I should be so clucky, clucky, clucky, clucky.
I've been reminded by my legions of fans that I've not updated those of you with a penchant for poultry about the tragic demise of one of our flock.
Only joking, they're all fine but I know how journalism works, nobody wants to read about everything going well.
So, having alienated my audience here's the scoop. You will recall, Oh best beloveds, how the latest recruit to the Oak Wood Eggery, the ill-named Chocolate Thunder was taken into the flock following the tragic slaughter of her coop-mates. She was initially very henpecked and lost a big chunk of thin feathers on the back of the neck, (very exposed when feeding) however as time passed, Choclit (abbreviated from her original pedigree nomenclature) has recovered both confidence and plumage and gradually worked her way up to nearly equal footing with Dolly the other ginger nut in our little peckery.
This has, naturally, resulted in a reversion to subordinate roles for Cassie (dense black chicken) and Jessie (very stupid white chicken) but since the level of inter-avian violence has diminished overall they seem to be taking it in good stead.
An average day now generates little aggression, either 3 or 4 eggs and loads of poo. The new girl does have a penchant for stretching her legs and led the girls jogging off through the wood the other day during exercise, (the warders were apparently distracted by a staged stabbing in the showers). The plucky escapees were eventually discovered in the stables where they'd cornered 3 horses and an Alektorophobiac groom.
Further feathery fun is sure to follow ...
Labels: Oakwood chickens Stuffy Barn
Movie review - Harry Potter and the bloody half-prince
Mrs Stuffy informs me that the reason I'm less than enamoured with this latest Potter fable is that I'm "not a fan", she is, unusually, wrong. I enjoyed the first couple of books, I loved the first couple of films, I just feel I'm suffering from repetitive wand syndrome, it's a little bit too much more of the same.
In the first few films I enjoyed the original and stunning mix of architecture, graphics and landscape around Hogwarts, I was gripped by dragons, enthused by the realisation of Quidditch and delighted by the way the whole arcane magical boarding school concept was pictured on screen.
Nowadays, not so
much.
There's a real focus on the relationship element and frankly teen angst is just teen angst and the addition of cloaks and broomsticks makes it no less irritating and silly to those who've been there ourselves and subsequently "enjoyed" the experience with our own little darlings.
So, too much snogging, too much setting things up for the next movie, insipid baddies, the relentless similarity of each story to it's forebears which meant that I kept encountering characters I believed had already been extinguished or immolated.
All in all, for me, it was, at best, OK, for Mrs Stuffy (who is you will remember a fan), an enjoyable experience and a welcome chance to contribute again to the Rowling pension fund.
A sorcerous haiku ?
The Hogwarts Rowling express,
Acne and anguish afflict
Potter pabulum.
Another 3D experience - Movie Review - Ice Age 3
I was dragged kicking and screaming into the first Ice Age movie, I was still kicking and screaming when I left but only because I wanted to watch it all over again.
The second of the series was also delightful, larded with quite subtle and sophisticated humour to keep the elderly entertained. I'm delighted to report that Ice Age 3 has broken little new ground, doing pretty much what the predecessors did and doing it very well.
The graphics delight, the characterisation is consistent and engaging, the writing sharp and the jokes, visual and verbal are a treasure trove for reference spotters and movie buffs. It's a great film for little ones (we took three, ranging from tiny to middling) and a very good film for big ones.
One thing troubles me, (actually, many things trouble me but I'll spare you the details) Anyway, in the context of this movie one thing troubles me, I was pretty impressed by the strides the 3D technology had taken when I looked through the specs a year ago but I've since enjoyed Bolt, Coraline and this offering through the magic lenses and I'm by no means convinced that those three very good movies were much enhanced by the 3D aspect. We'll see if "Up", (which has a great trailer) can convince me.
An antediluvian haiku
Engaging and fun
dinosaurs versus mammals
the film makers won
Movie Review - Public Enemies ...
Here's the thing, Mrs Stuffy thinks that Johnny Depp walks on water and I admire the virtuosity of director Michael Mann so you'd think that we'd be on a surefire winner toddling along to the megaplex to watch this romanticised version of the pursuit and termination of John Dillinger, (sorry if that spoils it for anyone expecting a happy ending).
I'd read that it was shot using hand-held cameras and digital (rather than film) high definition and every shaky but beautifully multi-faceted snowflake, the individual pores of the skin of the cast, every beautifully captured colour of hat, sheen of rain on sleek shiny coachwork, all speak volumes for the technical skills and the technology involved.
The acting is beyond reproach, I rate Johnny Depp, I think Christian Bale is good at the acting thing, Mlle Cotillard is super but here's the problem. It's dull, really dull, tedious, confusing, poorly structured and I didn't really care what happened to anyone (even though it was always very obvious what was going to happen next). Dull, dull, dull, not quite dull enough to send Mrs S off to Slumberland but it was a very close run thing.
Hard to come up with a haiku without using the word dull but here goes...
Technically hot but
lukewarm Bonny and Clyde tale
thug and moll, sadly fail
