The BAFTAs & the Best of the Rest

Just briefly before I get into the core of this week's first post, I'd like to apologise for the three week delay of this belated blog post. So yeah, I just hope that you guys have all maintained interest and enjoy this week's first post as much as ever. On a lighter note, the attention on the blog has been overwhelming since I began doing it, so I'd like to thank each and every one of you for the support. Anyway, onto this week's first post.

The BAFTAs
In the past few weeks Tom Hooper's masterpiece, The King's Speech, has practically steamrolled any obstacle that has stood in its way. Now, the juggernaut, recently re-fuelled by the awarding of seven BAFTAs, looks set to take over the world under the guidance of Kalashnikov wielding Colin Firth. Of course, I jest, the film strolls along at a rather befitting pace that will suit fans of historical dramas and general filmgoers alike. So, what did we learn from the BAFTAs apart from the fact that Christopher Lee is entirely composed of dust and that Jonathan Ross has suddenly sprouted a poo smear moustache? One thing I, personally, learned is that Inception is a better film than The King's Speech. Don't get me wrong; I think The King's Speech is a brilliant piece of cinematography that makes me proud to be British. However, the fact of the matter is that BAFTA, being the British counterpart of the Oscars, has historically favoured any piece of British influence in the major awards if it has had the opportunity to do so.  



Star of the Show - Sir Christopher Lee

The King's Speech is undoubtedly a fantastic film, but I just think it lacks the certain unique qualities and revolutionary, outlandish story that is required for a timeless masterpiece these days, the same for which cannot be said of Inception. Who knows though? I could, and most likely will, be wrong. After all, the whole point of film is that it's subjective. All controversial opinion aside, I think anyone would find it hard to disagree with me that the highlight of this year's BAFTAs was the appearance of the man, the legend, Saruman himself, Sir Christopher Lee. Although his declining physical condition was plain to see, the eighty-eight year old did not let it detract from his usual fine public form after being rewarded with BAFTA's equivalent of the lifetime achievement award. His entire display at the awards is testament to his attitude towards the acting profession and life itself. As he neared the end of his acceptance speech, Lee was one of the last few people in the room to be reduced to tears. These were the tears of a man who had achieved everything he could have ever hoped for in life, which, I personally think, is a goal that each and every one of us should aspire to.

The Best of the Rest
And They Call It Pillow Love

Definitely Going to Bed Her

Personally, I'd describe myself as someone who is of the firm belief that you can't help who you fall in love with, and that any sexuality motivated discrimination is entirely vacuous. That being said, a man in Japan has, this week, married his pillow which lead to me briefly falling victim to a laughter-induced coma. In marrying his pillow, Lee Jin-gyu has joined a long list of people who are of the self-described objectum sexuality, which includes female American objectophile, Erika Eiffel, infamous wife of the Eiffel Tower. Mr Jin-gyu even stuck a photo of an anime character onto the front of the pillow, presumably to prevent the whole ceremony from getting a bit too weird. The pillow itself was dolled up from head to...well, bottom of pillow in a flowing white dress to fully convey the entirely serious nature of the occasion. Anyway, I think all of us have something to take from this story. Like me for instance, after reading this story I briefly saw my coffee table in a new light, before looking back at the photo of a pillow in a wedding dress, and continuing to laugh hysterically.

My Big Fat Gypsy Dance-Off

Gypsies Watch Step Up Too!

We know them, we watch them. Regardless of whether we love or hate gypsies recent news has lead us to believe one thing about them: that they love street dance. Little is known about the gypsy. Some say they're tax dodgers, others say they steal anything that you don't nail down. Of course, this is all hearsay, and none of it should be believed...okay, so maybe some of it should. Anyway, in the past week, travellers currently settled in the Shirenewton site in Cardiff have been awarded £4,690 in cash by the All Lottery Grant which will fund the visitation of specialist hip-hop dance teachers to the site. The group of gypsies being taught are scheduled to perform in June to mark Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month. A local gypsy worker, Loren Morris, stated that she was not happy with the "very negative images of gypsies and travellers portrayed in recent television programmes." Gypsy's Got Talent begins on ITV next Satu...just kidding.

Anyway, Shmallow fans, that's your lot for today. Thank you again for all your support.

Song Lyrics, Aliens, & Joe Dolce.

Introduction.

As unspoken a topic as it may be, the influence of lyrics embodied within both: the structure and mood of a song is undeniably one of the most primitive yet refined methods of provoking a whole array of emotions a select individual never even knew existed. I personally think that whether people view music as a life choice or alternatively adopt the approach of viewing music as simply a form of escapism, at some point or another in every human being’s lives they have heard a line in a song that has enhanced an extreme positive or negative emotion that they were feeling at the time.

Life's Soundtrack.

Whilst to some people this point may seem rather moot, my own personal view is that for every significant point in life we tend to play out our own soundtrack. This soundtrack is largely based on our emotions which are, in turn, of intrinsic value to a vast number of songs that were crafted by individuals who were also experiencing identical emotions at their point of inspiration. By means of expressing that point in a less convoluted manner, it’s similar to the way that in if a friend experiences a serious situation, be it traumatic or otherwise, they will have gained a knowledge of how to handle such a situation. Now, my point is that if your life happens to play out a similar situation, then your friend, having experienced the same, will provide you with a point of reference for you to deal with the circumstances. Likewise, in times of modern-day supreme emotion we seem to almost instinctively turn to music and the lyrics contained within music as somewhat of a tangible way of viewing our emotions. The beauty of all of this is that even lyrics that don’t seem as palpable in definition are open to interpretation and are therefore open to expressing a variety of different emotions to the people that listen to them.

Why Shia LaBeouf Is The Devil.

I’m not one to be hyperbolic and I’m in no way going to profess that Shaddap You Face by Joe Dolce could provide me or any of you with the pearls of wisdom that we seek to cope with life’s emotional highs and lows any better, but you can’t deny that it makes you feel something. I personally love my iPod and think that the world would be a much glummer place without music, but I respect that a lot of your views will conflict mine in a whole host of ways; it’s just human nature. However, in the wise words of Shia LaBeouf - in reference to his iPod in D. J. Caruso’s Disturbia – "That’s 60 gigs of my life." I think we can all agree with Mr LaBeouf. A truly talented actor as demonstrated in all of his films, apart from in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. No, wait, WTF!? Aliens!?…and Transformers…and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen… and Eagle Eye…Even Stevens wasn’t bad? But all rhetoric aside, wise words from Mr TheBeef nevertheless.

What Music Means To Me.

So, to summarise, I believe that music is underrated and very much underestimated as being a form of communicative medium. I feel that a single line in a song can allow us to spearhead a movement out of life’s darkest times equally as much as it can allow us extract the best out of life for our own personal wellbeing. Lest us not forget that the workings of musicians such as Bob Marley and John Lennon haven’t just assisted people like ourselves through times of great emotion, they’ve shaped the world we live in today. I believe that to be a power that we should never take for granted.