Caio

I'm all packed up to go on vacation for a few days. Normal service will resume upon my return.

Wanted: Why is Ruskie trailer better?

I'm going to take it as read that everyone here has seen a trailer or two for the slick Angelina Jolie comic-book action movie Wanted. It does look like a superb yet not-uncommon shoot 'em up!

So why is it that the Russian trailer makes this look like one of the best action movies of the decade? Have a look, and if you're enlightened? Tell me!

For anyone who has ever got a speeding ticket!

Classic 2IGTV Episode 1

Back in the summer of 2005, two brave souls embarked on a podcasting adventure that would see them in just 3 years- transform the genre of user created content on the World Wide Web for all eternity and create dozens of fans worldwide.

Join the lads when Mark was far more enthusiastic about things and Whopper was still a Colonel as they discuss the entertainment landscape of a simpler time in a style... ...that come to think of it; hasn't really changed considerably.

Download it now.

Discuss this episode in our forums.

HAPPY LUCAS DAY **Updated**

It's God's Birthday, rejoice!!Lucas day was well celebrated with M&Ms and assorted chocolate. A shrine by way of a picture and action figures of Darth Vader and Indiana Jones were displayed to represent his greatest creations.

Happy 64th George

More G.I.Joe Character Shots *Updated Info*

I actually had most of these last month but Paramount had other blogs that posted them "cease and desist." Now as you know I'm afraid of no one and I have a major arsenal of high tech weaponary, but there's no way I could withstand the onslaught of a Paramount Lawyer after seeing what happened to those good people who posted pictures of Optimus Prime 2 years ago. Ouch!

We've already seen Snake Eyes and Scarlett, so here are some of the other character shots for the forthcoming G.I.Joe movie.

(Left) Ripcord (Marlon Wayans of Scary Movie and White Chicks)

















(Right) Heavy Duty (Adewale Akinnuoye -Agbaj of Lost and Oz)

(Left) Breaker (Saïd Taghmaoui of Vantage Point and Sleeper Cell)













(Right) Duke (Channing Tatum - Star of Step Up and Stop Loss)















(Left) General Hawk (Dennis Quaid)
















(Right) The Baroness (Seinna Miller)
















(Below) Destro (Christopher Eccleston of Dr. Who fame)

(Below) Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee of Hero)

As you can see, these do not look like the comic-book characters and toys you grew up with. Why, because this needs at least some foundation in realism. You can't have a covert counter-terrorist unit on a modern battlefield wearing whatever they wanted, it's fine for cartoon or comic-book land but not in a live action picture. It wouldn't have even worked for the X-Men either, that's why they had uniforms. The military use body armour and uniforms, deal with it. There are a lot of nay-sayers "complaining" about the look of the characters already, these are the same imbiciles who complained about the aforementioned Optimus Prime having flames painted on him. ALL of those people fell silent once the movie became the greatest of the decade. I'm sure they'll be proved just as wrong when G.I.Joe is released in Aug 2009.

Additional Information provided by Janet H.

The End Of An Era - So Long Bertie!

One of the greatest and most memorable periods in Irish political history came to an end on Tuesday as the last of the great Charlie Haughy's cabinet, An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today tendered his resignation after 11 years in office, which made him one of Europe's longest-serving leaders.

Bertie handed in his seal of office to President McAleese after spending his final day in the post at the site of the historic Battle of the Boyne. He joined outgoing Northern Ireland First Minister Ian Paisley for the joint opening of the iconic Battle of the Boyne site in Co. Louth. The site has been developed by Bertie's government as a reconciliation project, helping to forge a friendship between Bertie and Paisley and thaw relations between unionists and nationalists on the island.

Paisley, who is also stepping down later this month after decades at the turbulent frontline of Northern Irish politics said he believed Bertie would make a good Irish president. "I think that probably he will be a candidate for the presidency," he told RTE radio. "After all he has done he deserves to be the president of the country."

Bertie was elected Taoiseach in 1997 and won three successive general elections as head of a coalition government overseeing an unprecedented decade-long economic boom, earning long-ailing Ireland the "Celtic Tiger" moniker.

Along with then British prime minister Tony Blair, he helped seal the landmark 1998 Good Friday agreement for Northern Ireland. The peace accord steered the province away from decades of violence between Protestants and Catholics and led to the restoration of a power-sharing administration in Belfast one year ago Thursday.

Before handing in his resignation, Ahern said his contribution to a peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in neighbouring Northern Ireland was his "proudest achievement."

"I thank God that we have closed the bloody chapters in our history and opened a new book of reconciliation and renewal," Bertie wrote in The Irish Times newspaper. He also called for the Irish to vote "Yes" to the European Union's key Lisbon Treaty in a June 12 referendum, which will provide the incoming Taoiseach Brian "Biffo" Cowen with his first major test in office.

There is also speculation that Bertie might run for the post of EU president -- which would be created by the Lisbon Treaty. He will remain as head of the government formally until later today, Cowen will be elected his successor in the Dail. Bertie is also expected to hand over the Top-Secret Irish section of the UNETIDA "Go-Codes" to Lieutenan Colonel "Whopper" Creedon before Biffo assumes control.

Sources:Various Media Sources.

IRON MAN - Full Review

You wait 2o years for something like an Iron Man movie to become a reality and when it finally does and exceeds your expectations - the rush is incredible.

Jon Favreau seemed the most unlikely director for a multi-million Marvel movie, the first that the Comic book publisher would fund and produce itself. There was a lot riding on this; they took a big gamble and now it's paid off.

IRON MAN ROCKS!!!

Favreau selected key points, character's and events from Tony Stark and Iron Man's comic book past, reformed it in his own way and recreated an origin story using celluloid magic. He proved that he was a serious fan and was very faithful to the 40 year history of the character.

The characters are a hodgepodge collection from the comic books, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, Stark's PA and Driver respectively from the 70's comics played most satisfactorily by Gwyneth Paltrow and Jon Favreau himself. Obidiah Stane, the villain of the piece from the 80's run played by a smooth headed Jeff Bridges an even a cameo from The Ultimate version of Nick Fury from this decades books run played by Samuel L. Jackson. Terence Howard delivers a good performance as Rhodey but Robert Downey Jr. drink-in-hand with spot-on comic timing steals the show pulling of a 100% perfect performance as Anthony Stark who as a care-free playboy, gets the wake-up call of a lifetime.

All of the $186m it took to make this movie is on the screen, it's impossible to tell where Stan Winston's recreation of Adi Granov's Iron Man armour design stops and the CGI begins. The music is an exceptional work of art in itself being delivered by Ramin Djawadi and they even worked in a jazzed up version the old Iron Man cartoon theme!

It's not a fault, but this movie is obviously just the first of what I'm sure Marvel hope to be a long franchise with obvious allusions towards The Mandarin "hidden" in the name of the terrorist organisation and Rhodey's eye catching the Mark II armor which by little stretch of the imagination could be War Machine. But it's Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s appearance here (and Tony Stark's appearance in the forthcoming The Incredible Hulk) that has the most ramifications for a glorious future of dozens of interconnected Marvel movies that take place in the same universe - the world will never be the same now that Marvel have full control over their own productions.

Final Verdict: On the strength of his debut movie, Iron Man has been catapulted to the top place in a long line of Marvel movies, surpassing in greatness even 2nd sequels to Blade, X-Men and even Spider-Man. It's quite simply the greatest Marvel Super Hero Movie ever.

Colonel Creedon Rating: *****+

I've seen Iron Man!

I've no time to collect my thoughts on this now, my mind is racing from seeing this incredible movie and I'm suffering from lack of sleep from being so excited. I wanna see it again! My review later will be positive.

For those who are going to see it this weekend: Stay until after the end credits for the cameo I spoke of last June for a "warning" about the Marvel movies of the future!

OMG!!! Iron Man a mere 2.5 hours away!!!!

*rocks back and forth dribbling*

His Excellency: Bertie Ahern

I'll admit I laughed when House Speaker Nanci Pelosi introduced the "THAY-shock" (LOL - Bloody Democrats) Bertie Ahern as "His Excellency"? Lucas! Heh! I'm still laughing. Bertie? But seriously, is Bertie not excellent? of course he is!

"His Excellency" proceeded to give the greatest speech of his career, one of his presumed final acts on the world stage. He hailed ties between Ireland and the United States and looked back on the peace he helped craft in Northern Ireland. "After decades of conflict, I am so proud to be the first Irish leader to inform the United States Congress that Ireland is at peace," he said.

Bertie spoke at a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, he said Ireland and the United States have a relationship forged by generations of Irish immigrants. "To be an Irishman among Americans is to be at home," he said.

[Left: Lt.Colonel "Whopper" Creedon listening intently as living history is made]

Bertie is widely credited with helping to achieve the Good Friday peace accord of 1998 for the neighboring British territory of Northern Ireland and for overseeing the longest economic expansion in Ireland's history.

The Taoiseach was to meet President Bush on Wednesday afternoon as well. That visit comes barely a month after he was last in the White House to meet the Commander In Chief for St. Patrick's Day.

Bertie also will be guest of honor at a congressional lunch hosted by the Friends of Ireland group in the House of Representatives.

Source: AP