Rock Of Ages

I went to see Rock of Ages last night, the movie where Tom Cruise portrays a drunk and drug fuelled rock star.

It’s a kind of Grease meets Fame meets Glee movie i.e. a boy meets girl musical with a whole lot of other interesting characters along the side.

Must admit I didn’t know it was a musical.  Although I was anticipating some singing with the rock scenes.  So you can imagine my surprise when the lead female “Sheree” burst into song as she sat demurely on a greyhound bus transporting her to LA.  And yes she was the typical naive country girl with a suitcase of dreams and floral dresses.  Of course she needed some backup, I mean let’s be honest here, who wouldn’t on a bus, and very quickly her fellow passengers joined in, and before long the whole bus was crooning, including the bus driver.

After the first couple of cheesy scenes I was at the oh-no-I’ve-made-a-mistake moment, but you know what as it continued I really started to enjoy it.  The movie was set in 1987, and the soundtrack was good old rock and roll, along with a couple of well known ballads.  All the actors sang, and unlike Mamma-Mia where it was slightly cringe-worthy, they all did a pretty good job.

Tom Cruise, I have to say was excellent, as was Alec Baldwin.  Catherine Zeta-Jones played the bible bashing Mayor’s wife, and man did she belt out a couple of numbers.  The scene in the church with  Catherine and her bible-wives singing and strutting  their stuff up the aisle and between pews dressed in typical head to toe floral and respectable clothing was classic.

I’m not sure if the movie was supposed to be funny, but the movie audience were rolling and roaring at times.  And at the end a few people clapped and a crowd behind us shouted out “long live Rock n Roll”.

It’s probably not  going to appeal to the masses, and it will not be remembered as a classic, but it was fun and we had a good laugh.

Slight tangent shift here though.  I said Tom Cruise was excellent, and he really was.  He looked good and he can sing reasonably well.  But what surprised me most was why would he play the part of a drunk, drug-fuelled, sex mad rocker when his beliefs are so against this?  I don’t think there is a single moment in the movie where his character isn’t high or drunk.  Am I being daft here, but is it not comparable to a sports person refusing to play on a Sunday due to religious beliefs?  I know some will say it’s all down to money, but he has plenty, and could have turned the part down.   Or what am I missing here?

Anybody seen a good movie lately?

Dad, Yorkshire pudding and chocolate digestives

Sunday is father’s day.  And if I could have one wish this week, it would be to spend that special, special day with my lovely Dad in England.  We wouldn’t have to do much either.  I know we’d be happy watching  some rugby or soccer together, or failing that some good old TV.   Inevitably we’d be hungry, and what better meal to share than a mound of Yorkshire puddings and a packet of chocolate digestives.

 

A while ago

I miss him.

Not so long ago

 

Happy Father’s Day, Dad

Toast-Boy

I love toast, whether it be warm toast with butter and marmalade, beans on toast or gooey melted cheese on toast, even fish paste on toast works for me.  But a  colleague of mine must surely take the biscuit toast when it comes to eating the blooming stuff.

This dear young man – Toast-boy –  can eat a loaf of bread every single day, which, as he is skinnier than a bean sprout, shouldn’t be too much of a problem or be any of my business.  But as he eats from the free supply of bread for all staff members, he is starting to attract attention.  And to be honest, if he continues he might find himself being decked with a stale loaf by a disgruntled and hungry colleague.

 A couple of times I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the bread board with him, and I have to say I find myself speechless as he piles slices on his plate before smearing them with umpteen different toppings.  He’s not fussy about the bread he likes either, brown, white, seed, healthy muesli, nope he is a man of variety.  Clearly he likes to pace himself, and hits the bread bin roughly three times a day, and always at the same time.  At one stage I wondered if he packed it all up and took it home for the family, but no, that can’t be possible as  he devours half of it as he makes his way back to his desk – no doubt his metabolism working ninety-to-the-dozen.

It’s become so amusing and well known now, that last week when we had our official cake break, sponsored by the office that is,  you could see all eyes glued to Toast-boy as he hit the table, piling up his plate.  I didn’t see this, but apparently he helped himself to two bags of olives, as well as a tower of other savouries.  Oh-my what a joy he is to watch

This morning as, I spread my peanut butter, I thought I’d break the ice and have a chat with him, but we only got as far as his drinking habits of hot water and honey before it started to seem pretty obvious that I was snooping. 

P, our kitchen dictator has her beady eye on him, and while she has had a bit of a giggle so far, I can feel she will not be able to stop herself from blasting him into the stratosphere shortly, as she does with the rest of us when leaving a humble crumb on the kitchen counter.

It will be a case of, is it a bird, is it a plane, err no, it’s orbiting Toast-boy, peanut butter pot attached to his bum…