WEDNESDAY

  Happy Valentines Day Gem, all my love x

Walshy Boy.

FRIDAY

  Well, that's the first month of 2007 out of the way already, quite strange how speeded up life can become, wish it could have done that a couple of years ago.  But I suppose it does brings us all a step closer to more presents this Christmas!  Haha.

  But at the moment everything's groovy as they say, me and Gem celebrated 8 months together on Tuesday (even though yesterday was our official day) which is fantastic, I can honestly say with my track record as far as women and relationships go, i'm very suprised that we're still together and still very happy.  Also, the little lady's birthday is coming up on February 8th so as you can imagine i'm frantically looking for suitable presents to stay on her good side!  Haha, nah, i've sorted one main present out, just got to sort the others now but i'm looking forward to her coming down on the 9th as we're out for dinner that evening.  Of course every silver lining has a cloud!  On the Sunday (2 days later) i'm back to hers to meet her ENTIRE family...shite, her Mum's always been pleasent enough to me but Gem does have a tendancy to make her family seem a bit frightening, especially her Nan who (apparently) doesn't even think Gem's having sex yet and doesn't 'agree with it'...I got news for ya Nan!!!  Hahahaha!!!

  Other than that, The Painted Player is trading comfortably, a regular influx of work both from customer orders and Ebay Sales is keeping my head above water for the moment and i've cleared one of my credit cards already...and sebsequently cut it in half and thrown it away, evil!!!  New models are being released all the time, my Jack Bruce FOOL VI only last week, and with my recent investment in some high-class power tools, i'm now putting together a line-up of Luthier Specials including the Slade Super-Yob, John Entwhistle Lightening Bass and the Live Aid 'Africa' guitar.  So should be a busy year, the only drag being my website which is taking a lifetime to sort out but i'm hoping with a little help from upstairs that it will be up and running efficiently by March.

  So, that is pretty much it for the moment friends, life rolls on with a comfortable sense of similarity and my neice and nephew are both doing really well, Samuel is laughing his ass off at his silly uncle who can't stop mucking about and little Eliza is getting more and more beautiful every day.  Can't wait to celebrate their first birthdays later this year.  This year will also be mine and Gem's first 'birthday' too haha, so looking forward to celebrating that in sunny Nice on the French Riviera (holiday).

  Take it easy everybody, a special nod as always to my lovely Polgara who is no doubt preparing like a headless chicken for her up-coming wedding this summer (still had no invite? :p).  Also, expect The Review to make a welcome return later this spring once the official box-office season kicks off with Ghost Rider and Frank Miller's 300 - nice.

Walshy Boy. 

SUNDAY

  Dear God, Christmas, New Year, all gone in a flash without a single Walshy blog!  But as you can imagine I have an excuse, life's just been that much more busy these past months and blogging isn't exactly my highest priority these days, what with Gem, Samuel and Eliza and my business.  But i'll start off hoping that everyone had a great Christmas and New Year, I certainly did and will attempt a brief overview for anyone interested!

  Christmas was superb, Gem came down several days before and we had a Mini-Christmas ie: we excahnged gifts together as we wouldn't be seeing each other on the big day, I got Futurama Season 3 on DVD, Shaun Of The Dead on DVD and a mini Star Wars Lego Star Destroyer!  Cool indeed.  I got Gem some Miss Sixty perfume, some underwear, a guitar book, tuner, lead, strap an amplifier and yes, you guessed it, a guitar (which I built and hand painted myself especially for her - aww).  It was a great couple of days.

  Christmas Day was great, the family gathered round with our two new members Samuel and Eliza and it was, as ever, a huge day filled with presents, music and alcohol.  I got some new tops, a new shirt, a model of the Beatles on stage, some fcuk socks and a Lego Star Destroyer...the 24inch one!!!  Took me all bloody day to build it and in the process I managed to slug 3 bottles of wine and a bottle of Champaign so as you can imagine I was a little drunk.  That was until I threw up!  Yes yes, I got alcohol poisoning didn't I, was up all night chucking up.  Well, far be it for me to dispute God's good humour!

  The week in between passed unmemorably until New Year, Gem came down and stayed for a family dinner party, which was actually better than Christmas, we had an excellent night laughing anf joking and a bit of girls vs boys Trivial Pursuit - which Gem was very good at.  It was also nice that Gem wasn't under pressure, there weren't any stupid questions or undue attention, she was just there and rightly part of the family.  Of course we had quite drunken rampant sex later that night or should I say on New Year's morning.  As always.

  After that, the week has unfolded mainly with work, my business is on the up and up consistantly and i'm invested with hope for the coming year with my website under construction and my product line-up increasing by another 4 instruments at least by the summer.  Things are looking up and with Gem backing me up at every turn I have little or nothing to worry me at this strangely content time in my life.  Long may it continue.

  All the best to everyone and keep your eyes peeled for the next blog which may be some time off with thing being busy.  Sorry to everyone who actually followed my blog with any enthusiasm, guess i'm just a sucker for good-looking gals!

Walshy Boy.

FRIDAY

  23 today, who would actually believe it?  But i'm unusually fine about it and looking forward to a fun=packed day, seeing Casino Royale later this morning, then got my sisters and obviously my niece and nephew round and then Gem is coming down and we're having dinner out together followed by a nice night in bed ;p haha!  The fun doesn't stop tomorrow as after Gem heads off, the DJ is popping over for the afternoon until the evening when we shall kit ourselves out for a night on the piss and meet the lads in the usual slums!  Looking forward to it.

  Thus far I have a new guitar (a 1979 Styner - nice!), some new DKNY jeans, a new French Connection watch, a professional poker set, a bottle of Jack Daniels and some lovely aftershave.  Good old Byz got me that new buzzer game for your TV which is a great laugh!  Got my sisters' present later today followed by 8 presents from Gem apparently tonight!  Haha, more for me!

  So, gonna get to it now, bit of breaky and such so I shall thank all those who've sent me birthday wishes and hope everyone has almost as good a day as me.  Take it easy.

The Birthday Boy.

SUNDAY

  Little 80's reference there to a classic advert for those who remember Transformers and Soft Cell.  Basically the title is a little nudge as to the nature of life itself, it goes on and on and on sometimes in a continuous pattern, not boring, not minotonous, just rolls aong with a strange comfort.  Such is my life now.

  However, me a Gem celebrated 5 months together on November 1st which is great, we still have yet to taste of an arguement or piss each other off and we still look at each other with the same puppy-dog eyes as we have done since the beginning, AWW!  Haha, but seriously, it has been a superb relationship so far and long may it continue.

  On a sadder note, its only 12 days til my birthday!  AHH!  23 years old for God's sake!  I mean what the hell, where did that time go, seems like yesterday I was playing with toys and watching cartoons...oh hang on, that was yesterday...doh!  Haha, yep time has flown by so quickly, especially this last year which started so badly (those who follow this mildly entertaining blog will know how depressed i was after a devestating winter last year) but has transformed into one of the happiest years of my life.  I'm pursuing a dream, have my own business (that's doing pretty good) and have a wonderful girlfriend to share it with and to share my birthday with too, which makes the whole aging thing a bit more tolerable because i get more presents this year!

  Speaking of presents, Christmas looms with even more presents to buy, Samuel, Eliza and of course Gem, AHH!  Cashflow dying, bank balance decaying, must...have...air!!!  But, it's all about giving isn't it and I couldn't be happier that I have more people to give to this year, more people i care about and who care about me.  Though i can't imagine Samuel and Eliza will be Christmas shopping just yet!  But it does leave the wonderful possibilities open for future years, LEGO, castles and pirates, action man (the original 60's stuff, not the new shite) and of course, dolls and soft toys and make-up play sets and not forgetting...Playdoh!  Yay, a chance to relive me youth through my niece and nephew and share in bringing them up, could an old struggling guitar player want for another more?  I think not.

  Hope everyone is well, had a good Halloween and a good 5th of November (remember, remember...) and i shall attempt to blog again soon with some new film reviews as The Prestige, Borat and of course young Mr. Bond make their appearances during this month.  Mr. Bond in fact, on my birthday...it's a sign.

Walshy Boy.

SATURDAY

  The Departed: The Review

  It's been a while since Martin Scorsese has walked the Mean Streets, and it's great to have him back on them, even if they're now in Boston.  After a line of period pieces including the sublime Gangs of New York, one of the world's finest directors has finally returned to the harsh gangland realities that made his name all those years ago.  Though very few movie-goers will know that Scorsese's latest is actually a remake...

  Infernal Affairs was an instant cult smash in Japan when it was released, once it crashed onto the international scene its status was assured and it was painfully inevitable that an American studio would get the rights to a remake, thank God then that this falls into the 7 Samurai / Magnificent Seven category of Japanese remakes rather than appauling Ringu / The Ring category.  Even better then that Martin Scorsese was set to direct and with a cast list that reads; Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Ray Winstone, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg, you KNOW this has got to be a good thing.

  From the outset, The Departed IS Jack Nicholson's movie, perhaps even a twisted take on the life one of the most enigmatic actors in screen history.  His portrayal of Irish Mob boss Frank Costello will no doubt earn him another Oscar nomination, taking the same aura of menace present in Dennis Hopper's sinister performance in Blue Velvet, Costello is cruel, sadastic but ultimately troubled.  That's what makes him scary, not his threats or his twisted glare, the fact that he is a troubled man, a man that lives in a constant state of terror while attempting to control his world and his fear with violence, drug abuse, alcoholism and acts of horror more ghastly than most people would care to imagine.

  DiCarprio puts in a career best performance as Billy Costigan, a young rookie cop who gets recruited by Martin Sheen to infultrate Costello's organisation, seriously, while always recognisable for his teenage heart-throb looks and the days of Titanic, DiCaprio has matured into one of the finest actors working today and once again teamed with Scorsese after two successful projects, it's clear the pair work TOO well together.  His peformance is calculated, chilling and heart-wrenching as he decends into a state of madness, not quite sure who he really is from one day to the next.  Rarely have i become as involved with the well-being of a character in a film of this genre.

  Matt Damon is an interesting choice for the young Costello in-training Colin Sullivan, Frank's planted Mole in the Boston police force, after roles like Jason Bourne, he's more typically suited to a heroic character but this is where Scorsese makes a killer choice, he's playing a good guy and in that respect, Damon is perfect as the wolf in the fold.  His struggle is harder to engage with than Costigan's, he has the simple task of staying on Costello's good side and feeding him the information he needs to evade capture, however his personal life features a much more complex storyline which makes him both likeable but ultimately the worst kind of villain.  A liar.

  The supporting cast are beautifully chosen, Wahlberg in particular, the cinematograhpy is stunning, the violence horrific and the language very, very Scorsese!  But beneath its rough, gritty surface there lies a very personal story of two men forced to betray their own sense of loyalty or honour in order to become the very thing they loathe.  Two men on two sides of the same coin and utlimately linked by one man who could destroy them both.  This has to be the finest film Scorsese has made since the golden 70's and between Infernal Affairs' superb storyline and the director's own influence this is a must-see, absolute dynamite film.

  The Verdict: *****

Walshy Boy.

THURSDAY

  Today at 15:45, my sister Samantha gave birth to a baby girl, Eliza Lorraine Hallin weighing in at 6 lbs 6 ounces with black curly hair.  It was a long stressful day and i'm feeling quite numb about the whole thing even though its only been 7 weeks since my nephew Samuel was born, who, i might add, is doing really well and getting bigger every day.

  I only got to visit for 30mins this evening as visiting hours were 6-8pm and the parents ie: mine, wanted to have their time first then have the rest of the family come to visit.  Sam, as ever, instantly asked me if i wanted to hold my new niece so i sat down beside her and held Eliza for the first time.  She is beautiful and now i have both a little niece and a little nephew to dote upon as often as my bank balance will allow, its been as traumatic a day as it has been inspirational and i'm just looking forward to it all settling down again now and not only enjoying my niece and nephew, but getting my two beautiful sisters back too.

  Congratulations Matt and Sam x

Uncle Walshy.

SUNDAY

  Happy 4 months honey, keep 'em coming xxx

Walshy Boy x.

TUESDAY

  Hey everyone, not much has changed since my last blog but of course I spent last night with my girlfriend Gem and we're making a regular thing of the cinema Monday nights, so this gave me a chance to check out Children Of Men...with very good company :p

CHILDREN OF MEN: The Review

  Every once in a while a film appears that, for the most part, has been completely unpublisized and most people would bearly know it was playing in cinemas if it weren't the odd TV Spot or interview for TV.  Ironically, these secretive little gems usually turn out to far surpass the movies with major hype and Children Of Men is such a film.

  Clive Owen plays Theo, a down and out working man in what can only be descirbed as a post-apocalyptic Britain in a time of civil unrest and anarchy.  The year is 2027 and for unknown reasons there has not been a single birth amongst the world's population for 18 years, the ensuing hysteria and choas has led to the rise a totalitarian governement in the UK that deals vicious justice to Illegal Immigrants (finding it easiest to blame a minority for the civil madness that has raped the planet).  Theo is unwittingly embroiled in a plot by a terrorist organisation known as FISHER that is striving to civil rights and liberties to be returned to every rightful citizen of Britain but at the heart of this is a young woman who holds the key to a new beginning...

  Right then, that's the premise kids, so how does this bizarre and untested idea hold up on screen for an Hour and fifty minutes?  Surprisingly well actually, the film is shot with a refreshing grit and honesty that hasn't been seen for some years and luckily it stays true to that conviction throughout, the colours are dull, the outlook is bleak and the violence is violent.  It's essentially and black and white film, if something is good, it's good, if someone is dying, they are full-on dying and it's that reality that drags you into a plot that is full of holes and unsolved misteries really but part of the film's magic is its ability to make you cast these notions aside and just go with the experience.  By half way through you will be undecided about this film, by the end you will respect and note it down for a DVD purchase.  Make no mistake, this is a superb film.

  Clive Owen has always been a favourite of mine and while this performance does not exceed his work in Closer, it is a testiment to how underrated he really is and how much screen prescence he has.  Micheal Caine puts in a likable performance, as does Julianne Moore, but this is Owen's show really and he carries the film with grace and authority.  The cinematography is stunning, especially the film's final seqeunce and the music is a blend of haunting and chilling that runs home a powerful message, although it will take a while for that message to sink in after you've recovered from the film in the cinema!

  In conclusion, this is dark, grim but well rounded and superbly acted, a sci-fi with a distinct lack of gadgetry and a thriller with a big deal on thrills and spills.  Plus the unique British feel of the movie gives it a grit that goes hand in hand with Get Carter and Gangster No. 1.  Highly recommended stuff.

The Verdict: *****

Walshy Boy.

WEDNESDAY

  Title being a reference for my girlfriend by the way ;) haha!

  It's been a pretty standard week really, working on guitar orders and spending time with Gem as usual.  Baby Samuel was over at the weekend for his first BBQ, which he slept through quite comfortably!  Went down to Gem's on Monday and got back Tuesday afternoon, we had a good time as ever and decided to check out the cinema Monday night to see The Black Dahlia (review follows).  All in all we had lots of fun and we're heading towards 4 months together with no worries at all.

  Other than that, same old same old really.  Hope everyone had a good weekend and has a great week ahead.

  THE BLACK DAHLIA - The Review

  "He puts one of yours in the hospital, you put one of his in the morgue.  That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone." - Sean Connery as Malone (The Untouchables)

  When you think of great directors, there are several names that come to mind but one of the more overlooked of his generation has always been Brian De Palma, the director of cult classics such as Scarface, Carlito's Way and the aforementioned The Untouchables, he has recieved some honours in certain circles but not really enough for his contribution to modern cinema and most notably genre cinema - Gangster / Noir Thrillers, for which he has become renowned and led to the development of cult media in the process, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City owes much to De Palma's influence.  So when you hear that De Palma has his hands not only on The Black Dahlia, one of Hollywood's greatest unsolved murder cases, but also the source material written by L.A. Confidential writer James Ellroy, there is good reason to be excited.

  The case of The Black Dahlia refers to the brutal murder of a young aspiring actress, Elizabeth Short, in 1947 Hollywood in which the victim's face was slashed with a macarbe 'smile' and her body sevred in two, her organs removed and blood drained.  Nice.  The case was never officially solved so that's where the fact ends and fiction begins with De Palma's two Detectives 'Bucky' and Lee try to piece together the crime before this 'werewolf killer' strikes again.  It sounds like a match made in heaven, De Palma has always been at home with violence and sex, he practically created the modern noir and L.A. Confidential (directed by Curtis Hanson) being one of the finest films ever made seems to set the scene for a return to form for the director.  Shame.

  Yes, it's true, for every one good thing the film has to offer, three stagnant elements bludgen each one to the ground like police brutality.  While the setting has the correct look and appeal of 40's Hollywood, De Palma seems to have lost the 'feel' for the period, ultimately the locales are all too clean, there's very little menace to be had lurking in unseen corners and round sharp bends.  Even the costume design feels less like accuracy and more like cliched going-through-the-motions, which unfortunately detaches (rather than engages) you with the film and its characters.  Josh Hartnett was an interesting choice to take lead here but he's likeable and competant enough, but comparrisons are abound when you adapt James Ellroy's work and his Detective 'Bucky' Bleichert has none of charm, talent or ferocity of Edmond Exeley or Bud White, the narration is crisp but not entirely convincing and in the end you can't help wondering what a slightly more seasoned actor would have made from the role.  Scarlett Johansson, ah... yes young Scarlett is a breath of fresh air in any film but for a woman who couldn't be more perfectly cast as a 40's bombshell she is given little if nothing to do here but pout and look good, granted she does that very well but with performances like Lost in Translation and Match Point behind her, De Palma could have let her character loose a little more and trusted the young actress to perform.  If anything only Aaron Eckhart's Detective Lee Blanchard makes good here as a troubled, if not obsessed hero-cop who systematically drives a wedge between himself and wife Kay (Johansson) while bringing Kay and 'Bucky' closer together.  Within 25 minutes you get the feeling that this is a lost cause.

  A crying shame after such a good setup, a superb boxing match between the two cops-soon-to-be-friends opens the movie with pace and a violent rage that we've come to expect from De Palma and sets the scene for their new partnership with inspired verve.  It's after this that the film starts to die, the sleepwalking pace at which De Palma sets up the 'action', which itself is hard to locate but if you keep your eyes peeled you'll see it (don't blink), is horrific.  While staying faithful to Ellroy's vision is admirable it is a proven fact that books do not make good films, screen writers make books into good scripts and a good script makes a good film, in retrospect then, you can picture yourself reading the book as you sit there, glazed by unimaginative plot devices and paultry camera work and basically, if you wanted to sit at home and read a book you wouldn't have paid for a cinema ticket.  It's sad because you want this film to work and quite clearly it should!  However, the sex and violence that may have beefed up this rather limp tale are painfully absent and it's surprising from a director who made his name with these tools of the trade.  As a result, physical actors like Hartnett and Eckhart are underused and a modern sexual icon, Scarlett Johansson, might as well join a convant.

  The film lags horribly, unsure of its direction or context, only in drawing the film to a close does De Palma throw in the film's one redeeming scene involving piano wire, a staircase and a water fountain made of marble before he decides it's time to wrap it all up.  By this time however the audience doesn't actually know what the film is about and doesn't really care what happens to who, where L.A. Confidential intertwined numerous sub plots until a final conclusion was driven like a stake through your heart, both shocking and exciting, The Black Dahlia has so many un-linked sub plots going on that De Palma seems as if he doesn't really know what to do with them all, loose ends are fine but there's a line you can over-step.

  In conclusion then, The Black Dahlia should have joined De Palma's collection of classic Noir Thrillers, with superb source material, a cult story and some great talent on offer, a seasoned director of his quality should have broken the silence since L.A. Confidential's absence.  Unfortunately this is a garbled mess of art-deco backdrops, poor narrative and stodgey camerawork that leaves a sour, unsatisfying taste in the mouth.  In an era pre-L.A. Confidential, this might have made a few people stop and think and made many more smile, but now, if you're going to use James Ellroy as a source then you'd better be damn sure you can deliver something on par with that (now) modern classic, this film however falls well behind and probably belongs alongside poor Elizabeth Short, dead and buried.

  The Verdict: *

Walshy Boy.

FRIDAY

The Uncle's Update:

  Once again, baby Samuel has proven he's a fighter, against the doctor's expectations he's home after only 2 and half weeks when they estimated a possible 4 - 6 week period of monitoring before he would eventually come home.  He's put on a good deal of weight and is feeding brilliantly, growing every day and keeping my Sister and Brother inlaw up half the night, haha, well, actually he hasn't been that bad according to their reports.  But this evening was a very special moment in my life, I held my nephew for the first time.  I popped round to see him tonight with some flowers for Natalie and a soft-toy puppy for Samuel and watched him sleep for ages, he's gorgeous.  Eventually it was time for his bath so Natalie stirred him up then asked if i wanted a hold, i've never held a baby before but she placed him in my arms and i supported his little head looked at him.  Natalie said she was surprised how content he looked half asleep in my arms, i stroked his little head then he opened his eyes and Natalie remarked quickly, "Look out, he might start crying if he's hungry" but he didn't make a sound, we looked at each other for a moment then he shut his eyes again and squeezed my finger with his tiny hand.

  It is a moment I will never forget, holding my nephew for the first time and feeling him squeeze my finger as if he knew it was me.  I gave him a squeeze back and now i know for sure, i'm hooked on this kid.

Walshy Boy.

SUNDAY

  For the uncultured, that's a Basil Brush reference (not the disgusting new series that rips off everything that made Basil great, the original series) and it links beautifully in with current affairs, most notably the announcement by analysts that we're in the biggest guitar sales boom since 1968...and guess whose recently started their own guitar company!  Nice, and even though you can hardly believe everything you hear, the evidence is apparent in my workload, I haven't stopped for the last 2 months and only last week recieved another 2 guitar orders from foriegn clients, both in the US and Europe.  Business is indeed booming which has a lot of benefits...

  Yes, i've been bad, I have an XBOX 360 now (i know, spank me) and believe me it wasn't an easy purchase, i still feel partly guilty about treating myself to it but Gem talked me round, she says i deserve it for working so hard and making a (small) success of myself recently.  So i grabbed the console, Fight Night Round 3, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06' (which i can't put down!) and Dead or Alive 4, it's all good and while i'm enjoying it i've not really had too much time to play with it having lots of orders to complete.  Still, it's very cool!

  The other benefit of a little extra income is i get to see my angel more often, train fares are a bugger but they're a small price to pay to spend time with Gem these days, just over 3 months gone and i couldn't be more content.  We still fancy eachother rotten, haven't had a single arguement and crack eachother up all the time, which in my mind is exactly what a relationship should be about.  Spending a lot more time down there now, kipping over and such, luckily i'm not becoming one of those blokes who ditches all his mates as soon as he gets a mrs, though me and lads haven't spent nearly enough time together recently but we're all so busy!  Luckily we hit town Friday night and got seriously lashed so that was good, good chance to catch up.

  One down side to the workload though, i've neglected my movie-going and DVD purchases, simply because i haven't had time to get out and shop for them or dedicate a few hours to the cinema, i feel dirty!  Haha, Walshy followers will know how seriously i take my movies, almost too seriously but have no fear, i'm going to sort it tomorrow afternoon.  Which leads me to me plans for the week...

  Tomorrow i'm off down the coast to see Gem, staying with her til Tuesday afternoon then heading back home, while i'm there i plan to sneak into the DVD store and buy up some recent releases!  Though in fairness, Gem, being a rather cool girlfriend, loves a good movie so she'll probably sneak in there with me, we'll shop for her clothes after!  Should be a nice relaxing couple of days after a hectic 2 weeks.  When i get home Tuesday, it's back to work for me, have a Monterey Stratocaster order to start for a US buyer asap so i can then press on with a Yellow Submarine order, followed by a FOOL SG order!  It never ends!  And hopefully it never will!

  And now a knew feature on the Walshy Blog...

  THE UNCLE'S UPDATE:

  Baby Samuel is doing really well, 2 weeks old today, he has come on in leaps and bounds since his premature birth, some 4 weeks early.  But he was out of his incubator very quickly, maintaining his own temperature, then putting on weight quickly, going from 4lb 10ounces to 5lb 11ounces in less than 2 weeks!  Uncle Walshy did a shop round Mothercare and treated him to some clothes including a really cool dressing gown haha!  Of course he has his big blue whale 'rocking horse' to play with too when he comes home.  The doctors said he wouldn't be home til his due date really, mid to late September, so imagine our joy to find he should be coming home today because of his progress, he's a fighter that one and he's going to make me very proud as he already has, fighting through this difficult time.  And so, shortly his little life at home will begin and i'll be there every step.  He's been alive 2 weeks and already i love him more than anything i know.

Walshy Boy.

SUNDAY

  On Sunday 27th August, 2006, at 10:16 in the morning, my nephew Samuel Sanderson came into the world with open eyes.  A full 6 weeks early weighing just 4lbs 10ounces.  Both my sister Natalie and her new baby boy are doing well and it has been the proudest day of my life, save the days when my sisters got married to their respective partners.  I have never experienced such joy as saying hello to my newborn nephew, who needless to say, is absolutely gorgeous.  He couldn't want for better parents, Natalie and Alan.

  Thanks to everyone who wished me, my sister and my brother-inlaw congratulations today, thanks to my Gem for keeping me together over these past few days of uncertainty as Natalie's premature birth became a reality.  And thank you God, for looking after my sister and her new baby and bringing Samuel into the world with healthy lungs and a strong heart.

  Updates to follow i'm sure but right now i'm still pretty shell-shocked about the whole day, take it easy everyone.

  Happy Birthday Samuel.

Uncle Walshy.

SATURDAY

  Well, as you guys may or may not be aware, this new Windows Live Spaces rubbish has totally savaged the spaces system ie: I haven't been able to do a blog til now!  So this will be a fairly big blog...maybe, maybe not!  Perhaps more accurately, there will be much discussed but not in any great detail, i'm playing catch-up.

  First off, business is going well, my new models George Harrison's Rocky and Jimi Hendrix's Saville Theatre Stratocaster have been released and with success, both production models selling on their first week out.  Bonus.  I'm now turning around my last pieces of stock, a FOOL SG and then an experimental model, the FOOL SG Jr. Special Edition that uses an Epiphone SG Jr.  Hopefully it will spark some interest but can't see myself loosing money on it at the amount i paid.  After that i'll be dried out so once again i'll need to buy in some fresh stock for September.  During that month i'm hoping to release the first of my next two Beatles related projects, first the Yellow Submarine Sgt. Pepper Special, which will use artwork of my own design but obviously featuring all the characters in their Sgt. pepper alter-ego uniforms.  After that, a more risky project, the FOOL Apple Boutique guitar, I haven't decided what instrument to use but the artwork will be that which was painted on the outside walls of the Beatles' shop the Apple Boutique, hopefully appeal to Beatles and FOOL fans alike?

  Its been quiet on the friends front, everyone's pretty busy and we haven't been out for a good session on the lash for some time, since Lefty's birthday, but we're planning to all meet up in the next week or two.  The DJ has gone back to work for Thomas Cook for a month to grab some cash and they needed the experience, quick, which works nice for him.  Matty and the lads seem to be cool, Mr T landed a job yesterday (congrats good buddy) and it seems that give or take we're all surviving.

  Me and Gem are swiftly approaching the third month of being together and it's still great, honestly the best relationship i've had and i've had a fair few disfunctional ones!  She still rocks my socks (as she says i do for her!) and after she had been away to Corfu for a week it was so good to see her Monday just gone, i spent the day down there and kipped over and needless to say we worked out a bit of tension (not much!) haha, but yeah it's all good with us as it has been from the start.

  On the movie front, me and Dad decided to treat ourselves to a day off, no artwork for me, no motors for him and so we took in a double bill at the cinema Snakes on a Plane and A Scanner Darkly.  Both excellent in their own way and while most would expect a 'Snakes' review today, but lets face it, it does what it says on the tin!  Check the 'film recommendations' list for a brief review, A Scanner Darkly is the subject of this blog's The Review (which follows).  So basically that's it, really its been all work for me the last couple of weeks, turning out 6 instruments in 14 days, which is pretty tough going but self-employment breeds desire to succeed and so i'm pushing forward.  Keep your eyes peeled too, my website is being designed as we speak so when it is up and running i'll post the link here.  Take it easy guys and girls...

A SCANNER DARKLY - The Review

  You might know a little, you might know a lot but in either case, A Scanner Darkly will be the most unexpected motion picture of the year, second only to the knockout Hard Candy for subject matter.  Based on the novel by Phillip K. Dick, the man behind Minority Report, Total Recall and other mind-bending science fiction paranoid fantasies this is by far the finest adaptation of his work, there are no large scale action scenes with big name Hollywood actors, there aren't really any special effects either but of course, whatever you know about A Scanner Darkly, you know what it looks like.  The unique 'rotoscope' effect that director Richard Linklater has employed throughout the film is a stroke of genius for many reasons, for one it is stunning to watch as live-action footage has been recoloured like a bizarre cartoon and for a second point it makes what could be something too mundane, truely beautiful.

  A Scanner Darkly focuses on four people, mainly Robert Arctor (Keanu Reeves) aka Fred, an undercover narcotics agent who is forced to wear a 'scramble suit' to hide his true identity from his superiors so he can move within the underworld circle without suspicion or interferance.  Of course when his superiors charge Fred with monitoring Arctor, that's when things start to get a little weird.  This, like many of Dick's original novels is a story about paranoia told through drug addiction, as Fred is drawn deeper into a drug ring using 'Substance D' (a new designer drug) he begins to loose his identity and both his fake and real lives collide in a fierce battle that slowly eats away at him.  Reeves is, for lack of a better word, perfect in this role and could be his best film ever, The Matrix, while impressive as a film, was not Reeve's finest hour as an actor.  This is.

  The supporting cast, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson all throw themselves into their respective roles as addicts and psychopaths, Downey Jr. is especially joyous to behold in the role and basically, even without the amazing visual style, this film would be absorbing as live-action.  But the 'rotoscope' animation gives this rather bleak and sinister film a sense of wonder that creates a perfect cocktail for movie junkies, but this will not be a crowd-pleaser, the aforementioned Snakes on a Plane is more suited to that task and it's a shame to know that Snakes will do so much better than this, which filmically, is a masterwork.

  By the time the film reaches its chilling climax you'll be drained mentally and feeling as hopelessly hooked as Fred... or is it Arctor?  In conclusion then, A Scanner Darkly is well written, performed, shot and presented, as new-wave as Sin City seemed visually when it appeared and as dark and junkie-fied as Trainspotting, this is an acquired taste but for those who relish the deversity of cinema and don't mind having to think when chewing their popcorn, this is something extraordinary.

The Verdict: *****

Walshy Boy.

SATURDAY

  Well, its been an interesting week but the most important thing, as you could no doubt tell from my rather brief blog earlier this week, was Gem and I celebrating 2 months together.  Ok it's fair to say that isn't a long time but having had enough shit relationships that don't last a month in the past it gives me cause for celebration when a relationship is working out really well and has lasted this long.  As ever, long may it continue.

  To elaborate further, last weekend Gem came down and stayed friday night having not seen each other for just over 2 weeks, which in the structure of our relationship (that is give or take long distance - hour on the train) is a long time because i've been popping up there at least once a week.  Luckily we had a whole day and night to ourselves with quite a lot planned if you follow me, handcuffs and dice came into play plus a little spanking haha!  Which needless to say complimented a nice meal and some nice 'coupley' moments, AWW!!!  It was great to see her and not have to worry about getting a train home etc. she headed off about 1pm the following day as i had my Nan coming over that afternoon for a while, who is by the way, recovering well.

  Other than that the week has been consumed by work, arranging courier collection for several sold items, handling massive amounts of customer questions via my ebay listings and getting in new stock and the rest.  Despite the appearence my little enterprise may have, of me sat on my arse fucking around with guitars all day, it actually is a full time job because i have to work if i want to make money at it.  This makes it all the more satisfying when i recieve customer feedback that so far has all (touch wood) been 100% positive, in fact some have been pretty 'rave' reviews of my work and as ever, my better half is supporting me no end, embuing me with confidence in my work too.  The prototype of George Harrison's 'Rocky' Stratocaster (as used on the Magical Mystery Tour) is being assembled tomorrow and looks rather good, next up will be Jimi Hendrix's Saville Theatre Stratocaster and that will complete the current line-up for a while, i have some more unique projects i want to tackle but they may remain as such ie: not become part of the line-up but be available as special editions, unless customer demand alters that fact.

  On another note, me and the DJ caught Miami Vice yesterday afternoon, review follows, which was blinding stuff and then the boys got together for Lefty's 22nd birthday night out in town.  It was bloody excellent, me, Lefty, the DJ, Mr T, Matty Boy, Ben and his girlfriend (of whom i cna never remember her name!) and Lefty's charming girlfriend Nat.  Needless to say we were plastered fairly quickly with Vodka Redbulls flowing like blood through a vein!  The music in the club later wasn't really upto scratch so me and the DJ quit about quarter past one and headed back to mine where he was kipping for the night, we were singing rather loudly all the way home too!  You'd never believe that Jay-Z featuring Linkin Park the Encore / Numb remix could go on for 45 minutes!  Haha!

  Anyway, that's been my week pretty much, i trust everyone else's has been as comfortable and not too much shit has been kicking off for everyone.  Have a good weekend people, Miami Vice review comign up...

MIAMI VICE - The Review

  Up until recently, very little was known about the Miami Vice movie, true enough that until the first trailer appeared a few months ago I didn't even know it was in production.  But confidence can be bred in many ways, firstly you're dealing with an excellent cop series that, while dated now, was cutting edge at the time.  Secondly Michael Mann directing provides a strong backing to any film, especially with his Executive Producer credits on the original series of Miami Vice, meaning the man knows his subject matter.  Thirdly, Miami Vice was all about cool and right now you would be hard pressed to find cooler actors to play Crocket and Tubbs than Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.

  The first bit of good news for anyone interested and uninitiated is this Miami Vice is not set in the 80's, there are no pastel shirts and rolled up sleeves here (for better or worse!) instead Mann has taken the essence of the series and put it smack in the modern sinsiter underbelly of Miami.  To the same rationale, do not expect an 'action movie' with big explosions and plenty of slow-mo, this is the very definition of an 'undercover cop' movie and is second only to the mighty NARC for the taste of realism and horror that these men experience day to day.

  Both Farrell and Foxx are likable leads, Mann doesn't feel it necessary to brief us on Crocket and Tubb's relationship, like the original series we take it as gospel that they are brothers in arms and that feeling is pretty much apparent from the offset.  The setting of this film is much like Mann's masterful Collateral, most of the camera work features hand-held DV style shooting and the grainy texture of the image gives the entire film a sense of place beyond that of the common 'cop thrillers' that saturate Hollywood.  Though Mann does not ignore Miami Vice's history; beautiful locations, beautiful people, Crocket's Ferrari, jets, speedboats and 'jive talk' are all present and correct and while most of the film is dark and almost gothic, there are some stunning location shots of Columbia that lift the film off the screen.  This is a far more in depth motion picture than you would expect from the title.

  It could be argued that the film is too lathargic for its own good, the cool pace at which it runs will no doubt displease movie-goers expecting explosions every five minutes but for a more demanding audience this will satisfy no-end.  The entire cast play it beautifully and Mann creates tension that would need a well lubricated chainsaw to dislodge, the storyline is difficult to catergorise as either cliche, simple or complex because it becomes a little superfluous, this is not to say there's no story, far from it, but the story seems to compliment the actors rather than drive the film.  But it works believe me, by the film's final gun battle you will be engrossed, absorbed and totally in love with the style and aura of both the film and the characters.

  To conclude then, Miami Vice is a far cry from the original series in some ways, but in others is exactly the same just set in contemporary surroundings.  The scenery is moody, the action is selective but all the more heart-racing as a result and the characters are engaging enough for you to honestly care what happens to them in the end.  This will not be everyone's sup of tea that is for sure but if you're after a dark, sophisticated thriller with every 'cop' undertone you could desire then this will be one of the most rewarding films of the summer.  If you're unsure, it isn't a film that will faulter on the small screen so perhaps hold out for a rental on DVD?  Otherwise, lap it up because it will be a while before an undercover cop thriller of this quality will appear again.

The Verdict ***** 

Walshy Boy.

TUESDAY

  Happy 2 months Gem, they've been great.  Here's to many more xxx

Walshy Boy.

WEDNESDAY

  Dire Straits reference for the uneducated by the way.  Well, life goes on, i'm still working and business is pretty good actually, working on another customer order and preparing to launch two new models, the George Harrison Rocky Stratocaster and the Jimi Hendrix Saville Theater Stratocaster.  So it's all good.

  Me and Gem are still as happy as ever, 2 months on Tuesday coming I think?  Thanks hun, without being soppy you've made a real difference to old Walshy and my business wouldn't be booming without your constant support, so thank you.

  We're spending the weekend together, nice romantic saturday night followed by some serious play time, involving recently purchased handucffs and dice...naughty girl!  So looking forward to seeing her again and spending some 'quality' time.

  Apart from that it's really been life as usual, haven't been out for ages but that's probably good, even though I have cash coming in it's a good idea to keep hold of it and not go stupidly spending it.  I'm thinking a night out next week with the boys, give the DJ and Matty Boy a heads-up this weekend in preparation, but before that me and Byz are meeting up friday for a spot of golf and probably a few well earned beers, which will be good.  I also met up with Jemma this week for a few drinks, really good that we're getting close as friends again after all the shit at christmas, we had a good btich about stuff and a good laugh, though she did more bitching than me, Gem's got me pretty much sorted!  Haha!

  A good couple of weeks ahead then, starting my new projects, seeing Gem for a naughty weekend and of course CARS is released this friday, Pixar's new beast, and the following week sees the arrival of my number one summer anticipation movie, Miami Vice.  I', still obsessed with the song from the trailer and once again Colin Farrell looks stupidly good looking and cool, bastard!  Haha, nah, should be an excellent movie and we need one after the salmon-boy that was Superman Returns.

  Anyway good friends, i'd best be off but hope everyone has a good remainder of the week and an even better weekend.  Take it easy.

Walshy Boy.

FRIDAY

SUPERMAN RETURNS - The Review

  Some films will remain dear to us all, beloved, endearing and treasured, housing memories of wishful youth and belief in all things magical.  SUPERMAN was such a film, Richard Donner's masterpiece captured the truest essence of the superhero movie, it was action packed, insightful, romantic and in the end magic to watch.  As close as cinema had come to true comic book adaptation in 1976.  So, when the word gets around that the man of steel is set to return there is of course a disgruntled groan, 'Christopher Reeve was the only Superman, they can't remake it'.  Luckily, Bryan Singer, fresh from bringing us the wonderful X-Men and X2 (argueably two of the finest super hero films of recent times) decides not to 'remake' SUPERMAN but to continue the story...only disregarding III and IV and setting this tale after the events of SUPERMAN II.  Confused?

  Newcomer Brandon Routh takes the lead role as 'the man of steel' and it is an inspired choice, an almost spooky resemblence to the late Reeve makes for unsettling viewing but this makes the new actor all the more welcome and it is surprising how well he fits into those extremely large boots to fill.  As the release date approached all kinds of craziness took to the internet, 'the S is too small' or 'the red is too crimson' and alike but in the end Superman is 'the' superhero and as such his welcome return to the screen was destined to pull in the punters but, will they be pleased?

  There's a lot of love in this film, that is to say you can feel Singer's love for the character in every shot, every re-hashed line from the original, every reference to the classics, every time Kal-El takes to the sky with his red cape bellowing behind him.  The opening credits are simply a joy, that rousing score of the master (John Williams) makes you go cold all over again and you can't help but smile knowing Superman is back and you're about to experience that magic all over again.  It is this attention to detail and feeling of respect given to Donner's original film that makes SUPERMAN RETURNS work as movie but respect for a 1970's classic does not make a good film great.

  Ok, time for a realistic look beneath the blue and red, while Routh is superb, as chisled from a comic book page as Reeve, the storyline is wafer thin.  In fact the script is literally adapted from the title, 'Superman returns', that's about all that happens in this beautifully big but ultimately hollow affair.  There's no question that if you're a fan you will enjoy yourself but I would find it difficult to believe that many will not leave cinemas under-nourished and unsatisfied.

  The film charts a course five years after SUPERMAN II, Kal-El has journied back to Krypton, his home world to search for it or anything that survived of his long-dead race.  As expected he returns with nothing but five long years between himself and mankind who have moved on without the great hero, especially one Lois Lane (a poorly cast Kate Bosworth), now engaged and a mother.  It seems soul-searching the galaxy has lead him right back to Metropolis and the Daily Planet but all is not as he left it.  Routh assumes the role of Clark Kent even more expertly than that of Superman but again these sections are weak, heartless and far too drawn out.  Insistant on not 'remaking' SUPERMAN, Singer simply goes over old ground once the 'return' of Superman is handled via an amazing rescue scene.

  While Superman / Kent and Lois' relationship is a strong feature of the character and the original films unfortunately Singer gets far too involved in following Superman's love life than his 'real' job ie: Taking on villainy and rescuing the helpless, helpless that need rescuing from the villainous Lex Luthor played by the masterful Kevin Spacey...or so you would think.  Unfortunately Lex's diabolical scheme isn't as good as at first glance, returning to Superman's 'Fortress of Solitude' and stealing various krystals to use them for his own ends, the plot suddenly falls empty and while Gene Hackman's Lex planned a superb real-estate scheme in the original that was both insidious and horrific, Spacey is let down by poor scripting and a dire plot.  Where he could have re-born the character he is instead forced to bow-out to Hackman not because of acting class of style...but story telling, which he couldn't do anything about.

  After the first hour or so things start to improve but not by much and in honesty the final sequence makes for amazing viewing but can't seem to rescue a film that falls to Earth as violently as its titular character pumped full of Kryptonite.

  More a chick-flick than an action superhero movie, RETURNS is both slow and perputually wantful, basically meaning you watch intently waiting for that stand-out moment that doesn't really come.  Lex's sidekick is as dire as his scheme, Lois Lane is poorly cast, there isn't nearly enough Superman in the movie and sadly this equates to a moving and almost tearful opening credit sequence and some classic Marlon Brando quotes.  That's it.

  The effects are superb but there simply isn't enough of them to rival Spider-Man or the stunning Batman Begins, both films handling their sacred subject matter with glorious precision while filling them with breath-taking scenes.  Singer did well with X-Men but perhaps we shouldn't have pandered to his ego too much, complacency or just short-sightedness has left Superman at the bottom of the 'cinematic re-birth' pile and it is questionable whether a franchise can rise from the ashes of this let-down.

  In conclusion, this is a good film but it isn't great and it should have been, all the elements were there and in fairness this probably out-does various movies of a similar ilk, but that won't cut it with Superman.  Chris Nolan had to compete with Tim Burton's bible-like classic BATMAN but he managed to craft a tale that has given Bat-fans a new lease of life and an amazing motion picture.  Bryan Singer had to cope with Richard Donner's 1976 classic, he failed miserably to even carve out his own piece of the magic and for that his career may be facing its biggest crisis.  See it and judge for yourself but renting it on DVD would be cheaper, it takes a lot for me to slate a film I want so desperately to love but SUPERMAN RETURNS should have been more.  Thank god for the Black Spider-Man...

The Verdict: ***

Walshy Boy.

THURSDAY

  Pretty much looking at one of the happier times i've had in recent memory, the guitar business is picking up and bringing in cash, which is always nice.  See more of the lads too, which i'd missed and i have a great mrs, as she's fond of saying 'it's all good'.

  Friday afternoon Gem got round about 2pm and we kinda 'got down to it' straight away, absence makes not only the heart grow fonder if you take my meaning!  We sat back and watched a film then messed about some more then I sprung a little surprise for her, kept her upstairs online while I went down to the kitchen and cooked dinner, candle light, white wine chilled etc.  It isn't a chore for me, I enjoy doing it especially for someone who appreciates it and Gem really did, we both got changed as if going out for a meal and we had a quiet romantic meal and chatted about this and that over a bottle of wine.  Ok lads, I know it's soppy but sometimes you have to embrace the finer things like a little romance.

  Aferwards we were going to watch a film but the lust in our eyes was obvious and overpowering so within minutes we were upstairs and had some serious fun, great foreplay (69 hehe!) leading to superb sex, which was really good, not just for the obvious reasons but because it wasn't just a roll in the hay that doesn't mean shit.

  Gem went home about 12 noon the next day and that was that, look forward to seeing you again soon honey x.

  The lads came over Saturday night and aside from lots of beer and a large gaming session Byz brought round a DVD called 'Faces of Death' (ominous...) which had been banned in 49 countries (wherever they are).  Though, banned for obvious reasons having watched its macarbe contents featuring actual deaths, shootings, electrocutions, beheadings etc.  Although the 'headless chicken' was extremely funny in a sadistic way!  Needless to say it was unsettling, it made me feel that sense of menace that audiences seeing a banned copy of Clockwork Orange must have felt at the time.  It has certainly altered my perception of death though and if you can handle it, do i dare say see it?  Good night in though.

  Sunday - Italy, shit.  Zidane, career discredited.

  The week has passed comfortably with not much going on, Nan's getting better after her accident which is great and the girls are both blowing up like baloons in their third trimester (spelling?) so everything is good.  Tickets booked for SUPERMAN RETURNS tomorrow YAY!  Can't wait, gonna be so good (we hope).  Tomorrow i'll add the full review for everyone so remember to pop back if you're interested.

  Hope everyone has a good week / weekend, happy 21st birthday to Sammy (Richard's sister) and lots of luv to my little Dyson Cyclone haha!  Luv ya hun x.

Walshy Boy.

FRIDAY

  Its been an interesting week or so, of course the loss of England's World Cup dream was the more shocking development and a painful experience but you move on pretty quickly in the end, best of luck to France and the amazing Zidane.

  My dear old Nan had a very bad accident last week, tripping and falling while indoors at her home and practically lying on the floor trying to move all night, unable to reach the phone.  Luckily my Mum has a key and was going round the next morning to see her anyway, needless to say we were all shocked to hear what had happened and were deeply concerned.  At 85, you realise that any accident could be very serious and we had all anticipated she'd broken her hip.  Thank God she's ok, some nasty bruising and being very shaken up were the most dramatic symptoms but she's always been a tough old girl, we've all been taking the time to look after her while she's recovering from the soreness and bruising.

  On a lighter note, Wednesday night saw myself, the DJ and Mr T head into town after a long period of absence from the local nightlife.  Wednesday offers cheaper drinks, special offers and 'Cheese Night' at the local club so it's all good, luckily none of us three are currently working so waking up hungover to hell wasn't an issue.

  Matty Boy joined us for the first flush, driving and working prevented him from getting in the mood but we had a good chat and said our goodbyes in Lloyds about 10pm.  As Mr T rightly proclaimed, "Right, lets get this party started now!" we buried more alcohol than is legally recommended, the entire pub roaring with approval as a sobbing Ronaldo walked off the pitch having lost to France!  We headed to the club about half 10 to take advantage of the 'before 11pm' deals on drinks, stocked up, took a pearch, watched a few birds (I only have eyes for you Gem x) then hit the dancefloor and didn't get off it til about 2am.

  Half-cut and staggering, i made my way home, txting Gem all the way but not getting any answer (not suprising considering the time) and finally got home and collapsed into bed.  It was a bloody good night, plenty of classic trance, heavy rock (ie: Nirvana, Queen, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi etc.) and old skool classics fuelling some superb moves on the dancefloor, including a rather 'crowd pleasing' version of 'the robot' by myself and the DJ!

  Yesterday me and the DJ meet up in town, hungover, buried a few orange juices and went to see Pirates of the Carribean 2 (full review follows).  Some sad news hit me last night as my friend Jemma's Auntie died, who she was quite close to, she phoned me and we talked for about an hour and I did my best to try and make her feel better and support her.  There are no text books on how to deal with these things, you just have to try your best.  Happier news?  Gem is coming up to stay with me this weekend as my house is free, which i'm looking forward to as haven't seen her for a week, which, when you like someone a lot, is a bloody long time!  Needless to say I think i'll be a bit tired by Monday!  Right, Pirates full review comingf up...

PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST - The Review

  Something of a sleeper-hit come cult-classic, the first Pirates of the Carribean was both a suprise and a welcome detraction from the usual Hollywood drviel that had soaked up movie screens for some time, an effortlessly brilliant performance from Johnny Depp also created a classic screen icon, Captain Jack Sparrow, for whom it arguable to say, the film owes much of it's success.

  A sequel was pretty much on the cards straight away after the amazing success of the first but that can be a problem, the first film worked wonderfully as an independant story, self-contained and enjoyable and often the theory that 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' is well-taken.  The problem with the sequel idea, especially with a film as successful as Pirates, is if you don't get it right it can spell disaster even for the predecessor (Ocean's 12 anyone?) which puts a hell of a lot of pressure of Gore Verbinski to recapture the same aura that made the original so great.

  Fear not, Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest is everything a fan of the first would want it to be and more, following the footsteps of its predecessor, Pirates 2 actually suprises with the level of entertainment and the seemless fashion that Verbinski blends the two films together as if the years between them had never been.  A good sequel usually follows a good pattern and if you want to get a brief idea of what Pirates 2 encompasses, The Empire Strikes Back is the best source of research, the finest sequel ever made, that classic motion picture has provided the blueprints for many of cinema's great sequels since, Pirates 2 is a good example.

  The story picks up a year (if that) after the events of the first film which brought Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swan (Knightly) together and set Captain Jack Sparrow free on the open waves once more.  Centering around the mysterious East India Trading Company, whose domination of the waves threatens everything that Sparrow holds dear, the storyline is more complex than the first but in the end it's still Sparrow who makes the whole film work.  The audience literally cheering on his first appearance on screen.  Will and Elizabeth are drawn into a plot to steal something of Jack's at the behest of the East India Company in return for their freedom...cue sword fights, action, explosions, choppy seas and superb comedy throughout.

  The storyline is much bolder, darker and deeper than the first, which is what you would be expecting from a sequel and a menagerie of new villains haunt the world of Port Royal and the Carribean seas.  The most obvious is Bill Nighy's insidious Davy Jones, featuring incredible CGI animation with both him and his crew upping the stakes on the original's skeletal pirates.  However it is the East India Company's nafarious master who appears much darker than even the barnicle incrusted Jones, a human face ultimately more terrifying in that he represents how evil man really is, we can forgive a monster but never a man.

  To reveal more would be a plot spoiler so I will be confident mearly to say that Dead Man's Chest is the sequel we were all hoping for and is highly recommended entertainment for children of all ages especially the older ones like me!  Though, while grander and more stylish, essentially it is more of the same wrapped in a different package...exactly...that is a VERY good thing!

The Verdict: *****

Walshy Boy