Movie Review- Milk

Milk is the story of gay rights activist Harvey Milk the first openly gay person to be elected to office in the USA. It was a truly wonderful and inspiring film and I don't think I've ever seen a film that ever made me so emotional. The acting in it was fantastic with every cast member putting in an absolutely perfect performance. I loved how the film cleverly flicked between their film and real film footage from the time and Gus van Sant's direction was of the highest quality. It was an absolutely beautiful piece of work that drew you in from start to finish and made you fully appreciate the importance of both the cause and of the amazing courage of people like Milk. Sean Penn's acting oscar was thoroughly deserved as his performance was an absolute revelation but having said that the rest of the cast were equally deserving of plaudits with Diego Luna, Josh Brolin, James Franco and Emile Hirsch amongst others putting in sterling performances. In conclusion an utterly stunning and breathtaking movie and ten out of ten doesn't quite cover how fantastic it really is.
Ruth

Movie Review- The Young Victoria

The Young Victoria focuses on the very early years of Queen Victoria's reign and specifically on her relationship with Albert. The film was perfectly cast with every single actor turning in fantastic performances especially Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and Jim Broadbent. Our favourite part of the movie was most definitely the gorgeous costumes with every single dress taking our breath away. The whole film looked fanatstic with all the sets managing to be both accurate and beautiful. There may have been slight historical innaccuracies as is usually the case with films like this but the romantic storyline was utterly absorbing and made us swoon and cry with joy.

we both award this movie a thoroughly deserved 9 out of 10

Marley and Me

After the emotional trauma of Comic Relief last night, it was probably a bad idea to go and see a weepy film today, but I foolishly decided to do it anyway.
Marley and Me is based on John Grogan's book, about a reporter who buys his wife a puppy to put off having a baby. It then follows their marriage, family and career issues. Marley and Me was hilarious - Jennifer Aniston's best role since Friends, definitely (but I don't agree with people who say that this was her ONLY good role since Friends!) Owen Wilson wasn't bad either, his voice tends to grate on me slightly but it wasn't an issue in this film. But every scene was stolen by the gorgeous Labradors who played Marley. As somebody who owns a Labrador, I could really relate to Marley's behaviour (especially the chewing and general craziness).
I won't spoil the ending for you (although it is quite obvious what is going to happen), but if you have a heart you will weep like you have never wept before.
I haven't read the book, so I can't really make any comparison, but I enjoyed the film from start to finish. Generally if I have read the book, I hate the film on principle, especially if the book is English and they move it to America and put American actors in it, but I digress.
The film can be a little overly sentimental and sickly, especially towards the end, but Marley and his antics more than make up for it, so I would probably rate this 8/10. And I challenge anyone to leave the cinema and not want to head for the nearest dog breeder to buy their very own Marley - he's even more adorable than the Andrex puppy.
Nicola.

Watchmen Review

Last night I went to see 'Watchmen.' Now I should mention that I read the graphic novel and absolutely loved it, I am a total Watchmen geek and I've been waiting months and months for this movie.

I wasn't disappointed, it was a fantastic film. Zack Snyder has really outdone himself, his direction is top notch. The visuals are completely perfect, it looks exactly like the novel which is a truly remarkable achievement, it blew me away how good it looked . The casting was perfect, Dr Manhattan had the right level of detached melancholy, The Comedian was intense and unstable and even had the scar and after initial doubts about Nite Owl I was surprised to see him looking almost exactly like Dan in the novel. Jackie Earle Haley as Rorscach was an absolute revelation he looked as if he had stepped straight out of the pages of the novel and he inhabited the character so thoroughly he actually took my breath away. The soundtrack was amazing (apart from Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' placed in a very inappropriate scene.) Snyder was very loyal to the novel with only a few minor details changed until the ending which differed substantially from the novel; I won't spoil it but I completely understand the change as the original ending would require more build up which would mean a longer movie and also more confusion for those unfamiliar with the novel. Which brings me to the only issue with the film, if you are not familiar with the novel, it is more than likely you will get confused as Snyder does cater for the hardcore fans.

SO my verdict is a wholhearted 10/10 !!

Ruth. (Poster courtesy of www.imdb.com)

Ruth Sport's Desk- CL Review part two

Wednesday's matches again presented me with a viewing dilemma, namely that I couldn't watch my beloved Arsenal as their match was broadcast on Sky (boo, hiss) which I don't have. Instead I listened to the commentary on Radio Five Live Sport Extra which was frustrating and hilarious in equal measure- a particular highlight being the commentators' comparison of Julio Baptista to a random fan from the stands and their assertion that 'we're not overegging it he really is THAT bad.'
The game once again started badly with Arsenal conceding an entirely unnecessary goal due to a defensive mix-up between Kolo Toure and William Gallas. The game was exciting and tense- end to end stuff with both sets of midfielders and full backs working overtime. There was a case for a Roma penalty at the end of the first half with the referee controversially ignoring the entire Roma team's appeals and the collective howls of derision from over 60,000 angry Italians inside the Stadio Olympico when Roma full back Marco Motta was brought down by Gael Clichy.
The second half was full of missed chances with both teams coming very close to taking the tie. Into extra time the momentum was with the fresher legs of the young Arsenal team with the Roma team already struggling with residual injury issues beginning to tire. However they were unable to press this advantage leading to the most dramatic of endings- the penalty shootout!
Arsenal won the toss so first up was Eduardo. His penalty was saved by Roma's giant Brazilian keeper Doni putting every Arsenal fan into agony- I was so nervous I had to breathe into a brown paper bag. David Pizzaro scored Roma's first penalty, ramping up the tension further. Robin van Persie steadied Arsenal's nerves, cooly slotting home before Mirko Vucinic fluffed horribly sending the ball bobbling harmlessly into Manuel Almunia. The two teams matched each other with Arsenal's young team stepping up magnificently with Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri, Denilson, Kolo Toure and Bacary Sagna converting wonderfully. Roma held their nerve with Marco Motta, Francesco Totti, Julio Baptista, Vincenzo Montella and Alberto Aquilani on target. Abou Diaby made no mistake on Arsenal's eighth penalty but the pressure was too much for Max Tonetto who blazed his penalty over the bar. Cue wild (and adorable) celebrations from the Arsenal boys which included Robin van Persie in a vest, Nicklas Bendtner in leggings and not much else and a lot of jumping. So many, many congratulations to Arsenal's wonderful boys and to Arsene Wenger and his super cool amigo Pat Rice.
Oh and some team called Manchester United scored two goals.
Also through- Porto on away goals after a stalemate with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in some style with a 5-2 win over Lyon.
In a random sports related snippet Nicola and I almost walked into/mowed down Dwain Chambers in Waterstones in Newcastle yesterday which was weird. He's the second sports person I've inconvenienced lately after getting my big head in the way of David Moyes reading the Liverpool team on TV at the the Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough.)

Ruth's Sports Desk- CL review part one.

So once again it's that time: Champion's League week! We've reached the last 16 and the second-leg ties promised plenty of excitement and they definitely didn't disappoint. First up on Tuesday Liverpool took on Real Madrid and Chelsea travelled to Turin to face the 'Old Lady' of Italian football Juve.
I tuned in with high hopes expecting to be torn between the two games and flicking channels like a woman possessed. Things began to go wrong straight. i chose Juventus first due to my long-standing (seriously 10 years, since i was 9 years old) love for Pavel Nedved and the first five minutes were great, he was everywhere like a little Czech dynamo and I happily cooed over his miraculous blonde hair- honestly it's a real life miracle, he can play football for 90+ minutes and his hair will remain perfect and in place, if he brought out a hair care range I'm convinced it would fly off the shelves. Anyway everything looked great until he was tackled by (I think) Michael Essien hitting his head in the process, he was dazed but returned to the pitch like the hero that he is. Then five minutes later Nicolas Anelka carelessly elbowed him in the ribs leaving him barely able to stand and me screaming at the TV. So 13 minutes in and Pavel is gone so I try Realas I have a lot (ahem) admiration for their squad but things went from bad to worse when they conceded a goal and a ridiculous penalty- note to referee hands do NOT grow out of your shoulders.
Things picked up slightly on my return to Juve with a Vincenzo Iaquinta goal however Chelsea managed to find an equaliser (and all important away goal.) So I decided a large gin and tonic was in order for the second half. The Liverpool game descended into depression territory with shipping 4 by the end of the 90 leaving them 5-0 dowbn on aggregate. Juve and the supreme Alessandro Del Piero proved that age and a sending off (for Giorgio Chiellini) are no barrier to a heroic fightback, scoring a penalty but going down bravely 2-2 on the night and 3-2 overall.
Also through on Tuesday- Villareal and Bayern Munich with a truly breathtaking 7 goals on the night and 12 goals over two legs.

Nicola's North-East Fashion Guidelines

One of the things I've always loved about Newcastle is the eclectic fashion of its population. In Bishop, if you wore anything even slightly 'out there', you wouldn't live to tell the tale.But up here, there's everything - from edgy, to high fashion, to downright chavvy. However, this is not always a good thing - with all this excitement, it's easy to forget how to dress well - but here are a few simple rules if you want to channel that fabulous North-East style.

1. Never Forget Your Body Shape
I am pear-shaped. This means that if I even considered wearing skinny jeans or a short skirt the Fashion Police would lock me up and throw away the key. Some days I would like to wear a five-man tent from the waist down, but this is impractical. I would never be able to fit into cinema seats, and those tiny aisles in shops? Not a chance. (Why is everything so narrow in a country with an obesity problem? Surely it's just cruel). So never try to wear a trend that won't suit you - I promise you you'll only regret it when you see the unforgiving pictures other people upload of you on Facebook. Accept your body shape and move on - they all have pros and cons, and think how boring life would be if everyone was perfect.

2. Accessories
Accessories really define your outfit, and whenever I get a compliment, it's nearly always on an accessory. Belts, bags, necklaces, they're all awesome, and the best way to acknowledge a trend without going OTT and looking like you're on your way to a fancy dress party dressed as a cowboy, sailor, etc. It's also a cheap way to update your wardrobe - always a good thing.

3. Buy Cheap
It's awful when you spend loads on something, only for an identical thing to come out in Primark. And everyone will assume it's from there, and ask you very loudly, so you might as well just give in and be tight! High-street stores always seem to get similar things in, so shop around.

4. Stand Out From the Crowd
Go for something a bit different, and show your personality! Especially if you're a student - I find it ironic that loads of people spend years whinging about school uniforms, then at uni adopt an (awful) uniform of slouchy tracksuits and university hoodies. Why do it??? Don't be afraid to stand out - wear bright, clashing colours, do something crazy with your hair. Use your imagination!

However, the fact that chav is one of the number one styles in the North-East cannot be ignored. Here are some guidelines if you would prefer to stay true to your roots. Note: this cannot be mixed with Rules 1-4. People will only get confused.

5. The Great Velour Debate
Where to begin? This will be covered at length in our WAG training blogs, but basically it's cheap, tacky, and flatters nobody. So if you want to truly fit in in the North-East, buy in bulk - it is the home of the chav after all. While you're at it, get yourself some nice fake Burberry as well, and a pram and paint yourself orange. Awesome.

6. Clothes Sizing
Make sure that your trousers are at least 1-2 sizes too small, so you get that lovely muffin-top effect. Then wear either a huge, baggy top, or one that is also much too small. No item of clothing can fit properly - this cannot be stressed enough.

7. Hair Washing
As a general rule of thumb, your hair should have enough grease in it to fry chips in. Scrape it back into the tightest ponytail you can manage, or let it hang around your face like rats' tails - this is a very versatile look.

8. Accessories
The most popular accessories for the chav look are: pasties, a screaming, neglected baby, huge and obviously fake gold, a packet of cigarettes and the most aggressive attitude imaginable. Don't be afraid to mix and match, and don't ever believe that less is more.

Introductions, Welcomes and Such Things

We are both studying English Literature at Northumbria University, which is a major distraction from the really important things in life like Desperate Housewives, sitting down in comfortable chairs (which are sadly lacking in our uni) and writing novels.
Nicola lives in Heaton, Newcastle (the crime capital of the North-East), but is originally from Bishop Auckland. She owns more clothes than is humanly possible, is completely obsessed with Marilyn Monroe and has a small menagerie of rodents. She writes novels and poetry about current issues such as eating disorders, angst-ridden teens and other depressing subjects.
Ruth lives in Stockton-on-Tees (unfortunately) which has literally nothing to add to the world. She is a crazy Arsenal fan but loves all football (and footballers,) she also likes tennis, noodles and boys. She is attempting to write a gangster novel and draft a spy novel (with varying degrees of success) in between full-time WAG training.
Subjects you can expect in our blog are:
TV, trying to contradict the student stereotypes, complaining (a lot), especially about lectures and other students, the issues of public transport, a guide to Newcastle's buskers (with a focus on the progress of AndyDave and his hats), our WAG training (especially the great velour debate), updates on the progress of our novels and poems, film reviews, book reviews, some sport updates, some more complaining and negativity.