Dr Who - Season 6 ep 1 (TV)

Dr Who has finally returned to our screens with MATT SMITH returning as The Doctor for a new series, which proves to be even better than the last.

Season 6 started off with The Doctor misbehaving through time and eventually gathering Amy (Karen Gillan) Rory (Arthur Darvill) and the excellent River Song (Alex Kingston) and then talks about going to America in 1966. 

In case I spoil anything I'm not going to say what happened in the episode but it involved the Dr's amazing ability to befriend someone, this time President Nixon, into trusting him to save someone. 

We found out the president has been receiving direct phone calls by a little girl asking for his help because "The Spaceman" is coming to get her.

Smith received a lot of stick and criticism when he was named as the 11th Doctor. 

People thought that he could not match DAVID TENNANT; who made his version of The Doctor something that every fan fell in love with instantly.

Matt proved everyone wrong from his 1st episode, which aired last year, by bringing to the table a feisty funny Doctor that ultimately surprised everyone. 

Since then people have stopped comparing him to David due to the fact that the new seasons, and the style it has given its self, is completely different  to the other newer seasons. But with new writers and directors this was bound to happen. 

I know people that have said David's series were much more "kiddy" than the new ones which are being dubbed a "serious" Sci-fi TV show. 

This is taking it back to its roots in a way as back in the day, Dr Who was a well respected Sci-fi epic.

In true Dr Who style it has not only left a giant cliffhanger in the very first episode, but it also looks to be providing a series of confusing, exiting and highly entertaining episodes.

Last season the show started off with a crack in a wall, they progressed with this crack throughout the season. It seems that this may be what they are doing with this season as well, with another massively shocking and twisting story.

I for one can't wait for next weeks show, I cant wait for the rest of the season to be honest.

Dr Who just gets better and better.

Season 6 Episode 1:

5stars!!

The Collector (Film)

The Collector follows the story of a young man seeking money to give to his ex-wife, to pay off some loan sharks. He plans a heist at his employers country house in order to obtain this money, unaware that another person has also targeted the house, and rigged the whole house with booby traps.

Even with it's very simple storyline of "don't trip that wire or that chandelier equipped with sharp knives will fall on you" and it's even simpler characters like "stay behind me....oh wait she's running up the stairs...oh now she be stabbed" it is quite an enjoyable film.

From the writers of Saw IV, V and VI, I expected this sort of gruesome tale along with relentless torture but The Collector stayed clear of it's brother films and focussed on the art of a straight forward "survivor film".

The main character, a man who is just desperate to help his loved ones, is caught in something that, had he decided to steal another night, he would have never known about.
The opening of the film sees a couple return home drunk from a night out to find a box in their room with a note on top saying "for collection". The older man opens the box, looks scared and then arms appear around his face and we cut to black. We then, from start to finish, follow the main man in his attempt to rob the house but then change his ways and save a survivor trapped within surrounded by these deadly traps.

A strong opening introducing something that is very thick to the storyline later is something that Saw fans will see at the beginning of every film. It sets in stone what is to come, which I like! and it's ability to keep you watching is quite amazing considering there is no scenery change.

The characters are quite predictable. The hero and the villain have your typical rivalry. A good young girl and a rebellious teenager that annoys her parents and the ex-wife who still demands money........
Some of the traps lack "Sawness" in my eyes. There is one torture scene in which a man's tooth is chiselled out but that is all..... oh..... and a mouth is sewn closed but we have seen all that before in Saw so it was all a bit "yeah.....what else"?
Staying on traps I am not denying that they were imaginative e.g. a floor of bear traps, a room of hanging fish hooks and a phone with a pin attached to the earpiece. I'm just saying that they could have been used a bit more.

The concept of the film I thought was the best thing. A robber getting caught, by the wrong person, and suddenly becoming the hero saving a young girl from a mask wearing weird person.

I remember hearing last year when this came out (June 2010) that The Collector was pitched as a Saw prequel. I am so glad that they did not follow up on that because I think that It would not have succeeded had come into the world as a little baby Saw.

Overall an enjoyable film with a frankly perfect twist and a creepy ending that leave you quite satisfied.
Do not watch expecting it to be like Saw as it serves well as a stand alone film.
Worth a watch with friends one night with some popcorn and a pizza but watching it alone can really give the feeling that someone is in the house with you.

4 Stars!

Devil (Film)

Watched M.Night Shyamalan's: Devil today :)

Put 5 people in a lift and one of them is bound to be the devil.......or the one who made that smell.

What a brilliant film.
Perfect directing and a flawless story meant that Devil, though short, provided scares, confusion and gave an ending that I never saw coming at all.
The length of the film and it's quick succession killing meant that there was never really a character to side with or believe in, yet I still found it very enjoyable.

Only a month after directing the disappointing: The Last Airbender, Devil hit cinemas and it seems that Shyamalan could be winning back the fans he has recently lost.

The film may have been a bit different if M. Night directed it as well but the fact that the story came from him is good enough for me.

4 Stars.

Mr Big: What If...

Whether you know who Mr Big are or you don't there is one thing for certain, they are the most underrated Hard Rock band of all time and if you are one of the people that haven't heard of them..... you are totally missing out and I URGE you to download something of theirs NOW!!

Mr Big, although underrated, have a massive reputation that their true fans look at though; Billy Sheehan's amazing bass licks that can penetrate the soul, Paul Gilbert's ability to shred a sound so Godly that it could melt a face, Pat Torpey's uncanny ability to drum the way he does and make it look easy or Eric Martin's one of a kind voice. That said their reputation is something, in my opinion, that no other band can match. Richie Kotze replaced Paul Gilbert in 1999 but their albums since then seemed to lack what Mr Big truly were.

Mr Big broke up in 2002 but came back in 2009 for a reunion.

With a string of brilliant songs and tremendous albums, Mr Big have managed to keep their very unique style throughout their career and after listening to their new album "What If" their still 'Alive and Kicking'


The album takes some of their old fast paced style and mixes it with some new solid riffs and awesome lyrics. Every song on the album is different too which makes it a joy to listen to.

What If is an amazing come back album and the fact they brought Paul Gilbert back for it makes it a hell of a lot better!!

The thing I always find when listening to them is that I never want the song to end and they achieved this feeling with the new album to a great success. I completely recommend getting a hold of all of Mr Big work including What If as it is a brilliant album that is far to good to miss.

5 Stars!!

The Overtones: Good Ol' Fashioned Love

The Overtones are a five piece British-Irish-Doo-Wop band from London and formed in early 2010.

Members Mark Franks, Mike Crawshaw, Darren Everest and Timmy Matley were the original group and were greatly inspired by 1950s DooWop and when they found 5th member Lachie Chapman they all connected

They started off as a painting and decorating company that was made only so they could all practice together in one place, discovered by a passing by talent scout for Warner Bros Records The Overtones really began. They then signed a multi album contract with Warner Bros Records.
Since the release of their debut album Good Ol' Fashioned Love they have been making appearances supporting Peter Andre on his tour and at the Abbey Park fireworks display in Leicester along with many TV appearances.
Good Ol' Fashioned Love came 40th in the UK Album Chart on its release on November 1st 2010 and had 5,371 sales in its 1st week.

I listened to the album thoroughly and it has to be one of the greatest albums I've heard in a while.
It's uplifting style and its success on capturing some of the best doo-wop songs of the 50s makes it perfect.
I couldn't help but bop along and even listen to each song more than once. Much like Newton Faulkner these guys have created themselves a style and genre that is completely different to anything else that is out these days.
All in all A brilliant debut album by who I think can become the greatest band of 2011. I look forward to their next albums and I recommend downloading Good Ol' Fashioned Love or going out and buying it, it is well worth a listen.

5 Stars!