After having overslept and missed an entire film starring Dame Julie Andrews and James Garner this morning, I tried to make up for it by watching a couple of films during the evening. I started off with The Importance of Being Earnest, a highly overdue second viewing, and then moved on to Shakespeare in Love, the latter idea brought on by spotting a framed picture I've had standing on the floor in front of my bookshelves for a couple of years now. The picture is one from the film in question, and it's autographed by some of the actors involved. Well, I've never actually believed the autographs to be genuine, I just thought it would look nice on my wall back when I bought it. However, something drove me to investigating a bit further today, and I'm starting to believe the autographs may very well be bona fide, otherwise they've made an enormous effort in forging the signature for a meager amount of money. Roaming the 'Net for photos of their autographs, I happened upon Ellen's autograph site which proved to be very interesting, as she's made a list of all the celebs she's written to, stating the dates of when she sent the letter and when she received a reply. There are also scans of the photos and autographs she has received, and my favourite was the one she got from Richard Curtis. (You should see this for a laugh!)

Now, what's the common denominator for the two films I have watched today? Actually, there are four of them: Dame Judi Dench, Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Tom Wilkinson - speaking of whom, am I the only one who thinks he is absolutely brilliant? No matter what role he takes on, he does it so well. The same with Geoffrey Rush. I'm so in awe of those two.

And on that note, I'd better get ready for a short night's sleep before heading for the snowy landscape that is Oslo at the moment. Friday was marvellous; as I was walking home from the tube through the rather windy and snowy weather, I noticed that (possibly due to the mini blizzard) no one had used the pavement on which I was walking for at least an hour, and there was velvety snow everywhere. Quite beautiful. But snow is beautiful, until the cars rev up and spew out their toxins. Hollywood snow isn't very real, unfortunately, but on Friday they might as well have filmed Christmas with the Kranks there. Ooh, I saw the trail for that film earlier this month and was slightly embarrassed. I liked the book a lot (quite different from the other books Grisham has written), but the film looks as if it's going to be totally screwball, which I hate. Looks like I have to go back to my old impression of Tim Allen - he was superb in Galaxy Quest but I've never liked him in anything else. Oh, well. I'm not the one losing my money on that film.

Current track: Depeche Mode - Freelove (DJ Muggs Remix) (awfully out of key - erlack!)

Labels: colin firth, film, geoffrey rush, james garner, literature, tom wilkinson

I suddenly find myself in the middle of a long discussion about suicide on IMDb of all places. Why do I keep letting myself getting lured into those? Stupid me.

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: personal

I love that programme, Q.I. with Stephen Fry.

Another thing that's quite interesting, is the fact that in this year's Norwegian Test the Nation (Test nasjonen) which ended just five minutes ago, a Swede had the highest IQ among the studio guests. :-) Also quite interesting that the smartest person there had a lower IQ than the rehearsal's "winner". Tut, tut.

Current track: Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink - Lady Marmalade (Thunderpuss Mix)

Labels: TV

Last Tuesday ten years of great comedy from the overpaid Friends lot ended, as we finally got to see the last episode. Kind of sad, really, since I've practically gone from a tormented teenager to a responsible adult with a mortgage while watching that series. No more clapping during the intro music. Too bad I've never found Friends to be funny during the repeats. That is strange, actually, since I thought it was very funny the first time I watched an episode. Mad About You is different. I must have watched that series three times. Same with M*A*S*H and Cheers (Frasier is not that funny the second or third time around, though). I don't get it.

Last night, however, I did something very interesting (for once?) - I went to the rehearsal of tonight's live show Test the Nation. I watched it last year (based on the British version...or original? Not entirely sure about that one.) and remember becoming increasingly annoyed at the constant reassurance from the experts and hosts that it's not the end of the world if you got a low score, because there's been lots of proof that a lower IQ not necessarily means that you won't succeed and yadi-yadi-yada. That's just so typical of this country. It's been like that within our school system for decades now. Apparently it's vital that everyone is at the same level. This means that those who are having trouble learning things get all the help in the world. Those of us who actually got it the first time around get no follow-up, no special classes, no extra work or anything. This policy goes with the highly popular "dissing" of those who actually excel in their studies; the norm is to be against all kinds of school and homework, and those who think learning new things is interesting are "nerds", "geeks" and looked upon as outcasts.

And after that rant, guess which side I'm on. ;-)

Anyway, back to the rehearsal. Now, I'm not allowed to say anything specific about the questions or the flow of the programme until it has aired, but I can say that I experienced some of the clichés of television. The studio was smaller than it looks on telly. The hosts looked bigger (meaning they were actually normal height, not hobbits). The studio WAS hot because of all the lights, and the lights WERE annoying at times. Also, I got to see how many people are actually in the studio when filming; there were more cameras than I expected. And the last and most annoying thing: I've always been cross with those guests that keep looking into the lens of the camera as it pans the studio. Well, to my dismay I discovered that it's not that easy to stay away from looking straight at it, if even for a second or two. I feel dumb.

Most importantly, though - today is this blog's first birthday, so Happy Birthday, Blog! It started out as a diary of my insane dreams, but the second I started it my dreams disappeared. So I made this instead. Luckily.

Current track: Udit Narayan & Lata Mangeshkar - Dil to pagal hai

Labels: comedy, Norway, personal, TV

Look, Colin, if you don't think of yourself as a sex symbol, stop posing for pictures, you fool!

Ah. Yes, well... Just got home from watching Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, which was fun, but not over-the-top-ha-ha-ha kind of fun. I was sort of thinking I'd seen most of it before. That said, any romantic romp starring Colin Firth is worth a second glance, and it had some brilliant moments. All in all I definitely liked the film and will buy it on DVD when it's released. (This isn't such a signet of quality as I suggest by this last sentence, as I have bought quite a few iffy films as well. Like...uhmm...Red Planet. Hey, Terence Stamp is in it; of course I had to own it! And being a fan of William Hurt's has led me to acquiring all sorts of slightly questionable additions to my collection over the years. Tut, tut.)

Another (non-iffy) addition to that very collection arrived in the post today: The newest Harry Potter film. Knowing me, I won't even bother to unwrap it until...oh, I don't know, Christmas, I suppose, if I'm bored. Haven't actually watched any of the extras on the previous DVD yet! Did, strangely enough, watch all of the extras on the Spider-man 2 DVD during the weekend, though - after all, it features this year's coolest villain: Doc Ock, AKA Alfred Molina.

Current track: Comedy Tonight (from the 1996 Broadway version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)

Labels: alfred molina, colin firth, film, william hurt

You have got to be joking!

Current track: Nothing

Labels: personal

Queer Eye for The Straight Guy returned today, after a terrible few weeks with the awful, Norwegian version of the programme. Actually, I boycotted the whole series so can't really say that it was really bad, other than bringing hearsay into it: All of my friends thought it was a dreadful copy of the original and should be avoided at all cost. Now, I love watching Wife Swap (the original, Channel 4 series), and they've made a Norwegian version of that one as well, which starts next week. I am so scared. The next thing they'll target is probably Faking it, another favourite of mine. Grr...

However, watching the Fab Five again made me forget for a little while that we have to once again remember which country we live in, as this arrived during a few hours yesterday evening:


It's not much, just four or five inches of snow, but the problem is they've got this weird way of plowing the snow which makes the pavement quite dangerous to walk on; the snow is so compact and smooth it works much the same way as ice, and I guess a lot of us know what it's like to try walking on ice. Especially when in a hurry, which I am most mornings, ahem.

Current track: Elton John - All That I'm Allowed

Labels: Norway, TV

Once again - I seriously think people should be thoroughly tested before getting pregnant to see if they're fit as parents: This evil, evil man may be facing the death penalty - I'm against the death penalty, though. And in this case he'll get what he deserves only through a lifetime in prison.


Current track: Travis - Why Does it Always Rain on Me?

Labels: current affairs

Well, many of you tried, at least. (Click on "Gallery")

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: current affairs, humour

What the hell is the matter with these people? And now, by voting for Bush, you obviously want more of this? Come on, everyone, let's build a new colony on some other planet, because this one is done for. Let Bush and his minions do what they want down here and the rest of us will run for our lives.

Current track: Elton John - The One

Labels: current affairs

And what's sad about it, is that what the Americans thought was the most important reason for them to vote for Bush, was morals. As we know, the Republicans are having a hard time moving into the 20th century, let alone the 21st! I think you'd love to have our Prime Minister (we certainly don't); he is an ordained priest and that makes Norway the only country beside Iran to have a member of the clergy as its supreme leader. Brilliant. The difference between him and Bush is that our guy constantly kisses someone's arse, while Bush doesn't know that there are other countries out there. Oh, except Iraq and Afghanistan, of course. But the way this is going there isn't going to be any Iraq and Afghanistan in four years' time.

I honestly thought the Americans were smarter and less bigot than this, but unfortunately this just proves every single description of the stereotypical American. Oh, and Sarah Michelle Gellar called Americans stupid on telly the other day, so then it must be true, right? *winks* Anyway, about half of the US is welcome to stay at my place, the rest of them are probably boarding up their houses now anyway, in case the Evil Foreigners (like, the French) come to rob them of their morals (not that they would want that kind of morals). If you come next year you could follow our elections, by the way. This is one of those countries that follow the "one vote actually counts as one vote" system.

What a devastating setback for the world. It just gets more dangerous now.

Current track: Nothing.

Labels: current affairs

You know I have to do this. If you're an American, please vote today. I hope you realise that if you don't, you have no right to bitch and moan for the next four years. It's much like being put under guardianship, really.

And of course, I'd like for you to vote for Kerry. :-)

Current track: Pink Floyd - Learning to Fly

Labels: current affairs