I went to see Jumper last night at the Vue, Reading. From the trailer, I was looking forward to the movie but the time of release (mid February) and lack of marketing spots (I saw well actually just noticed one on MTV) gave a clear indication that this was a B-Class (if not C-Class) movie. However, I was only going to make a decision as we left the cinema around 11pm. Pav had tried to tell me how bad the reviews were on both IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. I was not going to be swayed. Pav even cut and paste a small review (a few lines) into our MSN window on Friday window, I refused to read the paragraph, closing the window and reopening a fresh window. With a tag line, “Anywhere Is Possible”, perhaps the movie was building itself up far too much. However, even so, potentially this could have been a fantastic cinematic experience. Yet, I left the cinema quite disappointed. There was no true ending and the plot was too much of a mismatch of ideas. There is no true explanation of how or why these chosen few can teleport to anywhere in the planet. I read somewhere that it a genetic disorder but this was not explored in the movie. Being able to teleport within a set geographical area (i.e. your own country) could be understood but being able to land on top of the Great Sphinx is a bit far fetched but I will let it go. The love story got in the way a little, in my opinion. Suppose that was needed to link the plot, beginning, middle and end. Being able to teleport moving vehicles and in the end part of Milly’s flat took the whole concept too far, it was unconvincing. On the posters and television advertising you get the words, “From the producers of The Matrix and the Bourne Identity”. Well I have not seen any of the Bourne trilogy (I know, I need to and I will at some point) but felt as if the movie was living off the association to these movie blockbusters. Looking back, it is a movie you watch if it was on Saturday night on the small screen. You wouldn’t even bother renting the DVD, let alone going to the cinema like I did. Sure some of the set pieces were fantastic but I wanted more. The double decker bus teleporting into the desert (it sounds so stupid writing that) into Samuel L. Jackson was good to watch but could have been better. Jamie Bell (you will know him as Billy Elliot) was under used and deserved a more significant role, particularly at the end. In conclusion, a half baked idea with some great (but not quite stunning) special effects but let down by a poor plot more than anything else. To truly sum it up, I enjoyed the trailer for Indiana Jones 4 more than the movie, that really does tell the whole story. Work has got busy, after a relatively quiet period after Christmas. In fact, the next six weeks or so will be crazy with all the projects that are lined up. I am not really looking forward to it but being so busy means the days or rather weeks fly past. I really need to go and update the work log. I got a few bits and pieces done today but wanted to clean my car (just hoover it really) but as far as I got was parking it on my drive. It was bitterly cold and I had a slight headache. I opted to jump into bed and sleep it off. I got up in time for the FA Cup match but maybe I should have stayed in bed. Moving on, this evening, Nav was online via Google Mail and sent me a link to his housemates’ blog. I have been in stitches reading today’s post! I bet Nav wished he was back sharing student digs with Paul and myself back in Leicester. There are nightmare housemates, and then there is Mitch. Not many people would write up a note to both house mates at 1am as they could not sleep! Go have a read, it will have you tears I promise you. It took me around two years but on Friday evening I finally placed an order for my car wash kit. Yes, over the years I have bought various bits and pieces for cleaning my Mini, Punto and now A3. However, on this occasion it was the real deal. Since Pav has been getting into the detailing world (and doing very well, I might add) he has been a constant source of advice and guidance. He has cleaned my car on at least two occasions (not five as he thinks) and carried out two full details (a marathon stretch on the Punto on a Bank Holiday Monday in August 2006) and then a full weekend in May last year (although due to my net behind down, I was not able to blog about it for a few weeks until 8th June.) At the time, Pav had given me a list of items to purchase and even links to sites to order them. Did I order them? Nope, as close as I got a few times, was filling in my basket but not taking the final commitment to buy. The basket was emptied and the Firefox window was closed. I promised myself that I would get everything when I got back from holiday and would start washing the car regularly but more importantly properly. On MSN on Friday afternoon, Pav joked that I would not go through with it, but I did. Particular as I had ordered him a few bits and bobs as well. We did a price comparison between Elite Car Care and Clean Your Car. Well actually it was all Pav, over at his end, before he sent me a screen shot of two baskets from both sites and Elite came out on top. I would place my order when I got home. The job was done. However, there is a comforting thought that if I do make a right mess of the car when I do go to wash it, I have already pre-booked it in with Crystal Detail for the last weekend in March.

Even the people you think you know very well can surprise you. Take for example Pav. I have known him for ten years, this September (when we both started Henley College and he would be consistently late for Business Studies). However I did know he liked Marmite. I hate the stuff but each to their own. For Valentine’s Day he received a token gift as you do. Thought it was worth putting up after he sent me the photo via Hotmail.

A little bit of site admin. My old comments system which was powered by Enetation has been disabled. The main reason is the amount of spam I have been receiving on the account since the turn of the year. Secondly I just wanted to cut all ties and move on. There was no point having two comments systems running concurrently. So therefore, any messages left from May 2004 to July 2007 (over three years, a long time in the blogosphere) will no longer be accessible.