TV, movies, music, that kind of thing
It’s said that kids used to watch Doctor Who from behind the sofa. Well in our house, it’s not possible to get behind the sofa, so we have to make do. Jeremy watching the first of the new Doctor Who episodes. We watched the first episode of the new series. The special effects were pretty ... [More]
Vale Paul Hester. Pic: Ren Jonas / www.finnatics.de/Crowded_House/ Update 8:30pm. I first read about this in the paper this morning. It didn’t quite sink in until later. It’s one thing when a musician much older than you passes away… it’s another matter when it’s one who is almost your own generation, and at only 46. ... [More]
Somersault. Now maybe I’m going out on a limb here, since this thing won 13 AFI awards, but I couldn’t quite get into it. One of those films where you just can’t feel much sympathy for any of the characters. Maybe watching it on a small TV didn’t help, and maybe I wasn’t really in ... [More]
It’s 6pm, and you’re working back late. Outside the only shops left open are those such as the CD shop you have to run up to shortly to buy a birthday present, before heading to an evening co-curricular meeting. Then you realise that your trousers are developing a hole in the seat. Not a huge ... [More]
Is it just my imagination, or are an increasing number of concerts for established acts in the big cities taking place on weeknights – “school” nights to be precise, Sunday to Thursday? It’s like the promoters know they can fill a venue in Melbourne, any day of the week, so they go for the weeknights. ... [More]
There was a terrific picture of (what’s left of) the Monty Python team in the newspaper on the weekend. I know there’ll probably be a collective groan from readers, but it inspired a brief dream overnight in which Terry Jones came around for tea, chatted with my mother about his TV appearances, and agreed to ... [More]
I was idly flicking through the Comedy Festival programme this morning when I saw a familiar face: a guy I went to school with is doing a show, called “Run Nerd Boy Run!” So I read the blurb to Marita. When I got to the last bit: these two are treating life like an underfed ... [More]
Okay, so you might expect me to say so in any case, but damn this trailer looks good… Now… could our ABC people please pull their fingers out and buy this new Doctor Who series please? DIVX 4.5Mb MPEG 11.8Mb (Special thanks to those brave souls who put this kind of stuff online for people ... [More]
I finally succumbed to that iPod I’ve been covetting. Bye bye $449, hello 40Gb and my entire CD collection on a single tiny electronic gizmo. Uhh, that is, it’s a portable storage device… it’s a work tool, don’tcha know. For moving big files around. And for drowning out the ambient noise when I’m trying to ... [More]
Back in the late 80s and early 90s, when my interest in TV peaked, I spent some time procuring TV series well before their Australian debuts, courtesy of overseas contacts, twin VCRs and airmail. Thus I was able to see Red Dwarf series 4 and 5 only weeks after they aired on BBC2, albeit on ... [More]
Happened upon Star Wars: The Phantom Menace on TV while channel-flicking on Saturday night. You know, Frank Oz did the voice for Yoda. He also did Grover from Sesame Street. Have a listen to Yoda, and you can tell it’s the same guy. Just that Yoda is a bit more mellow. (When I pointed this ... [More]
(My regular Sunday photo will return when I’ve got organised enough to get this computer talking to the camera…) I love The Goodies. Along with many Australian Gen-Xers it was one of my favourite TV shows of the 70s (and repeats in the 80s). I’ve got loads of favourite episodes, some great memories. So when ... [More]
Sometimes I get blood noses, especially during the summer. One of those “I’ll mention it to the doctor next time” things. Occasionally it’s quite spectacular, such as recently when I got a blood nose in the shower. It was like my own personal Psycho. Yesterday I came out of the shower, dried myself off, went ... [More]
The Goodies name their favourite episodes (at least, of those released on DVD): After watching the shows again, all agree their favourite episodes are Earthanasia and The End in which the three spend their time together in confinement and without their often wild film excerpts. “Ironically they were brought about by the fact that we ... [More]
Quick reviews of recent DVDs viewed… Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Another one of Jim Carey’s interesting non-rubber-faced roles. Reminded me a bit of Being John Malkovich and 12 Monkeys, but a tad more confusing before you know what’s going on. Very enjoyable. Coffee and Cigarettes. An all-star cast, mostly playing themselves, in a ... [More]
Choose a band and answer only in song titles by that band: Paul Kelly (okay he’s a singer, but he’s had bands…) Are you male or female? Most wanted man in the world Describe yourself: I am what I am How do some people feel about you? King of fools How do you feel about ... [More]