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 :-)