Dec 30

Movies: 2009 Preview

We look ahead at the key cinematic treats that lie in store for 2009:

The Wrestler (January)

DS has had the pleasure of seeing Darren Aronofsky’s bleak tale of a washed up wrestler and can tell you that it’s pure brilliance. Mickey Rourke turns in a remarkable performance of fractured masculinity that’s up there with Marlon Brando’s performance in On The Waterfront.

Slumdog Millionaire (January)

The Oscar buzz is certainly deserved by Danny Boyle’s brilliantly structured story of a young Indian man who goes on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to reach the woman he loves. It really is a thrilling emotional rollercoaster that leaves you feeling exhilarated.

Frost/Nixon (January)

Outstanding performances by Martin Sheen and Frank Langella turn David Frost’s legendary interview of disgraced President Richard Nixon into something akin to a verbal boxing match. Ron Howard’s fim expertly builds the tension and you’ll be gripped throughout.

The Reader (January)

Bernard Schlink’s remarkable novel of second generation Holocaust guilt has been transformed into a movie by Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry - and is winning rave reviews Stateside. Featuring star performances from Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet, this flick is sure to shock with its stunning late twist.

Revolutionary Road (January)

Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet reunite as a couple in the 1950s struggling under the weight of their tattered dreams. The last time the pair sizzled on screen was in Titanic - and that didn’t fare too badly with cinemagoers or Oscar voters.

Valkyrie (January)

Tom Cruise as a Nazi trying to kill Adolf Hitler? After his legendary turn as a hip-hop loving, bald movie mogul in Tropic Thunder, we’re willing to buy anything he does.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (February)

Brad Pitt, under heavy makeup, stars as a man who ages backwards and falls in love with a 30-year-old lass played by Cate Blanchett. Director David Fincher’s movie, based on a story by F Scott Fitzgerald, has just opened to rave reviews and large takings Stateside.

Watchmen (March)

The trailers for this adaptation of DC Comics’ graphic novel have sparked a tremendous amount of interest in the story of a group of fugitive superheroes trying to uncover a sinister plot. Let’s hope all the legal problems don’t hinder this film’s release.

Monsters vs Aliens (March)

Could this be the year’s animation blockbuster like WALL-E was in 2008? The movie does what it says on the tin, featuring some friendly monsters defending the planet from an alien invasion, and includes the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland and Dwight Schrute himself - Rainn Wilson.

State Of Play (April)

Based on the BBC’s brilliant 2003 drama series that starred John Simm and David Morrissey, this big screen version stars Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck as the men embroiled in dark political intrigue. Those who fear a glossy Americanisation of the premise should note that the director is Kevin Macdonald, who called the shots on the impressively gritty Last King Of Scotland.

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past (May)

Matthew McConaughey stars in this Scrooge-style romantic comedy about a hedonistic bachelor visited by the ghosts of his spurned conquests. Jennifer Garner and Michael Douglas round off the impressive cast in the latest venture from Mean Girls helmer Mark Waters.

Bruno (May)

Outrageously camp fashion reporter Bruno was never as funny as Ali G or Borat, but Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedy genius and hopes are high for this mockumentary. It should be riotous fun if eye witness reports from the filming are anything to go by, including Bruno gatecrashing a Milan fashion show and the set of psychic drama Medium.

Star Trek (May)

Can Lost creator JJ Abrams beam the ailing franchise into a new era? The story explores the early years of the crew of the USS Enterprise and features Chris Pine as James Tiberius Kirk and Heroes villain Zachary Quinto as Spock. Prepare for a nice cameo by Leonard Nimoy as the older version of the Vulcan to tie events in with the earlier adventures in the final frontier.

Terminator Salvation (June)

Christian Bale tackles the role of resistance fighter John Connor in this bleak man versus machine battle set in a ravaged world in 2018. Fingers are crossed for an Arnie cameo, but at least movie legend Michael Ironside is guaranteed to show up.

Inglourious Basterds (June)

Yes, that is the correct spelling of Quentin Tarantino’s Second World War action drama featuring a group of Jewish-American soldiers called ‘The Basterds’ going on a Nazi hunt through German-occupied France. An impressive cast includes Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, Hunger’s Michael Fassbender and BJ Novak - best known as The Temp from the American version of The Office.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra (August)

Seeking to be this year’s Transformers, this escapist action flick will feature an abundance of explosions, stunts and hot totty in the shape of Sienna Miller and Rachel Nichols from Alias. Doctor Who fans can also discover what Christopher Eccleston has been up to in recent times, as he takes on the role of baddie Destro.

Zombieland (October)

Horror and comedy aren’t an easy blend of genres, but the omens sound good for this tale of a pair of survivors in a zombie-plagued world. Woody Harrelson stars as a fighter of the undead called Albuquerque.

Avatar (December)

James Cameron is intent on regaining his King of the World crown with this hi-tech futuristic adventure of a group of humans tackling a race of aliens on a distant planet. Sigourney Weaver hooks up with Cameron over two decades after their successful collaboration on Aliens.

via Movies - News - Movies: 2009 Preview - Digital Spy.

written by Dave \\ tags: ,

Dec 23

This is taken from a boards.ie post by a taxi driver:

  1. To avoid being refused,never tell the driver where your going before you get in,mumble something or pretend you didn’t hear him.
  2. Taxi drivers are not allowed refuse journeys of less than 35kms.If they refuse,ask them to bring you to the nearest Garda Station instead, this will change their attitude.
  3. If you hail a Taxi from the street,or a rank the 2 euro pick up charge does not apply.
  4. Dont allow the driver to take you a way you know is longer, the passanger is entitled to choose the route.
  5. You dont have to take the first car in the rank.If the car looks grotty or the driver looks,scruffy.walk to the next car.its your right by law.
  6. If the driver is rude or bad mannered,ask for a receipt when getting out.All the details of the vehicle are printed on the receipt.Please make sure and report the driver - 1890 60 60 90.
  7. Never allow a taxi driver quote you a price, all fares must be calculated on the meter.make sure he uses the meter espically if your travelling out of town!
  8. If you are over 17 you are responsible for wearing your seat belt ,not the driver.If stopped you will get the fine not the driver.
  9. If you feel sick sit by a window,if you get sick in a taxi it will cost you 140 euro,not worth it!
  10. When possible,choose a car with a company name on the roof sign,you are less lightly to be driven home by someone illegal or someone that has no idea where they are going this way!

via boards.ie - View Single Post - Taxi mans advise to joe public!.

written by Dave \\ tags:

Dec 23

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2009.

written by Dave \\ tags:

Dec 19

Chelsea v Juventus
Villarreal v Panathinaikos
Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid v Porto
Lyon v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Liverpool
Arsenal v Roma
Inter Milan v Manchester United

Matches to be played 24/25 February and the return leg on the 10/11 March.

via BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | Live - Champions League draw.

written by Dave \\ tags: ,

Dec 17

Come January, in the subsidiary provincial competitions right through to the national leagues, a three-tier disciplinary system will be set in motion. The aim of the new regulations is to allow the players that best use the skills of the game to be allowed to demonstrate those skills.

Red cards offences will undergo no change in the referee's rule book but seven additional offences will be punishable by yellow cards. These are yellow cards with a different result. The recipient of the yellow card will be sent to the line - at the next break in play they can be replaced by a substitute. The maximum number of substitutes allowed including regular substitutes at any one time is six.

This new yellow card method is hoped to punish the individual more than the team and thus become self-regulating through players and managers themselves.

The yellow card offences are

  • pulling down an opponent to tripping with a hand or hurl
  • deliberately body checking an opponent after he has played the ball away
  • bringing an arm or a hurl around the neck of an opponent on the ground and away from play
  • remonstrating in an aggressive manner with a match official
  • using a hurl in a careless manner, arguably the most contentious of the seven.

The black book will remain in place for many lesser offences and two black books will remain the equivalent of a yellow card.

via RTÉ Sport GAA Championship: GAA hope new regulations will reduce cynicism.

written by Dave \\ tags:

Dec 17

Will the Euro break parity with Sterling anytime soon. As you can see from the screenshot from xe.com/ucc that 1 Euro is currently worth 92p sterling. At this rate it might even break parity before the end of the year!
Euro vs GBP While all the doomsayers are saying that this is bad for the economy blah blah blah etc, I think its great and am off to buy some stuff on Amazon.co.uk to get me some cheap sterling priced products. And iff the ECB attempt to counteract this by reducing interest rates, then I win there too due to lower mortgage repayments. What I would give for a US-style 0% interest rate.

Thank you God for my tracker mortgage!

written by Dave \\ tags: , , ,

Dec 16

The new MP3 download service (link: Amazon MP3 Downloads) offers full albums from £3 and indiviual songs from 59p. And these are not obscure soungs from the 1970’s, these are chart and new releases such as Take That’s The Circus for only £3 and Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold for only 59p

written by Dave \\ tags: ,

Dec 13

A selection of snowy vistas from the safety of a warm house:
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I suppose this will shorten the odds for a White Christmas.

written by Dave \\ tags:

Dec 12

Poland could host Euro 2012 alone if construction problems persist in Ukraine, according to UEFA president Michel Platini.

In an interview with the Daily Dziennik in Poland, Platini sought to dampen speculation that the tournament could be moved to Germany, but revealed continuing concerns over the pace of work on the Kiev Stadium.

Asked about Germany, Platini responded: 'Only if the bulldozers are still working at the National Stadium in Warsaw in June 2012, but I doubt that.'

'Kiev is another matter,' he continued. 'If there are late with the stadium, then there is a possibility that Euro 2012 will be hosted only by Poland.'

The 2012 tournament has been dogged by speculation that work is not progressing quickly enough on preparing facilities, mainly in Ukraine.

In October, newly-elected Polish football federation boss Grzegorz Lato claimed that Poland would look to co-host the tournament with Germany if Ukraine failed to meet its deadlines.

That sparked an angry reaction in Ukraine, and relations were only repaired this week as Poland's Minister of Sports and Tourism, Miroslaw Drzewiecki, publicly backed Ukraine's preparations while on an official trip to the country.

'The Olympic Stadium in Kiev is being built,' said Drzewiecki. 'Despite the very difficult conditions, we saw a lot of people doing construction work and lots of work going on throughout the city.

'This mutual understanding (between Poland and Ukraine) is good for us.'

via RTÉ Sport: Poland may host Euro 2012 without Ukraine.

written by Dave \\ tags: , , , ,

Dec 11

Amazon.co.uk now have an MP3 download section. The good news is that their MP3’s are DRM free, so you can play them on anything and burn them as often as you like. Also, you can directly import your downloaded songs from Amazon into iTunes or Windows Media Player:

If you have iTunes or Windows Media Player installed on your computer, the Amazon MP3 Downloader will automatically launch the application designated as the default MP3 player and import your songs into your music library. If neither application is installed, the Downloader will simply save the downloads to your default Output Directory.

And because Sterling is rapidly falling in value against the Euro, now is the time to buy in Sterling. Follow this link: Amazon MP3 Downloads

Also on sale new and old Albums from £3
Thats on €3.39 for an album, beat that iTunes.

written by Dave \\ tags: ,