KILL BILL VOLUME 2 ***½

USA: Quentin Tarantino, 2004

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KILL BILL VOLUME 1 ****

USA: Quentin Tarantino, 2003

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DVD TO THE POWER OF THREE

Returning from work this evening I was delighted to find a trio of DVDs waiting for me. The discs come courtesy of a DVD online rental company used by my girlfriend. Luckily, we both add titles to our 'wanted list' and two of my choices have appeared at the top of the queue. The films I've managed to obtain copies of are Pedro Almodovar's Law of Desire, Don't Look Now by Nicolas Roeg and finally, Two Weeks Notice directed by Marc Lawrence. I'll let you guess which one you think is my girlfriend's choice.

I must say I'm particularly looking forward to sitting down and watching Don't Look Now, having previously only caught glimpses of the film on television. This is the Region 2 special edition and will undoubtedly present this classic film in a superior presentation to that of which I've seen before. Excellent.

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Finding myself mired in a bout of post-Xmas blues I decided to treat myself to Jimmy Carr: Stand Up. I'd won the disc a week or so ago on eBay and was relieved to find it waiting for me, sealed and new, upon returning from work today.

I've always enjoyed live comedy shows and find comedians who can actually make you laugh a rare breed indeed. I'd be rather self-indulgent and too depressive to claim to have more than your normal every day worries, however, like most people I appreciate a good laugh to escape from the daily grind every now and then. Thus, I thought it was the perfect time to complete my Jimmy Carr collection, having previously inherited Jimmy Carr: Live upon moving in with my girlfriend and buying her the new Jimmy Carr: Comedian for Christmas.

Actually, I can thank my girlfriend for getting me into Jimmy Carr in the first place back in 2006. I had always found him mildly amusing when encountering one of his many TV show appearances but once I had watched his first DVD, Jimmy Carr: Live, I was delighted to discover another precious addition to my small number of cherished funny men.

THE RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES ***

Original Title: La Dama rossa uccide sette volte
Italy/West Germany: Emilio Miraglia

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DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT ****

Original Title: La Morte accarezza a mezzanotte
Italy/Spain: Luciano Ercoli, 1972

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FOUR FLIES ON THE GREY MARKET

Thanks to a generous fellow Argento fan (you know who you are) I've managed to get my hands on a copy of the recent German DVD release of Four Flies On Grey Velvet. From what I understand, whilst not being a bona-fide commercial release, this disc does represent the best currently available version of Dario Argento's third giallo in his 'animal' trilogy. Having made do with a bootleg version derived from a French VHS tape for so long, I am very excited about watching this new superior presentation of the film.

If only Paramount or whomever owns the rights to the film could pull their finger out and put out a full special edition package. But the likelihood seems unlikely to say the least. You know what they say "you've got two hopes... Bob and no!"

(*) ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES ***½

USA: Kevin Reynolds, 1991

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(*) MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN ***½

UK/Japan/USA: Kenneth Branagh, 1994

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(*) ROMEO + JULIET ****

UK: Baz Luhrmann, 1996

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DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS ***

Original Title: La Morte cammina con i tacchi alti
Italy/Spain: Luciano Ercoli, 1971

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THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH ***

Original Title: Lo Strano vizio della Signora Wardh
Italy/Spain: Sergio Martino, 1971

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BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD ***

USA: Sidney Lumet, 2007

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THE WIT OF WOODY

The New Year is less than a week old and I've finished my first book of 2008. The work in question is Woody Allen's recent new collection of humorous essays Mere Anarchy. Considering how my time is usually split between the customary job commitments and my distraction in a range of follies, I've indulged myself over the Christmas break to get back to basics and start reading for pleasure again.

More to follow...

A WHOLE LOAD OF BOULLE

Today whilst out running some errands I thought I'd drop in on my local charity shop. As I'm sure you are aware often little charity shops are a goldmine for cheap books. My excursion was rewarded on this occasion in the shape of science-fiction classic Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle (picked up for £1).

However, I'll have to shelve this masterpiece of Sci-Fi for the time being as I've already identified I Am Legend as a book I want to re-read in the coming months. But before all this literary fun, I intend to start with the first ever Sherlock Holmes novel: A Study In Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD ****

USA: Robert De Niro, 2006

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I CONFESS ***

USA: Alfred Hitchcock, 1953

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SABOTEUR ***

USA: Alfred Hitchcock, 1942

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DEALER'S CHOICE - THEATRE

Took my girlfriend to see the play Dealer's Choice at Trafalgar Studios for her birthday.

Score: 7/10

DEJA VU **

USA: Tony Scott, 2006

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LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ***½

USA: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, 2006

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I WANT CANDY *

UK: Stephen Surjik, 2007

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