Darth Vader's Dark Lord Blog and other Star Wars thoughts

"I find your lack of pants disturbing"

May the 08th be with you...

“Sometimes it just feels good to get a little warm sun on my helmet.”

Have to share this with you - Vader himself has a blog and it makes very cool reading... As Star Wars anticipation of Revenge of the Sith grows by the hour in the Adcock household, I have received notification of and an invite to the UK media screening on the 08 May... excellent - look out for my review here shortly after that date!!

Here are today's links for your consideration:

Click here to read Darth Vader's Blog!!

Click here to buy quality lightsabres!!

Click here to see the New Vader Costume: Luke I Am Your Father

Douglas Adams – an interesting Atheist

"Adams shows off an alternative Hitchhiking gesture"

Whilst being a signed up born again believer myself – I do find that some of the most thought provoking and interesting ponderings about faith, God and religion are actually written by Atheists… And indeed while some of my best friends have no faith or are convinced that there is no God, they are often open to talk about spiritual issues, whilst others who claim to Christians run screaming from the very thought of engaging and listening to conflicting points of view. I think it is immeasurably healthier to look at issues from many angles (and anyway - if your faith is so insecure that conversing or reading thoughts from someone who sees things differently to you makes you that nervous – perhaps you haven’t got such a “real” faith anyway???)

So whilst researching for my Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy review for the Baptist Times I looked into Douglas Adams’ background and found some fascinating quotes in an interview with David Silverman which ran in the American Atheist Journal. Adams studied postgraduate theology at Ridley Hall and later became a teacher of theology but it seems that did little help him 'find God'...

See what you think:

“If you describe yourself as “Atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘Agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean Atheist. I really do not believe that there is a god - in fact I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one.”

It’s funny how many people are genuinely surprised to hear a view expressed so strongly. In England we seem to have drifted from vague wishy-washy Anglicanism to vague wishy-washy Agnosticism - both of which I think betoken a desire not to have to think about things too much. People will then often say “But surely it’s better to remain an Agnostic just in case?” This, to me, suggests such a level of silliness and muddle that I usually edge out of the conversation rather than get sucked into it. (If it turns out that I’ve been wrong all along, and there is in fact a god, and if it further turned out that this kind of legalistic, cross-your-fingers-behind-your-back, Clintonian hair-splitting impressed him, then I think I would chose not to worship him anyway.) "

and he also says:

"I am fascinated by religion. (That’s a completely different thing from believing in it!) It has had such an incalculably huge effect on human affairs. What is it? What does it represent? Why have we invented it? How does it keep going? What will become of it? I love to keep poking and prodding at it. I’ve thought about it so much over the years that that fascination is bound to spill over into my writing.”

Read the whole interview here:
Douglas Adams Meets David Silverman

Other links you might want to try:

Matt Adcock Meets and Interviews the Hitchhiker's Cast

Read Matt's Film Review of The Hitchhiker's Guide

Bill Nighy and Zooey Deschanel photos from Hitchhiker's premier

Other film reviews by Matt Adcock

Kate Beckinsale: top of my 'would like to interview list'

"Kate Beckinsale as the foxiest vampire ever... Selene from Underworld"

Am in a mild state of shock and disappointment - Kate Beckinsale only made # 85 in the FHM's 100 sexiest women in the world 2005. That's only one place higher than Dido!! (No I don't think Dido is attractive - sorry...).

Other females I would have thought might have done better include the wonderfully tasty Jennifer Garner # 31 and surely there's some mistake - Nicole Kidman at lowly # 96 !!??

Perhaps I should have voted...

Note to pal Si who is a huge Kidman fan - click her name to see lots of great photos of her!!


"does my bum look big in this? No Kate, it's perfect..."

Serenity Trailer - blows me away...

"Serenity: Firefly is back!!!"

Just saw the Serenity trailer and it's excellent (yes I know that trailers can sometimes be better than the film itself e.g. National Security which has a great trailer - a really funny and cool couple of minutes to a wicked soundtrack, whereas the film was mildly entertaining at best, but I digress). This has lit up all my Firefly love buttons (even though I'm currently addicted to / working my way through Farscape Season 1 on my train journeys via my PSP).

Anyway - here's a cool bit of dialogue from the Serenity script:

"You've done remarkable things.

But you're fighting a war you've already lost."

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: "Well, I'm known for that."

Click this to see the new Serenity Trailer!!

Matt Adcock Meets Bill Nighy, Martin Freedman, Sam Rockwell and Zooey Deschanel

"2005 - a space oddity"

Matt Adcock Meets Bill Nighy, Martin Freedman,

Sam Rockwell and Zooey Deschanel

and Garth Jennings


Over two decades in the making, the big screen adaptation of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy hits the UK this week and it carries a huge weight of expectation from fans of Douglas Adams’ book trilogy (in five parts), a TV series and the original BBC Radio show.

This quirky British sci fi is probably the closest we’ll ever get to "Monty Python in space" and it stars Martin Freeman as the archetypal Everyman, Arthur Dent. Dent has to face the prospect of having his house bulldozed, discovers that his best friend is an alien and then finds out that the whole of planet Earth is about to be demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

So how did Martin feel about taking on this iconic role?
Freeman: "Well, I went back to the books and decided I needed to put my stamp on the role. We had a great screenplay, so basically after I got the part I just had to get the hell out of the way and let the story come through! I heard that Bruce Willis was up for this part but that’s fair enough because I’m going to do Die Hard now…"

Trillian (Zooey Deschanel) is Arthur Dent’s love interest in the film – is Hitchhiker’s actually a kind of sci fi romance?
Deschanel: "Yeah it is the ultimate romance, a really nice romance that ties a lot of the elements together. It was so much fun to make too. I am honoured to be a part of it - back at school it was the book that the cool kids read."

Talking of cool, British actors don’t come much cooler than Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Shaun of the Dead and next year Pirates of the Caribbean 2) who plays Slartibartfast a planet builder. If he could redesign earth, what would he change?
Nighy: "I’d lose the English Channel – it’s not good for our manners or our language skills to be stuck out here. Also I’d maybe lower the temperature a touch, make it a little bit cooler in the Middle East, it might not work but it’s worth a try."

Hitchhiker’s has a wonderful mix of special effects, some cutting edge CGI work but also older style effects work – I asked the director Garth Jennings if this was a budget issue or a style choice?
Jennings: "I didn’t want to compete with the big CGI heavy movies coming out this year. We tried to be inventive in our use of special effects - this is like old Star Wars as opposed to new Star Wars. And even if we’d had double the budget I like to think we’d have approached it in the same way."

One of the key effects is giving Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) two heads and three arms. How did he find acting that part?
Rockwell: "It was pretty wild. Well apart from having 10lbs of Matthew McConaughey (2nd head) on my head, which was an interesting dilemma for an actor. I mixed some Bill Clinton and George W Bush into the character. I’ve always loved the British sense of humour too, I mean I was raised on Monty Python."

There is obviously much talent and energy that has gone into making The Hitchhiker’s Guide and it certainly sounds like they enjoyed its creation – all that remains now is to see if it does enough business to get the next book green lit for production then we can take our seats at The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe…

Read Matt's Film Review of The Hitchhiker's Guide

Bill Nighy and Zooey Deschanel photos from Hitchhiker's premier

Film Review: Robots

"nuts as far as the eye can see"

Robots (U)
Dir. Chris Wedge

Reviewed by Matt Adcock


Finally got to catch this one with my boys (who absolutely loved it) and it’s a fun waste of time which works on a pleasing level for adults as well as the requisite slapstick fun for the younger viewer. Fart gags, battle scene, throw-away comedy lines by the likes of Robin Williams – all present and correct.

Great moments include line like Rodney’s dad – looking at his new baby robot:
“He's got your moms eyes and my dads nose. I knew we were smart to save those parts.”

Or when Bigweld - whilst being repaired by Rodney, a la Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey sings: “Daaaisy... Daaaaissy... Giive mee yoour aaaanswer truuuue.”

And in this current climate of Star Wars Episode III anticipation – my kids lapped up the bit where one of the robots puts in a Darth Vader voice box and states that: “The force is strong in this one…”


"you know the fun part is 'making' the baby!"


You don’t need to know what it’s about – just go and see it – this is one film that delivers nicely across the board.


Darkmatt Rating: ööö (riveting stuff)

Reviews of other films and stuff you might want to read indexed here

Film Review: The Amityville Horror

"lights are on but nobody's home..."

The Amityville Horror
Dir. Andrew Douglas

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"Based on the true story" but only just...

My mind reeling from images of grisly murder, committed right here in the house I now live in – I look again at the demonically distorted faces of my family and know what I have to do… *

The Amityville Horror – is your average ‘all you can eat’ buffet of freak out / fast cut ‘jumps’ and plodding plot that over explains everything except why it takes so long for those living in the infamous house to see that step dad George (played by Nightstalker Ryan Reynolds) has gone on a one way trip to psychoville and isn’t coming back without his Shining axe…

High production values and tasty women including Melissa George (the mum) and Rachel Nichols (the babysitter) stop this from being a complete car wreck of a movie but there is very little here to commend.

In fact, despite a couple of really good ‘everyone in the audience jumps and yelps’ moments, I found the original film had a much more intense and disturbing atmosphere. And as for the priest who tries and fails to battle the house of evil – his part is so fleeting that he might as well have not bothered (he could have phoned in his only memorable line about the teddy bear - you know being from the grave etc, oh don't worry about it...).

Still, apparently there are lots of people out there who are interested enough in homicide inducing houses – this opened at number one in the box office in the US last week and number 2 in the UK. People, come on, there are much better films on offer out there…

"Hi honey - I've got my large chopper out for you"

* What I have to do of course is find a copy of “Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus” which was also made by Andrew Douglas and not only has a much better title – it actually sounds like a fascinating exploration of the US American South which offers up music, truck stops and Pentecostal fanaticism… Now that’s potentially really scary stuff!!

Darkmatt Rating: öö (catch them and kill them, or don’t bother)

Of course the whole Amityville haunting is all bollocks according to this site

Horro fans might like this - Matt Adcock Meets Chucky

Reviews of better films and other stuff you might want to read indexed here

Star Wars fever burns - Lego?

"you can't win Darth... if you strike me down

I will just reassemble myself... now where did I put my head?"

Less than a month now to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and anticipation is mounting in our household. Books and new action figures have been bought, DVD's are playing back classic scenes and young boys are running around waving lightsabres shouting "use the force"...

I'm seriously considering going to see all 6 movies back to back on the 16 May and am going to have to see this new episode several times on the big screen...

And now we are hooked playing Lego Star Wars on the trusty PS2 - it is almost too much fun!! Two player, infinite lives toybox of pretty much everything from Episodes 1-3. You can be Darth Maul for goodness sakes. If ever there was a 'must buy' game for Star Wards fans - this is the chosen one (and the force is strong with it)...

Anyway - if you venture down to Leicester Square on the 16 May then (as well as a million sci fi nerds) you might also run into a patrol of Stormtroopers...

Like these:

"stormtroopers - designed in 1977 and still look cool"

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Zooey Deschanel and Bill Nighy at the Hitchhiker's Guide Premier...

I spoke to these lovely actors shortly before they got their glad rags on (not that they were naked or anything) along with Martin Freeman and Sam Rockwell... I've just got to write up my notes now so check back over the weekend if you want to read what they had to say...

Sneak preview quote from Bill (about the one high profile negative reviewer so far):
"Apparently he has a substance abuse problem and of course he doesn't get out much, he's a lonely guy, what can I say?"

And from Zooey: "Hitchhiker's is the ultimate romance"

Read my review here: Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Batman Begins

"I'm batman"

This is just looking excellent and I'm getting a good feeling about it,,,

Earlier Poster

PSP Games - Matt's top 5 so far...

"eat 'untold' fiery death you mutant rats..."

Now that the PSP is out in the US - there is a nice regular stream of games coming over and because I have no self control I have to try quite a few of them out.

So here are my top 5 to date:

5. Ridge Racer (gorgeous graphics, fun 'drift' style driving - very classy)

4. Lumines (puzzle game that is seriously addictive)

3. Untold Legends (simple but lovely RPG - brings out your inner geek and gives him a big +12powerhug)

2. WipeOut Pure (virtual perfection in the palm of your hands - insanely playable)

1. TIE -
Metal Gear Acid and
Tiger Woods PGA (death dealing strategy and golfing wonderfulness - can't choose between them)

"Matt prepares to take out another unsuspecting, tooled up terrorist, on his train back to Hitchin from Kings Cross"

Link to post about Tiger Woods PSP

Film Review:The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy

"so long and thanks for all the fish"

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy (PG)
Dir. Garth Jennings

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Attention, people of Earth. I regret to inform you that in order to make way for the new hyperspace express route, your planet has been scheduled for demolition. Have a nice day.”

Don’t Panic! – you still have about 12 minutes left… more than enough time to down a couple pints, say goodbye to friends (at least one of whom might turn out to be an alien) and then stick out your intergalactic ‘thumb’ and hitch a ride on a passing spaceship just before the earth is disintegrated!!
Of course from then you’ll need luck, bravery and preferably a copy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy if you’re going to survive. The ‘Guide’ in this first big screen outing for the late great Douglas Adams’ classic comedy sci fi, is a sort of super PDA – imagine the lovechild of a Sony PSP and IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer – voiced by Steven Fry. It details just about everything you might want to know about in the universe and is slightly cheaper than the Encyclopaedia Galactica.

Arthur Dent (the perfectly cast ‘everyman’ Martin Freeman or ‘Tim from The Office’ as he’s best known) is the unlikely hero who gets to travel the galaxy in his pyjamas, face down hideous aliens (and their unspeakably bad poetry) and try to win the heart of Trillion (Zooey Deschanel an unemployed Earth astrophysicist / certified sci fi geek’s pin up after this). The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy or H2G2 as it’s sometimes called blazes a trail for British sci fi – showing that Dr Who is not alone in this pretty empty area of the entertainment universe. It might not have the budget, the special effects or the action of certain other sci fi films coming out this year, cough *Star Wars* cough, but by-Jove, H2G2 is going to whip the others when it comes to being the funniest!!

That’s right – poster quote time:

“Hitchhiker’s is going beat the living crap

out of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

and War of the Worlds combined”

- if assessed on which film is the funniest…

Fans of the books, radio and TV series’ may be divided as to how they feel about the new Marvin the paranoid android (still paranoid, still has brain the size of a planet – but now a head almost a big to match). Or Zaphod Beeblebrox (a spot on, hyper annoying turn from Sam Rockwell), as the ex-hippie, thrill seeking, double headed President of the Galaxy who’s many claims to fame include inventing the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster – a drink that feels like having you brains smashed out by a gold brick wrapped in lemons – and being voted the Worst Dressed Sentient Being in the Known Universe for a record seventh time!
Other highlights include a nicely sinister John Malkovich as new character Humma Kavula and the wonderful Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast – planetary construction engineer par excellence…

Hitchhiker's is a marvellous film, Jennings has done a great job of fusing the off the wall elements and I think that Adams would have been proud of what has been achieved with his creation. Yes it has a slow pace and some of it is highly indulgent - but it's almost impossible not to get caught up in the infectious madness that shimmies across the screen. You might not find action but you will find the answer to life, the universe and everything – which is a fair trade I think!! The online site for H2G2 (http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/ ) is a thing of beauty too, where you can even ask the ultimate computer - Deep Thought - a question although you may not be surprised by the answer… So, all things considered, I’d advise you to bring meaning to your existence by going to see The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy at your earliest convenience – just make sure you know where your towel is!

Of course alternatively, you could just lie down on the floor with a paper bag on your head and wait out your last 12mins of existence instead - but it won’t help…

Darkmatt Rating: öö42öö (essential viewing)

Matt Adcock Meets and Interviews the Hitchhiker's Cast

Other film reviews by Matt Adcock

Matt Adcock meets Chucky!?

"here's chucky"

No I didn't 'meet' Chucky but I did get this fun Q&A from the cool Momentum Pictures PR guys -
who sent me this, which may be funnier than the film!

Matt Adcock meets Chucky...

Q: So, Chucky, after a hard day's slashing, how do you unwind?

C: I like video games – ‘Grand Theft Auto’ -- anything with a body count. It's very relaxing. But I'm a responsible parent: I don't let my kid play. He might break 'em.

Q: In 'Seed of Chucky' you and Tiffany are reunited on the set of a film chronicling your bloody past. If there was a real movie about your life, who would you want to be Chucky? And who would you have play Tiffany?

C: Let's see...Tom Cruise is too short...Keanu Reeves is too wooden to play a doll...I'd have to go with Prince Charles. He has the right combination of harmless exterior hiding an evil core. And Camilla Parker Bowles, of course, was born to be my bride.

Q: Redman, a leading figure in hip-hop and the UK's Hannah Spearitt from the pop super group S Club 7, co-starred with you in 'Seed of Chucky'. After being around so much musical talent, can we expect an album from you in the near future?

C: You call them "talented?" Those hacks? I had to waste 'em just to shut 'em up!

Q: You're a fairly small guy who's gone a long way in Hollywood. I imagine Verne Troyer (aka Mini-Me), the Olsen twins and Frankie Muniz owe a lot to you. How does it feel to be an icon for the, ahem, little person?

C: It's like I always say -- It ain't the size that counts, it's what you do with it.

Q: In 'Seed of Chucky' you're responsible for the death of Britney Spears. If you had the chance, what other celebrity would you 'take care of?'

C: Well, Simon Cowell's at the top of my hit list right now. I'd like to wipe that smirk off his smug face. And Sean Penn. What a whiner he's turned into! (Sigh.) So many a**holes, so little time.

Q: Scottish actor Billy Boyd worked with you on 'Seed of Chucky.' After the incredible success of Lord of the Rings how did he behave on set?

C: Let me tell you, that little hobbit's a total prima donna. I wanted to cut him down to size, but there'd be nothing left. And that accent! Is he, Scottish? I couldn't understand a goddamn word he said!

Q: What's your favourite horror movie?

C: "Bridget Jones." That fat chick scares the s**t out of me.

Q: Now that you are a family man, have you considered making a romantic comedy?

C: No way. I ain't going soft. In fact, I'm up to replace Brosnan in the "James Bond" franchise. And I'm working with a voice coach to get the accent right. I think my chances are pretty good...but if anything should happen to Clive Owen or Daniel Craig in the next few months, don't blame me.

SEED OF CHUCKY is rated 15
and is released across the UK on Friday 13 May 2005

Film Review: The Interpreter

"the truth needs no translation..."

The Interpreter (12a)
Dir. Sydney Pollack

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Should I ever find myself the power crazed dictator of some small African nation, I’ll certainly be really glad that I saw The Interpreter. This film is packed full of tips about how to secure your power base (simply stage an assassination attempt at the UN), try and escape war crime trials at the International Criminal Court in The Hague (you should stage an assassination attempt at the UN at your earliest convenience) or even show the world that mass murder can be a ‘pre-emptive strike against terrorism’ by, yes, staging an assassination attempt at the UN. I’ll also be on the lookout for foxy blonde minxes who might just overhear something they shouldn’t whilst working late at the UN, you just can’t be too careful when planning political assassinations…

So here’s The Interpreter, an absorbing old school thriller by master director Sydney ‘Out of Africa’ Pollack that sets up a decent premise and plays it out with a “AAA” cast and a few key action scenes. Nicole Kidman is the interpreter of the title and she does indeed hear a whispered threat to kill a despot genocidal African dictator when he visits the UN. Unfortunately, the would be assassins see her and so must take her out before she can spoil their plan. It’s all rather suspenseful and the excellent Sean Penn is appointed by the US secret service to keep her safe. Yes – a classy, sexy, single interpreter teaming up with rugged handsome protector (who’s conveniently just lost his wife), bet you have absolutely no idea where this plot might go… But The Interpreter doesn’t serve up the expected well worn love story – rather, thanks in no small part to the quality of the lead actors, we get a tangled situation that engages the mind as well as the heart. This is no wham bam – brain in neutral - action movie, you will need to pay attention and it will really help if you can get your head round the concepts that patience and forgiveness can be just as effective as bloody vengeance.

Kidman is a beguiling mixture of driven determination balanced with attractive fragility, while Penn adds to his impressive list of portraying likeably intense men with issues.

In true thriller style, there is much more going on underneath the surface than meets the eye – who can be trusted, what are their motivations and can Penn save the day?

There’s only one way to find out…

Darkmatt Rating: ööö (efficient issue based tension)

Other film reviews by Matt Adcock

a self-facilitating media node

"Gone, but totally Nathan trashbat foolishly Mexico..."

Am missing my weekly fix of the foolish one...

As Barley himself said: "A taxi home with a bird who's been hitting on you like some kind of industrial hammer, stroking her tits, tending the garden, giving the taxi driver a hard-on. Now back home, fingers roam, phat reggae on the decks, and you feelin' the foam.

Trashbat says "Nice and gently, easy as you park the Bentley!" Bring it down. Trashbat is two people leaping from the twin towers and f*cking on the way down!"

Trashbat Messiah

Film Review: Haute Tension / Switchblade Romance

"careful love - those blades look nasty"

Haute Tension / Switchblade Romance
Dir. Alexandre Aja

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“High Tension” by name (unless of course you live in the UK where it’s Switchblade Romance) and hardcore off the scale tension by nature…

This film is a relentless, demented, blood soaked roller coaster ride that will shred your nerves and decimate your finger nails – and it’s French.

I’d heard that this film didn’t hold back on the gore and was brutal in the extreme but I was still amazed by the images presented – there are some things that you just can’t “un-see”. Coming on like a French update of Funny Games – this begins as a home invasion massacre and then drops into a cat and mouse chase thriller (with plenty of inventive violence courtesy of axes, crowbars and a portable circular saw that would give any chainsaw a run for its money).

It is incredibly grim – but then it’s meant to be – this is a blood lust overdose, stylishly handled and a “cut” above any horror film I’ve seen for years... The killer (Philippe Nahon) is an iconic piece of redneck callousness – the very last person you’ll ever want to meet… Cécile De France is superb as the girl who has to take the fight to the monster and try to save her friend (Maïwenn Le Besco). Plus there’s the twist(ed) ending… This is a film to make you doubt your friends and not answer the door after dark!!

Aja is certainly a director to watch.

Darkmatt Rating: öööö (gruesome excitement for sickos everywhere)

Lovin the PSP... literally?

"the new PSP lick control system seemed to work..."

It’s no secret that I love my PSP…

But this article made me smile when it popped up on the game related news boards:

CLICK THIS LINK - to read the piece from Game Girl

And here is the PSP licker in her own words:

"Lets just get right to the point: I'm the chick who shamelessly licked her PSP. And you know something? I loved it, and I would do it again! I love my PSP. It's slick, long, shiny and new and panders to my every whim. Besides the fact that it is just straight up kick ass! ( Who wouldn't want to put their mouth on that thing!?!)"

This is the column that the licker writes

Ref:

Keira Knightley - DOMINO will rock

"Mmmmmm miss Knightley looking very good!"

Have you ever stumbled upon a trailer for a film which you're quite excited about and after watching it have been blown away by the sheer potential coolness of the film in question? Click this paragraph and prepare to be!!

I‘ve just seen the Domino trailer and can confirm that it looks very very tasty… Tony Scott being one of my favourite directors – Keira Knightley being one of my favourite (looking) actresses.

Written by the genius bloke who made Donnie Darko and based (sort of) on the true life story of Domino Harvey – model turned bounty hunter…

This is pretty near the top of my ‘must see films 05’ Click Now!!

For my previous thoughts about Domino (and another great photo of Knightley) CLICK HERE

Jennifer Garner: Makes Me Happy

"cute women - another reason to be cheerful"

"All men seek happiness," says Blaise Pascal. "This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man..."

I believe Pascal is right. And, I came across a blog which was merrily proclaiming the lifestyle of "Christian Hedonism" - the believe that God purposefully designed us to pursue happiness...

But surely seeking your own happiness isn't sound biblical doctrine? Aren't Christians supposed to seek God, not their own pleasure? Apparently this isn't so far removed as might be thought... Pleasure-seeking (hedonism): basically means that we value most what we delight in most. Pleasure is not then God's competitor if we accredit Him with having created whatever it is that we're enjoying...

I mean - if a friend tells you, "I really enjoy being with you," you wouldn't accuse him of being self-centered. Why? Because your friend's delight in you is the evidence that you have great value in his / her heart.

Might not the same be true of God? So whilst marvelling at the physically pleasant attributes of Jennifer Garner may not be everybody's idea of a religious expression of worship - but taking pleasure in God's creation is actually exactly what He'd like us to be doing!

Sign me up as a devout Christian Hedonist...

Worship with me by click these links to other Darkmatters posts about Jennifer Garner:

She is Great Looking

Elektra Is "Awful" Admits Garner

Film Review: Elektra

Film Review: Below

"an express elevator to hell"

Below
Dir. David Twohy

Reviewed by Matt Acock


“Try not to fraternize with the men. They can be a little... strange.”
“Strange, as in superstitious?”
“As in ‘strange’."

Welcome to a cool, nerve jangling submarine thriller in which there is more than just the threat of mines, depth charges and torpedoes at stake – this sub has got a malign presence which is making things go ‘bump in the night’ – but where can you hide when you’re six hundred feet beneath the waves?

I was drawn to this film for many reasons – not least of which is that it was in part written by Darren Aronofsky – he of the magnificent ‘Pi’ and ‘Requiem for a Dream’… Directed by David Twohy after his cult smash ‘Pitch Black’ and before his dumb but fun ‘Chronicles of Riddick’ follow up…

There is a lot to enjoy here – just about every WW2 cliché gets a good going over with some additional dangers thrown in for good measure. The tense atmosphere on board the sub is really well handled and the frights are of the ‘music announces them a mile away’ type but still effective. Some excellent shots of the sub itself and a good eye for framing the scenes for maximum impact puts lifts this B movie up with the best sub films - Crimson Tide, Hunt for Red October etc...

Dexter Fletcher pops up as a Brit survivor along with London born Olivia Williams. The yank crew are standard off the shelf characters but they do get some cool dialogue – at one point they ponder whether they’re all actually dead which is fun.

Dive dive dive for some spooky submarine thrills!

Darkmatt Rating: öööö (direct hit)