Transformers 2

I had a particular interest in this as Linkin Park contributed to the soundtrack, primarily with the leading track, New Divide, which I thought fitted in well with the film.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed in the film itself, it was way to long, I was checking my watch throughout the film, and waiting for it to end. Also there was too much time where the transformers were just fighting for no apparent reason, the CGI is great and it looks great, but it was boring.

Im not in any rush to see this again.

Donnie Brasco

I think this is a great movie, first of all the casting of Johnny Depp and Al Pacino is fantastic, Johnny conveys his situation so well, when watching you can tell that underneath his exterior in front of the other mafia members he is crumbling inside. Whilst Pacino is grasping onto whatever dignity he has left within the mafia. By the end of the movie the watcher does sympathise with both characters as intended by Newell.

Its a fantastic movie into the ways in which the mafia work and how Joseph Pistone worked within the mafia, id recommend it to pretty much anyone.

Buy here

Linkin Park - Minutes To Midnight

As a huge Linkin Park fan, I had high expectations for this album, which Minutes to Midnight has lived up too. Linkin Park have took a chance with this album, something I deeply respect and believe it has paid off for them. The album is more mature musically and lyrically than their past efforts as it deals with political and social issues skilfully and subtlely.

The album is a real mix of songs, heavier tracks such as Given Up and the heaviest they've ever written No More Sorrow, energise the album with fierce brutality. Whilst softer songs such as Leave Out All The Rest and Valentine's Day complements them yet still hold power over the listener. The album begins with the instrumental track Wake, which allows Linkin Park to show the listener that they have broken the sound with a more organic and developed approach than they have used before, which is apparent in all tracks until the album is beautifully concluded with The Little Things Give you Away, one of the bands finest moment.

The melodies album is sincere and beautifully crafted, and has been a breath of fresh air amongst all other recent releases which often lack proper melodies, they really have took the time to make this album special and have used as many tools they can from oboes, violas and pianos to blazing guitars and samples to add layers and complexity to the music, without it being over the top. A perfect example is the beautiful but not flashy guitar solos present on In Pieces and The Little Things Give You Away, that have been absent on past releases from the band. The music is then perfectly graced with Chester Bennington's vocals, which vary from beautiful melodic singing to vicious snarling and screaming. Listeners who are familiar with their past releases will notice the lack of vocals from Mike Shinoda who takes lead for only 3 tracks: Bleed It Out, Hands Held High, and In Between, which the band have been criticised for but on the other hand some listeners may prefer. But the music defiantly has his imprint on, he also provides Bennington with back up vocals on many of the tracks.

If you are going to buy the album, I strongly advise you to but this special edition, the package is just beautiful, the best I have ever seen. The cover is wrapped in linen, with an embossed LP logo underneath the slip case over the top. Inside there is beautiful art and photos from the studio alongside the lyrics. Also included is a DVD, which if you get the guys goofy sense of humour is both amusing and insightful into the making of the album and to the making of their first video from the album for What I've Done, its defiantly worth the extra money.

Minutes to Midnight is a huge achievement for the band, and I congratulate them for it.

New Blog Post?!

Im thinking about resurrecting this blog, I think itll do me good to write things down.

Anywho, I actually went to uni today, with good intentions, even though I started at 4PM today and its a Betts lecture, I just cant listen to her. Half way through the 2 hour lecture we have to go to another lecture theatre so Claire suggested that when the first half is over we just run away (like A LOT of people do when they remember how crap her lectures are). So we went to the student union, had a drink and chatted for about an hour. We've decided to do this fornightly since we don't have any workshop classes together anymore, feels ages since we've talked properly.

Shes also trying to convince me to donate blood next week, which I would but I faint so easily, I want to though, I think I might....I will if Laura comes with me to take me back home if it goes badly.

I really do hope that America does the right thing today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvXD-TmHWw

Guns and Gangsters (Nottingham)

I have now spent a full 24 hours in my new term-time-home. Its bigger than I thought it would be but the kitchens are crap, we have 1 little fridge freezer for 6 people. So I've had to buy a mini fridge for my room. The location isn't ideal either, its such a rough area, hoody and track suit-wearing gangsters all over the streets, I just keep looking at the pavement and don't listen to my MP3 player, also just around the corner is the local gun shop, with rifles and that in the window, we went to the retail park down the road yesterday and 2 men asked us where it was we pointed them in the right direction but I felt bad that I did afterwards.

Earlier today I walked down to rock city and the university, it was quite easy to get to.

People seems nice here so its ok, feeling home sick though.

Neighbours

MY POSTMAN HAS STOLEN MY MAIL, on Wednesday, he knocked on the door (got me out of bed so I was in a haze) and handed me a card to sign for a parcel, but there were 2 stickers on it meaning I had 2 parcels, he was only holding one, so I looked at him confused and he said he had left the other one in the car, sounding like he was just about to go nip and get it cause he parks on our road as he does his round, so I signed for them then he took the card off me, handed me the parcel and left, so I though ok he'll come back after he's done the rest of the street. But no, he didn't. I even walked up and down the road to see if i could see him anywhere, but he was gone. After a few days of keep missing him my mum caught him and asked him if he had it, he says that he hasn't and doesn't know why he said that to me, I'm going by the post office on Wednesday so I might ask them, see what they think.

Also my bank never rang to tell me that my stuff had got there so I went in today and asked them and typically it was there, so I moaned to them about not telling me when they said that they would, the man was nice though and activated my card for me.

I have now received a very long reading list, its only provisional so they dont want me to buy any books yet, but to get them from a library or something, Ive brought a little one, that looks quite good, so I can have a flick through when it gets here. They also sent me homework.

Ive just looked on the Neighbours website and heard the new theme tune and music, I dont think I like it, its trying too hard, and one of the new characters just looks like a poor replacement of Dylan.

And Im very happy because a bootleg video of the whole Linkin Park show I went to in May at the astoria has surfaced :).

Shadow Of The Day

I'm really impressed with Nottingham Trent University, I've enrolled online and everything during which they asked me if I would like to join the doctors, which I thought id have to go down there and find out about, but no, they've done it for me, and they've sent me the forms to join their surgery. On one they asked if I would like to be an organ donor, which after long consideration I've decided that I would like to do it, its a little scary, but I think, if I needed an organ I would be forever grateful to whoever's I got if I would be so lucky to get one. Also Ive had issues with setting up payments and that and everyones been really nice who Ive spoke to or emailed. And Ive been posting on a message board on their website set up so we can make friends before we go, and one of the psychology department teachers has posted to let us know that we should be getting our welcome packs towards the end of the week - something that we were all concerned about not getting.

I have a new bag, its amazing, its made from used juice cartons, obviously they've been sterilised and sewn together, I absolutely love it.

Unfortunately MTV have seem to forgotten what the VMAs are about, none of the awards went to the best video, none, they went to the most popular artists, it was ridiculous. They even had a "quadruple threat" category for people who also produced, acted, had clothing lines etc, who cares? this has nothing to do with the videos. They didn't air the categories that actually did have anything to do with videos such as best director or best editing. Another annoyances: the gym class heroes fool being there when Fall Out Boy won their award, which they shouldn't have I would have rather any other band in that category to win over them, obviously I wanted Linkin Park to win (whose performance was awesome), but I would have been happy to see the White Stripes win, their videos are generally quite interesting.

The performances were also a let down, Fall Out Boy were rubbish the singer couldn't cope, again like at Live Earth, he was just mumbling along and sweating a lot, Serj wasn't great either awesome seeing him with the Foos though.


The editing geniuses also didn't even include the full Foo Fighters performance, speaking of whom, Im looking forward to their new album, I wasn't bawled over by their last and The Pretender lacks something, I think its in the chorus, it needs something extra. However Im looking forward to Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace because they've worked with Gil Norton on it, who produced The Colour and The Shape, by far the best Foo album to date, hopefully he has shown them the way.

Another thing thats annoying me is Amy Whinehouse, Pete Doherty and all the other drug and drink junkies. I don't care about them, why should I have to read about them? I obviously don't read about them but it annoys me being there in magazines and newspapers. Millions of people suffer from addictions, and I bet most of them are in worse positions than these. And what the hell does Pete have to do to get thrown in jail?

Out and About

I went to Beaumont Leys Shopping Centre today, and I went in this shop because I liked a bag in the window and they had some shoes that match the purse I got from Dorothy Perkins months ago, its amazing, a totally different shop, its crazy. I also got some tote bags (one for only £1.50) and make up bags along with the shoes.

We then went to Tesco, ooo I got some bargains, I got some super black jeans, they look so good, and a vest top for £1 (haha), and I've finally got a diamond jumper. I've always wanted one but never found one with all good colours on, most of them have pink on them, this ones, black, white and grey, its so good. I then went to get some DVD-Rs and was deciding which ones to get and explaining it all to my mum, and this woman started asking me questions so I had to stand there and explain it all to her, she was grateful, unlike Currys customers. Then we went to get stationary supplies from the sale, which was rubbish and other stuff.

My other purchase was from a book stand outside, they had a Meg and Mog book, I used to love that book when I was little, and it was only £1.50 so I went for it.

Came home to find my CD from had arrived that I ordered, opened it, the case was cracked, broken and in pieces. Now, firstly I blamed the postman, but then my brother informed me that he didn't shove it through the letter box, he knocked the door and handed it to him. So anyways rang them moaned to him about it and he told me to send it back. He also said that they've had loads of returns because of people getting broken stuff (my brother brought a poster a few weeks ago, they had bent the protector tube so bad it bent the poster, he had to send it back, then when they sent the replacement the tube was almost in 2 pieces, the tubes are really strong it must have been done on puspose), and they suspect that with all the postal strikes they are taking it out on internet shoppers and organisations and smashing the stuff. Which if true, I think is pathetic. Also my postman is rubbish, he's grumpy drops stuff, throws stuff, leave stuff on the doorstep outside when he cant be bothered, and is so late delivering the post. However, I know that we do order things online, and do sympathise that their workload has increased since the growth of internet shopping, so we do give the postman money at Christmas, but still its all bad.

"Stay Back or the Ginger Gets It"

Today I finally saw Hot Fuzz, I must say, it was absolutely brilliant! I laughed so much, and I think its one of those when you notice something more every time you watch it so I can't wait to see it again, I'm going to wait to buy it though until it gets reduced from the current £13.99 price tag. Not to say it isn't worth £13.99 but I can't afford that for just one movie. Simon Pegg was just so good, especially when he decided he wasnt going to take it and brought the sun glasses, the cameos from Steve Coogan, Martin Freeman, Stephen Merchant and Bill Bailey, were also fantastic, I'm not sure how well the film will translate to non-UK watchers though, but still its a must see.

I've brought a travel bag for my Wii, its really cool, and it'll keep it all safe, I'm going town next week I think to try to sell my Xbox to Game, it says in store that theyll give £20 for them, Im not sure if they will but its worth a try then I can buy the Godfather game for the Wii. I'm currently addicted to playing tetris online, I need to buy it for the DS.

Also my Mum brought a CD from the Virgin Mega website, i was quite impressed by the service, it arrived no sooner, or later than items for HMV or play.com do, but it was wrapped in cellophane - which HMV lacks, and unlike HMV they dont annoyingly put a sticker on the thing they have a invoice sheet, like play.com, but theirs is better, because it includes a returns form, should you need to return it. Speaking of my Mum the crazy fool has already brought her first Christmas present for me.

Im really disappointed by the new Linkin Park (who are up for best group, best director, and best editor at this years VMAs) video for Bleed It Out. I think it was a great idea but the video didn't match the energy in the song, so it kind of felt flat, plus half the band are ignored.

I cannot wait until Sweeney Todd comes out, Johnny Depp looks so creepy in the movie poster, and it looks so dark, I think its going to be amazing, his hair reminds me of Edward Scissorhands.

I'm On LPTV!

I can't believe I haven't noticed this before, I watched it loads of times, but I was watching it and thought: "hold on, isn't that what I look like?" so I rewinded it and it is, ITS ME! ME ON LPTV! We're outside the Astoria waiting for the Linkin Park show in May, we look really grumpy though, but we had been queueing for 6 hours with another hour to go, so we weren't in the best of moods.

at about 3:55




haha brilliant

Pretty Vacant

I've been ill for over a week now, so Ive given in and took some pepto-bismol, its so disgusting. It's the price to pay for getting ill though.

I now have a domo kung, he's amazing, he makes me laugh, my Mum says he looks like a fish finger.

I've been listening to a lot of punk music at the moment, a lot of The Ramones, I've also decided that my favourite Ramone was Joey, then Johnny because he had the same haircut for 40 years. I never like Dee Dee Ramone, I don't know why though, but still fantastic band.

I was given a voucher for £5 off if you spend £10 at WH Smiths, to me £5 is a lot of money. I had to use it by wednesday so after I went bank searching, I went in and looked around. They knew what they were doing when they printed that out, all the books I wanted was either £20 or £7, I ended getting The Redemption Song, I've wanted it for a while, I love Joe Strummer, but it was £20 but o well, I got £5 off, Its really chunky so I think I might keep it and read it when I go to Univeristy, it'll give me something to do. Besides I'm still reading Jeremy Clarkson's and James May's books.

I haven' t decided which bank to go for but the people at HSBC were very nice and they're going to send out a information pack for me, when they get them in, and they told me to come back if I want and they'll go through it with me, nice people.

Van Hickey...and Ralph

My Name Is Earl was so good again tonight, I love Ralph, apparently Giovanna Ribisi is going to be in a movie next year about Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experient, I can't wait to see it.

I got another letter from the bank yesterday saying they can't close my account until I pay £56.02 so I had to go back today to ask them WHY CANT YOU JUST CLOSE MY ACCOUNT LIKE I ASKED YOU TO DO 4 MONTHS AGO? then I had to wait for ages and after the woman dilly-dallying they decided that they're going to put £56.02 in my account so they can close it. So next week I'm going to go down there and close my other account with them, I'm not putting up with this kind of hoo-harr.

The NHS has also been pissing me off this week (and last) firstly, my Nan was supposed to have a nurse come out to her and that but it wasn't organised or anything, so when she rang her doctor (who didn't even know she had had her operation, despite my Nan telling her receptionist very firmly after she was trying to get her to go down to the surgery) she sorted one out for her, from the doctors in Narborough, not the doctors she belongs to or the doctors in Enderby. And its so hard to see anyone even when they are your doctors, its ridiculous.

Then, she had an appointment at the clinic today in Glenfield, so my mum drove her up there, they got to the clinic told someone that they were there and the nurse told them that the clinic was closed in January, my Mum said "well no it hasn't been since we were here in April. why on Earth did they give us this appointment if they knew itll be closed?" so they had to drive all the way back with my Nan now in agony, its just so pathetic.

Best news of the day: mario kart is going to be released for the wii, with a steering wheel! its amazing! theyre also bringing out a gun thing and like fitness equipment so you can work out with you're wii. Amazing.

Libertad

I've finally got round to give the new Velvet Revolver album, Libertad, a proper listen. I like it, especially when its played loud, it gives the immense guitars more emphasis. It sounds more of a group effort than Contraband does, obviously because they were already working on it before Scott joined, but still.

Also I read and interview with Spinal Tap in which David St Hubbins says that: "I had my mid-;life crisis years ago, when I was 24, I think that's the time to do it: when you're young and healthy." I defiantly need to buy a Spinal Tap album, the This Is one, with Big Bottoms and Stonehenge on.

I keep shopping in Sainsburys and they keep giving me things who win prizes, I've won everytime, but I keep winning 2 for 1's or money off theme park/zoo entry tickets. Which is annoying because I don't like theme parks and don't agree with zoos. But I'd be moaning if I hadn't won anything so its ok.

OO and I watched James may 20th Century thing, it was so good, very interesting and James May was so funy in the old cars.

I've been cleaning/sorting out my stuff in my room so now you don't have to jump over things, I've found some stuff I no longer want so I'm going to try to sell them on ebay/amazon.

Worst of all though, I have started reviewing things on play.com, it started when I was looking at the beauty of Minutes to Midnight and the reviews there just didn't get the album, so I had to do one, now I can't stop reviewing.

Music For Relief

Being unemployed and no longer at school leaves me with not a lot to do, but I still seem to be always busy. Anyways, I'm watching some of Live Earth today, and as I have Sky I can monitor all of the concerts. I'm going to be honest, I'm watching for the music, I try to do as much as I can to prevent global warming already, don't get me wrong though, if they give me more tips, I'll do it.

I enjoyed: Linkin Park (obviously), Snow Patrol were good, Metallica were amazing especially Enter Sandman, Foo Fighters, Duran Duran, David Gray and Damien Rice, Beastie Boys and I will admit that James Blunt was much better than when I've seen him before on tv not something I enjoyed though.

I did not enjoy: Razorlight, Rhianna, Shakira, Corianne Baily Rae (god awful), Madonna (why does she need children with her whenever she's on stage?) Pussy Cat Dolls, Fall Out Boy (the singer couldnt keep up with the music and everyone was looking at them as if they were trying to work out who they are), Rhianna

After their set Razorlight had a little interview, one of them was making a good point and I thought yeah nice one, then the singer (the most annoying one by miles) cut him off, and started going on about how those who make it their crusade to save the world are his heroes. Maybe he should put down his guitar, unplug the mic and become one then. I really do detest this band.

When Snow Patrol was being interviewed Gary was going on about how bad he feels that when theyre out on tour they use up so much energy and stuff, and pointed out that "we're not here to preach" I appreciated that.

Shakira - I only watched a minute until my body physically couldn't take it anymore. I don't understand why she's popular, she just wails, the tone of her voice cuts through me. And its even worse live. Surprisingly her midriff was covered.

I was disappointed by Spinal Tap - it was amazing with the Stonehenge going wrong but I don't know, I felt let down.

After 2 songs into their 13 song set the fans at the Linkin Park set broke the barrier and they had to wait for it to reinforced.

The scariest thing of the day wasn't all of the information on global warming it was this when this kid was asked about going to the Tokyo concert he said:

"I came here for Linkin Park and Linkin Park only," said Masato Nakajima. "But I think this is a good event. If Linkin Park tells me to go eco-friendly, I will do it. Absolutely," he added. (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/286790/1/.html)

I also enjoyed Jimmy Carr popping up and inserting his cynicism in the whole thing "Why is it called 'The Globe Is Warming?' its sounds warm and like its a good thing, it should be called 'Impending Doom.'" Also Jack Osbourne was on saying how his family don't recycle and he's done research and that its actually not that beneficial, I think he's missing the point.

Music For Relief (www.musicforrelief.org, www.myspace.com/musicforrelief) is a charity project set up by Linkin Park, and helps those who have lost their homes or whatever due to natural disasters and stuff, its worth checking out, there's also tips on ways to prevent global warming. The people who run it are really nice too :)