Saturday, July 15, 2006

Superman "Really" Returns

Since a Child, Forever a fan of Spiderman, Doctor Strange, The Punisher, The Fantastic Four, X-Men (all Marvel Comics & Characters), I was loath to be interested in any of the DC Comics offerings. I have no ideas why, it was a sort of Loyalty I suppose.

Then Christopher Reeve was introduced to me as "Superman", I remember listening to a reviewer on the radio saying in a slightly mocking voice that "He couldn't even see the strings to make Superman fly". I thought this was heresy and even though Superman was from the opposite side, I had to check and see if the strings were visible or not.

This was 1978, a time when the "Strings" would have had to have been coloured out frame by frame, by hand. This I had to see.

It was at "The Palace Theatre" on Blackburn boulevard where I decided to see the First Superman movie. The place where, as a Kid I had seen "Jaws" 27 times, "Star Wars" 13 times and Herbie Goes Bananas once, because it was shit.

I remember first the Titles and the Score. I was knocked out by it and was ready to see the big guy.

My life Changed. Really, it did.

Christopher Reeve was Superman, and oh how I admired the guy. How great he looked in tights, not in a pervy way, he just looked like he belonged in them. It was OK for this guy to wear his underpants on the outside of his Tights. He was Cool, Very Cool.

Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) was not my idea of a perfect woman (I was 11 after all), but I always admired Clark's Love for Her. I hoped that I would find someone like Lois one day (I did :o)


When Superman flew around the World and reversed time to save Lois, I cried like a good un.

I have never seen a Superhero Movie in the same league, ever.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Spiderman movie, Toby Maguire is great and it shows what kind of guy Peter Parker is.
Hellboy is another favorite, though I have never read the Comic, so what do I know.
The Punisher (which one) both of them where just ok'ish. I wouldn't waste time watching them again.
X-Men Very good, most watchable. Couldn't care less what happened to them though.
Batman, lets not get in to that one. I can watch them again and again. They are like Popcorn, I can shove it in, hand after hand. But it in the long run, it just makes me bloated.

SO

Last night I went to the Preview premier (or whatever its called) of "Superman Returns".

I didn't see any trailers before hand, I had no idea what to expect other than my Favorite Actor Kevin Spacey would be in it as Lex Luther. I have seen images of the new guy, Brandon? Someoneorother, in the Cape and Panties and reckoned I will be in for another shite Hollywood Offering. After all, they are just cashing in on the Name and what with all the big super hero movies that have been going round lately, who blames 'em?


The titles started, I could feel the hairs on the back of my teeth. I am praying to myself "Please be good, please be good"

I need'nt have worried...


Superman is BACK, and his name is Brandon Routh. That's it for you now kiddo, you are the man. You are about to become a household name.
Kevin Spacey is EVIL and Funny as Lex, he can never do wrong as far as I am concerned.
Kate Bosworth, unrecognisable as Lois and quite stunning.
Parker Posey as Kitty shows how versitile she is, vampire bitch from hell (Blade 3), to half witted side kick. I think the big time is coming for Posey and she has earned it.

Christopher Reeve , who I always saw as being Superman, more so after his accident, would weep with joy. This movie is for him.

You Have Got to see it, take your kids, friends, loved ones, a total stranger, go to see it on a first date. Just make sure you have had a Pee before you sit down, and take tissues.

I was 11 years old again, sat in the Palace.
I didn't look for the strings, I know Superman is real.

The gags, the story, the acting, the casting, everything is Right on the money.

Respect to Roger Mussendon and Ann Robinson for casting the right people for the job.
I am not telling anything about this movie, just go. Don't think about it, go.

Superman Returns, at last.

Monday, July 10, 2006

We Moved Home

2nd of January 2006 - We Sold our Home.

26th May 2006 - We moved in to our New home.

FOUR MONTHS OF STRESS!

During this time the whole family were trudging all our the South West of England looking for our new home, as our buyer needed us out as soon as possible, and we still hadn't found the ideal home for us.

We started off with enthusiasm about the houses that were booked for viewing that day.
After all we were in a strong buying position, We had SSTC "sold subject to contracts". By the end of each day we weren't so cheerful.

Our Estate Agent (or Realtor to some) forgot to tell us one important details that could possibly put us off the house being viewed.

Like the beautiful single story house with a very spacious floorplan, 5 bedrooms, 3 receptions rooms, 3 bathrooms, huge kitchen diner, double garage, drive big enough for 5 cars, a fully fitted annex and slap bang in the middle of Crappy Council Estate. Nothing wrong with Council Estates, I grew up on one, but there's always the one estate that no one will go near, it was this one.

Example: I saw a Policeman on the Beat, he came up to me and said "Sir, I would like you to accompany me to the Policestation"
"Have I done something wrong Officer?"
"No" He Replied, "I just don't want to walk around here on my own"


There were Dogs running around with legs missing, burnt out cars in front gardens.

There were so many Windows Boarded up with Wooden planks, the local Window cleaner would have needed an Electric Power Sander.

I surmised that the favorite movie for all the local 17-24 year olds was "the Fast and the Furious"judging buy the Street Jewellery (Vauxhall Novas, Ford Fiestas with lots of extra bits in and on them, like they had covered the car in glue and ram raided Halfords)

So we passed on that one, I am sure there were redeeming qualities and to be fair the neibours were very friendly and generous, I had no idea Crack was so reasonably priced.

Onwards and Upwards...


There were many more (Jane says she has shut them out of her mind, so can't come up with any examples, but I can)

:: A Dream home that had been on sale for 18 months, had lots of rooms (to many for it's size), all in the wrong places. Plus a tiny stairway with pictures hanging on the wall that we had to squeeze by without knocking them off)

:: A grand house on a hillside, the top of the house was the entrance, a clean and bright living area, kitchen etc.. Downstairs to the to Bedrooms, the Dark, Windowless, Damp Dungeons of Hell. There were no windows that side of the house as you would be able to see into the Slag heap next door.

:: The Beautiful Family home, with all the mod cons. Spacious, Light etc.. The Rear Garden was on a Slope so steep it, in winter it could be used by Freestyle Aerialists

:: The one where the old lady had died alone on the bedroom floor, and her putrified body had been found after 3 months. You know, without the lights on the stains were barely visible.

:: An Ideal Property, Everything was old and just georgeous, Big Garden, Massive Rooms, Motorway a 100ft away. Mind you, we were told that at 4.30 am you could probably only hear a couple of 18 wheelers per minute.


The list goes on, and on.


When it was time to move, we used a professional removal company, I couldn't recommend it more. They came to our old house on the Thursday morning, and worked all day to fill nearly two lorries with our stuff. Put it in storage until Saturday, when they came and delivered the lot in our new place. They worked hard, not stopping once until we had everything back, and in its place.

It gave us a chance to clean the place up before all the stuff arrived, rather than do the move all in one day.


So, here we are in our new home, 6 weeks later and it still feels like a holiday home.
There is lots to be done, but it's very liveable. We managed to decorate a couple of rooms and do the garden, that was so overgrown I wouldn't have been surprised if I found Sleeping Beauty out back.

Birds are singing, the neibours are all very friendly and welcoming and Me, 2 Dogs, 3 Cats, 1 Budgie, 2 Daughters and 1 Missus are Happy here. Just lets not move again for a while...