STUPID STUPID STUPID

Idiocy is the new black, the new rock 'n' roll, the new broom that has swept away reason. In a search for lack of meaning huge swathes of the population have embraced stupidity with the fervour of born again zealots. A trip to Luton on business cemented my belief on this hot chicken leg of a debate. Blank identikit expressions punctuated by pouts wandering around like extras from 28 Days Later, eyebrows of fake, tattoos of baby faces on calves, jeans of the designer torn variety, socks and adidas slides, slippers and pyjama bottoms, fake tan and pallid of face ingesting deep fried fowl from yellow and orange boxes. It looked like the epicentre of a post apocalyptic ghost town where radiation had created a less charming version of the Moorlocks, only these Morloccks live above the surface.
Being thick is not really the problem though. I think that being gormless is a bit of a blessing, one doesn't have to worry about the big issues; mortality, the state of the planet, why Rothko's work is so emotionally charged...you know, that sort of thing.
There's being thick (for want of a better word) and there's being stupid. Being stupid takes an effort, it takes decision making, a bit of planning and a lack of an inner voice.
Stupidity thrives on conformity and Luton presented a town where conformity is king. Don't get me wrong, they seemed friendly enough, in fact they seemed docile and very much like they were living under a dome.
We've seen the rise of certain behaviours and viewpoints from Luton recently so it was interesting to see the place for myself. Nothing shocking, quite a bit of diversity but underlying things was the feeling that any bright people  were either hiding away or had moved away.
In this age of stupidity I feel there will be more Lutons, just as conformist, just as docile and just as stupid.
The Galaxy Centre feels like it's the spiritual home of the hard of thinking and you could almost sense that beneath the Wetherspoons, bowling alley, arcade and cinema there is a gigantic thought processor harvesting any common sense or originality from the local population.
At the moment that Galaxy is far far away from me, but for how long?

THE RETURN OF THE...

wellyousaythat has lain dormant for two years. Yes two years! not sure why really, a number of reasons. It's not as if there hasn't  been anything going on in popular culture, or anything to talk about from the old memory banks. It's just been circumstance I suppose. Ive seen some great movies over the last two years, my fair share of excellent TV and many other things appealing to the ear and eye.
Two trips to the Edinburgh Fringe which reaped a variety of rewards. Some gigs, exhibitions and some nights at the Theatre and a few good books and Comic books along the way.
Maybe the creative juices haven't been flowing for two years: I don't know.

The thing is that putting down your thoughts can be the easiest thing in the world but the motivation to do so is the key and without that whats the point? 
That's a rhetorical question. All I know is that 'getting it out' is a good thing. Having an opinion is a good thing, and in this day and age when everyone has one, separating the good from the bad and the ugly is another matter all together.

I think that wellyousaythat is due a revival and that dear reader (singular) is what will be happening. Regular missives from your truly. Hopefully they will be the source of mild amusement, inspiration, debate and hopefully a bit of insight.

Keep watching the skies.

LOVERS ON THE LAM

 They Live By Night

 A Bout De Soufle

You Only Live Once

Gun Crazy

Pulp Fiction

Badlands

True Romance

Natural Born Killers

Bonnie And Clyde

The Sugarland Express

 The Getaway

Wild at Heart

MID YEAR MOVIE REPORT

It's time for a mid year review of what I've seen at the cinema so far in 2016. I have been able to attend once a week which has meant some good some bad and some indifferent.

The Revenant- A journey for the protagonists and the viewer, impressive stuff
Spotlight-The Year's best film?: can't say I agree but this investigative journalist movie is well crafted
Green Room- Slick and efficient. A concept well delivered
The Lobster-Lynchian to say the least, this is one movie that I would recommend to anyone who likes leaving the Cinema with more questions than answers
Room- Great performances from the small cast, Room is a movie that revels in the quiet moments
Louder Than Bombs-Enjoyable family drama that gets under the skin of family politics
Creed- does exactly what it says on the tin

Captain America : Civil War-Lean and efficient with a healthy dose of action and just plain entertainment.
X-Men : Apocalypse-Flabby and full of exposition: far too long
Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice-Affleck's Batman is good (and unfairly criticised) as is Gadot's Wonder Woman, however Cavill has as much screen presence as an Ikea sofa.
Deadpool- Fourth wall fun

Triple 9-Almost could have been a contender, but this heist movie has it's moments
Midnight Special-I expected more but this slow burn movie has plenty of good things about it
Money Monster- Chanelling Dog Day Afternoon, Jodie Foster directs with some nice twists but you sense there was a more complex movie somewhere
Eye In The Sky- War as video game but with moral decisions to be made
High Rise- Ben Wheatley has established himself as a great film maker but this time around there are too many missteps
The Nice Guys- Old School Buddy movie high jinx reminiscent of The Last Boy Scout

Hail, Caesar!- Didn't work for me. The Coen's failed to nail the screwball homage this time
Grimsby- Awful: a Holiday On The Buses for 2016.

LOVING THE A L I E N

Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien Resurrection: four films four talented directors and one particular species of Xenomorph.
Those eggs laid on LV-426 have got a lot to answer for. But there's one character holding it together Ellen Ripley superbly portrayed by Sigourney Weaver despite the variances in quality. 

Alien is the superb father of the franchise and had instant classic status the moment after I first saw it at the Odeon Marble Arch in 1979. It's intricacies and suspense cross genres and the shock that the movie instilled in audiences was and is unforgettable.

Aliens was the offspring that approached the subject for a different angle and manages to be a triumphant war movie to sit alongside it's claustrophobic parent.

When watching Alien3 it seems clear that there was a great degree of muddled thinking and interference. Fincher's vision by all accounts  seemed clear but comes across muddled. Hiding in this movie is a far superior product: a case of what might have been



Alien Resurrection has its moments but the final reveal of the hybrid alien ruins any of the previous good work: a flawed but valiant attempt at injecting something new.

So we await Neill Blomkamp's addition to the cannon and, based on his films to date, I have high expectations: that and the fact that he is purportedly picking things up from the end of Aliens. We shall say, and hopefully I will still be loving the Alien after seeing it.

2015 and all that

That was the year that was, or as I call it: the 'year of living dangerously' by which I mean a year of enjoyment, travel, and a smidgen of over indulgence.

Let's see...what happened? Marriage, trips to France, Greece and  Spain and a few British jaunts in between, but this blog is supposed to be about popular culture so lets get down to that.

A fantastic Edinburgh festival. this was my second visit and now having a good knowledge of how to navigate both the streets and the venues it allowed for a jam packed visit with highlights being Stewart Lee and The Ruby Darlings. another highlight of the festival is the Mosque Kitchen, this rustic canteen style eatery is a wonderful place to refuel between shows. The food is delicious and it's as cheap as Chips.

Liverpool to see Arthur Miller's The Hook starring a hugely underrated Jamie Sives (an actor who, aside from being a mate of mine is also brimming with talent), followed by drinks in the Dockers bar a symbiotic alliance of place and theme. 

Somerset to visit a newly relocated family and relax awhile which is very easy in that company and a visit to Dismaland: which was undoubtedly a triumph. This piece of living art had to be experienced to be believed and boy am I glad I did.

Closer to home, Leftfield at the Forum Kentish Town: something of a homecoming for the act. A splendid night with what can only be described as a warm and friendly audience followed by Leftfield at The Roundhouse: a stupendous sonic experience which certainly benefited from the immaculate sound system. My old friend Neil created a concert going experience that is right up there with the very best.

Also close to home The Ham Yard Hotel: if there is a better Hotel in the heart of the West End I'll eat my hat. A marvellous wedding night and following day was spent there in April and a return visit was soon forthcoming to see a mixed showcase of Pre-Edinburgh comedy. The act that stole the show being Marcus Brigstock: funny and insightful.

Closer still, Escape From New York at the Unity Chapel with live music from John Carpenter's collaborator on soundtracks. The audience were dressed for the occasion and I have to say that this wonderful venue was a great place to see this cult masterpiece.

I think I may have been to the cinema close to 40 times this year and I have to say that it hasn't been the greatest year for cinema, Mind you I only walked out of one movie: Inherent Vice (even though I'm a fan of Mr Anderson) I also found Foxcatcher underwhelming. Amy, Whiplash and The Lobster were stand outs for me this year while Selma, Love & Mercy and Sicario where hugely enjoyable...hold on though: i walked out of two films! The Man From UNCLE being the other one. To clarify, the first walkout was due to not being n the zone the second was due to the general woodeness of acting and clunkiness of plot. Mainstream fun was had courtesy of Spectre, Avengers: Age Of Ultron and Mad Max: Fury Road.

TV was good. Orange Is The New Black, Peaky Blinders, Luther, The Fall and Veep provided some real high points and BBC's The Game was the real quality Spy drama this year not London Spy (which certainly had its moments). The Good Wife was a great 'B' drama as was River and it was farewell to Mad Men, Nurse Jackie and Peep Show.

Of course my real highlight was getting married to the long suffering Mrs Wellyousaythat and this year of living dangerously will give way to a more laid back year. a year of living sensibly; which is not to say that it won't include experiences like those of 2015, in fact January 1st sees us visiting The Ham Yard followed by a night of wonder with Derren Brown. Living sensibly? yes of course but what's life without a hint of danger?

MY HALLOWEEN HIT LIST: I MARRIED A WITCH

Rene Clair's I Married A Witch is a sublime, spooky, winsome and atmospheric comedic love story, pitting Mr Hyde himself Fredric March against Veronica Lake in the game of love. A far more sophisticated take than Bewitched for example. It takes in politics both sexual and actual and does so with a deft touch.

It has plenty of spooky atmosphere to go along with the fun. It's witty, original and thoroughly entertaining. The mischievous Veronica Lake is totally enthralling as the Witch who returns as an avenger centuries after being killed by Puritans and her take on this strange new world makes her both innocent and seductive.

MY HIT LIST: NEW YORK, NEW YORK

New York, New York

Scorsese's under-appreciated masterpiece isn't The King Of Comedy, which has rightly received the credit that's due to it, but the musical New York New York. Shades of Douglas Sirk and George Cukor abound as Liza Minnelli gives a grandstanding performance worthy of her mother. The anthemic title song feels like an old standard and her rendition of But The World Goes 'Round is astonishing.

The story is naturally comparable to A Star Is Born as it is a tale of success, avarice, jealousy and passion and Minnelli's co-star shows a side of himself that is surprising and enthralling.

Robert DeNiro is funny, very funny, charming, dangerous and heartfelt in his performance and the chemistry between the two, initially DeNiro's huckster and Minelli's naive new comer, is there for all to see and as their character's relationship becomes darker the sadness is broadcast by both.

That it stands up against the very best Hollywood musicals is immense tribute to the director and his two leads.
New York, New York is well worth a revisit.

BLACK DOG DIALOGUE

Okay, so the old Black Dog has been making himself scarce of late. Just the odd whimper from him but it’s not as if I’ve fed him. But for some reason he has been leaping the garden gate and getting under my feet. Naturally all those of you that know who/what the Black dog is, will know the inherent dangers of not dealing with him correctly. If I think about why he has returned with a renewed appetite I simply don’t know the whys and wherefores. Of course sometimes the deepest self evaluation cannot get nearer to solving the mystery, some mysteries remain unsolved: Jack the Ripper, The Marie Celeste, the popularity of The Lord Of The Rings movies etc.

Thinking too much is like an open tin of Pedigree chum to the Black Dog and over thinking the issue is a second helping of the meaty treat. So what other course of action? Remembering the tactics from the past, recalling the light that is always at he end of the tunnel and a healthy dose of perspective are all valuable strategies. When the Black Dog hasn’t been around much, days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months and you forget what the sound of his bark is like, you don’t recall the smell when he has just come in from the rain and you don’t miss his pungent breath so it’s easy to forget him. That’s the problem: never forget him, always remember that he’s out there lurking and an occasional visit does not mean he’s moving in for good and taking residence on your favourite chair. You are the master and he is the pet and pets can be trained.

By referring to depression as a Black Dog I am not trying to hide the facts under an animal alias, what I am doing is placing depression in a construct that can clarify and contextualise the terrifying condition that depression is. If depression was really an animal it would be of King Kong proportions with the shape-changing abilities of The Thing.

I’ve had nine months without him (I generally measure depression free time in calendar years) and the fact that he’s scratching at the door alarms me but, and here’s the important thing, it does not fill me with dread because I know that when he’s had enough of trying to inveigle his way in, peace and quiet will return and the back door can swing open without fear of the loitering canine barging in.

Next door’s cat likes to stroll in for a nose around and that’s fine as she means nobody any harm: she’s just a cat.

THE WORLD KEEPS ON SPINNING

Inception

The Crowd

2001 : A Space Odyssey

Terminator Genysis

Gravity

Singing In The Rain

Vertigo

Avengers Assemble

House Of Flying Daggers

THE STRATEGY OF TRAGEDY

Oh how we love a tragedy, the press pull cynically at our heartstrings  and the plethora of untalented celebrities wring their hands in anguish. Charity recordings, internet appeals, bracelets, Apps, cut out and keep banners and all sorts of products aimed at the mass market get trundled out. 

Opportunities to make money while showing a sharing caring sign are grasped by the agents of minor celebs. In editorial meetings the strategy of tragedy is top of the agenda, decisions are made: whether to put a dead child on the front of the newspaper? to bomb or not to bomb? open the doors or keep them closed? what will sell the most copy?

Trite displays of concern seep into early evening programming and the likes of Simon Fuller and Cowell ponder just what bland ballad to cover for the X Factory alumni to record for the Charity Record.

Pray for 'so and so' Hashtags, Text this number, buy this T-shirt, spend to show you care: that's the way to help the poor unfortunates. Place some flowers by a road side, paint a mural, hold a vigil, do whatever is currently in fashion-tragedy as trend.

The thing about tragedy is that is is now just another topic to text or tweet about, tragedy gives pause from selfie stick obsession, but not for any length of time, as today's tragedy is tomorrow's chip paper in this attention deficit world: and that's the real tragedy