Saturday.

June 22nd, 2008 by Chorna

Aidan took me out to see Priceless at Leicester Square on Saturday.

The movie is French and has English subtitles. It was extremely funny and I really enjoyed myself, sitting and giggling along with a much older audience. It was extremely noticeable, actually, that Aidan and I were the only ‘young’ people there…!

But the movie was just the end of our day - we’d gone to HMV where I went on a bit of a shopping spree. Having recently seen The Incredible Hulk, I finally caved and bought The Painted Veil on DVD (Edward Norton!). I also bought the novelisation of the first three Indiana Jones movies for £5.

I don’t know… it’s not that I’m one of those fans of the Indy series that would buy anything and everything related to it (unlike with my obsession with Animal Crossing), but I do so enjoy reading novelisations of movies I really loved, just so that I can re-experience those moments again, in my head, but this time to a depth (hopefully) that simply thrills me.

Then we headed to Playlounge, one of our frequest stops on Beak Street, London. I bought a new notebook and some writing paper there and finally we headed to Haagen Dazs after our lunch at Graphic.

It’s been a while since I went out and had fun like that. Playing computer games is a great way to save money when you’re on limited income - you just stay indoors and entertain yourself that way (mmorpgs are brilliant for that, too ) but actually going out and about is great when you have good company. So, thanks to Aidan but I guess it was made more enjoyable by the fact I haven’t been out in a while to then.

Hope you’re all having a great weekend. Bye for now!

Posted in General, Blog, London, Entertainment, Food, Gaming, ACUKE, Photography having 2 comments »

The Incredible Hulk = A Big Fat YES.

June 15th, 2008 by Chorna

Saw The Incredible Hulk on Saturday and The Happening on Sunday.

Watch Iron-Man then The Incredible Hulk. And when you watch TIH, forget all about The Hulk movie last movie - imagine it doesn’t exist (most of us do, anyway…) - and watch it ONLY after you’ve seen Iron-Man. Man, oh, man… does it rock.

So very, very…. :: holds back an excited shiver ::

I went to see The Happening the next day. I’m not a massive fan (or critic) of M. Night Shyamalan’s work; still, I have to say there were some awful mistakes during the movie (there are a few scenes when you can see the boom mic poking in from the top of the frame…) and I’m worried about his view of old white ladies that live alone in the countryside.

The acting is good, though and the storyline, though morally predictable, was scary as fuck at some points.

I found myself wondering, if I had been the studio he approached for funding for the movie, if I would have funded it, knowing that it would the final product would have been like.
I’m not entirely sure what I my answer would have been in that instance, but if I had been an actor I think I’d have an easier perspective and would just say ‘yes’.

Anyway, that’s my recommendation: (watch all the X-Men and Spider-Man movies, then see) Iron-Man, The Incredible Hulk and, only if you have something fun to do afterwards, The Happening.

Bu’bye!!

Posted in General, Blog, Entertainment having 6 comments »

Ah, To Be Young, Again…

June 5th, 2008 by Chorna

iTunes recently released a selection of its movie collection to the UK market.

When I saw the Star Trek movies up for grabs, it was a personal no-brainer.

I just watched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock consecutively. I cried like a baby at all the sad scenes. I laughed enthusiastically at all the banter between Kirk, Spock and Bones (bless him).

Admittedly, as movies, they’re still absolutely amazing to me - as one of the very first Sci Fi movies I was exposed to as a kid, they left an enormous impression on me as to what I want to see in a science fiction movie: forget the special effects, I want adventure!

Having watched it so many years on, I realise now the script is somewhat predicable for today’s audience but, since it’s Star Trek, all is forgiven.

I can still watch these movies (and others) and feel as though a very young and pure part of myself is still very much a live.

What things do you watch or return to when you want to feel like your young self again? I’d be interested to know.

Posted in General, Blog, Nostalgia having 1 comment »

Hello, My Name Is…

June 2nd, 2008 by Chorna

I started getting funny notifications from my hosting provider that my card was declined, so, naturally, I called up my telephone banking service to see what was going on.

I was relieved when John from Liverpool answered my call.

Only, he wasn’t from Liverpool and his name more than likely wasn’t John.

This was a rolly-polly accented Indian bloke, obviously quite educated as his English was excellent, pretending to be John from Liverpool. He practically told me himself with all the rolled d’s and strong th’s.

“Hello, you’re THrough tu John ‘nD I’m f’Rom LiveRpool. How cen I help you?” we his exact words, and mine were something along the lines of:

“…”

That’s not to say that I wasn’t thinking any number of things. I did actually consider breaking into Hindi and exclaiming, “no you’re bloody well not!” and laughing down the phone, but for a split second I tried to entertain the idea that he really was John - hey, it’s a well known fact Englishmen created babies over in India - and that he really might be from Liverpool (I mean, I can’t really comment, considering that I was born in the UK, myself).

But he couldn’t be and with the other Indian accented young’uns talking in the background along with some shared jokes that were laughed at, I had to shake myself out of my half-stunned ‘did-he-really-say-that’ gawk and tell him my predicament.

He did a great job, telling me that there appeared to be no problems on my card. When I told him there obviously was a problem because it had been declined, he consulted the omnipotent line-manager and transferred me to a lady, who genuinely was from (somewhere near) Liverpool, no less, called Shelly.

“Hello, luv, let’s see what I can do forya.” She made no mention of her nieghbour, John.

Turns out an unusually large order from Amazon (see previous post) alerted my bank that my card may under fraudulent activity. She then went on to list a number of transactions that I had made, since Christmas, telling me they had all been flagged as suspicious. I asked her when my bank had felt it would be a good time to let me actually know that my card may have been used by a fraudster, to which she said she couldn’t answer that question.

Funny, that.

Regardless, my problem was solved and I’m a spend-free customer.

But my experience really does beg the question: which American consultant is my bank paying to teach Indian students how to talk to British customers?

Because he’s making them all sound like total c*cks.

Posted in General, Humour, Culture having 5 comments »

Movies, Mum, Wotsits and more Wii Fit.

May 30th, 2008 by Chorna

I was so bored at work today that I started surfing the Internet and researched how to go about growing a garden on my windowsill…

I even subscribed to a few gardening forums…

Seriously…!!

… Anyway…

I recently saw Indiana Jones, Iron Man and What Happens in Vegas.

The first one was a disappointment, especially in comparison to the previous three; the second movie was awesome - I think I may have already mentioned it before; the third one was ok, it wasn’t as lame as I thought it would be (easy eye-candy/non-brain-strain).

Not much to talk about, really. Oh - mum came up with my brother, recently, to see me in my new place for the first time since I moved in last year. Made a nice change as I was always the one who went to see them. It was really nice to have her here and it makes me miss her more now that she has finally visited. I’m looking forward to organising our next trip.

I’ve rediscovered Wotsits and soon after what it’s like to get spots again. Oh, my, god…

Don’t worry. They’ve cleared up now. You can look at me, still.

By the way, Wii Fit works. If you get on it around about the same time every day, and exercise for at least 30 mins, you will notice a difference. I really did.

I was easily losing 1lb a day and, as long as I did it every day, I didn’t put the weight back on - and I had made no conscious changes to my diet. It just goes to show how much of a difference using up all that stored energy in our FAT really does make.

Of course, I haven’t used it in about 10 days - but that’s because life usually shoves its way back in - much like the Wotsits find their way into my mouth. Chomp, chomp, chomp…

I bought two new games for my Wii - Endless Ocean (waste of money… am going to exchange it) and Kororinpa. Will review them at some point, perhaps.

Posted in General, Family, Gaming, Culture having no comments »

Wii Fit.

April 28th, 2008 by Chorna

I am currently researching Wii Fit and I have to say I want it sooooo bad. It is a shame it came out after my birthday :: grins :: but I guess it’s good timing as the summer is 5 minutes away.

It looks really interesting in the way it is done but I have to say that training in Yoga yourself is probably a dangerous thing if you don’t have someone to tell you if you are using the right techniques. I wonder how many of the people who train in Yoga with Wii Fit (and believe they have gotten to a really high level) can then go to a real, good Yoga instructor and see whether their technique is really good or bad.

I’m afraid I’m a technique-pusher. I was taught by two extremely good senseis - both humble yet insistant. They always made me put my technique first, telling me that power comes from the technique. And they were right. When I wanted to hit something hard, I would often hurt myself. However, when I focused on technique, I tended to hurt my target without even meeaning to.

This is a lesson I am so glad I learnt during my teen years and it’s probably a fundemental belief of mine that I like to carry through in everything I do.

Unfortunately these days I just don’t get ANY exercise and, certainly, living in a shared household does mean I also don’t always have the space to do what I want to do. However, I am determined to get my hands on one of these Wii Fit-fangle-doo-daas and see what I can get out of it.

Posted in General having 5 comments »

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

April 28th, 2008 by Chorna

I had a truly great weekend.

For the last few weekends this has generally always been the case. And since my birthday was the weekend before, I’m feeling quite happy, indeed.

I went to see Forgeting Sarah Marshall on Saturday evening. I must say I had my reservations about it since Russell Brand was being show-cased for the movie on the side of every bus (the best advert I saw for a movie on a bus was for Deathproof. I’ll never forget that shot of the girls ass in hot pants) and - for no personal reason - I do find his television persona irritating.

But in the movie he was a real asset to the story, very well cast and he picked a good script as well. It was incredibly difficult NOT to like the man, which is another reason why I am recommending this movie to you - I’m only recommending him to you in the context of this movie!

A great thing to experience at the cinema, apart from watching a good movie, is to be there when there is the general feeling in the air that everyone’s there to have a good time.

I was laughing out loud, covering my face in some instances (theres nudity involved, and not that I’m a prude or anything, but sometimes it’s just tooooooo gut-wrenching to see someone that humiliated… by choice, even!) and left after the movie feeling strangely satisfied that the characters were all pretty, well, human.

Every single character had their individual role in the movie, but every single character (mains) were also fleshed out enough to be both good and bad at the same time. The hero had his faults, but the villian also had his good aspects. Better still, both the female protagonist and antagonists were just as balanced in their good and badness.

This is definitely a movie I’d love to see again. The comedic team behind it obviously are enjoying fantastic success at the moment: ranging from 40 Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Knocked Up and, now, Forgetting Sarah Marshall (all of these movies rocked!). I can’t wait for their next collaborative piece.

Posted in General having no comments »

Choz*

Saturday.

The Incredible Hulk = A Big Fat YES.

Ah, To Be Young, Again…

Hello, My Name Is…

Movies, Mum, Wotsits and more Wii Fit.

Wii Fit.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

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