Film Review: The Watch

Not to be confused with The Watch in the Discworld novels. 

Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Richard Ayoade and Jonah Hill.
Synopsis: four men form a Neighbourhood Watch group, the local police are rude, there are aliens.

Two of us watched this film and had contrasting opinions. It began with the CostCo night-watchman irresponsibly getting drunk then murdered, the police didn't take it seriously. His manager and friend, played by Stiller, appeals for help to find the killer and the other 3 co-stars turn up to half-heartedly form the Watch, the police didn't take them seriously. The Watch members get drunk but not killed, although someone else does, which is when the Watch discover an alien.

At some point, there's an orgy and a separate episode involving a teenage daughter and her gross boyfriend. The film ends where it began - at CostCo. I won't describe how it ends as the last half an hour was the most engaging of the whole film and, should you watch it, I don't want to spoil it for you.

Summary:
Him: "after the first half hour, it was quite good".
Me: "75% was total rubbish, the end bit was OK".

♬ In the Summertime When the weather is...

HOT! School's out and so are the BBQs.

We have temperatures to rival the Caribbean or other exotic destinations so if you are planning a gathering, here are some ideas for a themed gathering:

• Reggae Party - fruit punch, goat curry, Bob Marley music & dreadlocks
• Aussie Barbie - jumbo shrimp, the amber nectar & cork hats
• Arabian Nights - decorate your gazebo as a bedouin tent

Which theme would we choose? Easy! Because of the music, it has to be a Caribbean party theme!

Here, Stevie Wonder sings about Marley, party, Hotter than July: Master Blaster (Jammin) 1980. Enjoy!



Everyone's feeling pretty
It's hotter than July
Though the world's full of problems
They couldn't touch us even if they tried
From the park I hear rhythms
Marley's hot on the box
Tonight there will be a party
On the corner at the end of the block

Didn't know you 
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
I bet nobody ever told you that you 
would be jammin' until the break of dawn
You would be jammin' and jammin' and jammin', jam on

They want us to join their fighting
But our answer today
Is to let all our worries
Like the breeze through our fingers slip away
Peace has come to Zimbabwe
Third World's right on the one
Now's the time for celebration
'Cause we've only just begun

Didn't know that you 
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
Bet you nobody ever told you that you
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
You would be jammin' and jammin' and jammin', jam on
Bet you nobody ever told you that you
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
I know nobody told you that you
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
We're jammin', jammin', jammin', jam on

You ask me am I happy
Well as matter of fact
I can say that I'm ecstatic
'Cause we all just made a pact
We've agreed to get together
Joined as children in Jah
When you're moving in the positive
Your destination is the brightest star

You didn't know that you
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
I bet you nobody ever told you that you
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, you
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
Don't you stop the music, oh no, 
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Na, na na...
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Nobody told you Oh, Oh, Oh, you 
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Would be jammin' until the break of dawn
I bet you if someone approached you 
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
yesterday to tell you that you would be jammin' you would not believe it because you never thought that you would be jammin'
Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh,
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
jammin' 'til the break of dawn
Oh, Oh, Oh, You may as well believe what you are feeling 
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
because you feel your body jammin'
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
Oh, Oh, you would be jammin' until the break of dawn
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')
(We're in the middle of the makin's of the master blaster jammin')

Beebopalula

A Wedding on the Horizon

After Christmas, my weight crept up to 12 stone so, in January, I determined to diet - but only Mondays to Fridays, rewarding myself with a relaxed attitude to dinners with friends on Saturday evenings and Roast dinners with family on Sundays.

I set myself a target of 1000 calories per day during the week, meticulously writing down everything that passed through my lips. There were often one or two days each week that the calories were closer to 1200, but that's all.

In six weeks, I was under 11 stone and we went on holiday so the diet was put on hold. Two weeks later, at 11 stone, the diet resumed and it was another month before ten and a half stone was achieved, which brought us to Easter - and chocolate.

However, enough is enough! I stopped the incessant calorie counting whilst keeping to a similar eating routine and continuing to weigh myself every Saturday morning. At the end of June, my weight is the same. I would like to lose some more before a major family wedding in two weeks' time but I think I've left it too late to make much difference.

Oh, well, the dress fits!

Stars like Jewels on the Crown of a Queen

Celebrating over 50 years, Joe Brown and his Bruvvers are still gigging throughout the UK this year. The title of this blog is a line from one of his songs from the early '60s, A Picture of You.

This, and another song from the same era, That's What Love Will Do, are two of my favourites.

As a contrast, though, Joe Brown also sang silly songs, e.g. What a Crazy World We're Livin' In (from a film with Marty Wilde, father of Kim Wilde); the lyrics describe a typical lifestyle in parts of London (and probably elsewhere) at that time.

Another interesting piece of trivia is that Joe Brown's daughter, Sam, who also sings, had a song written about her: 'Mrs Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter' written by Trevor Peacock of 'Vicar of Dibley' fame and originally sung by Tom Courtney in a TV play. The song was later performed by Herman's Hermits and was also the title of a 60s Britcom film of the same name, starring Peter Noone.

If you've not heard Joe Brown (then or now) search for him on YouTube, maybe catch a live performance.

Psychosis - short film

A 5-minute 'film noir' mystery with a sting... keep watching after the credits!



This was one of a series of short films by NHC media students, shown at the Broadway Cinema in Letchworth (aka Mermaid in Worlds End), June 2013.

The story features a detective and introduces Malum, a character inspired by adversaries such as Moriarty and the Riddler.

The end is a one-on-one, each with a gun. Off camera, we hear a shot. Roll credits... Who survives? Keep watching.

♫ Moon River(s) Collection

A classic tune written by Henry Mancini for the film, Breakfast at Tiffany's, released in 1961 starring Audrey Hepburn with George Peppard (A-Team) and Buddy Ebson (Beverly Hill Billies). The song has been covered many times.


Audrey Hepburn singing in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Link: Original opening title sequence performed by Henry Mancini.

Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck live on stage London 2010 'Together & Apart'

Tom McFly posted this version by Mr & Mrs Fletcher.

Some others...
Danny Williams UK #1 61/62
Andy Williams TV performance
Frank Sinatra 'Best of...'
Elton John live - en France

Help! Very Minor DIY Plumbing Question

Long hair somehow manages to wash down the plug-hole of the bath, despite cleaning around the hole after every shower. It tends to wrap around the screw thread that attaches the visible plug-hole to the hidden drainage bits. Eventually, the outlet becomes partially blocked and water takes longer to drain away.

I know this because it has happened to me. I found out how to remove the chrome plug-hole so I undertook this simple task this morning and disengaged the offending hair (not much hair, it has to be said, but of significant impact to the drainage process).

Then I tried to re-assemble. The drainage pipe under the bath has dropped a little and needs to be raised in order for the top plug-hole element to be re-attached.

Here is the problem. I can use a gripper tool to grab the lower pipe and raise it but how to keep it in place while the top bit is screwed in? I thought of putting a hook on a string through the top plug-hole but all the hooks I could find were too wide. Someone suggested cutting a wire hanger but this would also be too large. I looped a small hook that I fashioned from soft-wire and tried to raise the lower pipe but couldn't get the pieces aligned before the weight of them slipped from the weak, inefficient hook.

Any ideas, tips, etc. that don't involve buying expensive tools or calling even more expensive plumbers will be appreciated URGENTLY, please!

Hopeful of Herts.