Review - The Adventures of Tintin

In the past, I have been critical of 3D films.
I don't like the glasses; and the worst part is, they make the picture darker - the colours aren't as vibrant and the lighting is dull.  I commented on this when I saw Captain America, and I noticed it again yesterday.

Don't get me wrong; The Adventures of Tintin is a remarkable film.  I love anything by Steven Spielberg; and he has captured this perfectly.

The use of motion-capture technology, to record the movements of real actors, and then transform them on-screen, is really starting to make its mark.  I'm not going to pretend I know anything about the wonders of this computer wizardry; but I will say it is certainly effective.

Why oh why, then, did they then have to go and add the 3D aspect?  Why not just make the film in good old traditional 2D and allow us to see the colours and images as intended.

Indeed, when this makes the transition to DVD; as of course it will; then that release will not be in 3D.

I digress, of course.   The story of Tintin is The Secret of the Unicorn; and the race against Ivanovich Sakharine to the fortunes of the Haddock family; which lie deep beneath the ocean.

Daniel Craig plays the 'baddie' Ivanovich Sakharine, with Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock. (When was the last time we actually saw Andy Serkis on screen?  King Kong; Lord of the Rings, and now this - we only ever see his virtual being!)
Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are terrific as the bumbling Interpol policemen, Thomson and Thompson.
Jamie Bell is great as the titular Belgian journalist.  The story moves at a great pace and the set pieces are well performed (even simulating Indiana Jones for one sequence!)

I have to admit; when the ending was in sight; I was prepared to sit there and carry on - it certainly finished with the door open to the next part of the adventure; I just hope we don't have to wait too long to see it.

If you get the chance to see this on the big screen, you won't be disappointed.

Google+ - Have you looked yet?

Around the middle of July, I wrote about how I was decamping from facebook, and moving over to Google+.

I wrote a more informed update a week later.

There were various reasons for leaving, including:
a) It was new (and still is fairly fresh)
b) There are no silly ads
c) There are no people calling for help to build their cities / farms etc


Now, nearly three months on, I can honestly say how refreshing it is to go there.  There are still no adverts (yet!) and it's easy to filter the streams, to view what you want to see.

I still drop in to facebook occasionally (to have a nosey); although my status updates are limited, and I've stopped posting my foursquare check-ins every time!!

The number one reason I like it is the informality of the site.  I feel free to write what I like; complete strangers (although some of them have become more friendly) comment and re-share; we chat, banter, share photos; and generally have a laugh.

More importantly, it's a place where I can find information about anything.  I just have to post a question, and within minutes (if not seconds) there's an answer.  Granted, it may not be the answer I'm looking for; but the fact that there is an army of folk out there, all willing and able to chip in, is great.

On facebook it's much more cliquey.  I don't feel that I can just 'butt in' to a conversation.
On Google+ there are no such issues - see a post, add a comment; and around it goes.

Some serious, some extremely funny.

There is music, video, photos, links to blogs - you might be reading this via Google+

It's strange that there was such a noise about the changes that facebook were making; and yet the inertia to try something new hasn't materialised in the volumes expected.  Sure, it's strange to move; but I'm not suggesting you do what I did and go cold turkey.

Take a look around.  Follow some of the people, read their comments and posts.

Post a couple of your own, and see what reaction you get.

There are some truly great people to be discovered; and whilst you may not know them in real life; they're still people, with the same emotions, daily troubles etc, that you have.  Interact with them.

So; come and take a look.

Don't be shy.