Variations on the same theme

x Jamie was awesome. Not as good a concert as two years ago at the Zenith, but that was due to the venue. Who wants seats at a Jamie Cullum concert? He sang Twenty Something, though, which is all I need to be happy. Covered Rhianna and Lauryn Hill. But failed to sing I Could've Danced All Night which made me and sis v. v. v. sad.

x He started covering Camille's Ta Douleur, like two years ago, except this time she suddenly started singing and then walked on stage. They've become friends in the meantime. Camille is made of awesome. She is the singing equivalent of a saner River, I swear. She was even dressed like River! What she does with her voice is amazing and I now very much want to buy her album(s?).

x I do not understand Julien Doré's latest video. Well, I mean, I understand it, I just... It's beyond me. Why he would choose to do this. On purpose. Willingly. On the bright side, the song and the video both are making me like his previous single Les Limites.

x Midnighter throwing down with Batman in an RP thread of ours is eating my brain.

x Heroes sucks now. Le sigh.

x True Blood still rocks, and not just because it gives us Eric in a black tank top. (Rawr.) Much more than 24, I think that this is a show I could watch in one go, one episode after the other. It pulls you in and doesn't let go. And Stephen Moyer was simply way too frakking adorable in that scene with the kids.

x I want to be watching Spooks already. The three eps are sitting at home, waiting for me. Richard!

x Speaking of awesome British actors, why is fandom erupting over David Tennant's decision to quit Doctor Who? We've known about this for a while, and he's got every right to move on with his career, especially given the frenzied, fanatic, crazy attention his part in Who has brought him. I like the rumour about Paterson Joseph. If we're not getting a woman, we might as well get a Black dude. (...sounds familiar?)

x Jon Stewart and I should be hetero life mates. He can be Jay. I'll be Silent Bob, minus the beard.

I absolutely had to (had to!) cap the Spooks scene where dear Simon is most striking, and icon him a little. Just a little.

1. 2. 3.


And since I've also made some new James McAvoy icons, I figured I'd share all of my Jamie icons again, just to share the love. And remind people to share the love! All of you James lovers, come on, remind your flist that the man exists! And is lovely and talented! Because he needs to be loved by all, damnit!

( Jamie goodness! )

Since I now can't even access my Free account, I'm trying again to post from my freesbee address (this is soon gonna get too tricky, I feel like the tech guys who handle the filters and I are in a fight for supremacy where they don't even know (or care to know) who I am - it's me trying to outsmart the system! And they'll probably prevail, who am I kidding?) and hopefully you'll get something else than a Tiscali ad.

So, how did the night out go? Quite, quite well actually. We missed the bus and were consequently an hour late, sorry again guys, but apart form that it all went without a hitch. We started in a bar called the Puna (salt and lemon tequilas, yay! And then a lovely cocktail called Sex on the French beach - don't ask me what was French about it though), and then only headed for Canal Street. We went to the Via Fossa, a bar/club decorated like a church. It was quite nice. And twixou, I'm sorry to report I did not see any Vince around (nor Stuart, alas). Daniel however got hit on by a variety of persons of both gender and was as drunk as he seems to get. A couple of teachers had come with us and it was all manners of nice to chat with them. Also, Fred had brought a couple of friends of his who were v. nice too. I had a lovely chat with Madeleine (well, more than one actually, but... oh well) and she lent me a couple movies and a show.

Did I dream that you'd joined the LJ community, Madeleine? If not: I'm done watching it all, I'll give you a ring one of these days to see about giving them back to you (and I can't read comments, in case you reply to this post - ask Fred for my e-mail address or phone number if you want - I'll friend you back whenever I have access to the LJ site). Tipping the Velvet was absolutely brilliant from beginning to end (Keeley!!! Sorrry.), Chutney Popcorn did not inspire me much at all and Better than Chocolate was a nice way to spend an hour and a half. I particularly liked the character of Judy, she was the most touching imho.

It took me a few minutes to actually realise where I'd seen one of the guest stars in the latest Spooks episodes: it was Andy Serkis! But he had long blond hair (no, not quite Elvish style). It was a good performance, as always. Also, I spotted Boomtown in the TV program! It's so good to see more of that show. I adore Donnie Wahlberg very very much. And I'm going to be able to watch Little Britain and see what the fuss is all about, a new season is starting on Friday.

I hope we'll be able to go out to Manchester again before break. I'm feeling a bit bluesy these days, however, I don't quite know why. I wasn't like that last year. Anyway. I can't wait to be back home and see y'all guys!

That line may sound harsh and cruel, but it's not. Not when it's uttered with sadness and anger, yet still British upper lip, by Matthew MacFadyen in the British series MI-5 (IMDb knows it as Spooks). Not when you witnessed the bonds that still linked those two men, Agent Tom Quinn (who says the line) and Renegade Agent Peter Salter (played by none other than Tony Head, ladies and you menfolk).

Two episodes ago, MI-5 had me cringing in horror at the harsh reality of the danger of their lives, the true horror that accompanies their jobs. Two episodes ago, it had me shed tears over them. One episode ago, it spoke to me of the lack of recognition those people got, and it erected a fascinating tragic figure in the person of Leyla, a Kurdish woman who ssaw no solution but extremism.

And this episode, today... One of the things that I like most in British TV and cinema is that they don't spell things out. They present problems, raise issues, but they always remain... how to qualify it... It's a form of sobriety and economy - not unlike what draws me in in Jack Davenport's acting, when I think of it. There's a quality of authenticity to it all. And you need TV shows like MI-5 to balance out Alias and their likes.

Now, it's only been four episodes, so I'm overlooking some tiny flaws which might not be flaws at all, depending how the series unfolds. But I'm impressed all the same.

Sans transition - going to Alex's tonight, yay! After eating crêpes here with my folk. I miss my Alex-shaped, English-talking friend.