RANDOM RANT- Taking Your Shot

Ever stared deep into your soul?

It’s not nice, I wouldn’t recommend it as a regular activity. What I mean by this pre-amble of course, is what are your dreams, your ambitions, how will you make your mark?

For many, they are happy to not think about that type of thing. I would know, I work part time in a convenience store. Talking about taking your shot and being ‘someone’ to many of my co-workers usually ends with them either going quiet or grabbing the conversation and forcing it into another direction. Working in a store is no-ones idea of realising your dreams. Unless you’re a masochist.

I will admit that I have little chance of ‘making it big.’ So what do you do? Do you either bury your dreams and ambitions deep down, hoping you will be distracted by life’s sideshows to not dwell on them? Or do you work hard, and see if you get your shot in the end? But if you don’t that’s a lot of wasted time. Better put your money on the right number, otherwise there’s no way back. If you don’t risk enough, you may as well have not played.

So there lies the rub. But if you get where you want, will you enjoy it? Will all of that time and effort spent getting there be worth it?

Sometimes, I think lobotomy is the only answer…

 

*I’m aware that I said this blog wouldn’t be a deliberately depressing experience. So here’s a video of a kitten playing with some yarn to lighten up the gloom…*

LARGE NOSE MAN- Chapter Two

What is this? A continuing story about a superhero I made up, Large Nose Man. I wrote much of this many years ago, so I have edited it to make (some) sense, although it’s just a bit of fun really. One new chapter up every fortnight!

Chapter Two-

“Wh-what was that?” stuttered Mr Alan Chovy, head of the fish industry, as he stared into the blank darkness of the alleyway, which he swore he saw something move (By the way, this chapter has nothing to do with Alex Kent in the previous chapter. But it is important. So read on!).

“It’s time you learned that the Doctor is the main power in this city…” said a man threateningly, as he emerged from the shadows, a pistol K67 in hand.

“You have to be kidding, the Doctor is no threat, and he’s just a madman who wants constant power…” Chovy said firmly, yet still staggered a little backwards from this new threat.

“He also has a team of deeply dedicated henchman, who wouldn’t hesitate in killing any man the moment the Doctor mentioned his name…” Interrupted the shadowy menace. “He won’t stop till he’s taken everything in this run down city, the fish company, the shoe shop, even the goddamn nuclear plant!”

“But I’m just a fish company owning person, I haven’t done anything wrong…” said Mr Alan Chovy, sensing that his predicament was getting somewhat more desperate, and was about to get shot.

“Maybe not, but you’re a very fishy person!” Joked the assassin. “Get it? Fishy!”

“Ohhharrggh, that’s awful! Please, kill me now, get it over with!” Begged Mr Alan Chovy.

“You could also say you’ve ‘haddock’, or that I’m going to ‘batter’ you silly!” Joked the assassin, rather cringingly enjoying his moment.

“You could say I need to get ‘trout’ of here, or that I’m in the wrong ‘plaice!’” Bounced back Mr Alan Chovy, with considerably better fish jokes. If you go down, you may as well go down laughing, he thought.

“No one makes any fish jokes, apart from me! Die! Die! Die!” Cried the (now rather annoyed) assassin.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Said the gun.

“Ow! Ouch! Ouchio!” screamed Mr Alan Chovy, in considerable pain at this point. “Make sure you tell the Doctor that someone will stop this…. a true hero…will save us…cough…oooohhhhh” he spluttered, as he had just been shot several times you see. I’m sure you know, just making sure.

“Heh heh heh…who’s it going to be? It’s certainly not going to be you….” Laughed the assassin, as he aimed his gun at Chovy’s temple.

And with that, the pistol K67 spat out its last bullet for the night…

*

By the way, I’m really sorry for all those fish jokes. This chapter just wasn’t long enough without them…

*

First Chapter can be found here-

http://ebtksonline.blogspot.com/2009/11/large-nose-man-chapter-one.html

FILM REVIEW- Me and Orson Welles

Me and Orson Welles (12A)

Or should that just be ‘Orson Welles?’

Where? At Empire, Tower Park

Plot?

A look through young actor Richard (Efron) perspective of working with the great Orson Welles on his 1937 stage adaptation of Julius Caesar.

Thoughts?

Mentioning Orson Welles in a conversation you get either a reaction of admiration or a squinty eyed haze of confusion. Depending on who you’re talking to.

The younger crowd for example, may have heard of Welles masterpiece, Citizen Kane, but there’s next to no chance they’ve actually seen it.

So getting Zac Efron, High School Musical’s clean faced star and instigator of swooning young girls everywhere, to star in a film about Welles is odd indeed.

He may be pushed up on centre stage here, and get the most screen time, but Efron is well and truly upstaged by Christain McKay as Welles.

Booming, manic and with eyes that twinkle with a near terrifying enthusiasm and drive McKay keeps your interest through the films quiet periods.

And with slack storytelling these moments are numerous, with the film very much one you need to relax into like a hot bath, director Linkater effortlessly creating a period setting much like he did in Dazed and Confused, his ode to the 70’s.

Despite characters and the performances pushing the film along Efron is a little weak in striking up convincing chemistry with Claire Danes, and does little to persuade you he can really do true dramatic acting yet.

But being in this film shows he is willing to push himself, and the next few films he takes on should be watched with interest.

The other supporting players all work hard to make an impression, with James Tupper savouring his role of a slimy but somehow lovable womaniser alongside Leo Bill as Norman Lloyd, with both managing to strike up some of the films best lines.

The fact this took a year to find a distributor is saddening. It might not win over huge audiences but it will fascinate a lucky few. And if it persuades some of those young bloods to explore Welles back catalogue then this is a film that should be applauded.

Verdict? Linkater has made an unconventional story work against the odds through strong performances and a subtle script. (4/5)

The trailer…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTofKi1XUJM

VIDEOGAME FEATURE- Feature on Old Computer Games Event

Here is a 3 minute video I knocked up on the Old Computer Games Event in Christchurch a few weeks ago.

Mike Molesworth was kind enough to give me an interview, and talked to me about the event and gaming as part of the entertainment industry. Thanks Mike!

A summary of the event can be found on the Bournemouth Echo website, see here-http://events.bournemouthecho.co.uk/events/disp.asp?i=312805