tiny little thoughts

Weekly trailer release roundup - in which the intern joins in

2011-07-01T16:39:00.000+01:00

A rake of great new trailers for you this week, with a first look at Pixar’s latest sure thing Brave and Spielberg’s Oscar magnet War Horse, we also have full length trailers for The Three Muskateers (aka ‘Muskamatrix’), and Immortals (still fab). Two horrors come in the form of the otherworld-demon pic 11-11-11 and the other planet-what the hell? pic Apollo 18. Finally we have the sure to be great, but underplayed Le Carre adapt Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Extras include:

A full length trailer for Spy Kids 4 promising ‘Aromascope 4D’ aka: a scratch and sniff ticket to, erm, enjoy (?) with your movie:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810160132/video

And IF you feel like wasting a precious 1 minute and 20 seconds of your life go ahead and watch this trailer, if you don’t care about a film that will probably never see the light of day in any country that values it’s sanity, then don’t.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1485413401/

Layla & Tatiana

Producer: Katherine Sarafian

Director: Mark Andrews

Cast: Emma Thompson, Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd

Synopsis: Scottish princess, Merida, defies her parents by persuing an interest in archery, but inadvertently jeopardizes her father's kingdom in the process.

Official Website: http://disney.go.com/brave/

US Release: 22nd June, 2012

Review/Score: As ‘Pixar’ is also a synonym for ‘money’ there is little chance that this won’t follow the grand old Pixar tradition of tearing it up at the BO. From a critical perspective this looks incredible (I heard Rob exclaim ‘ooh pretty grass!’ so I’m not alone here) the lushly textured Scottish highlands are rendered in all their rugged glory. The protagonist, a flame haired Scottish princess (voiced gratifyingly by Kelly McDonald) promises to inspire a wave of cloak wearing tomboys, while the gallopy bear hunty-ness is sure to appeal to their brothers. Well played Pixar... well played. 9/10 (LHP)

Its previous title was The Bear and the Bow, and that is exactly what this trailer showcases a BEAR and a BOW and of course the main character, Merida. Does the trick as a teaser. 8.5/10 (TA)

Producer: Steven Spielberg, Revel Guest, and Kathleen Kennedy

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson and David Thewlis

Synopsis: Follows a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War One. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert heads to France to save his friend.

Official Website: http://www.dreamworksstudios.com/films/war-horse

US Release: 28th December, 2011

Review/Score:

Spielberg: “oh, hai Oscars!”

Kennedy: “hai!” *waves*

Williams: “please get in my pocket now Oscars”

Kennedy/Spielberg: “yes please do that”

Oscars: “sure!”

All: “ K thnx bye”

Boom. 9/10 (LHP)

Very Beautiful, each shot is gorgeously lit and composed and I most certainly wouldn’t expect any less from Speilberg and his DP Janusz Kaminski. Very well done, excited to see more. 8.5/10 (TA)

Producer: Paul W.S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, and Robert Kulzer

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Cast: Logan Lerman, Matthew Macfadyen and Ray Stevenson

Synopsis: The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Official Website: http://www.threemusketeers-movie.com/

US release date: 21st October, 2011

Review/Score: All the same ludicrous sub-matrix explody nonsense as the teaser, but now with added exposition. Exposition that singularly fails to explain the nonsense. Le sigh. 5/10 (LHP)

Swords, flips, and explosions galore! This is exactly what I would expect the full length Three Musketeers trailer to look like complete with cardinal Christoph Waltz! I wonder if this is what Alexandre Dumas had pictured when he wrote the book? 6/10 (TA)

Producer: Mark Canton and Ryan Kavanaugh

Director: Tarsem Singh

Cast: Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke and John Hurt

Synopsis: Greek warrior Theseus battles against imprisoned titans.

Official Website: http://www.immortalsmovie.com/splash/

US Release: 11th November, 2011

Review/Score: This is no 300, and it’s obviously camp as, but I am really looking forward to this explosion of kitsch. A fabulous cast and some suitably epic battle scenes give me hope that this will sit well above Clash of the Titans in terms of quality (the lack of dodgy 3D will help). Commercially this pic is unfortunately dated one week before Twilight in many markets and is unlikely to perform strongly enough to justify screen space. It does look fab though... 8/10 (LHP)

Oh No, why are Mickey Rourke and Freida Pinto taking on these kinds of roles?! This does not look any more exciting than 300... 5.5/10 (TA)

Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Robyn Slovo

Director: Tomas Alfredson

Cast: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy

Synopsis: In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6's echelons.

US Release: 18th November, 2011

Review/Score: A rather terrific old school thriller, atmospherically rendered by ~Thomas -let the right one in – Alfredson. It won’t make a penny of course, but you’d be glad to have seen it. 7.5/10

Suspenseful is probably the best way to describe this trailer, like a mix of several Hollywood classics I’ve seen before. Nevertheless has a great cast. 7/10 (TA)

Producer: Timur Bekmambetov

Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego

Cast: Erica Carroll

Synopsis: About the real mission to space in the 1970s that was cancelled by NASA.

Official Website: http://www.apollo18movie.net/

US Release: 2nd September, 2011

Review/Score: well this is an atmospheric little blinder isn’t it? Spanish first time helmer Gonzalo Lopez- Gallego handles the old moon mission conspiracy plot with remarkable aplomb, rendering the astronauts isolated by use of Paranormal Activity-esque handled and surveillance cameras, and steadfastly refusing to let us see what the hell is going on. Produced by the man behind the awesome Nightwatch this micro-budget horror could be a little money magnet for the Weinstiens. 7.5/10

What is this film REALLY about? Soviets, Apollo 18, the moon, helmets, or maybe a mix of all? I’m not really too sure... 5.5/10 (TA)

My Weekly Trailer Release Round Up - Week one....

2011-05-05T17:40:00.000+01:00

Kicking of this week is the rather splendid Conan the Barbarian and his full barbaric glory in a full length trailer for the cult remake.

Martha Macy May Marlene emerges convincing head above the rest of the pack in a subtle and disturbing turn from Mary Kate and Ashley’s little sister. Intruders, The Road to Nowhere and The Ledge, are all sort of just OK, while One Day makes me sort of resent you all for the minutes is spent watching it on your behalf

Your little extra is a rather good – if somewhat copycat Cars 2 viral (remember Lots-O-Huggin bear?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRz5YDokhzE&feature=player_embedded#at=27

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

Director: Marcus Nispel

Cast: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman and Rose McGowan

Synopsis: The tale of Conan the Cimmerian and his adventures across the continent of Hyboria on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and the slaughter of his village.

Official Website: http://conanthebarbarianin3d.com/

US Release: 19^th August 2011

Review/Score: Loathe as I am to admit it, this actually looks pretty damn entertaining. Of course it’s still nonsense, silly looking monsters and absurdly clad ladies - it IS Conan after all, but level of Badassery is through the roof, the action sequences look promising and Jason Momoa is bloody convincing. He needs to be careful mind, if he doesn’t want to get typecast.... *CoughGameOfThronesCough* 8/10

URL: http://movies.yahoo.com/summer-movies/conan-the-barbarian/1809953260#first

MARTHA MACY MAY MARLENE

Director: Sean Durkin

Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson and John Hawkes

Synopsis: Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.

Official Website: http://www.marthamarcymaymarlenemovie.com/

US Release: 7^th October 2011 (Limited)

Review/Score: A Haunting and perplexing trailer here, pitched between phsyco drama and thriller we follow a young woman drawn into an increasingly sinister cult. Aesthetically the pic is pleasingly dreamlike, with muted washed out colouring and a smudgily shifting focus reminiscent of Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides. There is a real sense of confusion and distress in Elizabeth Olsen’s performance which, marking a promising debut for the littlest Olsen. 7/10

URL: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/marthamarcymaymarlene/

INTRUDERS

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Cast: Clive Owen, Daniel Brühl and Carice van Houten

Synopsis: A horror/thriller centered on the origin of the monsters that are born in childhood and are passed on by the family.

Official Website: N/A

US Release: TBA

Review/Score: A teaser in the truest sense, a brief 50 seconds here of something fairly run of the mill. Youn girl is scared/possibly possessed Father/figure is protective/angry – cue shaky camerawork and funny noises. I’m sure it’ll be scary, but then, I’m easily scared. 6/10

URL: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=30829

ROAD TO NOWHERE

Director: Monte Hellman

Cast: Shannyn Sossamon, Tygh Runyan and Cliff De Young

Synopsis: A young filmmaker gets wrapped up in a crime while shooting his new project on location.

Official Website: http://www.roadtonowherethemovie.com/

US Release: 13^th May 2011

Review/Score: Lacking any dialogue at all it’s hard to tell what this movie is about. But I think it might be something to do with the the Reality/Fiction binary, while exploring the relationship between an actress and her director/lover as a metaphor for the relationship between our conscious and unconscious minds, while an overarching and self-reflexive film production theme draws attention back to the aforementioned reality/fiction binary, problematising our assumption of its fixity, thus forcing us to re-examine the paradigmatic assumption that a space exists between the two, pushing us into the liminal position occupied by the protagonists and compromising the paradigmatic assumptions that define and reinforce our existentiality. Or something, whateves, Shannyn Sossamon is pretty hot. 6/10

URL: http://www.roadtonowherethemovie.com/

THE LEDGE

Director: Matthew Chapman

Cast: Patrick Wilson, Charlie Hunnam and Liv Tyler

Synopsis: A thriller in which a battle of philosophies between a fundamentalist Christian and an atheist escalates into a lethal battle of wills.

Official Website: N/A

US Release: 29^th May 2011 (Limited)

Review/Score: Sadly, not a film about the late, great, Heath ledger. It IS however a tense little nugget of a thriller. Something about fundamentalists, of any faith is eternally fascinating (perhaps because so few of us have the patience or attention span to become fundamental about our own toenails let alone an unseen, unheard, and largely unfelt deity?), and Patrick Wilson’s smooth, good looking fundamentalist here is suitably so. The trailer is well constructed, escalating in speed and intensity two people are drawn into an illicit affair, but it’s all surface, the characters are two dimensional and their motivation flimsy. Sad really. 5/10

URL: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2065669401/

ONE DAY

Director: Lone Scherfig

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess and Patricia Clarkson

Synopsis: After spending the night together on the night of their college graduation Dexter and Em are revisited each year on the same date to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, sometimes not, on that day.

Official Website: http://www.experienceoneday.com/

US Release: 19^th August 2011

Review/Score: AS my esteemed colleague Rob Mitchell pointed out: this is a master class in horrible accents. Even the ENGLISH star Jim Sturgess has a rubbish English accent. The premise (a couple meet for one day every year for 20 years) while undoubtedly romantic in novel form does not translate to the Movie form - event movie voice over guy sounds clunky delivering the extended exposition. While the temporal emesis is cue for many terrible faux-period hair dos, ugly dresses, and emotional reunions. ALL the emotional reunions. Tedious tedious tedious dross. 3/10

URL: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi85761305/

My little weekend in the country side

2010-08-08T19:42:00.001+01:00

I have been meaning to start writing again for a while, and considering my most view blog post ever ever ever was the one I did on traveller weddings, a wedding in the countryside the perfect way to get back on the blogging wagon.

A weekend of old friends and trifle and churches and cake and family and loveliness. Began last thursday with a class train out of paddington. Now I hate first great western, but travelling first class is actually pretty bearable. Much more spacious and quiet and they give you tea and stuff.

On Friday I did bugger all except read my book and eat delicious foods, I had breakfast in bed:

Then i went for a walk around totnes where i found two amusing signs:

And then my favourite lunch

Saturday was the wedding itself, in a 12th century village church, there was a lady vicar and a congregation of pagans hippies and witches (no, really). The bride was beautiful in White and the groom unfortunately bears the same name at the brother, making for a quasi-incestuous sounding service. Not good for keeping a straight face.

The church at Holne

The bride and groom travelled by horse and carriage to the reception, which was held in Scoriton village hall, where there was trifle, pasties, two kinds of local cider (v dry), piles of meats and cheeses, and enough coleslaw to drown an army. Fuck yes.

All the mothers got drunk and danced like they were possessed, my dad cried, as he is wont, and I had the absolute joy of re-meeting people from my childhood not seen in ten or more years (Weddings are good like that), it was all fuelled my nuptial joy, and two types of cider, but it felt a bit euphoric. hugs were had and declarations made, and when there fireworks went off it was all rather special for a moment.

Nothing like a bit of where I come from to make me feel good about who I am.

Location:Devon

My favourite train journey in the world.

2010-08-08T18:05:00.001+01:00

- Dashed out on the fly.

Location:Between Newton Abbot and Dawlish warren.

Ailbhe's really great!

2009-10-16T10:30:00.000+01:00

She got the cover of the Irish Independent!

Go HERE to read her interview with grime puppy Chipmunk.

Peanut Butter and Tomato Sandwiches.

2009-10-16T10:23:00.001+01:00

Ah the taste of my youth! I love PB&T and until recently i thought that only the small few of us that grew up with hippie parents, the small few whose sources of protein had to be non meat - at least for a time, the small few who knew what it was to have to stir up the peanut butter to get the oil and solids to combine (ah Meridian whole foods).

But apparently there are many of us! Peanut Butter Boy recognises the glory, as does The Natural Health Circus, more tellingly the huge chains of comments on these blogs attesting to the wonder of that nutty salad goodness, and the persecution we PB&T fans have suffered over the years. One commenter for example:

Sorry, but as a PROFESSIONAL CHEF, and the SENIOR ADVISER at the SeriousEats website, I think that your PB & tomato on toast is disgusting.

Louise,

Clearwater Beach, FL 33767

Aggressively anti PB&T, aggression born of fear of the new? hmm? don't want to upset the status quo? hmm? why so angry louise? threatened? I know there's plenty like me who love the combo and are delighted to find like minds,

I can't believe I'm seeing this--someone else who eats peanut butter and tomato sandwiches!

And some have been converted:

I mean I love peanut butter and tomato both, but together..that just sounded disgusting. But once I took the leap and tried it...I was hooked.

So why the resistance? Why do so many find it so odd, or weird, or downright disgusting? it's not like peanuts are inherently sweet, why should jam have the prerogative of accompaniment in chief? you wouldn't insist that a packet of salted peanuts come with a dipping tub of jam, would you? WOULD YOU? no. i didn't think so. besides, tomatoes, if they're good ones, are kinda sweet, (which is why i like to add a sprinkle of salt to my PB&Ts). I would urge everyone in the strongest possible terms to try the combo at least once.

So here's what's in my perfect PB&T:

1 thick slice of whole meal bread - the dense homemade kind is best

Crunchy peanut butter

1 good ripe red tomato sliced thickly

a big pinch of salt.

YUM.

Best Indian food I've had outside India.

2009-10-10T13:02:00.000+01:00

Jai Krishna on Stroud Green Road. holy fahk it was good. I nearly cried! We had bhelpuri, Samosa, Bhajis, Chutney, Chilli Paneer, Sweet Lassi, Spice Aloo, Brinjal Curry, Chappati, and Puri, oh my oh my my my it was good. Everything was perfect and we had plenty to take home for lunch.

Jai Krishna is a properly proper little place, pure veg, no alcohol (byob) family run, idiosyncratic portioning, a thali for one for 6.50? yes please.

Will. Be. Back.

Snicker cake.

2009-10-05T18:28:00.000+01:00

junk foods nom nom

2009-10-05T18:23:00.000+01:00

Are you insane Microsoft?

2009-09-23T18:39:00.000+01:00

Or just willfully stupid? You cannot magic love for your product by cobbling together a rag-tag group of individuals in some cosy kitchen, throwing in some pie and forced banter, and inviting the general public to follow suit. This video is so awful that I had trouble believing it could possibly be real, it must be some clever viral campaign I thought, a delightfully ironic satire on your reputation for being desperately, laceratingly. uncool. But no. apparently this is, in fact, serious. you do, in fact, expect people to follow suit, with pie and forced banter. In return for a free copy of your hasty replacement for an operating system that has been roundly abhorred.

And WHO did you pay to do this to your few tiny little tattered shreds of credibility? This is poorly cast, lit, scripted, edited, and mixed. Do they not understand the concept of continuity?

I would be disappointed if i thought you could do any better.

Saturday in the park.

2009-09-20T10:22:00.001+01:00

Go to Green Lanes!

2009-09-19T11:18:00.000+01:00

It's amazing, and there's a food festival on this Sunday 20th from 11-5, the street will be closed off between the railway bridge at Williamson Road to the junction with Warham Road. Food stalls, music, dancing, yum!

It is going to be epic.

I'm Over THERE

2009-09-18T20:42:00.002+01:00

Blogging on fill-ums

GO!

My new Blog

2009-09-16T14:23:00.003+01:00

I'm starting a blog that's actually about something. Films to be precise. so yet another self indulgent ex-film student will shortly be cluttering up the interwebs with her silly nonsense.

That said... you should go read it...

I'm Having a clear out!

2009-09-16T14:11:00.006+01:00

and there's sum stuff up on Ebay. hur it be:

Sum Sunglasses

a GREAT grey vintage dress

A cute little bag

A Diesel flannel shirt

A lovely lemony dress

Some More Sunglasses

Big Bug Sunglasses

Butterfly yellow Sunglasses

GO BID!

Oh Nando Torres let me count the ways i love thee.

2009-09-16T08:30:00.003+01:00

I love your choice of evening entertainment

"At home, we spend time playing board games with friends and family. When it comes to Monopoly, Scatergory, or Hotel, there are real battles. For a change, we sometimes play cards,"

that you watch Supernanny and a show about puppy training.

"Television is an alternative and I like to be up to date with what’s going on in the world, and not just the sports news. My favourite programmes are ‘The Dog Whisperer’ and ‘Super Nanny’"

I love that Ikea is your therapy

“My determination to finish the job off meant that one night in 2007 I didn’t finish until the small hours. I had come home in a bad mood after we had lost 1-0 at home to Olympic Marseilles in the Champions League. I decided the best way to work the frustration out of my system was to put together two pieces of furniture for the living room. By the time I had finished it was 4am."

and that you're horrified by chavs lack of thermal understanding

"One thing that does surprise me is that no one seems to wear a coat. Everyone is done up and dressed to impress but few of them wrap up warm, even though the temperature can’t be much above freezing."

I love that all you really want to do is hang out with your wife and maybe go watch a match in the pub

"One of my favourite moments each day, matches permitting, is the evening stroll with Olalla (my wife) and our two dogs. ...One thing that I would like to do is watch a game in the pub. Everyone tells me about the passion with which fans follow matches between pints"

Could this be perfection? maybe so.

From The Mirror's exclusive 'My Secrets' by Fernando Torres

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2009-09-03T14:52:00.001+01:00

I die!

Nando Torres with his bebeh Nora, and his lovely Olalla.

Oh my ovaries be still!

I REALLY want a unitard.

2009-09-02T23:08:00.004+01:00

Does that make me a bad person? I feel like it could be the ultimate winter clothing item, i could just put a jumper on top, or a skirt on the bottom, or even wear it under jeans like long johns. It would be like being a baby again, all snuggled up and safe, and no more chilly kidneys from whippy winds gusting up my shirt.

*sigh*

American Apparel naturally lead the way in spandex with this little beauty

This henley version is pretty awesome too...

ASOS are catching on fast, and i've be happy with either of these:

all donations gratefully received...

Life. I think.

2009-09-01T22:16:00.002+01:00

This is getting tough. but it's making me realise a lot of stuff about me, and about the people around me, and what I want, and what I don't want.

I've realised that i do trust my own judgement. until someone questions it. That i am pretty strong, and pretty smart, and pretty damn competent. despite what some people believe. I realised that I trust myself enough to be able to ignore those people, but that I'm not immune to the hurt of their lack of faith.

I realised that the people nearest to me, who care, will do anything in their power to make my life good. that I'm not imposing, or inconveniencing, that they want to help me because they know implicitly that i would do everything in my power to make their lives better.

I also realised that there are extremely negative people close to me, but that it's not fair or right for them to vent their own anger, disappointment, and regret, on me. I don't deserve it, it's not my fault, and I don't have to assume responsibility for it.

I want independence, I want to do what I want with myself, my life, and my money. I do not want to be beholden to anyone, I do not want to become embittered, I do not want to suffer material or emotional poverty.

I'm tired, really tired. So I'll stop rambling.

I just want the next two months to be over.

House Hunting sucks

2009-08-28T22:44:00.003+01:00

So we were supposed to move in. and then we couldn't. the landlady backed out. so then we were fucked, and then we found another place and now it's ok. but it's shit. and it's scary and i'm too too stressed.

ugh.

more later.

of failed macarons and a perfect guacamole recipe

2009-08-24T17:55:00.003+01:00

Lots of Macarons which are treating me most unfairly and refusing to rise or behave as they should. i'm very cross.

Tonight i'm making fajitas for my family. I've already made the Guac (recipe below) and the salsa, and i've chopped and shredded everything else, so we're good to go on the cooking part. I don't know about in the States, but here in england there's only one brand of spices/tortillas etc worth bothering with (i know i'm lame and i should do it from scratch but i'm a lazy cur), and that's Discovery. They don't just make bbq sauce and call it 'mexican' like some other brands i could mention *coughOldElPasocough*.

Discovery are even more great since they started giving away vouchers for Sol beer, woo woo beer and Mexican food!

anyway enough of the plugging here's my guac recipe, well, the boy's mum's guac recipe really...

it makes enough for about 5.

5 Not too ripe avocados

5 big ripe tomatoes

3 medium onions

4 cloves of garlic

juice of 4 Limes

a big bunch of coriander (cilantro)

a good shake of hot sauce

lots of salt

some fresh chillies of you like.

Chop the avocados, tomatoes, and onions into chunky cubes (a bit smaller than dice sized) chop the garlic a bit smaller, chop the coriander roughly, mash 'em all together, add the lime juice, salt, hot sauce and chillies, stir a lot. eat.

X Factor is back!

2009-08-22T20:52:00.002+01:00

ARGH! i'm so happy! good god i love you Cheryl, and I can even tolerate Danny today! my saturdays have meaning again!

SO HAPPPY!

http://xfactor.itv.com/2009/episodes/video/item_200115.htm

oh COME ON!

2009-08-21T22:06:00.000+01:00

The NHS is breeding Terrorists now?

seriously?

Pistachio macaron

2009-08-21T19:22:00.001+01:00

This is getting closer to what i wanted... not perfect but not bad either...

Made with ground pistachio and almond flour, with a filling of pistachio cream paste.

Macaron mark one (two)

2009-08-21T15:35:00.001+01:00

I decided to try and make Macarons, because they are beautiful and wonderful and delicious.

Good Grief it was hard...

here's the second attempt (the first doesn't bear thinking about):

The second attempt constructed. Salted Caramel flavour:

London

2009-08-21T15:30:00.000+01:00

London return

2009-08-21T15:27:00.000+01:00

I've been a bad bad blogger.

2009-08-13T09:31:00.002+01:00

and i promise to be better.

I hereby pledge to blog once at least every day.

unless there's a bloody good reason that i can't.

*Promise

ok it's been a while and i promise i'll be better soon.

2009-08-11T00:00:00.002+01:00

i've been house-hunting and job-hunting and life-hunting and all the rest. In London, in film, in cool people ness.

if anyone wants to give me a job in film production my email address is hancockl (at) tcd dot ie

i'll be back proper soon..

I made cake.

2009-07-28T10:04:00.005+01:00

Banoffi Muffins. Baby ones and big ones. the baby ones were a very banana-y muffin with caramel , fresh banana and a caramel buttercream. the big ones have a biscuit crumb base with a core of caramel, fresh banana, and caramel.

The banana muffin recipe is the easiest and best banana muffin recipe i have ever used, i got the original recipe from Cat Can Cook and tinkered a little bit... here's my version.

The wet:

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

4 ripe bananas

1 medium egg,

2 tsp vanilla

4 tbs burnt sugar syrup

(cook 1/2 cup sugar until it liquifies then add 1/2 cup water, and stir until lumps dissolve)

The dry:

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

Mix the wet, then add the dry, don't over mix, divide into cases and bake for 15-20 minutes at 175 C.

you can add chocolate chips, apple pieces, nuts, etc. or substitute 1/2 cup of the flour for cocoa powder. the recipe is invincible so mess around and have fun.

The perfect sunday lunch.

2009-07-27T02:04:00.002+01:00

This afternoon i went for lunch with my god-family (that is, my godmother and her two children) who i haven't seen in nearly ten years. Which was pretty surreal, and really awesome.

In a convoy of two white vans and a rather large BMW we struck out into the bermuda triangle that is the land between Staverton, Tshburton, and Totnes. A section of roading that does not seem to obey the usual rules of time, space, or topography. Some 45 minutes and several 15 point turns in the lanes later we managed to locate our target, the Coppa Dolla, a pub wherein we hoped to procure a sunday roast.

The Coppa Dolla is famous for its sunday roasts. This fame stems from two distinct features (no doubt enhanced by the impossibility of finding the damn place). firstly, the vastness of the Yorkshire puddings, which resemble moderately large hats, and secondly, the cauliflower cheese, which comes with anything you order. It is excellent cauliflower cheese. You can get it in place of meat if you want. You can have it as the filling of a pie if you want. you can have it as half the filling of a pie, while the other half is a more traditional beef and ale or chicken an mushroom. It's great.

Now I want cauliflower cheese again...

I want swine flu please.

2009-07-26T21:48:00.002+01:00

A week in bed, lots of sympathy, maybe lose a few of my annual summer pounds.... also then hopefully I'd build my immunity while the virus is still curable. I'm not the only one, Edmund Conway over at the Torygraph is with me. sadly nobody in Devon seems to have the damn thing, so I'll have to wait until we get to London before I can really expose myself to a source of infection.... by which time i'll hopefully have a job... and there won't be readily available family members to look after me...

Of course I'd feel pretty stupid if i died...

will someone PLEASE give this to me NOW.

2009-07-12T21:52:00.004+01:00

just do it. go. buy

Listen up.

2009-07-12T21:50:00.001+01:00

Loves.

My current diet.

2009-07-12T21:36:00.003+01:00

Consists of anchovy stuffed olives and whiskey.

...and pimento stuffed olives.

I feel like a terrible lush.

a wonderful terrible lush.

Olives:

Whiskey:

More olives:

All i need now is the boy.

Ess vee you! Ess vee you! Ess vee you!

2009-07-11T22:02:00.003+01:00

LOVE SVU right now. the implausibility! the gratuitous violence! the absurd hypotheses! the bizarre twists! the incredible insight of the psychiatrist! Benson! Stabler!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

My ovaries can't take it! Torres, Ollala, and Nora

2009-07-10T17:32:00.002+01:00

And Just LOOK at this video.

Congratulations Nando and Ollala!

2009-07-09T15:10:00.002+01:00

They had a little baby girl last night, she's called Nora, and the mama and bebeh are both healthy. Nando has been sleeping over in the hospital, because he's taking is position as the worlds best man very seriously.

can't wait to see the pictures!

oh Iker...

2009-07-09T14:55:00.002+01:00

not only is he beautiful and talented, he's a humanitarian too.

love.

Michael Jackson R.I.P

2009-07-07T19:14:00.002+01:00

It's sad. And there's no doubt he touched the lives of a lot of people.

But i think that things are getting out of hand.

The funeral going on is costing the California tax payer something in the region of $4m.

California is broke.

Michael Jackson died a bankrupt drug addict.

who possibly sexually assaulted children.

Sure he made some great music, and made some serious innovations, and the man could DANCE. but the way people are talking you'd swear the man cured cancer, while establishing life on mars, inventing beer flavoured nipples, and solving the middle east conflict. oh, and world peace. yeah, world peace.

Sorry if i'm being insensitive but i really think it's all getting a bit much. and for the record, yes i did think the same about lady Di. And she went hunting land-mines.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2009-07-06T23:24:00.002+01:00

I've left Dublin, it's all behind me now. I got my first and now my student record has been deleted. end of an era and all that.

The move to England and adulthood is taking place in stages; first Spain, Estepona and Barcelona, made me want to learn Spanish and run away to the sun. Now i'm in Devon, at my grandma's house, it's very clean, neat, and peaceful, and it fosters good habits and clear headedness. i'm very relaxed.

I have, however been busy, gathering and collating evidence of my relationship with my boy, of our cohabitation, of our co-finances, of everything we've ever done together, of where we want to live and what we want to do, in order to persuade the good men at the immigration officers that the boy should be allowed to live in England.

The odd ting is i'm beginning to thing more and more that i'd kinda rather go to the States... some oddness on holiday, and a bout of self doubt have conspired to make me think Austin, or New York, or California, would be more fun than all this.

le sigh...

Birthdays are odd as you get older....

2009-06-21T23:10:00.002+01:00

I realised today that i will only be getting a birthday present from one person this year. it's kinda depressing but kinda ok. i don't really like birthdays, and as i'm in spain with only only one other person it might be even worse than ever. but as that person is my darling, it might be ok, because i get to decide everything.... so i think we're going to go to a water park then i might get a massage, then we're getting dressed up and going out. oh yes.

viva Espana

2009-06-20T20:35:00.000+01:00

I just bought a bottle of gin for less than a fiver. A crate of cherries for 2.50. a litre of sangria for 1.25. i'm well on my way to bronzed goddess status. I'm so relaxed i'm verging on collapsed. and i'm watching spain beat South Africa on tv. with my boy whom i love more than cherries. Life is aweseome.

We're staying in the Marriott Playa Andaluza Vacation Club, and it's Gorgeous, three pools,a private beach, lots of lawns and stuff. our fridge is full of booze and cheese and ham. just loook at our lunch!

seriously could it get any better? no. it could not.

I am currently moving house.

2009-06-18T00:31:00.003+01:00

It's very scary. and i feel very young.

but also quite old.

as i said, scary....

But i'm also going on holiday to Spain, which will be lovely...

Transfer Transfer Transfer

2009-06-10T00:04:00.004+01:00

Holy FAAHK!

80 million pounds?!

EIGHTY MILLION POUNDS?!

Eighty million pounds?!

Eighty MILLION POUNDS?!

for this fella?

Good Grief...

I went to the shoppes.

2009-06-03T21:02:00.003+01:00

And this is what i got. It was an amazing day full of fate and wonderousness. I found exacltly the things i was looking for. It was warm and sunny, and Ailbhe and i had silly coffees at the end of it all.

i am very very pleased.

So, first this beautiful silk blouse, is a lovely peachy colour (3 euro)

Then this pretty pretty little vest, and cute and preppy little shorts (all very little and costing a little 4.50 and 3 euro respectively)

And then my maybe favourite, a nautical top from a label called "sail wear" (3.50 euro)

and two Ross O'Carroll Kelly books for 1 euro each.

Ailbhe got the most amazing pair of BRAND NEW shorts, with the original price tag of 120 euro still attached, for 10 euro. ree-sult.

Am dead pleased with the world at the moment.

I guess it's serious then...

2009-06-03T10:31:00.003+01:00

Torres is married. And yes, that is the sound of a million hearts shattering into a million pieces.

But my personal grief at this time is mitigated by the "aaaaawww!-you're-so-awesome!"-ness of the situation. Torres married his childhood sweetheart Ollala in complete secret, in his hometown in Spain, under the distracting cover of the Champions league final. There were only two guests, and absolutely NO pictures were taken by any paps.

He's the perfect footballer, and they are the perfect couple, and they make my heart feel happy.

The first day of the rest of my life.

2009-06-03T10:22:00.002+01:00

Now i have finished my degree (o holy crap), i can get back to the important business of blogging, hurrah!

So toady i will be going charity shopping with Ailbhe, all along Capel st. to the secret shop that's hidden up by the cinema. super excited. what i want to find is this:

but that's not going to happen. i'm cool with that though, i'll deal, because i'm no longer a stressed and angry monster. i'm a happy and relaxed person who can take disappointments.

awesome.

I'm gunna learn this and everyone will want to be my friend.

2009-05-23T23:10:00.001+01:00

Love Hannah Love Miley more. SO HAPPY.

Films i am watching for my second exam.

2009-05-22T23:05:00.003+01:00

The Woman's film and the wonderful wonderful Bette Davis in Now Voyager

Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda gotta love the deaf chicks.

And the ultimate Maternal Melodrama, Stella Dallas

Then there's the Art of Exploitation. First Up, Franju's Eyes Without a Face.

Then Herk Harvey's god awful Carnival of souls.

love. laundry/sarah haskins

2009-05-22T23:00:00.000+01:00

What i have to watch for my first exam:

2009-05-15T08:29:00.002+01:00

This:

i KNOW! Awesome right?!

And then this bad boy:

A classic!

and then.....

this.

ah fuck.

FAME! I wanna live forever! I'm gonna Learn how to fly!

2009-05-09T21:49:00.004+01:00

SO looking forward to this, i caught the trailer the other day (while i was seeing '17 again', again...) and it looks amazing. there's dancing in the cafeteria, and in the streets, the fashion is largely unchanged.... best part? Megan Mullaly is in it!

HURRAH!

ARGH! no THIS is what i want!

2009-04-29T22:10:00.003+01:00

The perfect leotard, no?

Gimme Gimme Gimme!

2009-04-29T21:58:00.007+01:00

I want this dress like a fat kid wants cake. like a wino wants 100 proof, like a junkie wants clean needles, like Miley Cyrus want's Demi Lovato's head in a box, like hetero girls and homo boys want J-T's dick in a box.

Just look at the perfect combination of mesh and fabric! just look at the perfect length and perfect cut! it's so demure... yet so so sexy..

Serously. I might have to get it... and in turn forsake my M&S habit.

Hey, so, I'm selling some stuff... on ebay

2009-04-28T22:47:00.003+01:00

You could, like, have a look, if you want...

One Lovely halter vintage Dress
One sexy ninja black dress
One Awesome 80s power dress
One soft and warm Orange Sweater
One cute red nautical cardigan

Chinua Achebe is no match for my friend's mum.

2009-04-26T17:28:00.006+01:00

She had a run in with him a the airport in Trinidad (edited. i thought it was Tanzania. i was proven incorrect). It was hot, she was tired, and the que was too long... so she kicked up a bit of a stink. Cue Mr Achebe telling her to pipe down, cue Mama Han telling him it's alright for him in his Wheelchair. He doesn't have to stand up in the que. Mr Achebe piped down.

Mama Han is my hero.

Mr Achebe. No match for Mama Han.

Right. Man candy trio. Roque, Nando, Kaka.

2009-04-26T17:16:00.002+01:00

and nando again...

My four year film degree is a sham.

2009-04-26T13:12:00.006+01:00

it is all for nought. I feel cheated and betrayed by TCD film dept. betrayed I tell you. To hell with Bergman, to hell with Fellini, Dreyer who? Hitchcock what? Ozu why?

all i ever needed all along was Zefron.

Just look at that hair, and those arms, that smile, those eyes, i mean he has a hot neck for pete's sake! and ther's dancing, and pratfalls and triumph over adversity, and an hilarious starwars obsessed sidekick. what more could you possibly want?!

maybe this..... he rips his trousers off!

you know what's fun? TAC. that's what.

2009-04-26T12:56:00.004+01:00

The next one's Robot themed. And I do not jest when i say it will be the best night of your life if you're brave enough to take your destiny into your own hands.

Just look at the pictures, look at them.

right?!

i KNOW.

5/6/2009 the button factory.

This Guy is Unbelievable....

2009-04-24T12:04:00.004+01:00

Apparently ALL women are sluts. Here's just a small selection of his pointers for 'how to spot a slut'

She’s an artsy type.

Or a lawyer. See: Eternal Ingenue and Amazonian Alpha. The paradox of femininity is that it is often both the ultrafeminine and ultramasculine women who have racked up big numbers of men

She tells you about all the places she’s traveled.

Yeah, chicks love to travel, but how many have put their dreams into action? If your date has been around the world twice with multiple stops in Rome, Rio, Vegas, LA, or some Appalachian backwater you can be sure she’s “traveled” straight into the crotch of an exotic local at every destination

She asks you how many women you’ve slept with or accuses you of being a player.

One word: projection.

And my favourite?

She’s black.

Sorry, folks, hate to say it, but going by my personal experience and what I’ve heard from friends, black chicks seem to sleep around more. Don’t blame me, I’m just the Deliverer Of Truths Best Left Unsaid But I’m Going To Say Anyhow.

Finally it's over

2009-04-24T11:56:00.003+01:00

My dissertation is in, it's done, i still hate it, but it's not my problem anymore.

So hopefully i'll have brain space to write interesting things again, or at least post pictures of hot footballers..

My brain is worn by this dissertation...

2009-04-20T23:16:00.004+01:00

So here's some ballers with babies...

This man is 40.

2009-04-20T23:12:00.004+01:00

Praise be for Maldini.

I went to see Twilight today. again.

2009-04-19T00:29:00.004+01:00

With Matt, at the Irish Film Institute. we were doing research, interrogating the zeitgeist... ahem... yeah Edward Cullen's just really hot.

anyway, it was very odd, there were lots of teenagers, there was a face painter, there were apples everywhere and big pieces of black paper on the walls with quotes from the movie. before the screening there was an introduction, well, three actually, one adult representative from the IFI's education department, and two very nervous 16 year olds reading out some factoids from IMDB.

The movie was awesome. natch.

Then there was a Q&A. With a Bram Stoker Scholar. who'd just completed her PhD. I'm very sorry to say we left at that point. on my part simply because i was afraid of spoilers, and on Matt's part because he feared for his masculinity.

what a morning.

a FIRE! by my house!

2009-04-19T00:28:00.003+01:00

triffically exciting. i don't have pictures or anything but it's still exciting...

nobody tagged me so maybe this i cheating..

2009-04-11T22:02:00.006+01:00

But i don't much care. i'm too lazy to blog properly.

What’s the last thing you read or are currently reading?

Backlash by Susan Faludi

Do you nap a lot?

yes.

Who was the last person you hugged?

Shane. natch.

What’s your current obsession/addiction?

Butternut Squash soup from M&S.

What are you wearing right now?

blue leggings, purple acid wash aa tee, blue cardie, navy hoodie

What was for dinner?

soup and ice cream

What have you been listening to lately?

Slumdog millionaire soundtrack, and immortal technique.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

the power to not really have to work that hard to do well. UGH. i work SO hard and it makes me feel uncool.

What is your favorite weather, and why?

warm. not sweaty hot

What was the last thing you bought?

A. A bus ticket. How. Exciting.

K. Bulmers.

Say something about the person who tagged you :

nobody did. i'm a narcissist

If you could have a house- totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be?

New York.

Favorite vacation spot?

Carmel, in California, or Mcleod Gang india..

Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is overflowing with a zillion others?

my brown boots i bought in first year.

Name one thing you cannot live without.

my boy

If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?

in my paid for house in NY?

Texaco art competition

2009-04-06T17:59:00.004+01:00

It's rad. I remember entering a still life of my shoe (it was an exam piece) and another of a fairy (i was ver little) so in the spirit of it being awesome here are some of last years winners.

My Dubes by Beibhin Walsh from Ursuline College, Sligo. Age: 13

Stephen Gerrard by Edel Mulqueen from Kilrush Community School, Kilrush, Co. Clare. Age: 18

Clever Fox by Jack Dardis from Doodle-Skoole, Navan, Co. Meath. Age: 6

Bertie Ahern, by Kim McGettigan, from Raheney, Dublin 5, Age: 6

Dolphins rise at Sunset by Glenn Barry , from St Mary's Special School, Rochestown, Co. Cork. Age: 15

Channing Tatum : ROIDE.

2009-04-04T16:00:00.003+01:00

Listen to this. It's the truth.

2009-04-01T21:56:00.005+01:00

Want want want want want want want

2009-03-29T11:45:00.005+01:00

These

SO BAD

not to get all patriotic or anything...

2009-03-29T11:26:00.008+01:00

But England were magnificent last night. They made it look so simple, so effortless, so right. The fans were right there for them, no shamefull booing, no uncomfortable silences. It was like a joyful lovers reunion after a long and bitter break, all make up sex and tears of happiness. Beckham is footballer par excellence, a paragon of footballing virtue, the hardest working man in the game, perfection in every way. Capello is the czar of awesome, he's instilled discipline, a work ethic, respect, and pride. Not to mention he knows his shit when it comes to tactics. Gerrard, superb, naturellement. And even little Rooney managed to stop himself from throwing his toys out of the pram long enough to score a couple of blinders.

I'm not going to get carried away but seriously.... (it's coming home, it's coming home, it's coming, football's coming home....)

Perhaps most importantly however, the new kit: fucking breathtaking. Crisp, white, preppy, traditional yet modern. And designed by Saville row tailor Charlie Allen, the best bit is, that Umbro will be setting up a shop temporarily in London where anybody can go and get their own bespoke version. not kidding.

want:

The lady version:

even the label is classy:

The star is for the one world cup, but subtle... we don't want to toot our own trumpet too loudly:

CHarlie Allen, the man himself:

The shop:

Traveller weddings are ace.

2009-03-21T21:16:00.006Z

Not one of them over the age of 17.... 25 stone dresses, caravans as wedding presents, children in bikinis, machete fights at the reception... incredible stuff.

Boho eh?

2009-03-19T09:08:00.006Z

I find the whole "boho" thing kinda funny on my dad's side I'm pretty much third generation actual bohemian, by grandmother is an artist and oh MAN you should see her house/art/clothes there are stacks of canvasses everywhere sculptures on every surface etc. My dad lived in a horse drawn caravan for a large part of my childhood, and my mum and dad were in a travelling bohemian circus when i was young. here, if you want it are the style tips i've picked up from them.

trust your instinct - if you like it, do it, it doesn't matter if it clashes
beads are good - my grandma has a huge collection of chunky bead necklaces, all turquoise and amber and gorgeousness.
anything ethnic is good - by this i mean mexican, indian, middle eastern etc.
Embellishments are good - embroidery, applique, painted cloth etc.
Theatrical costume departments are your friend - the things mu mum picked up in clear out sales are awesome, big petticoats and long velvet opera coats etc.
grow your hair, just let it be natural, don't fuss with it.
ditto with makeup - leave it to a minimum, eyeliner for all but not a lot else.
Scarves, Sandals, Sequins.
Vintage anything - NEVER shop anywhere where sweatshops may have been involved.
natural fibers are good - wool, cotton, cashmere, silk, if it feels good it makes you feel good, if you feel good you're gonna chill out. bohemians are chilled. unless they're freaking out in an artistic frenzy....

So here's my mama and papa make of it what you will.

Connie Chiu doesn't look real....

2009-03-18T22:01:00.004Z

And her life doesn't sound real either...

“I wrote my phone number on the back of a photo and sent it off to Jean Paul Gaultier. About four months later, he called my mum and said he wanted me to come do his couture show in Paris.”

yep... pretty much if you're a chinese albino with purple eyes give your local megastar designer a bell. you never know...