Westlife - What About Now single review

Irish heartthrobs Westlife are back on the music scene after enjoying a year off. They return with a great new single from their much anticipated tenth album, Where We Are, which will be released at the end of November.

What About Now marks Westlife’s first single since Us Against the World which reached number 8 in the UK charts in March 2008 and the lads will surely be hoping to find themselves heading back towards the top of the charts with their new release.

The new track sees the boys sticking to what they do best as they bring us another beautiful power ballad. The vocals, as expected, are amazing and the lyrics are great too. My only criticism of this single is that it’s another cover (the original being sung by Daughtry) and while it’s a brilliant song, it would have been nice to see the boys do something new with their first single in over a year. Nevertheless, it will hopefully be a huge hit with fans worldwide.

Look out for track two on the single (You Raise Me Up live at Croke Park) as it’s also a great song and perhaps even better that it’s the live version.

Westlife’s upcoming album, Where We Are, will be available to buy from 30th November.

Up cinema review

Disney Pixar’s Up is a magical film with a very unique plot that will be a huge hit with people of all ages.

Mr. Fredricksen is an adventurer at heart but as old age sets in and he looses his wife there’s not much adventuring to be had and he finds himself backed into a corner and forced to go into a retirement home. However, Mr Frederickson isn’t ready to give up his house yet and he certainly isn’t prepared to come quietly so he decides to fly his beloved home to Paradise Falls using only helium balloons.

Of course this is Disney so his bizarre plan works and he is soon on his way to his dream spot but, it looks as though his retirement won’t be quite as peaceful as he expected when Russell, a junior Wilderness Explorer, turns up on his porch as the house is floating mid air.

The pair land in South America and soon make themselves familiar with the locals as an exotic bird befriends Russell (much to Mr. Fredricksen’s dismay) and fast on the birds tracks is a talking dog who is also eager to hang around.
The unusual group quickly find themselves wandering into trouble though and Mr. Fredricksen has to make some important decisions about the direction he wants to take in life.

Up is just brilliant; the characters are great and the story is so unusual that you just can’t take your eyes off the screen. It’s got the perfect balance of everything and will make you laugh, cry and perhaps think about its messages a bit too. This is a must see for everyone this autumn.

Myxomatosis outbreak in Cardiff area

The number of rabbits contracting the horrible disease Myxomatosis has increased dramatically in the Cardiff area over recent weeks.

One local veterinary surgery is thought to have put to sleep around 30 rabbits because of the disease.

Owners should be aware that they need to have their rabbits vaccinated against Myxomatosis on a yearly basis but, that should be increased to every 6 months if the rabbits are more at risk.

What is Myxomatosis?

Myxomatosis is a man made disease that was introduced in Australia in 1950 to control the rabbit population.

The signs are swellings on the head, swelling of the genitals, swollen and runny eyes, lumps on the body and discharge from the nose.

It is a very painful disease and rabbits which haven't been vaccinated are unlikely to survive so vets often opt to euthanize the animal.


How do rabbits catch it?

It is spread by biting and flying pests such as fleas and mosquitoes.

Whilst rabbits who live outdoors can be considered more at risk, (especially if they have contact with wild rabbits and hares) rabbits who live indoors can also contract the disease so, it is important to have all pet bunnies vaccinated regardless of where they live.

The vaccinations are reasonably priced (usually between about £15-£20) and can be given to rabbits from a very young age (usually about 8 weeks but, check with your vet).

It is also important to keep your rabbit clear of fleas and mites, so check for them regularly.

The Invention of Lying cinema review

The Invention of Lying is a new comedy by Ricky Gervais and while the concept is interesting, the film itself doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

The Invention of Lying is about Mark Bellison, a man who is down on his luck as he finds himself out of a job, facing eviction from his home and unable to woo the girl of his dreams. He is almost ready to admit defeat when he discovers his hidden ability to lie in a world where people only ever tell the truth; this completely turns his life around but, is it really for the better?

The opening credits and the first sequence of this film are very strange and as the plot continues it all becomes a bit too silly; there are a few funny moments throughout but, nothing that really makes you want to laugh out loud, which is quite a disappointment. Gervais is ok as Mark Bellison but, none of the characters in the film are particularly gripping, which adds to the feeling that the film is a bit of a let down. The idea behind this film is really clever and it’s a real shame that it doesn’t quite hit the mark.

The Invention of Lying is the kind of film that is fine to watch if there’s nothing better on but, it’s definitely not one of this Autumns must see movies.

District 9 cinema review

Peter Jackson and director Neil Blomkamp are bringing a new type of alien film to our screens with District 9.

The film is about a group of aliens who become stuck on earth after their Mothership breaks down. The people of Johannesburg find them malnourished and so they set up a secure camp for them to live in where they can be separate from the human population.

However, this does not quite work for the locals as the aliens (or ‘prawns’) start to break the rules of their confinement. The authorities decide it’s time for them to be moved outside of Johannesburg into a new camp and so they are all served eviction notices which they are expected to cooperate with.

One vigilante alien has other ideas; he has been running an operation under his home in District 9 where he has been working on a special substance which will enable him to repair the Mothership to take his people home again.
The government agent in charge of the evictions is exposed to the liquid when searching the alien’s home and slowly finds that he is transforming into one of the ‘prawns’.

District 9 is a really interesting film. It’s shot in a documentary style which feels strange at first but really works as you adapt to the technique.
The film is gripping from start to finish and the interaction between the aliens and the humans is great to watch and offers plenty of laughs.
The film feels fresh and quite different to the alien films we usually see, which makes it a brilliant watch.

The Taking of Pelham 123 cinema review

The Taking of Pelham 123 is an exciting film about a group of criminals who take over a train and hold its passengers as hostages.

John Travolta stars as Ryder who has recently been let out of prison and is now the ringleader of the train hijack. Along with his gang of miscreants, he terrorises the passengers and demands a heavy ransom which has to reach him on time or he threatens to start shooting the people on the train.

An unsuspecting train dispatcher (Denzel Washington) finds his day taking a very unexpected twist as he has to quickly learn how to negotiate with terrorists while keeping the situation calm and the train passengers alive.

Pelham 123 is a really gripping film and John Travolta is perfect as the unhinged and humorous Ryder. The relationship between his character and Garber (played by Denzel Washington) is really interesting to watch as it develops over the course of the film. The film focuses mainly on these characters but, this doesn’t harm the plot at all as they are both well cast and have great chemistry, resulting in a great watch.

Orphan cinema review

It’s difficult to know where to start with this film and I can’t quite make up my mind whether I liked it or not as Orphan is horrifying and disturbing but also strangely gripping.

Orphan is about a couple who are looking to adopt an older child as an addition to their family after loosing their baby. At the orphanage they meet Esther, a 9-year-old girl originally from Russia, who appears to be a very talented and intelligent girl who is a little bit different to the other children.

John and Kate decide to give Esther a chance and they take her home with them to join their young family. Everything seems to be perfect to begin with as Esther is sweet and polite but, strange things soon start to happen around her and Kate becomes suspicious. Kate tries to express her concerns to husband John but, he just can’t see things the same way until it’s too late.

The plot for this film is intriguing but, can be a little difficult to swallow in places. The opening sequence, for example, is very hard to watch and seems a bit insensitive and unnecessary, and there are sections throughout which are also unsettling. However, despite some of the horrible content, the film still keeps you tensely on the edge of your seat and wanting to know what happens next.

I wouldn’t recommend this film to most people as it is a little bit shocking and it should probably have a higher certificate than a 15 but, for those who do chose to see it, expect to leave the cinema very unsettled.

Public Enemies cinema review

Johnny Depp stars as John Dillinger in this 30’s gangster film based on a true story.

Dillinger is a notorious criminal who spends his time robbing banks, evading the long arm of the law and plotting ways to escape prison each time he is caught.

Hot on his thieving tail is Christian Bale’s character Melvin Purvis who makes it his duty to hunt down Dillinger and his men and see them firmly back behind bars by any means possible.

Along the way, Dillinger meets the love of his life in French woman Billie Frechette; he falls hard and fast and decides to take her along for the ride in his crazy, fast-paced life.

Public Enemies is a bit disappointing and was not quite what I was expecting. The first half of the film is very slow paced and the scenes do not seem to fit together very well. There is a lot going on but not much explanation as to why. This sadly gets the audience off on a bad start with it.
The second half of the film, however, is a huge improvement; the pace is better and the action flows more effectively which makes it much more enjoyable to watch.

Public Enemies has an interesting plot, some interesting characters and some solid acting; it’s use of hand-held camera and natural sound is effective as it really gives a documentary feel, reminding you that the film is based on a true story but, these positive aspects do not quite save it from the poor pacing and the lack of coherence at the start, which really lets it down.

There was definitely a lot more that director Michael Mann could have done with this film to make it more of a hit.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince cinema review

The much anticipated sixth Harry Potter film is finally here and its arrival has caused a huge wave of excitement among cinema goers. As an avid fan, I was raring to give it a glowing review but, sadly it doesn’t quite live up to the hype and doesn’t quite compare to the book either.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sees our young wizard facing more peril than ever as Voldemort is on the rise and the magical world are under threat. Harry has to take on a task of great importance for Dumbledore if they are to stand any chance of defeating the Dark Lord but, this proves to be no easy feat.
Meanwhile, schoolboy bully Draco Malfoy has a mission of equal significance to carry out for Voldemort as he sneaks around the castle under the ever watchful eye of ex-potions teacher Severus Snape.

Amid all this, love is in the air and the hormones are raging as Ron catches the eye of the obsessive Lavender Brown (much to the disapproval and annoyance of Hermione) and Harry becomes ever more smitten with his best friends sister Ginny Weasley.

There is a lot of humour throughout this film, providing a good balance to the darker aspects of the plot and the characters and their chemistry are all brilliant, as expected.
However, there is a general feeling that much of the film is very drawn out with not a great deal being explained and then suddenly towards the end we are hit in the face with the important action bits, which seem to be over just as quickly as they began.

Understandably, a lot of the content from the book has been changed or omitted but, this does have a negative effect on the film as the end product does not provide the impact it could have.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is still an excellent film, and one of the best of the summer but, it does not live up to its full potential and fails to deliver the way the book did.

Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Manny, Sid and Diego are back in another icy adventure this summer as they stumble upon a hidden prehistoric world right beneath their feet.

Manny and his wife Ellie are preparing for the anticipated arrival of their baby mammoth and Sid decides he wants a family of his own so when he comes across three seemingly abandoned eggs he is quick to take them home and play the role of their new mum.

Our motley crew of friends are in for a shock when the eggs hatch though, as they turn out to be the babies of a very large and not very friendly dinosaur who reclaims her offspring and takes them back to her prehistoric world along with Sid the Sloth.

Naturally Manny and Diego have to rescue their friend and therefore embark on a dangerous adventure in unfamiliar territory.

Ice Age 3 is an entertaining film with a good storyline however, while it’s nice to see the trio return, it does seem to be getting a bit old now and you get the feeling there is only so much that can be done with the characters and the setting.

The 3D element feels slightly pointless as well and seems to be an unnecessary way to get more money out of the audience, which is slightly annoying.

Overall, Ice Age 3 is an enjoyable film and will be a hit with the kids but, it definitely won’t live up to the first two films.

The Hangover cinema review

Most of us are familiar with the sore head, the sick stomach and the feeling of dread from the alcohol-induced antics of the night before but, few of us can relate to waking up to find someone else’s baby, a chicken and Mike Tyson’s pet tiger in your holiday suite... that would be one bad hangover.

This is exactly the type of hangover that an unsuspecting group of friends face after a wild stag party in Las Vegas, though the baby and the animals are the least of their worries when the three groomsmen realise they’ve lost the groom.

Phil, Stu and Alan have to desperately retrace their drunken steps if they are to find Doug and get him home in time for his wedding but, this is no easy feat for them as their heavy hangovers and severe memory loss refuse to break.

The Hangover is bizarre, over the top and completely random but, proves to be an entertaining and quite unique watch as we follow the groomsmen on their journey to find Doug.

There is plenty of humour throughout but, the film isn’t the most side splitting comedy and it sometimes feels a bit too strange and so fails to leave a lasting impression.

History in films: Fact or fiction?

By Chris Evans and Lianne Jones

History is a favourite genre for many people as it evokes reflection and encourages an audience to think about a significant event from yester year that they wouldn’t necessarily think about otherwise. It comes as a complete package with a ready made plot and ready made characters set for a filmmaker to use as they wish.

However, basing a film on historical content is not always problem free and there are many issues that need to be considered.

The issue of historical accuracy in films is one that can cause much debate as historical events are interpreted in different ways by different people, in turn when they are made into films it becomes an issue of how the historical event should be presented. Portraying the event from a certain view point over another can cause problems as the bias of the filmmaker can be questioned, inevitably causing much controversy.

In addition, a film ultimately has to engage its audience and in order to create an enjoyable cinematic experience it is often necessary to create an adaptation which differs or excludes things that actually happened. For example, the director of Valkyrie, Bryan Singer, revealed in Australian newspaper the Herald Sun that they left out an event where von Stauffenberg (portrayed by Tom Cruise) refused morphine when recovering from his wounds. Singer decided not to put this in as he felt there would be a negative reaction to portraying Cruise like this. This shows how filmmakers have to make concessions to help present the story in a manner which the audience will react positively to.

Another problem with using history in films is the complexity of the real-life characters involved in the original events. Again, this is something that affected Valkyrie as there was a lack of ambiguity about the motives of Stauffenberg et al, the film very much showed the plotters as fighting against the evil of Hitler’s regime, it made no mention of what kind of Germany they wanted to create if the plot was a success. While it can be argued that the film was made in this way in order to make people aware of the heroic efforts of the plotters, it fails to dig deeper into the original characters, as many films do.

There is often a tendency to use films based on historical events as an educational tool, and while this is beneficial as it gives some visual relief and insight to something that may be difficult to understand from a textbook alone, it also poses some problems. Due to the nature of films and the limited length of the end product, it is difficult to present a historical event from every angle that would need to be shown in order for the film to be completely objective. Filmmakers therefore often have to compensate and present just one side of the argument, this then limits the film as an educational piece.

Films such as Schindler’s List and The Boy in Striped Pyjamas are often referred to for educational purposes but, they only highlight a small aspect of the holocaust, and in both cases, the films were based on a novel (although Schindler’s List is also biographical) and consequently they are not entirely factual.

Looking at more modern events we can see that there have been films made about the events of September 11th, these have often been based on survivors testimonies. However the question is raised over whether these films are politically biased as to recount such an important event in American history without an inherent bias would be an extremely difficult task. Basing such films on testimony is also problematic as survivors of such a horrific event will naturally be biased against the perpetrators and the film may then fail to consider an event such as September 11th on a wider scale.

Finally, we are all familiar with historical films carrying the phrase ‘ based on a true event’, and this can also be restrictive to a filmmaker as it ties them more to the facts of the original story and offers little room for leeway. Without this phrase however, they are free to roam a little bit further and to explore a more creative approach regarding the historical event. Whether this phrase is used or not also has quite a dramatic impact on how audiences react to the film and how they choose to interpret it. Perhaps the content and messages would be far more hard hitting if the film is ‘based on a true event’.

Historical films are definitely an essential genre of film but, as we can see, they can be extremely difficult to produce as there are many issues that can cause interference. They are a challenge for filmmakers as they try to get the balance right between historical content and entertainment, all the while remembering that ultimately they have to sell their product and appeal to as wide an audience as possible. This means history is no easy subject.

Britain's attack on film piracy crime

We are all familiar with the dodgy DVDs sold down the local pub by those Knock-off Nigel’s and the illegal downloads on the Internet but, few of us stop to contemplate the effect of film piracy and the impact it can have upon the industry we love and the professionals who work within it.

According to FACT (the Federation Against Copyright Theft) film piracy generates approximately £200 million a year at street prices for criminals and the total loss to the whole audio visual industry through copyright theft is as much as £486 million. These figures are immense and can deliver some devastating blows to the film industry.

So why do people opt for film piracy? Well, aside from the fact that many people don’t fully comprehend the consequences, the main reasons are that it offers a cheap way for people to enjoy films, meaning they don’t have to break the bank or sacrifice their want for entertainment, many people also partake in film piracy as a means of income and others do it to put themselves ahead, so they can consume new films before they’re even widely released.

Whilst it is understandable that people buy pirated DVDs because they can’t afford to buy official DVDs or see the film in the cinema, the issue needs to be considered on a wider scale. It may be the case that we have the public benefiting from cheap entertainment but, this has a negative impact on the film industry and affects the revenue it generates. If we consider that the entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing, even in a time of recession, then having its revenue affected by piracy can be damaging to the economy as a whole. This will eventually come full circle and have a further negative impact on consumers.

With this in mind, it is important to put a stop to film piracy and to protect the revenue the film industry generates.

In December 2008, film and television industry professionals took a stand against piracy as they called to the government for action against illegal online file-sharing. The UK producers, directors and writers involved in the action included Sir Alan Parker, Kenneth Branagh, Ken Loach, Lynda La Plante, David Heyman, Richard Curtis, Jim Sheridan and John Madden amongst many others. In their letter, available to view at Timesonline, they revealed that: “In 2007, an estimated 98 million illegal downloads and streams of films took place in the UK, while it is believed that more than six million people illegally file-share regularly,” and requested that the government take the issue seriously and show their support “by ensuring that internet service providers play their part in tackling this huge problem.”

Recently, further attempts have been made to tackle film piracy and these have reaped positive results. In March, the UK’s largest illegal DVD factory was closed down following a major investigation and raid on a commercial printing operation in Wembley, London. During the raid, a significant number of printing plates used to produce DVD covers were seized and four people were arrested in connection with the operation. This action is among many others that have taken place all over the UK since January, including: 5,000 counterfeit DVDs being seized from a garden shed in Surrey, a Londonderry shopkeeper being fined £200 for selling counterfeit DVDs, seven men and two women being arrested in a Glasgow counterfeit DVD factory raid where police recovered an estimated £350,000 worth of DVDs and over 100 DVD burners and then 30,000 counterfeit DVDs with a street value of over £90,000 and 150 DVD burners were seized in two separate raids in Lewisham, London.

This month we have seen the fight against piracy hit a wider scale as four people in Stockholm have been convicted, ordered to pay £3million in damages and sentenced to one year imprisonment each for breaking copyright law during their involvement with The Pirate Bay, the world’s most high-profile file-sharing website.

Also in this month’s news, we have seen the uproar caused by the leaked film download of X-Men Origins: Wolverine being reviewed before its cinema release. Fox News columnist, Roger Friedman, parted ways with Fox after posting his own review of the downloaded film and according to BBC News online, Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman is ‘heartbroken’ because of the pirated leak.

To draw on another example, we can see the potential affects piracy can have on retail if we consider Woolworths and Zavvi and how they have fallen victim to the recession, perhaps if piracy weren’t so rife, companies such as these would stand more chance of survival.

These examples emphasise the extent to which film piracy is at large and, in the case of Hugh Jackman, Zavvi and Woolworths, it shows how professionals and even retailers are affected.

The authorities are of course constantly on the lookout for piracy but, attempts are also made to reach out and discourage people before they become too involved.

For a long time, the film industry have targeted consumers with harsh advertisements telling them that piracy is a crime and comparing it to stealing a car and such like. Now, they have changed tactics and are adopting a softer and more appreciative approach to film fans. The new adverts hold a positive message and thank the cinema goers for supporting film and television in the UK. This is a very interesting technique and time will tell if it is any more effective than previous advertising messages.

All things considered, I feel piracy is still a huge issue and the potential it has to damage the economy is immense. More needs to be done to make people aware of the effects of film piracy and perhaps consumers need to be educated about it from a younger age to discourage them from becoming involved. The strong stand against film piracy must continue to grow if the UK film industry is to prosper.

Summertime: It's all about the blockbusters

Summer is fast approaching and that means we are soon to be faced with the lovely summer rays (we hope), fun days out at the beach and a whole host of box office hits.

Yes, summer is the time of year when the film companies battle it out to see who can achieve the biggest blockbuster and this summer is no different as we have some solid contenders emerging onto the big screen.

From next month, we will see the madness begin as Disney launch the first challenger, Hannah Montana (released 1st May), a film adapted from the small screen about a girl leading a secret double life as a pop star that will be a huge hit with teenage girls everywhere. With it appealing to a limited audience it is unlikely to blow us all away but, the kids will love it. Next we have Angels and Demons (released 14th May) the sequel to The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks; there hasn’t been much hype about this one yet but, it might be a dark horse. May also sees the release of Night at the Museum 2 (released 22nd May), and this one’s probably going to be a bit of a stab in the dark. Yes, the first movie was entertaining enough but, do we want to see another one? Not really. Definitely not a contender for the summer 2009 blockbuster title although, again it will be a hit with the kids.

June sees the film industry up their game as Terminator: Salvation is released on 3rd June and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is released on 24th June. It’s lucky these two are spaced apart as the battle between them is going to be fierce. These will be a huge hit with the blokes and even the ladies might like to get in on the action. I have my doubts about Terminator though, it just won’t be the same for most people without Arnie on screen.

July brings yet more kid’s films just in time for their school holidays. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is released on 1ST July and is guaranteed to be one of the favourites this summer as it follows the misfit group of friends through another historical era.

Johnny Depp will be back on our screens from 3rd July as he stars with Christian Bale in crime film Public Enemies; this one won’t steal the limelight but, will undoubtedly be a great film.
Next we have Bruno (released 10th July)which will take us on another of Sacha Baron Cohen’s bizarre adventures, this time as camp Austrian TV presenter; it’s unlikely this one will rake in the biggest ratings either but, it will definitely be worth a look.

Now for the big one … drum roll please ... July 17th sees the release of one of the year’s most anticipated films as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is out after an agonising 8 month delay. My prediction is that this film will sweep the board with everything else and will be this summer’s biggest blockbuster; I personally can’t wait to see it. With so much hype though and with it being based on such an important book, there is the possibility that many fans of the Harry Potter novels will be disappointed with the film adaptation. Nevertheless, it is guaranteed to be a brilliant watch.

Things start to quieten down a bit in August though with G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (7th August) being released at the beginning of the month and Tarantino’s new film Inglorious Basterds (21ST August), about a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as ‘The Basterds’ who set out to scalp and kill the Nazi’s, being released at the end of the month.

So, there you have it. That’s the summer hits in a nutshell. Perhaps, there aren’t as many sure fire successes for this season as we have seen in previous years but, it still looks set to be a pretty good summer film-wise and at least if the weather does let us down (when doesn’t it?) there will be plenty to keep us entertained indoors.

Status of Pirates 4 is still unclear

Gore Verbinski’s announcement that he would be leaving the Pirates of the Caribbean series earlier this month has caused fans to question the status of the fourth installment but, writer Terry Rossio insists that little has changed.

Writing on the Word Player forums, he said: "We were in the space of not having a green light, and not having a director, not having an approved script, budget, stars, etc. Now we’re in the space of not having a green light, and not having a director, not having an approved script, budget, stars, etc."

He added: "The only thing that is being undone are people’s expectations, and their misunderstandings of how the system works. Really, until there is a movie there is no movie."

Star Trek actor on tour

Patrick Stewart, famous for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek is on tour with Ian McKellen in Samuel Beckett’s tragicomedy Waiting for Godot.

The play is about two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who are endlessly waiting around for the mysterious Godot to arrive.

The two tramps find themselves arguing, making up, contemplating suicide, trying to sleep, eating a carrot and gnawing on a chicken bone as they sit out their vigil.

The performance dates are as follows: Theatre Royal in Bath March 30-April 4, 2009; Theatre Royal in Norwich April 6-11, 2009; King’s Theatre in Edinburgh April 13-18, 2009; and Theatre Royal in Newcastle April 20-25, 2009 before beginning a limited West End run at Theatre Royal Haymarket from April 30 to June 28 2009.

Patrick Stewart will also find himself as one of 13 honourees in a new hall of fame in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s visitor centre at Stratford-upon-Avon this month.

Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh will stand alongside Patrick Stewart and many others in the hall of fame which embraces performers, directors and artists who have been inspired by Shakespeare.

The exhibition will open on 23 April 2009.

Spielberg is a fan of Transformers sequel

Legendary director, Steven Spielberg, is already a fan of the new Transformer’s movie after watching it with Michael Bay in a theatre at Sony this month.

Writing on his personal blog, Michael said: "The lights came up after we just watched my cut of Revenge of the Fallen. He turned to me and said "It’s awesome". He felt this movie was better than the first - and probably my best, who knows - at this point in a movie you start to lose your objectivity."

The film is gaining a lot of interest at the moment and the challenge is in full swing now for Bay to finish it in time for its June release, he said: "We have 60 days left. Let me tell you it will be a race to finish. It’s 12 at night and we are still working here in the edit room. Everyone at ILM and DD are killing themselves right now, they are doing a stellar job on the effects."

For updates on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen or for other Michael Bay projects take a look at his blog at Michaelbay.com.

Let the Right One In Cinema Review

Let the Right One In is a strange and wonderful Swedish film about a reserved and bullied 12-year-old boy who finds himself in a most unusual relationship.

Oskar doesn’t have any friends and instead spends his time dreaming of getting revenge on Conny and the other bullies who make his life a misery. Things begin to change for Oskar though as he meets his new neighbour, a 12-year-old girl called Eli, while imagining revenge on his tormentors by stabbing a tree outside his home one evening. The two children talk and Eli tells Oskar they can’t be friends but, they continue to meet in the courtyard and strike up a friendship regardless of her words.

A series of murders in the area and Eli’s unusual behaviour eventually make Oskar realise that Eli is a vampire but, this does little to change his romantic feelings for her and so he accepts her for who she is, blood-sucking tendencies and all.

Let the Right One In is a unique and arty film with a brilliant plot, some great characters and a bit of dark humour. It is a strong example of how good a foreign-language film can be and is definitely worth a watch, as long as you don’t mind the subtitles.

Maggie Gyllenhaal joins cast of Nanny McPhee sequel

Production Weekly have announced on their Twitter page that Maggie Gyllenhaal is due to join Emma Thompson in the Nanny McPhee sequel ‘Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang’.

The sequel will take place nearly one hundred years before the events in the original film as Nanny McPhee has to tend to WWII children evacuated from their homes.

Filming is due to start next month at Shepperton Studios and the film is due for release in 2010.

The Haunting in Connecticut Cinema Review

The Haunting in Connecticut tells the story of a family who are forced to move to an old house in Connecticut to be closer to the hospital where their son Matt is on a special course of cancer treatment.

Money is tight for the family so they accept the house on its cheap rental price but, they soon discover why the rent is so low as they unearth the morbid history of their new home, which was once a mortuary.

Matt starts to see unnerving and unnatural things about the house but, the family blame it on his illness and his treatment. The supernatural events get progressively worse though and soon the family are unable to ignore the evil residing in their home. Matt begins to uncover the truth about the former mortuary, where the owner practised necromancy and used his son Jonah as a gateway to the other side, as the tortured souls trapped within the walls refuse to leave him alone.

The film, which is based on a true story, is gripping and a little spooky right from the start but, unlike your average horror, it is also quite emotional as we see what Matt and his family have to go through to fight his cancer.

The acting and the plot are both strong and the horror is consistent, making it a really interesting film packed with just the right amount of jumpy bits. A great watch if you like a bit of a scare.

The Boat That Rocked Cinema Review

The Boat That Rocked is packed with the cream of the British acting crop as it stars the likes of Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh and Nick Frost.

The film takes us back to the swinging 60’s and to a time where pirate radio was unbelievably popular, with one radio station in particular, Radio Rock, broadcasting to an immense fan base live from the North Sea.

Carl (Tom Sturridge) is sent to join the DJ crew by his mum Charlotte (Emma Thompson) after being kicked out of school but, far from being straightened out by working at sea, Carl is swept along in the fun and adventure that is Radio Rock’s life of 24 hour non-stop rock and pop shenanigans.

Radio Rock doesn’t come without its problems though as Government Minister Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) and his new recruit Twatt (Jack Davenport) make ruthless attempts to shut down the pirate station and bring an end to the joy their broadcasting brings to listeners all over the UK.

The Boat That Rocked is everything you would expect of a great British comedy with its unique humour, a superb cast and an unusual and exciting plot that keeps you entertained from start to finish.

This film will definitely float (or rock) your comedy boat and is a must see if you fancy a laugh this Spring.

New feature film funding announced by Film Agency for Wales

The Film Agency for Wales has announced production funding of £325,000 across three projects, including £150,000 for the latest movie from Rupert Friend, the star of ‘Young Victoria’ and Tom Hardy, the star of ‘Bronson’.

Produced by Margaret Matheson, Vaughan Sivell and Kelly Broad, ‘Barafundle Bay’ – a project that has been noted as one of the top as yet un-produced scripts by [Variety] -is written by Welsh born writer/producer Vaughan Sivell of Western Edge Pictures. Director Hattie Dalton, who is widely recognized as being rapidly on the rise, will work alongside Sivell. Her credits include ‘The Banker’ with Michael Sheen, ‘Heartlands’, ‘Stoned’ and ‘Layer Cake’. She has also recently been attached to direct the feature comedy ‘Little White Car’, written by the ‘Bond’ writing team Purvis and Wade.

‘Barafundle Bay’ is a touching and life affirming comedy about four friends re-forging the bond that they once enjoyed, as they take their last trip together along the coastline of West Wales. Starring alongside Friend will be Tom Hardy (‘Bronson’, ‘Rocknrolla’ and ‘Scenes of a Sexual Nature’) and Benedict Cumberbatch (‘The Other Boleyn Girl’, ‘Atonement’ and ‘Starter for Ten’).

"Having been born and raised in Pembrokeshire, I relished the opportunity to write a script that draws on the environment and values of this beautiful part of the world," explains Sivell who began his career, aged 14, as an actor before taking up writing and selling his TV series ‘Tiding’s Reach’ to BBC Wales. ‘Barafundle Bay’ will be his debut feature.

"‘Barafundle Bay’ tells the hilarious and moving story of a young man with terminal cancer who asks his three best friends to take him on one last riotous camping trip to his favorite beach. We’re delighted to have attached such a high profile cast along with Independent on board as sales agents"

An additional £150,000 has been awarded by the Film Agency for Wales to Rondo Media for the feature film ‘Driven’ by writer Catrin Clarke (‘Casualty’, ‘Mistresses’, ‘Moth’ and ‘Belonging’). Director Gareth Bryn and producer Eryl Phillips have attached Romola Garai (principal actress in Stephen Poliakoff’s forthcoming 1939, Atonement, ‘I Capture the Castle’ and ‘Inside I’m Dancing’) for the lead role of Beth.

A real life rebel without a cause, Beth is a non-conformist who relies on her sister to pick up the aftermath of her actions. But, this time she is left on her own with her 6 year-old nephew.

"‘Driven’ is a subtle, dark and ironic road movie about the wrong decisions that we can make in life," explains producer Eryl Phillips.

"With the early support of the Film Agency for Wales, we are excited about the potential of this debut feature – it is highly visual with some fast paced action. We hope that Romola’s attachment to the project will boost the profile of the film for international buyers. Berlin proved particularly productive for the project, prompting a number of conversations with high quality sales agents"

Finally, the Film Agency enhanced their previous funding offer of £75,000 for Gabriel Range’s ‘Little Matador’, granting a further £25,000. The emotionally charged feature documentary, which charts the hopes, fears and explores what drives a number of extraordinary child matadors, is due to commence principal photography in April 2009.

Directed by Sandra Jordan and Emmy Award winning, Gabriel Range of the Borough Picture Company, and produced alongside Ed Guiney’s Element Pictures from Ireland, ‘Little Matador’ will take the audience on an extraordinary journey.

BAFTA nominated Graham Smith will take the role of director of photography. His work includes Range’s award winning ‘Death of a President’. The editor is BAFTA winner Melanie Oliver whose credits include ‘Brick Lane’ and ‘Longford’.

"These awards, totaling £325,000, demonstrate our commitment to supporting Welsh talent – especially producers, writers and directors - with a real breadth of material that has a keen eye on the international market. Whilst we have relatively limited funds, these projects demonstrate that we have a lot of talent – and that, combined with a hands-on approach to facilitating projects wherever we are able, enables us to punch far above our weight" explains Pauline Burt, Chief Executive of the Film Agency for Wales.

The Film Agency for Wales is funded by the Arts Council of Wales, the UK Film Council and the Welsh Assembly Government, via Creative Business Wales, the latter of which was set up to support, encourage and increase the range and number of films being produced in Wales and to foster the abundance of creative talent in Wales.

Courtesy of Film Agency for Wales

Watchmen cinema review

The Watchmen, which is a Zack Snyder adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel, is definitely not worth the watch and is not worth the hype either.

The Watchmen takes place in 1985 America with the doomsday clock set at 5 minutes to midnight to mark the potential threat of the Soviet Union and the risk of conflict with the USA. Superheroes are part of the woodwork in this alternate setting and when The Comedian, an ex-superhero, is murdered, masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to discover who is behind it. He reunites with his old superhero colleagues as they unearth the conspiracy behind The Comedian’s murder.

Unfortunately, this is a film that isolates a huge proportion of the cinema audience and targets a niche market as it only welcomes readers of the original graphic novel to join in with the plot. If you have never read the graphic novel then don’t expect to get a full grasp of what it’s all about as there is little explanation and the story presented to you is a bit confusing.

The characters are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to warm to and it just feels as if there are far too many of them to familiarise yourself with. The plot is very slow and the decent action that does take place sadly does little to change the pace of the film. Even the interesting aesthetics are unable to turn the film around.

The Watchmen seems to drag on and on (it’s a painful two and a half hours long), making you fully aware that you have been sat in your seat trying to get into this odd film for far too long. If you’re not one of the Watchmen graphic novel fanatics then I really wouldn’t bother going to see this.

Transformers 3

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen isn’t even in the cinema yet and there’s already talk of a third movie being made.

Writing on the forums on his personal blog, Michael Bay wrote: "I said I was taking a year off from Transformers. Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 - they asked me on the phone - I said yes to July 4 - but for 2012 - whoops! Not 2011!"

He added: "That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots."

So although there will undoubtedly be a third installment in the Transformers series, it won’t be for a few years yet but, fans need not worry as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is due for release on 26th June and looks set to be one of this summers biggest blockbusters.

Oxjam Battle of the Jams

Tomorrow sees the grand final of Oxjam's Battle of the Jams at Barfly in Cardiff.

It looks set to be a good night and all profits will go to Oxfam to help with their charitable work.

For full details, take a look at an article I wrote for Buzz magazine, which can be found here.

Revelation play

Here is something else I wrote for Buzz.

It's about a play called Revelation which tackles domestic abuse towards men.

The article can be found at Buzzmagazine.

Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys

I am currently on work experience with Buzz , a Cardiff based magazine, and today I wrote an article for them about a newly released book called Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys by Jeremy Piercy who is the brains behind fair trade shop Shared Earth.

Take a look at my article at http://buzzmagazine.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/coffins-cats-fair-trade-sex-toys/

Rhydian Roberts to appear at BBC Wales Roadshow in Cwmbran this Sunday

Welsh singing star Rhydian Roberts will be at Cwmbran Stadium on Sunday 8 March as part of BBC Cymru Wales' Here For You Roadshow.

Rhydian, who shot to fame on The X Factor, will be at the event as a guest on Shan Cothi's Sunday morning BBC Radio Wales show which will be broadcast live from the Stadium.

BBC Wales' Here For You Roadshow is a free event, giving the public an opportunity to step inside Doctor Who's TARDIS, read the news with Wales Today's Jamie Owen and present the weather with Sue Charles and Behnez Akhgar.

Visitors will also have the chance to come face-to-face with some of Doctor Who's most terrifying monsters in the special effects area as well as picking up some handy consumer advice from X-Ray husband and wife team Lucy and Rhodri Owen.

Financial expertise will also be available from the BBC Raw Money campaign team who will be joined Radio Wales presenter Louise Elliott on the day.

BBC Radio Cymru's Hywel Gwynfryn will also be broadcasting live from the Stadium and another of BBC Wales' famous faces, Jason Mohammad, will be there on the day too.

With its Stadium setting, the Roadshow is taking on a sporting theme with a chance to meet sports internationals – including former Wales rugby captain Colin Charvis on the Big Welsh Challenge stand – as well as activities to try out including tri-golf, street dance and a special form of bowls called boccia.

Anyone who fancies a go at getting behind the microphone is invited to try out continuity announcing or sports commentating, with experts on hand to reveal a few tricks of the trade.

Younger visitors will be delighted to hear that CBeebies' popular Bobinogs characters will also be along to entertain fans, on the hour every hour between 10.00am and 4.00pm.

The event will feature a string quartet from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, a chance to meet some of the cast from BBC Wales' Pobol y Cwm soap and a special space stand with demos from the Cardiff Astronomical Society, Cardiff University and the National Museum of Wales.

Visitors can also take a look back at evidence of an "ancient" Cwmbran with the local historical society.

Find out more at bbc.co.uk/wales.

BBC Press Release

Let's Dance for Comic Relief - final group of celebs announced

Zoe Ball & Suggs, Dom Joly, sports stars Martin Offiah & Denise Lewis, The Bill actors Lisa Maxwell and Patrick Robinson, Fern Britton and Angela Rippon will all appear in the third heat of Let's Dance For Comic Relief this Saturday night on BBC One.

Lisa Snowdon and Dara O'Briain will be guest panellists alongside head panellist Anton Du Beke.

In the final, Anton will be joined by guest panellists Denise Van Outen and Michael McIntyre who is back by popular demand.

The show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones will see the six acts perform iconic dance routines in a bid to wow viewers and win a place in next week's spectacular final dance off.

Who goes through and who gets a chance to compete in the final will be down to the public phone votes and the panel.

The final will see two celebrity acts compete alongside Robert Webb, Dick & Dom, Keith Lemon & Paddy McGuinness and Jo Brand for their chance to be crowned the Let's Dance For Comic Relief Champion on Saturday 14 March during Red Nose Day weekend.

The show is produced by Whizz Kid Entertainment for the BBC.

Proceeds from the voting will go to Comic Relief.

Courtesy of BBC Press Releases

How blind people experience movies

Angela Neads, 44, has been registered blind for 10 years and has been gradually loosing her sight for the past 21 years. Angela always enjoyed watching films before she started losing her sight and misses the experience. She now has to rely on the audio aspects if she is to enjoy a film, which is not always easy.

She said: "It’s very difficult, I have to have a sighted person to tell me what’s going on. Some films I can’t follow at all."

Angela explains what a film needs to be like if she is to follow it successfully: "They have to have an easy story line with very few characters."

"The narrative side is very important as long as it’s nice and clear but, sometimes you can’t always hear what they’re saying if the background music is a bit overpowering."

She also has to focus on differentiating one character from another: "If their voices are very clearly different it’s easy to follow but, obviously at the beginning of the film, somebody has to explain to me who is who. Names help as well if they are used a lot in films."

Not all films get the balance right though and blind people can often be put off trying to watch the film. Angela said: "You start to watch it and lose the story when too many characters appear or when I have to ask somebody what’s going on, you just can’t enjoy it."

"When scenes are rushed and it jumps from one scene to another," she added, "that’s when I lose everything. Or when they switch from one place and can be in a completely different place next."

Angela does have a few favourite films though, which she is able to enjoy and follow with more ease, including: "The Rocky series - the story is simple and not complicated. The character’s voices are clear and easy to follow."

"See No Evil, Hear No Evil - there are very few characters, a simple story and it makes me laugh."

"Ben-Hur - I already know the story line and I think it’s entertaining to listen to."

"Grease - Again, it’s entertaining. I know who the characters are and from memory, I know exactly what’s on the screen."

There is some aid available for blind people to experience films more easily as Angela explains: "Audio Visual is available for blind people or you can have films on cassette tape (Or CD now). With Audio Visual, as the film is playing, you have a person talking and explaining who is on the screen, what the background is, what the people are wearing, a full description of them. Colours are explained to you, movements for example ‘ man now going to sit in the chair.’ You can now get Audio Visual television as well."

"Personally, I just can’t get on with it. I tried watching a film but, it just didn’t appeal to me. As you’re trying to follow the story, you’ve got somebody describing everything and it put me off."

Angela says that she would find a brief synopsis at the start of the film a helpful tool: "Before a film for a blind person, if they gave a reading of a rough story line so at least when you go into the film you know who the main characters are, what the film is you’re following in case you lose the story line, at least your memory has had a rough guide of what’s going on."

She says she would also like a voice over after the film has finished to relay certain information: "Some information about the film at the end, like when the film was made, what year, where the film was made, just a bit of general knowledge about it, how old the actors are e.t.c, that would be helpful."

It is impossible to comprehend how blind people have to experience films without being in the same situation as them. We forget how vital it is to be able to see what is happening on screen and take for granted how easily sighted people are able to follow a film. If certain techniques, such as Audio Visual and the ones suggested by Angela, can enhance the film experience for blind people and help them to feel more included in the plot then they should be greatly encouraged.

Oscars 2009 revealed: Britain sweeps the board

It was a huge night for Britain at this years Oscars with Slumdog Millionaire and Kate Winslet having some great success.

Slumdog Millionaire once again overshadowed all of the competition and bagged an outstanding eight out of nine gongs at the 81st Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Their collection of awards included: Best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound mixing, film editing, best original score and best original song.

Kate Winslet added an Oscar for best actress in The Reader to her shelf that already includes her recent Golden Globe and her Bafta awards.

In a shock result, come-back king Mickey Rourke, lost out on the best actor award to Sean Penn for his performance in Milk.

Unsurprisingly, Heath Ledger was awarded a posthumous Oscar for his supporting role in the Dark Knight, which his daughter will inherit when she reaches the age of 18.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button claimed 3 out of 13 gongs and Penelope Cruz became the first Spanish actress to win an acting Oscar.

Everyone is Twitter crazy

It seems that Twitter is all anyone is talking about lately and the journalism world is no exception.

According to the Press Gazette, editor of businesszone.co.uk Dan Martin, has announced that he is only going to be accepting PR pitches via twitter next Monday and Tuesday in an attempt to eradicate the irrelevant press releases that find themselves clogging up his inbox.

If the experiment works, Martin has said he will consider using only Twitter permanently.

Sending copy this way will limit the space to only 140 characters, meaning that the message will have to be punchy and attention grabbing if Martin is to pay any attention to it. This will require some good journalistic skills and might prove to be an interesting challenge.

It's nice, though a little strange, to see how much everyone is embracing social networking lately and how they are using it to go about their business too. I think it is a sign of the times and an indicator of where our future lies... in Facebook updates and Tweets.

Mickey Rourke joins Jonathon Ross

Mickey Rourke joins Jonathan Ross this week on his BBC One show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross and talks about the pain behind his film, The Wrestler.

He says: "It's the hardest movie I ever had to make...too many [parallels] to be comfortable, there were moments when it was too close to home.

"I had to spend seven months putting on 28 pounds, eating seven times a day, I thought 'it's going to be fun' but I hated it.

"I ended up with three MRIs in two months, my legs couldn't carry the weight."

He also tells Jonathan about his years in the wilderness: "It was an accumulation of mistakes. You go out there, think you can rise above the s**t, but you fall into it...there were no rules...I didn't know you had to sell yourself, I wasn't educated enough to understand it, to play the game."

And why he'd like to win the Oscar: "After my drought it would mean everything. It would be an honour."

Will Young also joins Jonathan and discusses considering parenthood: "'I did have a patch when I thought 'maybe'."

Plastic surgery: "If I have good surgery I can keep smoking!"

And the pressures of fame: "You have to build up this tough exterior to be who you want to be. I've got a lot better."

Jonathan also welcomes comedian Jason Manford and there's music from The Cure performing live in the studio.

BBC Press Release

BFI and BBC Blast helping young film-makers

Five fledging film-makers have been given the chance to further their careers by winning a bursary place which gives them unique access to the film and TV industry, it was announced at the Future Film Festival last weekend.

The BBC Blast bursary winners were showcased at a packed ceremony at the BFI Southbank on Friday night, hosted by BBC Radio 1 film buff James King and singer Jenna G.

Victoria Ijeh-Okusanya (18), Ethan T. Race (17) and Jasmine Blackborow (18), all from London, Rob Wallace (19), from Kent, and David Poole (19), from Birmingham, all submitted films to the BBC Blast bursary competition last summer and were picked from more than 150 other hopefuls.

They start their bursaries in March – across comedy, drama, documentary, animation and music genres.

Victoria's winning film was an insightful documentary about the prevalence of sickle-cell anaemia in the Afro-Caribbean population; Ethan's piece was a chilling black and white film exploring evil, obsession and mental conflict; Jasmine's colourful music film brought to life the track Takin' Over by little-known Latin artist Ralph Robles; Rob Wallace's successful entry was a haunting animation about the beauty of life; and David Poole's short comedy looked at the lengths to which people will go for some "me time".

"The standard of creativity shown by these young film-makers is astonishing and we're thrilled to be able to give them a much-deserved break in the film and television industry," says BBC Blast Editor, Erin Barnes.

Eddie Berg, Artistic Director of BFI Southbank, said: "The Future Film Institute is a really important new initiative for the BFI. We want to harness the creative energies and talents of young people and work with them to help shape and inform our programme and activities and reach new audiences.

"The Future Film Festival showed how far we've come in a very short time and it offers a really exciting but also challenging way of working for major cultural institutions like the BFI."

The Future Film Festival held at BFI Southbank this weekend gave young film-makers and movie fans between the ages of 13-25, the chance to be inspired by industry professionals in a series of lively workshops and Q&As.

Film-makers including EastEnders executive producer Diederick Santer, director Asif Kapadia (The Warrior, The Return) and the new BAFTA rising star, Noel Clarke (Doctor Who, Kidulthood, Adulthood) were swamped with aspiring film-makers quizzing them on their craft – with well over 1,000 young people attending the festival over the weekend.

Other highlights included an all-day Bollywood filming extravaganza and an opportunity to film members of the National Youth Theatre using cutting edge methods in a performance of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Also attending the event were students studying the new Diploma in Creative and Media. Work-related learning is a key part of this course and young people studying the qualification get the opportunity to learn from and be mentored by professionals working in the creative and media industries.

"This was a fantastic chance for young Diploma students to celebrate their achievements so far and to gain some real life experience of the film business," said Schools Minister Jim Knight.

"In my day 'work experience' too often just meant making the tea – now Diploma students get the chance to talk to Hollywood directors and use cutting-edge technology to create special effects."

Courtesy of BBC Press Releases

Let's Dance for Comic Relief - more celeb contestants revealed

The cast of Hollyoaks, Loui Batley (Sarah), Nathalie Emmanuel (Sasha), Dominique Jackson (Lauren), Ricky Whittle (Calvin), Garnon Davies (Elliot), EastEnders actors (names tbc) and Christopher Biggins & Nicki Chapman are set to dust off their dancing shoes for Let's Dance For Comic Relief as part of this year's Red Nose Day Campaign it was announced today.

Denise Van Outen has also been confirmed as a guest judge alongside head panellist Anton Du Beke, who will be joined by two different guest panellists each week.

Previously announced guest panellists include Emma Bunton, Paul O'Grady and Michael McIntyre.

Previously announced contestants include Jo Brand, Robert Webb, Keith Lemon & Paddy McGuinness, Dragons' Den's Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Dick & Dom, Blue Peter Presenters (Tim Vincent, Anthea Turner, Mark Curry, Diana Louise Jordan, Peter Duncan, Janet Ellis, Helen Skelton), Chefs (Paul Rankin, Sophie Grigson, John Burton Race, Nancy Lam, Kevin Woodford, Sophie Michell, Tony Tobin, Reza Mahammad, Silvena Rowe), Les Dennis, Neil Fox & Nancy Sorrell and Angela Rippon who will all pay homage to iconic dance routines in a bid to wow viewers with their moves and compete for a chance to be crowned champion of the dance floor.

The show will be hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones and launches on BBC One from Saturday 21 February 2009.

The series will run over four weeks, comprising three heats and culminating in a spectacular final dance off on Red Nose Day weekend.

Show One will see members of the EastEnders cast, Les Dennis, Christopher Biggins & Nicky Chapman, Robert Webb, Dick & Dom and the Chefs recreate a number of famous dances from movie and pop classics.

There will also be a live performance from The Saturdays who will sing their Comic Relief single Just Can't Get Enough.

Show Two will feature Jo Brand, the Dragons, Hollyoaks cast, Blue Peter presenters, Keith Lemon & Paddy McGuinness, Neil Fox & Nancy Sorrell.

Who goes through and who gets a chance to compete in the final will be down to the public phone votes and the panel.

The final will see six celebrity acts dance for their chance to be crowned the Let's Dance For Comic Relief Champion on Saturday 14 March.

Proceeds from the voting will go to Comic Relief.

The show will be produced by Whizz Kid Entertainment for the BBC.

BBC Press Release

CGI vs. stop motion but, which is better?

Stop motion vs. CGI... the debate continues... ok well, maybe I’m exaggerating (there's probably nobody else debating this apart from me)and maybe your everyday cinema goer doesn’t give a damn about stop motion (or even CGI for that matter) but, they should! It seems that stop motion is a dying form and it’s such a terrible shame.

Ok, so let’s settle the differences: stop motion involves physically moving an object a small amount between frames to give it the illusion of movement when the individually photographed frames are played in sequence and CGI or Computer Generated Imagery, involves using 3D computer graphics to create the special effects that cause all the ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aaah’s’ in the cinema. It is also used for characters and objects in film.

CGI is something we are faced with a lot of the time when we go to the cinema, it a form that allows things to be achieved on the big screen that could never have been achieved before. It is an excellent tool in film making and yes, I am a fan but, I don’t think it has the ability to create the image that a stop motion animation can.

Stop motion may be a long and pain-staking process but, the end product is definitely worth it. Let’s take a look at Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, this was filmed using stop motion alone and has such a unique and beautiful look about it that sets it apart from other films.

Tim Burton is of course a die-hard fan of the art form, saying: "There is an energy with stop-motion that you can’t even describe. It’s got to do with giving things life, and I guess that’s why I wanted to get into animation originally." (see http://minadream.com/timburton/Animation.htm)

I can really see where Burton is coming from, The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride (his two big stop motion successes) do have an energy and feel about them that is somehow different to CGI but, sadly most movie makers will opt for CGI over stop motion every time.

My argument is that we just don’t see enough stop motion in the cinema (seemingly apart from that brought to us by Burton) and we need to see more of it. Yes CGI is easier and quicker but, it would be such a shame to see stop motion die out completely. It’s a wonderful art form and creates a great image on-screen so, it would be nice to see the studios embracing it a bit more in future.

BBC One's Robin Hood is back

Tiger Aspect Productions' hit series Robin Hood returns to BBC One this Spring with a host of new faces. During 13 action-packed episodes the quest continues for justice and freedom for all.

It is three months since Marian's untimely death and Robin (Jonas Armstrong) is a changed man. Tougher, he's sacked his gang since they all returned from the Holy Land. Not only that – he's hell bent on avenging his wife's tragic end.

Jonas says: "Robin's back from the Holy Land but without Marian, the beat of his life. He's questioning everything he ever lived for and now it's pay back time and he's become obsessed with killing Gisborne. The big question is will he take his mortal enemy's life?

"It's great to bring Robin back a darker, more mature hero and fans will see that once he's come to terms with his personal loss, he's a stronger more powerful force than ever before."

Her slayer, Guy of Gisborne, (Richard Armitage), is a marked man. But does Gisborne care if he lives or dies? After all he's killed the woman he loved. After his heinous act what's left to save him from a life of evil? Will Robin kill his nemesis or let him live crippled by guilt and remorse?

Fuelled by anger and grief, Robin seems stuck in a downward spiral, but a new beacon of hope arrives in the form of a travelling monk called Tuck (David Harewood), who soon gets our hooded hero back on track.

David Harewood (Criminal Justice, Blood Diamond), who plays Tuck, says: "Creating a modern, strong Tuck for a 21st century audience is a terrific opportunity and a real challenge because many of us already have a picture of a roly-poly monk who loves his food and drink.

"But the new Tuck's heart and mind is elsewhere. He's a warrior poet, a man of vision and imagination, who has a very hands-on approach when it comes to justice and freedom, and believe me you want him on your side!"

Meanwhile, the wickedness of the Sheriff (Keith Allen) continues unabated. A spirited Locksley girl named Kate (Joanne Froggatt) objects to her brother's forced conscription. As a result she inadvertently gets caught up in the cause of Robin Hood and becomes an indispensable member of the gang.

Joanne Froggatt (The Street, Life On Mars), who plays Kate, says: "Joining the ranks of Robin Hood has been so much fun. I've learnt to fight and run for my life all at the same time! Kate's a tomboy with a big and fearless heart, but soon it's a question of who will win her undivided love and attention. As they say the path to true love never runs smoothly."

An unexpected addition to the Gisborne family, Guy's little sister, Isabella, played by television newcomer Lara Pulver, arrives and becomes a complication both Robin and Gisborne can do without.

Lara says: "Television breaks don't get better than Isabella and even arch-baddie Gisborne's feisty little sister's got issues with him! She's a real 'tour de force' and so much happens to her in this epic third series. Making Robin Hood, being part of this wonderful show, has been the best fun ever and a real-life adventure for me from start to finish."

As the threat of Prince John (Toby Stephens) looms larger Robin and Gisborne have to reach an uneasy truce as it emerges that they may have rather more in common than they thought.
Tiger Aspect's Greg Brenman says: "Series three is bigger, bolder and more action-packed than ever before. From the get-go Robin's turbo energy compels the series forward. As well as working with our now-established and well-loved star cast it has been great fun to welcome and work with Lara, Joanne, David, Toby. They and all the other new characters add so much texture and fun to this modern day interpretation of the legend that is Robin Hood."

Robin Hood series three is produced by Jane Hudson and Tom Mullens at Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC One.

The executive producers are Greg Brenman and Foz Allen at Tiger Aspect Productions and Julie Gardner for the BBC.

Robin Hood series three is part of BBC Drama for 2009 and joins a special Doctor Who, new series of Ashes To Ashes, Torchwood and The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency, new dramas All The Small Things, PAs and The Day Of The Triffids.

BBC Press Release