Final Vegas Video

We're long back from Vegas, but just uploaded one more video to YouTube...

Bus Tour of Vegas Strip

As it was such a nice day today, we decided to do an open top bus tour of the strip. Theviews were fantastic, unfortunately the guided tour left a lot to be desired!

Mirage Volcano and Fire Show

The Mirage Hotel has updated is tame Volcano show to now add dancing fire!


If the above video is in 3D, then just click the 3D button to turn it off.
To get better quality video click the 360p and choose a higher number.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Today we went back to the Grand Canyon, but again to do something different, the new Skywalk. The Skywalk is a glass bridge dangling 4000ft over the edge of the Grand Canyon! You put on some very stylish slippers and shuffle round very carefully, gripping the railing very tight!

• See all the Canyon photos here...
• See all the Skywalk photos here...

Freemont Street Zipline

After a full day of shopping, we used to car to all pop up to Freemont Street for the evening. We had a gorgeous buffet at the Golden Nugget. Freemont is also famous for its full length TV screen spanning the roof of the street, but there is also a new attraction, a zipline that runs down half the length. Barry was mad enough to have a go, watch the video!

Hoover Dam

Today for a change of pace we decided to hire a car and all four of us head to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. We left the razzle dazzle and noise of Vegas behind and after a short 40 minute car ride we arrived in Boulder City. The damn itself is colossal and we went on the power plant tour, 400ft into the dam. Fact fun of the day: the dam itself contains enough concrete to make a 4ft wide pavement/sidewalk around the equator of the world!

• See all the photos here...

Our final stop of the day was the Vegas sign!

Fountains and Village People

During the day yesterday we went down the strip to Circus Circus and Riviera. Today we went up the strip to Monte Carlo, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Tropicana and MGM Grand. Needless to say we're a bit knackered, as thats a whole lot of walking!

3 stories of crystals inside Cosmopolitan hotel

In the evening Ray and I went to watch the Bellagio fountains, while Barry and Beryl went to see the Village People!

If the above video is in 3D, then just click the 3D button to turn it off.
To get better quality video click the 360p and choose a higher number.

Puss in Boots 3D Movie Review

Following in Shrek's rather large footprints comes this Puss in Boots spin off. The characters aren't quite as loveable as Shrek with Paws and Humpty trying to support Puss, but failing. The story is a twist of Jack and the Beanstalk, and Jack and Jill and going after the Golden Goose, with cross and double cross. Its well animated, as some visual jokes to laugh up, but ultimately falls a bit short. Not even the 3D is that great, which is unusual for an animated film.

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.pussinbootsthemovie.com

Price is Right LIVE!

We fancied doing something different today, so went to the Price is Right LIVE at Bally's to see Jerry Springer do his thing! The show was exactly as seen on TV, we didn't get called, but the woman in front of us did and she won $300 (bitch). The final showcase showdown wasn't won, but it would have been a poker set, Xbox 360 with Rock Band, cruise to Mexico, holiday to Hawaii and a car! Blimey!!! The whole audience was nuts, just shouting and screaming out prices. We were a bit tiddly on some very alcoholic slushies!

Phantom of the Opera

This evening we all headed to Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian for Beryl and Ray's christmas present! I did sneak a couple of illegal photos of the chandelier, but for some reason the stupid camera hasn't actually got them saved! So you'll just have to imagine a very large one floating round the room! Needless to say this show it still fantastic in it's custom build theatre.

Immortals Film Review

Billed as a Clash of the Titans killer, this film still felt lacking. All the big action set pieces are in the trailer, leaving the rest of the film to trudging around from set piece to set piece. The action is sparse and brief and there are no mystical creatures, even the gods are nothing special. Very disappointing as the trailer made the film look spectacular. Clash remains the superior film.

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 7 out of 10

http://www.immortalsmovie.com

We're in Vegas!

Well we're in Sin City again, with Beryl and Ray coming along for the ride! We're staying at Planet Hollywood, they're at Imperial Palace. Today is a recovery day!

• See all the photos here...

In Time Film Review

The premise for this movie is a new twist. Everyone lives until they are 25, they then stop ageing, but a one year clock starts on their arm, and at the end of that year you die unless you earn more time. As another kick in the face, you also have to buy everything with the time you have less, with a coffee clocking in at 4 minutes off your life! Its a story of the rich getting richer and living forever and the poor getting poorer and dying at around 25. An unknown slum boy, Timberlake, is given over 100 years by someone from the elite rich, who has had enough of living forever. The Time Police then spend the rest of the film trying to track Timberlake down as he crosses zones, using vast sums of time to eventually end up in the elite zone, trying to trick a million year man owner out of his time and distributing it to the poor. A modern day telling of Robin Hood then. A very interesting idea for a film, slow, but thought provoking.

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.intimemovie.com

Gang Comes to Visit

On Friday night, Barry and I head over to Gareth and Sarah's for an all you can eat Budda chinese! The Lewingtons have been delayed!

After a false start with Charlotte being ill on Friday night, the Lewingtons finally arrive on Saturday morning. We head to the ice rink and bowling. Then head back home movies, pizza and fireworks!

• See all the photos here...

Contagion Movie Review

Slow creeping thriller about how a deadly virus spreads through the human population and kills millions. Spreading paranoia and fear, with people in a lottery for the eventual vaccine. The movie follows the virus from day three, which seems bizarre at first, but it follows is spreading, scientists trying to find a cure and eventually full circle to a surprising starting point. I enjoyed watching the mystery unravelling slowly, but Barry found it too slow.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 5 out of 10

http://contagionmovie.warnerbros.com/

Garden Project #3 - Gazebo Painted

6 years of dirt and moss, jet washed off and painted to match the purple slate.

Real Steel Film Review

While this film sounds like a good idea on paper, giant future robot boxing, its actually a father/son reunion story with a few robot fights thrown in. Jackman stars as a down and washed out boxer who was replaced by robot boxers, who now fights loosing battles in underground rings. That is until his estranged wife dies and leaves an annoying little son! Loser dad and whiny son then find underpowered robot and of course rise to the top, but not quite as you expect. Some of the father/son moments are slightly touching, the rest are sickening. The robot fights, which are too few, are excellent and some of the final bouts quite tense. However this is a movie by numbers and quite predictable, which is a shame as it could have been so much more if it had gone more sci-fi rather than a drama.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 7 out of 10

http://steelgetsreal.com/

Garden Project #2 - Clearance

After the tropical weekend, I was dodging in between rain showers today to clear the garden.

Warrior Movie Review

A very similar story to Fighter of two brothers in a broken home who grow up to be mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters. Tommy played by Hardy moved away when younger, because of their drunk father. His estranged brother stayed with his dad. Both hate their dad. Both end up fighting, one for a fallen war comrade, one to pay their mortgage, both ending up in the finals (as ruined in the trailer). This starts out as a slow burner setting the scene, but by the fight scenes at end becomes very tense and you really feel for them both. This would have been a much better film had the fact they kept the brother bit secret until the end, which they could have quite easily done.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 7 out of 10

http://www.warriorfilm.com/

Shark Night 3D Film Review

If you are expecting a serious film, like the people behind us we heard muttering coming out of the cinema, then you're going to be disappointed. If you are expecting a silly jump munching bloody fest, like Piranha 3D, then you're spot on! A group of fit college kids goto their parents summer house in the middle of nowhere, on a lake filled with man eating sharks, all controlled by some red neck freaks filming the deaths for a website. Perfect! Complete over the top shark munching fun, anyone expecting anything else is kidding themselves!

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1633356/

Garden Project #1 - Decking Finally Painted!!

We originally jet washed the decking off way back in May, hoping for a few nice weekends that never materialised. Its now almost October and we finally get some sunny days in a row, decking painted!!

Before vs. After

Killer Elite Movie Review

Jason Statham needs to be a little more careful in the films he is making. He is know for action/chop 'em ups like Crank, Transporter and Expendables, but after Blitz and this effort both lacking his trademark moves you come away very disappointed. Apparently this is based on a true story of an exiled oil sheik wanting revenge on member of the SAS who killed three of his sons in various wars. Statham is hired as the hitman to go after the SAS and try and make the assassinations look like accidents. The film sounds exciting, but never actually really gets going, we both almost left/fell asleep. Very disappointing.


Ben 4 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.killerelite.com

Eurogamer Expo 2011

Today we went to Eurogamer Expo in Earls Court, London. We played all the new 3DS games such as Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Kid Icarus, Metal Gear Solid 3D and also had a bash on Wii Zelda Skyward Sword. There was loads of other stuff there on 360/PS3, but not really interested in all of that. Right at the back of Earls Court was also a Retro Zone with the original big brick GameBoy right through all the generations.

• See all the photos here...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Film Review

Considering this is supposedly from a best selling novel, either the film adaptation was awful or the source book was! One of the longest feeling, most drawn out films we've seen in ages. I think the film assumed you knew who people were as it just started referencing them straight out the door, so you get a bit lost. The film jumps around quite a bit, with odd glances here and strange things happening there, and again you're not quite sure if any of it is relevant to the story. For a spy movie it's really slow, with no action at all. It gradually works its way round the top 5 to uncover a mole in the secret service. Rather it had just pointed the finger in the first 5 minutes, then we could have left!!

Ben 3 out of 10
Barry 2 out of 10

http://www.tinker-tailor-soldier-spy.com

Addicted to Foxy Lady Bingo!

There was this stupid pub quiz machine outside the cinema in Manchester, so while we were waiting we played Foxy Lady! It turned into a "just one more go" machine. Speed Bingo! Bloody thing took all our money!

Final Destination 5 3D Movie Review

Went in expecting more of the same and we weren't disappointed. A group of forgettable people escape a collapsing bridge, but are then picked off one by one in the most gruesome and hilarious (but shouldn't be funny) ways. The 3D in this film is actually pretty good! With things flying at you and occasionally out of the screen. This franchise could keep going forever as all they have to do is think up more distracting deaths! Average, but enjoyable horror.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 5 out of 10

http://finaldestinationmovie.warnerbros.com/

War Horse Theatre Review

We've now finally caught up Christmas present with Mum by taking her to see War Horse in the New London Theatre. This isn't our typical musical we see in London, but a play with puppets. However they aren't usual puppets either, but giant life size horses! This is a very moving story of a boy and his horse that ends up being bought and used in World War I. You see everything through the horses eyes, growing up, befriending his childhood friend, meeting other horses for the first time, then eventually going over to Belgium on a warship and fighting through many battle, encountering machine guns, barbed wire and tanks! The set is extremely minimal, completely empty apart from a small projection screen, however you are always drawn to the horses. Moving and very dramatic, highly recommended.

Ben 5 out 5

Barry 5 out of 5

http://warhorselondon.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

Conan The Barbarian Movie Review

80's nostalgia should sometimes stay in the 80's. Momoa is certainly no Arnie either. Again the story is pretty basic, baddy wants to rule the world kills Conan's dad (Pearlman) while he's a kid, grows up and seeks revenge. The baddy is also seeking the "pure one's" blood with his weirdo daughter so they can resurrect his wife. The pure one also happens to be a damsel in distress for Conan to rescue. And thats about the sum of the story. For a 15 certificate this film is pretty gory, lots of slashing, blood flying, leg chopping and skull mashing. It's the action scenes that keep the film alive as the story, acting and everything else around them is pretty flimsy. This is definitely a DVD job, and I wouldn't bother with 3D either.

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.conanthebarbarianin3d.com/

Batman LIVE Theatre Review

For my early Birthday present we went to the O2 Arena to see Batman LIVE! Billed as an action spectacular, we were thinking along the lines of the Indiana Jones show in Disney Hollywood Studios. However while they have clearly spent alot of money on the show, the "action" seems a bit slow-mo and tame, over choregraphed and it just didn't seem to flow. There are a few acrobatic and magic moments thrown in, but nothing that you won't have seen before. The Batmobile and Joker's giant head were good set pieces and the Arkham Asylum was creepy! On the whole the effort was there, but the thrills were lacking. One for the younger Batman fans.

• See all the photos here...

Ben 3 out of 5
Barry 3 out of 5

Cowboys and Aliens Film Review

Been waiting for this film for a long time, as saw the trailer a while back and was looking forward to it. Its a shame then that it was a bit naff! The story is pretty basic, Craig wakes up with no memory with a device strapped to his wrist, the aliens turn up and start abducting humans, thing on his wrist activates, the remaining town's people go and rescue the others. Thats pretty much it, nothing really special, no real set pieces, no real explanation as to why they are there, hmmmm.

Ben 5 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.cowboysandaliensmovie.com

Inbetweeners Movie Review

Running like an hour and a half episode of the TV program, this is what you'd expect from an Inbetweeners movie, but slightly toned down to a 15 certificate. The exams are over, Simon and Carly split, so its off on a lads holiday to Malia. However they end up in a complete dump of an unfinished hotel with a dead dog in the well! They get conned into a deserted night club, but end up meeting four girls, and typical comedy pairings ensue. The holiday ends on a giant boat cruise, where Carly turns up to throw a spanner in the split-up works, poo is snorted and the vomit flys. The laughs come flying in this 1.5 hour TV episode.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.film4.com/minisite/the-inbetweeners-movie

Off to Manchester

Barry is off up north again to Manchester on business at the schools up there, so this time I decided to go with him! Our first attempt wasn't so great as for a 45min flight we got delayed 4.5hours! I think this is the biggest delay we've had in all the time we've been flying! Anyway we didn't wait around and tried again the next day! While Barry was at work I visited the Trafford Shopping Centre, which is a huge elaborate mall, and one of the poshest I've seen in the UK!

• See all the photos here...

Beryl and Ray's 40th Wedding Anniversary

It was Beryl and Ray's ruby wedding anniversary, so to celebrate we went with them plus Keith and Jamie to the Harbour Lights for a very nice meal out!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Film Review

This movie is all about the monkeys, how we treat them, how we fiddle with nature, and ultimately how we mess things up! The movie starts out with a son, Franco, wanting to cure his father, but a greedy pharmaceutical company's ultimate goal is to drive it through and make a load of cash. This greed as we know from Planet of the Apes doesn't have good consequences for the human race! However this movie concentrates on the apes, how they evolve and how Caesar and the rest of the apes rise up. Focusing on the apes was a brave move, as they are fully CGI believable characters and speak with grunts and crude sign language for the majority of the film. But somehow you are captivated by them, and ultimately end up supporting their cause. A great film, and far better than the first Apes remake.

Ben 9 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://www.apeswillrise.com/

Keith and Jo's Wedding

Today we attended Barry's brother's wedding down in Old Portsmouth. The ceremony was right outside my old school, then a quick drive round the corner to the reception at a pub by the harbour.

• See all the photos here...

Captain America 3D Movie Review

Summer of super heroes continues with Captain America, and I think it betters Thor and Green Lantern. A much better story that either of the above and a much more likeable character as he is more human with weaknesses. He just happens to be a very dedicated man chosen for an experiment in super soldiers. The Red Skull on the other hand is a bit useless, spending much time inventing weapons and trying to find godly powers, only to be let down by his useless henchmen, who get picked off just as easily with a machine gun as the next useless henchman. However the story is good, the plot and action flows well and the story wraps very nicely setting us up for next summer's Avengers movie. A great end to the super hero summer, apart from the pretty flat 3D.

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 9 out of 10

http://captainamerica.marvel.com/

Hot Air Balloon over Basingstoke

Today we finally got to do Mum's christmas present from 2009! After many attempts at booking and being rained/blow off we finally got to fly in our Virgin Hot Air Balloon. We took off from Basingstoke War Memorial Park and were due to be blown towards Alton, but luckily the wind changed and we got blown right over our house! We eventually landed in Popham Airfield on the way to Andover.

• See all the photos here...

British Airways World Traveller Plus vs. Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy

We were pretty much forced to fly BA to Toronto, as Virgin only do winter holidays there, so we got a chance to compare the services. The flights if running at the same time as pretty much the same price, and likewise to Orlando, so its a fair comparison:

	British Airways	Virgin Atlantic
Airport	Heathrow Terminal 5	Gatwick North Terminal
Priority check-in queue	No	Yes
Fast pass through security	No	Yes
Priority boarding	No	Yes
Boarding tunnel to plane, not bus!	No	Yes
Champagne before take off	No	Yes
Better dinner than economy meal, on china with cutlery	No	Yes
Ice cream and bottle of water after dinner	No	Yes
On demand entertainment	Yes	No
Regular drinks service	No	Yes
Priority deplane	No	Yes
Priority baggage claim	No	Yes

So apart from BA having on demand entertainment, which is actually coming to the new Virgin fleet, its pretty much an epic fail for British Airways!!

Final Day :-(

Final day, and its still sunny, that's a whole week of sunshine!! See a 3D panoramic picture of Yonge and Dundas below, which is where the main mall and cinema is in Toronto.

• See all the photos here...

Super 8 Film Review

Produced by Spielberg, by directed by Abrams, this is a love note to Spielberg's 80's films. A slower pace, unknown kid stars, and an alien that is hidden very carefully and revealed gradually. Smacking of Goonies crossed with Close Encounters, this follows 5 kids who make movies on their Super 8 camera and accidentally catch on film a train disaster, which happens to be carrying a military secret, an Alien! The story unravels at a nice pace, the effects are excellent, just a great film. Go see it now.

Ben 9 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://www.super8-movie.com

Zookeeper Movie Review

We literally have run out of movies to watch, so we were forced to see Zookeeper. And boy were we forced to see this predictable kiddy crap fodder. Highly obvious story line. The only saving grace is the funny little monkey! Avoid!

Ben 4 out of 10
Barry 5 out of 10

http://www.zookeeper-movie.com/

Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2 3D Film Review

Finally!! Finally we get a good Harry Potter film! After the last three instalments I wasn't holding up much hope, but this film really turns up the action. Nice summaries of all the past films, linking up all the plot points, good load of action, a fitting end to the Potter franchise. Don't miss it! However don't bother with yet another useless 2D to 3D conversion job!

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/harrypotterandthedeathlyhallows/

Horrible Bosses Movie Review

We weren't expecting much from this movie after the last two "comedies", however this was a pleasant surprise, as original and funny at Hangover was. Three guys basically have horrible bosses and plot to kill them, by using a "murder consultant" they meet in a seedy bar! Spacey is the evil office boss, Aniston is the sexual harrasment boss and Farrel was the son who inherited the family business who doesn't care. Spacey takes ones promotion, Aniston trys blackmailing for sex and Farrel fires people for being fat! Bumbling their way through the murders they end up not doing a whole lot but reaching their goal by mistake with whole lot of laughs along the way, recommended!

Ben 8 out of 10
Barry 7 out of 10

http://www.horriblebossesmovie.com/

Canada Wonderland!

Our second day of car hire and today we headed in the opposite direction towards Canada Wonderland, which is full of roller coasters, a water park and other attractions. The queues weren't too bad at around 20mins, and we managed to get onto most coasters. We also got a bit too crispy in the sun!

Bad Teacher Film Review

Another comedy that doesn't quite get going. Diaz plays the lazy, bitchy teacher very well, its just that she doesn't do anything particularly bad. Well nothing any worse than any of my teachers did anyway! She plays the don't care role very well against the ditsy anally retentive rival teacher, and tries to take the teacher bonus for her own boob job. She hates the gym teacher (but who doesn't), but falls predictably for the rich cute teacher played by Timberlake. However in yet again predictable rom-com territory you can probably guess what ends up happening. A few chuckles, but far from great.

Ben 5 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.areyouabadteacher.com/

Niagara Falls

Today we hired a car and headed towards Niagara Falls, only 1hr 20mins from Toronto. We strolled along the edge of the falls in the boiling sun and took a Maid of the Mist into the spray under the falls.

CN Tower & Princess Leia

Today we went up the CN Tower in the glorious sunshine. In the evening we managed to get some last minute tickets to see Carrie Fisher (aka Priness Leia) reflecting about her adulterous parents, Star Wars, drink/drug problems and bi-polar condition. She was actually fantastic and very funny!

Bridesmaids Movie Review

Looking suspiciously like the female version of Hangover, and advertised as such, this could have been a very funny movie. However just as you think its going to get going, and it could have, it winds down into usual chick-flick territory, becoming very predictable and teary. Its a great shame as there's no reason this couldn't have a Mrs. Hangover, there are some very funny moment, but on the whole a wasted opportunity.

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/

Mall today, bit grey!

Woke up at 4am this morning by previous occupants alarm, thanks for that! So have checked out the pool and wandered round the mall.

Location:Queen St W,Toronto,Canada

Cars 2 IMAX 3D Film Review

Thankfully Cars 2 is as far removed from Cars as it possibly can be. Cars being our least favourite Pixar film by far. Disney have also admitted in interviews that Cars 2 only exists because the merchandise actually sold better than the first movie! This story actually shows some real inventiveness with McQueen travelling around racing on some new "green" fuel, but is actually being used as an example of why green fuels will never replace fossil fuels. This is where Cane comes in as a british agent who is trying to unravel the cover up, and Mater mistakenly gets involved and hilarity ensues. CGI films always look fantastic, and here in 3D and on IMAX the screen literally pops with colour and detail. Far, far better than Cars, but still not quite usual Pixar standard.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://disney.go.com/cars/

Green Lantern 3D Movie Review

Origin story of how Hal Jordan came to be the Green Lantern is covered quite quickly and concisely. It also covers the back story between Hal (Reynolds), his rival and girl in peril. Aparently green is the colour of "will" and yellow is the colour of "fear", and this film is a battle between the two. Long ago one of the Green Lantern elders tried to use fear instead of will, but got consumed by it, he's now a huge blob of an alien killing worlds as he flys around the galaxy. Earth is next and Reynolds isn't sure if he has the will to tackle the big blob alien. If this all sounds a bit weird and far fetched, then it is, like the whole film, the isn't your typical super hero movie! The 3D yet again doesn't really show, so I'd save your money on this. The film itself is fairly light on story but high on CGI spectacle. True summer popcorn fun.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://greenlanternmovie.warnerbros.com

Shrek The Musical Theatre Review

Shrek The Muscial at the Theatre Royal in London is a retelling of Shrek 1 to music. All the characters are present and correct with Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Pinocchio, Gingy, Three Pigs and other fairy tale characters, including a guest appearance from Puss. The songs are catchy, the costumes bright, a gigantic dragon puppet, and a show stealing Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad. Harman plays his height challenged role on his knees with black cloak and little tiny rubber band legs, which induce some eye wateringly funny moments. Its a shame that Blackwood as Donkey is a bit naff (considering he is funniest in the films), Holden would be honked off for dropped a few creaky notes and a couple of bits where it drags slightly. On the whole though thoroughly entertaining.



Ben 4 out of 5
Barry 4 out of 5

http://www.shrekthemusical.co.uk

X-Men: First Class Film Review

Using the Cuban Missile Crisis as a backdrop story to introduce the mutants to human society is a stroke of genius. Bacon, a mutant who believes they are the next generation, is trying to start WW3 between USA and Russia, so that humans wipe themselves out and mutants become to dominant force on Earth. We are introduced to the back stories of Professor X and Magneto, or Charles and Eric. Loads of new mutants, including old faces such as Mystique. Nods to the other X-Men films with Jackman and Romijn popping up (older Wolverine and Mystique). Loads of action, great plot, great characters. The first true summer blockbuster has finally arrived!


Ben 9 out of 10
Barry 9 out of 10

http://www.x-menfirstclassmovie.com/

Hangover Part 2 Movie Review

Whereas the first film was a fluke and felt naturally funny. This one felt slightly forced and trying to out do the previous. Its still a very funny film, but has a darker tone with undercover drug operations and a finger being cut off. The usual happens with the wolfpack passing out after a very drunk and drug filled night, only to discover that Teddy, younger brother prodigy of bride to be, has gone missing. Theres a naked chinese man, a stolen monk, tattoo, strip bar, car chase, lady boy, drug running monkey and more! Good, but not as good as the first.

Ben 7 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/

Gareth's belated 30th at Mark and Carol's

We headed upto Cawston this weekend to see Mark, Carol, Charlotte and Elliot and to celebrate Gareth's belated 30th birthday! On Friday we stayed up too late as usual, drinking and gossiping! Saturday we headed to the National Space Science Museum in Leceister, which was a fantastic attraction with loads to do, including loads of exhibits and things to interact with, a 360 degree cinema, space zone with activities like shoving moon rock and zero-g flying and going up in a lift alongside a real rocket!

• See all the photos here...
• See a 360 degree view of the rocket...

Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides 3D Movie Review

Ergh, I have found the Fountain of Youth, says dying old man dragged from the sea. I want the fountain says spanish man. I heard the spanish are going after the fountain of youth, I want it first says english man. I have another map to the fountain and I'm going after it too says the pirates. Ah but on the way we need some silver cups, lets all go there and have some hijinx messing around in the trees. Ah we need some mermaids now, lets all go there too and have a scrap and kidnap one. Now we have all that junk, lets all head to the fountain and have another scrap. And that about sums up the entire film! Lots of talking about doing stuff, lots of travelling to get there, a few action bits with some good special effects and not a lot else! Highly average and it certainly didn't need to be in 3D as added nothing to the film, except for a few swords pointing out the screen at you. They're talking about Pirates 5, but after this, they should let the franchise rest.

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 6 out of 10

http://disney.go.com/pirates/

Thor Movie Review

We headed to the early preview of Thor today, the next in the Marvel line up before Avengers hits next year. We decided not to see it in 3D, as its simply too expensive to goto the cinema anyway, £30 with snacks for two of us! Anyway about the film, theres loads of back story, which is handy as knew nothing about Thor, however it does seem to go on a bit. Odin/Thor/Loki all present and correct, with back stabbing brothers, fellow warriors and a fairly wimpy Portman as the girl interest. I didn't think it really got going, and while there was a lot of CGI sets, the story did start to drag and then there was one big show down at the end. Maybe I was in the wrong mood or too jet lagged, as Barry liked it!

Ben 6 out of 10
Barry 8 out of 10

http://thor.marvel.com