Going South (6): Miscellanea

A final collection of photos from our incredible journey to Wiltshire, Dorset and The South, a land where dogs drive 4x4s...Where the Bastard Brothers are kind to their sisters...Where black sheep graze a giant chalk penis...Where owls and vultures prowl...Where you always have to keep an eye out for tanks crossing....And where the sparrows pose for photos.Thanks to everyone in The South for welcoming...

JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN (2011)

MyRating: Y1/2Director: Oliver ParkerCast: Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, Daniel Kaluuya, Pik-Sen Lim, Richard Schiff, Mark IvanirMPAA: Rated PG for mild action violence, rude humor, some language and brief sensualityRowan Atkinson is back with his another greater-than-life adventure as Johnny English in a James Bond spoof comedy, which will make you think again if...

REAL STEEL (2011)

MyRating: YYYYYDirector: Shawn LevyCast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis, James Rebhorn, Olga Fonda, Karl YuneMPAA: Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language This is one of the movies that I came into the theater with a low expectation, as I am not a big fan of robot movies, and partly also thanks to the rating from the critics...

My Week On The Web

On The Mixtape Lives On this week I played more songs about teachers from The Smiths, Leonard Cohen, The Trashcan Sinatras and Madness. I was also Keeping It Peel with Billy Bragg and agreed with Half Man Half Biscuit that Hell Is Other People (in French). I also saluted one of my favourite albums of the year and the greatest recorded ever recorded. Over at Thoughtballoons, I chose this week's character:...

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (2011)

MyRating: YY1/2Director: Paul W.S. AndersonCast: Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfayden, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Milla Jovovich, Christoph Waltz, Orlando Bloom, Gabriella Wilde, Freddie Fox, Juno Temple, Mads Mikkelsen, James CordenMPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of adventure action violence One of Alexander Dumas' most notable masterpieces and legacies (besides The Count of Monte Cristo), The Three Musketeers...

Anyone Can Be An Olympic Hero

So the Olympic Games are coming to the UK (in case you hadn't heard) and the Olympic Torch is currently touring the British Isles, held aloft by the great and good, sportsmen and women of the highest calibre... and even those who were always rubbish at games.Yep, that's me holding the actual Olympic Torch following its arrival in Huddersfield on Thursday for the University of Huddersfield Open Day...

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011)

MyRating: YYYYYDirector: Rupert WyattCast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Ayelowo, Tyler LabineMPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense and frightening sequences of action and violence Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a reboot of the famous science fiction series Planet of the Apes, first introduced in 1968, which was followed by four sequels up to 1973....

Book Review: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Police Constable Peter Grant responds to an incident involving a headless corpse in Covent Garden and finds himself taking a witness statement from an 18th century ghost. As soon as Grant's 6th sense becomes apparent to his superiors, the hapless plod finds himself paired with Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the Met's only remaining wizard. Together they investigate a mystery that connects...

Keeping It Peel: My Top Ten John Peel Songs

Today is the day we celebrate the great John Peel, without whom all our record collections would be much the sadder. Find out more about Keeping It Peel here. Over on The Mixtape Lives On, I'm playing one of my favourite Peel sessions. And here at SOS... it's my Top Ten Songs About John Peel.10. CLSM - John Peel Is Not Enough9. Jeffrey Lewis - The Legend Of The FallDJ John Peel says they're his favourite...

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (2011)

MyRating: YYYYDirector: Will GluckCast: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Bryan Greenberg , Richard Jenkins, Woody HarrelsonMPAA: Rated R for some violent content and brief sexuality Romantic comedy is a genre that is so easy to be loved or to be hated. As cliché as it might be, as usually a romantic love story is actually a cliché, but with the right portion and formula,...