In which the author takes the liberty of re-posting an animal obituary from late 2004 that originally appeared on another site because, well, he can’t trust those bastards at www.paramount.co.nz.
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… passed away yesterday at the age of 84. He was the West Ham manager when I was just old enough to know what was going on and the England manager who restored some pride after we failed to qualify for the 1978 World Cup.
And as several other people have noted, the 1966 World Cup was won on the training fields of Chadwell Heath as the spine of that side (Hurst, Moore, Peters) had grown to prominence under Greenwood at West Ham, winning the FA Cup in ’64 and the Cup Winners Cup in ’65.
And I heartily endorse the suggestion that the new East Stand at Upton Park be named the Ron Greenwood Stand if and when it ever gets built.
- Late this afternoon saw All Black and Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore wandering aimlessly around the Courtenay Central Whitcoulls, then standing aimlessly (if that’s possible) at the Molly Malone’s corner. I know they only train for a couple of hours a day but couldn’t they give him a Playstation or something?
- Dinner at Curry Village on Allen St – review to come;
- Followed by drinks at the Paramount – gossip to come (probably not such a good idea);
- Ended with my first visit to Boogie Wonderland on the Paramount ground floor: a wonderful transformation of a huge space. Obviously a bit quiet on a Wednesday but there would have been about 25 people there when I left (after 1.00am). It is a theme club and the theme is very lame but if you get there before midnight you can get that nightclubby experience without the nightclubby crowds. Music is like listening to Classic Hits VERY LOUD and they don’t take requests, no matter how good they are.
- Too tired to put the rubbish out. My bad.
In the far-fetched, but involving, thriller Dirty Pretty Things Chiwetel Ejiofer stands out as Okwe, a Nigerian illegal immigrant living below the state radar in London. Haunted by a past tragedy he drives a minicab by day and takes the front desk of a small hotel for the night shift. When he’s not at one of his jobs he crashes on the couch of Senay (Audrey Tautou), a Turkish refugee who is also working illegally at the hotel.
When Okwe discovers a human heart blocking the toilet of Room 510, he finds himself unwillingly involved in another of aspect London’s seamy underside, the traffic in human organs. Meanwhile the immigration authorities close in on Senay who finds her own options running out.
Stephen Frears directs with a workmanlike, BBC, non-style which is probably not helped by watching it on a TV. Ejiofer has great presence and is the real soul of the film but, apart from Tatou, the rest of the United Nations cast aren’t able to elevate their characters above cliché. Villain Sneaky, in particular, seems to be played all on one note by Spanish actor Sergi López in a rare English language performance. Academy Award nominee Sophie Okenedo (Hotel Rwanda) is fine as the proverbial whore with a heart of gold but isn’t given much help by the script.
Directed by Stephen Frears. 94 minutes.
Screening conditions: At home on DVD, via DVD Unlimited. Sound and picture fine.
I’ve just added John Rogers’ (another screenwriter) blog to my personal RSS feeds on the strength of this piece on political correctness (or lack of) at the Oscars. Very funny and highly recommended.
Review of James Risen’s book, State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration in the New York Times by Walter Isaacson:
So welcome to the new age of impressionistic history. Like an Impressionist painting, it relies on dots of varying hues and intensity. Some come from leakers like those who spoke to Risen. Other dots come from the memoirs and comments of the players. Eventually, a picture emerges, slowly getting clearer. It’s up to us to connect the dots and find our own meanings in this landscape.
Currently behind the NT Times doofuss-wall and in seven days behind the full-blooded paywall.