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Most Haunted (2002)
Most Haunted - "A Paranormal Investigation"
Since 2002, most Haunted has become a huge commercial venture. The story goes that a team of "paranormal investigators" go to investigate a number of haunted locations, mostly across the UK. These "investigations" can either be in the form of a live show or a pre-recorded show that is shown as a part of each series. To date, there have been six series and a number of live shows.
The objective of the show has always been to find proof of the paranormal. To do this, the presenter (Yvette Fielding) and her entourage venture to these places and search for "evidence" with the help of Derek Acorah, (who happens to be a spiritualist medium), a few cameras and some flashy equipment such as EMF meters.
It sounds good; however what the Most Haunted crew produces is more for entertainment than investigating.
Firstly, there are some extremely dodgy "experiments" used on this programme such as "table tipping" (where a "spirit" uses the energy of people touching the table to move it around the room) and the Ouija board. The Ouija board is usually recognised by most people as a good experiment. However, on a recent Most Haunted Live, when using the Ouija board Yvette Fielding wore gloves and the glass never moved, her gloves seemed to be slipping on the glass. However, Yvette Fielding took her gloves off the glass moved. Coincidence or Very suspicious? You decide. I don't even want to go into "table tipping", four people with their hands on a table and asking any paranormal presence to move a table that has casters on it (yep, casters!!!) is really teasing the intelligence of the audience. Also, the legs of these tables usually are very weak and wobbly at times.
In six seasons now the programme hasn't really found any evidence. Everything they "find" either has a reasonable explanation or is off camera. There have been many occasions when something has been thrown (such as the spoon on a live event or the stone that was thrown at Karl Beattie in the loft), however surprise surprise it has not been caught on camera. Surely the audience has a right to expect these "investigators" to use enough cameras to cover the whole area they are "investigating"? Apparently not.
One experiment that constantly reoccurs is the experiment where an object is placed on a piece of paper, drawn around and left in a locked area to see if a "presence" moves it. This would be a cracking investigation if they would put cameras on the whole area. However, the formula for this experiment is this if there are no cameras, the objects move. But there is no visual evidence. If there are cameras there, the object doesn't move. If there is a camera on part of the object, the object moves however the camera has not been set up to view the whole object and therefore the audience can't see the whole picture. This has happened so many times over the years it has become common in these investigations.
I found Derek Acorah enlightening and believable until a few of the Most Haunted Live episodes. During one episode, Derek was "possessed" (when a "presence" takes control of a humans physical body) by an air pilot. However, while under this possession Derek was asked how long a spitfire could last on a single tank of fuel. Instead of proving to the world that Derek isn't a fake and proving to everyone that he is the genuine article Derek could not answer this question. He quite simply told the person that asked the question "You look like a man of intelligence and would know the answer, so don't insult my intelligence?. Surely a pilot could answer this?
The other thing that baffled me was this on the Most Haunted Live at Bodmin Gaol, Derek was "possessed" again, this time by a man he claimed was called "Kreed Kafer". However, none of the historians knew anything of this man in connection with the area. By this time most of the audience realised that "Kreed Kafer" was actually an anagram for "Derek Faker" and that the chances were that Derek had been duped into a faked possession. Make up your own minds.
Yvette Fielding is extremely annoying as the presenter; most of the shows seem to be based around her in some way or another. It really is all about Yvette and the attention she generates for herself you see.
To conclude, Most Haunted is an entertaining programme it can be scary but it leaves to many questions for the viewer. There is a flaw to 90% of the investigations and some of the points I have illustrated above really add credence to suggest that the show is faked.
However, I find that the programme is enjoyable (I enjoy getting caught up in the drama), if it is taken with a pinch of salt. I would suggest anyone to watch the programme because it does get you thinking about the programme and it generates a lot of discussion.
One burning question that is always discussed is most haunted faked? You decide.
WrestleMania 21 (2005)
The night Wrestlemania went Hollywood
20,193 fans packed into the Staple Center on April 3 2005 to watch Wrestlemania go Hollywood, and not too many fans left disappointed.
Decent matches, a great crowd and some good booking made Wrestlemania 21 one to remember, but could it be the best ever?
Match 1: Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio
A decent enough match with some great action and some high risk moves. A little slow in some places and some of the exchanges were very awkward, however it didn't disappoint and was a good starter.
Match 2: Shelton Benjamin vs Kane vs Chris Benoit vs Christian vs Chris Jericho vs Edge in a money in the bank ladder match.
One of the best matches of the night. Great moves, cutting edge stunts and some new and innovative action. Shelton Benjamin was quite impressive for his first match of this type (and on a huge show like Wrestlemania) and he didn't let anyone down. All 6 men deserve special praise for this effort; it was a great match and will be talked about for sometime.
Hassan/Eugene/Hogan
A brief break from the action saw Hassan and Eugene share a few choice words until the one and the only Hulk Hogan came out. The fans went nuts, rendering this segment a true "Wrestlemania moment". Mr Wrestlemania is Hulk Hogan as far as I am concerned, the man is magic and this was just another magical moment that the Hulkster has given us.
Match 3: Undertaker vs Randy Orton
This match started a little slow, but soon warmed up and turned into a decent match. A little bit of interference from Bob Orton didn't harm things at all and the Undertakers entrance was as good as ever. I understand Randy Orton was injured for this match, so he deserves a little bit of extra credit. Him and the Undertaker had a decent match.
Match 4: Trish vs Christy
I feel sorry for Trish Stratus. She is a decent competitor, and deserves a lot of credit for her contribution to the industry. Yet she gets a horrible task for the biggest PPV of the year. Christy missed most of her spots and was clueless for this match, Trish carried things as much as she could and looked quite professional while doing so. I really had wished that an accomplished woman competitor had been in there with Trish. I bet Trish wishes that as well.
Match 5: Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels
The match of the night (well it was on par with the 6 man ladder match, but for different reasons). Both men were excellent and worked really well with each other. Smooth exchanges, excellent moves and some great working of the crowd made this match excellent. Everyone knew this match could steal the show, and boy did it ever.
Pipers pit:
I found this to be disappointing. I didn't really understand what Roddy Piper was going on about and I don't think we saw enough of Stone Cold. Adding to this, Stone Cold makes a "big comeback" on an annual basis so that spark has gone when he makes his entrance. It's a shame, but hopefully he will stick around this time. On another note Carlito Cool is a great character, and fitted in well.
Match 6: Big Show vs Akebono (sumo match)
Well I really don't know where to start. Firstly we have to see the Big Show and Akebono in sumo attire, and then the match is over as soon as it has started (and it took ages to start, after the sumo ring had took a while to set up!). It was a complete waste of time, and probably grossed out 99% of the audience. What was WWE thinking? Maybe some exposure in Japan, which must be it.
Match 7: JBL vs John Cena
Disappointing. I found this match didn't really have too much to offer. There were a few decent moves and a few nice pops from the crowd, but I found the finish a little bit of a waste. On another side note, I can see Cena going the same way as Jericho, Benoit and Guerrero.
Match 8: HHH VS Batista
Well, this was the big one. It didn't disappoint, and I think that the much was as good as it could be considering Batista's in ring limitations. They worked around Batista's limitations well, and there were some nice moves and great pops for any Batista offense. The finish was a little off again, and could have been a little more exciting but it was satisfying none the less.
Overall it was a great event, with some cracking performances and few let downs. A good show, and this is one of those shows that can be watched again and again. It wasn't quite a classic PPV, and it wasn't the best Wrestlemania ever but it was exciting, well booked and satisfying in the match results.
Well worth watching for any wrestling fan.
Halloween (1978)
The night he came home...
One cold night, he picked up a knife and he never put it down.......
Halloween, a decent film that was made in 1978 has been the benchmark for many horror films that has followed since its release. A decent storyline with great, chilling music and superb acting make Halloween a must see.
One night, Michael Myers escapes the hospital he was staying at and decides to return home to wreak havoc and issue fatal consequences for anyone who gets in his way.
Firstly the atmosphere is spot on here. The mood is perfectly set from the start of the film and it works well right until the end. From the first scene there is intrigue, suspense and murder. The producers do a wonderful job of making sure that this film has the perfect "scary movie" feel to it. Most of the scenes are set in the hours of darkness, which goes perfectly with the dark, chilling storyline. The producers do a wonderful job of using this to the films advantage the use of shadows and reflections in the darkness work wonders to add to the scare factor.
The way that Michael Myers is built up to be an unstoppable, completely scary psychopathic killer is superb. The thing that I found really scary about the Michael Myers character was throughout the film you never knew where he was or could be he could be in one place one minute, and another place the next. It gave the feeling that nobody in the film was safe.
I firmly believe that one of the most convincing reasons for this film being so successful was that Donald Pleasance gave the performance of a lifetime. His acting was spot on he is so convincing in his efforts to try and convince people that Myers is pure evil. He lived and breathed this role, and really brought to life the characters of both Dr Loomis and Michael Myers. Not one actor could have done a better job in the role of Dr Loomis, and I for one will always remember Donald Pleasance for what he did for the Halloween series. The acting as a whole was good in the film, and Jamie Lee Curtis also does a good job of playing the helpless, un-deserving victim.
Another reason for the success of this film I would have to say has to be the music. The music in this film is very chilling, and does a cracking job of building up the tension and anxiety in the now infamous chase scenes the occur during the film.
There are so many factors that can be credited for the success of this film. These range from the great performances, the fantastic atmosphere created in the film, the use of shadows and lighting to the great music score.
I would strongly suggest to anyone to watch this film, as it is one of the best horror films ever. It is a subtle, yet very scary masterpiece.
They don't make films like this anymore!
Derren Brown: Séance (2004)
very well done
Derren Brown is a very smart man, good at what he does and he knows how to mentally manipulate someone/people into doing something.
Derren Brown's séance was an entertaining show, well worth watching with some cracking entertainment value. The best thing about the show was the after all is said an done, and the viewer has gotten interested in what has happened, Derren then proceeds to explain that it is all fake. He also explains how it is done. However the students involved didn't seem to know this (well, most of them didn't). Some of the students seemed to be genuinely scared while participating in the programme, some to the point of tears. This added to the tension and great atmosphere that was building up during the programme.
The programme starts with 12 students who have volunteered to be on the show. It is set in an empty building, most of which have darkened rooms in which various things will happen in over the course of the programme. Derren then proceeds to "read peoples minds", ask the students to mentally pick a photograph from a pile on a table (Derren gave instructions on how to find a photo that stood out), sends one person to an empty room by herself for a while (she writes the same things on a piece of paper as the other students in a different room have, and then panics before she leaves) and then finishes up the programme with an "experiment" with the ouija board and a séance.
Some parts of the show were obvious as to how it was done (i.e. the colour/black and white pictures and the instructions on how to pick out a specific picture. The chances are that most people would have picked the same photo) and some parts were really well done (like Derren communicating through the group to one particular member in the séance).
So overall I would advise anyone to watch Derren Brown's séance. It is well done, and very interesting to see how Derren manipulates the students into believing they are possessed.
I believe the whole point to this show (and a lot of Derren Brown's work) is to give another angle on whether or not mediumship is in fact fraudulent. It certainly got me thinking; if Derren can manipulate students into thinking they are possessed, why cant mediums do it? Needless to say, this whole event is set up to show how people can be manipulated through suggestions and conditions around them. I am still in two minds about the truthfulness to mediumship, but this programme certainly gives a very good argument against it.
Well worth watching just for the fear factor!
WrestleMania VII (1991)
A definite classic
Wrestlemania 7 is one of the all time classic-wrestling events, and is well worth watching, especially for those who like a bit of nostalgia.
Its great to watch because these are some of the classic wrestling stars in their prime. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, Mr Perfect, Andre the Giant and the Legion of doom are all here.
Macho Man Randy Savage versus the Ultimate Warrior in a loser must retire match is one of the all time classics, this match had everything - they told a great story and the ending was the icing on the cake, and a perfect way to end someone's career, (although these stipulations are never honoured, just look how many times the McMahon's have been `fired' or have lost these type of matches in recent years).
There are some other great matches on here, including the Nasty Boys versus the Hart Foundation, Mr Perfect (one of my personal favourites) versus The Big Boss Man, and although it was a silly idea, Jake the Snake versus Rick Martel in a blindfold match provided a fair bit of entertainment. The main event was Hulk Hogan versus Sgt Slaughter for the Title.
Plenty of the legends are here, and although some weren't used properly on the night (demolition), it still made for a great event and is well worth watching now to see how great things were, before the McMahons decided that they were the real stars.
Rocky II (1979)
The Best of the lot
Definitely one of the classics, Rocky 2 is one of the most inspirational films I have ever seen. Sylvester Stallone is at his best in the Rocky series, no one could have acted out the character of Rocky Balboa any better.
If Rocky Balboa `shocked the world' in the first film, surely he couldn't do it again??? Not surprisingly, the way this film builds up to the big rematch between Balboa and Apollo Creed is incredible. The odds were stacked against Balboa in the last match against Creed, and this time those odds have doubled. Against doctor's advice (amongst other things), Balboa decides he needs one last shot at the one thing that has eluded him all his life - success.
Carl Weathers does a fantastic job of making Apollo Creed look like he is unbeatable, and Burgess Meredith is incredibly convincing in his role as Rocky's trainer. Needless to say, the acting as a whole in this film is incredible.
The thing that really does it for me in these films (especially the first two) is the story of the underdog. A man who has nothing, suddenly has the chance to gain everything. It is truly a story about a million to one shot.
The training scenes are brilliant, and like the other films in this series the music is fantastic.
I feel that the inspiration comes from the strong message sent out in this film - no matter what the odds are, as long as you have heart and desire you can win.
So I would advise anyone to watch this film, as there is something there for everyone.
Go for it Rock!