The Pandorica Opens

The Pandorica Opens

Its the penultimate episode of the current series of Doctor Who and WOW what an episode. This episode was all about building up questions but gave enough answers so it felt like just a simple building episode. Before I go on if you haven't seen the episode do not read this as it will contain spoilers. Ready? Ok.

So Theres Riversong, a box, Cybermen, daleks, sontarans, Auton Rory, a trapped Doctor and a dead Amy. Yeah that preety much covers it. End of Blog.

I jest, yeah alot happened in this episode. It all starts with Vincent Van Gough who paints a painting of the tardis exploding, this painting gets passed on untill Riversong finally is made aware of it, espacing from prison she tracks down the painting and meets the Doctor in the past with a bunch of Romans. I've got to say I wasn't too thrilled when I first heard that Riversong would be back in the seires after the Silence in the libary but after this series shes won me over. I like her and I'm glad shes part of the Doctor Who family. So Riversong, Amy and the Doctor find whats called the Pandorica which is supposed to have a very large evil within in it, however the Doctor doesn't know whats in it, which he find it hard to believe since hes all knowing and what have you.

One of my favorite moments in the episode was when Amy was fighting with a cybermans head. I know I've asked if we could see Amy taking more action, and while this might be a step in the right direction, it was just more funny than anything. The cyber head has its wires around Amy's arms as it tires to attack it, it opens up its head na dspits out a human skull. Amy screams. The head then starts chopping at her. Amy Screams some more. Bashing it against a brick wall she finally beats it of her. While I can see a cyberman head trying to eat Amy as being quiet scary for a child I couldn't help but find myself laugh at the little scene.

Throughout the episode I thought it was going to be either Davros or maybe the human doctor aka David Tennant. I thought it could have been David simply because I just wanted to see him and Matt together and I thought it could have been Davros because of the voice we heard. But no, it was infact all a set up for the Doctor, all his foes worked as one big team to trap him away forever. Kinda of nice when you think about it, putting their differences all aside for one common goal.

Now I always thought Rory was going to make an apperence in the last two episodes, just not quiet like this. Turns out the foes of Doctor who used Amy's memories from her house to create a setup which would interest the Doctor in to coming to, this memores included Rory. Sadly though the romans and Rory are just Auton copies. So sad. Whats sadder is that the Auton Rory kills Amy! I wanted the real Rory back, not some cheap plastic fake! None the less when the Doctor manages to sdave the day and fix the crack I'm sure the real Rory will be back.

But its all a matter of how is the Doctor going to save the day? We all know he is, because the good guys always win no matter how many times they do it. Whats interesting is how and what happens along the way? Will Riversong be ok? (remember we didn't actually see her die) How will the Doctor get out? Will Amy come back to life? My guess is that the copy of Rory has something to so with it. The copyies are so well made they actually think they are the people are copying, so the fake Rory might fight his default programming and thinking he's Rory might save the day. Otherwise I've no clue but look forward to fidning out.

ps. Well done to Richard who called what was in the box.

The final of junior apprentice, Dr Who and Derren Brown

The final of junior apprentice, Dr Who and Derren Brown

So this blog will cover the last episode of the junior apprentice, the dr who episode 'The Lodger' and my trip to see Derren Brown live at the Lowry in Manchester.

The Last Episode of the Junior Apprentice

So in the very last episode everyone was a project manager, the boys and girls were slipt so it was Arjun and Tim up against Zoe and Kirsty. While both teams worked well together it was Clear Zoe was still having trouble working with her co-project manager and tried to run the show, Kirty on the other hand should have picked up her game here and shown that she could really be something special while Zoe was trying to manage everything. Half way through the show I was worried that Arjun (my fav to win) wasn't doing enough in the team and started to let him self down, however he sprung back to life driecting an advert and doing a pitch with Tim.

In the end the boys won the task and rightly so, the girls product just didn't have the right feel towards their audicne and they just didn't know their audience (ironice as their audience were only a few years younger than themselfs) So it was then down to Tim up against Arjun in the board room. What I liked as that niether of the two attacked each other and simply stuck to what they had done and I found this very refreshing compared to the adult version where they normally try to slate of their compertion in the final. I did worry and think he was going to make Tim the winner due to his background in farming and being very practical against Arjun whos background is somewhat acedemic. However Arjun proved he was more than just a maths boy by putting forward all the things he had done throught the contest, he sold paintings, he dressed up, he directed the advert and so much more. So I am happy to say that Arjun did go on to win the contest! Well done Arjun. I enjoyed the junor aprentice more than I first thought I would and wouldn't mind it being on again, however I eagerly await the next adult version of the show!

Dr Who: The Lodger

I've heard a few complaints that this seires of Dr Who hasn't been sci:fi enough. Well I believe this episode brings it back. I mean what more than you ask for than a tardis wanna be placed on top of a house? In this episode something is stopping the Tardis working properly, leaving the doctor to investigate while Amy is stuck in the Tardis. Again like I have mentioned before Amy has been some what of a damsel in distress, we need to see her taking some action, rather than being stuck like some helpless child!

In this episode James Corden played the part of the house mate who is in love with his best friend but hasn't got the guts to tell her. Luckerly for him along comes the Doctor who plays cupid. What a great guy.

Overall a nice episode, not the best but certainly not bad. I look forward to the two part final!

Derren Brown: Enigma Tour

For those of you are not in the know Derren Victor Brown (born 27 February 1971) is a British illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer, and sceptic (thank you wikipedia) He often puts on shows where he takes on magic tricks and sometime he tell us how he does them. He openly says that he does not have magic powers or any real psychic abilitiesl. Hes just a very celver man and knows how to get in to peoples heads. I went to the Enigma show last night with my friends Stacey and Emma where we found ourselfs in row D! Only two away from the stage, we were VERY lucky. Derren asked us not to talk to much about the show as it might ruin it for people coming to see it. So I won't say anything. Well I'll tell you this,...GO WATCH IT! Really, he is a great guy, and fantasitc entertnaing and will just get in yiour head.

At the end of the show we went to the stage door where he came out, it was explained to us that he had a sore throat and so couldn't be out to long, but none the less he signed peoples books and we even got a picture with him!



granted its not the best pic, but it was taken from my i-phone with no flash and I've done my best in photoshop. None the less, what a guy! What a night. Just go watch the show!

Junior Apprentice: Ep 5

Junior Apprentice: Ep 5

So its the last chance to get in to the final and this week on the show the groups were given the task of choosing a product which they would later have to try and sell to big companies such as the house of frasier. The groups were the same as last week with Arjun, Zoe and Emma up against Tom and Kirsty. This weeks episode wasn't overly entertaining, however the more I watch Kirsty the less I think shes going to win. Orginally she and Arjun were my favorites to win but as time as gone on I don't think Kirsty is really all that good, shes quiet and unless the topic is one that really interests her then she doesn't seem all that bothered.

I feel I may have also been some what harse on Zoe. She was the contestant I loved to hate, while she was good as doing what she did she would have very little tact, and is really out for herself and no one else. While I understand it is a conest there is a way of talking to people. In the board room this week Arjun pointed that from last week to this week 'its like shes gone from one extream to another' from trying to take over to trying to do as shes told without putting any input in. Sir Alan told her that she bruhed people up the wrong way. However I think if she can learn from her experience of the apprentice then she can come out a better leader and all round nicer person from it. One can hope.

This week Emma was fire, no shock really. While she says her life is bussiness, she didn't exaclty show it during the show. No real loss as I never exepected her to win really.

Overal a show blog simply because theres not alot to say about this one. I'm very much looking to the final.

Music Blog

Music Blog

I have entered a contest for 4Music where basically you have to finish the sentence 'Music makes me feel....' in 150 words or less the winner then gets a laptop and a flip cam, using these tools the winner then gets to work with 4music for three months, updating their face book, twitter and I believe going to events to interview popular music stars for the 4music blog. So my friend Stacey convinced me to give it a shot.

I like generally all types of music, from the top 40 to small experimental bands. I think the only type of music I don't like is hard core rock, heavy rock, rap and hip hop. But otherwise I'm very open to different types of music. Here is a quick list of some of the bands and artists on my iphone.

Adele, Avril Lavigne, Bat for Lashes, björk, Blink 182, Blondie, Blur, Damien Rice, David Bowie, Feist, Florence and the machine, Franz Feriand, Goldfrapp, The Hooisers, Jack Conte, Kate Nash, Keane, The Killers, KT Turnstal, Lady GaGa, Ladyhawke, Lily Allen, Little Boots, Marina and the Diamonds, MGMT, Mika, Mumford and Sons, Muse, Natash Bedingfield, Nirvana, Paloma Faith, Paramore, Pink, Pomplamoose, Robbie Williams, Scissor Sisters, Space, Stickboy, V V Brown, The White Strips. Wicked, Buffy once more with feeling.

And thats not even all of them, just a small range of different artists and types of music. I like to think of myself as someone with a decent level of taste (but don't we all). So once a month or every few weeks I'll be posting songs that have caught my attention (inspired by the http://phillyjpopblog.blogspot.com/ blog) I'll try and post a different range of music and let you know what I think.

Before I said I like to think of myself as a person with a good level of taste, that said I do like pop. I don't care. I like girly pop, it’s easy, fun, and its popular, yes its mainstream but don't be a snob. So the first song is



Diana Vickers-The Boy Who Murdered Love

I find this song to be quiet similar to her first single 'Once'. Its light hearted and easy to song along to. While I'm not a huge fan of the X-Factor I did watch the series she was in and at the time I liked her, (as well as her cawl) I thought she was a breath of fresh air from the other acts and its nice to see her back. I get the feeling she might grow up in to a Sophie Ellis Bextor type of artist but a little bit more poppy. As for the video, its harmless, sweet and the animations are fun, I espically like the part where she shoots of her own arrow. So thats my little bit of girly pop, lets move on.



Katie Melua - The Flood

I saw this video on another blog and since I have been listening to this song, I've had to force myself to stop playing it over and over again in fear of getting bored of it. But the more I listen to it the more I love it. Since hearing the song I've bought her new album and this song and 'Happy Place' are definitely the best while the others feel very much like the same style of music from her last albums, not that this is a bad thing it would have just been nice to hear something a little bit more different overall. As for this video I love the part when she’s on the piano and is spinning like a spinning top, it looks like fun! Stunning as always Katie album is definitely worst a listen to.



Beat the Horse - Pomplamoose

While is song isn't actually very new I highly recommend you go listen to these two on youtube and just buy their albums! Their music is just so good, they create videos which are called VideoSongs. A VideoSong is a new Medium with two rules:

1. What you see is what you hear (no lip-syncing for instruments or voice).
2. If you hear it, at some point you see it (no hidden sounds).

They do covers and their own originals. I can only hope to one day see them live!



MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS | OBSESSIONS

Now you have most likely heard of marina and the diamonds, and if you haven't then where on earth have you been?! She is just so fantastic! She’s just the right about of experimental without being attention seeking. I found Marina on youtube a while before her songs started playing on the radio and I was kind of of hoping that she wouldn't become mainstream just so she could be one of those bands that had a few fans and that made it quiet special. Also great at parties when people are talking about music and you can say 'oh, so you've not heard of Marina and the Diamonds?! Well she’s just the next best thing, can't believe you've not hard of her' while I'm not a snob I do like to feel smug lol

Pulse

Pulse



This is a piece I have called Pulse. This is the largest canvass piece I have ever done, I orginally got the canvass from my college when it had been half painted on and left by the student, I was told I could take it and do what I wanted with it. COvering it up with white it was a clean cnavass for me to use. At first I was going to do something very different with the piece, however after nearly a year of just starring at it I finally deicded what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to create the idea of an energy, perhaps sound shooting from the middle. I'm not yet sure if the piece is finished as I may add another white ring. Overall I like the piece, while not my normaly style I feel it is good to try out different things and approches. This piece is now up for sale, however due to its size can not be sold to anyone outside the UK and would have to be collected.

Vincent and the Doctor

Vincent and the Doctor

So in this week’s episode the Doctor has taken Amy went to a gallery to see the works of Vincent Van Gogh, after seeing what looked like a sort of beast in one of the paintings they rush back in time to discover what that beast is. As it turns out it’s a lost alien. It wasn't explained how it got there, but that really didn't matter. When I saw the small clip of the episode last week I wasn't expecting much and thought it was going to be another Unicorn and the Wasp type of episode. I was so wrong, this episode is emotional, touching, well written and overall a very strong episode, definitely one of the best in the current series.

Guest writer Richard Curtis took on this episode, I wasn’t really sure what he had done in the past but looking on IMDB it appears he's written a few shows I really like, Blackadder, French and Saunders, Bridget Jones Dairy, and Vicar of Dibey, pardon Mr Bean, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral and I pretty much like his past work. This episode of Dr Who was very touching and I won't lie it bright a tear to my eye. I felt sorry for Vincent after the Doctor said they would be leaving and the Doctor then found him crying in Bed. I'm not a huge fan of Vincent Van Gogh's work but I respect him and his legacy, and I do actually really like 'starry night' I just find it so magical. The part where they are on the grass looking up to the stars is simply magical, they start to see how Vincent sees the world, all the different colours moving, the stars shinning, the blacks and the blues of the sky’s moving and changing. Just wonderful.

My favourite parts included Amy being surrounded by the sunflowers, it could have been a perfect painting, pity they had an alien on the loose. I'm sure Vincent could have sold that one for more than a few drinks. The shot was framed perfectly and was just wonderful. The way Amy and Vincent interacted was spot on, they seemed like old friends, as if they had a connection, and I think it was more than just the red hair.

The Doctor: The Ultimate Ginger

Another moving moment was when Vincent saw a sadness within Amy, (this was clearly from Rory’s death that Amy has forgotten about) when Amy said she wasn't sad he asked her then why was she crying, she was surprised to feel the tear down her cheek, clearly Rory's memory is still within in her somewhere (my bets are that Amy's memory bring him back to life in the final when the Doctor heals the crack). The end of the episode was truly moving, Amy thinks that they may have changed the future and Vincent might not have killed himself, rushing back into the gallery she expects to see many more paintings, but sadly nothing changed. Amy is sad that they weren't able to help him but the Doctor comforts her by telling her that they added to the good things in his life. Seeing something in the distance she sees the painting of the sun flowers, walking up to it, it is empty on a dark wall, your eyes fixed to the painting, here we see Vincent has left a message for her. While no such message is on the real painting it was a nice touch to end on.

Clearly I really enjoyed this episode, definitely one of the best if not the best episode in the current series.

The Junior Apprentice: Selling In the Art World

The Junior Apprentice: Selling In the Art World

So it’s been another Wednesday and another episode of the Junior Apprentice. This week the two groups had the task of finding two artists and then selling their work on their behalf. This week the groups were Arjun, Emma and Zoe up against Kristy, Tim and Hannah. I was unsure as to who I was cheering for this week and my two favourites Arjun and Kirsty were on different teams.

This week Emma and Tim were project managers. While Emma did an ok job she was always being over taken by Zoe who yes id play to her strengths having an art background but was annoyingly rude when she interrupted her team mates while trying to make sales. However Emma could have done a better job of defining her role but Zoe does seem to have a way of doing what she wants. Either way I don't see either Emma or Zoe winning the contest, Emma isn't strong enough and Zoe is all out for herself and even when the leader seems to take on everything and makes it clear when she has done well rather than when the team has done well.

Tim’s team were ok, they did everything right except they clearly hadn't done their research on the location and weren't aware as to the type of market they would be selling to. They picked a photographer and an artist who paints expensive abstract pieces, while the photographer was a good pick the expensive abstracts were just a bad pick, as they were never going to sell unless it was a high market audience. This could have been avoided if one of my favourites Kristy had made more of a connection with the artist, while she honestly said she knows nothing of the art world it doesn't take much to try and make an interest in the product she was going to be selling. From this I don't think she’s one of my favourites anymore, it seems she’s only interested if it’s a product area she’s interested in. So I am now fully team Arjun! I'm not a fan on Tim either, I think he's just got lucky to be this far and it won't be long till he's gone. In the end Hannah was sent home, but she still has her invention to land back on so I'm not feeling to sorry for her because she'll be just fine.

Again I love this show because I always think I could do a better job, but it is different because I'm sat on my nice chair at home watching while they are trying to live it, so while I would like to believe I could do it I know I'd be just as bad and make the same mistakes.