Speed Racer

FILM:
Speed Racer
DATE:
25 / 05 / 2008
TIME:
17:15pm
LOCATION:
AMC, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
6.5
COMMENTS:
As you might expect, this is no Matrix. If you have seen the trailer then it’s pretty much more of the same but doesn’t really have any great set pieces to speak of since all the animation is CGI and tends to merge into one hazy, colorful memory by the next day. OK but not great.

Iron Man - 01/05/2008

FILM:
Iron Man
DATE:
01 / 05 / 2008
TIME:
19:00pm
LOCATION:
PrintWorks, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
8.0
COMMENTS:
A more thoughtful super hero outing making the Fantastic Four look lame by comparison. This is also reflected by the fact the cast is 2 (or 3) notches up on that film also. Robert Downey Jr. is excellent as Iron Man and is joined by Jeff Bridges as his nemesis and Gwyneth Paltrow as his secretary and love interest. Interestingly in this movie, none of the set pieces quite match the gusto of say Spiderman 2 and yet unlike most hero movies, watching the in-betweens is just as much fun with all players giving it their all. The effects when Downey changes into his iron man costume are excellent and just as entertaining as when he flies off to the next set-piece.

MediaCity:UK Salford Quays Webcam - April 30th 2008

Attended EBUG 2008 in Vienna - 22/04/08

Emerald Casino Resort, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng

Emerald Casino Resort, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, originally uploaded by NonStop Mark.

Attended the Southern African Tandem User Group (SATUG) between 18th and 21st February 2008 and stayed at the Emerald Casino Resort, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng.

http://www.mawhitfield.com/holidays/satug2008web/index.html

MediaCity:UK Salford Quays WebCam : April 2008

MediaCity:UK Salford Quays WebCam : April 2008, originally uploaded by NonStop Mark.

MediaCity:UK Salford Quays WebCam : April 2008

MediaCity:UK Salford Quays : April 2008 : The boats come in on MediaCity:UK. The Trafford Centre and Chill Factor slope in the background.

www.mawhitfield.co.uk/mcuk.htm

www.linkedin.com/in/markwhitfield

No Country For Old Men

FILM:
No County For Old Men
DATE:
20 / 03 / 2008
TIME:
17:15pm
LOCATION:
Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
8.0
COMMENTS:
A slow-paced, gripping film which has you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what’s coming next whilst making you a little fearful of it at the same time. Both the central character (Josh Brolin) and his pursuer (Javier Bardem) are both good especially Javier who creates a a rather scary persona who absolutely steals the movie and has you feeling sorry for his victims. I scored it an 8 as the ending leaves you a little short changed and Tommy-Lee is always a few frames too late to catch up with either character and so does not really get involved in the main plot.

Be Kind Rewind

FILM:
Be Kind Rewind
DATE:
14 / 03 / 2008
TIME:
20:30pm
LOCATION:
Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
6.5
COMMENTS:
This film neither hits as a comedy or as a touching tale of a small video shop trying to survive in the modern era. It’s a movie of 3 parts; a zany beginning which gives Jack Black a moment to do his usual mad cap antics, a middle section which is the duo doing classic modern films on a budget and the last third which is supposed to be a heartfelt ending. Since it doesn’t major in either department, by the time the ending comes your left feeling rather confused. Likeable but not memorable.

Knowsley Safari Park : 22/03/2008

Rambo

FILM:
Rambo
DATE:
07 / 03 / 2008
TIME:
19:00pm
LOCATION:
AMC, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
7.5
COMMENTS:
It is fair to say that no installment will be as good as the first in the same way as the Die Hard series. This installment however, is gripping and keeps you glued throughout with realistic action sequences almost in the style of Saving Private Ryan but with considerably more blood and gore. Stallone is obviously looking to put right the franchise and the character he created on-screen in the same way he did for Rocky with the 6th installment. I think he manages for the best part but some more character interplay would have been welcome.

Jumper

FILM:
Jumper
DATE:
15 / 02 / 2008
TIME:
18:40pm
LOCATION:
Trafford Centre, MANCHESTER
FILM (out of 10):
5.0
COMMENTS:
When a film is billed as Bourne meets The Matrix, two of the best film franchises of the last few years, there is only one place to go. This film is very disappointing and doesn’t have the originality or style of either of the above. Take in plenty of popcorn as you will need a distraction.

Cortez Kendal : 01/2008

Jade Garden, Ambleside : 01/2008

Dara O'Briain : Lowry Centre 27/04/2008

Sean Lock : Lowry Centre : 09/12/2007

Walk Hard

Despite the actors and the idea, this movie fails to deliver on humour for the most part. The best bit is a parody of The Beatles half way through with Jack Black doing a lousy Paul McCartney impression. It left me feeling I wanted more Beatles and less Dewy Cox. It still remains likeable but not laden with belly laughs.

Balls of Fury

There are dull comedies, laugh fests and smirk fests. This was a smirk fest. No real belly laughs but reasonably entertaining from beginning to end and certainly not the worst movie I’ve started the year with. It was either this or ‘I Am Legend’, a serious movie with a comedy star, it wasn’t an easy choice.

Bee Movie

Alas it has all been done before but better with such CGI outings as ANTZ and Bugs Life. The visuals especially inside the bee hive, were very imaginative but the script itself wasn’t that inspired given the involvement of Seinfeld. I heard that the part of Chris Rock was expanded and was the best part in the movie. Interesting then that this part still takes up less than 5 minutes of the movie. The kids may enjoy it but then they may enjoy Toy Story more.

Planet Terror

The trailer that leads into the movie ‘Machete’ risks acting as a spoiler in the sense that it sends up beautifully all those straight to video, trashy action films that are advertised at the beginning of a rented video. Nonetheless, it sets the flavor for the rest of the movie which has you looking forward to every frame even though by the end, you feel as though it never quite reaches the heights the start promises so much. Still better than average though.

Shoot 'Em Up

This is definitely a ‘love it or hate it movie’ and I fall into the latter category alas as I didn’t think it worked on any level including any cartoon parody. The acting was borderline apart from the villain (Paul Giamatti). The action fell short of any other action movie and the set pieces were worse than unoriginal, they were just dull. Unoriginal but good I could have tolerated.

Media City : UK (MC : UK) Salford Quays BBC

Media City : UK (MC:UK) in Salford Quays. The latest pictures from September 22nd 2007.

The Blue Planet Aquarium