Coconut beer

Fair trade coconut beer from Belgium. 

Have you ever had coconut juice or water? It has the same smell as that, with the appearance you might find with a cloudy cider, albeit with a slightly yellower tinge. 

Coconut has a well-known taste: something that reminds you of a hotter climate, and more exotic fruits and foods. 

This beer definitely aims to hit those taste buds and amplify your other sense to make you feel like you are in a tropical climate. 

It doesn't taste like beer. It is more like a carbonated coconut drink with that bitterness that you get with a beer. But it's not overpowering in the slightest. As beers go, it isn't something that really showcases. But if you just want to show off an alcoholic beverage with a coconut taste, it isn't horrible, an there isn't anything else out there that I could compare it to that I know of. 

So a coconut fizzy drink could do just about the same job as this. In fact, it may just be worthwhile having a Malibu with sparkling water. It would have the same effect. 

:-)

Elky

Banana beer

Exotic beer with the flavour of banana. 

This beer has travelled all the way Belgium. It may be available in the shops over here in the UK but I wouldn't know as it was gifted to me. 

It has a lovely banana smell that I've also smelt before in banana liqueurs. It smells slightly flat with a hint of alcohol, but it isn't unpleasant. 

It's immediately sweet with an almost medicine-like taste, but the bitterness and sweetness help to cancel each other out slightly so it ends up being quite a refreshing taste. 

At 3.6% alcohol content, it's an enjoyable beverage on a hot day especially if you're looking just to have a sip of alcohol without actually getting drunk. As I am trying it now. 

:-)

Elky

Kit Kat - Passion Fruit, Strawberry and Matcha Green Tea & Cherry Blossom

Passion fruit flavour.

Have you ever had passion fruit? Or a passion fruit juice perhaps? The thing that strikes you first is the smell: it makes up about half of what the fruit actually tastes like. The passion fruit flavoured Kit Kat definitely has the taste of the fruit, but it doesn't smell like it. There is no doubt that the flavour is spot on, but the smell is almost citrus-like. What I can say is that it is delicious! The yellow colour of the bar is enticing and suits the flavour well!

Strawberry (Wa-Ichigo).

The teeny Kit Kats of Japan

The thing with strawberry flavoured foods is that they never have a nice smell unless you add something like vanilla essence. Strawberries themselves aren't that pleasant smelling; if you've ever made a smoothie with strawberries it can be very off-putting, and that's with the natural fruit. This Kit Kat variation has that artificial strawberry smell that you get from other strawberry products. Protein bars and shakes in strawberry flavour have been some of the worst that I've tried in taste smell and in looks. This Kit Kat is in the same shade of pink that I've seen the aforementioned products in, but having the Kit Kat logo stamped over it makes it a lot more appetising than them. Unfortunately, it has that same odd taste that artificial strawberry products have. Don't get me wrong, it tastes more like a strawberry and cream infusion, which is a lot better than other products in comparison, but it's lower down the list on recommend Kit Kats. 

Cherry Blossom and Matcha Green Tea flavour (Sakura Matcha).

I had a few questions before I tucked into this flavour as I wasn't sure of what it was apart from a little flower on the packaging. Which flower is this? The green chocolate doesn't exactly get your taste buds going, not in this shade anyway. Then again I loved the Green Tea flavour and it was a lighter version of this. Still, the green bar in the pink packaging is a big contrast, and before you've even taken a bite you might be wondering what you're getting into. 

Oh my goodness. What a treat. It has an overpowering taste that explodes in your mouth. Sure, it hasn't got much of a smell, which is surprising for a chocolate flavoured from a flower (plant / tree), but it has a creamy, silky feel and taste like no other chocolate bar I've tried. The crunch of the biscuit with the creaminess of the chocolate is a great fit and I would go as far as saying it is one of the best Kit Kat flavours I've ever tasted. It's so original compared to the other chocolates we have on the market including those more "gourmet" varieties. A very nice surprise! And this was all without knowing what flower the chocolate was flavoured by. 

It turns out (after a quick googling) that the Sakura Matcha flavour takes its taste from the Sakura, cherry blossom, and Matcha green tea combination. As I've said previously, when I tasted the Green Tea Kit Kat, I was a big fan, and this combo doesn't disappoint either. 

I tried three Kit Kat flavours from Japan, and they each had something different going for them. Although the Strawberry Kit Kat has nice packaging, it's my least favourite of the bars in this tasting as it has that artificial strawberry taste, smell and look. It still beats anything over in this country though.

The Passion Fruit Kit Kat automatically hits you when you take a bite. The smell alone isn't of passion fruit, but after it enters your mouth, you can't fault it. All the elements add up to give you a scrumptious passion fruit flavoured, biscuity chocolate. 

The final flavour was the biggest surprise for me. The pretty-in-pink packaging lulls you into a false expectation as to what the chocolate will look like; striking green is not your first guess. But this is what makes it the most intriguing. Add to that a flavour I can't quite put my finger on (or two in the case of these mini Kit Kats), yet it still being the tastiest out of the three, and I think it's a winner. 

:-)

Elky

With thanks to my "dealer" Rosa  over in bloggerland ;-)

After Earth

And after earth, there was a story by a father who wanted to boost his son's career. And it possibly worked. 

After Earth

Will Smith is one of my favourite actors. The only film he's been in that hasn't been awesome was 'I Am Legend', and that's not because he was poor in it. His performance was great, but the book was just miles better. 

Kilometres. I believe it is 100 kilometres that Kitai Raige, Jaden's character, has to travel to recover the beacon thingy-majiggy; the technical gubbins that the father and son combo have to use to call for help on this planet which has evolved to kill our species. 

There are cute conversations that happen throughout the film that highlight the people are no longer of this planet, such as when Kitai's sister (or mother, I got confused) holds up a physical copy of Moby Dick and exclaims that she had been able to take it out of the museum / library. I guess there are no books in the future / 'After Earth' period. 

The start of the film gives us a back story into the characters of Kitai and dad Cypher that leads up to their crash landing, but the whole aim of this film is to give more screen-time to the young Smith. 

That's not a terrible thing though; story by Will Smith and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the kid has a big break and a lot of pressure to show he is his father's son, or rather that he's a competent actor despite the large shoes he has to fill. 

Jaden has a lot of time to show off that he can do these kind of roles, but it means that there isn't much screen time for any nobodies (to put it bluntly), or even Will Smith himself. The trailers for this film make it seem like there will be interaction between the two throughout the film, but the only interaction is done via a high-tech walkie talkie. 

The special effects are out of this world (well it's our world... but it's different now... so... they're good). There are chimps / apes / baboons, and giant eagles which seem to be all-CGI, and also creations such as the Ursa Monster (Although I kept saying Ursa Major in my head), which is quite an imaginative and bland creature at the same time. 

There are surprising moments in the film portrayed through memories and hallucinations from lack of sleep from both the father's and son's perspectives. They're welcome additions to break up the running and action scenes and it's a shame they're not looked into more in depth. There could have been a whole other layer to the film if there was more focus on the activities off earth. 

So it's a nice idea for a film, and good sentiments behind why Will Smith has a story focusing on a young boy's journey to save his dad's, and his own, life. There are some heartfelt moments where we see how and why their relationship has been affected, and again it's these scenes that I think would have benefited from having more exploration.

As a new film, it's not one I'd say is a must see, but it's light-hearted and is jumpy in a few places so by all means isn't terrible. 

Well call me Ismail. Those humans didn't kill all the whales!

:-)

Elky

Pan

Pan

After dinner mint equivalent?

This is the first time I've ever seen or heard of the leaf folded into a triangle shape and containing rose syrup, some kind of seeds, a jam substance and tobacco apparently. 

Every culture has there own delicacies and oddities, my own has uncooked, salted, dried meat with oregano. It sounds odd but I've grown up with it, and so I find it delicious! (It's called samorella or pastırma depending on where you're from). 

But back to Pan; I was recommended it by a friend after we had just had a late meal and apparently it is something you eat after such an occasion. What he didn't tell me was that it wasn't really a dessert, which was what I was expecting. 

Biting into a leaf is as you would expect, leafy. It isn't a salad leaf which is usually soft or crisp, but an actual waxy, chewy unknown variety. 

The gentleman making the parcels laid two leafs slightly overlapping each other and covered them with the seeds which varied from things you see in the supermarket but don't know the name of, to brightly coloured pellets that look like they'd come straight out of a candy store.  Even asking my friend what half of the things going into the parcel didn't really get me anywhere, apart from pointing out the one that was tobacco, which was slightly off-putting. 

Chewing the first bite of the Pan, I was hit by a bunch of different flavours and textures. I had the crunch of the seeds, the sweetness of the syrup and jam, a bitterness from the tobacco, a chewiness from the leaf and a shock to my senses. I can't really compare it to anything I've tried before, as there isn't really anything I know that is similar. 

The bitterness is with you while you chew, and swallowing the last bite of the Pan I couldn't see myself going out of my way to have it again, especially because of the tobacco aspect. 

However, as I drove off into the night, dislodging seeds from between my teeth (glamorous), the sweetness of the rose was still present, and for some reason, although I didn't see, smell or taste any hint of mint, my mouth felt minty-fresh which was quite pleasant. 

For people who are always looking for something new to experience, I would recommend trying a sweet Pan and maybe asking for it without tobacco. There's something off-putting to me about that element, even though I don't know the rest of the ingredients in the parcel anyway. 

There is also a plain Pan, which did not look as appetising as my leaf, and had none of the brightly coloured seeds or pellets, or jam, or rose syrup or most of the things I had to rave about. 

I won't be eating Pan again, but I am glad that I have tried it, because now I can say I have. 

:-)

Elky 

Green Tea Kit Kat

Green Tea Kit Kat

Green Tea Kit Kat

Kit Kat is awesome. They've released so many flavours and variations over the years to keep things fresh, and I find some of the most recent additions to be some of the best! (Hazelnut anyone?)

This has also meant they have released the not-so-nice flavours.  Coconut was the strangest, least appetising chocolate I've had the chance of eating recently. I thought it would be a crispy, crunchy Bounty; it wasn't. 

I'm a big peanut butter flavour Kit Kat fan and I added the hazelnut flavour Kit Kat to my top Kit Kat list. These are both 'Chunky' bars which means more chocolatey goodness! But breaks away from the original two / four-finger treat. 

Which brings me to my latest Kit Kat flavour find: Green Tea flavour!

My Giant hand size comparison

I'm not sure if it's available in the UK as it was gifted to me by Rosa and is covered in Japanese writing. What I do know is that it has an awesome creamy chocolate flavour, in a somewhat off-putting green tinge. The taste resembles that of those pink wafers (for some reason my mind jumps to a purple packet with the Pink Panther munching away on them) that sandwich a creamy filling of 'something', but with less of the stale texture or 'bite' that they have. 

The Green Tea Kit Kat actually doesn't have an overpowering green tea taste, in fact, it's very mild. It's a shame it doesn't exist in the UK, as I'd be one of the people that would go out of the way to find a bar, or recommend to a friend. 

Two things though: firstly, it would be nice to have it available in UK size; my hands engulf the tiny bars. And secondly, I don't think it would suit the Chunky range. In fact, just bring it over how it is Kit Kat! I want my Green Tea Kit Kat fix!

:-)

Elky

Special thanks to my Japanese chocolate dealer, Rosa, of http://www.rosainbloggerland.com/ :-)

Fast and Furious 6

Let's keep this Fast and Furious...

Did anybody call for loose ends to be tied, or rather remoulded to force a story to make sense? Probably not, but does it work here? Somewhat, yes. 

Fast and Furious 6

What started out as what seemed like a lower budget film about (under the) hood economics, or how to cash in on the hood scene, has grown into one of the biggest current film franchises. Fast and Furious 6, as the name suggests, is the sixth film in the series of fast-paced action and speed-racing. 

In this one, Toretto (Vin Diesel) and the gang team up with Hobbs (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) to track down and capture an English villain by the name of Shaw who is trying to steal a a chip that could shut down a country's military computer capabilities. 

We see a montage of all the other Fast and Furious films at the start of the film as well as seeing the majority of the old cast in their new habitats. Most have settled down while others are still living a fast paced "young" lifestyle. 

I do like car chases, and I love films with action; Fast and Furious 6 has both in very good proportions. The underground racing scene is not as dominant of course, as the series has matured along with the characters. What this means is less neon coloured-cars with neon under-lighting and... well just less neon all around really, but this doesn't mean it is missing completely. In fact, the underground racing scene is used to reminisce back on the series with particular characters that the story focuses on. 

The story itself is imaginative if not predictable once you get past the fact that forgotten characters are resurrected. I also like the fact that there are in jokes within the film, such as Ludacris character receiving a phone call from "Samoan Thor".

Fast and Furious 6 is the best in the series so far as it has just become so much bigger: budget, cast and location-wise. It ties up loose ends as well as starting up a whole new series of questions.

Ride or die!

:-)

Elky

The Purge

Imagine a day where laws are relaxed to the point that murder is allowed. This is the basis of "The Purge".

"Oh my gah it's Ethan Hawke" - Peter Griffin, Family Guy.

The Purge

It's a very interesting concept, it got me thinking and also discussing what the consequences of an annual cull would mean. It would mean survival of the fittest for sure; natural elimination, more natural than postponing people's deaths when they are unfit and unwell, and would also mean that the human gene pool would be less diluted with weaker individuals.

It would also mean those that could afford private security personnel, or pay for military grade home protection, bunkers or panic rooms would have a better fighting chance of a fighting chance. It would unbalance all the good (if you could call the inhumane way of killing off our fellow man) that this purge allows.

There is a message that is broadcast on the annual day that states how the new founding fathers of America have reduced crime to 1% for some measured period of time, excluding the actual day of chaos. People in support of the day put a certain species of flower on their front lawn to show their support of the day.

Ethan Hawke is James Sandin, and he sells security systems to wealthy people. His own family have profited annually and show their wealth by having the biggest home in the neighbourhood of large homes. There is a hint of jealousy from his neighbours as they wish the Sandins a safe purge night.

The film is quite well put together; there are plot twists, introduction of characters like Zoey Sandin's (Adelaide Kane) boyfriend and a stranger trying to escape from hunters taking part in the purge. We see a development of the Sandin characters via their interaction with these mentioned characters, neighbours and, the enemy in the film, a crazed purge gang of well-educated youngsters.

There are well-placed jumpy scenes where the youngsters, who are dressed in Public school uniforms and creepy white dresses complete with face masks, just suddenly appear. They want something from the Sandins, and they either want it handed to them or they will take it from them with fatal force.

So it is a creepy film, with some genuinely disturbing content to think about, but this makes it an uneasy, but enjoyable watch.

Hawke has done some films of late that seem to poke the audience into thinking while they watch, which a lot of new films do not try as hard to do any more.

Kudos. Go Purge...

:-)

Elky

Iron Man Three

Iron Man times three-hundred.

Firstly I would like to hash tag #foreveralone. Not because I was the only one in the cinema (although this was the case for this 3D showing except for one couple), it's because I'm probably the only one to say this film is actually terrible for the Iron Man franchise.

Iron Man Three 3D

As a stand-alone film for a metallic man, I'm sure it would be considered great, but continuing on from the previous two which were so good this is really disappointing. The Iron Man is a mess, the villain is laughable and it all feels like a build up to an anti-climax. Maybe the Avengers introduced something too exciting for a continuation to live up to the hype, or maybe people got lazy, but apart from the production values which are fantastic, the film falls very short.

"I'm blue daba dee daba die". This was the opening to the film; it excited me to the prospect that opening with this level of awesome would continue throughout the film. My nineties inner-self was disappointed. A New Year's Eve party is a big bang to open with and sets up the film with characters that will be linked back to later on. But it's never really as exciting as party-mode Stark.

The penned villain of the film is the Mandarin. A terrorist who targets America and the West with attacks that incinerate people. I never found his character that interesting to be honest, until later on when a twist made him much more exciting.

A character by the name of Trevor was actually the highlight of the film for me. His leer was the toast of Croydon don't you know? Trevor's character was a welcome comedic entry to an otherwise dull story, but there was always an underlying feeling in me that his character would pan out the way it did even from the start of the film.

Other bad guy characters in the film have an okay power, but are again not very exciting and are seen a mile before they're even relevant to the story. A young kid (Ty Simpkins) that Stark befriends is another comedic character that adds more interesting aspects to the film than the actual story does. If his role was bigger, it would not have been a bad thing.

This is a film about the many Iron Man suits rather than the actual Iron Man. It's fantastic seeing all the different types of suit that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) has created, but I don't feel like this is what Iron Man is about. Stark is about quality, not quantity, and the suits feel really weak compared to what I believed they were capable of. Iron Man previously fought aliens, but Iron Men can't even fly straight.

You don't actually see much of Iron Man throughout most of the film. It's a very limited amount of time that you actually see Stark in the suit and feels like they're trying to kill off the films. You see Stark going through a mental breakdown of sorts and while Downey does a good job of making it believable, it means the majority of the film is about a normal man. If this was to be the case, maybe they should have called the film 'Tony Stark' instead.

I don't know if it was supposed to be a trilogy but this film made it feel like the Iron Man franchise should have stopped while it was on a high if this is what it was going to turn into. A okay film but no Iron Man sequel!

And if you know how marvel films end, there's usually a small clip at the end. It really wasn't worth hanging back to see. It isn't a hint at a new marvel film and it isn't really very funny. In fact it teases at what could be elsewhere with other Marvel characters.

Tony stark will return apparently, but if it's anything like this, why bother? Make a film about Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) instead!

:-)

Elky

Hairy Biker Brownie Bodge Bake

The weighing scale wasn't working properly. This meant when we tried to measure out our ingredients, we weren't really sure if having a barely-budging scale was a help or a hindrance.

My sister and I had seen 'The Hairy Bikers' on TV a week or two ago; they had made chocolate brownies. They looked delicious, and my sibling and I had talked about making them ever since. Today was the day we put the brownie where our mouth is. Where our mouths are. We ate brownies basically.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bikers_chocolate_46736

We used 'The Hairy Bikers' recipe, as closely as we could. We had no fruit, but used a combination of dark and white chocolate, and walnuts. Melting butter was unexciting, as was measuring out ingredients; I left these jobs to my sister.

I dealt with manly things, like cracking eggs into a bowl and whisking them. I also whisked melted butter with (brown / Demerara) sugar before combining this with the beaten eggs. Then cocoa and flour was sieved and mixed into the sugary, buttery, caramel-egg liquid.

My arm still hurts. Never send a man to do a machine's job.

The "batter" got a nice helping of chunks of dark and white chocolate, as well as some chopped walnuts. We added these when the mix had cooled a bit so the chunks didn't go-to-goo before they hit the heat.

We parchment-papered a silicon baking square (it's not really a tin, and it's weirdly flexible) before tipping the mixture into the tray and putting it in the oven, making sure to set timers for 25 minutes.

The raw batter in the bowl tasted good.

When the buzzer beeped, I can't say I delayed in prodding the cake-like end-product eagerly. It needed another 7 minutes of cooking time before we took it out to cool, but there it was.

Brownie goodness. I don't know what 'The Hairy Bikers' brownies tasted like, but our attempt tasted very strongly of chocolate. There's a load of sugar, butter, and chocolate in this recipe so it definitely isn't low in fat, but that obviously isn't the point.

The square I had was so indulgent that I had to stop at one molten chocolate piece. I'm really looking forward to a cool, more solidified brownie tomorrow.

Bring on the breakfast brownie!

:-)

Elky

Curly Kale Crisps

All recipes state kale chips rather than crisps, but over here in Blighty we know them for what they do! They (are) crisp!

I read somewhere that kale was a new super-veg / leafy thing from the cabbage family sporting magical properties such as the same vitamin k content as 242 baby carrots and other similar super-facts which are actually accurate. I've been looking for more green in my diet for a while and was getting bored of the same old ways that I eat spinach or lettuce so this was a welcome new addition.

The first time I tried the it, I put a bit of olive oil in a pan and sweated off the kale until it was slightly wilted, and it was really quite enjoyable! This brings me to today. I've seen a bunch of recipes and videos on how to bake kale crisps that are as good as, if not better than, regular potato chips / crisps.

The problem with all of these recipes is that they start with whole kale leaves, which are then are ripped into bite-sized pieces. However, no matter how hard I look (my local supermarkets and markets), I cannot find it in this form. It is already pre-cut into thin strips, which is not ideal. But I tried it out anyway.

I started with my kale which I washed and drained in a colander. I then laid out half of my 200g packet on a tray with grease-proof paper / parchment paper and drizzled a bit of olive oil over the top. I also seasoned it with (too much) salt.

After 15 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius I nibbled on a few of the leaves and found them still ... leafy and hydrated; they hadn't crisped up yet, so I put them in for a bit longer. When I eventually took out the blackened, salty kale crisps, I was underwhelmed. It was like eating crispy seaweed, which is fine at a buffet but not something I go out of my way to find, make or eat.

Maybe it's because my batch was over-salted, or perhaps because the kale was thinly cut rather than in large crisp-shapes, but I don't think I'll be cooking kale this way again.

I will however be eating kale again. Two-hundred and something-or-other baby carrots-worth of vitamin-something? That's a big number, and I don't like carrots. Vitamin intake win!

:-)

Elky

Bacchus Belgian Cherry Beer

Oh cherry-flavoured everything. How sweet you are. I'm a die-hard Cherry Coke fan, in a can. I don't like the flavour that comes in a plastic bottle, and I'm yet to have found or tried a glass bottled Cherry Coke, but I digest (pun!)

This flavoured beer has the lovely essence of sweet cherries juxtaposed with the bitterness of beer. The balance is quite brilliant actually. It's surprising because beer usually has the ability of giving me a shudder depending on its bitterness, but not with this beer.

It comes in a lovely half-champagne, green glass bottle which is wrapped in a cherry themed paper. It really is something quite special.

The only thing I can pick on is its colour. It's on the darker side of brown / red. Like an off strawberry Ribena (I can't be the only one that's had it?). But I actually like the colour. And the taste. And the cool.

Cherry deliciousness!

:-)

Elky

Olympus Has Fallen

Gerard Butler is a buffed up spartan warrior who leads his men to victory / lots of death. Well that's how the film '300' works. 'Olympus Has Fallen' puts him in charge of the President of the United States of America's best men.

Olympus Has Fallen

Mike Banning's role is to protect the president, the First Lady and their son at any cost. He doesn't do this very well and at the start of the film he is demoted out of the team, and starts work at the treasury pushing papers, much to his dismay. We see it affect his relationship with his wife; he seems not to function without being out in the field.

As you may have guessed, stuff happens. Bad stuff. Banning happens to be in the (near enough) right place at the (near enough) right time. 'John McClane'- I mean Banning fights through hoards of baddies, who turn out to be North Koreans. Slightly edgy considering America and North Korea aren't the best of friends in the real world at the moment let alone the film one.

He fights through the floors of the 'Nakotomi Plaza'- I mean White House trying to get to the President (Aaron Eckhart) who is being held hostage. Banning's aim is to save him and the world (USA). Super clichéd awesomeness. I love 'Die Hard', so it is no bad thing that the two films are pretty similar plot progression-wise.

The taking of the White House is fantastically well-orchestrated and further control of various parts of the house are genius. Banning communicates with the head speaker and acting president, played by Morgan Freeman, through the president's sat-phone in a similar way to how 'John McClane' communicated with his cop-buddy on the outside of the building in the first 'Die hard'.

So many similarities including a rogue agent acting like a good guy similar to how 'Hans' did in the first 'Die Hard', awesome infiltration sequences, smart double crossing, and cool explosions. There are even humorous script pieces that made me laugh out loud, and had some overly Americanised members of the audience at the cinema applauding midway through the film (but not at the end strangely - USA! USA! USA!).

Is it fair to compare it to 'Die Hard' so much? Yes, yes it is. 'Die Hard' is a fantastic action film of the 80s/90s and stands it's ground to this day. Even the newest 'Die Hard' films haven't been able to come close to the brilliance of the originals. 'Olympus Has Fallen' has the core ingredients of a great action film with a typical storyline, but it does it so well!

Other possible titles they could have used:

'Olympus has been retaken!'

'Olympus does not Die Hard'

'John McClane-esque Gerard Butler's character kicks butt better than Bruce Willis did in 4 and 5 in funnier manner'

I still love 'Die Hard' and Bruce Willis, I only mock it for this reason. But 'Olympus Has Fallen' gives those action-film lovers what they've been wanting to see since after Die Hard 3 came out. Albeit without the white vest.

:-)

Elky

Dredd

"I am the law." The phrase you do not dread hearing from Dredd.

DREDD - You might start to.

Judge Dredd rebooted, or however else you might want to phrase it. Karl Urban is the judge, and he's back being the law and slightly above it, only this time with a female psy'd-kick. The rookie, Cassandra Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby, has a mutant power where she can read and interact with peoples' minds. Awesome right?

Dredd is asked to look over Anderson in the field for a day, as she didn't quite pass all the necessary exams that she should have. Obviously Dredd is not too happy about the underachiever joining the elite force of judges that defend the Mega City.

I know that Judge Dredd comes from comic book land, and therefore I might be missing some very interesting references in places but, this film doesn't do much for a character that could be so cool. Silvester Stallone had a shot at being the judge before and like the newer Dredd, there's something lacking, somewhere.

The judges are locked down within the Megacity 1 building where Ma-ma (Lena Headey) runs the show. She is the brains behind a big narcotics production line and has a huge army of residents who would do her bidding, because she asks impolitely.

Most of the action takes place within the building, and there are some cool stylistic scenes when people use the 'Slow-Mo' drug to slooooooow eeeeeeeverything dooooooown. The weaponry is also futuristic, voice-activated and multi-functional which makes for some explosive fire-fights.

So there are elements in place to make it a good film, but it just isn't really. Dredd doesn't do much talking, Anderson seems too stiff as a character and there is nothing really that memorable that stands out. The endin especially feels a bit anti-climatic.

More action outside and on motorbikes next time?

:-)

Elky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Charlie (Logan Lerman) writes letters. He has a pen pal, well a pen audience rather. He never receives a reply, but that's not the point. Charlie has had a troubled life, and the letters act as a release. It is within these letters that we hear his story told.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

He's a freshman in high school, which I guess means the first year of secondary school, but he's 16 so it's a little different to the schools over here in the UK. He hasn't got any friends, and the friends he did have from before no longer interact with him. He is portrayed as alone and is picked on by the other kids.

Patrick (Ezra Miller) has been held back in shop class (design and technology?). He is a senior who Charlie approaches at a football game after seeing him act out in class. He introduces Charlie to his step-sister, Sam played by Emma Watson. They go on a drive and hear a song which Sam particularly takes a fondness to. In the film, this song is 'Heroes' by David Bowie, but in the novel it is 'Landslide' by Fleetwood Mac. It is in this scene where we see the start of a moving friendship, with Charlie proclaiming to feel "infinite".

These friends are the ones who dub him the "Wallflower". He's a quiet boy, but Charlie sees and understands what's going on around him, apart from when he blacks out from stress-related occasions.

The story unfolds around Charlie's first experiences: his first kiss, his first dance, his first telling someone that a friend of his had shot themselves in the head the previous summer. Some of the things that the majority of people would go through at some point in their life if not in high school.

He is also introduced to drugs, sex, music, parties and meets his first girlfriend, which amuses and causes you to cringe at the same time. You see, he takes a liking to Sam, but it never really works out between them throughout the majority of the film.

It's a really moving story and the parts where Charlie interacts with characters alone rather than in groups really immerses you in this life. He does essays in his spare time for his favourite teacher Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd), makes mix-tapes for Sam, and helps other friends with issues they're dealing with, even though he has  big issues of his own.

Set in the 90s, it cuts out a lot of the things that make us less physically social nowadays. There is less about online and more about being in the moment and living life. Mix-tapes are an example of something that has seemingly died with the evolution of technology; no longer can you put a physical product together from a bunch of recordings off the radio. There's copyright issues and the fact nobody has a cassette player any more. I also doubt somebody will give you a mix USB stick.

This film struck a chord with me. I've seen some of the issues raised in the film as I'm sure a lot of people would have, but the nostalgic style in which it's told and the story that accompanies that style just gives it an edge above other films set in high school. It's a funny, emotional, positive ride through some of the best and worst years of life and that's a good enough reason for me to recommend seeing a wallflower's take on things.

:-)

Elky

Gangster Squad

I may have to go out and buy a fedora , a crisp new suit and a Tommy gun! Okay maybe none of them, but films like Gangster Squad really get your adrenaline pumping!

That shiz is gangsta!

The story goes that mob-boss Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is growing more and more powerful in the city of Los Angeles. He wants increased territory and power so starts pulling underhanded moves against his just-as-dishonest neighbours in Chicago and the West Coast.

Cue Sergeant James O'Mara (Josh Brolin), who is "recruited" (if you can call it that) by Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) for an undercover, non-LAPD-endorsed, ultra-sensitive, covert-gang mission (...and breathe). O'Mara is against Cohen's ruthless grip on the city and has shown it by breaking a few rules on his daily patrols.

So that's the Gangster Squad. Imagine Ocean's Eleven, but a bit further back in the past, with swankier clothes, less gambling (although it is featured) and many more Tommy guns and you have something which is very different; very different, but in essence, using a group to get back at the man with the power.

O'Mara or "Sarge", as he's referred to by his team of five, hit Cohen's dens, shops, bars, clubs and also his shipments, never taking anything for themselves but leaving Cohen scarred. They burn money and shoot his guys in the leg (they are officers of the law, they must uphold some of the rules; leg wounds are allowed).

The Gangster Squad are all men of the law; they can't be bought, and Cohen knows this. He gets increasingly frustrated as his empire is brought down around him, but he does manage to get his own-back on a few members of the group, as well as the people they care about.

It's all very predictable, but it's done in a such a suave way that takes the 40s/50s best bits and crams them into a feature film with drugs, guns and money. All major ways to grab the attention of an audience and keep it. The filter / effect that the feature is filmed in also helps reinforce the gritty and seedy underbelly of LA while glamorising the bars and clubs, and the music that accompanies them.

In conclusion, I think the next costume I get will be accompanied by a fedora; if I'd had that while I watched this film, that would have increased my cool tenfold. Perhaps.


:-)

Elky

Blockbuster

It's gone. Blockbuster was never a place I used to frequent when younger. I heard friends talking about renting films but I was never into renting; I like to own things.

So why do I miss Blockbuster? Well, there would be times of boredom where I'd go to one of the many within a reasonable distance to grab some bargains. They had a large selection of new releases of films, games, edible items, but also a huge number of old, pre-owned or ex-rental DVDs that you could pick up for a few pounds.

I miss this. I would grab a load of films all in one go and watch them over a long period on those dull days or nights. I found a few gems in those hauls that I still have, and I know exactly where they came from.

Blockbuster.

I visited the my local Blockbuster store a few nights ago. It was shut. They had been closing down gradually over time but after they went bust I guess I should have expected it. But what do I do to find those random classics? Or those bad budget films which I've had a laugh at on many an occasion?

Well, I don't really know. I had to go to a nearby supermarket, and their selection was very limited to the newest of releases, with their prices being closer to RRP than I'm comfortable with.

So what am I going to do now for my random film finds? Well, there's always word of mouth, and I remember as a kid borrowing films from the library, but it's not the same. I like that physical copy that's a bit beaten and battered that I could pass around to friends and family knowing that I could replace it with one of the other five that sit in the quiet stores.

Online killed the high street for sure, but it killed fun too.

Elky :-)

The Double

The best thing about this film would have to be the title. I think it sums up pretty well what it is about. That's when it ends of course.

The Double

I found an emotional scene at the end with an American Flag quite funny. America! I wasn't laughing at patriotism; I think that's awesome. It was the context that it was used in.

The Double stars Richard Gere as Paul Shepherdson, a retired CIA agent brought back to track an ex-KGB / Russian agent from the Cold War era, code-named Cassius. His appearance is unknown. Topher Grace plays Ben Geary (pronounced Gary; why American accent?), and is an FBI agent who is paired with Sheperdson to get to the bottom of this case once and for all!

So, there's a slightly typical story, with suggested twists and turns insinuated throughout, and a couple more added on just for good measure. The partners against crime go through old contacts and clues to track down Cassius' more current whereabouts. This means talking to his old group members, the 'Cassius Seven', or at least the one remaining member of them. This doesn't end well for him, but it triggers the first plot twist, where we get an indication of how the film will pan out.

To be honest, it feels as if I have seen this film before, which I haven't, but I have at the same time. This story has probably been done many times over, and this one tries to be different but in the end, turns out as you would imagine.

Apart from the second or third plot twist: the one added on for good measure. That's a new one, I think. It's all good, until the laughable closing scene.

A good one to watch how the title is such a good fit, but otherwise you've probably seen it already in some form.

:-)

Elky

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Ryan Gosling topless. Yeah, that's got your attention.

I never had a baby-sitter as a kid (or at any age), but I could definitely see how someone may develop an attraction to one. Anyway!

Crazy, Stupid, Love. A lot of Ryan Gosling topless images in search engines.

Crazy, Stupid, Love is about a guy who likes a girl and marries her, but then she stops liking him and so they divorce. It's slightly more complicated than that, but that's the gist of it.

Cal Weaver (Steve Carrell) meets a mysterious stranger called Jacob (Ryan Gosling) in a bar after said-happenings, and the two embark on a journey to... make love and listen to the music. A lot.

Throughout the film there are a lot of twists and turns in the plot, with some genuinely taking me by surprise (kudos). There's even a fight scene! This is the scene where I actually thought, "there has actually been a lot of effort put into this whole film to make the pieces fit together", and that isn't easy.

It's a love story. Well, maybe three intertwined love stories. Or perhaps four? There's a fair few, and they're all linked, and this is where I have a minor criticism with the film. During the fight scene, David Lindhagen (Kevin Bacon) shows up and gets involved with the tussle. It's moments like these where the plot seems to have been forced together for more drama and comedy effect, rather than naturally unravelling which detracts a little.

As I said earlier, I was taken by surprise by how things turned out. Obviously I was slightly biased with my thoughts on how it might; I assumed that there would be a happy ending, but I couldn't exactly work out how there could be with so much tension being added on with each character encounter.

I'd like to say there's a complicated love triangle, but it's more like a pentagon: son, sitter, father, wife, cheater, player, daughter, teacher, other father... okay more like a nine-sided shaped... love... affair. It's hard to explain, but entertaining to watch.

So, a story of loves, of heartbreaks, of soul mates, of game-players, game-changers, cheaters, parents, baby-sitters, teachers and a whole bunch of other stuff. I don't feel like it's a lazy film at all; I really feel like the subject matter might be clichéd and slightly flawed in places, but credit where credit is due, it entertained me.

"Hey everyone, it's just a divorce!"

:-)

Elky

It's Kind of a Funny Story

Why do Americans pronounce Craig as Creg? Weird. A bit like me. Anyway.

It actually is kind of a funny story...

'It's Kind of a Funny Story'.

I think I completely missed this film when it came out as I've only just recently heard of it. Well that and I don't think I would have paid much attention to the trailer when it was shown; it doesn't really look all that action-packed or gripping. But I have heard (or reheard) of it now, and I've watched it! Let me start from the beginning.

I watched 'Silver Linings Playbook' a little while back, reasons being slightly shallow. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper are hotties and Robert De Niro is a legend. That was enough to get me to watch the film, and I loved it. Really smart, funny, and a little bit strange, something that I've realised I find more and more interesting as days go by.

I don't remember how I stumbled on 'It's Kind of a Funny Story', but it seems to have grabbed my attention in a similar way to how 'Silver Linings Playbook' did. I wouldn't say it was for the cast of Zach Galifianakis (Bobby), Keir Gilchrist (Craig), or Emma Roberts (Noelle), but I think they're all pretty excellent choices for their respective roles.

No, it was for the slightly weird and wonderful real world that sometimes gets overlooked. I've been called "strange" a few times (this week alone!), but I guess that's because I embrace eccentricities from others and this shows through my character. This film takes a slightly dark topic: that of suicide, depression and of mental health, and pairs these subjects with everyday tasks that can get you down, a burgeoning romance and stories of friendships. This, all while maintaining a feel-good vibe throughout and somehow leaving you feeling a slightly emotionally drained.

I wouldn't like to say everybody can relate to the characters in the film but everybody will have had a moment of anxiety, stress or a conflict of interests.

Craig is a 16 year-old boy who checks into a hospital, and the story follows his interaction with the patients he shares halls and facilities with, and his family and friends on the outside. Over the course of 5 days he is helped to improve his outlook on life, and at the same time helps those around him to do the same.

"He not busy being born is busy dying" - Bob Dylan

The journey is well worth a watch as you feel an attachment to all the characters on-screen; there are flashbacks for people that do not even have a major role in the film, but it helps to create a greater context as to why they act a certain way towards the leads. It's funny how such a small story can actually have such a meaningful impact. 

The title sums it up pretty well to be honest: 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' is a kind, funny story.

Go watch this film! Embrace quirkiness! And then go and watch 'Silver Linings Playbook' as well.

:-)

Elky

Premium Rush

"Fixed Gear, Steel Frame, No Brakes."

There was a story to this film? No way!

Yes way. A film about bike messengers. Well, New York City Bicycle Couriers. I've got a lot of respect for couriers, I've had a lot of interaction with them recently, but that's another story.

So Premium Rush stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the guy from '3rd Rock from the Sun'. Anybody remember that? He was the one with long hair. He's been in a few notable films as of late; 'Inception', '500 Days of Summer' and 'Batman: The Dark Knight Rises' to name a few, and he's gained a big fan base for it.

We see a lot of Levitt's character Wilee on a fixed-gear, white bike with no brakes. There are many references to this throughout the film and it makes him and the bike seem really 'cool'. At least I think that's what the intention was.

The story goes that somebody wants something delivered, and they ask for Wilee because he's the best. There's gambling, drugs (references), human trafficking, police chases and bike-riding all wrapped up into a neat package.

It doesn't sound like it works but there is constant action, and the story keeps your attention throughout as it is slightly more original than your usual action film. In fact, the non-stop bike-sequences really made me want to get up and move rather than sit still and watch the film.

Some of the dialogue between riders is slightly cheesy like Wilee's ongoing competition with rival Manny (played by Wolé Parks), but it helps to break up the sequences into chunks.

Even if you're not a fan of Levitt, I would say Premium Rush is worth a watch. It keeps you on your toes and the script is entertaining enough to stay interesting.

There are even CGI parts where Wilee can see into the future briefly to map out one of three possible routes that do or do not result in his injury or death which are pretty cool.

Levitt even had a real collision with a New York Taxi during the shorting of this film, is that not reason enough to give it a chance?

In no ways a bad film, just lacks a little bit.

:-)

Elky

Fight Club

The first rule about... well I can't talk about it. But the second rule about... I can't talk about that either. The third rule that I can't talk about... is if someone says "stop" or goes limp, or taps out, the fight is over. The fourth is that there are only two guys to a fight and the fifth rule is there's only one fight at a time. The sixth rule is that there are no shirts or shoes, the seventh that fights will go on for as long as they need to and the eighth and final rule is that if this is your first Barn-Raising club, you have to Barn-Raise.

Fight Club. Shh...

The real 'Fight Club'

I saw the 1999 film many years ago. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton did a very good job and it's one of my favourites. But a friend of mine alerted me to the fact that it had all been based on a book, and that he'd lend it to me. If there were a rule about this, he would have already broken the first two.

So I started the book knowing what happens in the story, but not knowing how accurate the film had kept to it; it turns out, quick well.

However, even though I knew what was just around the corner (the descriptions and monologues that our unnamed narrator spouts are nearly identical to those in the film) I found myself gripped. I find it a struggle to keep reading while having to travel around on the London underground, but I found it more of a struggle to actually stop reading.

Without spoiling it, the story looks at our average Joe's life and how the introduction of a man called Tyler Durden changes it. There's also a woman who helps to change his life who goes by the name of Marla Singer.

We see how these characters interact in their own small, underwhelming world and how at the end of the book they become part of a huge scheme involving many other men.

Chuck Palahniuk, the book's author, creates this world of misery where everyday life is just another day counting down the hours on a clock until death. In fact it follows this theme of death throughout.

The 'Fight Club' in the book is an escape from reality until it becomes reality and we are put in the metaphorical front seat of a cinema (there's a reference in there) watching it all unfold into a world of trouble.

It really is a gripping read, as good if not better than the film (as most books usually are) and it's pretty short too, so there's really no reason not to pick this up.

The afterword is pretty enlightening too! And will explain the Barn-Raising reference...

:-)

Elky

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Swedish Version)

I've been meaning to watch the original version of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' since I read the book by Steig Larsson and watched the American version with Daniel Craig. It's only today that I've actually had the chance to do that though.

It must be around 2 years since I read the book and found it interesting enough to go on to read the second book immediately after. It's only recently that I have revisited the 'Millennium series' to finally read the third book.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Swede Edition
(It's not called this but for my own benefit, let's pretend).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Swede Edition

So it starts off with Mikael Blomkvist (played by Swede edition's Michael Nyqvist) in court being sued for charges of libel against big gangster boss-man, Hans-Erik Wennerström. This is how I recall the book starting as well.

The story then splits focus to three different topics; the Wennerström affair, Lisbeth Salander (played by Noomi Rapace) and Blomlvist's journey from the time he appears in court until his actual imprisonment  which is a 6-month gap.

Without giving too much away, Salander, who has a tattoo of a dragon on her back (who would have thought it?) and works for a 'Milton Security', is hired to do some digging into Blomkvist's background. It is for the attention of Henrik Vanger, who believes Blomkvist, despite his most recent negative media attention, would be the perfect man for the job of finding out about what happened to his grand daughter who had disappeared 40 years previously.

When I was reading this story, I found it quite confusing to keep track of everything that was happening. Maybe it was because of the translated text keeping all of the Swedish names of characters and places, but I didn't have this problem with this Swedish audio / English-subbed version of the film.

In fact I found it easy to keep up with, and that it kept to the book very well, which a lot of films do not do. I found myself guessing what scenes should be coming next and what should happen in them. I was surprised that I couldn't really find any problems with the way the story was told.

It even felt as if I had seen the film before, which I technically have done but that wasn't as true to the book as this was. When we are first introduced to Hedestad in the film, it was as if the image of the island was plucked from an image that my imagination had created.

All of the settings in the film were a good match to the ones that I had in my head, and the casting was pretty spot-on to how I had imagined the characters to be. Blomkvist had to grow on me in the first five minutes of the film, but then I thought he was actually a lot better than Daniel Craig's hot-bodied portrayal. Salander on the other hand, who is actually beautiful, is not exactly how I had imagined her to be, as she is described as being very short, skinny and resembling a 15-year old boy in the book (if I remember correctly).

However, the story moves along at a good pace, there isn't much downtime and it stays true to the book, so it's fair to say that I recommend seeing this version of the film.

Not to say that I don't think the American version is bad, because it isn't.

And of course you should read the book.

And then after you've done that, maybe read the second book ('The Girl Who Played with Fire') and probably the third ('The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest').

As a side note, there are some scenes in all versions of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' that could cause some distress, so tread with caution.

Elky :-)

Chilly, Chilli Chocolate, AMT and Me.

Apparently today, the 11th March 2013, is the coldest day in March since 1986. All I know is that it has been snowing on and off all day and it has been freezing cold!

Add to this the fact that, this evening, my train was cancelled and instead replaced by a bus service, I was in the mood for something hot to perk me up.

Enter the station shops: a pasty shop, Burger King, McDonalds, Wasabi and AMT Coffee. I decided since I had already had a Burger King meal for dinner that I should avoid anymore fast food and go for a nice hot chocolate instead. AMT wins!

To my amazement, I noticed that there was "chilli hot chocolate" on the menu, so I placed my order and waited for the gent to tip a packet of chocolate powder into a paper cup and continued to watch as he added hot milk and stirred.

Okay, so it wasn't the best production of a hot chocolate I have seen, in fact there was powdery residue on the inside of the cup, but that's not the point. It tasted good, and in that freezing cold was a blessing!

It was a nice chocolate flavour and had a slight kick from the chilli which helped to intensify the warmth it gave me. I would say that the chilli element must have been quite strong as my tolerance is quite high, so people that don't have such a tolerance to spicy may find it a bit much.

But to me it was just right! Thank you AMT Coffee for the Chilli Hot Chocolate on the coldest night of March in 27 years.

:-)

Elky

Kanye

Mr. West! Mr. West! Mr. West!

The Apollo with the oh-so-cool "Kanye West" headed entrance

Kanye West at the Hammersmith Apollo... To be honest with you I wasn't expecting to be at the concert as I didn't know he was even having one; my little brother had so generously acquired me a ticket to go with him. Well, it was actually because he had refreshed a page on his browser when ordering and received a second ticket that he couldn't sell on. Oh well, better for me really.

Cold as Ice

Two hours after the doors opened, West came on dressed in a straight jacket onto a square white stage and against a white backdrop. All white. And onto these white surfaces was projected moving images of Arctic ice-movements and ocean-panning. It was all very "cool" (punny...). He bounced around the stage to "Cold as Ice" to begin with and the crowd was really feeling it.

"Kanyeti" feathered mask

He donned a mask twice throughout his performance. The first being a feathered white "Yeti" or "Kanyeti" Mask, and the second a diamond-encrusted "Maison Martin Margiela" creation. It was quite strange to see and even nerve-racking at points where he didn't seem to know where he was stepping. It was however very different to anything I've ever seen.

Diamond encrusted "Maison Martin Margiela" mask

Energising the crowd

As you may have been able to deduce, I was in the seated portion of the Apollo, but this doesn't mean I was doing much sitting. In fact, the majority of the time that West was on stage, the whole crowd was up, out of their chairs, singing along, gesturing with hand movements and head swaying (it wasn't just me, honest). My brother was one of the dots in the front row. I can't complain too much about being up in the heavens though (which was quite fitting during Jesus walks) as I had a good view of all the projections, his musicians and DJ and could also feed off the energy of the crowd.

Flashing Lights

I would like to say that people got their moneys worth at about £70 a ticket. He was on for a couple of hours and did a mixture of songs, most of which I knew which was a plus point. There were a few dud moments like when he played an electronic synthesizing-type instrument quite sporadically, and his ten-minute moany-whiny "singing" where a song would end only for him to continue stretching out his "oohs" and "aahs" with seemingly no sense coming from them. I don't know, maybe the die-hard fans got it.

Thank you Mr. West

All in all though, I'd say it was well worth trekking to Hammersmith to see Kanye West, especially since it was free. I really enjoyed the show he put on, even with the confusing masks and one-man-band portions of the show. I'd recommend if he's in town again that you go see him!

:-)

Elky

Some of the Songs that he performed on the night were "Cold as Ice", "Mercy", "Power", "Jesus Walks", "Heartless", "Homecoming", "Flashing Lights", "All of the Lights", "Good Life", "All Falls Down", "Stronger", "Run This Town", "Runaway", "Touch the Sky".