The Incredibles

It was an unexpected surprise getting this 2-disc DVD a few days ago, but an even bigger surprise to see how less it fared with my all-time favourite animated film Toy Story.

Although the development, design and final imagery of the film is stunning, I thought the film was let down by the obvious use of too many animators with differing approaches. The change from grainy black and white imagery to colour to represent old footage etc spoilt the illusion that we we supposed to be in a single world. I found the changes distracting and this made me acutely aware that I was watching animation because of the conflicting styes. Long shots looked almost realistically photographic yet close-ups of the characters could often be seen as the flat and minimally shaded planes of colour they were.

Unlike Toy Story, The Incredibles actual storyline wasn't as unique as it coulfd have been, and we were faced with typical goodies versus baddies accompanied with musical hints of action films scores. Shades of James Bond / Mission Impossible etc. pervaded the otherwise original if not unique score.

The bonus disc was informative about the films technichs development, and the behind the scenes chat from the directors and animators also very interesting.

Grayson Perry

Grayson Perry
Southbank Show 17-12-2006

Grayson Perry won the Turner Prize in 2003. About time a transvestite won it.

I'd imagine most people when hearing of artists' name will fall into two categories - those who haven't heard of him, and those who picture him dressed in womens (or is that girls?) clothes in his public appearances.

Grayson came out as a transvestite when he was 15 years old - he was outed by his step-sister after she'd read his diary. His father left the family home when his mother had an affair with the Jaguar-driving milkman.

Perry's step-father abused him and this is challenged / reflected in his art where as a child he spent many hours in his bedroom where he retreated into an imaginary world where he controlled the toy armies which he and his friend Alan Measles (his teddy bear) played.

Grayson's art is primarily in ceramics (pots), which from a distance look traditional and exquisite, but on closer inspection they reveal images of war, sexual perversions and other such unconventional imagery not usually associated with the decoration of pottery.

In a world or fast-food and instant gratification Graysons art is at odds with the permanace of his art. How will they be viewed in fifty or a hundred years? A lot of the content of his newspaper type imagery is usually consigned to the dustbin, but will the permanance of his pots and the statements they make anyone think differently now or in the future?

Driving Lessons (film)

Driving Lessons 2005
Julie Walters OBE - http://www.world-of-celebrities.com/julie_walters
Rupert Grint - http://www.rupertgrint.net

It seems a treat to have both a Victoria Wood and a Julie Walters film / play on TV within a few days, as they don't do enough TV work in my opinion. Some people may remember their work together in the early 1980's as Wood & Walters - sadly a one series sketch show. Of course Julie appears in lots of Victoria's work (Pat & Margaret, Dinnerladies, Acorn Antiques etc), but is most famous for her role in Educating Rita and more recently in Billy Elliot and as Molly Weasley in Harry Potter on the big screen.

One thing is for sure, when she (Julie Walters) is on TV, I watch and she never dissapoints, and Driving Lessons was no different. The story is about a boys' coming of age along side the aging actress Evi (Walters) who claims to be a Dame, but I think that she "made it up" just as she did her "timebomb tits" for Tom and the sympathy she knew he would provide unconditionaly because of his innocence and good heart.

Tom's parent are both involved in the church at different levels - his father as actually priest and his mother as some sort of social organiser, who is having a low-key afair with Jesus (in the play she is organising at the local hall - where Tom plays a tree).

Tom and Evie have a couple of adventures, camping, drinking and a poetry reading session in Edinburgh where Tom loses his virginity. Evie has to make her own way to the Methodist Hall where she forgets her notes and although claiming she knows the Bard off by heart lapses into what seems more like a a bawdy limmerick than the recital she is booked for.

A strange needy character begins to live with Tom and his family and starts to wear Tom's mothers clothes and is accepted easily, yet in a final scene attempts to kill Tom's mother by driving at her in her own car. Her painted on bruises and weak excuses don't fool anyone and the husband asks for a divorce. The mother and lover move to Cornwall, and Tom gets a rjob in a local bookshop and applies to University. Evie is pleased for him but sad to see him grow though she accepts this, "a weeks for me is like a year".