First things first. The latest desktop. I changed it last Thursday.

Some fool at work, watching "The X-Factor", featuring new judge Cheryl Cole who is one of the singers in Girls Aloud, expressed the opinion that Girls Aloud are the best British girl band of recent years.

Bollocks.

The best British girl band of recent years are these ladies.



The Sugababes.

They are the best British girl band of recent years not only because Heidi (the blonde Goddess) waved at me when I saw them in concert last year (nobody believes me, but she did), but because they make consistently brilliant records. ("Freak Like Me", "About You Now", "Stronger", "Hole In The Head", "Overload", "Run For Cover", "Round Round". I could go on and on.) Girls Aloud have made one brilliant record ("Love Machine") and lots of just-OK and shit records.

Argument proven. Thank you.

This week's desktop was the above picture. No other candidate, really.

**

The day of my birthday was relatively quiet, but it was still a really nice day.

I rose from my bed quite early. The morning was an orgy of idleness as we watched lots of TV that we had taped onto the V+ box, and after that a chunk of season 5 of "Alias". (I love "Alias".)

Midday we were at Buffet Island with the whole of my family, with two exceptions: Niece 2, who was excused because she was 12 days old and busy, and my Aunt, who was babysitting Niece 2. My Aunt probably wouldn't have come anyway, even if Sister 3 had found a different babysitter. My Mom is feuding with my Aunt (God knows about what) and my Mom had made it clear that she would not sit at the same table as my Aunt. I had to choose. Obviously I had to choose my Mom, but I did ring my Aunt to tell her we would go out for a meal sometime.

Buffet Island was great. As much as you can eat for less than a tenner. I was restrained. Some of my family were not. (Hi Sister 2!) Great fun. We were at the restaurant for hours.

Afterwards Jennifer headed into town and I went back to my house with my Nephew. I had taped a film for him called "War" starring Jet Li and Jason Statham. (As boring a film as I can remember watching in recent times, but with quite a nifty last minute twist that neither of us saw coming.) We watched that and then I took him home.

During the evening Jennifer and I watched one of her recent DVD purchases. "27 Dresses" starring Kathering Heigl. I like romantic films. I have never stopped Jennifer watching "The Lake House" or "Just Like Heaven", the hundred times she has put them on, but I thought that "27 Dresses" was absolutely awful. Dreadful. Unfunny. Painfully predictable. Take 20 or so romantic comedy cliches, mix them in a pot, take them out one by one and ta-da! you have a movie.

Ah... Shite.

Later that evening Jennifer joined me in bed, unbidden. Yup. Surprised me as well, but it was nice and sexy and erotic. No penetration because Jennifer still doesn't want that, but there were other things going on. Above all else Sunday night was starting point and a way forward. Maybe it is crass to write about such things, but it matters to me, and I have tried to be nothing but honest on this blog.

Sex is not everything, but it is something. At least it is to me. Maybe I am an aberration. Maybe everybody else can switch off that desire. Maybe I should do a David Duchovny and seek help, even though I have never cheated on Jennifer. Never even come close. (BTW my Brother tells me that I should, but he is an ass.)

**

This is my week off. I have done little that is constructive, although I kept Monday aside for 'chores'.

On Monday I cleaned the house from top to bottom. I stood in the garden. When it started to rain, I went back into the house again. I rang my pension company to increase my contributions. I have calculated the potential financial effect of Gas/Electricity price increases and made adjustments to some standing orders. I picked up the iPod box and put it down again. Coward. The rest of the time I have spent at the cinema or at the theatre.

"Babylon A.D.".


I like Vin Diesel. Even if he is not flavour of the month anymore, if he ever was, I make no apologies for that statement. I have a story I would like to share.

In 2002, after the release of "Pitch Black" and "xXx", and even though I was possibly too old to indulge in such childishness, I wrote Vin a fan letter. I expressed my admiration for his work and politely requested an autograph on a magazine, featuring Vin on the cover, that I had enclosed with a stamped addressed envelope. A month later the magazine arrived back and it had been autographed.

I have no idea if the autograph is genuine. It may well have been signed by Vin Diesel, or maybe it was just signed by somebody in Vin Diesel's office. I will never know. Do you know what? I don't care. Somebody went to the effort to send that autograph to me for that I think that Vin is sound, is cool and I give him much respect.

I just wish that Vin appeared in better movies.

This brings us to "Babylon A.D.".

Good things. The presentation of the near future world in "Babylon A.D." is beautifully done. Compare and contrast the difference between the collapsing, grunge-like, shabby Eastern Bloc, with the hi-tech, neon lit New York. Very well put together. "Babylon A.D." also has a really intriguing cast (Charlotte Rampling, Mark Strong, Michelle Yeoh, Gérard Depardieu), some good action sequences and an interesting, if derivative, plot.

Bad things. "Babylon A.D." is a mess. There is evidence of extensive tampering with and shortening of the movie in the editing suite. (I read one rumour that 70 minutes had been cut from the movie, although the Director claims that this was more like 15 minutes.) The ending is absolutely awful and apparently not the one that the Director intended.

Director Mathieu Kassovitz has mostly disowned "Babylon A.D.", calling it a movie of 'pure violence and stupidity'. There is nothing wrong with cinematic 'pure violence and stupidity' as such, but I for one would like to have seen Mathieu Kassovitz's original vision. It could have been great.

Such a shame. I have always felt that Vin Diesel could have been the new Stallone, but bad choices have turned him into new Van Damme.

Still, "Babylon A.D." is currently the #2 film at the US Box Office, so what do I know?

**

"Cabaret" at the Birmingham Rep.

(Not many good pictures on the web to steal, so on this occasion I will not bother. Please click on the links. Lots of good pictures on the website.)

I thought this production was brilliant. Strange and very dark. Very emotional and very sexual. Male and female nudity to upset the prudes, God bless them, but always in context. A very different animal to the film version, which I also love. "Cabaret" is sometimes very funny and sometimes very serious. Faultlessly cast, but Samantha Barks and Wayne Sleep give standout performances.

I had some initial doubts about "I'd Do Anything" contestant Samantha Barks. I thought that at 17 she was too young to play Sally Bowles and I said as much when I first read about her being cast. Oh, Jerry. You are such a twat! Samantha Barks was excellent. A decent enough actress and dancer, but a terrific singer. As good as she was on "I'd Do Anything". Outstanding.

The surprise for me was Wayne Sleep as the Emcee. To me he was always that peculiar looking, slightly camp and creepy figure from TV. Always popping up on morning TV or chat shows when his latest show was about to start. Still creepy and peculiar, which is exactly what the character of the Emcee is. Slightly sneering, devious, sexually ambivalent and malevolent. (I do like that word.) Wayne Sleep was wonderful. I have been converted. I am a fan.

No spoilers here, but there is some shocking imagery of Nazism in "Cabaret". None is more shocking than the final image in the production. It clearly illustrates what the rise of Fascism meant for many boys and girls, men and women, homosexuals, libertines, gypsies and communists of Germany in the 1930's.

Jennifer said to me that "Cabaret" was the best theatre production she had seen in Birmingham for many years. It touring the UK at the moment. I urge anybody with even the slightest interest in grown up musical theatre to go to see it.

**

"The Strangers".



I rather enjoyed "The Strangers".

The whole young-couple-terrorised-by-malevolent-forces has been done to death, but "The Strangers" is a very good old fashioned horror movie. Director Bryan Bertino is a man who knows the power of out-of-context music. He knows the power of the sudden noise in the silence. He knows the power of the glimpse of something just outside of your field of vision.

By modern standards "The Strangers" is a short movie (85 minutes), but Bryan Bertino wisely takes his time and allows us to get to know young couple Liv Tyler (a really great performance from her) and Scott Speedman, their fears and their problems. When the horror begins, it is even more effective, because we care about the participants.

"The Strangers" is a great film. Right down to the 'Whoah!" ending.

And please, Hollywood. No sequels. Totally unnecessary.

**

There you are. I have caught up.

This evening I am going back to the small theatre at the Birmingham Rep (The Door) to see a play called "Pornography". The play has nothing to do with sex. "Pornography" is about the lead up to, and aftermath of, the London 7/7 bombings. It has recently been produced, to much acclaim, at the Edinburgh festival. I am really looking forward to it. Jennifer will be at home. I don't think she was interested in seeing anything called "Pornography".

I suppose I should now do some ironing. Good idea.