The Locksley School of Visual Arts at the University of Milton North

[PhoenixRisingFromTheAshes]

Please come in and make yourself at home. All are welcome to join in our exhaustive and detailed daily research programmes. Areas of study include: The Cotton Industry in the Industrial Revolution; Robin Hood Studies (specialist subject Guy of Gisborne) as well as exhaustive study of the Creative Arts, Film and Media (with particular emphasis on Tolkein, the Armed Forces and National Security).

Would you like a glass of Chateau Gizzy?

I used to like Woody Allan, but later I began to find him exasperating.

Talking of connections guess what's just about to pop up on the international Beeb screens. Julie Graham in Survivors
Trailer tonight and:
''Mum, why are you groaning?''

Oh most of WA's movies these days are not worth watching, but that Match Point movie is actually pretty good.

JLS are on Alan Carr Chatty Man...I actually know one of the people who write songs for them...though I wouldn't recognise a JLS song if it hit me in the back of the head.

Samuel L Jackson is now on Alan Carr - wonder if he will say anything about CA...

Evening all. Hope we've all enjoyed St Valentine's Day in our different ways. Nice vids, too, Spiro - I'm even willing to overlook Miss Tyler's cacophony.

I've always liked Woody Allen's film (although I've missed most of the more recent ones) but was blown away by Manhattan and its use of Rhapsody in Blue. Must watch it again and see if I still feel the same way.

Hello Maud, did you enjoy your movie?

Yes, 'twas lovely. A proper grown-up film aimed at grown-ups, with some stunning performances.

As well as giving good cravat, the lovely Colin also gives good uniform. All the costumes were lovely indeed. It's made me particularly nostalgic for the days when gentlemen wore proper tailored overcoats - hardly anyone does these days - although I've just remembered one contemporary wearer of a very fine overcoat. And then there is Gizzy's leather number, but I don't think that counts. Surely the film will be airlifted onto your tropical island soon?

I must away to bed. Sweet dreams to you (and anyone else who's still up). I only lasted this long because I had some buns in the oven.

Morning all. Glad you liked your film, Maud. Stunning performances, as you say. I am also in love with the little girl who plays Princess Margaret (do we have any Outnumbered fans here?) That "very fine overcoat" is gorgeous, isn't it? It would be one of the first things I bought if I won the lottery.

Massive, sorry I missed you last night. I was also a little disappointed by Spooks 5 - partly because Spooks 4 was the best series, I think (SO exciting!!). And was 5 the one where they started to have one storyline throughout, rather than capsule episodes? I didn't like that nearly as much as the individual stories (not least because it was even harder to follow!)

I've always found RPJ terribly wooden but I think Spooks is probably the best thing he's done, I found him least offensive in that. And oh so pretty.

As for the jealousy thing, ogling celebs doesn't bother me in the least but I think if DrTwiglets spent every evening looking at photos/videos and discussing the finer points of Sarah Harding's arse then I wouldn't be happy :o

And oh, oh, ditto to being blown away Rhapsody in Blue in Manhattan! It gives me goosepimples just thinking about it.

A bleary-eyed good morning to you, Twiggy!

I wish The Gardener would get a proper overcoat - he looks good in tailoring - but I know he'd never wear one. Sigh.

We all love Outnumbered here and it was a joy to see 'Karen' in the film last night. I hadn't thought much about it, but on reflection I preferred Spooks when each episode was more or less self-contained.

(Heresy: I don't even find RPJ particularly handsome. Clearly, he doesn't frighten the horses but is he really that beauteous?)

::Old and myopic emoticon::

"Clearly doesn't frighten the horses" - ROFL, you have such a fabulous turn of phrase :o

And yes, he is beautiful so ner ner ner. Just not as beautiful as some...

Fret not, Twiggy. I didn't deny that RPJ is beauteous, just said that I couldn't see it myself. Horses for courses and all that [geddit].

[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyaj2P-dSi8 These vagabond shoes,
They are longing to stray]]

I do know what you mean, Maud - usually the obviously pretty boys do nothing for me. But in works in Captain Wentworth's case :)

Oooooh, at Manhattan...

Well, I must away. I have to... I want to say 'chapparal' but think that's the wrong word? Can that be a verb?... the cleaner who has no floorspace to clean, the over-active toddler, the 'too ill to go to school but not too ill to jump about' 7yo and the dad who is replacing a window. I wonder if hiding and MNing would get it all dealt with?

I am just checking in between bursts of ironing and then I am Going Out.
Are you perhaps corralling the cleaner? Or chaperoning her?

Interesting that you mention Captain Wentworth. ::strokes chin, pensively:: I think there's a whole Academy seminar to be had on how the Character may sometimes be even more devastatingly attractive than the Ack-tor. I mention no names.

Well you all know that I enjoy a bit of RPJ, I don't think he is a bad actor and I thought he was great in spooks but as <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/images/2007/03/30/rupert_440x293.jpg&imgrefurl=www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/image_galleries/persuasion_gallery.shtml%3F6&usg=__PcE9BJBeRu0N147VCFig8U_tpxE=&h=293&w=440&sz=37&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=bIfsCx9xhhMY7M:&tbnh=168&tbnw=203&ei=uUxaTf-1MMmDhQeH9ZXUDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcaptain%2Bwentworth%2Brupert%2Bpenry%2Bjones%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26rlz%3D1R2ACAW_enGB392%26biw%3D1899%26bih%3D824%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=131&vpy=98&dur=182&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=139&ty=100&oei=DExaTff2DJKwhAfOjdHfDA&page=1&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Captain Wentworth he gives very good cravat . He's starting a new series soon, I saw the trailer last night, Silks.

Glad you engoyed the film Maud,

Corralling!!! That's what I meant!!! Thank you, Maud.

And when have you known me do anything other?

You'll never guess what I've been doing. Mr Massive was out for the morning ( I have to stop calling him that ) so I watched the last four episodes of RH3. All very interesting. In a muddled sort of way. As if no one had thought things through properly. Robin's dad seems to switch character completely in the space of hours, for example. Did anyone else think it was a mess? And I found it a bit cheesy that one minute Robin and Kate were so close and the next minute Marion is coming for him in the Afterlife. Whereas poor Gizzy didn't get a look-in, ever. Yet he didn't go off amusing himself with others, in the slightest way. (And more fool him!)

I am glad the film was good, Maud. It sounds great, including the costumes. I hoped that would be the case, I do like to see well-cut threads. I don't know whether it will land in our local cinemas as the story line won't be of much interest to the islanders. Maybe they can sell it as an Oscar winner if it gets one. Otherwise I guess it's another one for my DVD collection.

RPJ. Handsome, yes. See that others might thud at him, yes. But he just doesn't do anything for me at all.

Oh I think he'd rather like being called Mr Massive, wouldn't he? It's in somewhat stark contrast to my Dr Twiglet :o

Haven't seen RH3 yet so can't comment. I must say, I am finding it very difficult to watch now that MissTwiglets wants to watch each episode with me. It's hard to thud when you have to explain every single thing that's happening and listen to inane chatter throughout. It was quiet sweet last night. I think I've said that we call 'Hood o'clock' when we watch it together. Well last night, the 3yo came running in saying "Mummy, can I play Hood o'clock with you as well today?" Aww.

RPJ - doesn't even feature on my radar tbh. Don't find him particularly offensive or outstanding as an actor and much the same in the (non) totty department.

Was debating seeing the Kings Speech, and I'm sure it's great but think I can wait for it on DVD. It's a choice between that and the Black Swan so am going to see that next week instead hopefully.

Watched first episode of Ultimate Force that RA appears in last night. Quite a good story, not a lot of him (although it is the one with the rugby scenes ) and he's not the most likeable character but I think that changes as it goes along to some degree.

Aww at the little Twigs...

...and ROFL at Dr Twiglet and Mr Massive!!!

I like the sound of Black Swan myself, but that may be another movie that doesn't make it here, the islanders are not really into ballet either.

From what I hear it isn't exactly a Lorna Hill Sadlers Wells type tale, so not one to take along ballet-mad DDs to, perhaps. I was intrigued to learn that Natalie Portman etc actually trained as dancers for the film. Ouch!

Maybe you can give us a report if and when, Spiro.

RA fan club on Wattpad now up and running

Clickie

They look like an enthusiastic lot, Phoenix .
Anyone fancy being an elf, btw? Twitter says The Hobbit is looking for them.

Hello again ladies. I have returned. (Statement of the Obvious).

I still like the sound of Black Swan, although Deborah Bull was very dismissive of it on the steam wireless. I think I'll have to find a girlfriend to go with, as it's not The Gardner's tasse de thé and (can't remember what the certificate is) probably unsuitable for GardenGirl, even though she has a ballet exam fast approaching! We also saw a trailer last night for a new film of Jane Eyre, but they didn't name the actors and [cuts to the chase] I could not recognise Mr Rochester.

Massive - Does your island have much of a British/English-speaking ex-pat community? If so, do they gather to watch English language films?

::Imagines something from ::White Mischief^::