HuffPost Comedy presents an alternative take on James Bond with Wayne Rooney as 007. Written by leading comedy writer David Schneider as part of his Topical LOL series commissioned by HuffPost Comedy UK.
The Barclaycard Mercury Prize. Plan B, Florence Welch, Mark Ronson Attend
Plan B, Florence Welch, Mark Ronson and co celebrate after The Barclaycard Mercury Prize
November the 1st saw a whole host of music’s finest celebrate the Barclaycard Mercury Prize at The Box including shortlisted artists Plan B, The Maccabees, Jessie Ware, Ben Howard, Django Django The party featured a special performance by Marina & The Diamonds.
Florence Welch turned up dressed as Joan of Ark choosing to leave The Machines Birthday bash to party with Mark Ronson, Jamie XX and the shortlisted artists.
Celebs in attendance were
Plan B
Django Django
Maccabees
Jessie Ware
Ben Howard
Florence Welch (Florence & The Machine)
Mark Ronson
Jamie XX
Django Django
Maccabees
Jessie Ware
Ben Howard
Florence Welch (Florence & The Machine)
Mark Ronson
Jamie XX
Luke Treadaway
Sam Brandon
Ty Wood
Mat Horne
Will Poulter
Sam Brandon
Ty Wood
Mat Horne
Will Poulter
Marina Diamandis (our guest performer)
Grace Woodward
Charlie Speed
Isaac Ferry
Otis Ferry
Sasha Bailey
Fin Munro
Billie JD Porter
Gizzi Erskine
Orlando Weeks
Percy Parker
Will Best
Grace Woodward
Charlie Speed
Isaac Ferry
Otis Ferry
Sasha Bailey
Fin Munro
Billie JD Porter
Gizzi Erskine
Orlando Weeks
Percy Parker
Will Best
Zoe Ball
Alison Jackson creates lookalike images for Channel 4 Dispatches
Channel 4’s current affairs strand Dispatches has asked the award winning photographer and filmmaker Alison Jackson to create images to sit alongside a special edition of the programme called Nuclear War Games, about the tense relations between Iran and Israel and the possibility of a military confrontation.
The lookalikes of Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are pictured playing actual games including chess, backgammon, arm wrestling and computer games.
Alison takes figures who look like well-known people and places them in scenarios which often provide an engaging and pertinent commentary on real life situations and the public perception of her subjects.
Nuclear War Games has gained exclusive access to an Israeli ‘war game’, in which an Israeli attack on Iran is played out in detail. It will be broadcast on Channel 4 on November 5th at 8pm.
Alison Jackson said: “This shoot was the perfect example of getting someone who looks nothing like the famous person he is supposed to resemble and turning him into a spitting image. The Ahmadinejad lookalike didn’t even have a beard, but by the beginning of the shoot we had managed to make him look just like the Iranian president.
It’s always fun to put fake celebrities in unlikely situations, but somehow it’s even more fun when politicians are involved. We’re really not used to seeing them with their guards down and acting like normal people. They all take themselves so seriously”
Dispatches: Nuclear War Games will be shown on Channel 4 at 8pm on Monday 5th November
Photo credit Alison Jackson: www.alisonjackson.com
Louisa Norman presents TAPE | Theatre
Louisa Norman presents
TAPE
written by Stephen Belber, directed by Thomas King, designed by Alex Marker
cast: Darren Bransford, Marc Elliott, Kate Loustau
at Trafalgar Studios from 10 October to 10 November
With his EastEnders’ exit imminent, Marc Elliott (who plays Syed Masood in the soap) joins the cast of Stephen Belber’s acclaimed play Tape, in the dark and brooding role of Vince. A high stakes and suspenseful exploration of memory, truth and perception, Tape comes to the Trafalgar Studios for its first West End run, ten years on from its New York premiere.
Aspiring filmmaker Jon meets up with his best friend from high school, Vince – a volatile drug-dealing dropout. The conversation soon turns to Amy, Vince’s first love, whom they both dated. Vince finally gets Jon to confess a disturbing secret, only then to admit he has taped the entire conversation and that Amy is about to arrive any minute.
Marc joined the cast of EastEnders as Syed Masood in 2009, winning the 2010 British Soap Award for Best Newcomer. The character’s controversial storyline involved him coming out and living as a gay man in a Muslim family. He announced his departure from the series and finished filming in September, with his dramatic exit broadcast in November. His theatre credits prior to EastEnders included the National Theatre’s hit production The History Boys. Tape marks his return to the stage.
Tape premiered in 2002 at New York’s Jose Quintero Theater produced by Naked Angels, who transferred the production to London’s Soho Theatre in 2003. The play was also adapted into a feature film starring Ethan Hawke (in the role of Vince, now played by Marc Elliott) and Uma Thurman.
ONLINE: www.tapetheplay.com · Facebook.com/tapetheplay · Twitter: @tapetheplay
Venue Trafalgar Studios (Studio 2), 14 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2DY
Dates 10 October – 10 November (Monday to Saturday)
Times 7.45pm + 3pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday
Box office 0844 871 7632 / 0844 847 2345 (Ticketmaster)
Tickets £27.50 / £24.50 (+ £1 restoration levy)
Previews (10/11 October): £14 (+ £1 restoration levy)
+ booking fee
Skyfall Review – Bond Falls Back to Earth in this Massively Over Hyped Disappointment
Skyfall was the most disappointing film I’ve seen for a long time. And it was made worse because this film has been hyped to the rafters by marketers and reviewers alike.
MI6 is in a crisis. A crucial disk containing the identities of all NATOs undercover agents has been stolen and know one knows why. It’s Bond’s job to get it back.
The biggest problem I have with this film is the terrible plot. It lacks any semblance of realism and meanders horribly all over the place. Nothing makes sense.
Bond completely lacks the sharp cool edge he had in Casino Royale and takes on an almost comic role. He lacks any sense of style and its not helped that Craig has unfortunately aged badly in the past six years.
The bond villain, Silva played by Javier Bardem, was utterly ridiculous and unbelievable, his character and his motives made almost no sense. Some of the acting was poor. Bond girl Severine (Berenice Marlohe), overacts one scene with the most bizarre facial expressions, spouting the cringe worthy line, ‘You’ve never known fear like this, not like him’.
The movie is partly saved by the strong performance of Judi Dench (M) who shines at times. She has some great dialogue with Bond. However I felt her character felt too vulnerable, although others may like this.
Product placements appear throughout the film. It gets particularly bad at one point in the first chase scene. The camera focuses on a CAT digger, cuts to Bonds OMEGA watch, cuts to a Landrover, cuts to CAT digger destroying Volkswagen ‘New Beetle’ cars. All whilst Bonds female colleague says, ‘He’s past the New Beetles’ or something to that effect. I don’t usually mind product placement but this was just ridiculous and there are many many examples throughout the film.
Without wanting to give too much away, the film does improve slightly in the final few scenes. The idea behind the end point is a good one on the 50th anniversary. Unfortunately the way Bond gets there makes no sense and it feels horribly forced.
This is a massive step back from the gritty realism of the brilliant ‘Casino Royale’. People who say this is the best Bond ever should have their head examined. It is at best marginally better than the disastrous ‘Quantum of Solace’. Give it a miss.
3/10
Kate Moss: I Was Forced To Pose Topless
Kate Moss has told Vanity Fair that she suffered a nervous breakdown after being pushed into posing topless. The model also said she was in tears after being forced to pose topless and that she had no one to look after her apart from when she dated Johnny Depp.
Moss told Vanity Fair magazine that she felt uncomfortable on the shoot with The Face magazine with photographer Corinne Day which made her famous.
I see a 16-year-old now, and to ask her to take her clothes off would feel really weird,’ Moss said.
‘But they were like “If you don’t do it, then we’re not going to book you again”. So I’d lock myself in the toilet and cry and then come out and do it. I never felt very comfortable about it.’
The supermodel said that she suffered mental health problems while working for Calvin Klein in the early 1990s.
‘I had a nervous breakdown when I was 17 or 18, when I had to go and work with Marky Mark and Herb Ritts,’
‘It didn’t feel like me at all. I felt really bad about straddling this buff guy. I didn’t like it. I couldn’t get out of bed for two weeks. I thought I was going to die.’
She went on: ‘It was just anxiety. Nobody takes care of you mentally. There’s a massive pressure to do what you have to do.’
Moss also said that after she broke up with Johnny Depp she ‘cried for years’.
What do you think?
What To Expect When You’re Expecting: The Workout
The pregnancy workout based on Heidi Murkoff’s best-selling pregnancy guide;WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING!
Stay fit & firm throughout your pregnancy with cardio, stretch, and strength workouts…
What To Expect When You’re Expecting: The Workout is the ultimate pregnancy exercise programme designed to help you fit fitness into all nine months of your pregnancy and is out for the first time on DVD 26th December (RRP £17.99). With six 10-minute mix-and-match routines, you can customise your workout to fit your fitness level, your mood and your growing body from day to day, week to week and trimester to trimester.
Workouts include: 3x Cardio, 2x Strength and 1x Stretch & Relax – plus bonus workouts you can do anywhere, anytime*…
CARDIO:
BAREFOOT & PREGNANT: Enjoy this gentle Pilates-based workout that focuses on balance, muscle strength and circulation.
BABY BUMP BOOT CAMP: Back-to-basics training to build stamina and strength for a healthier pregnancy.
BABY STEPS: Bust some baby moves with this fun, easy-to-follow dance routine.
STRENGTH:
CUTE TO THE CORE: Fight aches, pains, and flab while keeping your abs and hips strong and toned with Pilates-based moves.
BUNS IN THE OVEN: Target-tone your buns with this total-body workout designed to firm up your legs, buns and thighs.
STRETCH & RELAX:
MIND, BODY & BABY: Practice gentle yoga moves to help rejuvenate your aching body and tight muscles.
BONUS FEATURES:
• Working This Workout
• Exercise Smarts
• Your Main Squeeze
• Workstation Workout
• Bouncing Baby Ball
*Weights, a yoga mat, and a pillow are recommended
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING: THE WORKOUT Disc Details
· Released: 26th December 2012
· RRP: £17.99
· Run Time: 60mins (TBC)
· Cat number: LGD94953
· Barcode: 5060223768120
· Copyright line: Programme Content and Photography: © 2012 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Package Design © 2012 Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK. All Rights Reserved.
ALSO AVAILABLE: What To Expect When You’re Expecting the hit comedy about facing the challenges of impending parenthood starring Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Chris Rock and Matthew Morrison out to rent and own on DVD and Blu-ray now!
STEP UP MIAMI HEAT: DANCE WORKOUT
An all-new, super-charged series of four fun dance workouts featuring moves from the hit film, Step Up Miami Heat. Learn the energising moves, step by step, before putting the entire routine together for an all-out performance to the actual songs from the movie. Once you’ve got it, turn up the volume and shake your hips to Latin Groove and Latin Hip-Hop Fusion, and get funky as you work it out to Hip-Hop and Hip-Hop Jam. From the living room to the dance floor, these are moves that you can do anywhere – and no partner required!
HIP-HOP JAM
Sweat it out to a fusion of various dance styles from the movie for a heart-pumping cardio hip-hop workout
LATIN HIP-HOP FUSION
Featuring an energising mix of Hip-Hop, Afro-Cuban and Samba, you’ll work your entire body with arm and body combos and core-firming moves
LATIN GROOVE
Spice up the dance floor with Salsa and Mambo-inspired moves that work your core, hips and thighs
HIP-HOP
Get your heart pumping with this fun fusion of Hip-Hop and street dance that sculpts your core, arms, legs and booty
· Released: 26th December 2012
· RRP: £15.99
· Run Time: 87 Minutes Approx.