Movie and Music Reviews

BOTTOM LINE: Although meant to be a homage to 1980s action films, "The Expendables" is a tasteless exercise in violence which has none of the fun of those 80s films while simultaneously wasting an opportunity to create an enjoyable tale with all these iconic action stars, both past and present, in the same film.

THE GOOD: As with so many films, the idea upon which the whole exercise hangs is usually a good one. Stallone leads a cast of iconic action stars, both past and present, in an action film based on a group of mercenaries who find themselves on a mission where more than meets the eye, but it is up to them to deal with it! Some of the action sequences in this film are entertaining, particularly with the personalities driving them, and despite Stallone being the main star and director, he does allow the rest of the cast to shine in parts, particularly Jason Statham who plays his tough partner. Eric Roberts is effective as the two dimensional bad guy; his character is bland, but Roberts manages to infuse him with enough villainy and tough talk that he is fun to watch. Bruce Willis is quite menacing in his cameo and is the only one who seems to fit properly in the film and give a performance that you will remember. "The Expendables" works on these levels if nothing else.

THE BAD: From a narrative perspective, this film is a complete mess. The whole thing barely hangs together, and is designed to find excuses to get to the action. Even the 80s action classics, despite being corny, had strong plots to drive the action, even though they were simple. Aside from Stallone, Staham, and Lundgren, the rest of iconic cast have less than useless roles, particularly Jet Li who keeps getting beaten in every scene, and Steve Austin who is nothing more than a hired thug. Mickey Rourke is perhaps the exception, but his performance is almost out of place in this film, as the oscar-nominated actor actually creates some genuine emotional moments in a few scenes; what's that doing in a dumb action film? Schwarzenegger's cameo is somewhat jarring, unnecessary and silly. Those expecting to see Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis together in a great scene will be disappointed. The violence in this film is unwarranted. Seeing bad guys not just being shot, but blown apart is not an entertaining way to spend a few hours, and again, 80s action films were violent but did not seem to indulge in this kind of vulgarity. Combined with the fact that there are barely any fun moments in the film and you have virtually nothing left except for excessively violent, but technically well executed action sequences that create no sense of excitement of purpose. You can see what Stallone was trying to do here, but given the lack of narrative depth in the script and the fact that none of the elements that made 80s action films so much fun are present, "The Expendables" is a wasted opportunity at getting all these iconic stars together in a fun adventure.

The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was created by the Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He first appeared in publication way back in 1887 where he was featured in 4 novels and around 56 short stories. He is Famous for his astute logical reasoning and use of forensic science when solving difficult crimes. He also has a great ability to take on any disguise.

The author Doyle said the character Holmes was inspired by a real Doctor Joseph Bell who Doyle had worked as a clerk for at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Bell would also draw large conclusions from the smallest observations. Another person who inspired the character of Holmes was Sir Henry Littlejohn who was a Lecturer on Forensic Medicine and Public Health at the Royal College of Surgeons. Littlejohn served as Police Surgeon and Medical Officer of Health to the City of Edinburgh which provided a link between medical investigation and the detection of crime.

Holmes lived in London where he ran a detective agency and worked alone until the arrival of Dr Watson. He lived with Holmes for some time before his marriage and then again after his wife's death. The famous phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson." was actually never said by Holmes in any of the sixty Holmes stories written by Conan Doyle, but Holmes did often remark that his logical conclusions were "elementary" and he occasionally referred to Dr Watson as "my dear Watson". But the two phrases never appear together.

Holmes famously used drugs on occasion as he believed that cocaine stimulated his brain and helped him in some cases. Also morphine was used but his partner Watson strongly disapproved of his drug use even though these drugs were legal in the late 19th century England.

There have been many novels, short stories and stage adaptions of this famous character going back to the early 1900's. Plenty of films have also been made of this fictional detective and most recently the director Guy Ritchie did his interpretation with the actor Robert Downey JR playing the famous detective in the 2009 film with Jude Laws as his partner Watson.

Sherlock Holmes fans can now go on a Tour that takes you to all the key locations in London associated with the world famous detective. You can get to see the building where Holmes and Watson first meet in "A Study in Scarlet". Visit the location used for the crypt scene where Lord Blackwood is foiled by Holmes and Watson in the latest Guy Ritchie movie. And of course see the famous 221b Baker St and its famous 1st floor study in the museum dedicated to the detective.

"'More cheese please!" I once asked my mother as a young girl, delighting in the pleasure of the simple rhyme and the promise of my favorite food item that was sure to not be denied. Every time I see a child want some it reminds me and I'm constantly aware of this fabulous food and its impact on our daily lives. What may not be a common known fact about it is its predominance in movie quotes, but often non-existence in movie features.

Sure there are many movies that show famous people eating cheeses, showcase cheese in refrigerators, (strangely they're often left on an open plate without any wrappings) and heaps of quotes using the context of cheese or just simply the word. Doesn't everyone remember, "A Royale with cheese?"

What you may not know is there are quite a few videos from various sources about the making of cheese and this detailed process. They can be both interesting and informative, especially if you have any desire to try this for yourself.

There are a couple of full length, feature films out there that incorporate this yummy food. The first is In Queso Fever which is a fun documentary that happens to explore the birth and blooming popularity of dips made from cheese in Arkansas. It showcases the wide variety of types and how well they melt, plus which ways you can make dips from them. It gives you history on how this became so popular and the unusual combinations of both what you use to eat the dip with and what you use to make the dip.

A fun romantic movie with the food in the title is, I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With. This is a film made in 2006 about a man who is having problems dealing with both women and work and keeps using food in order to deal with this issue. It stars Jeff Garlin and Sarah Silverman. It's full of rye humor, romance, sparks and you guessed it, grand glimpses of Gouda, Cheddar and all sorts of other kinds.

A fun little game to try the next time you have a dinner party is have everybody bring a different variety and cut, slice or cube them up. Remember they will be best tasted at room temperature. Taste away and see who can deliver the most quotes, or movie titles revolving around cheese. Have a special, harder to find artisan variety for the winner of this game.

There can be many different reasons for interest in movie tours London arrangements. The majority of people that are interested in this concept have a great love for theatre. Individuals have the opportunity to walk or ride through some of the most historic movie scenes locations in the world.

There are many individuals that are interested in doing this because they are intrigued at the idea of seeing how everything was pulled together. These individuals usually are very detail orientated and are trying to see a little bit of the magic that goes into filmmaking. Many families choose to go on these excursions in an effort to capture some of the mystery related to Hollywood.

Film students may be interested in going on these excursions as well. These individuals usually are interested in trying to see and imagine how everything was placed into motion for the films to be created and executed. These individuals are normally very dedicated to the details associated with the process.

People can book tours all year long depending on the schedule of the company. There are both bus and walking related trips depending on the situation and particular film in question. Going to the historical sites can be exciting for a variety of reasons. There are many individuals that enjoy the detail that they can learn about their favourite films when they go on the trips.

Individuals also have the option of going on longer or shorter trips depending on the particular film in question. Many times if they are very interested they can go on an excursion that will last several hours while they travel to different locations where filming took place for a particular motion picture.

It is possible for larger groups of people to become involved in taking the tours. This is something that people will often due to enjoy these excursions with multiple people. Finding a way to pre-book the trips is necessary so that people have access to the days that are most preferential to them. There are many individuals that will travel from lands very far away in order to experience these places for themselves. It should be easy to understand the reasons why individuals are so interested in movie tours London located. Individuals that are interested in production will certainly get their money's worth when they go on these trips. Having access to small pieces of history is very intriguing for fans of all ages.

Have you seen the twilight movie? Have you read the book? If you love this saga series then you will surely love the Twilight Audiobook. A lot of Twilight fans have actually got their own copies since it hit the market. Why not get yours now?

Every Twilight fan must have this audiobook. Just imagine the fun and excitement of the story and listen to it every time you want to right in the comfort of your bedroom. You no longer need to read the book all over again because with this audiobook you will surely get to listen to the wonderful story of Bella, Edward and Jacob.

Twilight Audiobook is an amazing source which you can use each time you want to step inside the wonderful world of vampires and shift shifters. The voice of the speaker will certainly mesmerize you and will surely even make the story more beautiful and unforgettable. Now wonder a lot of Twilight fans just can't get enough of this amazing audiobook. It never fails them to feel the love, passion and adventure of this unforgettable story.

With this amazing audiobook you will get to feel, see and even be in this magical world again. You no longer have to open the books again because with this audiobook all you have to do is to get your player and press he play button and voila! You will again experience the beauty of this story.

You can actually obtain this beautiful audiobook from your favorite local music stores and even from online shops. It may be quite expensive but it is worth it. If you can't get enough of this beautiful vampire story then you'd better grab the Twilight Audiobook today and I assure you that you will love every part of it.