“You should watch Star Trek?”, “Star Trek is best”, “We are proud to be trekkies”, “Trek conventions are the coolest things ever”. Ever since I became an avid film & TV geek, those quotes were all I heard, so many people love this show with a passion. For some people it is their lives and to be brutally honest I have never hated or liked the show I have just never watched the show. I have known little things about the show about what makes the show famous. And for many many year it has been shown on TV all around the world.

So then it was told that the film was coming out and I thought WOW not because of the film because of the hype, for this science fiction people were had genuine excitement for this film there were some people who were on the fenc’e about it but literally all the people I knew wanted to watch the film. For me I needed some convincing, some would say forcing. I am no good with science fiction the only show I watch is Dr. Who, I think I like the character style of the Doctor that is why I love the show so much. I saw the trailer for Star Trek and I did think it was very very good, I saw the second trailer and I saw Simon Pegg. My friend was also behind me going “You are going to watch that whether you like it or not”.

So the day came and I was still on the wall and the film started, I was absolutely amazed by the film by the end I was thing ‘Does this make me a trekkie now?’ The film was one of the best I have seen I even thought it was better that wolverine and that was a good film also. I think what surprised me most was the fact that they were able to balance the Science Fiction and action was very good. The acting surprised me even more because comedic actors were playing serious roles including John Choo, Simon Pegg and Tyler Perry. The lead Chris Pine did a very good job in this film you believed his character and he made the film highly enjoyable. JJ Abrams directed very well for this film I believe some people were worried about his capabilities to deliver a good film worthy for the Star Trek Fans until the trailer was released.

I really enjoyed this film and I was very surprised, I believe that this film will appeal to people whether they like Star Trek or not. Whilst you are watching this film, you sometimes forget that you are watching a Science Fiction film. Go Watch this film you will definitely enjoy it.

Frost/Nixon about one of the most controversial political issues in the US involving President Richard Nixon & David Frost. (Played by Frank Langella & Michael Sheen). Involving burglary, lies, and deceit, President Nixon made a decision that would destroy his career as a President. The acting and the direction of this film has no faults whatsoever. This film was directed by Ron Howard, I thought he did a more than excellent job with this film. With a subject of this calibre it was important that the film delivered and it definitely did.

The director Ron Howard had previously directed The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13, all three films did very well and generated a lot of interest when released. He has also acted in Arrested Development, Frasier and Happy Days, I feel though that Frost/Nixon is one of the biggest projects he had even with his past experience. He has done so much in TV and he it seems he has learnt a lot from it and it shows in this film. The direction of this film is cleverly done, the scenes are not too long and the information come in bite-size chunks so you can digest them. Parts of them film you could imagine that it would happen exactly like that in real life.

The acting in this film was excellent and was very truthful to the characters, when you can see the real people in the actor’s face then you know the acting is very good. Frank Langella was most impressive because after the film I felt like I knew Nixon, the mannerisms, facial expressions and speech felt so real. I can also imagine that President Nixon was a hard character to play, it look like there was more to him than met the eye, and Langella got that across well. Michael Sheen did well in this film, I like the way at the start of the film his character had a care free attitude and then when he realizes the magnitude of his situation his determination just bursts out. Michael Sheen plays this kind of character well, the film crew did well to pick him for the character.

Watergate scandal is all about a series of American Political scandals in the term of President Nixon which lead to his resignation as President. The scandals started when five men were arrested for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington, D.C. Investigations took place and it was revealed by the press that the burglary was organized by Nixon and his men, along with other criminal acts including campaign fraud, political espionage and sabotage, illegal break-ins, improper taxaudits, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, and a secret slush fund laundered in Mexico to pay those who conducted these operations. After two years of mounting evidence it was found out that Nixon had kept recorded conversations, with him discussing criminal acts and trying to cover up the break ins. With this strong evidence against him ten after the information goes public he resigned as the President of the United States.

The story goes further though because although he had resigned the people of USA wanted Nixon to admit to the crimes he had committed. This is where the films starts from, now Nixon was living in his house all alone and he also wanted to be seen as a good person in the eyes of the US people.  Then came David Frost who had no experience in political issues but was very successful in terms of TV, and he saw an opportunity to raise his profile by interviewing President Nixon. Nixon got the idea that he could manipulate and use his authority and over-throw Frost to make himself seem he was a good person. It became a battle of wills and through out the film you see the events leading up to interview and the end result.

I really do like the way they deliver this film it is like anything else the back-story is slipped in well and the current story is easy to follow. I imagine the writers had to cut some of the story and I think they did well to decide what info to scrap and keep. The attention to detail in terms of dialogue was very interesting to notice. You could pick many many quotes from this movie. I also recently watched the W. Bush film and compared to this film it is not very good, even on it own. I suppose the film does not have the sincerity that Frost/Nixon, it just captures you and gives you a sense of involvement in the matter. The acting plays a big role to bring out the role of the characters, you feel you are live in the time.

I recommend this film to everyone, because I think it is important for many of us to understand the whole matter and trying to grasp it by other means maybe hard for some. Those that are not fans of book reading then watching this film maybe the best way to understand the matter.

Born on February 21 1933 was one of the best Jazz singers to ever walk this earth, being nominated fifteen times for the Grammy award she has beckoned success ever since her career started. As well as a singer she was a pianist, songwriter and Civil Rights Activist. Much of her music has been used in media and still is heavily used today. I hope that I do her enough justice because her music is like no other, not one single other artist even comes close to her style.

The first thing you notice when you listen to Nina Simone is her voice it is like nothing you have heard before, some thinks she has a male voice. Her voice is that unique. She puts every ounce of passion she has into her music, her voice is so soulful but the kind of soul that give you chills down your spine (This is meant in a good way). It is the kind of voice that is hard to copy, that kind of voice can only be produced from the heart. Another thing is her genre of music, she herself did not like to think she had a genre of music and I don’t blame her. Her music was very diverse although she had a strong jazz voice she was also able to produce hits on R&B, Pop, soul, folk and gospel. It is a surprise how her voice is able to suit the different genres, she can reach notes that will surprise. A lot of her music has been re-mixed and has been sung over, a lot of her music was loved by people from many genre backgrounds. I think a lot of people used her music not only because of what it sounded like but the strong message that it came with.

Her music has been used so much in music (obviously), movies and adverts, it is quite crazy. Her music has had a heavy influence on the music industry as it is used in completely different genres like hip hop. A good example of that is one song that was sung by Mary J. Blige which features Simone and Wil.I.Am, it is very good to see how her voice fits in with this kind song.  A lot of artists are also influenced by Nina Simone too for example  Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Jeff Buckley, John Legend and Lauryn Hill.

I first heard her voice in a shopping centre when I was really young at that time it had no effect on me. I remember because when I heard it again in the Cod Liver Oil Medicine Ad, it triggered a memory. The song was “Ain’t Got No Life, I got Life”. I started to listen to more of her music after I saw the ad at the time I was grown up and it was a lot easier to get hold of music. I got the Legend Album which I thought was great, it was like nothing I had heard before there was so much diversity in the album. I quickly began to like other tracks like “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” and “I Put A Spell On You”, she was achieving a range of notes that just amazed me and it was all on one song.

Nina Simone is a singer who came and influenced music all over the world in a massive and mesmerising way, there was and will be no singer like her. She is being remembered all the time, it was such a great thing that she was recognized for all her work outside music as Civil Rights Activist. When you listen to her music you notice that you have at least heard her voice before somewhere, because of her popularity people paid tribute anyway they could. Whilst alive her music was being used in the same way. It is sad she has come and gone but she and her music will  never be forgotten.

This show started 2005 in replacement for Boston Legal, inspired by the classic medial textbook “Grey’s Anatomy. The television show is shown on ABC which also shows popular programs such as Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and Scrubs. The show revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey and the lives of her friends. This show has been nominated and won quite a lot of awards, it continues to as well. Grey’s Anatomy is shown on abc and is also shown on Living TV (Sky), abc also have great shows like Scrubs and Ugly Betty.

Winning two golden and having another 29 awards you know this show has some quality to it. The story-lines of the show go from strength to strength, never failing to impress. The show is about Meredith Grey who’s mother was an outstanding Doctor and she now in her first year her internship. The show then follows the ups and downs of M. Grey and the lives of her friends. In the first season you see her making friends and you see her familiarizing herself with her surroundings. As the seasons go on you see her friends learn many lessons in their personal life and in their medical lives. 

Meredith Grey is played by Ellen Pompeo she does well portraying the character and seems to be very consistent, this was the first time I had see her in anything. She has not been anything I can say was a hit, but I can definitely say that Grey’s Anatomy is her breakthrough in her acting career. In my opinion Sandra Oh (Christina Yang) and Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres) are the two actresses that stand out for me. The presence on screen can be commanding and also soothing, the ability is really shown in this show. They both are consistent and embody the character they. Where as Christina is head smart and very determined and passionate about everything she does, Callie is head strong and sometimes can be vulnerable but very passionate with her patients. I think thats where the main difference is Callie has so much compassion for her patients and it seems as if she puts herself in their boots. Christina is is very committed to being the best at everything she does, she makes sure she is always studying and also getting the best surgeries. Although there is no direct competition I thought it would be an interesting comparison. Another actor that I enjoy on screen is Isaiah Washington he has a very strong male dominance on screen, his character is very interesting as he treats surgery is like art. Gives it time and care. The last character I would like to mention is Miranda Bailey she is played by Chandra Wilson, she is head of the residents and I feel she is very very dominant as a female character. She plays the role that can put the fear in the the interns and she really does play her character well, the character she plays is also having to balance work with problems at home. 

As a medical drama Grey’s Anatomy does well, trying to communicate the medical terms to the audience is excellently done. The show is can constantly keep a very medical vibe without making it all about the interns and their lives. There is a very good balance. I love the way medical shows are able to intertwine the lives of the doctors and patients, Grey’s Anatomy do this very well showing how human the doctors are; showing how the real world affects them. With all that the one thing that makes me love this show is the the message they leave. Now they could leave the show they way it is and entrtain with the weird and wonderful life of Meredith Grey but the show always gives me something to think about. It makes the show quite interesting to talk about as well. Although sometimes I feel a lot of it is based on love it seems realistic for the type of drama it is and where it is set. Some of the episodes are inspirational to me and it really leaves a message for me to ponder on. The show tackles mainstream issues in a very different way. 

I feel Grey’s Anatomy is one of the best medical shows and illustrates how interesting medical has become. The show also is able to make serious issues seem very light hearted. It is definitely a show everyone should check out because another good thing about the show is that fits in with a very diverse audience. The directors and the writers have done a great job of making the show as consistent as possible and being able to keep the audience interested. With medical drams it is very hard because they main premise of them is to save the lives of sick patients, so the audience rely on the sub plot to keep them interested. To be honest they have also been able to keep the premise of the show very interesting. It has five seasons but it is well worth the watch.

When you have William Defoe and Samuel L Jackson you know you have a cracker of a film, and what a cracker of a film this is. There is enough action, wit and twists to make your head turn. The film is directed by Roger Donaldson who has done Thirteen Days, Bank Job and Now Way Out. He has not done great great films and to be honest neither is White Sands. I just really really enjoyed the film I think, thats the main thing for me. Not only with film having great direction it had some great actors, with Samuel L Jackson who has been in many including Pulp Fiction, Die Hard 3 and unbreakable. William Defoe also has recently been in Spiderman which was a big success in the box office and I particuarly liked (apart from Spiderman 3).

The film is about a cop who is based in an area where deaths usually do not occur and one suddenly appears in his district he is called Ray played by Defoe. A suitcase with half a million dollars is also found next to his body seems like a suicide but he is the typical resilient cop and when he find a foreign object in the bag of money it peaks his interest. Taking the viewers on a roller-coaster of lies, deceit, love and death. I do like the story line a lot and I would not be surprised if other films have taken ideas from this movie. It is just the way it is able to keep you watching the whole way through is something with so many twists and turns you will have to watch it twice to understand. That is one thing I do like this is the kind of movie you could re-watch over and over. It has that level of entertainment so you do not have to do a lot of work. It is the opposite to watching LA Confidential, which is hard the first time you watch it.

I like a lot of the wit and general speech used in this film it was all very consitent and the film was very straight to the point too. It helped you know where you are in the film, like there is a part where where Ray finds a body in a car and then the scene changes and you see a man listening on them on what he thinks is them having sex. Some people will have been a bit confused what was going on and the fact that they had not seen the characters discussing this. I think though that this is what some of the modern films are missing a little, a little less conversation and little more action. It makes great entertainment! Not a lot of unique camera work was used in this film, but I suppose for its time you would not be expecting any. I do like this fact though they tried their best give the viewers a bigger picture and not try to cut parts off.

I like this film a lot because it reminds me of all those movies I am watching at the moment where they are try to get a good mix of action, twists and smart story line. To be honest most of the modern films go off the mark completely and the story lines seem to whither after a while. The forget to look back at the classics and this film I think is a great film. I recommend this film to anyone who likes action and like a few twists. The twists maybe not be that big and the action may not be that great but I do think there is a great balance and there is just enough.

I first heard of this girl when she appeared on the news, everyone was raving on about how she was destined for great things. I went ahead and heard her single ‘Chasing Pavements” and to be honest I did not like it much. Around the same time I was just getting into different into different genres and expanding my tastes. One of my new genres was jazz/soul and I immediately loved loved these genres and I continued so recently I heard Adele playing again but it was a song from her album called Hometown Glory. Once I heard this tune it immediately became the no.1 in my 25 most played songs on my ipod. i thought it was great and then I got the album and I loved that just as much.

Her voice is surprisingly good and sometimes you wonder how she can reach those kind of notes especially for her age. For example Right As Rain is a very high pitched song and so her voice is constantly high and peaking. I do like this song, it is very catchy and it fits her voice perfectly. I don’t think we have similar artists in the UK who have the diversity she has and especially for her age she has a big future ahead of her. She has a very sorrowful voice and if someone listen to the album “19” long enough, I will not be surprised that they will cry. She said her self that this album is a very sad one and is about what she went through as a teen turning to adult. Most of it being based on things she has experienced. My favorite song on her album is Hometown Glory, I really think this song is great as I said above her voice is amazing on that track. She has such range it starts from a very soothing to very high and more soulful ad high pitched. If I put the volume on my speakers loud enough her voice gives me shivers down my spine. I like the use of the keyboard in this song and throughout this album they are always in sync, it is amazing. When I listen to tracks like Hometown Glory it makes me think a lot about my future and the things and people in my life, I do like the fact it can affect me such a manner.

It was weird how getting into other types of music got me into listening to music I was previously apprehensive to. I am still am surprised that I listened to this kind of music, so now when someone asks me what kind of music do you listen to I just say “any music that is good”. I do like this album a lot, and I may go out on a limb and say that her voice is similar to the voices of the great jazz and soul singers. A song that reinforces my opinion “Best for Last” I don’t know it is great how her commands the whole song, one thing to mention she has no soft voice. Her voice also has this originality about it and is very very unique and will not be heard from other singers. That is one another reason I love her album the uniqueness of her voice is sublime. It is very strong and has so much range. She definitely an artist a lot people should check out if they like jazz and soul.

I was pleasantly surprised by this film, I was quite suprised because nobody had told me anything about it, and I had never heard of it before. This was a blind one for me (It was on the of a movie club on Simply Syndicated Forums). The film was directed by brad bird who has also written Ratatouille, The Incredibles and a few episodes on The Simpsons. I really liked Ratatouille and The Incredibles and it was only until I saw Iron Giant that I knew he had done those other films. He has not done a lot of work but what he has done I think are really good. He has an upcoming film called 1906 which seems promising. He seems to be the kind of writer to take his time with his films, considering the time he has been working.

Iron Giant is about a boy who finds an innocent robot who wants to be destroyed as quickly as possible by typical FBI Agent. I like the way it is a big mystery where the giant came from and is all my word of mouth that the thing even exists. The film actually follows the boy and how he finds the robot and his journey with him throughout the film. Throughout the whole film he is teaching the robot about the way humans live and he also tries to understand it too and teaching the giant some good as well. You also get the agent questioning the boy throughout the film and trying to get some evidence that the robot exists. For me the end is quite exciting and very well done.

The direction of the film is very well done, it drags you in quite a lot. The camera work is very nifty for a cartoon giving you interesting views, this also adds to the appeal. With a mixture of neat views and colour, visually the film is right on the money. I do also like the voices used in the film with Eli Marienthal as the boy , Jennifer Aniston as his mother and Vin Diesel as the robot. The voices are nice, consistent and very believable.

The film is a very good to watch for both Family and kids, very entertaining from start to finish. Some very good moments in the film and I was a little sad near the end. You will have to watch the film to see the reason, but it is a very typical cartoon and comes up trumps. Some very big stars voice in this film and do very well in it. The subject of the film is also very perfect and nice to watch overall.

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With its shiny new look and jam-packed with new apps and software, iPod Touch is the hottest gadget market at the moment. This iPod Touch brought you by Apple is a new kind of MP4 Player, it is more like a Media Device with Wi-Fi Apple have brought many great products to the market and at the moment have a big chunk of the technology market with their best-selling product being the iPod. The iPod was first released in 2001, seven years on they have the one of the best selling products in the world.

The iPod Touch brings something new to the table from Apple, the main purpose for the iPod is to play music but the Touch has just so much more. It is a completely different iPod, the first set of features to mention is the Music, Movie and TV Shows it allows you to listen to your music on your iTunes Playlist. The new iPod Touch also uses the new features on the new iTunes 8. Including the new Genius Playlist, that composes a playlist for you according to the music you have in your library. Also the movies you have on iTunes can be transferred onto the iPod Touch. With the iPod Touch’s wide screen it is lovely for watching movies. Listening to music on the Touch is brilliant too, now that it has an iTunes store built onto the iPod. Imagine that you are out and you hear a track that you like, you can now buy it on iPod Touch, wherever you are.

Another cool app the iPod has now is games and on normal iPods they are 2D but with the Touch the games are in 3D. The games have become very popular and are also available on iTunes. The new iPod Touch allows you to play games like you are using a game controller, the games are played using motion sensor on the iPod Touch. Very cool app ad feature that will revolutionize mobile gaming in the future. The most populat feature they have is the internet using wi-fi, the browser Apple use on the iPod Touch is Safari. Safari is said to be the fastest browser both on Mac and PC. Now Safari has come mobile and there have been many glitches but Apple have improved it and is now as solid as ever. With the new iPod Touch may come new problems, but they should be sorted soon. You can connect to the internet using Wi-Fi.

The iPod Touch also boasts features that next-generation mobiles boast, including Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Photos , Calculator and etc. Another cool app the Touch has that you can connect you trainers to it and it will allow you to connect to your trainers. So you can track your health and fitness and other helpful statistics to keep you in top shape. The iPod Touch also allows you to watch youtube videos, which is great for when you are on the move.

I really think that the iPod touch is a great piece of kit its design blows every other kind of media player out of the water. The design is well thought out and is very very appealing. It catches your eye as soon as you look at it amongst other products. It also invites the urge for you to lift it up and touch it. The main feature on the iPod Touch is the touch screen, that is how it is full operated. You use your fingers to control the iPod , it is loads of fun when listening to music because of iTunes cover-flow it is just beautiful to use. It is also great for viewing pictures because you can pinch the screen and the picture zooms in or out. The way the touch scree has been implemented on the iPod Touch has also been used on the trackpad on the new Apple MacBook Pro. It works just as well and is great for moving your windows around.

The iPod Touch comes in a 8, 16 aand 32GB editions, one of the problems that Apple Consumers have is the fact that that sizes are too small. Not a problem more a want from the consumers. Overall it is a fantastic piece of kit, a lot of other companies will implement the same kind of features. But Apple have got it right with this one apart from the size I don’t see why customers won’t be happy.

One of the most serious war films I have seen in a long time, it was not afraid to go over and beyond the limit and it was very hard-hitting. Apocalypse now made in 1979 some really big names before they found fame as poular actors. Stars including Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Rovert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford and Dennis Hooper. The all went have gone on to produce more amazing cinema. Apocalypse also famous for the quote “I do love the smell of Napalm in the moring” said by Dennis Cooper in the film.

Apocalypse Now was directed by Francis Ford Coppola famous for directing the Godfather Trilogy another masterpiece of cinema, a film that many have to see. He is also a good producer and writer. The direction he took in this film has made me fall in love with his work, it was mostly based on narrative. Sounds and looks amazing thr whole way through. There is a scene in a film where he is in a boat and you see this beautiful view of the lake and you can almost hear all living things in that scene. There are a lot of famous scenes in this film combining lighting with the emotions on the actors face. That does sound odd but looking at the pictures that what I get from them.

Apocalypse now is mainly about Captain Benjamin L. Willard (Martin Sheen) who is sent on a secret mission to capture a man called Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, who has become a God amongst a local tribe in Camodia. Along the way you see how Captain Willard feels about war according to his past experiences. To be honest war has not been too kind on him, when watching the film you feel that war has been too real for him that he is out of place when he comes home and is not the same anymore. He actually makes mention of this in the movie, but Coppola does a great job of making you think about it some more.

This film is really is all about war and I dont mean “yeah, let’s blow a few buildings up and have people shooting constantly at eachother”. This film represents the real meaning of war and what it does to the people involved. It gets you thinking about what you think war is about. In my opinion I think war is an action that tells us who is stronger than the other. We at war everyday with ourselves, the war we see on TV everyday is something bigger and more important but nonetheless, its war. What we use to fight war is just as important as fighting it, many countries use money, guns and persistence where others us faith, knowledge and the mind to fight war. This film does a great job of reminding us that you have to have the mindset to win war.

This film is a true masterpiece pushing all the button for an excellent war movie. With some great and memorable scenes it will make you want to watch it again. It makes you think about war and there is good direction from Coppola to help you. There are seens where Willard and Kurts are talking and you are totallyengroosed by the movie the whole way through. This is one of my favourite war movies of all time and it makes me appreciate war a whole lot more.