lightly and just write pure nonsense for my own amusement.

I'm thinking of a mesh up between Dallas/Dynasty/Horrible People and the goth scene in London. Bitches. Studs. Fight for Power. Social Climbers. Back Stabbers. Drug Abuse. Drama. Punch Ups. Money. Love. Alliances. Betrayals. Marriages. Illegitimate Children. And, of course, a whole lot of BLACK! And I.T. support.

Although I'm a goth admirer, I know very little about the make up, the corsets, the footwear, the scene, etc.
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