This film needs no introducing and I hope I never have to explain the premise of this film.
It is a master piece which shows such a small part of the horror which the Nazi reigime inflicted upon the history of humanity, yet what it shows speaks volumes for the rest of the atrocities commited.

40 minutes in, an old man is shot; the first shooting of the film. 20 minutes later a woman is shot, and after that you forget the individuals amidst the cacophony of slaughter.
There are two scenes which made me cry both times I saw it; and yes I am going to talk about them so look away if you haven’t seen the film and don’t want to know anything.
The first is the scene where the Jews are exhuming and then burning bodies of their fellow prisoners; this is heartbreaking for me because these might have been people they had known, friends, neighbours, family even. Also what struck me was we burnt the bodies of BSE infected animals; we used diggers and we mass shoveled them into their graves. The bodies of these men, women and children were being treated in exactly the same irreverant way.
The second scene is at the end, when Schindler is talking of the people he didn’t save; how for his car he could have bought the lives of 10 more people. The quantifying of life with such a price and the perfection with which this scene is acted pierces my heart.

How can you truly mourn the deaths of 40 million people*, all from 3 or 4 generations before, none of whom you have met?
I really don’t know, and I don’t think anything said or done can ever do it justice, but Schindlers List is a beautiful attempt.

*(this is the total I got from here, please if anyone has another total they believe to be more correct, let me know)

Ok.
Amazingness
Just … you have to go see this film.
Believe the hype about this film; IMDB is not wrong, it is amazing. Its long yes, but believe me it is worth every second of that 152 minutes. It gets to a point where you think “Damn, this is gonna end soon” but then suddenly, Return of the King style, it carries on (okay so nothing like Return of the King which just brings out the neverending end) and, again unlike Return, you’re glad of it.

The Joker was an amazing villian - you loved to hate him. He terrefied me and yet I laughed at his jokes - you can appreciate the wierd and twisted genious in his actions and the irony he uses. Also, a clever ploy in the film means you never learn his back story, allowing him to remain detached. It also allows everyone to see some side of themselves in him. “Madness is like gravity - it only takes a little push”.

I also love the commentry on morality; at one point it seems a shipful of Gothams most feared criminals have more decency than the shipful of ‘innocent’ civilians. The Jokers comments about anarchy and the subsequent flipping of the coin showed me also that, whilst chance is the only truly fair way of deciding something (chance has no biases or prejudices and cannot be bought or bribed) but I still don’t think that makes it the right way to decide things - just because something is fair doesn’t mean its right.

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

Yesterday, I was very excited to be going to see the new film The Happening - looking at the trailers it looked pretty damn good and I was really looking forward to it especially because the director is renowned for having fantastic plot twists (eg sixth sense)
When we did all finally get there after some fairly shambolic organisation (never let the boys do it - moral of the story) we did end up sitting at the front due to half our party being late and I really hate sitting at the front - I imagine most people do. Not only were we at the front but some dumb ass girls sitting behind us seemed to feel it was necessary to exclaim all the way along things which were happening.
Like “Its a doll”, “Oh my god they’re all dead” etc etc
Anyway, my moans aside, the film itself disappointed; the plot idea was definitely very good but the acting skills let it down a bit. Although there were some great moments, and some especially creative ways to kill yourself! However if there was a fantastic plot twist, I missed it!

In exam news - on Monday I am done with exams that matter! Only general studies to sit through on Tuesday - how dull. That means I get Bertie :D wahey!

Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

THIS BLOG POST WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF CLOVERFIELD. DO NOT READ IT UNTIL YOU HAVE SEEN IT.

Cant say I didn’t warn you.

Gone yet? Well its your own fault now.
Yes, On Saturday I went to see the much awaited, highly mysterious film, Cloverfield.
Before I went, I purposefully made absolutly no attempt to even find extra trailers, let alone trivia etc, because I was really looking forward to it. I’m glad I didn’t, however now that I am investigating it as most people are, in an attempt to understand some of the ambiguities of the plot, its amazing the theories which are springing up, and what’s even cooler is the stuff we’re being told by the directors etc. (yeh, I’m a sad bugger if this gets me excites)
I love these ’survival-esque’ films, such as War of the Worlds or I Am Legend - I’m not sure why, but I think I enjoy the way that the invasion of our lovely planet by some sort of Homo-sapien destroying creature always seems to inspire a sense of comradery and the interpretation of the primal urge; survival. Also, lets face it - I like made up creatures, be it a fluffy little pegasus foal or a slimy beast from the unknown.

So the biggest mystery is, of course the monster; and most people are asking “What the fuck is it”. Well I can tell you, with my insider info…no only joking, I don’t know. But I have found a few fairly accurate representations form what I remember (yes, I got permission from the artist.)

from Arvalis

To be honest I’m still saying “What the fuck is it”, but I think that’s part of what made it such a good film - you weren’t swamped with information about it, you were allowed, for the most part, to make up your own little (ok, enormous) creature in your head from the flashes you do see. Now, apparently that beasty was the baby
I found this interview with Matt Reeves, the director.

Having just been born it was going through separation anxiety and had no idea where its mother was and was freaking out and was in a completely foreign place, didn’t understand a thing and that that would be sending it into a kind of infantile rage - because it was suffering from this separation anxiety, it was spooked. It was really afraid.

This makes me excited about seeing mummy! It also makes me sad - it means that the poor thing didn’t really mean to do all that stuff, it was just freaked out about this new place and all these horrible little things shooting their little stingers at it. I guess its also sad that the immediate response to “WHAT IS IT? HOLY CRAP?” is “I don’t know…SHOOT THE BASTARD”

The film itself has been said to cause motion sickness, due to the use of handicams when it was being filmed, but I really like the effect. I especially like the character, Hud, who is documenting the whole thing. He was brilliant due to his role as the unsure coward that the film needed for a little bit of humour and a little bit of realism; if they were all the driven hero’s that Rob Hawkins was, I could see it being a bit contrived and cliché.
The best lines came from him anyway:

Beth: [sees monster] What is that?
Hud: Just… something… just terrible.
[while trying to get to a flight of stairs, Rob encounters a parasite and kills it]
Beth: Oh my God! What is that?
Hud: I don’t know! Something different! Also terrible!

Hud: Nobody ever listens to me, then when they do… we’re gonna die…

From the end of the film, it seems there will be a sequel - one commentator on a forum posted “This one was just an 88 minute trailer for the second”. I’m kind of excited about the next one and I really hope its a little longer - I’m not talking LOTR epic but just a bit more stuff…and maybe less running around?

So yeh, go and see it (actually its probably closer to being out on DVD I’ve left this so late :P)
Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

Personally I do not understand these films or the mentality of those who create/enjoy them.
I Cannot understand why people want to watch other people be tortured - sure I enjoy scary films and thrillers, but these seem to be blood-fest’s for the sake of blood-fest’s: however brilliantly executed (no pun intended) they may be filmatically (I really don’t know if they are good in that way)
I have no desire to sit and watch human beings suffer, even if it is fake - that doesn’t seem like entertainment but more the quenching of a deep and dark fascination humans have with the thin line of sanity and the effect of pain and fear on people.
I know plenty of my friends like them for the gore factor, but is that truly it?

Please, can someone explain why you not only would pay to sit and watch Saw I but then go back another three times.

I’ll hold my hands up and admit, I am usually the first to start bitching when the subject of Harry Potter comes up. Don’t get me wrong, I have read all the books so far. My main bitching point is length and wordy bla-ness; they’re clearly getting longer and that does mean there is more of the ‘bla’ factor. Which bores me; leave the flowery description to Charles Dickens and get on with some plot sil vous plait!
Anyway…last night the kids I was babysitting for put on the second Harry Potter film. After revising some biology, I got bored of learning about carbon dioxide and was drawn into the living-room, where I was kindly offered a sofa by Joel, and then promptly sat on by said child. As I was watching the cute little Potterlings (part of me thinking, Oh Mr.Potter, just you wait till you grow up! I bet you don’t even have an inkling that one day you’ll be prancing around nuddy on a stage) and their cute … lack of acting skills (although their lack of it is still far better than my best attempts) and I just felt all warm and squishy inside (yes, most internal organs feel like that normally…) and couldn’t help but think
I need to re-read that most recent one before the last one comes out
Oh dear. I’m going Potter-soft again.

Last Wednesday, went to a very educational group revision session at my bum buddie’s house (kirstin). We sat, decided what to revise, realised it was most of the book, panicked and settled down. I think we did very well - completed the nitrogen cycle which I have NEVER understood, among many other things.

Ayla, what does that say?
Capillary
…Spelt with an ie?
…yes?
…good! Just checking

Better get back to it. on unit 10/16 and the exam is on Monday…anyone care to panic for me?!
Lotsa Love
Kat
xxx

My legs hurt :(
You might have noticed that most of the time when I have pain to bitch about its horse related…maybe I should take the hint…naaaaaah!
Mmm, today my instructor was very mean and made us to an entire hours lesson (so thats flat work, a bit of dressage, and some jumping) without stirrups and then in the last 10 minutes took away our saddles entirely. Let me just set the record straight; as comfy as bareback may look, its really not. Horses have bony spines and are very slippery, so its not very comfortable at all. Also, for those who don’t know, riding without stirrups, whilst doesn’t take a genius, is difficult and painful.

Asides that, went to see Pirates of the Caribbean today - well worth it, very good…if a little odd at times. And that damn theme music is stuck in my head *dun dun dun dun dun dndndun dun dun*

Also I managed to negotiate myself around a roundabout today (Whoopy me!) and on my driving travels
*holy crap I just got hiccoughs for the third time in as many hours. Just thought I’d let you know*
I drove past a field where I used to go cramping with the guides, and I saw lo-and-behold, there was my guide group on one of the camps. Oh the happy memories I have in that field; Sponsored sleep in a box (yes, I slept in a cardboard box 3 years in a row) and every year it rained and every year my box collapsed on me in the middle of the night so I woke up with a soggy covering of brown mush. Also when me and a friend descovered a bunch of dead ravens strung up by the more than slightly creepy guy who owned the field.

I also realised how much I value human contact - on Thursday and Friday I was feeling crap, I felt completely miserable for really no reason at all. I just wanted to cry. But I forced myself to go out and after 2 minutes of being in the car with crazy-crazy-Kirstin I just felt…better.
I really do love my friends

Kirstin “Yeh, and I could tell she totally Bummed my hair. She didn’t even have to say anything I could just tell”
Me “As you do…”
“Yeh, she did”
“Well I bum you”
“good cos I bum you too, my bum buddy”
“we have to stop saying that”
“well, I mean bum like, in a non gay way! Like, I bum you, not I bum bum you…”

Lots of Love
Kat
xxx

Guilty as charged; I havn’t written for…maybe 2 weeks? But I have an excuse; or at the very least an explanation.
The thingy on our computer died and so it stopped loading the watsit so I couldn’t log in.
Yep - you heard me; the thingy died
I think its the hard drive, but I am actually only naming one of the few components of a computer I actually know asides ‘keyboard’ and ‘mouse’
All I know is I’ve had to go back to my old profile on my pc and am currently putting all my files and am putting all of my programmes, documents and photos back on. I hate having to do this because I am more than slightly anal about the organisation of the folders on my pc. Every file has a very specific place. First its into the folder named Kathryn on my desktop, you then navigate into whether its schoolwork, or maybe a photo/picture file etc. You click on the appropriate folder and then that is divided (for example schoolwork goes subject -> teacher -> coursework/normal work -> unit -> document)
So you can probably appreciate this is taking me some time. Sad I know, but I like to keep it sorted.

I’ve no doubt if you ‘need’ to know, then you already know about
Gooding, Booth, Tom vs CHAVS
If you don’t, the basics are (as far as I know, correct me if I’m wrong)
Chavs steal football from James, Gooding, Booth, Tom, Sam, Comber etc
Gooding goes over and takes back said football peacefully
Chav punches gooding in face and continues assault with other Chavs
Tom and Booth run to help, but not before Gooding gets a bottle smashed over his head
James phones police
This demonstrates the gratuitous nature of chavs, to all those who believe they are ‘misunderstood’ (yes, I have actually had to explain to someone that if you did take the time to try to talk to one, they’be probably nick your wallet and shoes before you had time to ask
“and how are you today?”

Its scary how quickly downhill things have gone; Martlesham Heath has always been my safe haven but now…:(

WARNING: I AM ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT SPIDERMAN! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING THEN STOP NOW.
Don’t worry, I wont spoil the ending

Went to see Spiderman 3 on Monday. I’m not like, an uber fan of spider man but I can watch them, so I do.
Went out with James avec Comber, Booth, Marshall, Simon and Dom.
Well well well, all was going good for the film - I was enjoying the romantic undercurrent to it and the action scenes were (whilst choppy and slightly fit-inducing) not bad.
Then came the 15 minutes where it all went terribly wrong; It started when Spiderman flicked down his usually pristine hair into an emo fringe (to show the dark spider suit working on him…or…something) and then everything fell to pieces. There was hip swinging and finger clicking…oh it was excruciating to watch!
So my advice is; if you are an avid fan, SHUT YOUR EYES during those bits or you might feel the need to suffocate yourself in your popcorn bag!

Lots of Love
Kat
xxx

Went to see Sunshine with James this evening; and I managed to remember what ticket I was asking for! (I have this odd memory lapse - the second I walk through the doors ofthe cinema and I’m overwhelmed with film posters with all the films I MUST SEE, I completely forget what film I am going to see…anyone else find this?)
Now, I don’t claim to have any knowledge of film making; I have no idea what different shots are called and what effects a director was trying to get. All I know is what I see and therefore what I do and don’t like in a film - so thats what you get when I talk about films. Sorry if my ignorance annoys you but thats your problem and I suggest you deal with it.
Anyway! That disclaimer out of the way: The film was….ok. Not stunning, not heart stopping. But an okay sunday night film. My only issue with it; it was SO GODDAMN NOISY! By noisey I don’t mean the volume it was played at (well i obviously do to some extent) but I mainly mean the sounds that they used were Immensely too loud; not only because space is actually a vacuum and so when they were doing scenes outside the ICARUS (the space ship - haha, nice name…) it should have been silent. In Firefly and subsequently Serenity(I love those two…can’t wait for the next one!) director Joss Whedon respects the laws of physics and beautifully pulls of the silent space scene’s. The director of Sunshine would do well to learn from him. There is ONE moment of quiet and boy oh boy did I enjoy that; never has the words silence is golden meant so much to me!
Also I found the plot more than slightly ridiculous, but obviously I won’t spoil anything for anyone else. So all in all I’d say only go watch this film if nothing else decent is on.