Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty - 4 Months and Counting!

This week, I purchased tickets for Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty at the Bristol Hippodrome. It's still 4 months away, but I'm really looking forward it! Here's a flavour of the production:

Andrew

Sunday Sounds 58 - the Les Misérables edition

Next Thursday, the film of The Hobbit comes out - and regular readers will not be surprised to know that I've had my ticket booked for about 3 weeks now... very exciting.

Looking beyond that, the next film I'm excited about is the adaptation of the Les Misérables musical - even if it does have Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe in it...

Here's Matt Lucas and Jenny Galloway performing Master of the House at the O2 25th anniversary concert production:

And finally, an international version of Do You Hear the People Sing/One Day More, from the 10th Anniversary Concert:

Enjoy,

Andrew

Dexter, my new found telly love

I am one of the most squeamish people I know and the older I get, the more squeamish I've become. 

I can't watch Horror films - although I do like a good thriller and am alright with a little bit of gratuitous violence now and again. I can't do out and out graphic violence, I can't watch real life medical shows, I can barely watch Casualty for that matter! 

Now, readers of this blog could be forgiven for being slightly confused, as I've previously posted about my love of TrueBlood. After all, there's plenty of blood and gore in that, isn't there?

This was the view of one of my friends who was so convinced I would like Dexter, she bought me the first series for my birthday. I was still very apprehensive about watching it - TrueBlood involves suspending disbelieve and embracing a world of Vampires, Werewolves and Fairies but Serial Killers are real. Creatures of the night are fictional, killers in the night are all too real.

The show is built around the eponymous Dexter, a Blood Splatter analyst within the Miami PD. But Dexter is also a serial killer who has managed to control his instincts, thanks to the advice and support of his late Father. Well, I say control... he applies a strict rule of only killing those who truly deserve it. The arc storyline involves the police force (for whom his sister is an officer) investigating a serial killer. But the killer in question seems to be engaging in his own mind games, teasing Dexter at every turn...

I finally started watching it at the beginning of this year and I was soon hooked! The series is intelligent, witty, well scripted, acted and directed. As the show is on the Showcase subscription channel, the episodes are made to be viewed without adverts and the pacing isn't timed to provide cliffhangers every ten minutes. This allows each episode to unfold in a more unnatural fashion, adding greatly to my enjoyment. 

Yes, there are some gory moments, but for the most part the violence is stylised and/or suggested. There's an underlying menace at times but there are also moments of pathos and tenderness as well as drama, tension and intrigue. 

It won't be for everyone but if you think you've got the stomach for it, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Here are a couple of videos to give you a flavour:

Enjoy!

Andrew

An Orgasm... and a Trailer

First, a definition:

I refer the reader to the second definition above; "a... point of intensity of emotional excitement". It is no exaggeration to say that, using that definition, this video generated such a reaction:

Sod Christmas, roll on the 14th December 2012!


Andrew

It's time to play the music...

...it's time to light the lights...

OK, well maybe not just yet - the new Muppet film is out in the States at Thanksgiving but not in the UK until 17 February 2012. No matter, thanks to the wonders of t'interweb we can still enjoy the trailer:

Andrew

The Dark Knight Rises (well, in a year he will...)

One of my favourite writer/directors is Christopher Nolan, best know for Momento, Inception and the re-boot of the Batman franchise. On the 20th July next year, The Dark Knight Rises will be released, completing Nolan's trilogy of Batman films.

In Batman Begins, Nolan developed Batman's backstory and imbued the character with a gritty darkness lacking from some of the previous films. The Dark Knight was memorable for Heath Ledger's amazing portrayal of The Joker in his last complete filmed role. 

The Dark Knight Rises has a lot to live up to... but I'm confident it's in good hands. Along with the next Star Trek film, the latest Bond and the first of Peter Jackson's Hobbit films, it's another on my long list of films I'm looking forward to next year. Here's the first trailer, only 366 days to go...

Andrew

Yer a Wizard, 'Arry

Tomorrow is the release date of Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows, Part II and the culmination of the Harry Potter films. I'm not sure when I'll go, having a preference for cinemas which aren't crowded and are not full of children! Still, I do want to see it sooner rather than later!

I've previously featured a couple of trailers on these pages but now Warner Brothers have put together this video which looks back on the films and gives a potted history of the story so far. It's amazing how young Daniel Radcliffe is in the first film - he really has, like his character - grown up on screen!

Enjoy, if you're so inclined! Endure, if not...

Andrew

It. All. Ends. (Supplementary Post)

Earlier today I posted a trailer for Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows (Part 2). I prepped that post a few days ago, only to find a new trailer published the following day. So here, in all it's glory, is the latest trailer:

I. Can't. Wait.

Andrew

It. All. Ends.

There's just under a month to wait until the last of the Harry Potter films and I'm really looking forward to it. Whilst I've not been as much as fan of the films as the books - indeed, I've not actually seen all the films - I am really looking forward to the conclusion of the series.

Deathly Hallows part 1 seemed to fly by and ended with a cliff-hanger, setting up part 2 nicely. There'll be death, destruction and a fair amount of tears. There'll be treachery, secrets and revelations. And there will be a victor in the epic battle of Good against Evil.

Andrew

Waiting Sucks...

For American fans, the wait is almost over... for us Brits, it's barely began. I refer, of course, to True Blood series 4 which airs from June 26th stateside. Meanwhile we Brits will have to make do with the various trailers and clips that have been released as promotion. Of course, we could always rewatch the previous series/ That is, if anyone wants to get me them from my Amazon Wishlist! ;-)

Anyway, here's one trailer:

And for those of you who are fans of Eric (and there's a lot of us) here's he is in own teaser trailer - billed as a topless blond man!:

Andrew

Senna: No Fear, No Limits, No Equal

Today's post is a trailer for the forthcoming documentary film "Senna" which promises to be a fantastic portrait of the legend that was Ayrton Senna.

I've been a fan of Formula 1 for years although it is only in recent seasons that I've really got into watching every race. As time goes by I get more and more interested in the details of the cars and the politics of it all - although I have a long way to go to match some people I know!

By contrast, Senna died when I was still relatively new to Formula 1 and while I am obviously aware of his talent, skill and achievements, I'm looking forward to learning more about the man and his life. 

 

Here's a taster:

There's more on the official website. The film's due out on June 3rd and those that have seen it give it glowing reviews - now, is there any chance my sister will move her wedding so I can go see it?!

Andrew