Leaderboard

Hi. I’m a 14 year old boy named Elias from Sweden, my psn is: Lanneforselias. I played with the Domestic Battery crew last Saturday and the Saturday before that in a playlist. I had a great experience and had lots of fun. I got introduced into the game by my dad (Lann3fors) and would like to join the crew. I’m a pretty new player to the game, started in the summer of 2023 but would say that I’m kind of experienced in all aspect's of the game. Thanks!

My first Random Transform race. Based on a old favourite classic Verified race; Rattlesnake Run. Two minute lap in high speed. Transform at start/finish and once during the lap. The fastest Supers, the Open Wheels, two motorcycles and a few top HSW are added to the possible vehicles. Going in the fastest vehicles will take some speed management up in the hillside. https://socialclub.rockstargames.com/job/gtav/qduHD6urfkaBmTZx32jLww

Wifelike (2022) dir James Bird There have been quite a few films in the last few years about life-like, AI, android companions, and they are nothing new, think of Ridely Scott's' Bladerunner (1982) and Steven Spielberg's AI (2001). This is another, and it's a really badly made film. I was almost tempted to turn it off and find something else, but I haven't given a film a really bad rating for a while, so I thought I would persevere. Set in not that distant future a company, Wifelike, is making artificial wives for those very wealthy men able to afford them. These are basically very expensive s*x toys and, not surprisingly, there is a vocal protest movement campaigning against them. Some of the protestors steal and “liberate” the artificial wives, others have found a way to hack into them and turn them into weapons to use against their owners and the company. So there is a special police squad who's job it is to find and return the missing ones. The main character, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, is one of these agents and the best there is. So following the death of this human wife the company has provided him with an artificial version of her played by Eleanor Kampouris, who also plays the human wife in flash back scenes. She then starts to have strange dreams and appears to be getting contacted by a group of the protestors, who her husband then tracks down. Rhys Meyers's acting is truly awful in this, as is that of most of the rest of cast. Kampouris is OK, but the way she plays the artificial wife, I assumed instructed to do so by the director, is very silly. They over accentuate the artificialness of her movements and speech at first before she learns how to do those things properly. This made no sense to me. If the company has the technology to design and build these things then surely they can train them to walk and talk in the factory. There are other plot elements that are similarly nonsensical or highly implausible too. I cannot work out what sort of film this was meant to be. Maybe it was a terribly executed attempt at a serious film looking at the ethics of this sort of thing if / when it ever becomes possible, i.e. when does a machine become so intelligent and aware of it's own existence that it should be granted human-like rights and be allowed to decide who it lives and sleeps with? Or maybe it was just meant to be a cheap thriller, an excuse to show lots of scantily clad, sometimes naked, women and have a few fight scenes for some action? Either way it's a bad film. If you think you might like this, watch Bladerunner instead, 3/10

Monthly Innovation Creation! One idea to polish for a month. Every new month we publish our jobs. Each player create one job with or without themes. We encourage everyone to join in, especially those rarely in the creator. Any interest in a monthly creators event?

My document with my reviews on it got corrupted and I can't be bothered to re-write them, so this one will be a bite-sized special. Normal service will resume next week. What I Watched This Week 157 (Dec 30-Jan 5 2025) Sweet Smell of Success dir. Alexander Mackendrick/1957/1h37m Burt Lancaster plays a ruthless, influential New York columnist who manipulates sleazy publicist Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) into breaking up his sister's relationship with a jazz guitarist by any means necessary. They both give amazing performances as totally contemptable *ssholes, with a moody jazz score matching the tone perfectly. 9/10 Two Adam Elliot shorts: Harvie Krumpet 2003/23m Ernie Biscuit 2015/21m Less autobiographical than his other work, these two claymation shorts are character studies of two foreigners who inadvertently end up in Australia, a Polish man with Tourette's and a deaf French taxidermist. Celebrating the beauty of life even when it's at its most bleak these are two very life-affirming films may lack the personal touch of his other films but are still very good. A combined score of 8/10 Trailer of a Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars dir. Jean-Luc Godard/2023/20m A posthumous work by the legendary French director who passed away in 2022, this is an avant-garde collage essay film where he is in discussion with the very act of filmmaking. Handmade and tactile, this is sometimes incomprehensible to a moron like me, but I love how this goes beyond experimental and shows how innovative JLG was right into his nineties. 7/10 I Saw the TV Glow dir. Jane Schoenbrun/2024/1h40m Teenager Owen (Justice Smith) and his friend Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine) are obsessed with an old TV show, The Pink Opaque. Soon his reality starts to fracture and he believes that he is one of the characters trapped in another dimension. A real soft burn of a sci-fi film, much like the recent The Vast of Night, this acts as an allegory for the trans experience that is never preachy. A fantastic synth score adds to the nostalgic feel of the film. 8.5/10 Werckmeister Harmonies dir. Bela Tarr/2000/2h19m Lars Rudolph plays a postman in a small Hungarian village that is one day visited by a circus where the main attraction is a stuffed whale. Soon after, the village sees an escalation in violence as society starts to break down. Grimly beautiful and hypnotic, this is made up of very long shots with the camera roving and exploring the space, as is Tarr's trademark, some going for over ten minutes before cutting. Ever since I watched Satantango and it became my favourite film of all time I've been scared to watch any more of his work because it couldn't possibly compare. I was wrong. 10/10 Lime's Film of the Week! Knock at the Cabin dir. M. Night Shyamalan/2023/1h40m Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge play a couple with a young daughter who are visited at their cabin in the woods by Dave Bautista's Leonard and his crew, who have an improbable and impossible task for them. Very Twilight Zone and pulpy, this is elevated by the lead performance from Bautista. Being a Shyamalan film I was waiting for a huge shock twist at the end, and was left somewhat disappointed by the lack thereof, with the payoff not living up to the set up much like the recent Heretic. Still a fun watch though. 7/10 A Countess from Hong Kong dir. Charlie Chaplin/1967/1h47m Chaplin's final film (though he only has a cameo appearance here) stars Marlon Brando as a US diplomat in Hong Kong who is traveling back to America, but a Russian countess played by Sophia Loren, has stowed away in his cabin. This feels cheap, with most of the action taking place in a couple of sets, and Marlon Brando, as talented an actor as he is, is just not funny. Loren was fun, and Chaplin's son Sydney is very good as Brando's assistant, but this is a long way from his best work. 6.5/10 Finding Nemo dir. Andrew Stanton/2003/1h40m Clownfish Marlin (Albert Brooks) has to go on an epic journey across the ocean after his son Nemo (Alexander Gould) is captured by a diver. Pixar's streak of bangers continues here as this is one of their very best films. It still looks amazing, with the underwater world looking bright and full of life, and their human characters no longer induce nightmares. The script is funny and touching with not a second of wasted time. 10/10 Two Radu Jude shorts: The Tube with a Hat 2006/25m Shadow of a Cloud 2013/30m Two films from the Romanian filmmaker here, including his very first, which is about a father and his son taking their broken TV to the local village to get repaired. Shadow of a Cloud follows a priest who is asked to pray over a dying woman, but not all of her relatives are happy about it. These films don't really feel like Jude films, as we know them now. There's no sense of surreal absurdity but the style comes close at points, particularly Shadow of a Cloud. Following the priest around feels like a prelude to the recent Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World. A combined 7/10 Ostinato dir. Sonia Furier/2024/7m (no trailer for this) This animated short is about a composer trying to write a piece on the piano, but her tinnitus keeps getting in her way, until she finds a way to make the discordant noise a part of her composition. This is a very vibrant film, though the animation does feel a little cheap at times. Decent enough but it feels insubstantial. 5.5/10

16 players TDM on M/S Lann. Headshots and melee for extra points. Blip only visable when camping. 10 min. Vehicles locked. Shotguns only. https://socialclub.rockstargames.com/job/gtav/q1bME_fW9EC_tPfzNPcZIQ

Inglorious Basterds (2009) dir Quentin Tarantino When putting together my list of favourite films from each year of my life I picked this for 2009, but until now I had never seen the whole film, all the way through in one sitting, just watched parts when it has been on TV. It's a WWII film, mainly, about a group of Jewish-American soldiers (name as in the film's title) operating behind enemy lines in occupied France, terrorising the Germans, and ultimately taking part in a mission to try and assassinate the entire n*zi leadership. But there is much more to the story than that with other plot lines. It is presented in chapters, each of which is almost like a short film in it's own right, that connects to the others, but they don't all feature the same characters, and some characters never meet each other. It has a great ensemble cast, too many to mention all in detail. I guess you can just about say Brad Pitt plays the main character, Lt Aldo Raine, leader of the Basterds. Christopher Walz won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Col Hans Landa. Often the bad guy roles stand out, and this is no exception to that. Landa is a truly evil, virulently anti-Semitic n*zi, assigned by Hitler to find all remaining Jews France. Melanie Laurent is also worth a mention as Shosanna Dreyfus, the lone survivor of a Jewish family that Landa had found and killed, now running the cinema in Paris where different plot elements come together. The others in the supporting roles include Eli Roth, Daniel Bruhl, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger and August Diehl. There's also a couple of cameo roles from Mike Myers (almost unrecognisable as a British General, who refers to distances in kilometres not miles! - I think that must have been deliberate) and Harvey Keitel (voice on other end of a radio conversation). The soundtrack is great, from a variety of composers and performers, featuring quite a few Ennio Morricone pieces, from other films he worked on, such as The Battle of Algiers and various westerns. It's a very well written script, as you would expect from Tarantino. It's not a comedy but not that serious at times, like most of his films. Similarly can be quite violent, not hard given the genre, but there are rather more graphic scenes than your average war film includes. There are a couple of scenes of intense drama. One that stands out is when Shosanna is forced to meets Landa, she knows who he is but he does not remember her. The meeting is just about a film the Germans want her to screen for them. She just about manages to keep her composure before breaking down after he leaves. 9/10

What I Watched This Week #156 (Dec 23-29) Santa Claus: The Movie dir. Jeannot Szwarc/1985/1h48m I had completely forgotten about Santa Claus: The Movie, a childhood favourite of mine that I watched so much I wore out the VHS, until I saw it while scrolling through Amazon, so I thought I'd see if it holds up. The first hour of the film sees how Santa (David Huddleston) became the man we know and love today, while the second half of the film becomes a bit of a muddled mess with two plots shoehorned in to give the film some action. One is about a homeless boy in New York and his rich, little girl friend, and the other is about one of Santa's elves, Patch (Dudley Moore), becoming corrupted by slimy businessman B.Z. (John Lithgow). This makes the film feel very rushed and tonally inconsistent, with the whimsical magic of the first part getting thrown out for some bland action. Huddleston, who is now most recognisable as The Big Lebowski, makes for an excellent Santa. He has all of the charm and warmth that you need, and also a slight edge to him that makes sure the naughty children get what they deserve. Lithgow is a hammy, pantomime villain and Moore is strangely subdued and sincere, with neither performance really fitting into place. A strong start let down by a messy third act, even with my nostalgia goggles on I can only give this a 6/10 It's A Wonderful Life dir. Frank Capra/1946/2h10m It's A Wonderful Life stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a selfless everyman with big dreams in a small town who spends his life putting everyone else first. On Christmas Eve his business accidentally loses thousands of dollars and he is driven to consider suicide. The greatest Christmas film ever made. It's that simple. No other film's ending can make me feel real happiness and joy the way this one can. Jimmy Stewart's first film after serving in WWII, he puts it all out there in the scenes where George breaks down, not able to contain his emotions any longer. That's real pain and desperation and it hits so hard. He is surrounded by a fantastic supporting cast including Donna Reed as his wife Mary, Henry Travers as his guardian angel Clarence, and Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, the town's very own Ebenezer Scrooge – except there are no ghosts here to scare him straight. This film is both sweetly sentimental and painfully real, and incredibly it does both perfectly, with the tones never clashing. A beautiful miracle of a film. Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. 10/10 A Christmas Dream dir. Borivoj Zeman, Karel Zeman/1945/11m This short film from what was formerly Czechoslovakia is by Borivoj and Karel Zeman (no relation) and combines live action, shot by Borivoj, and stop-motion animation, directed by Karel. It tells the story of a little girl who discards her old doll in favour of a new one she got for Christmas. That night she dreams that her old doll comes to life, clowning around her room to her delight. This is a charming little film with some really impressive animation, especially for the time (Karel would go on to direct some incredible animated films, I highly recommend Invention for Destruction and The Fabulous Baron Munchausen). This is like a prototypical Toy Story that I'm sure was a huge influence on John Lasseter and the rest of the Pixar team, and I think still holds up today as a little sprinkle of childlike wonder that is tailor made for Christmastime. 8/10 The Muppet Christmas Carol dir. Brian Henson/1992/1h29m The best adaptation of the best Christmas story is also one of the most faithful to the source material and historically accurate in terms of costume and set design despite starring The Great Gonzo (Dave Goelz) as “a blue furry Charles Dickens who hangs out with a rat”. Michael Caine is a pitch perfect Ebenezer Scrooge, playing the role like he's in a Royal Shakespeare Company production and thus giving the film a real gravitas. He only accepted the part on the condition that he do it that way, and his performance is a large part of why this is a genuine masterpiece and, in my opinion, the best work he's ever done. The fact that he can deliver the line “why, this is Fozziwig's old rubber chicken factory” and imbue it with real emotion is worth the price of admission alone. To make things even better, this is also a musical with banger after banger after banger. Scrooge's introduction song, where we see the entire population of London singing about how much of a sh*t he is, is one of the best in musical history. 10/10 Lime's Film of the Week! Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl dir. Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham/2024/1h15m Wallace (Ben Whitehead) and his exasperated canine companion return for the first time since 2008's A Matter of Loaf and Death in this feature length film. The plot sees Wallace invent a smart-gnome, Norbot (Reece Shearsmith), to help Gromit with his gardening. Unfortunately, penguin criminal mastermind Feathers McGraw, seeking revenge for the events of 1993's The Wrong Trousers, is able to hack into it from his cell in the zoo, and soon an army of evil gnomes is terrorising the town. It feels so good to be back in this world, and this film retains the warm, cosy aesthetic of the other films and also its sharp sense of humour. The physical comedy and slapstick is also still on point – I love the way the evil gnomes move, they are a great addition to this cast of characters. Whitehead does a decent job replacing Wallace's original actor, Peter Sallis, though at times it does come across as an impersonation of Sallis rather than his own take on the character. Peter Kay is very good as the local policeman, and Lauren Patel plays off him really well as an enthusiastic trainee. Not quite on the level of their best work, this is still a delightful film well worth watching. 8.5/10 Heretic dir. Scott Beck, Bryan Woods/2024/1h51m Heretic is a religious horror about two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton (Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East), out spreading their gospel when they knock on the door of the charming Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), who is very enthusiastic about them coming in and having a chat. What follows is a game that will test their faith to its breaking point. This is a fairly well made film that is elevated by a fantastic lead performance from Grant, who has had a really interesting and diverse range of roles in the last decade or so. He starts off here as his usual affable and stutteringly charming self, but the slow move to threat and menace is so subtle that you don't notice it until you realise that you're suddenly scared for these two young women. It does get a bit repetitive, with the film really labouring the point at times, making the film drag, and the payoff is not as satisfying as the genuinely interesting and creepy premise, but Grant pulls it all together. Thatcher and East are both very good, particularly at the start where we're really made to care about and sympathise with them, but once Grant opens that door he steals the show. 7/10 Conclave dir. Edward Berger/2024/2h From religious horror to religious drama with Ralph Fiennes starring as Cardinal Lawrence, the man tasked with overseeing the process to elect a new pope after the sudden death of the last one. Among the front runners are the progressive Bellini (Stanley Tucci), the conservative Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) and the slimy Tremblay (John Lithgow). This is a film with more politicking, deal making and back stabbing than any political thriller, with a really tight script that manages to sustain the intrigue and tension throughout the runtime. Fiennes is visibly straining under the pressure of his position, coming across as the only honest, god fearing man in the group. It's a measured, controlled performance where everything is happening under the surface. The direction makes excellent use of shadows to represent the shady dealings going on in the Vatican. Even if you have no interest in religious matters I still think you will be totally engaged by this film. 9/10 Gladiator II dir. Ridley Scott/2024/2h28m The award for most unnecessary sequel of the year goes to Ridley Scott's follow up to his Oscar winning swords and sandals epic, this time with Paul Mescal in the lead as Hanno, a man taken into slavery by the Romans after they sack his city and kill his wife. He is soon bought by Denzel Washington's Macrinus and must fight for his freedom against a pair of mad and tyrannical emperors, Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger). Very far fetched and silly – I burst out laughing at the “Hail Dondus” scene – this is still entertaining and action packed, with some really fun colosseum sequences, one of them featuring sharks! I have only seen Mescal in the emotional dramas Aftersun and All Of Us Strangers, but he feels just at home here as the lead of a big budget blockbuster. He's also able to bring some credibility to some of the heavier moments, especially in his scenes with a returning Connie Nielsen who plays Lucilla, Maximus's love interest from the first film. Don't go into this expecting it to be as good as the original and you'll have a blast. 7/10 Dahomey dir. Mati Diop/2024/1h8m This experimental documentary tells the story of 26 of the thousands of artefacts taken from the African kingdom of Dahomey – modern day Benin – in the 19th century as they are prepared to be shipped back home. The first half of the film is narrated from the perspective of one of the artefacts, a statue of a king, as he ruminates on his place in the modern world and the effects of colonialism. The second half films a debate between university students in Benin discussing those very issues. The dreamy ethereality of the first half is juxtaposed with the urgency and immediacy of the debate. This feels like the present having a conversation with the past through the medium of film, and I could have watched the debate for another hour. 8/10 Monsters, Inc. dir. Pete Docter/2001/1h32m John Goodman stars as Sully, the best scarer working at Monsters, Inc. who use the screams of children as a power source. When a little girl called Boo (Mary Gibbs) suddenly appears in the monster world Sully and his best friend Mike (Billy Crystal) must get her home, and they uncover a huge conspiracy in the process. Pixar continue their run of instant classics here with a really imaginative, original, funny and heart warming film. The voice cast all perfectly match their characters, with some great support from the likes of Steve Buscemi, James Coburn and Jennifer Tilly. The quality of the animation also continues to improve, with the big leap forward here coming with the fur textures that makes Sully look especially huggable. This also has one of the most touching endings in the Pixar filmography that is still able to bring a tear of happiness to my eye. One of their very best 9.5/10

Bad Tidings (2024) dir Tim Kirkby A Christmas, comedy, TV-film made by Sky, staring comedians Lee Mack and Chris McCausland as two feuding neighbours who get left to guard their street over Christmas when a power cut leads to everyone else re-locating for the festive season. A local gang of thieves hear about this and, assuming no one at all is at home, decide this is the perfect time burgle all the houses. So it's clearly inspired at least partly by Home Alone, with similar slap-stick sscenes of the incompetent thieves falling into traps, etc. But this obviously has two adults rather than one child left at home. McCausland is completely blind, so his character was too, and that part of the plot is done well, as in they don't really make too much of it, he has adapted to his disability and just gets on with things his own way. I don't expect too much from a TV film and it was fine for what it is. 6/10 L.A. Confidential (1997) dir Curtis Hanson This was my Christmas film this year, although it's not really Christmassy. It just happens to start on Christmas Eve but goes well into January and ends months later. It's a police thriller set in early 1950s Los Angeles. 3 quite different detectives come together to eventually uncover who has taken control of LA's organised crime scene. The main character is Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), a young officer following in the footsteps of his hero father who was killed on the job, trying to stay honest and follow the rules. One of the others is Bud White (Russel Crowe) a tough cop, prepared to fight dirty, especially with men who beat up their wives and girlfriends. The final one is Jack Vincennes (played by an actor I don't think deserves any credit due to what sort of person we now know he is in real life) who supplements his police salary by being an advisor on a Hollywood cop show and also by tipping off a celebrity magazine editor (Danny De Vito) about famous people about to be arrested for drugs offences. It also features James Cromwell as the police captain, Kim Bassinger as a high class prostitute working for a business man / pimp played by David Strathairn. It's a great cast all round, Bassinger won an Oscar, as did the fantastic script adapted from a James Ellroy novel. 9 / 10

Started playing BO6. I do mostly Multi-player. If you see me on, join up.

What I Watched This Week #155 (Dec 16-22) The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special dir. James Gunn/2022/45m I'm counting down the ten days till Christmas with nothing but festive films, starting off with this short Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. In order to cheer up Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Mantis and Drax (Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista) decide to get him an extra special present for Christmas, so decide to head to Earth and kidnap Kevin Bacon (Kevin Bacon). Klementieff and Bautista make for a very funny duo so it was nice to spend an extended period of time with them here. Bacon is also great, getting some big laughs from me, especially in his interactions with Drax. Where this film falls somewhat flat is that it focuses a bit too much on the comedy, undercutting the impact of the more emotional scenes. This is something that Gunn handles well in the full length Guardians films but there's just not enough time here to develop those moments fully. That said, this is still an entertaining short that manages to capture the spirit of the season, though we didn't really need to have Kevin Bacon sing a naff song at the end. 7/10 Miracle on 34th Street dir. Les Mayfield/1994/1h54m This remake of the 1947 classic stars Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, a jolly old chap who is hired to be a department store Santa for the holidays, and who insists that he's the real deal. This calls his sanity into doubt and a trial ensues where he must prove that he is indeed Santa. Attenborough is magical in this role, equalling Edmund Gwenn's delightful performance in the original. He is warm and playful, exuding a warmth whenever he's on screen and I swear to god he has an actual twinkle in his eye. This is a testament to his skills as an actor as it's a world away from the psychopathic gangster in Brighton Rock or the cold blooded serial killer in 10 Rillington Place. This seemed to be a very faithful remake that kept to the spirit of the original and I was enjoying it greatly, but then we came to the end and it kind of fell apart somewhat. The conclusion to the court case has been totally changed, and totally for the worse. I won't give any details as I think you should definitely watch the 1947 version, but the changes just make it feel smaller, less impactful and not at all magical. A film that could almost be great but falls at the final hurdle. 7/10 Holiday Affair dir. Don Hartman/1949/1h27m This Christmastime romance stars Robert Micthum as Steve, a salesman in a department store who is fired thanks to comparison shopper Connie (Janet Leigh). The two spend the day together and form a connection, even her young son Timmy (Gordon Gebert) is an instant fan. The only problem is her long term beau Carl (Wendell Corey). This is a sweet film with some charm, but I just couldn't buy Mitchum as a romantic lead. He has a dangerous face. After seeing him in films like Cape Fear and The Night of the Hunter I was just expecting him to pull out a switch knife and threaten to cut someone's throat. Leigh is fantastic, and absolutely gorgeous, and I really like how maturely the love triangle is handled. Everyone acts like adults, which I really appreciated. Gebert does well for a child actor, considering his character has a lot to do here. Corey gives a solid performance but his character is a bit bland. A meandering final third leads to a rushed ending but I think there's still enough good stuff here to recommend it. 6.5/10 Red One dir. Jake Kasdan/2024/2h4m When Santa (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped his head of security, Callum Drift (The Rock), enlists the world's best tracker, Jack O'Malley (Chris Evans), to help find him. This is f*cking awful in every possible aspect. Firstly, I couldn't tell who the target audience is for this film. It's takes itself way too seriously and is too adult for it to be a family film, but it's too simple and basic and boring for any adults to enjoy it. There's no magic about Santa here, he's just the head of some technological corporate entity, and as a character himself he's just boring. He's a buff guy who works out with The Rock at the start of the film then spends the rest of it passed out in a chair. He has no twinkle. The Rock is just The Rock, but the most boring version of The Rock who always has to come across as too cool for any of this. Chris Evans is so bad that I thought he was Ryan Reynolds for a lot of this. It looks awful, with it being so desaturated that it may as well have been in black and white. A bland, soulless piece of content that Amazon shat out just to have something to put on Pirme for the holiday season, this is the polar opposite of a Christmas film. 1/10 Carry-On dir. Jaume Collet-Serra/2024/1h59m Carry-On is not a new entry in the long running British comedy series but rather a Christmas set action thriller that is basically Die Hard in an airport (yes, I know Die Hard 2: Die Harder is already Die Hard in an airport, but you know what I mean). Taran Egerton stars as a low level security officer at LAX on Christmas Eve who is being coerced into letting a man with a very dangerous piece of carry-on luggage onto a plane. He is being watched at all times and being given commands via earpiece by a man known only as Traveler (Jason Bateman). This really feels like a 90s action thriller, if you can go along with the kinda silly premise you'll have fun. Egerton is a good lead, really coming across as an everyman in a crazy situation, and he has a good back and forth with Bateman, who's always one step ahead. This is a film that relies on the tension it builds rather than the action set pieces, of which there are only a handful, and it does a very good job. It also has a few twists that I think were handled nicely. 7/10 The Star Wars Holiday Special dir. Steve Binder, David Acomba/1978/1h37m The infamous Star Wars Holiday Special sees Han Solo (Harrison Ford) help get Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) get back home to his family – wife Malla (Mickey Morton), father in law Itchy (Paul Gale), and son Lumpy (Patty Maloney) – in time for Life Day. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) also appear, as do guest stars Bea Arthur, Art Carney and Harvey Korman, all the kid's favourites. A cheap, made for TV film just to cash in on the success of Star Wars, this is just pure sh*t. Most of it is spent with Chewie's family and we get no subtitles so f*ck knows what's going on. It's also a sort of variety show, so they have to find ways to shoehorn in musical performances, comedy skits and a cartoon. None of the main Star Wars cast put any effort in, with Ford's performance being particularly contractually obliged. Even Star Wars fans don't like this, and I'm not a Star Wars fan. 1/10 Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit short film collection: A Grand Day Out 1989/23m The Wrong Trousers 1993/29m A Close Shave 1995/30m A Matter of Loaf and Death 2008/29m These four films make up the Wallace and Gromit short collection from Nick Park and while they don't have anything specifically to do with Christmas, they were all originally aired on BBC1 on Christmas day, and make up a large part of my childhood memories of the season. A Grand Day Out sees crackpot inventor Wallace (Peter Sallis) and his long suffering dog Gromit head to the moon after running out of cheese. This stands apart from the other films in terms of tone, as this is a whimsical, silent comedy inspired affair, while the other three are very much inspired by noir films from the 40s and see the duo caught up in various criminal schemes. The Wrong Trousers introduces the penguin jewel thief Feathers McGraw, A Close Shave is about a sheep rustling scheme, while A Matter of Loaf and Death sees a serial killer targeting bakers. My immediate reaction to these films is how wonderfully tactile they are, with the animator's fingerprints visible in the clay models. The style of the films is charming and cosy, which really makes the darker elements stand out when they happen. There's a brilliant use of lighting that hearkens to those older films and can change the whole tone of a scene in an instant. These are also hilarious films packed full of verbal and visual comedy. I love how Gromit is basically eyes and a nose on a lump of clay and he's one of the most expressive animated characters I've ever seen, with his reaction shots of Wallace's antics getting some of the biggest laughs from me. These all live up to their reputations as some of the best British animated films ever, with them all being nominated for Oscars - The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave both winning (and A Grand Day Out losing to another Nick Park film, Creature Comforts). If you've never seen these take a couple of hours and treat yourself. On it's own The Wrong Trousers is a 10/10, but I'll give the whole collection 9/10

So I just got this. If anyone is running missions, let me know. I'm low level, but this needs friends to be fun.

What I Watched This Week #154 (Dec 9-15) The Hound of the Baskervilles dir. Terence Fisher/1959/1h27m The winning Hammer trio of director Terence Fisher and actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who had previous success with Dracula and The Mummy, team up once again for this adaptation of the most famous, and spookiest, Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Cushing plays Holmes with Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville, under threat from a family curse. Cushing makes for a wonderful Holmes, fitting into the role perfectly, and he has a capable Watson played by Andre Morell, but I did find Lee's role lacking in screen time, though he makes the most of what he gets. I think I would have much preferred to see him play Moriarty in a different story as The Hound of the Baskervilles isn't one of my favourites. What this film does well is atmosphere, particularly in the more supernatural scenes, with some wonderfully otherworldly lighting that feels like a precursor to the Italian giallo horror films of the 70s. 7/10 Memoir of a Snail dir. Adam Elliot/2024/1h34m This Australian stop-motion animation sees Grace (Sarah Snook) tell her sad life story, which starts with her mother dying whilst giving birth to her and her twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee). When their father dies while they are still young they are sent to separate foster homes. From there Grace grows into a lonely, depressed woman whose only friend is an eccentric old lady called Pinky (Jacki Weaver). Like Elliot's previous feature from 2009, Mary and Max – the story of a pen pal friendship between a lonely, bullied, little Australian girl and a lonely, autistic middle-aged New York man - this is a brutally open and emotionally raw film that still finds beauty in the ugliness of life. This extends to the character design, as these characters all border on the grotesque looking but are still endearing and beautiful in their own way. Going further, this applies to Elliot's own life. After watching his much more autobiographical shorts (see next review) I can see how much of this film is based on experience, and the fact that he's been able to make such a profoundly moving film out of his pain (this also applies to Mary and Max) is deeply touching. As far as feature films go he's two for two in my books and I can't wait to see his next film, even if it takes another 15 years. 10/10 Lime's Film of the Week! Four shorts by Adam Elliot: Human Behavioural Case Studies. Series One. 1996/1m Uncle 1996/6m Cousin 1999/4m Brother 2000/8m These four shorts make up Elliot's filmography prior to the release of his first feature, Mary and Max, and offer up bite-sized samples of his signature style and deeply personal storytelling. That is, with one outlier – his very first film, Human Behavioural Case Studies. Series One. This is a simply animated film, drawn with pencil rather than his usual Claymation stop-motion, where we hear three stories about weird hobbies that some children have. While probably based on reality this lacks the emotional heft that really makes his films hit hard. But this is more than present in his other three shorts that make up a trilogy, Uncle, Cousin, and Brother. These are all autobiographical and relate Elliot's feelings and relationships with each of the named family members, his eccentric, hardware store owning uncle, his cousin with cerebral palsy, and his wild and free older brother. These films are all tinged with sadness and melancholy but there is always humour present, something to make life bearable. If you don't laugh you'll cry. Like I said in the previous review, it's incredible that Elliot has taken so much pain and sadness and transformed that into these works of art. Not as refined as his feature films, these are still very much worth watching and I'll give the whole collection a score of 8.5/10 Mandibles dir. Quentin Dupieux/2020/1h17m Quentin Dupieux is a very unique director who has previously made films about a killer tyre (Rubber), a possessed jacket that wants to be the only jacket in the world (Deerskin), and a man who takes a play, and its audience, hostage because he thinks it's bad (Yannick), so I wasn't that surprised to find that this film is about a couple of idiotic chancers, Manu and Jean-Gab (Gregoire Ludig, David Marsais), who find a giant fly in the boot of their car and see it as a way to make some money. Deadpan Kafkaesque absurdity is the name of the game here, with the two main characters just going with the flow, seeing where their moronic scheme will take them. It's like if Dumb and Dumber was a surreal, European arthouse film. The two leads do a good job of making what could be very unlikeable characters – they're not only stupid, they're also selfish, manipulative, and deceitful – quite charming, and their almost childlike friendship I found to be quite sweet, they even have a special best friends fist bump. I also found it hilarious that at the end, just when we think that they are going to learn a lesson and grow as people, their idiocy is rewarded and reinforced. The more films of his I watch, the more I like the weird world of Quentin Dupieux. 9/10 Women Talking dir. Sarah Polley/2022/1h35m A group of women in an isolated, deeply religious community meet to discuss what they are to do after several of their men are arrested for sexually assaulting them. They decide they have three options, stay and fight for equality in the community, stay and do nothing, or leave. This is a true ensemble piece with many characters, but led by the brilliant trio of Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, and Claire Foy each delivering amazing performances. Ben Whishaw is also excellent as August, a kind and gentle man who has recently been let back into the community after previously being excommunicated due to his mother. He is at the meeting to take minutes because of course none of the women were ever taught to read or write. This is a film that is made by the dialogue, with the Oscar winning screenplay really making each discussion totally enthralling as the women struggle to reconcile their faith with the massively traumatic experience they've all been through. 9/10 Seven Chances dir. Buster Keaton/1925/56m This silent comedy stars Buster Keaton as Jimmie Shannon who discovers he's been left seven million dollars in a distant relative's will. The only catch is that he has to be married by seven pm on the evening of his twenty seventh birthday, which happens to be today. This film builds up the comedy over the runtime, starting off with quite subtle slapstick and culminating with a ridiculously over the top chase where he is pursued through the city streets by hundreds of would-be brides. Buster gives a very typical performance of his here, his stony expression exuding a slight air of sadness. While this is very well crafted I do find it to be less imaginative than his best films like Sherlock Jr. or The General. The chase scene is fun but there are no real big set pieces that stand out. But this is still a funny and charming film and well worth watching. 7/10 Toy Story 2 dir. John Lasseter/1999/1h32m Pixar's third film started out as a direct to video project, but when they exceeded all expectations when it came to quality and story it was pushed to full release. Woody (Tom Hanks) is kidnapped by toy store owner Al (Wayne Knight) who's going to sell him to a museum in Tokyo because it turns out he's a rare collectable piece of merchandise from an old TV show. This is how we meet the rest of the Woody's Roundup gang, exuberant cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Stinky Pete the Prospector (Kelsey Grammer). This is one of those rare sequels that is almost, if not as good as the original. Woody having to face the prospect of a life where Andy grows up and doesn't need him anymore is really well handled, with the song where Jessie recounts her own owner abandoning her being genuinely heart-breaking. This is also just as funny as the original, with most of that coming from Buzz (Tim Allen), leading a rescue party out looking for Woody. There's also a marked improvement in the animation from the first film here, especially with the human characters who are no longer nightmare inducing. The textures of the fabrics and plastics that make up the toys also look much more detailed. 9.5/10 Wasp dir. Andrea Arnold/2003/26m (no trailer for this) This Oscar winning short film from Andrea Arnold stars Natalie Press as Zoe, a single mother to four young children living in poverty on a council estate. She is asked out to the pub by an old flame Dave (Danny Dyer) but can't get a babysitter, so she makes her kids wait outside for her. This is an honest and non-judgemental look at what it's like for the poorest people in this country. Zoe, as a character is someone who you sympathise with, pity, are outraged by and can feel disgusted by how she treats her children. Her love for them is never called into question, it's a case of a desperate person not making the best decisions. Press gives an amazing performance that feels real and lived in. I'm also amazed that Dyer gave a good performance as I've hated him in everything else I've seen him in. Bleak and raw, there's still a spirit of hope here, small as it may be. 10/10

Yes, one I don't own.

I participated in last night’s M5 and didn’t see your race. However, I may have missed the first job. I do believe you are correct on the custom cars. I noticed it in other creations.

Sort of similar to the previous one

I cannot get this "song" out of my head. Those horns.......

Some inspiration for selecting pool of randon vehicles that seem similar, but likely needs testing. Mid (1:03.9-1:04.6) (working on a job with these) Supers: Vacca, Sultan RS Muscle: Dominator FX Off-road: Terminus SUV: Castigator Coupes: FR36 Sedan: Chavos v6 Sport Classic: Ardent Sport: Sentinel Classic widebody Mid (1:04.5-1:05.2) Super: Champion Sedan: Chavos v6/Tailgater S Sports: Schafter v12/Sentinel Classic/Comet retro custom Coupes: Previon SUV: Toros Offroad: Kamancho Muscle: Apocalymse Dominator/Dominator ASP Sport Classic: Rapid GT Classic/Retinue MK2 Mid (1:07.0-1:07.5) Sedan: Vorslaghammer Muscle: Impaler SZ Sport Classic: Savestra/Stromberg Compacts: Apocalypse Issi Coupes: Euros x32 Supers: Bullet Sports:Rapid GT/Drift Tampa Slower 8 (1:10.*) Compacts: Brioso R/A Muscle: Gauntelet Classic custom Sport Classic: Monroe Coupes: Felon GT Sport: Schwartzer Sedan: Tailgater Off road: Helion Suv: XLS Armoured

I think we have a first themed event! Lets go!! ”Races are making a return, and players can now access the Random Transform Race Creator to create their own racing events.”

From January 9-15, 2025, you can get your hands on the sleek Vapid Firebolt ASP, dive into the new Transform Race Creator, and enjoy lucrative bonuses. Earn 2x rewards in The FIB Files challenges, triple your cash and RP in Community Series jobs, and double up in the thrilling Known Unknowns and Unknown Unknowns Stunt Races. Plus, there’s a $100,000 bonus just for creating a job with the new Creator!

I've finally gone in and changed the modifier settings to always show players on the radar now. I believe that will fix the names not showing since I've gone through all the settings and can't find anything else that could be causing it.

I'd be interested.

It's certainly an interesting idea. Count me in.

I’d be interested. Sounds fun!

Declasse Pickups: Power, Style, and Versatility for Every Road Looking for a truck that’s as bold as your ambition and as rugged as the roads you conquer? Declasse Pickups are here to deliver everything you need: raw power, timeless style, and unmatched versatility. Whether you're hauling cargo, tearing up off-road trails, or cruising through Los Santos with swagger, a Declasse pickup is your ultimate partner in crime. No need to splurge on upgrades—these trucks come ready for action straight off the lot. Choose between the rugged Walton L35 and the iconic Yosemite 1500 to conquer the toughest trails with style and power. Players: 1 to 30 Locked to these two stock vehicles Laps: 1 minute 20 second Route Length: 2.31 Kilometers Link: https://socialclub.rockstargames.com/job/gtav/0rC8hW4iF0ms5_rOg3k6NQ

Look forward to it. Like I said, I'm still really new.

The Origin of Evil (2022) dir Sebastien Marnier A French drama about the daughters and wife of an elderly, ill, wealthy man, Serge, fighting over his fortune. The main character, Nathalie (Laure Calamy) introduces herself as the daughter of one of his mistresses who he has not seen since her childhood. I won't say if she is what she claims, but we know from early on she is lying about at least some of her story, and her half sister clearly does not like the idea of someone else to split her eventual inheritance with. It's not like a mystery thriller, more a “why” than “who” dunnit as we slowly learn more about Nathalie and the family she is trying to win over. It's well paced, we get hints of the true story, then a little later things are confirmed, so it's not the sort of film that keeps you guessing until the end. Apart from Jacques Weber playing Serge there are no male characters until almost the very end. At first I didn't notice this as it seemed just coincidental. I'm not sure why they introduced the couple of minor male characters they did, they could have been women too, so they could have had an all female cast, apart from one, if they had wanted. I'm sure they was a reason for all of this, but it wasn't obvious to me. Overall an interesting film, well made and acted. 7 / 10

old school UK rap seriously though, these guys are great

My PS5 is here!!! Woooooo!!! I feel like I’m 30 again!!!

couple of bangers

Something from my time in Texas. And something swedish.

The Van Society was founded on May 9 2014 and started off as a small crew of PS3 GTAO players by Retired-Mafia. We are now a well established crew focused on the PS4 for mature gamers who like to approach GTAO from a different angle to most too get the most of the game. Since the beginning of this crew we've been hosting events every week. At this later stage in the games life we are no longer grinding everyday or tearing around in free-roam but still put on an event at least one event every week which is when we all meet up to game together. Our events are usually car based and include Street Racing, Track Racing, Off Road Racing, Rallying and our Top Gear Challenges including Class War, Reasonably Priced Car, Mystery Car, Racenight. Links R* Social Club: socialclub.rockstargames.com/crew/van_society Our website: vansociety.net Twitter: @Van_Society We are always looking for like minded players, we play on PS4 and host our events to suit the GMT time zone. Our events will often require following a plan or listening to instructions so you will need to be able to hear the host when playing (a mic helps to). If you want to get involved drop a message in the thread below and leave a few details about yourself...

David Lynch, my favourite filmmaker of all time, died yesterday aged 78. Not only did he make some of the best films I've ever seen - Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive - but was also, by all accounts, a wonderful person who was just as strange as his films. I think this video sums him up perfectly and, if you've never seen any of his work, will make you want to check them out (I'd start with The Elephant Man).