I have been ever so slightly busy...

The last couple of weeks have been hectic. It was dissertation hand-in time for most people at my uni last week, so both Lauren and myself have been going a bit spare with our academic work. Writing, double-checking, proof-reading, checking again, printing, finding one tiny mistake that means you have to print all over again...you get the picture. But it's over now, both our dissertations are handed in. We've just gotta try to stop thinking about them, or I know we'll find things we could improve.

As well as finishing my dissertation this week I finished a couple of other things as well. I completed Batman: Arkham Asylum the other day, which is a fantastic game. I know what you're thinking: how did he have time to play games when he's got so much work to do? I've relax at some point, or I'll go mad! Anyway it's a great game with an engrossing story, awesome graphics and really fluid controls and gameplay. The voice acting is really good too, especially Mark Hamill's take on The Joker.

I also finished reading Fight Club for my Post-War American Writing unit. What a book. I don't know whether I like it better than the film version, they're both fantastic in their own ways. Chuck Palahniuk, the author, actually said that he thought the film was better than his novel, which I thought was a really humble and honest thing to say. There's a fascinating afterword in the edition I own where he talks about the phenomenon the book created and how he never expected any of it.

Discovered my new favourite metal band the other day; Becoming the Archetype. They're a progressive death-metal band from Atlanta, Georgia; kind of a mix between Killswitch Engage and Opeth. I'm consciously not calling them 'Christian Metal', because I don't believe there should be 'Christian' genres of music. All music belongs to God; whether people acknowledge that with their lyrics is up to them. Let's just say it's metal performed by a group of Christians. I (legally) downloaded their album 'Dichotomy' the other day; it's amazing. The opening track 'Mountain of Souls' thunders powerfully, followed by the epic riffage of the title track, soft keyboards adding extra dimensions to the soundscape. Other songs to look out for are 'Ransom' and the band's cover of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art'; an original and innovative take on a song with truly inspired and worshipful words.

I may have finished my dissertation but that doesn't mean things are any less busy! I'm playing guitar at church tomorrow, so I'll have a very busy Sunday. Then my writing project it due next Thursday, which is almost complete but there's still a fair few things to be done to it. I also have to finish reading Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon by Monday, and I'm at work this afternoon. Phew! And then there's a certain wedding that needs to be planned, although that's all coming together quite well.

And in the midst of all this, Lauren has somehow persuaded me to wait until I've finished ALL my uni work before I play Final Fantasy XIII. I don't think I can wait till the 20th of May! What have I agreed to?!

My top ten metal albums

10. The Black Mages - The Black Mages - What do you get when you combine the genius of Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and shamelessly cheesy prog-metal? An album of top-quality instrumental tracks exploding with screaming guitar solos and ethereal synths. The track 'Force Your Way', the boss music from Final Fantasy VII, demonstrates why this a must-have for metal and FF fans alike.

9. All That Remains - The Fall of Ideals - Standing out from the plethora of similar metalcore albums, this record contains the perfect mix of raging screams, melodic choruses, technical guitar solos and pummeling drum beats. It's hard to pick a stand-out track, as this album really is all killer and no filler, but I guess I'll have to go with 'It Dwells In Me', because it contains my favourite solo of the record!

8. Reuben - Racecar is Racecar Backwards - This album represents for me a reworking of the 90s grunge style for a new century, containing a messy, raw energy combined with heavy metal brutality. The British trio's best track from this album is 'Let's Stop Hanging Out' in my opinion, a discordant and yet effortlessly catchy tune with an awesome refrain.

7. Sikth - Death of a Dead Day - I almost forgot this album! Technical metal at its best, jazzy discordant licks placed skillfully alongside ferocious metallic double-kick drums and some of the most original vocals of any album. The lead guitar on this record is truly sublime, matching up to the standards of guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and the riffs also follow this pattern. 'Part of the Friction' would have to be my choice for the best track on the album, its incredible intro leading into a great song, filled with superb licks.

6. Trivium - Ascendency - After a period of not listening to metal, this was the album that brought me back to the genre, in particular encouraging me to grab my guitar and learn some brutal riffs! The record bursts at the seams with soaring twin guitar attacks and powerful rhythms, with the song 'The Deceived' being the one that sticks out for me, a brilliant combination of lead guitar and relentless chugging.

5. Enter Shikari - Take to the Skies - The main inspiration for my short-lived band Helvetica Outbreak, this album represents a triumph of originality. The combination of drum 'n' bass beats, dance-inspired synths and crunching riffs is extremely organic, topped off with catchy and memorable lyrics. Once again, there are so many good tracks on this album, but if forced to pick, I'd have to choose 'Return to Energiser', due to its awesome trance breakdown that morphs into a hectic metal beat-down.

4. Pantera - A Vulgar Display of Power - R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell, one the most amazing guitarists of all time, and the creator the brilliant riffs and storming solos from this iconic groove-metal album. There is a Southern States swaggering attitude that exudes from all the songs on this record, a perfect blend of punk savagery and heavy metal furiousness. The track 'Walk' is my definite favourite, having one of the best metal riffs of all time and an epic solo, cementing DBD as one of my major guitar heroes.

3. Deftones - White Pony - One of the first albums I bought during my teenage years, and probably the start of my love affair with the musical genre of metal. Because of this nostalgia I chose this album over its predecessor 'Around the Fur', which is also an exceptional record. There is an eeriness and intensity to all of the Deftones' music, and this album is has some particularly powerful examples of this. My favourite track from this alternative metal classic changes every time I listen to it! At the moment I'd have to say 'Digital Bath' is the one, not only for its weird title but also for the dark, edgy feel and brooding soulful vocals it contains.

2. Fear Factory - Obsolete - Another one of my teenage favourites. This concept album, based around the story of a dystopian future where machines have surpassed mankind (disclaimer: this came out before The Matrix), is an unrelenting industrial assault, with growling vocals and electronic effects to finish of the mix. I think it's the literary connection that makes this album so good for me; the story surrounding the songs is top-notch. 'Edgecrusher' is the best track here, because of its brilliant riff and also because of its subject matter, a dark renegade machine fighting against the evil autocratic government of the future.

1. Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine - We've reached no.1! What a journey. This is my favourite album mainly because of Tom Morello, the band's guitarist. When I started playing guitar, the riffs from this album were incredibly fun to learn and still great to come back to. Morello is a phenomenal player, mixing traditional pentatonic rock with avant-garde solos and effects, pushing guitar playing to the very limits of what it can do. I don't really listen to Rage for the political stuff to be honest, it's all about the music for me. And for the record, I didn't download "Killing in the Name of' for Christmas no.1. What's the point? It's just gonna make the record company more money. Anyway, my favourite track has to be the album opener 'Bombtrack'. Quality riff, takes me back to the days when I used to play bass in my brother's band, rocking the school variety show! Fight the power!

So there you have it, my favourite metal albums. I had to make some difficult choices, excluding some great bands like Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Gojira, The Mad Capsule Markets and so on, but I'm happy with my final decisions. Feel free to comment, tell me whether you agree or think I've got it horribly wrong!

Just a brief update, but don't worry; you won't need to restart your computer

Haven't been able to write any extensive articles or reviews as of late, so I thought I'd just give you a few bite-sized updates as to what I've been doing recently.

I was gonna post a Playstation 3 product view, but when I looked back at it, I realised that I'm seriously under-equipped to write an effective console review. I just don't know enough technical stuff! So I'm give you the short version: me like PS3! Sweet graphics, awesome gameplay (offline and online) and some cool multimedia features. I'm still hooked on the Uncharted 2 multiplayer, but I have moved onto playing a bit of Resistance 2, which a great game, very atmospheric and fast-paced. I did purchase Final Fantasy XIII on the 9th (went all-out and bought the collector's edition), but I'm sticking to my guns and not playing it till my dissertation hand-in date on the 23rd of April. So if you've been playing it, DON'T TELL ME ANYTHING!

Speaking of dissertation, I've just finished a 'final' draft of my screenplay and sent it to my tutor. I say 'final' cos he might give me loads of stuff to change, and I've still got quite a while to redraft it. When I look back to the start of the academic year I can see so many changes that have occurred in the writing the screenplay, all of them for the better. I'm not sure if I've already said, but the film I've written tells the story of a young man named Johnny who is having his mind electronically read to determine if he is guilty of murder. But when the lawyer in charge of his case, Mr Elliot, discovers that Johnny was under the duress of a corrupt police officer, the same man responsible of the death of Elliot's wife, it becomes unclear as to whether justice or revenge is the desired goal. Phew!

My other uni work is going well too. Had meeting with my writing project the other day, which was very encouraging. Just need to write the rest of it now! Also had a helpful meeting for my fan fiction unit, for which I'm writing a Final Fantasy 7 story. Handed in a essay on The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which will hopefully be of a good standard. Not much time to good now till I finish uni for good, which is a scary thought! I'll have to be a real human with a real job and stuff.

I saw Skindred perform at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth on the 9th, which was an awesome gig. The support acts, Floors and Walls and Forever Never, weren't amazing in my opinion, but they're not the worst bands I've ever seen. The headline act however were on top form. The band's front-man, Benji, was one of the best I've ever seen, really funny and passionate. He was really good at stirring up the crowd, and was also very genuine. The band were all really tight and sounded punchy and defined. They played a good mix of their older songs, such as 'Pressure' and 'Selector', and some of their newer songs like 'Stand for Something' and 'Roots Rock Riot'. All in all, a very good performance.

Visit Skindred's myspace page

I've been having a bit of a sci-fi fest at the mo, getting inspiration for my screenplay and writing project. I bought Moon and District 9 recently, and persuaded my housemate's to watch the latter last night. I was a little concerned at the fact that they all found the alien 'prawn' child cute. Unusual? I dug out my copy of Blade Runner cos I still hadn't watched it since I bought it last September. I had forgotten what an amazing film it is! Another movie that I love, which I don't think many people are that into, is Equilibrium. I know it has it's flaws and it feels like a bit of a Matrix rip-off, but I really like it! Here's a really cool fan-site for anyone interested.

Also check out moviebodycounts.com, your internet-based source for information on film deaths and kills. Morbid!

"Have some of that!"

Only got time for a quick update at the mo, lots and lots of university work to do. Plus it's my church's youth weekend away coming up, so I won't be able to work then. Also I'm playing guitar over the weekend, so lots of practice to do to.

The last couple of weeks can be summed up in one phrase; I'm hooked on the online multiplayer on Uncharted 2! Got the PS3 up and running back down in Portsmouth and discovered the fun of competitive deathmatch. I say the fun, there's also a load of frustration, anger and shame as well! It's a really great game to play against other people. The single-player mechanics have been transfered into the multiplayer aspect of the game really well. But it's much harder than playing against the computer. I'm getting better however, I'm on level 28 or 29 I think. I still have the odd off-game though, where no matter what I do, I get owned repeatedly.

I will not be owned by the game however. So I'm being really strict with myself and not playing the PS3 during the day. No time wasting can be endured! Uni is going well though, got some good marks back recently and my screenplay and writing project are both ticking over. Just gotta keep the momentum up!

The Road - Review

Directed by John Hillcoat, starring Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Charlize Theron, written by Joe Penhall.

If you are going to pick one of the recent post-apocalyptic thrillers to view, discount 2012 and The Book of Eli straightaway. With its powerful story, gripping action and thought-proving portrayal a world torn asunder by the power of nature, The Road wipes all of its competitors off the map.

John Hillcoat's adaption of Cormac McCarthy's prize-winning novel is a very accurate cinematic portrayal of the original story. This isn't necessarily a spectacular feat, as McCarthy's writing lends itself to the screen excessively well. After watching the Coen Brothers' adaption of No Country for Old Men before reading the book, I was surprised at how similar they were, right down to the dialogue and the camera angles and cuts. You could almost do away with a screenplay and just use the novel. The story of The Road centres on the journey of a father and his young son, as they travel through the natural disaster ravaged wastes of North America. Heading South to escape the biting winter, the duo encounter bloodthirsty cannibals and battle against the elements and starvation, all the while fighting the relentless urge to just give up and die.

As the above synopsis suggests, The Road is a very bleak movie, not a feel-good film by a long shot. But that is not to say that it isn't an emotional and touching story. The relationship between the 'Father', played by Viggo Mortensen, and the 'Boy', played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, is profoundly deep, each of them supporting and relying upon the other much more than words can express. This is displayed by the fantastic performances from both actors, who obviously formed a strong and real bond in the making of the film. There are heart-wrenching moments throughout the movie that play on the viewer's humanity, such as the incident with the thief, which I have to admit almost had me in tears. The Road is also an extremely horrific film, especially in regards to the theme of cannibalism that runs throughout the story. However it does not over-indulge itself in the way that gore-fest movies such Hostel do, instead playing with the imagination of the audience, using suggestion and subtlety where others would give you a screen filled with blood and guts.

The Road is most definitely a visually striking film. With the story set in a post-apocalyptic future it is very important that this be shown in a believable and impacting way, which Hillcoat does to great success. There are some fantastic images of destruction and ruination throughout the film, such as the hundreds of collapsed burnt tree trunks floating with an ominous silence on a lake, or the roaring walls of fire that line the horizon at night. In particular the scenes at one point of huge ships run aground amongst buckled and broken roads and overpasses are incredibly poignant, and where created using actual images from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The film's small cast all give impressive and credible performances. Kodi Smit-McPhee impressed me in particular, as I find that child actors can be the element that often lets down films such as these. Smit-McPhee however displayed a very natural intensity, and although portraying a fragile and innocent character seemed mature and assured. Charlize Theron's performance as the 'Mother' is painfully genuine, as is Michael K Williams as 'The Thief' and Robert Duvall as the 'Old Man'. The actors playing the groups of cannibalistic hunters are terrifyingly inhuman and savage, displaying how callous and selfish a human can be.

Natural disaster is a topical subject considering the tragic events that have occurred recently in Haiti, and The Road manages to deal with this subject in a thoughtful and considered way. Although the seemingly global natural disaster that occurs in the story is extremely unrealistic, as my Geography-studying fiancé pointed out, it is the impact upon, and the reaction of humanity that is the important factor. Rather than preach about who is at fault or what needs to be done to avoid such a crisis, The Road shows what the pressure of these situations can make a person become, and how hard it is to retain your humanity when the people around you are turning into monsters. The film shows that in desperate times, paranoia, greed and ruthlessness can very easily replace loyalty, perseverance and selflessness.

There are some very slight changes from the original story in Joe Penhall's adaptation of The Road, but these changes work well and demonstrate the clever use of creative licence. The ending of the story in particular is reworked slightly, but is nevertheless an effective finish that still allows the audience the make their own conclusions in the way that the book does. The other cinematic elements that make up the film as a whole, such as the costumes, music and sound effects, are all of the highest quality, matching the superb storytelling and convincing performances.

Whether or not this movie was made with Oscar-winning aspirations in mind, it definitely deserves to win a few in my opinion. Converting McCarthy's novel to the screen with an effortless but also tragic grace, The Road is a film that will stick in your mind and heart long after you view it. The movie is a challenge to us all as to whether dire circumstances would cause us to lose our humanity, or if we would keep on "carrying the fire."

View The Road's IMDb page

If you liked this, then try: Children of Men, The Day After Tomorrow, No Country for Old Men and Road to Perdition.