Julien Donkey-Boy

Another Dogma film using the wobbly camera and extreme editing to bring together a dizzying narrative. I have no idea if this really gets into the head of a schizophrenic but it certainly shows a terrifying existence, or set of existences as the case is with this family. Dogma films tend to be harrowing, glib and avoid sensation and this succeeds in following the tradition (the idiots, mi fune etc). I enjoyed this film but would really need to build up to watching it again, the more I concentrate on it the more disturbing it would become. When you dare to burst your own bubble and really see life from other people's perspective it can be horrific - when the other people are this extreme its hard to resist withdrawing forever.

What-a-day

Well, as the news is plastered with an every-second account of the current floods, myself and a friend decided to go see what's happening first hand. I hope it isn't Schadenfreude that brings such glee to my face when these type of things happen - it all seems so exciting. I think it is more the fact that I love water. In fact it seems I love water so much that I took a nose dive over my handlebars into the Thames.Anyway, 6am tomorrow will be the peak flow of water through Oxford, so let's see what happens.

The Ring of Nibelungs

This is the film based on the Germanic myth "Das Nibelungenlied" and the Nordic "Volsunga Saga" that inspired both Tolkein's Lord of the Rings and an opera by Wagner. Okay, this is not a great directing or acting showcase but the story is epic and rousing. There's an old gods being taken over by Christianity theme (I think) but not well done. Nevertheless, a good attempt, I just wish these epics could be done better. I love the lack of 'hollywood-ending', the playfulness and the way the story is not dressed.

Beautiful Boxer

What a touching true tale. Unbelievable in some ways, but then you have to ask yourself why would this not happen. The picture shows Asanee Suwan playing Nong Toom or Parinya Charoenphol as she is now known. Nong was the thai boxing champion, Parinya is now a famous acress. This is a tocuhingly innocent account of the tortures faced by a boy who since childhood wanted to be a girl and how the Thai sense of destiny let this happen without too much hatred and pride spilling over.