Good news for contraceptive pill users

The Guardian online have today released an article about how taking the contraceptive pill reduces the chances of women getting ovarian cancer.

See the full story at Guardian Unlimited.

This is a positive step towards changing people's attitude towards the contraceptive pill which has caused much controversy as people have tried to weigh up the pros and cons of taking it over the years.

It is believed that the pill can protect women from ovarian cancer for up to 30 years after they stop taking it. The Guardian writes: "Those who take it for 15 years cut their risk by half."

This is undoubtedly good news but the new research doesn't go into much depth about the risks concerned with taking the pill, which women need to be aware of before they make their decision. This is especially important at the moment with talks of the contraceptive pill being made available over the counter so I think more needs to be done to make women aware of what exactly the pill is all about and the pros and cons it carries with it.

Faltering under the spotlight

It's sad to see how many 'celebs' seem to be falling apart in the spotlight at the moment.

First we had Britney shaving off her hair and now pulling all kinds of crazy stunts and then we have Amy Winehouse taking drugs and risking her life.

Now we discover that Heath Ledger is dead, and it's suspected that it may have been because he couldn't handle the fame (although we won't know the results from the autopsy for a good few days yet).

It's such a shame to see these young people crumbling under the persona they have created for themselves and to see that the fame and fortune doesn't seem to be bringing them any happiness whatsoever.

I think there needs to be some kind of revision of how the media handle celebrity culture. It has improved a great deal since the 90's and the 'hounding of Princess Diana' but, we're a long way from allowing these people some privacy. None of us want to see celebrities ruining their lives because of their inability to copy with the fame and the pressure.

A lot of them would benefit from the Katie Melua or the Johnny Depp approach, both of whom pretty much stay out of the spot light and in Depp's case...well... good luck to the journalist who tries to pursue him!

Korn live at the CIA

Korn are back with their first UK tour in 7 years. Last night saw the band live at Cardiff International Arena.

They were welcomed onstage by a tide of black outfits and band t-shirts as fans of all ages chanted their name.

They kicked off the set-list with 'Right Now' the first track from their 2003 album Take a Look in the Mirror and performed in front of a backdrop of the cover of their latest album Untitled.

Lead vocalist Johnathan Davis was a hit in his kilt and connected with the crowd like a true professional. His solo on the bagpipes was an impressive break in the set-list although it must've perforated a few ear drums.

The laser style lights throughout the show were mesmerising and were a great accompaniment to the music. Davis' personalised silver mic stand in the shape of a naked woman was also pretty impressive.

Davis proved his vocal ability and the power of his voice in songs like 'Freak on a Leash', 'Throw Me Away' and 'Evolution' - which were all huge crown pleasers.

They finished their main set with 'Ass Itch' a song about how Davis hates writing lyrics from their '99 album Life is Peachy, before returning for the encore where they played 'Blind'- their debut single and first track from their self-titled debut album. They ended the show with 'Got the Life' - a track from their 2002 album Follow the Leader.

Korn definitely put on an excellent show, let's hope they don't wait another 7 years to return.

Heart throb Heath Ledger pronounced dead

Australian born actor Heath Ledger was found dead at his Manhatten residence today, his cause of death is currently unknown.

BBC online say that the 28-year-old Hollywood star "was found dead in the SoHo apartment at around 1530 (2030 GMT)."


It is believed that Ledger was waiting for a massage when his housekeeper found him dead.

Heath Ledger was an incredible actor, giving remarkable performances in films such as 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight's Tale and Brokeback Mountain.

See the full story at BBC News.


Rest in Peace Heath Ledger.

A.V.P Requiem

Alien vs Predator Requiem brings the second instalment of the Alien and Predator battle to a small town and throws the lives of its unsuspecting residents into turmoil as they abandon the norm of their everyday lives to fight for their survival.

A.V.P.R by directors Colin Strause and Greg strause is a gripping horror/sci-fi with no shortage of brutal killings. The plot is simple and you don't need to have seen the first movie to understand what's going on.

Alien and Predator both bring their best characteristics to the movie as they attempt to finish each other off (and anyone else who gets in the way,) but this is balanced by the 'human' strands to the plot as characters try to deal with life issues they have before finding themselves lost in an other-worldly battle.

The cinematography is exciting and flawless although in some scenes it is difficult to tell which monster is which because of the dark lighting.

The one aspect that does disappoint in A.V.P.R is the gradual build up to the only major Alien and Predator fight. Sure they meet continuously throughout the film but, it is only near the end that we see a battle to justify the film title.

Nevertheless, A.V.P.R is an excellent box office hit that can appeal to an audience wider than just the fans of Alien or Predator movies.

Jack Sparrow and the children of Great Ormand Street

No this isn't a sequel to the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film, this was Johnny Depp spending four hours dressed as Jack Sparrow to entertain the patients of the Great Ormand Street Childrens Hospital.

The hospital took care of Depp's daughter, Lily Rose, when she fell ill while Depp was filming for Sweeney Todd (now in cinemas) and now Depp has donated a generous 1million pounds to the Childrens Hospital. This follows a donation from Disney as part of their fundraising campaign.

It's nice to see a star using their fame and riches for a good cause, a lovely story that made me smile.

Video game rumoured to hit the big screen

Rumour has is that the hit video game Tekken is preparing to hit our screens in movie form. Director Dwight Little is thought to be taking on the project.

The film, which is due to start production in February, will tell of Jin Kazama as he enters a secret martial arts tournament and discovers the great power he holds. Jon Foo, Andy Serkis, Susie Amy and Sienna Guillory are rumoured to be starring in the movie.

This follows in the footsteps of the recent release of Hitman, another game to movie adaptation, which didn't really make the grade.

A book to screen adaptation is one thing but, perhaps trying to do the same with a video game is a bridge too far. The interactive narrative in game play just doesn't translate as well onto the big screen.

Tekken should be ready for release in 2009 in the USA, we will have to wait and see whether it will be a success or whether fans of the original game and cinema-goers alike wish that it could have been left as it was in game format.

Read more at MovieWeb.