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CHILLFILTR (46 KP) rated Electric Light by James Bay in Music
Jun 5, 2019 (Updated Jun 5, 2019)
https://chillfiltr.com/blog/2019/5/24/james-bay-bad
Bad is the latest single from Electric Light, which is the latest studio album by British singer-songwriter James Bay. He took the world by storm in 2014 when his EP Let It Go debuted on the iTunes album top 10.
Since then, he has shared the stage with Ed Sheeran, performed on the Burberry runway, and toured with Hozier: his star is certainly on the rise, while his classic combination of angelic falsetto and crush-worthy good looks will continue to bring adoring new fans to his side. Produced by Dan Wilson, Bad quickly became a fan favorite after a recent US headline tour this spring. It features the melancholic soul of his powerful tenor voice, as well as a stripped-down roots vibe from the rhythm section that leaves the vulnerability intact - we are left with the painful residue of a tough situation.
Bay says of the track:
'I wanted to be honest about some of my own stories and other stories I was being pulled into. Bad is a break up song, it’s just not my break up.'
Bad is the latest single from Electric Light, which is the latest studio album by British singer-songwriter James Bay. He took the world by storm in 2014 when his EP Let It Go debuted on the iTunes album top 10.
Since then, he has shared the stage with Ed Sheeran, performed on the Burberry runway, and toured with Hozier: his star is certainly on the rise, while his classic combination of angelic falsetto and crush-worthy good looks will continue to bring adoring new fans to his side. Produced by Dan Wilson, Bad quickly became a fan favorite after a recent US headline tour this spring. It features the melancholic soul of his powerful tenor voice, as well as a stripped-down roots vibe from the rhythm section that leaves the vulnerability intact - we are left with the painful residue of a tough situation.
Bay says of the track:
'I wanted to be honest about some of my own stories and other stories I was being pulled into. Bad is a break up song, it’s just not my break up.'
David (771 KP) rated Hey Duggee in TV
Jan 20, 2018
Pre-school programme (suitable for adults too)
"I wonder what Duggee has planned for you today"Follow the Squirrels (group of 5 children) on their adventures with Squirrel group leader, Duggee (Large brown dog, breed unknown) who awards them a different badge at the end of each episode relating to what they have learnt or been doing. The situations and characters they encounter are very funny and have humour in for the adults. The music and songs are fantastic and very catchy (The stick song, need I say more). The narration from the very British Alexander Armstrong completes this modern children's cartoon that is both educational and fun, teaching kids that the outside world is an exciting place and to respect and love each other regardless of how different we all are.
Favourite episodes of mine (*cough* and my 2 year old daughter):
The tadpole badge
The acorn badge
The paddling pool badge
The stick badge
The omelette badge
I could go on but would end up listing every episode. Get your kids, grandkids, cousins, nieces and nephews watching, they will thank you for it, "Ah....woof!"
Favourite episodes of mine (*cough* and my 2 year old daughter):
The tadpole badge
The acorn badge
The paddling pool badge
The stick badge
The omelette badge
I could go on but would end up listing every episode. Get your kids, grandkids, cousins, nieces and nephews watching, they will thank you for it, "Ah....woof!"
Awix (3310 KP) rated Sightseers (2012) in Movies
Mar 8, 2018
Extremely offbeat study in British eccentricity works better as a very black comedy than a horror movie, but the level of gore suggests it really wants to be the latter; animal lovers may want to look away at some points, too. New-minted couple embark on caravan tour/erotic odyssey around northern England and manage to find time for a little light serial killing, too.
Attention to detail and atmosphere mean that this is a consistently funny film, with great performances from the two leads - it's really much more about their relationship than the campaign of bloody slaughter which ends up becoming a significant element of their holiday. This is excruciatingly well-observed and in some ways rather more disturbing than watching various characters get their heads smashed in. Micro-budget nature of the film is never in doubt, but also never really a problem. The ending is a bit arbitrary and abrupt, but not to the point where it's a major flaw in the film. By anyone's standards but Ben Wheatley's, this would be a fairly extraordinary little film, but for this director the extraordinary is actually fairly ordinary.
Attention to detail and atmosphere mean that this is a consistently funny film, with great performances from the two leads - it's really much more about their relationship than the campaign of bloody slaughter which ends up becoming a significant element of their holiday. This is excruciatingly well-observed and in some ways rather more disturbing than watching various characters get their heads smashed in. Micro-budget nature of the film is never in doubt, but also never really a problem. The ending is a bit arbitrary and abrupt, but not to the point where it's a major flaw in the film. By anyone's standards but Ben Wheatley's, this would be a fairly extraordinary little film, but for this director the extraordinary is actually fairly ordinary.
When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder. Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it. The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both. But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty. When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover. What might it be?
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated On Chesil Beach (2018) in Movies
Jun 1, 2018
Bleak British Repressed Sexuality a Go Go!
Handsomely mounted BBC film starts off looking like many another period-set literary adaptation, then turns into something rather different. Newlyweds Edward and Florence are on the brink of their wedding night; both are nervous, and struggling with the expectations society and their upbringing has placed upon them. (The fact that society hasn't bothered to educate them in the slightest about what can, or should, go on in the bedroom really doesn't help on this voyage into, or possibly out of, virgin territory.) Not all goes to plan; a small but genuine tragedy unfolds.
Not the kind of film you walk home from whistling, unless you're some kind of militant celibacy advocate, but an undeniably fine one (or so it seems to me): very good performances from the young stars, and well-judged direction. Initially the film seems like a slightly dark comedy-drama of manners (the excruciating scenes of people failing to have sex are very awkward to watch), but it develops into something profoundly moving and deeply sad before the end. Thank God for the permissive society.
Not the kind of film you walk home from whistling, unless you're some kind of militant celibacy advocate, but an undeniably fine one (or so it seems to me): very good performances from the young stars, and well-judged direction. Initially the film seems like a slightly dark comedy-drama of manners (the excruciating scenes of people failing to have sex are very awkward to watch), but it develops into something profoundly moving and deeply sad before the end. Thank God for the permissive society.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Hot Fuzz (2007) in Movies
Aug 24, 2018
Hilarious
I've re-watched this again recently and it's just as funny now as it was when I first saw it in the cinema.
It's hilarious, full of wit and British humour. Not only is it a brilliant comedy, it's a great action and mystery flick too. The pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost works as well here as it did in Shaun of the Dead, and there's a great supporting cast in Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine and the rest, including those blink and you'll miss it cameos.
Whilst I work for a large urban police force, there are a lot of areas of policing I recognise in this film, which for me makes it even funnier watching it back. From having to bring cake (bribes) in for colleagues, to the old school Vauxhall cars, office banter and the more onerous side of policing, they really have done their research. Although I can safely say I've never met an officer quite as dedicated as Angel! But I do reckon a lot of our new recruits have the same view of policing as Danny does...
Such an entertaining film that doesn't get old.
It's hilarious, full of wit and British humour. Not only is it a brilliant comedy, it's a great action and mystery flick too. The pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost works as well here as it did in Shaun of the Dead, and there's a great supporting cast in Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine and the rest, including those blink and you'll miss it cameos.
Whilst I work for a large urban police force, there are a lot of areas of policing I recognise in this film, which for me makes it even funnier watching it back. From having to bring cake (bribes) in for colleagues, to the old school Vauxhall cars, office banter and the more onerous side of policing, they really have done their research. Although I can safely say I've never met an officer quite as dedicated as Angel! But I do reckon a lot of our new recruits have the same view of policing as Danny does...
Such an entertaining film that doesn't get old.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Moonlight Masquerade (London Encounters, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
In times of war people have been known to go to drastic measures. Where will loyalties lie when the truth comes out?
Mr. McKinnon, or rather Rees Phillips, has been sent as a butler, a spy, into the house of Lady Céline Wexham. Céline is a French émigré who is most likely a spy herself. Although as he gets to know her his loyalty to his homeland falters. It is 1813 and word has it that Bonaparte will soon be conquered. The royalists long to reestablish the monarchy in France, however Lady Wexham is in favor of the republic. She has made enemies of the French and the British. Will Rees follow his country, his heart, or God’s call?
Moonlight Masquerade is an exquisite tale of love in regency England. Intrigue, espionage, masquerades and highwaymen fill the pages of this book from beginning to end. It is a very moving story filled with sorrow and joy. Ruth Axtell did a wonderful job detailing where our true loyalties must lie. First and foremost to God. Our path will become clear, if not easy, as long as we rely on Him to guide us.
Mr. McKinnon, or rather Rees Phillips, has been sent as a butler, a spy, into the house of Lady Céline Wexham. Céline is a French émigré who is most likely a spy herself. Although as he gets to know her his loyalty to his homeland falters. It is 1813 and word has it that Bonaparte will soon be conquered. The royalists long to reestablish the monarchy in France, however Lady Wexham is in favor of the republic. She has made enemies of the French and the British. Will Rees follow his country, his heart, or God’s call?
Moonlight Masquerade is an exquisite tale of love in regency England. Intrigue, espionage, masquerades and highwaymen fill the pages of this book from beginning to end. It is a very moving story filled with sorrow and joy. Ruth Axtell did a wonderful job detailing where our true loyalties must lie. First and foremost to God. Our path will become clear, if not easy, as long as we rely on Him to guide us.
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Red Dwarf in TV
Jun 22, 2019
The boy's from the dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British science fiction comedy franchise which primarily consists of a television sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009, gaining a cult following.
The show follows Dave Lister, a chicken-soup-machine repairman, who is the only human survivor of a radiation leak on his mining space ship and possibly the last living human. Having come out of time stasis 3,000,000 years into the future, Lister has very little company, one in the form of a hologram of his dead shipmate, Rimmer, self obsessed Cat, who has evolved from the descendants of Lister's pregnant cat, senile ship computer Holly and Kryten an Android whose sole purpose is to serve and clean.
This masterpiece was created by Rob grant & doug naylor (GrantNaylor) and has spawned 12 series (Back to Earth counted as the unofficial 9th and a 13th series heavily rumoured) multiple books, audio books, collectibles, magazines and a mobile game.
I'm still hoping for a mainstream console game, but until then, enjoy SmegHeads!
The show follows Dave Lister, a chicken-soup-machine repairman, who is the only human survivor of a radiation leak on his mining space ship and possibly the last living human. Having come out of time stasis 3,000,000 years into the future, Lister has very little company, one in the form of a hologram of his dead shipmate, Rimmer, self obsessed Cat, who has evolved from the descendants of Lister's pregnant cat, senile ship computer Holly and Kryten an Android whose sole purpose is to serve and clean.
This masterpiece was created by Rob grant & doug naylor (GrantNaylor) and has spawned 12 series (Back to Earth counted as the unofficial 9th and a 13th series heavily rumoured) multiple books, audio books, collectibles, magazines and a mobile game.
I'm still hoping for a mainstream console game, but until then, enjoy SmegHeads!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Official Secrets (2019) in Movies
Oct 18, 2019
Superior based-on-fact thriller with Keira Knightley leading a strong cast. Huge demonstrations fill the streets of London but are totally ignored by the government, the British Prime Minister is a smirking liar, and the US administration is hugely embarrassed by a whistleblower. How very different things were 15 years ago. Said whistleblower (Knightley) reveals an attempt by the US and UK to blackmail members of the UN security council into authorising an otherwise-illegal invasion of Iraq, bringing the whole power of the establishment down on her head.
There's a lot going on here, plotwise, with various strands following Knightley's personal situation, the attempts of journalists to verify and publish her story, and the court case that ensued, but the story is always engrossing and never difficult to follow. Knightley's performance is possibly a little overcooked, but she is extremely well supported by a cast including Matt Smith, Ralph Fiennes, and Rhys Ifans. Raises some serious issues about the rights of a government to keep secrets from its secrets; stirs up some recent history, too, for what it's worth. An excellent piece of intelligent entertainment.
There's a lot going on here, plotwise, with various strands following Knightley's personal situation, the attempts of journalists to verify and publish her story, and the court case that ensued, but the story is always engrossing and never difficult to follow. Knightley's performance is possibly a little overcooked, but she is extremely well supported by a cast including Matt Smith, Ralph Fiennes, and Rhys Ifans. Raises some serious issues about the rights of a government to keep secrets from its secrets; stirs up some recent history, too, for what it's worth. An excellent piece of intelligent entertainment.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019 (Updated Jun 15, 2020)
Highly-anticipated high-concept collaboration between two of British cinema's biggest names doesn't really live up to expectations. Going-nowhere singer-songwriter falls off his bike during a mysterious black-out and when he wakes up discovers he is now living in a world where the Beatles have never existed. Fame and fortune naturally beckon, but will they come at the expense of The Important Things in Life?
It's a fascinating premise, but one the film largely ignores in favour of a very familiar rom-com storyline that doesn't do anything particularly interesting or engaging. You can't help wondering: what has happened to the world? How come (almost) nobody remembers the Fab Four? The whole point of this kind of story is surely for the absence of the Beatles to reveal, by implication, their greatness and significance, but the film suggests they can vanish leaving barely a ripple in terms of cultural or musical legacy. The results are intermittently amusing and occasionally interesting, but the film only succeeds at aiming low. Decent performances from the leads help; Kate McKinnon is good value as usual, but James Corden and Ed Sheeran are in it too.
It's a fascinating premise, but one the film largely ignores in favour of a very familiar rom-com storyline that doesn't do anything particularly interesting or engaging. You can't help wondering: what has happened to the world? How come (almost) nobody remembers the Fab Four? The whole point of this kind of story is surely for the absence of the Beatles to reveal, by implication, their greatness and significance, but the film suggests they can vanish leaving barely a ripple in terms of cultural or musical legacy. The results are intermittently amusing and occasionally interesting, but the film only succeeds at aiming low. Decent performances from the leads help; Kate McKinnon is good value as usual, but James Corden and Ed Sheeran are in it too.