Across the Blogosphere ...

I haven't created a post like this for a while. But, when there is some good stuff out there, you blow the horn and let people know. Taking a leaf from Andy Buckle's 'Links' Page, I'll first link to posts you may have missed that I have written before telling you others I recommend. A huge bunch has been written as analysis-posts for Man, I Love Film with reviews of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Guard, but exclusively on Screen Insight I have covered the American Pie trilogy: American Pie, American Pie 2 and American Pie: The Wedding.

Elsewhere, Ryan - of The Matinee - has covered extensively on the Toronto Film Festival. Last year I used his TIFF coverage to help me choose my own choice films from the London Film Festival - indeed, this influence will continue this year...

Kai has also been a busy-bee with his own coverage of the TVIFF festival in California. I believe that during his time covering this festival he managed to nab an interview with actor Mike Wiles (Fight Club and Magnolia to name a few)!

The Kid in the Front Row always delivers with some great content and, only recently, he collected together a bunch of articles he has written on The West Wing. I know he loves it, but alas, I do not. Which reminds me, Jess from Insight into Entertainment also placed up her Top 5 West Wing episodes. I don't like The West Wing - let's just clarify that again.

I have been absolutely loving the LAMBcast of recent months - specifically due to the Rants and Raves of the Week. In fact, if I tune out with the 'main feature', I will skip ahead to the rants and raves. The passion, the frustration ... brilliant!

And finally, Ben Cooper at Anomalous Materials wrote a brilliant write-up about his love for John Williams Schindler's List score. It is incredible and I only wish that more people wrote about soundtracks ... that reminds me... I really should do another Incredible Soundtrack post ...

Across the Blogosphere...

This week has been mental. First off, the ongoing internet crisis continues... I swear, it is such a simple thing why can't TalkTalk and Virgin Media (How can Branson be so smug when he can't even connect the internet!) just sort their shit out. I have had no internet at home for the last two months - and will continue for another two weeks, until TalkTalk send their engineer around... apparently (they have made this promise many times before...). Virgin Media on the other hand simply told us no-can-do... something about the street outside our flat, despite their website claiming we can get 'fibre-optic' connection. Ridiculous. Apparently a dongle is the key.

Secondly, I was in beautiful Bath for the last two days.

Righto - while I get the chance (I spend more time reading blgos then writing them... I guess that is the correct balance.) as I sit in internet cafe...

Mad Hatter finally watches Brief Encounter, he claims few people have seen it - I beg to differ - but it started a suprisingly interesting debate about the film between him and his wife. It truly is an incredible film.

That Happy 101 Award got picked up by a few folk - Travis at Movie Encyclopedia and Kai at The List - who wrote ten things that bring them joy.

Though I have mentioned The Kid at the Front Row (too) many times before, he watched Jurassic Park and Jaws at The Prince Charles Cinema. Jo and I were tempted to go ourselves - but we had both only seen the film in the previous month, and covered it in the Jurassic Park podcast special. Its great taht Kid reveals how great he feels Jurassic Park really is ...

That reminds me, I have to get a London Blogger Film Gathering organised ...

Favourite Film Faces #5: Emperor Zurg in 'Toy Story 2'

Having just watched 'Toy Story 3', I must admit I missed Emperor Zurg. Then again, I was glad the film didn't constantly 'nod' to the previous films - showing Sid as an older guy, showing Wayne Knights crappy toy store, etc.

I have no idea how Zurg would have fitted into the story without being a shameless 'remember this guy' moment, but one idea might have been to use Zurg as an example of a Toy that gets destroyed by the toddlers. Imagine the horror!

Fact is, the start of Toy Story 2 was incredible and, I remember how - on DVD - I thought it looked incredible. Ultimately, it still does look amazing.

On a side note, I can't seem to write comments on certain bloggers posts and, interestingly, The Kid in The front Row had a dilemma about watching previous Toy Story films prior to the third one. I was fully intending to watch the 2nd one prior to watching the third (having watched Toy Story in 3D on its rerelease) but, alas, some friend had borrowed it and didn't get it back to me. Upon watching the third one, I realised that the music themes were still very similar and I reckon, if I did watch all the films over a week - i would have got a little disillusioned and bored by the same-y music and same-y jokes and characters. To cut a long story short, if you have watched the first two loads in the past, you don't need to rewatch them before watching 3 ... until you have a shiney new boxset whereby it is, almost, a ritual. 

Across The Blogosphere...

First off, credit where credit is due - primarily to His Majesty himself - Fletch from Blog Cabins who helped me to cover all the blogs I love to read. I am on blogger and have always used the Blogger Dashboard and, obviously, that is exclusively covering blogger blogs - all the Wordpress blogs are a distant few clicks away. Thus, personal favourites such as Cut The Crap Movie Reviews and The List only get sporadic attention when I remember to check.

Nevertheless, Google Reader is 'my friend' as Fletch told me and I have now consolidated all my blogs into that list. It still might be a while before I have all the external blogger blogs covered, but so far, I am a happy chappy.

Links to check out then!

First up, the Kid in the Front Row has watched something at the Hackney Empire - a theatre only a stones throw from the school I teach in. He watched 'Staff Benda Bilili', having seen a documentary about them. He mentions how the audience was primarily white and middle-class - which jarred a little with the artists performing. I must say, when I saw the last Pantomime at the same venue in Hackney, I had a similar feeling - and it was made double-strange because the area itself is hugely multi-cultural with a huge afro-carribean community... the Hackney Community seem to be the last people to go to the Hackney Empire.

At least a year ago, the Alfred Hitchcock Geek explained the numerous parrallels art has with Hitchcock movies. Specifically noting how Edward Hopper influenced his city-scapes - this latest post on how Cezanne influenced 'The Wrong Man' merely adds to the incredible depth of Hitchcock movies.

Finally, for the football - or 'soccer' - folk amongst you, Co-presenter of 'The Simon and Jo Film Show', Jo, and presenter of 'Bournes Brain Baffler', Richard have started a 'Football Blog' called 'The Beautiful Game'. Its new and growing and is currently in the process of an overview of the World Cup. They really appreicate feedback, so football folk amongst you, get stuck in!

Across the Blogosphere...

In an attempt to become more prolific, I thought now might be a good opportunity to stick up some links to blogs primarily - but other such exciting things on the world wide web that I have stumbled across over the past week for you to enjoy. I can only pray that nothing gets repeated in the podcast but we do often find exceptionally new news for the podcast whereas this is more of a 'round-up' of the other chunk that attracted my attention.

First up, The Kid the Front Row found a fascinating video of Tom Hanks at a Sony conference - yes, he is smug but he is intelligent, witty and knows how to say 'contractual obligations'...

Second, so-o-o-o many people are doing this TV-meme thing, talking about favourite TV shows, shows that need more publicity, etc. Amongst them Rachel at Rachels Reel Reviews, Random Ramblings...Doorknob and The Movie Encyclopedia .... I wish I could do it myself but I fear I have missed the boat.

Thirdly, the LAMMY's are being announced as we speak ... for me, this is a great way to find out about Blogs I haven't heard about for whatever reason and follow them for a bit, dipping my toe in the water of their blog-ness. Award-winning blogs such as Invasion of the B-Movies, She Blogged by Night and Final Girl are some of the new blogs I am now following...