tonight i went to see 'west of memphis' at my most favourite cinema in the world. i'd been looking forward to seeing it for quite some time, and if you know me/have followed my blog for a long time, you'd know how passionate i am about the whole west memphis three case.

first of all, i was quite surprised how many people there were in the screen. we arrived a few minutes later than planned, and we ended up sitting in the very front row. it was the most packed i've seen that certain room in the cinema. i never personally knew anyone who was aware of the case before i ever mentioned it to them, i like how these people were probably the same.

i did enjoy the film, though it's got me thinking about a lot of things. i feel like i should post it on here.
i thought the film was really nicely shot, i think a lot of the time in documentaries there isn't as much care taken into the cinematography. the film really dug deep into the case, featuring people like the author of a book that was referenced in court, and one of the victims sisters who is really mentally unstable.
but the film made me think, this isn't over. though the wm3 are out of prison, justice hasn't really been served for them, or the victims families. though the film was pretty biased, it points the blame to terry hobbs.

at the end, it thanked everyone who has shown their support. it made me think, i'd been following the case for a few years, and sent a letter to damien. i still wonder if he ever read it, and what he thought. it wasn't really anything inspiring, i just wanted to show that i was aware of the case, and i cared.

another thing i thought about, which is kind of less related, is my own work. this year i have to make 2 documentaries. i almost felt a bit jealous after watching the film. i know, well respected film makers were involved with making the film, i know right now i'd never be able to produce anything to that standard, or at least in my university work. but i was jealous in the way, a group of people created that perfectly, together. the people i've ended up working with have no desire to create anything artistic like that. in the 3 years i've been making short dramas and documentaries, i don't think the people have ever been inspired in the same way as me. i'm not saying everyone i've worked with doesn't care about their work, i know for sure at least 2 or 3 of them are certain to get something from the years of studying we've had. but i've never met anyone who actually cares about art in the same way that i do. it makes me sad that i should've met people like that, or i was expecting to. i suppose it's going to make my career more of a journey.

i think i had more to say, but i'm kind of tired and wanting to watch the office now.

films in 2012

so i guess i watched less than last year. ngl, i'll probably watch even less this year because the films at the cinema have really been pissing me off as of lately. but my intentions this year is to watch more european cinema, because it inspires me the most. also would love to watch more stuff with nice sound production.
sooooo here's the list.

1. burn after reading
2. caddyshack
3. a goofy movie
4. the artist*
5. all about my mother
6. adventureland
7. volver
8. the kid
9. the aristocats
10. visioneers
11. pans labyrinth
12. the descendants*
13. titanic 3d*
14. the muppets*
15. the best exotic marigold hotel*
16. this means war*
17. jack & jill*
18. wanderlust*
19. michael*
20. 127 hours
21. 21 jump street*
22. project x*
23. drive
24. marie antoinette
25. into the abyss*
26. sideways*
27. toy story
28. bringing up baby
29. this must be the place*
30. salmon fishing in the yemen*
31. delicacy*
32. breathing*
33. beetlejuice
34. annie hall
35. manhattan
36. scooby doo
37. damsels in distress*
38. steamboat bill jr
39. weird science
40. toy story 3
41. number 23
42. natural born killers
43. rachel getting married
44. dark shadows*
45. iron sky*
46. trans-america
47. my sister's keeper
48. moonrise kingdom*
49. paris je t'aime
50. the skin i live in
51. the little mermaid
52. bad education
53. confessions
54. it's kind of a funny story
55. stephen king's it
56. leon the professional
57. punch-drunk love
58. the breakfast club
59. somers town
60. xxy
61. a ma soeur
62. everything must go
63. hard candy
64. adaptation
65. i'm a cyborg but that's ok
66. father of my children
67. somewhere
68. baby mama
69. dark horse*
70. seeking a friend for the end of the world*
71. the promotion
72. 10 things i hate about you
73. city lights
74. batman returns
75. chasing amy
76. take this waltz*
77. robin hood
78. the woman
79. melancholia
80. persepolis
81. the avengers assemble
82. normal
83. me and you and everyone we know
84. frankenweenie*
85. beginners
86. good will hunting
87. the dictator
88. the invention of lying
89. grizzly man
90. memento
91. american beauty
92. up
93. kiss kiss bang bang
94. sleepy hollow
95. elf
96. american splendor
97. tangled
98. pepi, luci, bom
99. dark habits
100. toy story 2
101. the girl
102. what have i done to deserve this

christmas 2012

normally i'd post it on the day, but i forgot this time. 

i didn't really want anything for christmas this year. i'm getting older, and caring less about the present giving. but i did ask for things, and i got what i asked for and more. going to do the normal listy thing i do, if i can remember everything.

off parents:

anais anais perfume,
leopard print duvet cover,

pink cardigan,
skinny jeans,

teal collared dress,
'big hair' roller kit,

tartan shirt night dress,

a bleach/hair dye resistant towel,

pedro almodovar collection volume 1,
laser hair remover gadget.

off my sister:
giant nail varnish/make-up case,
gucci gulity perfume,
gucci guilty body lotion,
china glaze nail varnish set,
bev ridge set.

off liv:
'dream' sign,
optic nerve 32 stories boxset,
charlie chaplin's autobiography,

soap and glory bath set.

off leyla:
wet hot american summer,
tenacious d: pick of destiny,

tyrannosaur.

yeeeeeeah. my day was alright. we didn't have a family get together, which was a weird change. it'd been years since we last spent most of the day in our own home on christmas day. 

kind of not looking forward to next year as much as i was, because christmas day was just that nice. still expecting presents so i guess it's not all that bad~ 

i guess it's another one of ~those~ posts. i'm not even sure if people read these any more, but i enjoy doing them every once in a while.

though i feel it's going to be just like the last post. yeah, been super busy with uni stuff. last week i went to sheffield for a documentary shoot. it was alright. kind of awkward, due to people. but i think we got the work we needed. spent quite a bit of time this week editing that footage. editing always gets me hyper. i thought it was only after a few hours, but this time around, i've been laughing at nothing almost immediately. i guess it means people see me less shy, which is always good.

i went to see rancid a few nights ago. it'd been 4 years since i last saw them, and it was weird. each member of the band have changed a lot, apart from matt i guess. i accidentally ended up at the barrier, which i didn't expect at all. the last time, we were sitting quite a bit back, so it was a nice change.

and a few weeks ago, i saw frank turner. it was my first gig alone (aside from henry rollins at the beginning of the year, but i dunno if that counts) which was weird. i kind of wasn't looking forward to it. people at gigs are  more annoying when you're alone. but aside from that, it wasn't too bad. i really enjoyed the support act, who was a singer called tim barry. i think if i didn't go and didn't discover him, i would be a bit sad.

other than that. snow. struggling with script. struggling with christmas shopping. looking forward for time off, but in a way not because i know i still have mega work to do.

this was in need of an update. i haven't forgot about this blog, or at least, i don't want to.

i dunno, i guess i've been really busy with university. i mean, it's only 2 months in? and i'm super busy, like you won't believe. i dread to imagine what it'll be like later on in the year. i think it might just be with the change of courses and stuff, but i'll get used to it. right now i'm in the process of making 2 documentaries, writing a script, as well as planning an essay. i just handed in my first piece of work (a presentation and an essay) a couple of days ago, and jeez. they really encouraged us to start it at last minute. it was a lot of pressure on me, but i think i've done okay. i worked really hard. 

i guess it's been alright. at first, i was a bit uncomfortable with it. i felt like, maybe it was too much for me to do something completely different, out of my comfort zone, have to get 2 metros every day, not really make friends cause everyone is already friends, and have to stick with the other people who moved from my last course. 

but i think i'm used to it now, or at least, i don't feel as bad about it. i've made one really good friend and i kind of don't feel so alone. i hope i'm going to make it through okay.

i feel like university is the main thing in my life right now, which makes me sound absolutely boring, but i really have no idea what to write about. i spend all of my time there, or at least around about it. i'm glad i'm not working right now, as stupid as it sounds, cause i need a job SO BADLY, but i'm just so tired a lot of the time. ADULT LIFE.

i guess i didn't mention i went to see the skints a few weeks ago, then steel panther a couple of nights ago. they were pretty good. i miss gigs. i'm seeing frank turner next weekend, by myself...... OH WELL.

i dunno how many bottles of wine i've had since my last blog post. i kind of dread to think. but i'll guess a lot.

i really think i should be in paris right now. my life would be considerably better. i guess life isn't really that terrible, but come on, paris!!!!! hope i live there soon, or something. sigh.

i feel writing these blogs feels more and more foreign each time. i still haven't even typed up a manchester blog yet, and in my drafts is a really long post about the paul premiere last feburary? kind of silly.

i spent my proper summer at work mostly. kind of gutted i didn't go on holiday, but i have been to plenty of places this year i suppose. i'm hoping i can make one more oxford/london visit this year, but right now it's hard to tell if it's possible. i suppose my amazing summer plans were all before i started work.

had a plumber at the house for a week, and it was probably the most annoying part of my summer. unnecessary early mornings and walking to the pub to use the loo, SIGH.

3 of my highlights of my summer (during working months) were;

3) seeing public image limited. with my dad. i'd never been to a gig with my dad before, which is weird since i pretty much grew up listening to the music he likes. though i was never crazy about anything john lydon, i think this show has made me see things differently about him. i think my favourite part was hearing that the whole tour was funded using the money from the butter adverts he did.

2) my tattoo. i think i've already explained it in a blog. i know when when i'm older, the tattoo will be a reminder of this summer, amongst other things.  

1) seeing blink-182 in manchester with liv. i'd like to do a separate post about this if i ever end up with the time. i still can't get over that we got to see them again. and even aside from the blink show, it was the best time i've ever had with liv.

i can't believe it's all over now. i've started university, and it's weird. trying to adapt to the 2 metro rides, i'm not sure if i'll ever be used to that. i do think it is (or will be) worth it. it promises so much that i never got in the past 2 years. the people who are just starting their 1st year there probably don't understand how privileged they are.

it turns out i forgot to post this yesterday. whoops. hi.

this is long overdue, by like 2 months already. but there's no way i could get away without posting about this certain week, because it was one of the most exciting things to happen this year. i don't think i'll ever get over how good it was.

i'd been really sick the sunday and monday before i had to go to glasgow, and i was worried incase i'd be feeling shitty the whole time.

the train journey consisted of me and leyla being really hyper. on the row next to us, some old man had a puppy, and leyla wouldn't stop staring at it. eating a ham sandwich and struggling to reach the packet of crisps that the owner had hidden from it. i didn't even think it would be allowed on trains?
when they left, we were a bit more hyper, saying as we had the table to ourselves. best thing leyla said was "in bridget jones, hugh grant and piers morgan fight over her"
i don't think i've laughed so much. what made it stupider was me going "PIERCE MORGAN" and leyla was like "pierce???????"

when we got into glasgow, we immediately went searching for forbidden planet. bought super crooks 2 and 3. was kind of nice, but i felt i didn't take it all in, i was still carrying my luggage and i felt like i couldn't look at everything as comfortably as i could've been. we basically walked all around the place. whenever i go to a new place in the uk, i tend to compare it to london. except it's never as busy as london. and everyone was scottish.

when we got to the hotel, the receptionist was making friendly chat to us, and i thought it was funny that she knew that jack black was in tenacious d \m/
and after leaving our stuff, we went for a deeper search into glasgow. we couldn't find anywhere to eat, and the pub we'd intended to go to (for literally years) had closed down! we found this shop called 'stuff' and it was so ridiculous <3
ended up having a subway. wasn't that special, infact, it smelt awful inside. i don't recommend there.

the train was so packed, and when we got in the venue, the queue was stupidly long. they were mostly guys, 80% geek 20% metal. i was totally out of place with my dress :(
i bought leyla her christmas present, which was a shirt saying "dawn of the d" and had a picture of bloody kyle gass on the front.
bought myself christmas presents of pints of cider, and it was perfect. i was looking forward for a drink after feeling so ill the previous days.
when we got in the actual stalls area, it wasn't as packed as i anticipated. in fact, it was like that for the whole show, which was kind of sad.
the support band, the bots, were absolutely amazing. i was totally mind blown by them, 2 brothers; 15 year old drummer, and 18 year old singer/guitarist.

wasn't long after til tenacious d came on. i really can't comprehend that me and leyla have actually saw them live. throughout the show, we kept mentioning all the stuff jack black has been in and going "omg!", which was kind of funny. best moment was seeing beezleboss. really cannot get over it. my jaw hurt from screaming along to the song and smiling at the same time. mine and leyla's best bits dvd segment will include this song.
also, dude i totally miss you, omfg. and deth starr. UGH it was such a cool night~

after the gig, we had spent an hour or longer looking for our hotel. it got ridiculous, cause we followed the crowd, then eventually we weren't following anyone, and walked down this dodgy looking street.
i could have sworn we walked in a circle, but i trusted leyla. we even walked past somewhere the band had mentioned called "two fat ladies" omg
when we had more of a clue where we were, we found mcdonalds. leyla discovered they dispense irn bru in the scottish mcdonalds, and i don't think i've seen her happier.
on the way back to the hotel, we witnessed:
- 2 guys fist fighting each other dressed in their prom suits
- homeless people stealing clothes from a bin bag someone had left outside a charity shop
- a group of drunk teenagers, and one of which who shouted to her friends "HASH TAG: SEXY"

i didn't have a great sleep. i don't know if i was scared of the hotel, still ill, or excited for nofx.
but i don't think it was that difficult for me getting up, at least. had my ghostbusters energy drink which i bought in london. it was alright, i guess. a standard energy drink is probably nicer though.
once we left the hotel, i suddenly felt really shitty.
i did have a very scottish moment though, where a busker in a kilt was playing bagpipes. i don't know what the tune is called, BUT YOU'LL KNOW IT.

the journey back was kind of quick. had to transfer from edinburgh to newcastle. someone had got the exact same seat reservation as me, and that got awkward. but me and leyla were loud and everyone around moved.

as soon as i left leyla in wallsend i bumped into someone i didn't want to see, UGH.
and i had the least time to get ready. i was pretty nervous. but it was for nothing, because i'm stupid.
instead of waiting in the queue, we'd decided to have a drink til the doors were open. when getting out of the car, leyla's dad drove over my ankle. it hurt.
after wine and a few shots, we got into the academy, bought a shirt, had a pint. i spotted a friend who i made through nofx, and spent the whole time after that with her, basically.
it was weird how many people the band has brought me to who i spotted there that night. i'm really thankful to share a connection with people because of certain bands. it seems especially better when it's your favourite band, and they feel exactly the same way as you do about the band. it's one of my favourite things about music.
margate were good, though i don't recall them playing songs off the album i'd actually heard?
snuff were good too, their set went really fast.
and less than jake were good. i wish i cared about them more, but i've never been as huge on them as some people i know.
and nofx was amazing. well, i had an amazing time watching them. fat mike was an arsehole, obviously, but that aside, that set was exactly what i needed. it kind of took me back, and reminded me about listening to them as a teenager and listening to their music. i really don't think i'd be the person i am today without nofx.
it brought so many things for me, out of the 3 times seeing them, that was my favourite.

there was an after show party, and it was ridiculous. it was expected to end at 4am, but was shortened to 1am, because basically, it was rubbish. none of the bands turned up. well, people from less than jake came in, and walked back out again. the songs they played were perfect though. i'm used to going to rock bars where they play one or two punk songs inbetween the sorts of slipknot and 30 seconds to mars, but this set was a constant flow of bands i loved. it was a shame the turn out was shit.
then, that evening, i was the most ill i'd ever been in my life. it is exactly why i never mix my drinks.

*6 days later*

i agreed to go to a job interview stupidly not realising it was the same day i was going to see blink-182. didn't get the job. got given another job THAT EXACT morning anyway. WIN.
queued with liv for 45 minutes. she'd been there all day, which i'd intended to do anyway. felt bad for her, but i was certain that i'd make it up for her somehow, and that it really would've been worth it. the doors opened like an hour early for some reason. i absolutely ran into the building. man was like "no drinks" and i just threw it at him, i needed to be at the barrier. i knew it was going to be crazy because it was the arena, and i'm only used to trillians sized things these days.

the lobby was split in 2 queues. liv was so certain she was standing in front of the one they let through first. i was so uncertain. security guards were making people on only our side to stop queuing. "ANYONE WHO QUEUES WILL BE KICKED OUT, AL REMEMBER THA FACES" in a really thick geordie accent. everyone just turned into a group. it was literally a sea of fucking emos. i mean we were stood by a girl covered in band iron on patches that included red hot chili peppers and sex pistols? trendy.
they were letting people in as long as a queue didn't form. held onto liv so my nails digged into her, i was so desperate. we were like the second group of people to get into the room. i ran.
security "NO RUNNING"
me "PISS OFF"
i was exactly where i wanted to be. it was perfect. seemed to go really fast.
first band were hideous. twin atlantic. i'm pretty sure they believed they were headlining or something. they were very scottish as well, and i was like "i've been out of scotland a whole week, and they still haven't buggered off yet"
all-american rejects. didn't care about seeing them. but it took me back to when i first had an mp3 player when i was 12. i don't think i had heard those songs since i was that old, and it was weird. it sparked off a new obsession for liv like.

waiting for blink was the most exciting part. mark was waiting in my sight, i really could not take my eyes off him. i couldn't cope. then devo - freedom of choice played. sang along. pretty sure mark was into it. right after, devo - girl u want. the curtain went up, and mark was totally playing along. seriously one of the cutest things i have ever known.
it was the last song that played before blink started. goosebumps. i made sure no one budged me along, i needed the night to be perfect. mark tolerated my existence a lot. he threw a pick directly into my hand, but i was shocked, i didn't even grip it, and it slipped through my hand.
another part that stuck with me, was before they played 'violence', he pointed and said "this is for you".

another highlight, ghost on the dancefloor (was the only time tom came over to our side of the stage, AND LIV MADE ME LOOK AT HER TO TELL ME THAT INSTEAD, SO ANNOYING) i think it might be in the top 10 moments of my life. it was really that big for me.

acoustically played waggy. can't believe i heard it live, one of the last things i expected to hear. but people didn't care, and it annoyed me so much. since it was on the acoustic stage right at the back of the venue, i didn't try to move in case i lost my spot. there were people fighting behind me. honestly, i still don't even understand what happened, i was trying to take in the fact i was seeing blink-182 again more than anything. oh and people were shouting for travis, who was standing talking to his children. ouhglhlgwihtiuh.

after an acoustic version of reckless abandon, travis done his drum solo. i feel so stupid whenever i see travis perform, because i just stand there looking totally astounded. the word 'talented' does not describe him enough.

didn't want it to be over, but as the blink lyrics go "the start was something good, but all good things must end"~~~