Film Review - "Monster-In-Law"

Monster-In-Law was a film in three parts - bad, better, bad. In the first third, everything was very predictable. The only good character was Ruby (Wanda Sykes), she got all the good lines and was the only one who wasn't boringly predictable. The next third starts when Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) discovers what her soon to be mother-in-law, Viola (Jane Fonda), is up to. This bit was rather entertaining for a brief period, but it was all too quickly over and the film degenerated back into the old predictable jokes. There was another brief interlude of entertainment when Viola's mother-in-law, Gertrude (Elaine Stritch), turned up, but again this was all too brief and the film disintegrated completely after this.

My rating: 3/10

Banning Baseball Caps

I saw in the news that the Bluewater shopping centre (in Kent) have decided to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Good. There new rules include:

• No smoking


• No leafleting


• No canvassing


• No swearing


• No clothing which deliberately obscures the face such as hooded tops and baseball caps

No baseball caps? That's crazy! I can understand the other points. They can be annoying and unpleasant. But what is wrong with baseball caps and hooded tops? The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, says they are "part of an intimidating uniform". Surely there is nothing intimidating about a baseball cap. People wearing them can be intimidating, but so can people who wear trainers, jeans, even suits! Where does this stop?

Film Review - "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

All day at work, people had been telling me how good it was and I'd read the book a few years ago and loved it, so I had very high hopes for this film. Unfortunately, I have to say I was slightly disappointed. Maybe I was just expecting too much. From the very beginning it was clear that they were cutting some of the best bits out of the book. I suppose they've got to cut a lot out just to fit it in for time.

As for the characters, I was pleased with Marvin and Arthur in particular. Zaphod's character was good, but in the book I recall his two heads as being side-by-side, but in the film, one is kinda burried in his neck! I suppose it saved a lot of money in special effects, but it did spoil it a bit for me.

I wonder if they'll make the other parts of the book into films? My book has four parts in it, but one of my friends book's has five! This film was only the first part. They've certainly left it open so they can do a sequel, but I suppose it'll depend on how successful this film turns out.

My rating: 6/10

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Election 2005 - Labour win!

It's a 'historic third term' for Labour (that's how the media keep referring to it). I don't think anyone can be too surprised. They've lost around 47 seats (there's still a couple left to declare last time I checked) but still have a majority of 66. Everyone's talking about it as if that's too small to work very well, but someone said that Margaret Thatcher had a majority of about 44 once and she managed ok! I suppose it just means that the 'rebels' will be a bit more influential.

I wonder what will happen before the next General Election. We will have a new Conservative leader (Michael Howard has announced he is stepping down). Tony Blair has said he would like to do another full term, though I suspect that Gordon Brown may take over after two or three years. As for Charles Kennedy, who can say? I think they might have a change in two or three years as well - give the new person time to get settled in before the next General Election. So, if I'm right, it'll be 'all change!' for next time and the political scene could be somewhat different!