PIG NONSENSE BY MARK WOODS.

PREVIEW.

MOON - Film review by Mark Woods.

In the cold vacuum of space Moon is a breath of fresh air! At last, what fans of intelligent science fiction have been waiting for. A film with a proper plot. Ideas. Atmosphere.

Duncan Jones, known to some as Zowie Bowie, to others as David Bowie's son, directs his first major motion picture. A modest budget of 5 million dollars enables him to bring us a tale with believable subjects and brooding menace.

Sam Bell is a miner working on the moon in the near future for the resource Helium-3 which now powers Earth. Quarries on the lunar surface provide the cargo which is periodically shuttled back to Sam's home planet during his contract. This is 3 years.

The film joins Sam as he is nearing the termination of this period. He is feeling lonely - unsurprising as his only companion is GERTY, Lunar Industry's maintenance computer. As with most symbiotic man-machine relationships in science fiction the computer comes across as thoroughly sympathetic and friendly but also slightly untrustworthy and a little too good to be true. His surroundings are the grubby rooms of his living quarters. His food comes in small, square packets which simply need heating. Convenience and boredom abound.

There is a communications glitch with the Earth-Moon service which has dragged on for much of Sam's shift. This means his conversations with his wife and child are recorded to disc and played back to him. Never mind - his shift is about to end. Right?

Wrong. Sam's routine, beginning with his Chesney Hawk's "I Am the One and Only" alarm call, is beginning to fall apart. He's feeling increasingly agitated..he seems to losing his grasp on reality. Is this because of the isolation? His physical health is deteriorating although he looks after himself. Most of his spare time seems to be spent on a treadmill. Perhaps it is just terminal boredom?

Without spoiling what is the intelligent twist to the plot and spoiling it, we watch Sam discover that he is neither alone nor safe in his industrial environment...

Very atmospheric, well photographed with a haunting soundtrack and a great performance from Sam Rockwell this film provides a classic sci-fi tale. Paranoia and tension build with good pace and the character is developed so that the viewer actually cares what happens to him. A rarity these days. Those who are as ancient as I am will be reminded of the claustrophobic atmosphere of Dark Star and Silent Running.

A clever plot idea is revealed towards the end. It's a long time coming but worth the wait. The waiting is bearable as the scenery is worth looking at.

I'll be looking out for Duncan's next film .I like his style.

7/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

Film Review: BRONSON.

"Bronson" tells the story of the man who is allegedly Britain's most violent prisoner. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring the brilliant Tom Hardy in the lead role as Michael Peterson the film recounts the events that have led to this man serving more than 34 years behind bars.

Michael Peterson is bored. He's bored with his schooling. This leads to confrontation. Confrontation with his peers. Confrontation with his teachers. He is then bored with his job in a fish and chip shop. He's bored by his first marriage. "Irene and I got hitched. It was alright...we didn't have it bad for a couple from the chippy".

But Michael feels that he is cut out for greater things. He believes that he is destined for more than this.

So he saws the end from a shotgun and robs the Post Office.

Sentenced to 7 years his mother shouts to him in court that he'll be out in four.

34 years later he's still inside.

The story is told as a monologue from Tom Hardy to camera intially and then to an imaginary audience which Peterson imagines. He sees himself as a performer and describes his reasoning behind the decisions which have cost him his freedom. An original theft of £ 26.18 has cost him everything through a refusal to behave in any decent way. The character revels in the attention and notoriety that go with getting one up at every available opportunity. He has now spent time in over 120 prisons and been a guest at Broadmoor hospital.

He has spent only four months and nine days a free man in the time since his robbery.

The film is only loosely based on actual events. Having done a bit of reading since seeing the film I was disappointed to find that the most interesting scenes are actually fictitious. I understand the reason for their inclusion and they work to enhance the overall thrust of the film which is that Peterson is unhinged, extremely violent and doesn't care for freedom. He'd rather be a star no matter how small the scale. However, as with most viewers I'm sure, my basic knowledge of this guy is going to result in my being easily misled - which is a shame as I like to learn rather than to be lied to. The name "Bronson" is given to Peterson by his fight promoter after he rejects Michael's suggestion of "Charlton Heston" in the brief months that he is a free man. He needs a fighting name as he makes a name for himself in the world of bare-knuckle fighting. This is based on the fact that Peterson was a strong-man and fighter in his youth in Luton before he became a prisoner. These oversights don't stop the film being thoroughly excellent though. Let's not let the truth get in the way!

We follow Michael through the years of his incarceration...fight leads to fight...the extra years are added to his sentence. The violence here is carnal..brutish..but done with such style that it is actually a pleasure to watch providing that are of a certain mindset. I wasn't aware that the director is a huge Kubrick fan and this made perfect sense when I found out. The ultra-violence of Clockwork Orange is the perfect template for this picture. Slow motion fisticuffs set to a great soundtrack allow the viewer to glide dream-like through the film down a surreal and blood-warm river...

Attempts at restraint develop into heavy drugging in Broadmoor hospital. The viewer faces the choice of siding with Peterson in his blood-lust or feeling pity for a man who is throwing his existence away in the full knowledge that he is doing so. The direction and Tom Hardy's acting explore this dichotomy fully. It may surprise you to read that the story of a man who's entire life has been spent in prisons is full of great humour. Laugh out loud at times. Again...this has been achieved with artistic licence in part..but it is certainly entertaining. During one scene Bronson has taken the prison librarian hostage in his cell. He realises the guards will soon be entering the cell to restrain him and he begins to apply grease to his stripped body to prevent them grabbing him easily. He recruits his hostage to help him...."That's it..all over me back...and me legs...and me arse....on me cheeks..both cheeks...on my arse...NOT IN ME ARSE, YOU HOMO! Quicker, quicker, quicker QUICKER! F*** OFF! SIT DOWN! IN THE CORNER! DON'T MOVE, C***!"
Gallows humour but very well done.

This is an ambitious film that takes a very simple story and with great photography, acting and humour succeeds in entertaining if not informing.
Imagine "McVicar" or "A Sense of Freedom" with a laughter track....

Highly recommended. 9/10

Reviewed by Mark Woods, LordBeanpod@GMail.com, 2009.

Nicolas Winding Refn interview.

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FILM REVIEW: DEAD SNOW. Review by Mark Woods.

Recipe for Good Zombie Pie:

Take several fresh young actors (enough to fill 91 minutes)
Cool to near freezing on a weekend trip to a log cabin somewhere in Norway (well, Øksfjord, actually.)
Heat the tempers of a platoon of undead Nazi Zombies by invading their personal space.
Add a large dollop of humour.
Wrap up filming with decent photographic direction.
Consume with several beers.

Right, enough of the pie analogy...it's not really going anywhere and I feel slightly queasy....

Dead Snow is a Norwegian film which follows the usual teenagers-versus-unspecified-hostiles-in-a-secluded-location-format. This time its a platoon of Nazi Zombies.

During the Second World War the evil Nazi Colonel Herzog and his platoon terrorised the local village of Øksfjord. They performed unspeakable acts of horror upon the population and made their lives a living nightmare as they raped and looted to their hearts' content. Finally unable to cope anymore the locals banded together and managed to get the upper hand, chasing the troops into the mountains and it was presumed that they had all frozen to death.

The story takes place in the present day. A group of medical students, who, as usual, are far older than the teenage characters they are supposed to represent, are holidaying. They drive to their log cabin in the mountains and are equipped for a weekend of fun with all the snow-mobiles, music and drink they could wish for. It's not long before fantastic shots of fjords and snow sports fill the screen.

At first everything is tickety-boo. No problems. A good time is had by all. Then, during the evening, a stranger knocks at their door. As the old, gnarled hunter helps himself to their beer, eyes the sensational Evy Kasseth Røsten lasciviously and rolls and smokes his meagre cigarettes he recounts the tale of the Nazi oppressors being overcome in this vicinity. He warns them...strange spirits walk abroad in these forests. They need to respect their surroundings. Having scared them silly he vanishes again into the night.

The group discover a box of stolen Nazi gold in the snow. Deciding to keep it is their biggest mistake. That night their partying is interrupted by strange visitations which begin with fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures surrounding their cabin and works to a climax of gore-filled battling in the increasingly crimson snow. Chainsaws and snow-mobiles are used to good effect in dispatching their supernatural foe. The odds are stacked against them however and Colonel Herzog manages to kill them all except one despite the fact that he has been dead since the Second World War.

Our final character makes it to the car....he's lost the gold and his friends to the Nazi Zombies but managed to hang onto his life.

Except.............well. Watch the film.

I enjoyed this film. It's a load of old nonsense. Which is good as that's what I wanted. What makes it stand out is the humour. A lot of horror films, especially the low-budget variety such as this, try to give better value by attempting humour. It rarely works. This film has some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. If you're a fan of gory deaths done with aplomb then you'll enjoy this. Oh, and Evy is lovely. Stunning. Ahem...

With stunning helicopter aerial shots of Norway the photography is head and shoulders above your usual gore flick.

Recommended zombie fun.

7/10

Review by Mark Woods, August 2009. LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Iron Maiden: Flight 666 - Film Review by Mark Woods.

"Iron Maiden: Flight 666" follows the rock band Iron Maiden on their last tour. But this is no ordinary tour! Having been told by accountants constantly that certain locations were too expensive to play Bruce Dickinson, the band's singer, hit upon the idea that if they flew directly to anywhere with an airport, joining the dots across the globe, they could complete the most insane rock tour ever planned! Being a trained pilot himself who better to fly "Flight 666" than Bruce himself?! This is what they did.

Already impressed you then will see the band, its entire road crew (who are quite obviously insane) and their entire kit, 70 tonnes of it, fly across 5 continents over 45 days, cover fifty thousand miles and perform 23 huge gigs in India, Australia, Japan, USA, Canada, Mexico and South America.

I'm a huge fan and have been for a long, long time (since me Dad bought me Number of the Beast in 1986!) but this film will interest anyone with an interest in rock music. Or travel. Or just plain effort!! These guys deserve their enormous following. As artists they're great anyway but this documentary demonstrates the energy these guys have and the reason they still tour a quarter of a century after I first heard of them! I feel old now!

The band members are thoroughly dissected under the lens. Bruce Dickinson - lead vocals (1981–1993, 1999–present) - is clearly deserving of the legendary status he holds among the rock following. Rockstar, pilot, novelist, international level fencer, script writer and actor this is the definitive renaissance man. Nicko McBrain -drums, percussion (1982-present)- is a star too - sensational drummer and just one funny guy. A gentle giant. Steve Harris – bass, backing vocals, keyboards (1975-present) - is interesting in interview. Dave Murray – guitars (1976-present) - has a few choice stories to tell. Adrian Smith – guitars, backing vocals (1980–1990, 1999–present) - describes the techniques the band use to avoid killing each other. Janick Gers – guitars, backing vocals (1990-present) - shows off his guitar flinging skills as well as his exceptional playing. Michael Kenney – live keyboards (since 1986) - tinkles his ivories.

The gigs themselves become ludicrous as Bruce pilots the band into South America. Locations such as Bogota, Mexico City and Santiago are viewed from crowd level outside where people have been camping on the roadside for 10 days to get prime positions in the stadiums. Heavy handed policing, which is needed in truth, adds to the sense of occasion. By the end of the gig Bruce is sitting on a monitor speaker while the people of South America chant "Maiden, Maiden, Maiden" as though they were all supporting the world's most popular football team (forget Manchester United!) or worshipping at the alter. This is ironic, as Mr Dickinson points out, because they have previous been banned from playing these countries by the Catholic Church around the time of "Number of the Beast". The Truth will prevail!

The side of the film which showed a couple of the members playing golf to unwind disappointed me initially. I'm not a golf fan and to me rock and golf don't go together. BUT, if that's what floats you boat then do it. Alice Cooper or Nicko McBrain teeing off just seems wrong to me. However, in true Spinal Tap fashion Nicko manages to turn a game of golf into a tour threatening incident when he gets whacked by a ball! Even the golf is entertaining in the end!

To conclude, if you're after a behind-the-scenes look at Iron Maiden with the added bonus of the pressure of a ridiculous schedule, then this is your bag.

Excellent, entertaining stuff. I recommend watching the end credits as well!!

"Up the Irons!!!"

7/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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And while we're at it...........

Creative EP-630 headphones - review by Mark Woods.

After many years of using my Sony headphones I've finally had to admit it. My ears are weird. The things keep falling out. The headphones that is - not my ears.

Having recently taken up occasional running again - and I do mean occasional - I found that the movement caused by jogging caused the earpieces to constantly fall out. I'd heard about in-ear headphones with changeable sizes of earbuds and decided to give them a go.

I ordered my pair of Creative EP-630s from eBay for the princely sum of four pounds including delivery. First impressions were that they looked well built as I would expect from Creative. I immediately tried them with my Sony mp3 player and was surprised to hear what appeared to be an underwater concert. After experimenting with the earbud sizes (four are supplied) and the method of inserting them into the ear I got much better results,

The sound is a lot more bassy than I'm used to. I adjusted the graphic equaliser on my mp3 player and got very good results in the low, middle and high frequency ranges. Sounding good.

The problem of them falling out was only partially cured. The earpieces do stay in better than my previous set but they still fall out during running sessions. I now run without them. Listening while walking was improved though. They stay in place all the way into town and back. No more constant readjusting.

My major complaint is that the wires are coated in a thick rubberised material. I'm sure this makes them more durable but it is so thick that you have the feeling that you are being constantly accosted by the frenetic flailing tentacles of some deranged audio-squid. They wave around your face and are very distracting no matter how you try and arrange them The best I've managed so far is to slip them between two layers if you're wearing them. They stay in place a little more then.

The connection at the player is always the weak point on cheap headphones I've found and these have gone already. The copper wire is exposed as the rubber has broken after only a couple of uses. The unit still works but I doubt it will for long.

For the money I paid I'm happy but I wouldn't buy another pair because of the thick wires and poor connections.

7/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Monkey Trousers - DVD Review by Mark Woods.

Monkey Trousers is a sketch show originally aired on ITV in the UK and penned by Vic Reeves (Jim Muir), Bob Mortimer,Steve Coogan,Simon Blackwell,
Jill Parker and Christian Azzola. It also features Ronni Ancona, John Thomson, Mackenzie Crook, Ralf Little, Alsitair McGowan, Rhys Thomas and Tony Way. They're all here!

Its format is similar to The Fast Show or Little Britain being character driven. We return to scenes such as the Geordie Moonshot Crew - "I smerk way mur than him, like, so I should get the ashtray", the Steve Erwin pastiche that is "The Croc Botherer"- "Let's dive on the ****!", the Idiot Estate Agent - "Has the house been on the market for long?", "I don't know - but you'll notice the shower is arranged so that the water falls onto you rather than you manually having to draw it up onto your body". Steve Coogan's disturbing creation, the Toy Shop Owner, is a highlight; "Oh, doesn't she like the Little Princess Amputee?". John Thompson had me in stitches with his voiceover artist whose performance is dictated by the type of cigarettes he smokes in the booth. The Menthol had a distrubing effect.

I own the double DVD set of this series so I've seen it a few times now...I know what I'm talking about when I say I think you either "get" Vic and Bob or you hate them. Personally I love em. Always have..always will.

If you do "get" this brand of humour you'll love this series. The comedy acting is second to none...with Vic, Bob, Steve Coogan, John Thomson et al putting in top notch timed performances.

The character based format is perfect for all the actors....Vic and Bob's being the best in my opinion. "Croc Botherer" and the Vicar both had me laughing out loud again last night when I reran the DVD....I was on my own..should I worry? I'm adamant this is carefully crafted comedy material and not tosh as some have suggested.

9/10

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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LION CREST ENGLISH ALE - REVIEW BY MARK WOODS.

Cheap beer is rubbish, right? Wrong. I recently bought a four pack of this stuff from Tesco in March 2009 at a retail price of GBP 1.99. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It is brewed by Yates and Jackson brewery and is 4 percent strength.

The beer is a traditional English ale and is very hoppy. The way I like it. The hops used in beer give it the bitterness and I like my beer very hopped. For such a reasonably priced product I was surprised by how much flavour there was available to me. Incidentally the hops also preserve the beer.

Pouring revealed a nice head which stayed down the glass. Colour is good and rich - a light nut brown. Aroma is great, the hops strong and floral.

If you're bothered about packaging the can has a nice design of armoured knight with shield and lance. It will put hairs on your chest and make a man of you.

At 50 pence a can you will not find better value. A quality drink and a new favourite. Cheers!

8/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Sleeper (1973) - Film Review.

Woody Allen plays the part of Miles Monroe, a down-trodden chemist from 1973, who has been involved in an accident which necessitated him being frozen for 200 years. He is now woken and has to come to terms with his new surroundings, the huge technological advances of the last 200 years and the changes in people. These are all too much for him and he struggles to cope. Additionally he becomes involved in a rebel plot to oust the ruling government. He is in deep - way above his head!

During his adventure he wins over Luna, a female hostage he is forced to take, played very well by Diane Keaton. Initially very scared by her captor's strange ways she comes to enjoy his company. Perhaps they will find an alternative to the universally accepted "Orgasmotron" which replaces physical contact in this new Utopia?

After being invited into the underground movement Miles embarks on a dangerous mission which, if successful, will stop the president of the new world being cloned.

Sleeper is the film which I would consider to be Woody Allen's finest work. It is genuinely funny, well filmed and the comic acting is top class. Diane Keaton is especially funny also. A science fiction story helped me enjoy the film although it is not technical enough to put you off if sci-fi isn't your thing. It's just a peg to hang the plot on.

Factoid: Woody Allen confirmed the feasibility of his scientific ideas with the science fiction writer Isaac Asimov.

The script makes fun of many sections of society. The Jewish tailor-robots were particularly amusing, one being voiced by Jackie Mason.

The leisuretime-rich population enjoy endless dinner parties. Even their sex lives are catered for with the provision of Orgasmotrons and Pleasure Spheres which are handed around as one would a "jazz-cigarette".

Random Fact: The futuristic home featured in the film was offered for sale in 2004 for 10 million dollars.
Truth-nugget: Final editing of the film was only completed 2 days before the film's release.

The excitement offered by Miles' escape is enjoyed by Luna and this gives the excuse for what is really the best part of the film - the interaction between Miles and Luna. This leads to some excellent scenes, a personal favourite being one involving Woody Allen's portrayal of Blanche Du Bois from "A Street Car Named Desire" whom he temporarily believes himself to be.

The overall filming style is somewhere between Logan's Run and Mr Bean. Always ludicrous but never churlish.

Factual Interjection: The clarinet parts in the soundtrack are played by Woody Allen himself.

While some Woody Allen films are overrated in my opinion, for example, "Take the Money and Run", this is 90 minutes of genuine, well-written comedy.

Highly recommended.

8/10

Review written by Mark Woods, April 2009. LordBeanpod@GMail.com

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Book Review - Of Mice and Men.

Having never read this book and finding that my partner's youngest is studying this currently I decided to finally read it. It's only around a hundred pages and this was a task long overdue. I'm glad that I did.

George and Lennie are travelling manual workers in California. The plot is set during the Great Depression. Work is hard to find. Things are tough. Very tough.

George is smart and slight. Lennie is large and less bright. He relies on George to guide him through life and to keep him out of trouble. George has taken pity on him.

The book takes us through their attempts at getting work on yet another ranch after yet another "incident" which was caused by Lennie's childlike behaviour. They have been forced to run from their last job and George hopes that they can make enough cash this time to buy a small holding and settle down.

They find work and are hopeful of making it this time. Sadly, things get out of hand yet again and without spoiling the tragic ending the deal is off.

You will be moved and shocked both at once by John Steinbeck's writing. His descriptions of the landscape of California and character development are incredible. I was amazed at how much emotion and imagery was packed into a mere 100 pages. You feel that you know the characters and care for them in this short time. You can almost taste the coolness of the falling evening by the river as Steinbeck paints a mental watercolour.

Just because a book is heaped in praise it doesn't always follow that is a good read. I'd always wondered why this was such a talked-about tome. For me the importance is in the writing of Steinbeck and his mastery of language. I'm sure others will argue that the historical importance is utmost. The underlying message that we are ultimately all in the same boat and need to understand each other in order to get along is admittedly important in this work. However, I still gained most from the ability of man to describe a world imagined so vividly.

I was left feeling that I had done myself a favour by reading this short story.

If you love the English language as I do then this book is well deserving of the praise in my opinion.

9/10

Review by Mark Woods, LordBeanpod@GMail.com, 2008.

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Amazing Grace - film review.

Amazing Grace is the story of the abolition of the slave trade through the efforts of the Member of Parliament William Wilberforce and John Newton, a former slave ship sailor who later turned to Evangelical Christianity to help atone for the 20,000 Africans he had transported to America. these he calls his "ghosts". It is set in the late 18th century and the film follows the factual course of events that lead to this great breakthrough in justice.

The director Michael Apted has done a truly wonderful job here in keeping the viewer's interest. Some historical films can end up being either confusing or failing to provide the pathos that the subject matter deserves. This film succeeds in presenting an interesting and important story and keeping it so.

Visually the film is beautiful....the locations are by turns grand and squalid..Parliament or slave ship, the feel of the scenes is very authentic.

The acting is superb - there are many big names here; Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Ioan Gruffudd, Rufus Sewell.......but to single individuals out would be wrong. The whole cast put in fine and moving performances.

The soundtrack swells and compliments the story fantastically. It could hardly fail to. The hymn "Amazing Grace" was written by John Newton and features throughout..

I feel that this film is so strongly made that it would interest even those who at first might feel that they are not concerned about factual historical dramas. I would strongly urge them to "give it a go". They won't be disappointed.

I seem to be watching films with a sombre tone recently...I watched the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in the last fortnight (see my other review - plug!)..Sadly these are true events and it won't do to shy away from them.

Go on.....educate yourself and enjoy doing it!

I know I'll keep coming back to this......a GREAT work of art.

9/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Rainbow Six Vegas - XBox 360 game review.

Having played Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on the PS2 some time ago (see my previous review) I was not expecting too much from this Xbox 360 title.

My earlier experience was of a repetitive game which had a hard difficulty level which left me less than satified. As this game was in the same franchise I expected to be underwhelmed. I was wrong.

This time the game obviously has a lot more processing power behind it. That doesn't mean it has to be much better but this sure is!!

The plot revolves around Las Vegas being taken over by a well organised terrorist group and held hostage..With the threat of the Hoover Dam being released into the desert city your squad must move quickly! You play Logan, commander of the team, and armed to the teeth with modern technology you're flown into the action........

The game uses the Unreal Tournament engine and this makes for a great game.The visual aspect of a pitched gun battle becomes terrifyingly real (I'd imagine!). Smoke clears slowly after a grenade explosion...your vision is blurred for a few seconds after taking a hit or being around as a flashbang goes off......

The audio is great.....You really are immersed in the action. Explosions, shots, incoming radio chatter..all combine to form a frantic environment in which to fight for your life!

I also had a quick go on the multiplayer online version but to be honest I felt it was a large step down from the story mode (1 player). The graphics weren't as realistic and just felt me feeling I'd been playing Doom. Lots of running around without much happening until you're suddenly "tapped" by some more experienced player. Where's the fun in that?

So, playing in story mode, I would heartily recommend this to lovers of military shooters.

8/10.

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Film Review - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

A remarkable film. Hugely important material to work with, well-written script based on John Boyne's book, great direction from Mark Herman and superb performances from very gifted actors make this an experience as much as a film.

Without spoiling your enjoyment the plot follows Bruno, the son of a high-ranking Nazi during the Second World War. His father has been promoted to Camp Commandant of a newly formed concentration camp and the family must move there in order that Bruno's father completes his work.

David Thewlis is cast in the role of Bruno's father and is an excellent choice. I have liked his work since seeing "Naked" in 1993 and if you are familiar with this film you will know that Mr Thewlis is a fantastically emotive actor. The casting throughout is spot on with particular credit going to Asa Butterfield as Bruno and Jack Scanlon as Schmuel, the Jewish boy whom Bruno befriends.

How does the son of a Commandant befriend a Jewish boy? If I told you'd I'd spoil the suspense! You'll have to see the film.

We are taken through the trauma of the move to the countryside and the boredom that comes with it. We see the exploration that any young man must pursue to become acquainted with his new surroundings and the ferocious conclusion which I promise you will never forget.

We are plunged into the nightmare world of Nazi Germany and, as if this world is not horrific enough, we are forced into a bizarre scenario of double standards and piano-wire tension where the two immiscible worlds of Nazis and Jews are blended together.

Although I have not read the book I understand that there are slight differences which have been made but an interview with the director on Radio Four I listened to explained that this was to further the impetus on screen and not to detract from it. I can imagine what these were and would have done the same myself. The end result is a mesmerising film which will play on your mind for months, I expect.

So it should.

This was one of the most shameful chapters in human history and it surely does us all good to be shocked into thinking every now and then.

Highly recommended. 8/10

Review: Mark Woods, 2009 (LordBeanpod@GMail.com)

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Film Review - Defiance.

Film Review: Defiance. Director: Edward Zwick.

"Defiance" is a tale of resistance to the Nazi invasion of Polish Belarussia in 1941 during the Second World War. It stars Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski, one of three Bielski brothers who fled to the forests rather than allow themselves to be kept in the ghettos formed by the Germans.

Based on a true story the film takes us through the testing conditions of surviving in the freezing forests in a country occupied by deadly enemies. The film looks spectacular with great direction and the actors truly look as exhausted as they are supposed to! Perhaps method acting was employed and they were forced to sleep rough! I don't know if this is the case but the overall feel is certainly gritty and authentic. The acting is superb with fine performances given by Messrs Craig and Jamie Bell (without tights this time!).

Although violence is a necessary part of the plot there is great attention paid to Tuvia's struggle with his own leadership decisions and the constant wrestling of humanity versus survival. There is one scene which brings this to a head. You'll know it when you see it! A grim chapter of human history indeed.

Without spoiling your enjoyment by divulging more detail the film truly gave me a feeling for the hardships endured by the victims of the Nazis. If there is a bright side it is in the strong show of defiance shown by ordinary people with nothing against their well-equipped and motivated oppressors.

You will enjoy this feature if you're at all interested in World history or just the strength of the human spirit.

7/10

Review: Mark Woods, LordBeanpod@GMail.com, January 2009.

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Book Review - Angels of Death; Inside the Bikers' Global Crime Empire by William Marshall and Julian Sher.

Truly scared. That's how I felt when I discovered my own perception of the Hells Angels and other bike gangs such as the Outlaws, Bandidos, Vagos and Mongols was so completely wrong.

I love my 'bikes. I love my rock music. I like a drink or three. However, any similarities between myself and these "biking enthusiasts" end there I hope. This book demonstrates through documentary evidence and court records the true reason why bike gangs have grown so massively and globally. Drugs provide the main income for them and a rapid absorption across the world of existing business has left the Angels top dogs in a terrifying world. Cocaine, Marijuana, Methamphetamines....these are the guys manufacturing and selling.

They've got their fingers in most pies. Prostitution, racketeering, extortion, murder. If you want to know how wrong your ideas about gangs are I suggest you read this. It's an easy read...the two professional journalists have made a brilliant job of piecing together all the fragments from over the planet into a historically timelined true story. From undercover cops (truly brave guys in my opinion) to car bombs, rocket attacks on clubhouses to dismembered corpses you'll find it here. Closer than you think too.

I'd rather know what to avoid by facing up to the truth of what is going on out there.

I strongly recommend you read these 452 pages.

Review by Mark Woods. LordBeanpod@GMail.com, 2009.

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