Blog Archives

Beneath Hill 60 – Film Review (DVD)

Posted on October 6, 2010
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Beneath Hill 60“After Gallipoli there was still a war to be won”

A few weeks ago I read and reviewed “Beneath Hill 60” by historian Will Davies, it told the true story of the destruction of the Messines Ridge when 19 mines were detonated successfully on 7th June, 1917 – two failed.

The film, directed by Jeremy Hartley Sims, stars Brendan Cowell as Captain Oliver Woodward and Harrison Gilbertson as young Frank Tiffin. Cowell’s love interest is played by Bella Heathcote a relative newcomer best known for her short portrayal of Amanda Fowler in Grundy’s Neighbours.

The film is a wonderful and moving tribute to the countless soldiers who lost their lives in the “War to end all wars”, World War One.

David Roach provides a spellbinding and taut script, based on the diaries of Captain Woodward. The acting is honest, bereft of Hollywood histrionics – simple hard graft pays off resulting in a magical two hours of history and entertainment.

Not only do we see the war through the eyes of the British, and for the greater part Number 1 company of the Australian Imperial Force, but their enemy; the Germans. A well balanced portrayal of actual events, the film gives us a unique understanding of how the Germans reacted to the deep tunnelling and how the Australians overcame the difficulties of deep tunnelling.

Captain Oliver WoodwardThere were no winners in a war of this magnitude, one minute you’d successfully gained 10 yards and no sooner had the celebrating died down but the victors were on the back foot retreating 10 yards – and at what cost? Thousands upon thousands of human lives. Wasted.

Captain Oliver Woodward signed up to fight in The Great War following the death of his cousin in Gallipoli. Woodward, who played a major part …

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Sherlock “The Great Game” episode 3 summary / review

Posted on August 8, 2010
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Slick as you like, Sherlock’s third and final episode (of this series) called “The Great Game” was a triumph of detection and intrigue. Sherlock has 12 hours to solve a riddle or an innocent woman dies. But who is behind the bomb threats?

If you’ve missed any or all these magnificent episodes then you can catch up by ordering the DVD or Bluray discs out on the 30th August – pre order now

Sherlock Holmes is bored! Sitting in his flat at 221b Baker Street Sherlock and Watson have a heated discussion about Watson’s blog and his report of the taxi case. Watson dubbed the case “A study in Pink” and Sherlock took a dislike to how he was portrayed in the blog,

“Sherlock sees through everything and everyone in seconds, what’s incredible though is how spectacularly ignorant he is about some things”

Watson leaves the flat and we are introduced to Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) a little earlier in this episode when she comments on Watson’s walk out

“You too had a little domestic?”! Two minutes later an explosion rocks Baker Street and a new case is born. The bomber sends Sherlock a pink iPhone and verbal contact is made through the woman strapped to a bomb in a car park.

Molly’s attempt to forget Sherlock fails dismally when her new “office romance” turns out to be gay who leaves his telephone number for Holmes in the vain hope of the great detective calling him.

It turns out that the case is related to a cold case from twenty years ago, a case Holmes tried to get the police involved but they weren’t interested. A champion swimmer named Karl Powers drowned in a school pool; everyone thought it was a tragic accident. Everyone bar Sherlock Holmes. …

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Sherlock (BBC) on DVD and Bluray

Posted on August 8, 2010
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With a release date of August 30th, the Sherlock DVD or Sherlock HD (Bluray) is a must purchase for any Sherlock fan. Did you miss an episode? If so this is your chance to catch up on the best drama to hit the BBC for a number of years.

Update: Both DVD and Bluray are now available to buy

A contemporary take on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle stories, Sherlock is a thrilling, funny, fast-paced adventure series set in present-day London. Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade.

John Watson: doctor, soldier, war hero, lost soul. Fresh from fighting the war in Afghanistan, a chance encounter brings him into the world of Sherlock Holmes: loner, detective, genius. A woman in pink lies murdered in an abandoned house.

The fifth victim of a seemingly motiveless killer. Inspector Lestrade is the best Scotland Yard has got. But he knows he’s nothing compared to a young man called Sherlock. Sherlock can tell a software designer by his tie, an airline pilot by his thumb. He has a unique analytical brain unlike anyone else in the world, who earns his living and staves off boredom by solving crimes. The weirder and more baffling the better…Sherlock on Bluray

The two men couldn’t be more different, but Sherlock’s inspired leaps of intellect coupled with John’s pragmatism soon forge an unbreakable alliance. Across three, 90 minute, thrilling, scary, action-packed and highly entertaining television movies, Sherlock and John navigate a maze of cryptic clues and lethal killers to get at the truth.

The world’s favourite detective has come out of the fog. With sparkling scripts and unforgettable performances from the two leads, …

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Comparative photos of Mount Everest ‘confirm alarming ice loss’

Posted on July 19, 2010
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Global warming is now having an effect on the world highest mountain, Everest. Comparing two photographs, the first of which was taken in 1921 by British mountaineer George Mallory, they show an alarming rate of decline in glaciers.

During British Mount Everest Expedition 1924, the third British attempt on the world’s highest mountain, Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine both disappeared somewhere high on the North-East ridge during their attempt to make the first ascent or descent of the world’s highest mountain. The pair’s last known sighting was only a few hundred meters from the summit.

Mallory’s ultimate fate was unknown for 75 years, until his body was finally discovered in 1999 by an expedition that had set out to search for the climbers’ remains. Whether or not they reached the summit before they died remains a subject of speculation and continuing research.

The Rongbuk glacier, found on the northern slope of Mount Everest in Tibet is the glacier in question.  The Asia society commissioned a new photograph taken in 2007 by mountaineer David Breashears shows that the glacier is shrunk and withered.

A spokesman for the Asia Society (AS) said the picture was proof the ice is melting because of climate change, threatening water sources in highly populated areas of India and China.

“The photographs reveal a startling truth: the ice of the Himalaya is disappearing,” he said. “They reveal an alarming loss in ice mass over and 89 year period.”

The series of photos, on display at an exhibition in New York, show how changes in temperature could be affecting the wider environment.

The photos taken by Mallory from the north face of Everest reveal a powerful, white, S-shaped sweep of ice.

Images taken from the same spot in 2010 by mountaineer David Breashears show …

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Chuck’s Chick ! Yvonne Strahovski

Posted on July 16, 2010
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There’s little doubting the main attraction for most red blooded males to NBC’s ratings winner Chuck – Sarah Walker played by Yvonne Strahovski. The series has remained true to its followers and despite an on again, off again battle with NBC they decided not only to fill a 3rd season but grant the show an extension and order a fourth season! Few fans could have hoped for this result 6 months ago but boy are we pleased! Chuck Season 3 is now available on Blu-ray and of course DVD!

It means that as long as the writers see sense, Sarah Walker will remain on our screens for a little while longer! So when does Season 4 premiere? You have a little while longer to wait – 2 months infact – Chuck versus the anniversary (S4 Ep1) airs on NBC September 20th 2010.

Dolph Lundgren and Harry Dean Stanton are confirmed guest stars for the first episode.

The episode summary for the final episode of season three read “Morgan, Devon and Ellie team up to save Team Bartowski from the Ring, while Chuck’s flashes start to give him headaches, after Shaw took the governor from him.

Meanwhile, the Buy More owner Moses contacts Big Mike with an ultimatum.”

It truly was the perfect ending to a third season, it had everything from raw emotion of Chuck’s father to downright hilarity. Chuck’s relationship with Sarah is starting to develop into a series concern now that both spies are living together – the secret stsh of guns was a nice touch even though Chuck was unaware of the arsenal!

So what about the big tease at the end? Holy Chuck – Chuck’s mother!!! I can’t wait to see who actually plays Ma Bartowski – could it be wonder woman Lynda Carter? …

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I am nothing special

Posted on March 11, 2010
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I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life.

There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.

Quote taken from “The Notebook” available on Blu-ray and DVD – beautiful and charming film, written by Nicholas Sparks and starred

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Weeds – a credit crunching bargain !!!

Posted on March 17, 2009
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I can’t quite believe what I’m looking at! Amazon sent me and probably thousands more an email this morning showcasing their latest blu-ray offers and included in the mix are truly amazing bargains! Weeds season 1 and 2 priced at $12.99 each – Hurry!

When Weeds was launched a few seasons ago I didn’t know how to take it – the soundtrack put me off the programme and despite the top notch acting and comedy I couldn’t get it out of my head so I left the programme in limbo a third of the way into season one!

However on receiving the email this morning I am sorely tempted to give Weeds another go especially considering both season one and two are priced at just $12.99 each! That’s right, $12.99 for a full season of blu-ray goodness folks!

Season three is priced at a very respectable $17.99 and considering Amazon want over $80 for the boxset (season 1-3) it’s a bargain! If you are looking for a review on Season 1 then look no further …..!!

For those of you in the UK or worldwide the three seasons are multi regional – to check those and other titles please visit the following website

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Schapelle Corby’s Ganja Queen – revisit

Posted on March 1, 2009
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I watched Channel Nine’s “Schapelle Corby: Hidden Truth” a few weeks ago and although I thought Schapelle innocent before I watched the two part documentary, I was left with a few more questions than I had anticipated.  The documentary was my first insight into the allegations against Schapelle I had come across (other than the net) and it left me with a slight feeling of confusion as to who was telling the truth, who were the good guys and who I could trust?

With this in mind I decided to read (my first impressions) Schapelle’s book “No More Tomorrows” and I wasn’t prepared for such a marked difference between the TV programme and the book. The television documentary gave, in my opinion, a fair and balanced version of events, however, for me the book cleared things up and laid to rest a few questions I had lingering. This is only my opinion and I’m positive other readers/viewers will take a different view.

The Ganja Queen DVD is available to buy on DVD in America. (Not available in the UK) – please note this is listed as a 92 minute dvd.

With this in mind I decided to re-visit the two part documentary and hopefully see what I missed first time around. The programme, known in the United States as “The Ganja Queen” was well received abroad and certainly helped bring Schapelle’s plight to thousands of people unaware of the travesty of justice that had befallen the Queenslander.

I had two nagging doubts from my first viewing and they centred on the two “supporting” roles within the documentary; namely Mercedes Corby and Ron Bakir (inc Robin Tampoe). I had (and have) no doubt of the love within the family both from Mercedes, her mother and her father. However on just …

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TV Dvd’s Released

Posted on August 12, 2006
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Thought I’d post a short entry on the latest Television box sets to hit the streets now and in the immediate future. One of my favourite ones this year is without doubt Prison Break and if you want to check out what I thought of it, take a look at an earlier post. Starring Wentworth Miller and Sarah Wayne Callies it is a gripping drama full of twists and turns that sometime stretch believability, but well worth buying.

Lost season 2, the extended experience is another of the big TV blockbusters released shortly, September 5th to be exact. The dvd features Secrets Of The Hatch, Deleted Scenes, Bloopers and so much more over seven packed dvd’s. One thing it also includes is a feature that plants seeds and doubts for LOST Season 3! I’ve not watched the second half of the series and will wait until the dvd is released so I can watch it all in one go as I did with Season 1.

Hugh Laurie returns to the small screen via DVD in the second instalment of House M.D. A cracking series set in a fictional hospital. He leads a crack unit who spend most of their time solving medical problems that other doctors have failed. House spends most of his time arguing and berating his colleagues and indeed his patients, when he sees them that is! He relies on his small group of doctors to talk through the problems and possible fixes. Season 1 of House was released last year and is also available.

Other releases next week include Veronica Mars, Invasion (The Complete Series) and Threshold (The Complete Series). All include a number of extras including deleted scenes and commentaries.

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