tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58856991307074413722024-02-19T12:26:17.650+00:00What-does-he-know?Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-80600538126845504222014-01-08T13:33:00.002+00:002014-01-08T13:33:53.359+00:00Hidden Gems: Wreck-It Ralph (2012)<b>*The high score on the Fix-It Felix videogame is Walt Disney's birthday.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXj7oZa7z5pCbC8Ab2u72qNKoBS0Lnpq7J-y5RTEGYRavJ0jCeGjd1bfM4YcN9IvrPujHSma0FYeSDIRELaUnpEaYd8Iwfs9eYjrpQmg7Qd3iYI5PXBz9661vUOR2lfRTxAp1vLOS6gg/s1600/Ralph+High+score.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXj7oZa7z5pCbC8Ab2u72qNKoBS0Lnpq7J-y5RTEGYRavJ0jCeGjd1bfM4YcN9IvrPujHSma0FYeSDIRELaUnpEaYd8Iwfs9eYjrpQmg7Qd3iYI5PXBz9661vUOR2lfRTxAp1vLOS6gg/s1600/Ralph+High+score.jpg" height="251" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>*At the Bad Anon meeting, a missing dog flyer from <i>Bolt</i> (2008) is attached to a pinboard beside Ralph.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkWwkChVqOIvfB-NsiSJSoPoMrwK8mvTcqst60Fw3rntj1QpwMhnVndAAZV63uHimII4zP5gpTbfKzkW8_BkZ5L2ny0OE67bNz55zucrmYoJWm5rb9LJ4Z6J6mqQSFgyRRjTsRuyzmc0/s1600/Ralph+Bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkWwkChVqOIvfB-NsiSJSoPoMrwK8mvTcqst60Fw3rntj1QpwMhnVndAAZV63uHimII4zP5gpTbfKzkW8_BkZ5L2ny0OE67bNz55zucrmYoJWm5rb9LJ4Z6J6mqQSFgyRRjTsRuyzmc0/s1600/Ralph+Bolt.jpg" height="322" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>*There are two Disney-related cameos in Game Central: Tiny from <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/hidden-gems-meet-robinsons-2007.html" target="_blank"><i>Meet The Robinsons </i>(2007) </a>and Vladimir from <i>Tangled </i>(2010)<i>.</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-FVIrokeoig-nSQrvPKFBBC4B7QKWOdDoQWVxXlxlIBCJDpWOEA3jT9lXiUIOrStJ5ADkTn-sr4Ce8GMS3fYIsDwhRdQhGbkLnJuJbjl4rbjV5zlhpZMib_spc7s8CmK3w2njygwimo/s1600/Ralph+Meet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-FVIrokeoig-nSQrvPKFBBC4B7QKWOdDoQWVxXlxlIBCJDpWOEA3jT9lXiUIOrStJ5ADkTn-sr4Ce8GMS3fYIsDwhRdQhGbkLnJuJbjl4rbjV5zlhpZMib_spc7s8CmK3w2njygwimo/s1600/Ralph+Meet.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjBNvLEMa6kGnJ9p6LgorVCqXsqS3z4XSVdCY-TYOKv2qzdayq6JpgjPHN0mPKOHSHseVUyL-28HCsQ5_AJwfV1AaHuL35DEB5SV2RaGdbt2_M28o5CLy7D0T0W9wQwvMHPiwg7rhbdA/s1600/Ralph+Tiny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjBNvLEMa6kGnJ9p6LgorVCqXsqS3z4XSVdCY-TYOKv2qzdayq6JpgjPHN0mPKOHSHseVUyL-28HCsQ5_AJwfV1AaHuL35DEB5SV2RaGdbt2_M28o5CLy7D0T0W9wQwvMHPiwg7rhbdA/s1600/Ralph+Tiny.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3org2tQvuggtw9tJmTzHzNTb8mCMTWLFYZhX8oqyNSHD6GRISybpc2OMB-c-xUsoXtyiFDLu1WDoJ-JzW8-pfeDolnMFzxJqCd1L0GCIKYt74KJo86aZxRSpZU6IrGgka8o-H-vlxp8k/s1600/Wreck-It_Ralph_Vladimir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3org2tQvuggtw9tJmTzHzNTb8mCMTWLFYZhX8oqyNSHD6GRISybpc2OMB-c-xUsoXtyiFDLu1WDoJ-JzW8-pfeDolnMFzxJqCd1L0GCIKYt74KJo86aZxRSpZU6IrGgka8o-H-vlxp8k/s1600/Wreck-It_Ralph_Vladimir.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68pohhZ0kD2ZB5HygdO6LR3rq2G9S6QzbmKLMtq-3CrpU4woZUCS3h3x-J9w0Ii-wVHEQ9q0aEDPGkuBflSO0vzI7AcVZuwdmLfldzrqOQQTvD7FvL-o31ycdv9hC_7cqKRI0rYfoTUE/s1600/Ralph+Tangled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi68pohhZ0kD2ZB5HygdO6LR3rq2G9S6QzbmKLMtq-3CrpU4woZUCS3h3x-J9w0Ii-wVHEQ9q0aEDPGkuBflSO0vzI7AcVZuwdmLfldzrqOQQTvD7FvL-o31ycdv9hC_7cqKRI0rYfoTUE/s1600/Ralph+Tangled.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>*A caricature of director Rich Moore is on the wall in Tappers.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpicvUgroik1GMz21Qi5xe4fJsydTO7kdsOISG9mSn04u0IXfRvrDDBbw8OQ5v-DHxseVE31FTno926VHjCiRc3s3Ma6Jy9WzXG2uWTtTAjOyswGGJMStZGDULe7xa1McsATQSKBmKNdk/s1600/Ralph+Tappers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpicvUgroik1GMz21Qi5xe4fJsydTO7kdsOISG9mSn04u0IXfRvrDDBbw8OQ5v-DHxseVE31FTno926VHjCiRc3s3Ma6Jy9WzXG2uWTtTAjOyswGGJMStZGDULe7xa1McsATQSKBmKNdk/s1600/Ralph+Tappers.jpg" height="182" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2VdZ7CbmQW366c2MNu2eLz3wp4BM3RdB0GUNhfIKAQUSXwSPq2e4aqry1iRpRcQ5rHwtL18x_YS7HkKWg02OEdJcNF1032BoYs32G2CtOHw7wEMr4GIRGJ3ehobUtt_JjsdGIUVlfLg/s1600/Ralph+Rich.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2VdZ7CbmQW366c2MNu2eLz3wp4BM3RdB0GUNhfIKAQUSXwSPq2e4aqry1iRpRcQ5rHwtL18x_YS7HkKWg02OEdJcNF1032BoYs32G2CtOHw7wEMr4GIRGJ3ehobUtt_JjsdGIUVlfLg/s1600/Ralph+Rich.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>*In an exterior of Litwak's arcade there is a billboard with Mickey Mouse on it and the name Double U Dee's (as in Walt Disney, WD, get it?)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLwn3_9m2wLWTslGUEjoiDI-ffKxxbS5TEK-BBVAxAaAYmbjmvgjpvhM4HdH8JxDiCUeI9_Nw4KNTC2PbYdpnYe7LQOAa60VFTOD0pn7SFXB1Veg-izScdMKICi_pSktAt4Kyjv1Uwms/s1600/Ralph+Double+U+Dee.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLwn3_9m2wLWTslGUEjoiDI-ffKxxbS5TEK-BBVAxAaAYmbjmvgjpvhM4HdH8JxDiCUeI9_Nw4KNTC2PbYdpnYe7LQOAa60VFTOD0pn7SFXB1Veg-izScdMKICi_pSktAt4Kyjv1Uwms/s1600/Ralph+Double+U+Dee.png" height="291" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-41468551560362143552013-06-11T20:33:00.000+01:002013-06-11T20:46:22.846+01:00NintenD'oh!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was it. Nintendo's big chance to quieten the naysayers and
confirm the old adage that good things truly do come to those who wait. Yet
somehow, they blew it. For the third year in a row the Mushroom Kingdom has
underwhelmed and perplexed its devoted fanbase, which is becoming increasingly
frustrated with a company that refuses to evolve. Today was the day I expected
to be vindicated in my decision to purchase a Wii U at launch but instead all I
feel is a sense of impending doom. Though it’s perhaps still too early to judge
at this stage, it’s impossible to ignore the stench of death surrounding their
latest console. Now, you may rebuke my claims: after all, the 3DS had a similarly shaky
start and look at it now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, three hours ago I’d have been inclined to
agree with you. But now that the dust has settled, I can appreciate one rather crucial difference: No one ever doubted the 3DS. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure, we had to suffer a six month drought, but an impressive line-up meant there was always a light at the end of the tunnel; it was simply a matter of remaining patient. The
Wii U on the other hand has persistently failed to pique people's curiosity or demonstrate the
obvious gameplay potential so readily apparent with both the Wii and the 3DS. With
Nintendo having long ago given up the fight with Sony and Microsoft in the tech
department, the focus on quality games has become key to its survival. The 3DS
is a perfect example of this; a machine which offers a diverse range of
experiences to suit all player types. Yet this is something the Wii U severely lacks - and if today's line-up is anything to go by, it will do for the foreseeable future. Also notably absent has been a 3DS-like ambassador program to reward early adopters or the addition of Gamecube content to the decidedly empty Virtual Console; points which only further the disparity between the Wii U and its handheld counterpart.<br />
<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today’s Nintendo Direct was seen by many as a make-or-break moment and while a
single press conference does not a successful console make, it has
failed categorically to instil enthusiasm at a time when it is so desperately
needed. Yes Donkey Kong Country Returns was a fantastic, vastly under-appreciated game, but do we really
need to wait three years for a sequel which essentially offers more of the
same? Do we really want more 2D platformers and Wii Casual titles to show off
the capabilities of a HD console? Do we really care about a Mario game which
abandons the Galaxy formula in favour of a streamlined approach that we already
experienced on the 3DS? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A new IP isn’t necessarily the answer (though it wouldn’t
hurt to have a few), but neither is a reliance solely on what worked before.
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to proven franchises provided that each
iteration offers a new experience. Very little of Ninty’s line-up appears to do
that and come the inevitable purchase, I’ll be playing not necessarily because
I want to, but because that’s the way it’s always been.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet for all my blind
fanboyism, this years E3 violently yanked the wool from my eyes and exposed me
to the very uncomfortable realisation that this company is far too safe. The gulf
between it and the competition appears insurmountable and unless they reverse
their standing policy regarding cheaper technology in order to make a profit,
it’s difficult to see how the gap can ever be closed. After having watched the
PS4/Xbox One conferences, Nintendo appear to be even more of an
anachronism than it did during the last generation. And as much as Mario and friends may be loathe
to admit it, they <em>are</em> in the console race; if they don't engage their rivals, they won't be for much longer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the great Jeremy Bentham once said: Shit or get off the pot.</span></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-52184608365663550072013-02-08T10:39:00.001+00:002013-02-08T10:47:45.990+00:00Hidden Gems: Toy Story 3 (2010)<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With each subsequent Pixar release, the number of in-jokes has grown enormously. Unfortunately, so too has the list of mistaken easter eggs which are at best coincidental or highly ambiguous and at worst, just plain wrong. Toy Story 3 perhaps highlights this better than any other Disney film because while there is indeed a girth of hidden references, there are also many supposed sightings which upon closer inspection bear little or no resemblance to their counterparts. With this in mind, I have judiciously scrutinised every contentious claim and left out all those which I feel are highly questionable. As for those which share many similarities yet still differ greatly in design, these can be found at the end of the post and I will leave it up to you, the reader, to decide.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The train at the beginning of the film features the number 95 which is of course Lightning McQueen's number from <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-cars-2006.html" target="_blank"><i>Cars</i></a> (2006), which in turn is a reference to the year when the original <i>Toy Story</i> (1995) was released.</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpUhDkTzybPeIUwpFbKxYW1EuBw6QIrrjAI_MJ9sRv_drbyN9hf5OPKClCkJJUHVFQj2TkPTxsu_7V65yDLifTWzRFLe-ouq3Wv2GKduNn3MJsNyuybVSQmJq4M7tcA5sGWyD7KOEnkY/s1600/TS3+95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPpUhDkTzybPeIUwpFbKxYW1EuBw6QIrrjAI_MJ9sRv_drbyN9hf5OPKClCkJJUHVFQj2TkPTxsu_7V65yDLifTWzRFLe-ouq3Wv2GKduNn3MJsNyuybVSQmJq4M7tcA5sGWyD7KOEnkY/s320/TS3+95.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Andy's room features a number of in-jokes: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A poster on his wall of an Aston Martin, the same model as Finn McMissile from <i>Cars 2</i> (2011) and a flag for Pixar University...</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaOQ4pFS5P6HoGW06irFJRuZ6p-rNxpfLTs7VBzivo2a9RIu769lmRsQbL_oBl4_vxCvtIw68IS12SF765YNAOBGp5b8tpEFE8HrlD95SuHUAYW_8vCCry4LLaL4NEzWpvctqgdFj3h0/s1600/ts3-+finn+and+pixar+uni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaOQ4pFS5P6HoGW06irFJRuZ6p-rNxpfLTs7VBzivo2a9RIu769lmRsQbL_oBl4_vxCvtIw68IS12SF765YNAOBGp5b8tpEFE8HrlD95SuHUAYW_8vCCry4LLaL4NEzWpvctqgdFj3h0/s400/ts3-+finn+and+pixar+uni.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...a bunch of door stickers including Crush from <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/hidden-gems-finding-nemo-2003.html" target="_blank">Finding Nemo</a></i> (2003), a Newt Crossing sign in reference to the cancelled Pixar production Newt and the 'M' logo from <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-monsters-inc.html" target="_blank">Monsters Inc,</a></i> (2001)...</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPOFnT-2XLMAsUg8LqxCqKaZFTB8Vxg9IiRxPV6h6251bzBxMTE_p9j774MKLOyKB6DeifZY6CmB0Lf_D4sVgys30ciYQ7H3VojXvqFpBFZTqomwXiiwUz4HVU7MNWi6mO6LtbRJbCYA/s1600/ts3+-+newt,+suirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPOFnT-2XLMAsUg8LqxCqKaZFTB8Vxg9IiRxPV6h6251bzBxMTE_p9j774MKLOyKB6DeifZY6CmB0Lf_D4sVgys30ciYQ7H3VojXvqFpBFZTqomwXiiwUz4HVU7MNWi6mO6LtbRJbCYA/s400/ts3+-+newt,+suirt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfOosut448SaTDi-iDpg15quy8uFIV10DlhSb_VRjIV0tsK9yLwckZ8VywepoYXylQyoosNLoNAZJ4aA-1CERDHBfhD41-22mHcdVLmIE_5UiW85Pd_PJa-IFKHcQLv5hTYrEX262Hs8/s1600/ts3+-+monsters+inc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfOosut448SaTDi-iDpg15quy8uFIV10DlhSb_VRjIV0tsK9yLwckZ8VywepoYXylQyoosNLoNAZJ4aA-1CERDHBfhD41-22mHcdVLmIE_5UiW85Pd_PJa-IFKHcQLv5hTYrEX262Hs8/s400/ts3+-+monsters+inc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...a sign above the door reads W. Cutting, in reference to the Boulevard where Pixar was originally located...</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzWDa7tu13TnMpAjBG-bxPIP9YV4GCosX6-4KgQ2zoAK2HLHNHZkuUEphVfR59zbs2tvIA3_QDMBTSw8Cw0r57xwZuSo7Ek0OOZezSP_h_-eSPpLn7qsxv1rA_3jK2resDClUl8O_RGc/s1600/ts3+-+w+cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzWDa7tu13TnMpAjBG-bxPIP9YV4GCosX6-4KgQ2zoAK2HLHNHZkuUEphVfR59zbs2tvIA3_QDMBTSw8Cw0r57xwZuSo7Ek0OOZezSP_h_-eSPpLn7qsxv1rA_3jK2resDClUl8O_RGc/s400/ts3+-+w+cutting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...the pins on the map indicate the hometowns of the production crew...</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5eJGhRUzpryPC3TWPCH0OKEv-eP63bDVLhjYYtClgQmHtbOQM4tOlOrclu5PfTBmdIU5ZaIBH913bTNVX08qMi171pp-dp-BGM_0jQGf4vLfK_Y2GAwOuHvKNlj2qMCWSNBSUVWn-W0/s1600/ts3+-+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5eJGhRUzpryPC3TWPCH0OKEv-eP63bDVLhjYYtClgQmHtbOQM4tOlOrclu5PfTBmdIU5ZaIBH913bTNVX08qMi171pp-dp-BGM_0jQGf4vLfK_Y2GAwOuHvKNlj2qMCWSNBSUVWn-W0/s320/ts3+-+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...a Nemo sticker on the side of Andy's toy chest...</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwWuHZT-hjZZGZouvvZEKMEx2OufbYFpymZfNReP0FFi0dOsZFTy0NH0KHE2hsY2ZnWheeCbS6QyObgRrgud0eGS9LRgD3iM4-UgwWt7Nz2IH_0_A6mb58Ak6dptH52Bza_gvrpBA_xQ/s1600/ts3+-+nemo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwWuHZT-hjZZGZouvvZEKMEx2OufbYFpymZfNReP0FFi0dOsZFTy0NH0KHE2hsY2ZnWheeCbS6QyObgRrgud0eGS9LRgD3iM4-UgwWt7Nz2IH_0_A6mb58Ak6dptH52Bza_gvrpBA_xQ/s400/ts3+-+nemo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and finally, the letter on Andy's pin board is addressed to Emeryville where Pixar Studios is based.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7Y50YXWd9uVnvf0KUSn-6-qe0sSCOuvQF92EnZTuCwQPYbsSqjp4DEm40KbQnBQAI9tTP3ymm74IGfn538fJaseY84qX6FZI1ag-u98dO7QEpkXSxCpxshh3zE-E5fFuKMhkUpUJz6o/s1600/ts3+-+emeryville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7Y50YXWd9uVnvf0KUSn-6-qe0sSCOuvQF92EnZTuCwQPYbsSqjp4DEm40KbQnBQAI9tTP3ymm74IGfn538fJaseY84qX6FZI1ag-u98dO7QEpkXSxCpxshh3zE-E5fFuKMhkUpUJz6o/s400/ts3+-+emeryville.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Andy's sister is reading a magazine with a picture of Darla from Finding Nemo on the front.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEpMfJrYYdFGZlyJe3GhNF_skJHyp90NyksGrruxZN3dw5Tw_X1VM9W2hklYd0GD0u-XdUKc-oT8bCYsTZZ0GD5rOr240O2ApdiX9JEJhNZDY-8_ha2G5ApyK6bHSP_QSJKvVmAKqIMY/s1600/toy-story-3-darla-buscando-a-nemo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEpMfJrYYdFGZlyJe3GhNF_skJHyp90NyksGrruxZN3dw5Tw_X1VM9W2hklYd0GD0u-XdUKc-oT8bCYsTZZ0GD5rOr240O2ApdiX9JEJhNZDY-8_ha2G5ApyK6bHSP_QSJKvVmAKqIMY/s400/toy-story-3-darla-buscando-a-nemo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The garbage man is clearly Sid, the antagonist from the first film.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOqLFfkVxdq5MqYlmckrwPOaDvpFABtGTg4EDDgRDpUxTu-wfVUsZKnLX4LCUT-rWwVvbE9tNt4U5naOhNvvng7dfvSyPl5cxkpdH0c1iUdxLLmI5bmgCN9kqcV5ksdI65AZwwLaSfWA/s1600/sid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOqLFfkVxdq5MqYlmckrwPOaDvpFABtGTg4EDDgRDpUxTu-wfVUsZKnLX4LCUT-rWwVvbE9tNt4U5naOhNvvng7dfvSyPl5cxkpdH0c1iUdxLLmI5bmgCN9kqcV5ksdI65AZwwLaSfWA/s320/sid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>*The car licence plate is once again A113.</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplPDoRBAOBgL-sQDMusxPNjslaWw6zj_sYiZag3eOm7TKIqQls25bAcqDbnqjsLmJjTtgM35R498_tRhW0Met20-g5aXBmulwSPLDO2VTfOWg-YDcypE2QyuL1D5QVFilNL1DG6GYsJM/s1600/ts3+-+a113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplPDoRBAOBgL-sQDMusxPNjslaWw6zj_sYiZag3eOm7TKIqQls25bAcqDbnqjsLmJjTtgM35R498_tRhW0Met20-g5aXBmulwSPLDO2VTfOWg-YDcypE2QyuL1D5QVFilNL1DG6GYsJM/s400/ts3+-+a113.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>*A toy version of Mr. Ray from Finding Nemo is on the shelf at Sunnyside Daycare.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z_0bJBmZBq_rM-BDdSENvHlixPVD6myR9w3J5KAHuM-OuOGhzCWJ5XEMDrqgUjHUD55ZOBnuNMwuMSLx9PMcOzxHNe11vYe6tfuk1shPxiCW9UUAmc4_p85rSlrgA6k8SW2m9eBR9DA/s1600/ts3+-+mr+ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4z_0bJBmZBq_rM-BDdSENvHlixPVD6myR9w3J5KAHuM-OuOGhzCWJ5XEMDrqgUjHUD55ZOBnuNMwuMSLx9PMcOzxHNe11vYe6tfuk1shPxiCW9UUAmc4_p85rSlrgA6k8SW2m9eBR9DA/s400/ts3+-+mr+ray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*During the tour of Sunnyside, a lego model can be spotted which is almost identical to one used in <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-toy-story-2-1999.html" target="_blank">Toy Story 2</a></i> (1999).</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyr2T4sJE0tBv3DwRID-CISvNN4yUnWikHtDmbBipYzg4VLgePUBa_4SBEI_BHD5-OzSRaBkvaf6IA1aXpP0Ds4ZEksBHwTBj0zaPT3yvp2j_e6Mb1dgibHPLDq1WkC5H5EtzzhFrYesA/s1600/ts3+lego.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyr2T4sJE0tBv3DwRID-CISvNN4yUnWikHtDmbBipYzg4VLgePUBa_4SBEI_BHD5-OzSRaBkvaf6IA1aXpP0Ds4ZEksBHwTBj0zaPT3yvp2j_e6Mb1dgibHPLDq1WkC5H5EtzzhFrYesA/s320/ts3+lego.png" width="274" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkkRAEAZyN04gfHfj5fdiuaonp744n6LmVLe2QgxZSbe66Y5DJMZ9jdPiqZHyl_4Rcy-1MinoaXiDoZEJrnjJyDSVgmkkj9ywgOrWrEEFNKa2C0YnleBqcs_AXp6ZnqrDzI2EKh1ZcAc/s1600/ts2+-+lego.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkkRAEAZyN04gfHfj5fdiuaonp744n6LmVLe2QgxZSbe66Y5DJMZ9jdPiqZHyl_4Rcy-1MinoaXiDoZEJrnjJyDSVgmkkj9ywgOrWrEEFNKa2C0YnleBqcs_AXp6ZnqrDzI2EKh1ZcAc/s320/ts2+-+lego.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*When Woody hangs in mid air following his escape from Sunnyside, a collage can be seen in the background. One of the designs depicted therein is of the famous Luxo ball.</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihX54D0cN6loHpQOYjUMPWQT1gQNS-VgN16zW6iQYNIKW3jJD1r63I4gQnbnd7It-JQKCvAXRJG7eKjH2hgAMbe2EqQQvFd0cmDYSCJeprT7pLop0MnOIaU1p10Fde6GnDM_CqoWGRWo/s1600/ts3+-+ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihX54D0cN6loHpQOYjUMPWQT1gQNS-VgN16zW6iQYNIKW3jJD1r63I4gQnbnd7It-JQKCvAXRJG7eKjH2hgAMbe2EqQQvFd0cmDYSCJeprT7pLop0MnOIaU1p10Fde6GnDM_CqoWGRWo/s400/ts3+-+ball.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Bonnie places Woody in her backpack, the front of which features Wally from <i>The Adventures of Andre and Wally B.</i> (1985).</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLXMxG5QNXw3x7bf1hTW6y-yGALEsS1Vej_Pki25gsjXdYtxodfSbDbhBnlm7Sj_1PiDevnNJ-LXwiPXVK_7KHXfHL7cBtit3lqQBE53lVPGTihbLVISw-_KPHtoewtaTw80EV_u8n_c/s1600/ts3+-+andre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLXMxG5QNXw3x7bf1hTW6y-yGALEsS1Vej_Pki25gsjXdYtxodfSbDbhBnlm7Sj_1PiDevnNJ-LXwiPXVK_7KHXfHL7cBtit3lqQBE53lVPGTihbLVISw-_KPHtoewtaTw80EV_u8n_c/s320/ts3+-+andre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvWwV0fV9oKXDHrgqR8M_WcAbYus_6OBoG4EiEtrlsePYKcyc3yDnZJ5-AHvJuwKTc7n7q77dH4pj4IJlF-1c-iUMbi252EfxHk-AnB-46DwHnJIwaMkzYjHZNDC1Pgz2f0yT9U3S8ew/s1600/600full-the-adventures-of-andre-and-wally-b.-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvWwV0fV9oKXDHrgqR8M_WcAbYus_6OBoG4EiEtrlsePYKcyc3yDnZJ5-AHvJuwKTc7n7q77dH4pj4IJlF-1c-iUMbi252EfxHk-AnB-46DwHnJIwaMkzYjHZNDC1Pgz2f0yT9U3S8ew/s320/600full-the-adventures-of-andre-and-wally-b.-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*When the toys at the daycare centre go into hiding in anticipation of the kids' arrival, we see the same toys that hid from an over zealous child many years before in <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-tin-toy-1988.html" target="_blank">Tin Toy</a></i> (1986).</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmkkV6SImPQFBwL3dDXsnxaNkZJ_Aicqt7k1fURs8A7g8mlA5vicOxqHGDnJU-T6eo-dmwJ5VDKaEyqi_CQwn_3jqehDuYS-uwXquobYEOJu1Ui8mO8bSAyKN3sIjhZlxIHDWvC7GnlI/s1600/TS3+-+tin+toy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmkkV6SImPQFBwL3dDXsnxaNkZJ_Aicqt7k1fURs8A7g8mlA5vicOxqHGDnJU-T6eo-dmwJ5VDKaEyqi_CQwn_3jqehDuYS-uwXquobYEOJu1Ui8mO8bSAyKN3sIjhZlxIHDWvC7GnlI/s320/TS3+-+tin+toy.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9sK5vueYM1NoQ0uuWZtKb0rLaHdmA4pMEvDJrM5dNa8JbCt2bNzUmmdOj6YLZvjw4FNPrpz0woUSWATYlNL66Z9qeEFvkyFwh1Tupz7NZSxSvvAeZCaSr0R_mH1WTeKCPWEu4l23fFc/s1600/tin+toy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9sK5vueYM1NoQ0uuWZtKb0rLaHdmA4pMEvDJrM5dNa8JbCt2bNzUmmdOj6YLZvjw4FNPrpz0woUSWATYlNL66Z9qeEFvkyFwh1Tupz7NZSxSvvAeZCaSr0R_mH1WTeKCPWEu4l23fFc/s320/tin+toy.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The child in the glasses is wearing a t-shirt bearing Lightning McQueen's '95' insignia.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ETSlVIq3i9z4YevE7K4j0rLUU3fXSP7Ncvx1ZB0yNLj7jHT_XGIriwJ5gwEDoYVjBKB2syqL7UUZUQsYnspenuA75qXOGwR460knFdztwtS_LlKf6FOpEWkXmKHjHoe_WVzrKqjh_9o/s1600/10d1924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ETSlVIq3i9z4YevE7K4j0rLUU3fXSP7Ncvx1ZB0yNLj7jHT_XGIriwJ5gwEDoYVjBKB2syqL7UUZUQsYnspenuA75qXOGwR460knFdztwtS_LlKf6FOpEWkXmKHjHoe_WVzrKqjh_9o/s400/10d1924.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Tin Toy is referenced a second time when the lead character appears on the front cover of a storybook.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcV8AuvRmmhxzYdSKgU9SenbEfp-v2S1HE8gp_rq394Bxi2cKoRLsr09p6SMIHFfkv8PfR5K0PdBkDNs_sQvc3Qu895XMtccjz-41GPqmq6162ngIBFOpeNfU-ZDCvaP3Ifv1ka8qhN4/s1600/ts3+-+tin+toy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcV8AuvRmmhxzYdSKgU9SenbEfp-v2S1HE8gp_rq394Bxi2cKoRLsr09p6SMIHFfkv8PfR5K0PdBkDNs_sQvc3Qu895XMtccjz-41GPqmq6162ngIBFOpeNfU-ZDCvaP3Ifv1ka8qhN4/s400/ts3+-+tin+toy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHv5eP4UrlK4NWoGm1qqLgC4dscYpQEG8CLOJAydyd1FerDOBTIAYzbaOuCbWF0oB7Xeypc6rnhmZxxg2eMnls5IbTeueRWO_BvErTvZSWjqYM2W451Ozg94l91Eq0NbYUvswwgbK_F0/s1600/Tin_Toy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHv5eP4UrlK4NWoGm1qqLgC4dscYpQEG8CLOJAydyd1FerDOBTIAYzbaOuCbWF0oB7Xeypc6rnhmZxxg2eMnls5IbTeueRWO_BvErTvZSWjqYM2W451Ozg94l91Eq0NbYUvswwgbK_F0/s320/Tin_Toy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*A simplified wooden toy version of Lightning McQueen can be seen in the background.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPdIkdcaSWX-HAQW7AG_KSS02Nwk6EfGAPLOmfQYnBLl-q7oWD18ZJHivsgPRuAkn_hhEnV_VYue1YsYgWs5IKczNLMMy4JJ7QgWsIp24WpwPVfnevtdRdMweo_owII8WrOPdkce3Ghc/s1600/ts3+lightning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPdIkdcaSWX-HAQW7AG_KSS02Nwk6EfGAPLOmfQYnBLl-q7oWD18ZJHivsgPRuAkn_hhEnV_VYue1YsYgWs5IKczNLMMy4JJ7QgWsIp24WpwPVfnevtdRdMweo_owII8WrOPdkce3Ghc/s400/ts3+lightning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Among the many items being bartered in Sunnyside are some batteries which are made by the fictional company 'Revolting', first seen as a sponsor in Cars.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vStXMHG8U3IC24t00h1TIB11y_6vm6ek1h9qHxSZzTcAEc56NlL5XLiQfY42BB0zhL0H2HfsIryqB8uFUAeZfQlS-rOT3SZ6Ydcnlgo6ft38NIC1giSDh4TuMenEG_sa-Svs-yvKzsk/s1600/TS3+-+REVOLTING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vStXMHG8U3IC24t00h1TIB11y_6vm6ek1h9qHxSZzTcAEc56NlL5XLiQfY42BB0zhL0H2HfsIryqB8uFUAeZfQlS-rOT3SZ6Ydcnlgo6ft38NIC1giSDh4TuMenEG_sa-Svs-yvKzsk/s400/TS3+-+REVOLTING.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YJxTc9cklZAs9aj1rhthyQ6-5VFSSiS3DoOn_M7Csr-TqsmNv2cSEog9YINaymF-6KnDDdpDJ6i79BISL8-E7152ENL1aVBHgxqIKdc0JgN63_s-0p_NUq6BB66v0HNUnaiibfnrQYg/s1600/Cars+-+Revolting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YJxTc9cklZAs9aj1rhthyQ6-5VFSSiS3DoOn_M7Csr-TqsmNv2cSEog9YINaymF-6KnDDdpDJ6i79BISL8-E7152ENL1aVBHgxqIKdc0JgN63_s-0p_NUq6BB66v0HNUnaiibfnrQYg/s320/Cars+-+Revolting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The vehicle that Lotso and Chuckles ride on is a Pizza Planet truck.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7xtdDyhNxyvQDyYLlUAuVlK541urDrZyxkJ7YZevW8LyGPM_qcQ1eR9ZyGCDgMknBBgx5Xa_QzXJtv2iNOU6l9y5MSQoLEugtZW6h_ekszd1C2NiCROSrX0nIChkMjx1DKm4ZxcDv5I/s1600/ts3+-+pizza+planet+truck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA7xtdDyhNxyvQDyYLlUAuVlK541urDrZyxkJ7YZevW8LyGPM_qcQ1eR9ZyGCDgMknBBgx5Xa_QzXJtv2iNOU6l9y5MSQoLEugtZW6h_ekszd1C2NiCROSrX0nIChkMjx1DKm4ZxcDv5I/s400/ts3+-+pizza+planet+truck.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*When Woody returns to Sunnyside, the name 'Atta' can be seen on the wall which is a reference to Princess Atta from <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-bugs-life-1998.html" target="_blank">A Bug's Life</a></i> (1998).</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLJKOXgyQ9A4_6OXizZ4AVHVnxHQm2FpHgDan3kyy6aIzyqVqhOTXzZV00e8ubrjI_dPK49z4P4qv0OVAsN3Uud-n3jGfepNYb_vo65Icx9MNPs-fOoOyCFIMYQTbSYzD_JCO61fmJOc/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLJKOXgyQ9A4_6OXizZ4AVHVnxHQm2FpHgDan3kyy6aIzyqVqhOTXzZV00e8ubrjI_dPK49z4P4qv0OVAsN3Uud-n3jGfepNYb_vo65Icx9MNPs-fOoOyCFIMYQTbSYzD_JCO61fmJOc/s400/22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The batteries in Buzz's back are made by Buy N' Large (BNL), the fictional corporation from <i>Wall-E</i> (2008).</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyjNuDFqFumahwTYFje_U0ppCJ6ifmF4oPfG8TvWFBx5NcOo67XhTrQBYe8gxzpv81_IoflPVFn0BaYfXbLOJBD-hy5J23AtvXOjY79j5rXiBHjlbD4YfYCl2CA5GqXg2Wmco3fBC4T0/s1600/TS3+-+BNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlyjNuDFqFumahwTYFje_U0ppCJ6ifmF4oPfG8TvWFBx5NcOo67XhTrQBYe8gxzpv81_IoflPVFn0BaYfXbLOJBD-hy5J23AtvXOjY79j5rXiBHjlbD4YfYCl2CA5GqXg2Wmco3fBC4T0/s320/TS3+-+BNL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>*This one appears only in the trailer. A postcard on Andy's pinboard is from Carl and Ellie Fredricksen from <i>Up</i> (2009). </b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YwW5cveSgeud4O79coEfhgJnQcGgnPvYu3UAxLJwIchWQHQyxJ5yxV5EksMkitNfmrONh9s9UIZeT71uDtEaxhrCQvEpJNMdSJBfh37ZzXI5jVkR3aesItJs-VYnMTweBEUrztic5kM/s1600/TS3+-+UP.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YwW5cveSgeud4O79coEfhgJnQcGgnPvYu3UAxLJwIchWQHQyxJ5yxV5EksMkitNfmrONh9s9UIZeT71uDtEaxhrCQvEpJNMdSJBfh37ZzXI5jVkR3aesItJs-VYnMTweBEUrztic5kM/s400/TS3+-+UP.png" width="342" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And now for the others. Each of these appear at Sunnyside:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>*Many claim that the fire-truck depicted below is a toy version of Red from Cars. Owing to the number of Cars references already in the film this isn't unlikely; however, there are many differences and considering that Red is designed after a real-life fire truck, it's entirely possible that this toy is as well. The same can be said for the tractor which bares as many similarities to its real-life counterpart as the anthropomorphised version in Cars. </b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eDaOlL3xjfsAa06v1Hm5wG5UauqvG23x_DU9aJEZV7hpXHbpqvhXGUyDXmu7CXemxCyKZ-WQgaMLKgmNMAfjamSVkPjls8uOwYVu-739e6ExIj1rEObbEcywbMH64JaFIjI0oXVaPOQ/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eDaOlL3xjfsAa06v1Hm5wG5UauqvG23x_DU9aJEZV7hpXHbpqvhXGUyDXmu7CXemxCyKZ-WQgaMLKgmNMAfjamSVkPjls8uOwYVu-739e6ExIj1rEObbEcywbMH64JaFIjI0oXVaPOQ/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNB4XNpxl37te-MDI-Z3QrFLkc_l6dLj2ouYBwfpPN3rx9l2Vq6HnKj9OkNAWCs1lbBgCZOqofCQUep5DYijbPKy-R0XEaaU93H4T92UZyNxZmEZZLNYY2xAWpqlmsZ53JFWjhxSN0Vk/s1600/red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNB4XNpxl37te-MDI-Z3QrFLkc_l6dLj2ouYBwfpPN3rx9l2Vq6HnKj9OkNAWCs1lbBgCZOqofCQUep5DYijbPKy-R0XEaaU93H4T92UZyNxZmEZZLNYY2xAWpqlmsZ53JFWjhxSN0Vk/s320/red.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtu3vJnREL5dZaF7YSRfDbLkqQ6nkKykAzJFQM28XrcA27W6gaZ_TOpjufvXIKm7bW-npCY4za79SkzHKJ4bxnKaEFM0AN2OBvgj7toaDHhZP0PbwRedddCN47UDQNDT764kbI1vXn-ns/s1600/4367340148_e33e433165_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtu3vJnREL5dZaF7YSRfDbLkqQ6nkKykAzJFQM28XrcA27W6gaZ_TOpjufvXIKm7bW-npCY4za79SkzHKJ4bxnKaEFM0AN2OBvgj7toaDHhZP0PbwRedddCN47UDQNDT764kbI1vXn-ns/s400/4367340148_e33e433165_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4ad9Fbq6tndRnphAMUb20e2h2qkbLSXuCY9i8EVKWnDEVqQSPE2XSAdvhRgqOIFELcoqJt8j-CaFR0fLK9K1mUAVLdewpFxbr3HWdgLAQ5ZLbz_XcGX5jiD_vEXRrge0HoraKej05UA/s1600/Cars---tractor-1-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4ad9Fbq6tndRnphAMUb20e2h2qkbLSXuCY9i8EVKWnDEVqQSPE2XSAdvhRgqOIFELcoqJt8j-CaFR0fLK9K1mUAVLdewpFxbr3HWdgLAQ5ZLbz_XcGX5jiD_vEXRrge0HoraKej05UA/s200/Cars---tractor-1-.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*One of the toys appears to be a loose amalgamation of Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc,.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgeeOL80L4oVNjhMUPjlf95o6sBu8NZbBXoj7fQzpz7j8Qaph4s7hGuO8WQoQOqLHk_OSUKwSM8bDBzvvyPIFp4IZTnnOAm4DS9iOhM9BoyLDQn7g7x-jaek1Afmvrdbw_QrYcDAwZTw/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgeeOL80L4oVNjhMUPjlf95o6sBu8NZbBXoj7fQzpz7j8Qaph4s7hGuO8WQoQOqLHk_OSUKwSM8bDBzvvyPIFp4IZTnnOAm4DS9iOhM9BoyLDQn7g7x-jaek1Afmvrdbw_QrYcDAwZTw/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*The blue toy which hops under the bucket looks slightly like Flik from A Bug's Life, albeit a short and fatter model.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyU4TuSn4HaWy4LrxKUFNQUmu5k73YSmrcTcJMuZcra4CUjFtch0rLPXbeRVuYnWZ3wNeEHaMIYqolsdBx-UVrqHGpMka6p9WAxvEK55r5no7S_EaDQtT4sd_ffOZWf3g9GkS8ZCTjB8/s1600/ts3+-+flik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyU4TuSn4HaWy4LrxKUFNQUmu5k73YSmrcTcJMuZcra4CUjFtch0rLPXbeRVuYnWZ3wNeEHaMIYqolsdBx-UVrqHGpMka6p9WAxvEK55r5no7S_EaDQtT4sd_ffOZWf3g9GkS8ZCTjB8/s400/ts3+-+flik.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-8960673390048581042013-02-02T13:57:00.001+00:002013-02-02T13:57:50.571+00:00Hidden Gems: Meet The Robinsons (2007)<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*When Wilbur first arrives in the future, he flies over a sign which reads Todayland, an homage to Tomorrowland which is the name of the futurist section of the Magic Kingdom.</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcUT9FJyg6-FhKc_kSJkwlBHj53cO2V8qI0t0D76os9xeDPiNH3BB1IeHdIqq9BMwX2tAKq6rbN2aeyNJ5AQeeVKAfAd92UXgOV1YhgrUwfSykS4861bQtLFe-owhtjf4JUpBNvQaX7Y/s1600/apr-todayland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcUT9FJyg6-FhKc_kSJkwlBHj53cO2V8qI0t0D76os9xeDPiNH3BB1IeHdIqq9BMwX2tAKq6rbN2aeyNJ5AQeeVKAfAd92UXgOV1YhgrUwfSykS4861bQtLFe-owhtjf4JUpBNvQaX7Y/s320/apr-todayland.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRVVAFV_YlGiQOes53GhydJcvAzFAnLXiYt6R6xdd1FHy0OMeL9CWK-gOu_PlohBTU83N6BcdFgoqWppkrKzbaUNQ_zFfG5HpxNjZ15dAy67wJtaRpajp4yJIIKByZWCD09yAtzyM5_E/s1600/Tomorrowland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRVVAFV_YlGiQOes53GhydJcvAzFAnLXiYt6R6xdd1FHy0OMeL9CWK-gOu_PlohBTU83N6BcdFgoqWppkrKzbaUNQ_zFfG5HpxNjZ15dAy67wJtaRpajp4yJIIKByZWCD09yAtzyM5_E/s320/Tomorrowland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Towards the end of the film when Wilbur goes to Goob's baseball game, two posters can be seen: One is <i>The Jungle Book</i> (1967) and the other is<i> <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/hidden-gems-toy-story-2-1999.html" target="_blank">Toy Story 2</a> </i>(1999).</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTPYLEMjspAYs_Jn9E2aNOPGAiNb183n5tWrUCmYvJ3EMzgcKChSToOZWF9Q5C7oP75lPB6Ia5BN0EvVpkvcB5A_Jn6ngVGfpbnFBdnYrPbzqcG4c3HjN-S4XVRhDd72WCBegUn_Re3Q/s1600/mtrobinsons-toystory2banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTPYLEMjspAYs_Jn9E2aNOPGAiNb183n5tWrUCmYvJ3EMzgcKChSToOZWF9Q5C7oP75lPB6Ia5BN0EvVpkvcB5A_Jn6ngVGfpbnFBdnYrPbzqcG4c3HjN-S4XVRhDd72WCBegUn_Re3Q/s400/mtrobinsons-toystory2banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-16100182760082856152011-10-01T01:40:00.001+01:002011-10-01T01:40:40.501+01:00Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaam?<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Having recently finished watching Chris Morris’s bizarre quasi comedy-slash-surrealist nightmare, I find myself wetting the bed more frequently. For those not in the know, Jam was a darkly disturbing channel 4 sketch show from 2000 in which every conceivable taboo is confronted in ever shocking and absurdist ways. Though I still find myself struggling to decide if Jam is a groundbreaking piece of horror comedy or pretentiously vulgar, there’s no denying that I find it utterly fascinating. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzkhj8NhKiP2fc9VzcvCawsr9-p_yj2AOrUX4YiNByPLbUf0I08JmtdNXQbCtu3h9pOOPfL8fJFP2nlXJ9tCcYpUOjAYGVNP_HqqSIBNbbhGk8bfMAFbojjBQTgMfR1ZEi1F6yj0kC8k/s1600/jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzkhj8NhKiP2fc9VzcvCawsr9-p_yj2AOrUX4YiNByPLbUf0I08JmtdNXQbCtu3h9pOOPfL8fJFP2nlXJ9tCcYpUOjAYGVNP_HqqSIBNbbhGk8bfMAFbojjBQTgMfR1ZEi1F6yj0kC8k/s320/jam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unlike his previous efforts, Morris seems less interested with delivering punch lines than subverting our most basic understanding of how we define humour. Though undoubtedly strange, both The Day Today and Brass Eye were clear in their objectives: to make people laugh. Jam on the other hand virtually abandons any semblance of a traditional sketch, trading structure for long drawn out sequences intended to amuse not by the incongruity of the set-up and the punchline but by the content as a whole. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Okay, so far, so surreal, but the way in which Morris tells his “jokes” may suggest that this isn’t actually a comedy at all. Though the odd scene may trigger a smirk, to describe the program as anything even remotely close to hilarious would be hyperbole of the highest degree. Personally speaking, I found myself smiling more out of fear and confusion than a genuine feeling of well-being. And well-being is something of which Jam is in short supply. Even the most mundane pieces that manage to sidestep controversy (which are few!) still manage to invoke in the viewer at best an attack of deep sadness, at worst an almost physical revulsion. The scenes blend into one another with hypnotic ease, as all the while an ambient soundtrack coupled with dutch tilt camera angles and the like unsettle the audience to ever more insidious depths. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MJP4dr_mioA" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yet the question remains, what is the real aim here? Is it to demonstrate that certain subjects, such as rape, incest and abortion have no place in the world of comedy? If so, it would hardly be a fair hearing, considering how needlessly excessive the skits are in delivering the goods, which often have at their core a very simple idea that is unnecessarily twisted into something terrifying. Is it an analysis of insanity? A Kafkaesque look at how utterly peculiar the modern world really is? Perhaps it’s challenging us to think about comedy in new ways? To learn a new code in joke-telling? Or maybe it’s nothing more than a blank canvas, a postmodern celebration of nothingness from which we are invited to make our own interpretations. Indeed it could be just another piece of avant garde detritus trying to be profound by daring to broach difficult subjects. It’s certainly a convincing interpretation, but somehow likely the wrong one. There’s something self-assured about Jam and so consistent that it feels far too simplistic merely to categorise it as shock entertainment. It goes far deeper than that. Or maybe that’s just what they want you to think...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-31014919147972764532011-09-18T23:48:00.000+01:002011-09-18T23:48:55.420+01:00My Literary Canon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">During a radical spring cleaning of my computer's documents wherein files of little worth found themselves jettisoned into the digital cul de sac that is the recycle bin, I came across a frenzied, year-old attempt at crafting a novel. The plagiarism of Palahniuk minimalism aside, it's not an altogether terrible read, though where exactly it was headed I have no idea. The last few paragraphs were just ideas for later sections of a story which, like Kafka's The Castle and Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon, will never be completed.</span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anyway... here it is for you to enjoy or despise, whatever comes naturally.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sometimes, lacking hope is the greatest aphrodisiac we have. Losing hope keeps us hopeful. The eternally recurring building, bombed and salvaged from its own wreckage. The childlike joy of losing ourselves, only to be found again, stronger, more resilient.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> _______ was an undiscovered nihilist. Her sojourns into the world of abandon were offset by an unfounded trust in human kindness. That instinctual faith in morality. So naive.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> _______ believed love was the answer. Why not? Her parents divorced, just like her brother and his wife. Her ex beat her and fed her drug addiction. Love is a many splendored thing. Like hospitalising your teenage girlfriend with the aid of gravity and a flight of stairs. Or clogging her nasal lining with Colombia’s finest whilst her heart ricochets inside her rib cage like a particle accelerator.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> She’d wake up the next day, tubes protruding from her frail body, machines converting her breaths into beeps. In her mind’s eye she’d see him, coming at her with a clenched fist, a rolled up newspaper. A broken bottle. It wasn’t his fault though. He couldn’t help it. He had a bad childhood. He didn’t finish school. He said you should mind your own fucking business the next time you ask about that blonde bitch who keeps calling at 3am.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Being a regular, she began to notice the looks on the nurses faces. That head shake of unbelievability. The sorrowful eyes, pleading with her to please, let me help. But they didn’t understand. One doesn’t give up on true love just because their jaw occasionally connects with their partners fist, dislocating the inferior maxillary bone with permanent damage to the inferior alveolar nerve. As we speak, the shattered remnants of her premolars slide down her alimentary canal. She tells herself that’s love, massaging the swollen lump above the zygomatic bone.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> So each time he arrived with that pathetic look on his face, begging her to take him back, she’d say yes. There wasn’t a single bruise a box of chocolates couldn’t fix. A four letter word works faster than medicine. Flowers conceal dried bloodstains.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Years later, she’d find herself on the receiving end of a Nazi apologist hell-bent on resurrecting the third Reich. ‘Hitler gassed Jews because he loved his country,’ says this National Socialist, carving a swastika into the top of the bar. ‘He shot his wife to keep her from harm.’</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">‘Yeah well,’ she’ll say. ‘Cupid has a lot to answer for.’</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Lying in that bed, she wondered if this was as good as it gets. Right here on this ward, beside victims of domestic violence and attempted suicides, ______ felt right at home. Burning through nasal cartilage was a small price to pay. Surrounded by death and suffering, the sterility of her life now had meaning. Perhaps getting low was the new high.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> All the religious studies in the world don’t mean shit once you realise God is about as real as the tooth fairy. The Easter Bunny gives eggs. God delivers plagues.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> Her parents had it all planned. She’d grow up, get married, spit out a couple of little ones, maybe five or six? That’s the woman’s job they said. Only ______ had a different spin on things. For her, marriage was a tumour. The death knell before children arrived. Why define yourself through others, she’d say. Between offspring and a cemetery, she saw very little difference.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">One night she found herself face down in a pool of vomit. Unquestionably hers, seeping into the turquoise green carpet she’d always hated and he always promised he’d replace with something less moody. A soft cream colour would complement the violence. Perhaps a bluish tint to lessen the impact of a ruptured artery. Domestic disputes can be solved with pleasant furnishing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Happiness is overrated. Getting what you want is boring. Popularity becomes a past-time. A lover just fills your days. Some people go golfing. Her hobby was maintaining a pulse. Sure, being your partner’s punching bag was hardly ideal, but at least it showed he cared. A collapsed lung means more than a pair of shoes.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Good spirits were like a trap. Whenever she let her guard down, they’d return. But optimism was a lie. Like a Rottweiler with a ribbon. A peodophile with a smile. Genocide in 3D. Behind the veneer, life is always a struggle. Her perfect little life tried to cover that fact. Whenever her serotonin levels went for a top-up, she’d counteract them with a depressing movie. Self-harm just for kicks. A brief visit to the maternity ward browsing for miscarriages usually did the trick.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> I used to be an undiscovered nihilist. My brief sojourns into the world of abandon were offset by an unfounded trust in human kindness. That instinctual faith in morality. So </span>naive. </div>
</span></span></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-50006621255502632192011-01-30T13:28:00.000+00:002011-01-30T13:28:23.528+00:00Tangled (PG)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RGV5C2GHCMbceyLzlwPFAudTcNVhR6D99iAKkedwkOXFPBBfNYi4__A9Aj79bTpLuzvlLohe1QZNFW41KYovuDsTkFU_UkSGmIW5s-8Wu0gUwYMAzbYQG8e5usMtXyLeemvBPdZ2e30/s1600/Rapunzel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RGV5C2GHCMbceyLzlwPFAudTcNVhR6D99iAKkedwkOXFPBBfNYi4__A9Aj79bTpLuzvlLohe1QZNFW41KYovuDsTkFU_UkSGmIW5s-8Wu0gUwYMAzbYQG8e5usMtXyLeemvBPdZ2e30/s400/Rapunzel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For several years now, the good folks at Disney animation have been racking their brains trying to figure out how exactly Pixar is continually able to capture that elusive lightning in their box office-busting bottle. Obviously strong storytelling and exceptional artistry are significant factors, but whereas Pixar can reinvent itself with each new adventure, Disney is forever anchored to a near century-old heritage. As a result, the manner in which it must evolve in order to remain relevant with modern audiences is a delicately orchestrated balancing act; should the changes be too great, they’re accused of abandoning tradition to make a quick buck; change too little and you’re branded a one trick pony. It’s an unwinnable feat and one in which the cynics take great pleasure. Yet even the most sceptical of viewers would find difficulty in lambasting Tangled, a film that marries the old with the new in a manner which hasn’t been explored since <i>Toy Story</i> (1995).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok, I admit this isn’t the first time I’ve proclaimed the glorious return of Disney. Not that <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/01/princess-and-frog-u.html" target="_blank"><i>The Princess and the Frog</i> </a>(2009) was a disappointment, but it was slightly safe. For all of it's 2D charm, the film lacked gusto, choosing instead to nestle in the comfort of it's (more successful) 90’s forebears. It's successor, however, is far more daring, with one eye on the past and one set firmly on the future. Even with every conceivable superlative at hand, adjectives simply don’t do justice to how astonishingly good this film really is and if it doesn’t quite surpass Pixar’s <i>Ratatouille</i> (2007) – repeat viewings may be in order – it’s certainly the finest thing from the Mouse since 2000’s <i>The Emperor’s New Groove</i> (and I do not say that lightly!)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you’ve been unfortunate enough to see the marketing material, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Tangled as a Shrek-lite, pop culture laden mismatch of anachronistic gaggery and capricious pastiche which ten years from now will be about as timeless as an episode of Baywatch – or a Dreamworks cartoon. Thankfully, aside from a slapstick musical set-piece and the one (frankly hilarious) instance of breaking the fourth wall, there’s not a shred of post-modernism in sight. This is the real deal; a classic fairytale, albeit with a shiny new coat of CG paint, but one which nevertheless flaunts its old school charms with such pride as to make even <i>Enchanted</i> (2006) look mean-spirited. Sure, the naysayers will condemn Tangled for being more of the same, but Disney will always be damned if they do, damned if they don’t and for the first time in years, here’s a studio that no longer cares what you think.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rapunzel, easily one of the most three dimensional (har har) heroines in the Disney canon, is simply one of the most satisfying female leads in history. Period. Like Megara and <i>Mulan</i> (2008) et al, Rapunzel is more than just a damsel in distress, but she’s also captivatingly sweet, echoing Ariel’s youthful curiosity without the neediness and naivety that often made that particular protagonist so frustrating. Clumsy but self-mocking, strong-willed but independent, there’s a real endearing quality to the way in which she suffers her plight and this is in no small part thanks to the casting of Mandy Moore whose whole American teen vibe gives us the first genuinely hilarious Disney Princess. Of course we also have an hilarious Prince in the form of Flynn, the devilishly handsome thief who steals Rapunzel’s heart along with the film’s funniest lines. And then there’s the villain, Mother Gothel; a wicked blend of Scar’s faux affection and Lady Tremaine’s overbearing dominance, best exemplified in the musical number “Mother Knows Best”, a sequence filled with such sinister undertones as to out-bitch Cruella De Vil. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4IynJ1z8poQ2TDLrkA-CDt5m7bXrEbc9TgPVNLWw9M5PrOBN4QvIF5OYmbbKWeKnEUXBqoXREMmoNpwHCGHuqmYEmXHOx9BoevotAo83AXXMhJ7Whx3Ed2bqHOBNJs3oYMxlI1aY-Zw/s1600/TANGLED-Rapunzel-and-Flynn-lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4IynJ1z8poQ2TDLrkA-CDt5m7bXrEbc9TgPVNLWw9M5PrOBN4QvIF5OYmbbKWeKnEUXBqoXREMmoNpwHCGHuqmYEmXHOx9BoevotAo83AXXMhJ7Whx3Ed2bqHOBNJs3oYMxlI1aY-Zw/s320/TANGLED-Rapunzel-and-Flynn-lights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But what’s this I hear you cry? Aren’t all these just tired conventions of the Disney ‘toon? Perhaps, although even that argument would be an over-simplification. No, the real wonder of Tangled is the nostalgia it stirs in viewers old enough to remember with fondness a time when animation was more than just the moving joke book it’s now become. Even Pixar, for all their memorable moments, have failed to impinge on the emotional extremes of <i>The Lion King</i> (1994), <i>Pocahontas</i> (1995) and countless others. Tangled represents the first real attempt to recapture the maturity of traditional animation and the result is magical; yes it’s deliriously funny, but it’s equally as moving. Admittedly the tunes are a bit of a disappointment, coming as they do from legendary composer Alan Menken, but the shock of seeing CG characters break into song is such a delight you’re unlikely to care. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And I haven’t even mentioned the visuals! Subsurface scattering for realistic lighting and those painterly patents first put to use in <i>Bolt</i> (2008) are here milked for all their worth; every shot is bathed in such soft iridescence that it resembles less a collection of pixels than a painting in motion. The animation itself is breathtakingly beautiful, the real standout being Maximus the horse whose canine sensibilities and stern demeanour are infused with the type of overt theatricality rarely seen outside of a Goofy cartoon. High praise must also be given for the technical pioneers behind Rapunzel’s luscious locks; hair is notoriously difficult to pull off in CGI but the way in which our hero parades it around screen is almost a dare, an invitation for rival studios to try and do better – an intimidating provocation indeed, as this is inarguably the prettiest film thus far to have emanated from a hard-drive. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s ironic that after so many years of chasing the equation for box-office success, Disney should feel most comfortable doing what it does best; fairytale romance, dastardly villains, loveable sidekicks, singing, dancing... or as Walt himself so cleanly put it, for every laugh there should be a tear. It’s a mantra which serves Tangled well, a film which makes no apologies for being sweet or sentimental. The sign of a studio which has finally learnt to let down it’s hair. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">*****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If you enjoyed this you may also like...</span></b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aladdin (1992) *****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Little Mermaid (1989) ****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Princess and the Frog (2009) ****</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-19964611486071486422010-12-31T20:23:00.002+00:002011-01-13T21:55:18.130+00:00My Epic Review of the Year<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>January</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU94l3W7t3HnxzKw7O0qChaTxvSVPpBETlo-H8OzGv753tpdyHfjKk91BMr-Gn8gy74K08uWV4L8h-w6vwOYh08kcE01MfiE8nBQSmFmyjgHeLaAOX7tNronzBCRlM65OBru1zgiAmGrw/s1600/wyclef+jean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU94l3W7t3HnxzKw7O0qChaTxvSVPpBETlo-H8OzGv753tpdyHfjKk91BMr-Gn8gy74K08uWV4L8h-w6vwOYh08kcE01MfiE8nBQSmFmyjgHeLaAOX7tNronzBCRlM65OBru1zgiAmGrw/s320/wyclef+jean.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>What do you get when you cross Wyclef Jean, the Haitian<br />
flag and some superglue?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2010 got off to a rather bleak start when Haiti, no stranger to hardship, suffered the first of two horrific disasters. Numero uno appeared on the 12<sup>th</sup> when a devastating earthquake hit near the capital Port-au-Prince, killing over 230,000 people and leaving many more homeless. The second arrived in August in the shape of Wyclef Jean, a Haitian-born ex-Fugees member who thought his musical talents could be put to better use by becoming President of a politically unstable third-world country and he wasn’t going to let a little thing like a complete lack of suitable credentials <i>whatsoever</i> stand in his way. Luckily for the people of Haiti his nomination was deemed ineligible, although Sisqo retains his post as Foreign Secretary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>February</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to be outdone by a Caribbean island, Chile got in on the act by experiencing its own earthquake, although the measly 521 death toll meant that the media quickly lost interest. Thus began an ingenious conspiracy to capture the imagination of every nation on earth, and all it would require is a mine and a bunch of men in hard hats...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Movies</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The Good...</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Inception</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/08/toy-story-3-u.html" target="_blank">Toy Story 3</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/08/scott-pilgrim-vs-world-12a.html" target="_blank">Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Cemetery Junction</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/01/princess-and-frog-u.html" target="_blank">The Princess and the Frog</a>*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The Bad...</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Four Lions</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Killers</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) The Collector*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) A Single Man*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Defendor*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The Disappointing..</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/05/iron-man-12a.html" target="_blank">Iron Man 2</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Alice in Wonderland</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) The Crazies</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Kick-Ass</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/10/social-network-12a.html" target="_blank">The Social Network</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Released domestically in 2009 but 2010 in UK. </span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>March</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVeM6kX-RQf-hFqC-uoJXcahf5Y5fYfiwzuNu_4zxiFh_ycpbJfoaB5Wkz5XzTPp1OfGFeDVgr5sjAnJ_lo0tOUBhKHAtu46cFUL5KQ_N2ptWYKL-Tnetigr2ERcAOMbQuji7Ik2fL5k/s1600/obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAVeM6kX-RQf-hFqC-uoJXcahf5Y5fYfiwzuNu_4zxiFh_ycpbJfoaB5Wkz5XzTPp1OfGFeDVgr5sjAnJ_lo0tOUBhKHAtu46cFUL5KQ_N2ptWYKL-Tnetigr2ERcAOMbQuji7Ik2fL5k/s320/obama.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"It's this big." Obama finally confirms the age old legend<br />
about black men.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Richest Country in The World™ (hint: not Greece) finally passed into law a reform for health care, despite the protestations of far right nut-jobs who think NHS is Newspeak for KGB. Actually their concerns were understandable; who wants a multi-billion dollar health service to cover all those pesky casualties? (Though admittedly there’d be far fewer if they didn't cling so blindly to that silly second amendment of theirs).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We Brits call this irony.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>April</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just as Iceland’s volcanic ash was providing UKIP with yet more reasons to distrust EU integration, an accident of far greater magnitude was occurring slightly closer to the equator when an off-shore oil rig went tits up and made the Exxon Valdez affair look like a mere drop in the ocean... (wink). Cue footage of disgruntled fishermen and Pelicans painted black interspersed with the occasional glimpse of Obama surveying the devastation like a Bush in New Orleans. Meanwhile our century-old special relationship became fraught with complications as Tony Hayward, then BP-head and current corner-cutting advisor to Pakistan, delivered such career-killing quips as “I just want my life back”, a comment which could not have been more insensitive had it been uttered whilst slam-dunking a seagull. In fact, so unrestrained by gravity were those smug lips in offering a compassion-free apology that it would have been more forgivable had he turned up in Florida with a box of matches. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Best Books What I ‘Ave Red</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Needful Things by Stephen King</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) Choke by Chuck Palahniuk</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Close, But No Cigar</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Under the Dome by Stephen King</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) The Basic Writings of Nietzsche by Friedrich Nietzsche</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>May</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the same month that Britain got a new government, it also got just a teensy bit racist. Having been absent from the headlines for all of five minutes, Israel once again became the pariah of choice for liberal loons after a raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla resulted in the deaths of several innocent terrorists. Leading the anti-Zionist (see: anti-Semitic) tirade was the ever-reliable BBC whose, ahem, unbiased coverage was less one-sided than a Murray/Nadal match. Of course a cynical, less reputable network would have provided us with a menagerie of trivial information regarding the flotilla and its passengers, such as their direct ties to Hamas; video footage capturing the brutal murder of an Israeli soldier; the possession of weapons aboard a supposedly ‘peaceful’ ship; the chanting of a provocative Islamic battle cry celebrating Muhammad’s victory over the Jewish village of Khaybar in 629; refusal to allow an inspection by armed forces despite repeat warnings which had been pre-empted by a general determination to use resistance against any Israeli occupation; the comments of one 'activist' who confirmed she was awaiting martyrdom; blah, blah, blah...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In fact a true sceptic would no doubt point to Israel’s superior human rights record, the 15,000 tons in aid which it provides to Palestine <i>every single week</i> or the almost orchestrated manner in which mass demonstrations appeared across the globe within mere hours of the incident being reported. Not that I am in any way suggesting this was a conspiracy – and even if it was, I’ll bet the Jews were behind it...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Game of the Year</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKVEXxuiI9VIMdV6QSnsbwfNfI5NgWEWNWN_ERYMCv8bNWe9jJe_PPQ85Q8-Z8iENydznH2xqIMAsiMaUGeODe-WGTsypzPDtYVJaUEzdzzICaiNzkiTnIotuamrdizj0pNkhnRAfhFY/s1600/mario+galaxy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKVEXxuiI9VIMdV6QSnsbwfNfI5NgWEWNWN_ERYMCv8bNWe9jJe_PPQ85Q8-Z8iENydznH2xqIMAsiMaUGeODe-WGTsypzPDtYVJaUEzdzzICaiNzkiTnIotuamrdizj0pNkhnRAfhFY/s320/mario+galaxy+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Prettier than a room full of Japanese girls.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>June</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"England has been knocked out of the World Cup." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In other news, the Earth is round and AIDS is bad for you. As per usual the country built up its hopes, choosing to become fiercely patriotic for all of two weeks before succumbing to that good old fashioned British pessimism and tearing down every St. George flag in sight. Of course the real controversy over the summer was the vuvuzela, a bizarre horn capable of drowning out the cacophony of racist chants by uninformed white men who presumably expected the natives to celebrate using nothing but spears.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>July</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Much like Cheryl Cole’s malaria scare, the conclusion of the Raoul Moat saga turned out to be as disappointing as a Coronation Street tram crash. Following the Cumbrian re-enactment of Derrick Bird’s <i>Taxi Driver</i> (1976) only a month before, Britain was quickly becoming home to more serial killers than a Hitchcock boxset. Although the final body count deemed him ineligible for serial status, the media’s unhealthy interest in larger than life stories spiralled out of control to frighteningly <i>Natural Born Killers</i> (1994)-like proportions. Through every fault of their own, journalists inadvertently painted this fat tumour with a pulse as a modern day anti-hero who soon garnered support, via the web, from chav-tastic fuckwits who had difficulty spelling their <i>own</i> name let alone that of the Facebook pages in his honour. It all ended rather dramatically when, following a six hour stand-off with police, he shot himself upon discovering his hair was still ginger. An official enquiry later revealed a plume of unanswered questions: What drove him to murder? Could his death have been avoided? And why was a white man named Raoul?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Biggest... Occurances?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Returning to work</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Beginning therapy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) Getting circumcised</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Completing therapy – new and improved</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Collecting all of Super Mario Galaxy 2’s 242 stars</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>August</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was the month in which, thanks to animal lover Mary Bale, a cat found itself the new resident of a town called wheelie bin. The fallout was huge: Britain came to a standstill, the FTSE and NASDAQ plummeted, mass demonstrations occurred throughout central Europe; not since a Dutchman drew naughty pictures had the world reacted so reasonably. That this could be the cause of so much controversy when OXFAM and CAFOD appeals attract nary a second glance merely underscored how woefully irrational the general public really is, a point to which the culprit herself alluded by declaring, “It’s only a cat.” And hey, at least it put Coventry on the map. My thoughts on the matter? I’m more of a dog person.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Most Satisfying Image</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-12tSL_foKzDRWZlelVVihRwHL8R5ZWfyCJMHZSPTsaPLSOKU-rA2XiLkb_g04rlvRSFRMqF4wLirOG3rIJX59rwq1BX6IWM4VAfuGDl8eSHzW6ttZW38i0oHuPxcH-oh2Mg3c1eRkI/s1600/Nigel+Farage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-12tSL_foKzDRWZlelVVihRwHL8R5ZWfyCJMHZSPTsaPLSOKU-rA2XiLkb_g04rlvRSFRMqF4wLirOG3rIJX59rwq1BX6IWM4VAfuGDl8eSHzW6ttZW38i0oHuPxcH-oh2Mg3c1eRkI/s320/Nigel+Farage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>UKIP leader Nigel Farage emerges from a plane wreckage.<br />
Priceless.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>September</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Taking a break from re-interpreting scriptures and sending fags to hell, ex- Hitler Youth member and all around pedo protector Pope Benedict arrived in Britain espousing the importance of unconditional faith whilst placing his own in the inventors of Kevlar and bullet proof glass. The hypocrisy didn’t end there though, as theists everywhere were warned about the supposed rise of belligerent non-believers; an amusingly belated call to arms considering they have long outnumbered Catholics in the UK by approximately 2 to 1. Still, this didn’t stop his holiness going straight for the Darwinian jugular and holding atheism solely responsible for the holocaust; an embarrassingly shallow argument which not only fails to take into consideration Hitler’s religious background but also unintentionally indicts religion as an enabler; man may have killed the Jews, but it was <i>your</i> God that let it happen. And while many were no doubt lured in by this apocalyptic condemnation of Godless heathens, one should remember the following: No one ever flew a plane into a building because they <i>didn’t </i>believe in God. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Besides, you believe in a talking snake. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Atheism -1, Religion – 0.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Douchebags</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Julian Assange</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Clare Solomon</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) Wayne Rooney</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) James Cordon</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Sarah Palin</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>October</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Folks love happy endings, so rarely do they occur. Take for instance the rescue of 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped underground for a whopping 69 days. Amidst a flurry of gay sex jokes there were scenes of great jubilation as people everywhere took to the streets in celebration of a country most of them would have difficulty locating on a map. The party was short-lived however, when one of the men was revealed to have been having a 10 year affair and another became a media sellout and Elvis impersonator – because there just aren’t enough of <i>them</i> around. Thanks a lot Chile...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Annoying Comments of Toys ‘R’ Us Customers</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W4X7h11iwwORuDCqGF5YpWDV4lz6PcEQ9goTe_2JltQq0SuCmnhhuX-IR6BdKazCdX7Jp7q-KpcxpP6IIj1F8uPhcz5zvJBAn7KFYRMBiaSpKQn7-8HWhx-AEkQrwZ9DTNMxstzzocc/s1600/Geoffrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W4X7h11iwwORuDCqGF5YpWDV4lz6PcEQ9goTe_2JltQq0SuCmnhhuX-IR6BdKazCdX7Jp7q-KpcxpP6IIj1F8uPhcz5zvJBAn7KFYRMBiaSpKQn7-8HWhx-AEkQrwZ9DTNMxstzzocc/s320/Geoffrey.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! HE'S GOING TO EAT US!!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) (Regarding the boardgame ‘Operation’) “You haven’t got any? You had loads in the Coventry store."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) “How can they not have them in? It’s the year’s most popular toy.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) “My grandson won’t like that, he’s very advanced for his age.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 4) “I’m looking for something for my niece, do you have any suggestions?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) “You don’t have any adult games?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>November</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Horrified at the prospect of having to pay for their education, alienated teenagers swarmed en masse upon our capital city, driven by both conformity and the frustration of not knowing entirely what they were rebelling against. Ever since Vietnam, universities have become little more than breeding grounds for revolutionaries who care less about their degree than fighting for something – <i>any</i>thing, just to give a sense of worth to their piddling little existence. My advice to students is this: If you’re that desperate to belong, go join a religious suicide cult and do us all a favour. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>December</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s a sad day for democracy when a suspected rapist isn’t even allowed to publish official government documents for the whole world to see, irrespective of whether or not the public should have legal access to said information. For being a threat to national security, WikiLeaks I thank you.*</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*For maximum effect, this paragraph should be read as sarcastically as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year!</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-58225608559977318012010-12-24T14:44:00.000+00:002010-12-24T14:44:42.767+00:00Hidden Gems: Prep & Landing (2009)<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*This German Shepherd is in fact <i>Bolt</i> (2008) just with a different paint job.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_H_xcgrz3spV-0-rJtuE6BkuRXA1lSwe2Q7hmNCJh6Wzu2iCPJEt522OirDf6uTRy2Xjnf3i01bqB7-97c8RL5Lm2iLOzH0DtAWlW5-gy2RwnsUDQ_Pz7HmT_6IfcTqs_zR12pEDi1o/s1600/bolt.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_H_xcgrz3spV-0-rJtuE6BkuRXA1lSwe2Q7hmNCJh6Wzu2iCPJEt522OirDf6uTRy2Xjnf3i01bqB7-97c8RL5Lm2iLOzH0DtAWlW5-gy2RwnsUDQ_Pz7HmT_6IfcTqs_zR12pEDi1o/s200/bolt.png" width="151" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkp2dO5EteuWJQd2rJAeW5Gpb1EE6AEyZ1IAX0-a9M8xMpcqr-kfEtd9QaCgPTFCS3LtZeYgNsVL6_vEPRfPBCbNSu-Kaz4xTvbBUGZ2-Tc4o1UZ1GE9hZlSiYDUQOdUuksfp6Y7ndjI/s1600/prep+Bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkp2dO5EteuWJQd2rJAeW5Gpb1EE6AEyZ1IAX0-a9M8xMpcqr-kfEtd9QaCgPTFCS3LtZeYgNsVL6_vEPRfPBCbNSu-Kaz4xTvbBUGZ2-Tc4o1UZ1GE9hZlSiYDUQOdUuksfp6Y7ndjI/s400/prep+Bolt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*When Lanny is channel hopping, we see a clip from <i>Mickey’s A Christmas Carol </i>(1983)</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvFwSa8vnRfaSxabblbxD2YjnDJiTo4jyULT6vJvZvvSJa9TrJcE6LYvMKzV2muEHF-WwhaCimZLUaG7_Waini-jlCAtYvjcWpepFB3rwzVFNxyXUshJi3Mctvn9r9muABx2PTj8MoqY/s1600/prep+Mickey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvFwSa8vnRfaSxabblbxD2YjnDJiTo4jyULT6vJvZvvSJa9TrJcE6LYvMKzV2muEHF-WwhaCimZLUaG7_Waini-jlCAtYvjcWpepFB3rwzVFNxyXUshJi3Mctvn9r9muABx2PTj8MoqY/s400/prep+Mickey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*The name on the milk carton, Deters, is named after Kevin Deters, the film’s co-writer/director.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEPGB6RqdhO0y8IKoym7aNCoRxBL5GAsE9iTQT4b_w_8OdTt6y4upCxn6BeTSyx0sJEbh8U9Z7POpMsbzhurPdOJi9WX5JenGRaNI9jWKKDuFxoWLdr-WuKf3xmPxN-CJiDFg6E0ponY/s1600/prep+deters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEPGB6RqdhO0y8IKoym7aNCoRxBL5GAsE9iTQT4b_w_8OdTt6y4upCxn6BeTSyx0sJEbh8U9Z7POpMsbzhurPdOJi9WX5JenGRaNI9jWKKDuFxoWLdr-WuKf3xmPxN-CJiDFg6E0ponY/s400/prep+deters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*In Timmy’s room there is a picture of Goofy taken from the poster for <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/09/hidden-gems-how-to-hook-up-your-home.html" target="_blank"><i>How to Hook Up Your Home Theater</i> </a>(2007).</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVgsOPAFuGJQ8a3jD2htFS9dnQkVqoZ35Vr8KOinqXY-AqoStMEluxlISiXPC6MTU0pxtonNKbR5bM2I9l7VvCgEdXVDArYZELQ6TCrAprYO7BLvCmMRYHcwyMqwMrro5jDM0iOhyRyw/s1600/Goofy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdVgsOPAFuGJQ8a3jD2htFS9dnQkVqoZ35Vr8KOinqXY-AqoStMEluxlISiXPC6MTU0pxtonNKbR5bM2I9l7VvCgEdXVDArYZELQ6TCrAprYO7BLvCmMRYHcwyMqwMrro5jDM0iOhyRyw/s1600/Goofy.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bfXveUPCh3VeBFf4YdFcsoxJhRGK9pGfVGXbpzPD8HV7Qb8Bv-p4LR-LDjTPUg8iVcXHiEWMpVcMvcEqbKEHkpjKacM1wsQTl8jtCnQWvfDp4jOtWM7rTP_Dp-dbVN02Ash0ousDjFE/s1600/prep+Goofy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bfXveUPCh3VeBFf4YdFcsoxJhRGK9pGfVGXbpzPD8HV7Qb8Bv-p4LR-LDjTPUg8iVcXHiEWMpVcMvcEqbKEHkpjKacM1wsQTl8jtCnQWvfDp4jOtWM7rTP_Dp-dbVN02Ash0ousDjFE/s320/prep+Goofy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*This snow-covered car? It’s licence plate reads 12501 WED, shorthand for Walt Elias Disney who was born on December 5</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1901.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkfYfbTz9-ecIMLaBEzO15gJgTDwUEQvo1vR7NsLCsD3DoSCsdVKPGZ-vpMcrb3QFzwJ9WL8Xr6ooe74b4-bO0hBe8HRwaDAcBUzm9kGgYZ62TKTndhhyphenhyphenfTtKhb6iQaeeHmhbCiA1U5c/s1600/prep+walt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkfYfbTz9-ecIMLaBEzO15gJgTDwUEQvo1vR7NsLCsD3DoSCsdVKPGZ-vpMcrb3QFzwJ9WL8Xr6ooe74b4-bO0hBe8HRwaDAcBUzm9kGgYZ62TKTndhhyphenhyphenfTtKhb6iQaeeHmhbCiA1U5c/s400/prep+walt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-21820783689052568812010-12-17T18:26:00.004+00:002010-12-17T18:30:09.973+00:00Tron Legacy (PG)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU9CYUl052a28kLJsbLMr1pxBwuWcUmiKwoLfTtzFQzRTHhWqKb6y77VoSQAbdYBlwzfqQZtGJa08j0MNhTjQF-RxzodAb03wSJWKqHRVf5oMd0hNmfPH1cusXSvmC0YCWM7Sl4Ro9ZI/s1600/esq-01-tron-legacy-still-120810-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUU9CYUl052a28kLJsbLMr1pxBwuWcUmiKwoLfTtzFQzRTHhWqKb6y77VoSQAbdYBlwzfqQZtGJa08j0MNhTjQF-RxzodAb03wSJWKqHRVf5oMd0hNmfPH1cusXSvmC0YCWM7Sl4Ro9ZI/s400/esq-01-tron-legacy-still-120810-lg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When the credits roll, the lights return to the theatre and you find yourself stood outside in the freezing British weather, you may be stricken with a terrible indecision; were those previous two hours really worth the wait or did I just witness an overly long ejaculation of sci-fi superficiality? There’s no denying that Tron Legacy straddles a precariously fine line, struggling as it does to weave an effective humanism alongside its more visually gratifying counterpart. Yet even acknowledging its faults, this reviewer finds it almost impossible to heap anything but praise upon such a towering achievement. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tron is, undoubtedly, a film littered with peaks and troughs. Much like its predecessor, what little content there is proudly takes a backseat to the technical dexterity which permeates practically every shot. Not that the style completely overwhelms substance; indeed, the attempt to build a compelling father and son story as an emotional counterpoint to all that running and jumping is admirable, if not entirely successful, although this is never the fault of a script which for the most part evades any hackneyed dialogue. A mid-point dip in which a bloated and indistinct backstory spews forth more exposition than you can shake a screenplay at does little to alleviate the notion that Tron is all filler, no killer. Yet arguably the least successful thread of this multi-faceted tapestry is the brooding, almost joyless atmosphere which refuses to lift during even the relatively few lighter moments. It’s this lack of ‘fun’ which has attracted the wrath of many a critic and it’s sure to alienate family audiences expecting something a little frothier; not a wholly unreasonable assumption given the Disney moniker and PG certificate. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So how exactly can this be viewed as anything less than a disappointment? Well, because somehow it all feels right. Given the original’s rather downbeat depiction of a digital dystopia, it should be seen not as a failing but a remarkable accomplishment that Legacy is able to replicate the same sombre tonality and alienated sense of foreboding which made its forebear so iconic; a feat which is all the more laudable considering the 28 year gap between movies. Oppressive the ambience may be, but it does at least reinforce the severity of the situation in which our characters find themselves and it’s refreshing to see a blockbuster pursue darker material. Commendable too is the decision to steer clear of the moody, Daddy-never-loved-me teenage lead in favour of a more mature protagonist, competently depicted by an amiable Garrett Hedlund, while Olivia Wilde’s Quorra is equal amounts independent, vulnerable and utterly enchanting. Unsurprisingly, Jeff Bridges is on fine form, delivering not one but two impressive performances as both Flynn Senior and the evil Clu, whose dodgy CG modifications thankfully don’t detract from a generally satisfying portrayal. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course, no one really cares about such things, least of all the teenage boys at whom this film is clearly aimed. Like last year’s <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/01/avatar-12a.html" target="_blank">Avatar</a></i> (2009), the appeal of Tron Legacy rests entirely upon its visual merits which have been heralded by even the most disparaging of critics as nothing short of breathtaking. Is the hype justified? Emphatically yes, although trying to describe the experience would be an exercise in futility – like explaining sight to a blind person. Suffice to say, director Joseph Kosinski does a phenomenal job of imbuing each set piece with a childlike energy, wielding the camera throughout live action and CG backgrounds with graceful ease; this isn’t just a film, it’s an experience. Never before has the integration of actors into a digital environment looked so effortless. High octane sequences are littered with beautifully mastered slow motion shots juxtaposed with a frequently increased frame rate, the combination of which produces a hypnotic kaleidoscope of balletic-like imagery. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s a truly immersive world, whose effect is only heightened by the excellent use of 3D which avoids the pitfalls of lesser productions that so often resort to gimmicks. Here it’s implemented not as the main event, but as an extra tool. Impressive without being showy, stimulating but not overbearing, it’s arguably the finest use of 3D since <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-carol-pg.html" target="_blank">A Christmas Carol </a></i>(2009). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even without all the bells and whistles, Kosinski demonstrates a deft awareness of aesthetic design and composition. The real world appears in good old-fashioned 2D, a clever technique which helps underscore the disparity once those glasses come out. Better still are the Kubrickian settings whose sterile, minimalist furnishings recall those found in <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> (1968). I’d like to think if old Stanley were watching, he’d be flattered by the comparison.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">****</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>If you enjoyed this you may also like...</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) ***</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Matrix (1999) *****</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Minority Report (2002) *****</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-28352909421820755872010-11-11T18:18:00.000+00:002010-11-11T18:18:46.234+00:00The Centre Of The Universe-ity<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-G0hLABm8KdQVjx5SRZ7XBmr9TsJYHjHeQViJKks5-PxyTA_X5N8IDiIz4wA_CxmcaWPqVOfoz8f3AyzZpTyXfNPi1BLLPqA4xd3penx2WY7SgsblPoLPM2B89tMRSC6t5MIj9ayeTI/s1600/student+protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-G0hLABm8KdQVjx5SRZ7XBmr9TsJYHjHeQViJKks5-PxyTA_X5N8IDiIz4wA_CxmcaWPqVOfoz8f3AyzZpTyXfNPi1BLLPqA4xd3penx2WY7SgsblPoLPM2B89tMRSC6t5MIj9ayeTI/s320/student+protest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Sarah, which war are we against this week?"<br />
"I've no idea. Just chant 'Israel.'"<br />
</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While many people have attempted to defend yesterday’s protests, claiming that it was only a small minority of individuals who resorted to violent tactics, they appear to have entirely missed one major point; that demonstrations of any kind were completely unnecessary. A rise in tuition fees is not a sign of the impending apocalypse, an evil that needs to be vanquished or an infringement of our civil rights – it simply means graduates will have more money to pay back, which, considering the austerity measures taken to combat this country’s embarrassingly large deficit, is a necessary undertaking. There are however, those who would compare the current “crisis” to the suffragette movement or even more nonsensically, the American Civil Rights Movement. Not only is such a comparison wildly inaccurate, it is deeply offensive to those who fought for the type of freedoms which yesterday’s protestors appear to have forgotten, insensitively staging a mass protestation during Remembrance Week no less. Of course, the fact that I myself am a graduate and come from a low income family yet have always agreed with the requirement for tuition fees, apparently means nothing; I’m right wing and therefore staunchly opposed to liberal ideology. So to put it to the test, I thought I’d compile a list of some of the issues which were apparently of less importance to the liberally minded students who chose instead to protest against spending money:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Abu Hamza, militant preacher and enemy of the state, remains a British citizen, his family lives in a £600,000 council house paid for by taxpayers and he has to date cost the country £3.5 million.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The continued presidency in Zimbabwe of Robert Mugabe whose government has been responsible for the deaths of approximately one third of the entire population.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Illegalised homosexuality in Nigeria which in some states is punishable by death by stoning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The building of a Mosque near ground zero in New York whose sponsors have direct ties to Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The abysmal human rights violations of North Korea which lists amongst its many crimes public executions, the interment of disabled people inside concentration camps and the imprisonment of between 150,000 to 200,000 political activists.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The adoption of nuclear power by Iran, a country whose Ayatollah is legally permitted to place a fatwa on those he deems enemies of Allah and whose President openly denies the Holocaust, seeks the destruction of Israel and provides ICBMs to the Palestinian government.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The adoption of Sharia Law which in its most faithful application includes physical violence against women, punishment for the victims of rape and the complete removal of human rights for homosexuals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The imprisonment of Nobel prize winner Liu Xiaobo for publicly campaigning for political reform. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But hey, if you feel that being required to pay off a debt which will only be payable once you earn over £21,000 is of greater moral significance, then go ahead. Paint your little slogan, buy your Che Guevara T-shirt and head on down to the latest march... Just don’t deceive yourself into thinking it’s going to make the slightest bit of difference. You’re not a revolutionary, you’re just a child.</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-10079874723747724152010-11-10T22:48:00.000+00:002010-11-10T22:48:28.499+00:00Confessions Of A Christmas Temp<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Y00v6XaJ1qlrkfZN-DycOoh6A20gUvuXl5nEmr73CcqnYEt8zL8s9lV71we5LqtsO6ivBFY2q7_qCKr0i1g_Gaoz8pgE_o-6APZO8e1ztnsbpL0NJD8291dnq_TDtH98WmpRXHQ7LRQ/s1600/geoffrey-743347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Y00v6XaJ1qlrkfZN-DycOoh6A20gUvuXl5nEmr73CcqnYEt8zL8s9lV71we5LqtsO6ivBFY2q7_qCKr0i1g_Gaoz8pgE_o-6APZO8e1ztnsbpL0NJD8291dnq_TDtH98WmpRXHQ7LRQ/s320/geoffrey-743347.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Currently facing disciplinary action</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today I completed my second shift at Toys R Us, which, all syntactical incoherency aside, is actually quite an enjoyable place to work. So far my job has consisted of placing toys on shelves, an act which not only allows me to flex my woefully underused forearms but also provides me with a plethora of ideas for this year’s Christmas presents. I’ve been assigned to Universe of Imagination, or ‘UOI’ for those in the know, and it’s ideal for many reasons. For one thing it is largely secluded from the rest of the store, so I needn’t be bothered by other staff members visiting my island with their half-baked notions of becoming acquainted with the new guy – Honestly, what kind of person do they think I am? Secondly, their decision to place me in the art section was inspired as it affords me the opportunity to browse one of my favourite subjects, although I can’t help but think my thick framed glasses played a part in landing me in the nerdy area. Finally, my strategic position beside the multimedia department means that I get to watch girls embarrass themselves in front of their boyfriend with Playstation Move, trailers for Donkey Kong Country Returns and a video of Jamie Cullum humming the Mario theme. Admittedly, that last one isn’t a particular high point. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kK1I146n4H6HEmZDIgQyo6mvc0yd1ryqSKfMIeX3tL0fI9Co9q1cnp_AJ4AdJxPfPhYt8EVC1iLcB3YIWYY8nf9zKUDQlOIke3c8xSABfFpVkQQTQChQyHOgTbVmKLoHUs_AKr9KehY/s1600/toys+r+us+image.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kK1I146n4H6HEmZDIgQyo6mvc0yd1ryqSKfMIeX3tL0fI9Co9q1cnp_AJ4AdJxPfPhYt8EVC1iLcB3YIWYY8nf9zKUDQlOIke3c8xSABfFpVkQQTQChQyHOgTbVmKLoHUs_AKr9KehY/s320/toys+r+us+image.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spell checker would have a field day</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Surprisingly, my distaste for the general public has remained largely dormant up to this point, although this clearly won’t be the case a month from now when single mothers take it out on me because they can’t afford a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas due to having spent their benefits on take-aways and crack. Fa la la la la, la la la. Actually, there were a few individuals today who made me wish I knew the correct way to deliver a headbutt; one woman to whom I offered assistance looked at me like I’d just asked for her wallet and jewellery; another family, after seeing their “delightful” little gremlin drop his crisps all over the floor, hastily moved on without even acknowledging what the little pramchair-bound antichrist had done. Thankfully, there were more positives than negatives to prevent me from having a Michael Douglas-inspired, <i>Falling Down</i> (1993) moment. Old people continue to keep the jigsaw business afloat, staunchly defying modern technology in favour of card cut into shapes. No actually it’s really quite sweet. Plus it helps me to forget that they’ll probably be dead before Christmas. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In other news, the music is really quite fabulous. So far I’ve sung to The Lightening Seeds, The Lighthouse Family and Simply Red. For a toy store, the choice of audio is really quite old-fashioned (which suits me down to the ground) though I am growing rather tiresome of the theme tune which gives constant praise to Geoffrey, an employee I’ve yet to meet. Still, it’s not all bad; today I spotted my first paedophile.</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-53526230694921761932010-11-02T21:59:00.001+00:002010-11-02T22:00:54.823+00:00Black, Like My Men*<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYm3vV6b2-eZIyFiloa_i7SuGcr3o7nxXGSBLEkOMfZdR0nP2nr-NW7Lwrm1aM6TiRDnpoQAIik_9k64hxb_18KF6iWFo968ARarKyR7ZMj4bIsK9UJ-2_UCufdDCnFm9AZQWPEqhQ3c/s1600/mocha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYm3vV6b2-eZIyFiloa_i7SuGcr3o7nxXGSBLEkOMfZdR0nP2nr-NW7Lwrm1aM6TiRDnpoQAIik_9k64hxb_18KF6iWFo968ARarKyR7ZMj4bIsK9UJ-2_UCufdDCnFm9AZQWPEqhQ3c/s320/mocha.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How very... San Francisco.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Never again shall I visit Costa’s on my lonesome. Earlier today I decided to take a trip into town in the hope of liberating my writer’s block. After having narrowly avoided a head on collision with a man in a wheelchair, I headed straight for The Works where I perused a disappointing assortment of dictionaries. Having failed to find several words including <i>verisimilitude</i> and <i>synesthesia</i>, my faith in 'Collins' was understandably shaken and so I sought solace in the aforementioned coffee establishment. I ordered my quasi regular Mocha coffee, sans flake, and moved to the collection point. It was then that I was asked, as is routine, if I would like chocolate sprinkles. I said yes, but I had no idea that this topping would be in the shape of a giant heart. To the woman behind me this must surely have been the most pathetic thing she had ever seen; a young man, alone, and so starved for affection that he requests for baristas to add heart patterns to his drink. Still, just in case I hadn’t conveyed the full extent of my innate social backwardness, I then proceeded to do some light reading... of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility. Indeed it is no wonder that most women think I’m gay. Or at the very least mildly pathetic. This will change next time however, as I'll be accompanied by my mother :).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*This is an Airplane! (1980) joke. If you have not seen Airplane!* you have no sense of humour and are probably a Mormon. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*I have not added the exclamation mark for dramatic effect, it really is part of the title.*</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*Sorry that was a typo.</i></span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-43733474071284834152010-10-29T13:27:00.004+01:002010-10-29T13:36:04.872+01:00The Social Network (12A)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdBCfM2xgWhZwVOVLdPNqPUGxMVUVnK6TO0klKInhgBj7AnHboRKElUj95FFl4nCQBjqncYbbNHJGtDuCdr4DO36nsLRHBghY98CU54aHmYRU7PazlgSe_AoY7Ghs72aKzG-doEkPUFA/s1600/the-social-network-jesse-eisenberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdBCfM2xgWhZwVOVLdPNqPUGxMVUVnK6TO0klKInhgBj7AnHboRKElUj95FFl4nCQBjqncYbbNHJGtDuCdr4DO36nsLRHBghY98CU54aHmYRU7PazlgSe_AoY7Ghs72aKzG-doEkPUFA/s320/the-social-network-jesse-eisenberg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If the internet is the zeitgeist of our generation, then Facebook is surely its annex. Consequently, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood’s insatiable appetite for true-life stories beckoned but the speed at which the film arrived reeked of nothing more than the corporate exploitation of a cultural fad. That The Social Network succeeds in painting a mature, lucid and intelligent account of Mark Zuckerburg’s rise to wealth is a surprise indeed, though whether it is a success or not depends entirely on how one views it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I give voice to my criticisms (of which there are few), I’ll detail the film’s considerable merits, not least of which is Aaron Sorkin’s brilliant screenplay. The opening scene alone features more witticisms than most scripts achieve in their entirety. The dialogue is quick, biting and superfluously clever and virtually every line is option-able as a potential clip for that inevitable nomination at next year’s Oscars. Admittedly, it’s the complete antithesis of the sort of realistic dialogue espoused by screenwriting ‘gurus’, but as a champion of stylistic speech, I could not be more pleased. In fact, at times it threatens to become too clever, emerging as a star in its own right and eclipsing the efforts of all those involved. Thankfully the cast performs each scene with a genuine lack of pretension, avoiding the type of self-importance of which overly ostentatious features like <i>Brick </i>(2005) are highly guilty. The increasingly likeable Jesse Eisenberg is particularly well-cast, delivering his lines with brutal conviction and shaking off his <i>Zombie/Adventureland</i> (2009) image with ease. His character is equal amounts admirable and loathsome, a delicate balance which very young actors could manage. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So where exactly does it falter? Well, mainly in direction. Visually, this is Fincher’s least ambitious work, although the sterile environments and direct shooting style do help to reinforce the central theme of communication. And indeed, all his auteurist trademarks can be spotted; low key lighting, rapid pans, clean cuts, offbeat soundtrack – and for the most part it works. The real problem is his inability to reign himself in. Fincher has always dabbled with postmodernism, be it the multi-layered ambivalence of <i>Fight Club</i> (1999) or <i>Seven</i> (1995)’s subversion of narrative conventions, but his recent work has taken perspectivism to the extreme. <i>Zodiac</i> (2007) lacked any real resolution while <i>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</i> (2008) flirted with numerous ideas, none of which were consistent. The same is true of The Social Network. What starts out as an underdog story gradually descends into a (highly falsified) warning against capital greed and halfway through our protagonist takes a backseat to proceedings. Things aren’t helped by the constant back-and-forth cutting between an often languid courtroom setting and Zuckerberg’s past. Ultimately, my real concern is this film’s struggle to identify itself; is this a film about the creator of Facebook, or Facebook itself? My guess is that it was supposed to be about the former, but in the process Tinsletown had to spice things up a little. At no point are we given a real insight to Zuckerberg’s character, his wants, his needs, and by the end of the picture you’re likely to struggle to answer what exactly it was all about.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So how one views The Social Network really determines how well it succeeds. As a simple origin tale it’s perfectly enjoyable but if you’re looking for anything deeper, prepare to be disappointed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">***</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>If you enjoyed this you may also like...</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Beautiful Mind (2001) *****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Twenty Hour Four Hour Party People (2002) ****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wall Street (1987) ***</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-69924572920608453382010-10-18T18:08:00.001+01:002010-11-06T21:00:40.550+00:00My Model Romance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ33D5j_uKoaKTKpvq0hFUfTdo702Ju8W8XN8lVvG8HVfKmvtW1676HyAz69BPty_BuJLfHnIHLAJwGTdlJNOw-xbmJpRny1I1qgdgoWHrRZWLiLghILbJrDfqd6JJyzQK9Y3lrfZNOBk/s1600/Hercules-arealslice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ33D5j_uKoaKTKpvq0hFUfTdo702Ju8W8XN8lVvG8HVfKmvtW1676HyAz69BPty_BuJLfHnIHLAJwGTdlJNOw-xbmJpRny1I1qgdgoWHrRZWLiLghILbJrDfqd6JJyzQK9Y3lrfZNOBk/s320/Hercules-arealslice.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Megara - setting impossible standards<br />
since 1997.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dear reader, I have a confession to make – I am not a catch. My experience with the fairer sex is limited to say the least. Over the past 9 months I could count on one hand the entirety of my intimate encounters; with said hand belonging to an Iraqi thief. Although I subscribe this unrelenting loneliness to my failings as a man/lover/remotely interesting human being (delete as appropriate), external critics have the audacity to claim that unattainable standards are the true cause of my reclusive longevity. Poppycock I say! Pish posh! And other such snobbish onomatopoeia.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">True, my standards may be somewhat ambitious but they’re far from impossible. I’m not asking for Aphrodite, but nor am I willing to settle for Medusa. As a matter of fact I’d be prepared to forego many of my stipulations provided that she/it is at least able to emerge the loser in a Janet Street porter-lookalike competition. That being said, I thought this would be the ideal platform on which to describe my dream woman should she ever stumble across this blog, which admittedly is about as likely as Osama bin Laden receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Then again, they did give it to <a href="http://photos.upi.com/topics-YASSER-ARAFAT/4ed852e4228c52d62ffa32f011f5ff17/Y_1.jpg"target="_blank">this man</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Personality: A sense of humour is the number one priority. If the words of Frankie Boyle make her recoil in politically correct horror, she is not the girl for me. She must be creative, open-minded and staunchly conservative. Independent enough to trust her own opinions but intelligent enough to agree with mine. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See: Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, Jennifer Saunders</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Appearance: Facial hair is a definite turn-off, as is a police record. I am quite partial to a few tattoos and some red hair – basically Gwen Stefani before she turned old. Oh and her chest should be of a size capable of intimidating a small child.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See: Monica Bellucci, Christina Ricci, Jessica Rabbit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ethnicity: To quote David Brent, I’d do most nationalities. Like all socially inept young men I have a strong preference for East Asians of the submissive ilk, the Japanese being my favourite. I’ve also developed a slight crush on black women of late, although if it is indeed true that once you go black you’ll never go back, I may turn out to be the biggest disappointment since <i>Spider-man 3</i> (2007). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See: Rosario Dawson, Salma Hayek, Zhang Ziyi</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Religion: Preferably without, or at least none-practicing – so most Christians then. Actually, provided she doesn’t follow the anti-Semitic teachings of a certain book (mentioning no names but it rhymes with one half of Duran Duran), I’d be willing to overlook anyone’s irrational belief in a higher power, providing that I’m able to ridicule and critique it at any given moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See: Richard Dawkins</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIAEzL_JhP7f89HBTyOKj9lVM9vnEV7pssi4p7eMznXLLcYC5FfwD8kCTjP0LIJxC2UNlA9mlfp_dx8zqFUBR2VazBLsUAQVkYd_VUswrx7mNaz52toxuJlExhFDQJ8GqKU2roMz-Ii4/s1600/atheist-bus_1217544c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIAEzL_JhP7f89HBTyOKj9lVM9vnEV7pssi4p7eMznXLLcYC5FfwD8kCTjP0LIJxC2UNlA9mlfp_dx8zqFUBR2VazBLsUAQVkYd_VUswrx7mNaz52toxuJlExhFDQJ8GqKU2roMz-Ii4/s320/atheist-bus_1217544c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Phwooar! There's nothing sexier than an atheist.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-91089047537590685342010-10-15T21:59:00.000+01:002010-10-15T21:59:34.077+01:00Where Do Wii Go From Here?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdZygPT1WSrjoKamUMLQ2hszBrq27YtvQt99WjLlw6XPJ1Hlhyx7OBPdHpRz01PlOJpTee9X0DHov5J7zWkP4ogprJJ4-bW4Hpmj_zSkdfu23vGOKTEZqXxgU_gQ6zWTiL9_7_J0Vq0Y/s1600/Shigeru-Miyamoto-Was-Sad-During-The-Nintendo-64-And-GameCube-Eras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdZygPT1WSrjoKamUMLQ2hszBrq27YtvQt99WjLlw6XPJ1Hlhyx7OBPdHpRz01PlOJpTee9X0DHov5J7zWkP4ogprJJ4-bW4Hpmj_zSkdfu23vGOKTEZqXxgU_gQ6zWTiL9_7_J0Vq0Y/s320/Shigeru-Miyamoto-Was-Sad-During-The-Nintendo-64-And-GameCube-Eras.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The line-up for Smash Bros. 4 was the<br />
weakest yet.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Come March next year, millions of Mario aficionados will have their dextrously conditioned hands gripped tightly around Nintendo’s latest handheld, the <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/06/e3-nintendo-3ds.html">3DS</a>. That it’s going to be a hit is a no-brainer, but with the Wii looking increasingly dated the question is what are the plans for Ninty’s next home console?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t time to pull the curtain on the little white box just yet. <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/06/e3-epic-mickey.html">Epic Mickey</a>, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Goldeneye are all on the horizon while 2011 has both <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/06/e3-kirbys-epic-yarn_22.html">Kirby</a> (for Europe) and <a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/06/e3-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword.html">Zelda</a> at hand. Still, 2010 has seen an inevitable decline in Wii sales and with the release of Move and Kinect this is only going to get worse. To be fair, it’s highly unlikely that either product will capture the public’s imagination quite as impressively as Nintendo has, but sales figures aside, the Wii is far from infallible:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">1) The technology is dated and has been from the moment it launched when the much hyped motion controls turned out to be far less accurate than originally thought. In fact 1:1 precision movement didn’t become available until 2 years later by which time most third parties had settled for using the remote as little more than a stick to be shaken. This leads me to:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2) Shovelware. Without the Nintendo seal of approval, studios have seen fit to publish any old rubbish and as such the Wii is often seen (wrongly) as a children’s toy. Admittedly, Nintendo hasn’t exactly endeared itself to fans by pursuing the casual market but there’s no denying that Wii Sports et al provide great entertainment for all but the most ardent of game snobs. And the last year has in fact seen a gradual return to hardcore gaming with the likes of Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">3)Unfortunately, what sells best on Nintendo is Nintendo and third party games rarely achieve the same level of success as a Mario or Pokemon. As such, the big N has pretty much exhausted it’s main catalogue for this generation, SMG2 being the peak. Sure there’s Zelda and Pikmin to look forward to, but after that? Should the Wii Vitality Sensor ever see the light of day – yet another useless peripheral – it certainly won’t be enough to sustain a 2-3 year lifespan. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">4) Nintendo is staunchly opposed to embracing the internet, at least to the degree of its competitors. Whether this trepidation towards online functionality is based on cultural factors or an arrogant unwillingness to follow the crowd I can’t possibly say, but it is one which has plagued both the Wii and DS since their release. The lack of memory space, regular updates, online support, multimedia and freedom to explore has aged the Wii considerably over the past 4 years. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So what should we expect? And more importantly, when? Well, it seems blatantly clear that ‘Wii 2’ will arrive before Sony and Microsoft’s efforts. Their current machines were built for longevity and with Move and Kinect just launching they’ll want to get the most out of these latest accessories. The Wii on the other hand really has very little left up its sleeve. The technology which once wowed us has now been eclipsed and all the reliable franchises have been used up. Sure there’s always the possibility of F-Zero X or Starfox making a late appearance, but I wouldn’t count on it. With the 3DS poised to become the go to console over the next few years, I’d expect it to be the number one system for any first party series. And you can rule out a third Mario Galaxy right now. So unless Nintendo choose to milk the Wii for another 3 years, 2012 seems to me the likeliest date. It would be economic suicide to release both a home console and a portable within the same year so that rules out 2011. 2013 on the other hand leaves a huge gap with very few quality titles and the already inferior graphics will look positively draconian in three years’ time. My guess is that the first solid mention of the Wii’s successor will be during the next E3. In true Nintendo fashion this will be little more than a teaser, with the following year being the big reveal.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Regarding the specs, at this point it’s anyone’s guess. If the 3DS is anything to go by, expect a significant boost in horsepower, with a sizeable increase in memory and Sony/Microsoft-rivalling graphics. Nintendo has stated categorically that it won’t pursue 3D unless the effect can be achieved without the need for glasses so I’d rule that out entirely. Whatever happens though, you can guarantee that when it comes to Nintendo, expect the unexpected.</div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-20422027333581165652010-10-12T19:47:00.001+01:002013-01-29T11:48:26.373+00:00Hidden Gems: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*During the song ‘Out There’, Quasimodo looks down into the street and sees no less than three in-jokes within the same shot! This picture isn’t particularly clear but you should be able to see Pumbaa from </b><i><b>The Lion King</b></i><b> (1994) being carried by two men, Belle from </b><i><b>Beauty & the Beast</b></i><b> (1991) in the bottom right-hand corner and the Magic Carpet from </b><i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/08/hidden-gems-aladdin-1992.html"><b>Aladdin</b></a></i><b> (1992) just above her.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZJDb19gg2pgD9n8VtJ6jTe_ZO7nZqDm2xhg8fbHLFbOMalVgBIslRhJdpDrCIUSg-PN1zUORc3P4AnJyrBhOJ5-7IqsYZBpp08OuZDJNiQ5GTqiWH8wmGf5G050vow4LxkR2zeE1xAU/s1600/hunchback-2-fer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZJDb19gg2pgD9n8VtJ6jTe_ZO7nZqDm2xhg8fbHLFbOMalVgBIslRhJdpDrCIUSg-PN1zUORc3P4AnJyrBhOJ5-7IqsYZBpp08OuZDJNiQ5GTqiWH8wmGf5G050vow4LxkR2zeE1xAU/s400/hunchback-2-fer.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*The unlucky old man bears a striking resemblance to Jafar when he dresses in disguise to deceive Aladdin.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyIcxY_PjaiRqylMd00zBUDmepRk5wSRUFAy084ltQ7tcODxj4jdgjdUdx3NBOkc-sIbofwbUGeYC8DSQzQMyJcKe3ALM4vDE_ijcXl0xRPpQLcf6v_3NJJ1B1STkVrt_ALUpxEwn2Ew/s1600/471774_1277082309614_full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyIcxY_PjaiRqylMd00zBUDmepRk5wSRUFAy084ltQ7tcODxj4jdgjdUdx3NBOkc-sIbofwbUGeYC8DSQzQMyJcKe3ALM4vDE_ijcXl0xRPpQLcf6v_3NJJ1B1STkVrt_ALUpxEwn2Ew/s320/471774_1277082309614_full.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcqkVdPmRTLAOrY5cydysZXjEFHLbYWbLt863DuRFvwGU8zF9CS6ig1yq1C7RY4NxGHwpI2xZbYfvvW3XyvYNQdJXHFPgSs5AtgtSEvLIJ43op7MU1IeDidq7OISjIL7m176ANX1KLWo/s1600/HunchbackAladdin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcqkVdPmRTLAOrY5cydysZXjEFHLbYWbLt863DuRFvwGU8zF9CS6ig1yq1C7RY4NxGHwpI2xZbYfvvW3XyvYNQdJXHFPgSs5AtgtSEvLIJ43op7MU1IeDidq7OISjIL7m176ANX1KLWo/s320/HunchbackAladdin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>*A Goofy holler is heard during the battle towards the end of the film.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nd0_2jbtNWE?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nd0_2jbtNWE?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></span></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-6278000693713935942010-10-12T12:18:00.000+01:002010-10-12T12:18:10.413+01:00MEDIAtations<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7pLAokpHnM9SR6mFgL7rotudOZe7mgUIp87PixRxEUgE2tkpHEFYOiH7ywYf60DT3pxc-Ue9mADM-hFxJ07ha_0Ns1cRz8o53Ky615r_mCkUeagChSImTHP50FceiUSskzYxJMBQgRE/s1600/BarbaraKruger-I-Shop-Therefore-I-Am-II-1987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7pLAokpHnM9SR6mFgL7rotudOZe7mgUIp87PixRxEUgE2tkpHEFYOiH7ywYf60DT3pxc-Ue9mADM-hFxJ07ha_0Ns1cRz8o53Ky615r_mCkUeagChSImTHP50FceiUSskzYxJMBQgRE/s320/BarbaraKruger-I-Shop-Therefore-I-Am-II-1987.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Postmodernism, consumerism, feminism,<br />
blah blah blah...</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Descartes wrote the immortal words </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cogito ergo sum</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">* (I think therefore I am), he believed he had established the bedrock on which all future speculation about the nature of reality could be built. Unfortunately, he went on to use it as an axiom as evidence of God’s existence which would be referred to by today’s youth as an epic fail – not to mention the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solipsism">solipsists</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdism">absurdists</a> who take a very sceptical stance on any proof regarding reality. That being said, I’ve compiled a small list of things to look out for should you ever find yourself struggling to make a distinction between the real world and that of the movies. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*His actual words were “I think. I am” – someone unnecessarily added the conjunction </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">therefore</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1) Don’t rush into things. Wait until that special someone is at the airport and about to board a plane before declaring your love. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2) Once a new gadget has been demonstrated for a secret agent, he or she is guaranteed to use it in their next mission. Interestingly, the same gadget will never be required in a future mission.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3) When the pesky 8 year old kid beckons you with the phrase “Come and get me”, it’s clearly a trap.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4) Although minor henchmen can be knocked unconscious with a single punch, the exact same technique is utterly useless against major characters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5) Whilst being chased through a busy street, never circumvent people. Instead, push them out of the way in order to slow yourself down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6) When that person tasked with tracking you down finally exits the room, jump out from your hiding place immediately – there’s absolutely no way he’ll return.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7) In order to increase efficiency, detectives with absolutely nothing in common are often paired together. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8) All English people are either posh or cockney. NB: This does not apply to working class dramas which most certainly will take place up north.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">9) There are no fat or unattractive people in LA.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">10) The number one priority during any alien invasion: Destroy the world’s landmarks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">11) Following an argument, it is perfectly normal to leave before touching the drink/meal you paid good money for.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">12) During a phone conversation, a person will often repeat the information just given to them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">13) After knocking the killer unconscious, escape without finishing him off. (If possible, also leave his weapon behind). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">14) When holed up with survivors during a zombie apocalypse, be careful; one of them has been bitten and is slowly transforming. On the plus side, nine times out of ten they’ll save your life by choosing to stay behind and blow themselves up rather than risk becoming one of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">them</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-28189306503146777172010-10-03T19:22:00.000+01:002010-10-03T19:22:45.128+01:00Those Three Magic Words: Enter Account Details<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When it comes to relationships, I’m not so much Don Juan as Don Quixote. In fact I’ve only ever had one relationship and that was with a 12 year old girl; it’s not as bad as it sounds, I was 16 at the time. Ok, that does sound pretty bad. Still, I’m eager to improve my rather meagre track record and find myself a new girlfriend – preferably one who won’t have to worry about taking her SATS exams.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u5r0QXZRMmIHyZ1woHkp4XnHcjvIlYRnmytlnPIt8UAkz2k0S-KWspd2zWijVMNXs_feV9IZ4RLPhFiJqQlgnJRpdxXHcXdDaTaVUqvt5OVWJqfdGPVd0mm3S7EpaSpStz750Sm2sTI/s1600/cl7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1u5r0QXZRMmIHyZ1woHkp4XnHcjvIlYRnmytlnPIt8UAkz2k0S-KWspd2zWijVMNXs_feV9IZ4RLPhFiJqQlgnJRpdxXHcXdDaTaVUqvt5OVWJqfdGPVd0mm3S7EpaSpStz750Sm2sTI/s320/cl7.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>This is how girls see me.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unfortunately locating a female companion is considerably harder than one may think. First of all I’d have to suspend my cynical but arguably well founded belief that I’m un-datable and place faith in the possibility that there exists somewhere a woman with an attraction to Penfold from Danger Mouse. Even if we assume that said individual is a real, living entity with fully functional cognitive abilities and lacking any major defects (i.e., being in a permanent vegetative state or an admirer of James Cordon), the statistical probability of ever encountering her is so slim as to make anorexia look greedy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So what to do? “Going out on the pull” is costly, entirely random and ultimately futile if you’re not of a certain physical standard. Speed dating is an option but tends to lure the worst of the worst; people whose inner beauty is so well hidden only an enema could locate it. Plus it’s only advantage over a regular date is that one receives the unavoidable rejection far sooner – and subsequently doesn’t have to buy them a drink. Clearly then the internet is the way to go. Or so I thought.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In actuality, dating websites feature the exact same barriers as the real world. Beautiful people meet other beautiful people, only where there were once drunken gropes on the dance floor there now exist virtual pokes and winks. The odds of meeting that special someone haven’t increased because all that’s changed is the construct in which we communicate. It’s the same social hierarchy of popularity only transposed from a corporeal location to a conceptual one – cyberspace. I’ve no more chance of attracting a Natalie Portman lookalike via the interweb than I would in a bar. And so jaded has my outlook become that were I to be contacted by a seemingly attractive young filly, my immediate response would be fear; fear that this is not in fact a female at all, but a psychotically perverse madman in a gimp costume.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ay2bgKJDzHEaKJH0jmEp9VYmurbtpmEdGaxOhGlj6zgHAOpEtKPjlWc877XKzQngzvKjDon_hTMaDfHTZ_9C-EU1Qc5FwTlgrYinyuFudTcqLSLonJ2Z3OwDeEFuoPhrG9V20SkDWZo/s1600/online-dating1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ay2bgKJDzHEaKJH0jmEp9VYmurbtpmEdGaxOhGlj6zgHAOpEtKPjlWc877XKzQngzvKjDon_hTMaDfHTZ_9C-EU1Qc5FwTlgrYinyuFudTcqLSLonJ2Z3OwDeEFuoPhrG9V20SkDWZo/s320/online-dating1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>If only they'd looked up, they would have saved<br />
£13.99 looking for each other. Embarrassing.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even stepping back from the philosophical considerations, internet dating is an extremely costly business. The fact that you’re being charged to meet these people (with whom you </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">may</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> subsequently have sex) makes it a sort of PG-rated prostitution. Now, I’m not condoning whoredom – it is after all both illegal </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> immoral (although is it really wrong to express your gratitude through monetary means?) but its one major advantage is the guarantee of sex. Match.com on the other hand will charge a monthly fee despite there being absolutely no certainty of a happy ending. And should you find that special someone, all the site has done is make that encounter possible - once again there is still no assurance that anything significant will transpire. This is the equivalent of not just having to pay the hooker but <i>also</i> her pimp for setting up the arrangement in the first place! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So where does that leave us? Well, rohypnol is always an option but only as a last resort and it must be noted that date rape rarely leads to a long-term relationship. Other than that, I’d say pure blind luck is your safest bet. And if that doesn’t comfort you, then consider this: A compatibility test which I recently undertook on eHarmony revealed that I was incompatible with everyone. I was told not to be despondent despite being mismatched with the entire planet. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">See? Doesn’t that make you feel more optimistic about your love life? Now, where did I put that gimp costume?</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-63452702338080194052010-09-29T19:19:00.000+01:002010-09-29T19:19:25.882+01:00Prick n' Mix<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In this world there are two types of gameshow. The first is knowledge-based and built primarily around the simple conceit of answering questions - Mastermind and The Weakest Link being two examples. The second kind requires a limited use of intelligence and in many examples actively discourages it. They are the anti-logic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This article is about the latter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are of course many shows featuring egotistical tit-ends whose only value is their serving as a permanent reminder that when the sun finally engulfs our planet 5 billion years from now, it may not be such a bad thing. Golden Balls for instance is a sort of poker for idiots which gathers together four of the most misanthropic individuals imaginable to determine who is the least likeable person in the Western hemisphere; then rewards them with a cash prize. Meanwhile, the deadly serious marketing campaign for ITV’s The Cube is laughably anticlimactic when, following a montage of bullet-time effects all set to an orchestral theme, the final result consists of little more than a fat bloke playing swingball in a box. However, even these are minor offenders compared to a show responsible for more human rights violations than the People’s Republic of China and whose egoism, greed and sheer stupidity I am compelled to address. 22 boxes. A quarter of a million pounds. Just one question: Deal or No Deal?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8O_2hqPx9i9vgs_nhzVoidErpOI7cR4bUF4PUYZT1o6r81NlfkI3SOFzfjrs_FcNQ799pbkYOVvVu-C4hhErFfRcjyfZTGTBuy9KMI0nzEZowpxPg5lgbPtETzW7-NdAGtfa4OZrILQ/s1600/Gordon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8O_2hqPx9i9vgs_nhzVoidErpOI7cR4bUF4PUYZT1o6r81NlfkI3SOFzfjrs_FcNQ799pbkYOVvVu-C4hhErFfRcjyfZTGTBuy9KMI0nzEZowpxPg5lgbPtETzW7-NdAGtfa4OZrILQ/s1600/Gordon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Greed is good." Deal or No Deal is actually based<br />
on Oliver Stone's capitalist classic.</span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whereas even the most serendipitous of quizzes entail a modest degree of intellect (or at the very least a basic aptitude for mathematical probability), Deal or No Deal is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">entirely</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> random. This in itself wouldn’t be such an issue if those who participate were themselves aware of the fact, yet these cognitively challenged nitwits remain blissfully unaware, attempting instead to influence the final outcome with their own unique strategy. The order of their selections are often determined by the most absurd means, with systems based around anything ranging from prime numbers to the ages of Myra Hindley’s victims, which is admittedly an awful lot of effort to achieve a result that could just as easily have been obtained from a blind man’s lucky dip. In fact, so wafer thin is the central premise that one may just as well pick boxes 1-22 in numerical order, a process which would take all of five minutes and leave the remaining forty to be filled with scenes of gratuitous violence enacted on all those involved in this car crash of a show. Unfortunately, those drawn to this type of program are inevitably narcissists savouring their moment in the spotlight and as such they deliberate over <i>that</i> single question as if it were <i>Sophie’s Choice </i>(1982).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN1TAUnEyXVZrA_WnK2EGBbcynIi0xmwty5N8tZGD5_TfITKpWYuL5pGrWc8chJO-BoZ7LtJJ39cs-3hhZ0H1HyrVX4t-sjR55mpdpCf4XYxZ25RHoITWShJvqq8-W4xDsn_AO3grEqU/s1600/alice-mundy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN1TAUnEyXVZrA_WnK2EGBbcynIi0xmwty5N8tZGD5_TfITKpWYuL5pGrWc8chJO-BoZ7LtJJ39cs-3hhZ0H1HyrVX4t-sjR55mpdpCf4XYxZ25RHoITWShJvqq8-W4xDsn_AO3grEqU/s320/alice-mundy.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>As is often the case on Deal or No Deal, this<br />
contestant struggles to decide which is worse.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In actuality, it isn’t so much the game of chance that annoys me but rather the individuals who partake in it. At the start of each episode, the chosen contestant gives us a peak into their ‘tragic’ past which more often than not sounds like the blurb of a Marian Keyes novel. Once the obligatory photographs of dead relatives are out of the way, a brief explanation is required as to how this simpleton will attempt to beat the banker. The redundancy of constructing a plan in order to evade mere fluke is usually attributable to said moron’s belief in fate/mind-reading/the supernatural/wizards/giants and anything else one may find in the Bible or an episode of Colin Fry. Meanwhile the psychic clings doggedly to his or her belief in extra-sensory abilities right up until the very end, even daring to claim that upon picking the wrong box they just <i>knew</i> that was going to happen. Oh really? Then you should have had the foresight to stay at home and do something more productive with your powers; like invite possession by a demon with a more interesting personality. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOjETfrBYJR6G00dg9k1aK0oSu8doLLdaKjfO3zyOSP42SSDn1f2kuV8kpG3ZBqPb9lJDYTC59JttGywnO_H8B4CS0aNdozgMw_CbnyPl4ltPqyG0ROkO2iz0tJ9dc0zSEllmSUWoV1g/s1600/deal-or-no-deal_1365623i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOjETfrBYJR6G00dg9k1aK0oSu8doLLdaKjfO3zyOSP42SSDn1f2kuV8kpG3ZBqPb9lJDYTC59JttGywnO_H8B4CS0aNdozgMw_CbnyPl4ltPqyG0ROkO2iz0tJ9dc0zSEllmSUWoV1g/s320/deal-or-no-deal_1365623i.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>In an ideal world...</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The whole thing is so disgustingly sycophantic. Should the opener of the box reveal a low amount, the player will offer their thanks as if they were somehow responsible for the result. If it’s a high number, attempts are made to boost morale through rapturous applause like this will influence the contents pre-determinately placed there an hour before by a runner named Kev. Not that the audience is much better, cheering on these vainglorious fuckwads as they saunter round the room, lapping up attention and contemplating the contents of each box with all the philosophical profundity of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_cat">Schrödinger experiment</a>. It isn’t so much a quiz as a pantomime, replete with a villain in the form of the nefarious banker who in all fairness really isn’t that bad – I can say with absolute confidence that at no point in my local Santander have I ever been offered money in return for unfastening brightly coloured containers. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqG9Saqq1Nmm2dqwkT3wosyoR6SORZbq7lHuf_V5VYlvFE3UKN09WC9FEPtZAzfAERyMO-z-gZvt_PM2jNnn7KD6GCGrVk2LL9rl4dXOmS0WuSCJDyPyCHgxEcKP9zYIejA7eu9rblORA/s1600/Mr_Blobby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqG9Saqq1Nmm2dqwkT3wosyoR6SORZbq7lHuf_V5VYlvFE3UKN09WC9FEPtZAzfAERyMO-z-gZvt_PM2jNnn7KD6GCGrVk2LL9rl4dXOmS0WuSCJDyPyCHgxEcKP9zYIejA7eu9rblORA/s1600/Mr_Blobby.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Currently hosting the <br />
Serbian version.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The final third of the show is arguably the most horrific thing you’re ever likely to experience on daytime TV. Half of all those present are reduced to tears over what is essentially a glorified version of Minesweeper and if the player accepts an early offer, he or she continues through the game to reveal what could have been. It’s a testament to how greedy our society has become when £1,000 can be seen as a disappointment; in one instance, Noel Edmonds actually called a woman brave for her optimism when it was discovered that, had she persevered through to the end, the prize would have been considerably more substantial than the trifling twenty grand she actually received. No, that isn’t brave; bravery is risking your life to save others. In fact, the next time one of these misguided dipsticks allows their gluttony to take precedence over rational thinking, their only reward should be a bullet-proof vest and a one way plane ticket to Afghanistan. On second thoughts, forget the vest.</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-6962133478444622252010-09-18T19:10:00.000+01:002010-09-18T19:10:52.126+01:00The Other Guys (12A)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs7LDBvgJRGoFhyI5q5WjK-VbXeSc-6JNj7dkkpQw0OAcGFg3mh2J7pU9NaCBEmHQykkz9F00zoRLMIjSunXCQlqcSmXSN_bgPwat60wfGnA8KQSFZXlizhte9oDxoi1v1wWE5XrrXbs/s1600/the_other_guys_04-535x355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs7LDBvgJRGoFhyI5q5WjK-VbXeSc-6JNj7dkkpQw0OAcGFg3mh2J7pU9NaCBEmHQykkz9F00zoRLMIjSunXCQlqcSmXSN_bgPwat60wfGnA8KQSFZXlizhte9oDxoi1v1wWE5XrrXbs/s320/the_other_guys_04-535x355.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remember when Will Ferrell was a big deal? It wasn’t so long ago that you couldn’t swing the proverbial feline without hitting one of his movies. Unfortunately, for every <i>Anchorman</i> (2004) there’s a <i>Semi-Pro</i> (2008) and audiences have become extremely cautious, albeit unjustly. Why? It isn’t that he lost his gift, just the plot; with a glut of star driven vehicles behind him whose plots feature as little more than a foot note, The Other Guys then may be seen as an attempt to put things right. And for the most part, it succeeds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not that you should be expecting anything less than the highest of high concept comedy. It sticks rigidly to the dogmatic buddy/cop formula and what plotting there is actually appears convoluted, rearing its head only on occasion to sit contritely alongside the fun. Still, what stops this from becoming another Ferrell talent show is the decision to ground him in a pairing. Arguably Ferrell is in the driving seat, but this being a buddy flick guarantees he never hogs the limelight. The casting of Wahlberg is a strange one and perhaps isn’t quite the genius idea that it surely looked on paper. His Mel Gibson-in-<i>Lethal Weapon</i> (1987)-inspired caricature (which is done far better by Emilio Estevez in <i>Loaded Weapon 1</i> (1993)) initially shows promise – such as a recurring preoccupation with drug-related crimes – but it doesn’t take long before he becomes the obligatory straight-man. That being said, it is at least refreshing to see him take on a role that shows he can take a joke. Meanwhile, Steve Coogan and Michael Keaton provide additional laughs to pad out the rather humdrum scenery, although the exact purpose of Eva Mendez (beyond setting up a few punchlines) remains to me a mystery. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Evidently director Adam Mckay has a fondness for quirky comedy and here he leaves his indelible mark across every inch of celluloid. Straddling a delicate balance between <i>Step Brothers</i> (2008) (hilarious) and <i>Talladega Nights</i> (2006) (not so hilarious), he demonstrates to the generic <i>Hangover</i> (2009) generation how it’s really done. Coming from the Apatow school of filmmaking, Mckay trades in the traditionally accepted set-up & punchline routine for something more free flowing and altogether harder to classify. He is undoubtedly an auteur of comedy, staging brilliantly bizarre scenarios – a scene in which a whispered argument followed by a silent brawl occur during a wake is a highlight, and the way in which he subverts and mocks film conventions is almost Zucker-esque. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It isn’t a polished picture and certainly the second half suffers from having drastically fewer jokes than the first, but as comedies go you could do a lot worse.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">***</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">If you enjoyed this you may also like...</span></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pineapple Express (2008) ****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Starsky & Hutch (2004) ****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Step Brothers (2008) ****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-5571101588861539092010-09-13T21:26:00.004+01:002010-09-13T21:30:07.247+01:00We'll Always Have Florence<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I was 17, I visited Florence as part of a college trip. I avoided the sites with all the eagerness of a xenophobe, choosing instead to get lost on a regular basis down the city’s many labyrinthine walkways. (<i>Think Don’t Look Now</i> (1973) but without the sex). The nights I spent topping up my blood-alcohol level and basking in pure inebriated joy before pouring vomit down my jumper (courtesy of my mouth) and collapsing beside the bathroom toilet wearing nothing but underpants; me, not the toilet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the bars we frequented was Spleen, a rather classy cocktail establishment where I first experienced the childish joy of asking for a drink with the word sex in it. Actually, the place wasn’t that classy; a group photo taken by my friend revealed, on closer inspection, a daring young cad proffering his organ into an unsuspecting woman’s ear. NB: Jokes regarding the cochlea are more than welcome at this point. Anyway, during my final night in Mussolini’s country, it was at this location that I was approached by a group of American girls. I had shared a drunken conversation with one of them the previous night and she had returned, friends in tow, with the specific purpose of seeing me, ignoring those around me like a Jewish application to a country club. Being quite the Yank-ophile, I felt extremely honoured to be the focus of attention for this bevy of young beauties. They were all charmed by my English eccentricity, particularly the black girl from Alabama who initially mistook my pale face for a white hood. There was an undeniable chemistry between us and had I not repeatedly called her by her slave name I’m almost positive we would have hit it off. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4zT_kx47U4JcfATGIcX136CpvizohbgvA5yAc5wSuSS2Dl5iUsoHVDazE8Nhop6A6SngC_rdRT42wiKcvdKotXcs5iRfsVGvoPJMKtkgxCUPXx0aQaI4EcINQMvEmpUxOcyb5ekapYI/s1600/Zac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4zT_kx47U4JcfATGIcX136CpvizohbgvA5yAc5wSuSS2Dl5iUsoHVDazE8Nhop6A6SngC_rdRT42wiKcvdKotXcs5iRfsVGvoPJMKtkgxCUPXx0aQaI4EcINQMvEmpUxOcyb5ekapYI/s320/Zac.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">An artist's impression of me back in 2003<br />
</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They invited me to tag along with them so naturally I complied. A drunken hop, skip and a trip later we arrived in an American bar where I began each conversation with the line, “Wasn’t 9/11 terrible?” By the end of the evening, having apologised to all present for the revolutionary war, I was ready to leave when the girl from the night before begged me to stay out. Now, I should probably explain that our first encounter ended with her requesting me to walk her home; an offer I rather stupidly declined. So, 24 hours later here I was being offered a second olive branch, only replace olive branch with intercourse. And what did I do? Politely excused myself and returned to my hotel to make a curfew. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, instead of losing my virginity to an American, here I am 7 years later – still a virgin with less sexual experience than a picky monk. Still, at least I didn’t end up with a knob in my ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>If you have been personally affected by the issues raised in this blog or would like more information, call this number: 08456 060 234*</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>*NB: This is actually the number for the Job Centre.</i></span></div></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-66624569919498034902010-09-11T19:44:00.000+01:002013-01-29T11:50:11.080+00:00Hidden Gems: Lilo and Stitch (2002)<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*After the scene in which Lilo buys Stitch, they walk past a restaurant called Mulan Wok.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-AeYe_2e4s5XW1492SQSMgXwswX3RV2bzPPLDl745wmlAaKoQS0EpqhadyQcPhi8nFijN2Rsz_RirUnv69FRbgKpZk5FgI8C0mRs7-tElENap2DJURwGrOkBSUzbtzxer2xn2EkAw2I/s1600/LiloMulanwok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-AeYe_2e4s5XW1492SQSMgXwswX3RV2bzPPLDl745wmlAaKoQS0EpqhadyQcPhi8nFijN2Rsz_RirUnv69FRbgKpZk5FgI8C0mRs7-tElENap2DJURwGrOkBSUzbtzxer2xn2EkAw2I/s400/LiloMulanwok.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Lilo has a <i>Dumbo</i> (1941) soft toy in her bedroom.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA0Uggyu0_oQyc8RamCOVphoT1e-V822j78sYxVERkSlab0ES6XHECy_NgFTiTag9iwc_CjRWQiLZ2bqDSZ92AaympZGzD3NsdD-_UjCLZBL065XsP28N3U2va6oqkg_zkRI0K4sLyRM/s1600/LiloDumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigA0Uggyu0_oQyc8RamCOVphoT1e-V822j78sYxVERkSlab0ES6XHECy_NgFTiTag9iwc_CjRWQiLZ2bqDSZ92AaympZGzD3NsdD-_UjCLZBL065XsP28N3U2va6oqkg_zkRI0K4sLyRM/s320/LiloDumbo.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*She also has a picture of Mickey Mouse on her wall.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqovCmLsI-eV4bgDLM9qdqODcY1nTYAeeyLvvtmFJNNcxNBSJFFzkbSjRNFRMsdlR4XZWagLSx_Bj6HnshSxwRNaVcJnubA9PLnKzekFaUvC7RCuzTGtW6gUtR3gHfhMIVCon161du0c/s1600/LiloMickeyphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqovCmLsI-eV4bgDLM9qdqODcY1nTYAeeyLvvtmFJNNcxNBSJFFzkbSjRNFRMsdlR4XZWagLSx_Bj6HnshSxwRNaVcJnubA9PLnKzekFaUvC7RCuzTGtW6gUtR3gHfhMIVCon161du0c/s320/LiloMickeyphoto.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*Lilo’s sister Nani has a <i>Mulan</i> (1998) poster on her wall.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oEP2vSeh9yTeEtfI462vcjmCqgJbTJ1jseE41lTPKWZIi5-pG8ZHdqGcIAXCdjbmWaWeVNKyinqkw1jMXQy0FTUOvdOa-2j7B3rHjOqUfgQWPz-_YQItLGGC6RCVEN_jQS_UoGO7uGE/s1600/LiloMulan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oEP2vSeh9yTeEtfI462vcjmCqgJbTJ1jseE41lTPKWZIi5-pG8ZHdqGcIAXCdjbmWaWeVNKyinqkw1jMXQy0FTUOvdOa-2j7B3rHjOqUfgQWPz-_YQItLGGC6RCVEN_jQS_UoGO7uGE/s320/LiloMulan2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*During the ‘Suspicious Minds’ montage, a postcard with a picture of DisneyWorld can be spotted.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj194ubXLWziBJj51tVKkmNZ8re05cOvOyj_vJZfF_57oOY2T-gA1Iri0PCZHqlGgOL4madPdiMqnDV5ZHgyOX9fbBo6CGiR7M9kIHoWwrv3rhm-KR36ajvyukqCyw6IrORYF3k4djvkfk/s1600/LiloDisneyland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj194ubXLWziBJj51tVKkmNZ8re05cOvOyj_vJZfF_57oOY2T-gA1Iri0PCZHqlGgOL4madPdiMqnDV5ZHgyOX9fbBo6CGiR7M9kIHoWwrv3rhm-KR36ajvyukqCyw6IrORYF3k4djvkfk/s400/LiloDisneyland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*When Stitch scares everyone from the beach, the last two people to run past Bubbles are caricatures of the film’s directors, Dean Deblois and Chris Sanders.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvlMd9TaZXD0EPToTQUEmDvHZ5VmkTJdAlOO38aAc7CiiztxUKLlg3BICuQX4Py271TrNuXMdxT2GzrbAX9_HhcJwTMUEE0Jr0IzSbvC2MULCJYA3SqFEt4KlZVx0WGdJE_-sbcCqD3k/s1600/DeanandChris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvlMd9TaZXD0EPToTQUEmDvHZ5VmkTJdAlOO38aAc7CiiztxUKLlg3BICuQX4Py271TrNuXMdxT2GzrbAX9_HhcJwTMUEE0Jr0IzSbvC2MULCJYA3SqFEt4KlZVx0WGdJE_-sbcCqD3k/s200/DeanandChris.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEDCoeFsIeAV99YIvAuYSG5S7KSy35aWgCvSOox9-Z-Q9dNDyyeV6-sS14zOj3fUzOO37a9XUvHLwJFdHStFPNF4ieTHAJaXG4gCsudMVZ9AiGejSKtYQCtIA_t3k3SFo1OYkRtqrUtw/s1600/LiloChris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEDCoeFsIeAV99YIvAuYSG5S7KSy35aWgCvSOox9-Z-Q9dNDyyeV6-sS14zOj3fUzOO37a9XUvHLwJFdHStFPNF4ieTHAJaXG4gCsudMVZ9AiGejSKtYQCtIA_t3k3SFo1OYkRtqrUtw/s320/LiloChris.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFqoeI9msf6SpjgcVpJRJB9_yqHu2y_cxKO3xQgmwPTQhWHiJizFW12oAkAck1fmWbv4aI_PkXa4_-BygzIpkghzPAsJj5aDf5cvDNmvT1Islao6MXIf3hS-aldbSZAzI8NIf5cQRJ5E/s1600/LiloDean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFqoeI9msf6SpjgcVpJRJB9_yqHu2y_cxKO3xQgmwPTQhWHiJizFW12oAkAck1fmWbv4aI_PkXa4_-BygzIpkghzPAsJj5aDf5cvDNmvT1Islao6MXIf3hS-aldbSZAzI8NIf5cQRJ5E/s320/LiloDean.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*A113 appears on two licence plates. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first is the fire truck which goes to Lilo’s house.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuJp8Gcv54pP-c7DbYuz7HBSgJb7q_p9YPz0ma2ehadEOPH2C1cgLD1-6UX-ssSm55pGmp7HLRSXojnsZxOXONC5JWVc-sjiAyKlfuQVlQB5HwpCme_fXUFtKg3CgKQFIkyB3d3VxhpI/s1600/Liloa113firetruk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuJp8Gcv54pP-c7DbYuz7HBSgJb7q_p9YPz0ma2ehadEOPH2C1cgLD1-6UX-ssSm55pGmp7HLRSXojnsZxOXONC5JWVc-sjiAyKlfuQVlQB5HwpCme_fXUFtKg3CgKQFIkyB3d3VxhpI/s320/Liloa113firetruk.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The second is the gasoline truck which Stitch stops during the finale.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXeTn_wqNogUjsiJuIkN25oDGhKtvhJEnH5hM5qpzK7xVt4CHdcYA-Sy7A67TitCoK1ToyGLEG7w2RZ-9dcJczgArT1QaFPROp3tgsOJhLsNRdMRJztiPsrJ0gtEqkdzBizZeIC18tWY/s1600/Liloa113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXeTn_wqNogUjsiJuIkN25oDGhKtvhJEnH5hM5qpzK7xVt4CHdcYA-Sy7A67TitCoK1ToyGLEG7w2RZ-9dcJczgArT1QaFPROp3tgsOJhLsNRdMRJztiPsrJ0gtEqkdzBizZeIC18tWY/s320/Liloa113.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The icon which appears on Gantu’s screen is Spaceship Earth from Epcot at Walt Disney World. Although I hate to get into listing hidden Mickeys, there are two in this shot to the left and right of the centre screen.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vsia0j3wskAZG56nTDnnEovAiEaiGzIQks7bsm5O_3YW9nVMqTHoKiephskj07B5EzbbbjiaYLG6uJ-H0fyZhChBOJaM57MgRpIyhyphenhyphen8p3TQtlrL2msa_p4FLw-aiKRmKteSJrVMa7AQ/s1600/epcot61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Vsia0j3wskAZG56nTDnnEovAiEaiGzIQks7bsm5O_3YW9nVMqTHoKiephskj07B5EzbbbjiaYLG6uJ-H0fyZhChBOJaM57MgRpIyhyphenhyphen8p3TQtlrL2msa_p4FLw-aiKRmKteSJrVMa7AQ/s200/epcot61.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPHDi0ycoyyKyjxoVIhy4CpyjLWEM5qSmN5OCLsZGjvNJYd7o2HHZWl24Lc1YOKdhwm8dFefmf3SR28DIJnCe3uWaBzXZD5j8hQtuZE4AgbNPA5d7hdXj8K7qymf0_hC7f1UN9qkqab0/s1600/Liloepcot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPHDi0ycoyyKyjxoVIhy4CpyjLWEM5qSmN5OCLsZGjvNJYd7o2HHZWl24Lc1YOKdhwm8dFefmf3SR28DIJnCe3uWaBzXZD5j8hQtuZE4AgbNPA5d7hdXj8K7qymf0_hC7f1UN9qkqab0/s400/Liloepcot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-62769931132717118762010-09-06T17:51:00.000+01:002010-09-06T17:51:22.006+01:00Hidden Gems: The Wild (2006)<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The Lion King Musical is advertised in Times Square.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHSIlZm7_-e5ozsqnCiZJagPZgS7zId7Ku7NOGtwzPnPXbBbGkGHFRTzFkRFrsEDzqu7HRfcOLCM0Abj8fXW9A4Jm24PH_mespJAwO94-l2jRbBE-VjXskiChhbylQdo4-boeFO3zquw/s1600/The+Lion+King+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHSIlZm7_-e5ozsqnCiZJagPZgS7zId7Ku7NOGtwzPnPXbBbGkGHFRTzFkRFrsEDzqu7HRfcOLCM0Abj8fXW9A4Jm24PH_mespJAwO94-l2jRbBE-VjXskiChhbylQdo4-boeFO3zquw/s200/The+Lion+King+poster.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdymgBdoGUuOtNd5vk48bTlm3DrsNkrJ9yfp1apV5uGiE-c3rKBl9zECSwwWzWjC-tqcbijPynWF6OXmtmKZ9oksbjCjP13wDka_V2awbYXxhilUCkHLtTIoMa8znZOvCo8q7I0FOBSI/s1600/The+Wild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdymgBdoGUuOtNd5vk48bTlm3DrsNkrJ9yfp1apV5uGiE-c3rKBl9zECSwwWzWjC-tqcbijPynWF6OXmtmKZ9oksbjCjP13wDka_V2awbYXxhilUCkHLtTIoMa8znZOvCo8q7I0FOBSI/s320/The+Wild.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5885699130707441372.post-21239897306368696672010-09-05T22:04:00.001+01:002013-01-29T11:51:08.389+00:00Hidden Gems: Tokyo Mater (2008)<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*The Buy n Large logo from Wall-E can be spotted in the background.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvRlQIyRSHhwuhVRXUlL0lkKjNHQdtZvkVRpUC0ohCX5Y36QH3E3LtepxcZIQ2MTzn65C_g9hHeRHtKwNHZBcQK7gIXHtEBcho75lKj8SZ7KHG8qGyMC3w0fJi2nnDDLZqTh21u6IxQQ/s1600/BNL1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvRlQIyRSHhwuhVRXUlL0lkKjNHQdtZvkVRpUC0ohCX5Y36QH3E3LtepxcZIQ2MTzn65C_g9hHeRHtKwNHZBcQK7gIXHtEBcho75lKj8SZ7KHG8qGyMC3w0fJi2nnDDLZqTh21u6IxQQ/s200/BNL1.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qgu6l0aXqHBWgzH7wHMjlPJtJLOG03vKObERwOKyWVmbFiBqdeUuKPytfUT1ZXwP7IFWn2viRpPnMJVvVX7bc1hSVs8fNBAeyjDH3t7vQXH7htJpyNAqnxLpkbgH6x3zsL7EJIgh44U/s1600/BNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qgu6l0aXqHBWgzH7wHMjlPJtJLOG03vKObERwOKyWVmbFiBqdeUuKPytfUT1ZXwP7IFWn2viRpPnMJVvVX7bc1hSVs8fNBAeyjDH3t7vQXH7htJpyNAqnxLpkbgH6x3zsL7EJIgh44U/s320/BNL.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*When Mater loses control and goes skidding through the restaurant, the name on the sign is Japanese for Harryhausen's, the sushi restaurant from <i><a href="http://what-does-he-know.blogspot.com/2010/08/hidden-gems-monsters-inc.html">Monster’s, Inc.</a></i> (2001).</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-cdH89odp98nBNIwK5UyQzIS8k2sBc0qoNEdLjX_fXQ5K3j_ZDAHPzFXx-cDK7Aa9-ME4tA8feetDPSred_SkXZbWgzYcWsY1lc9SET16xpgucc1RjJA7ttm4H6IJx2qO-yOZyHh3gY/s1600/Harryhauesen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-cdH89odp98nBNIwK5UyQzIS8k2sBc0qoNEdLjX_fXQ5K3j_ZDAHPzFXx-cDK7Aa9-ME4tA8feetDPSred_SkXZbWgzYcWsY1lc9SET16xpgucc1RjJA7ttm4H6IJx2qO-yOZyHh3gY/s320/Harryhauesen.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*This is further backed up in the following shot, wherein the car versions of Mike and Sulley can be spotted inside.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsv4wPVapQrL4cHOyQU6bRwAJ5QdoRoXS7RL_3e8fBCTJMUxCgnykpCmQbHuVoDtsZ_x4oF_g1wEij8w7_9mCglYm2rD167ziznQ0ThW58JwJGMIG8eRn5xTnsPQQVQ6asEk3QBTIjdhI/s1600/SulleyMike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsv4wPVapQrL4cHOyQU6bRwAJ5QdoRoXS7RL_3e8fBCTJMUxCgnykpCmQbHuVoDtsZ_x4oF_g1wEij8w7_9mCglYm2rD167ziznQ0ThW58JwJGMIG8eRn5xTnsPQQVQ6asEk3QBTIjdhI/s320/SulleyMike.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div>
Steve Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229454499518088183noreply@blogger.com0