Westlife – Where We Are album review

It’s that time of year for me again, after waiting patiently on Christmas Day with my fingers crossed to see if I’d have the latest Westlife album, it’s time to memorise the lyrics in time for the bands upcoming tour which kicks off at the Belfast Odyssey Arena on Sunday 2nd May.

‘Where We Are’ features their first single in over a year, ‘What About Now,’ which reached number 2 in the UK charts in October and is one of the best songs on the album. It is a beautiful and catchy song (though sadly it’s a cover) and will be a huge hit in concert.

Tracks 2 ‘How to Break a Heart’ and 4 ‘Shadows’, are really unusual but, are really easy to listen to and both have a great melody.

‘As Love is My Witness’ is a gorgeous love song and would be brilliant as a single; it’s a really soulful ballad and the lyrics are lovely.

‘No More Heroes’ is another really memorable track, again it’s quite unusual but, it’s a great song and is definitely one of the highlights of ‘Where We Are’.

The last song ‘I’ll See You Again’ is a moving song with beautiful lyrics and vocals and it makes the perfect ending to the album.

Although ‘Where We Are’ isn’t as strong as some previous Westlife albums, it’s still a great chill out CD to listen to. The vocals are as strong as ever and you can really hear how their sound has matured with them. I look forward to the tour, the lads always put on a really entertaining show and I’m sure this year won’t be any different.

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.