Movie Madness Marches On

I have been going to the cinema a lot lately, this is mainly due to the fact that I have signed up for the Cineworld Unlimited Card - I pay a fixed amount and can go see as many films as I want and it doesn't cost me anything (Unless I want to see a 3D film then it's a £1.50 uplift or buy popcorn)

The last two films I saw were Stolen - the new Nicholas Cage film - now all my friends know that I love Nicholas Cage, however over the years his choice of roles has been, well to put it politely - Dodgy - but Stolen is is best of the more recent films he has made, good plot, good acting and a believable heist scene, in fact the way he and his accomplice steal the gold from the vault is genius - and that's all I'm going to say about it - if you want to know how he does it you will have to go see the film.

Also saw Hansel and Gretel - Witch Hunters this week - have wanted to see it since I saw the trailer, but have been avoiding the 3D showings as I am not keen on putting a pair of glasses over my normal glasses for nearly 2 hours. So finally got to see a 2D showing and loved it - great action and eye candy for both male and female viewers - all I'm going to say about Jeremy Renner is - YUMMM!!!!! - Phew sorry think I need to go and lie down now.

Loved the weapons, loved the action and even the gore wasn't too gory.

These are 2 films I will be adding to my DVD collection at some point 

I'm sure I will be off to the cinema again this week and I will be sure to let you know what I see and what I think about it. But of course that is going to be just my opinion - Why not go see for yourself oh and why not sign up for an Unlimited Card (UK only) You can find out all about it by clicking HERE

Comic Relief 2013

Last night I, like many other contact centre workers in the UK gave up my Friday evening to man the phones and take calls for Comic Relief.

What a brilliant evening. Gareth David Lloyd who is best known for playing Ianto Jones in Torchwood came in to keep us company, sign autographs and pose for photos.
The evening was an absolute blast and I enjoyed every minute.

Thanks Gareth, for being a great sport and thanks to everyone who called in an donated!!!

P.S. It's not too late to make a donation - you can donate by clicking HERE

The wonderful trilogy of Oz

It's taken 73 years, 5 directors, 2 Dorothy's, Wizard's, Glinda's and Witches of the East and West and countless others, but finally we know how the Wizard became the Wizard in Oz.

Have just got back from watching Sam Raimi's interpretation of Oz and I loved it - I have read some of the not so good reviews and frankly I don't care what they say.

Is it as magical as MGM's 1939 musical classic? No you would need Judy for that.

Is it is dark as Disney's 1985 Return to Oz? No but that is not a bad thing

But it is a wonderful prequel to them both - not only explaining how the wizard became the wizard, but how the Wicked Witch of the West became Wicked.

And there are some wonderful nods to the 1939 film. I'm not going to list them here because half of the fun, I think is spotting them.

With great special effects (okay it's all CGI but who cares) it certainly is spectacular.

I will bee adding this to my DVD collection when it is released along with Return to Oz - that way I can have an Ozathon whenever I feel like it

It took a lot of Courage, Brains and Heart to bring this new film to the big screen. And thank you for this and while it's not perfect - remember nothing ever is...

Even the wizard said, 

'I'm a very good man, just a very bad wizard.'

The death of the High Street...

...is upon us, the 2 photos below show a row of empty shops in Newport City Centre, Newport hasn't been a city for that long (City status was granted by the Queen in 2002) and already it is dying, I can remember when all the shops below were filled with great items and the centre filled with people, and it's getting worse, with Cwmbran shopping centre only 5 miles - and the added bonus that Cwmbran town centre has free car parking, many of the shops have closed completely or moved to one of the out of town retail parks.

 The shop with the white out windows used to be Dorothy Perkins (they now have an outlet within BHS) and next door was Burtons

Starbucks is always busy even though it is next to the boarded up  Westgate Hotel, the now closed clothing store Internationale and the soon to close HMV.

This row of shops is directly opposite the other photograph.

And this is just a small area of the town, there is work under way by Newport Indoor Market to improve the  facilities there, but the rest of Newport's regeneration appears to have grounded to a halt.

I hope the situation changes soon, but Newport has lost so many high street chains lately it is hard to image in changing any time soon.

While Cardiff grows Newport shrinks and it is a very sad time - as I have very fond memories of shopping in Newport as a teenager - it's where I bought my first Marilyn Book (in Blackwells - now closed) my first Marilyn videos (Woolworths - Gone) and many other things.

Good memories - and I hope that Newport recovers otherwise there will be no more good memories to be made - only the faded ones of times past.

Well so much has happened

Since the last time I posted - Adele one an Oscar for Best Song (Skyfall - great song and loved the movie), Daniel Day Lewis became the first actor in history to win 3 Best Actor Oscars and the Pope has resigned.

And me - well I  have been ill - so no photos or news, but am feeling much better now and hopefully I will be able to keep up the posting