YOU MUST WATCH THIS FILM!!

I was quite taken by Liam Neesons latest action thriller, Neeson seldom puts his name to a bad film and this time he is the star of a great one. Taken's tangibilty is it's real strength and makes it real and gripping film.

The plot is simple one man losses his daughter to an Albania womens trafficking ring and uses his 'acquired set of skills' to find her. Neeson plays the all action dad and somehow manages to turn a somewhat one dimensional character into someone who is much more.

Some synics could claim the idea of a middle aged Neesons attempting such a task is ludicious, but this is where the plots tangibilty and the directing of Pierre Morel turns the film into something abit special.

He does this through uncompromising and rough action, and an easy to follow and oh so believable plot. Anyone who has travelled with a friend and knows abit about the world can relate to it.

And the choice of location ,Paris, a somewhat innocent tourist location just adds to reality of it all.

This isn't to say the film is just an action thriller with no real depth, as some have labelled it. The film does lack the soft lovy dovy scenes, hours of character building and sweet nostalgic music but this doesn't mean the film lacks any emotion it just means the film is refreshingly short , just an hour and half and this leaves you wanting more.

Rating: 5/6

WATCH IT!!!

So you know where you are standing with the rating

1/6:Rubbish avoid at all costs

2/6: I would make no effort to see it

3/6: Think i'd watch it when it's on TV

4/6:Think very good film you might watch at the cinema but will get the dvd

5/6:Think very very good film that you plan to see in the cinema The Dark Knight,Platoon,

6/6:Think a must watch epit like the Godfathers , LOTR's, The Sopranos ,

Der Deutsche Fussball Bund

A few people have asked me what I make of the current state of the German national football team, given that I am a devoted fan.

So as I sit here on the Sports Desk on a slow Sunday afternoon desperatly trying to find a fresh angle on a Kelly Holmes interview from yesterday, and studying the Russian Open for a interesting angle I think I will give you my thoughts.

My starting off point is from an article I read on Goal.com ,a fantastic football, website. The article argues Germany's decade of not winning anything is abit of a failure, as this is the first time we have doen this since the 60's. My arguement is ...

Germany have done what is expected of them over the past decade and Euro 08. In Euro 08 specifically, we got to the the final relatively comfortably and were beaten by a better team.

We truimphed over our weaker opposition such as Turkey, Austria and Poland efficiently and as we knew we would face Portugal at some stage, we were prepared and stepped up our game for them.

The squad, however, did not have the strength and depth to evolve and beat Spain. It also could be argued this was the only game in the competition we could not really prepare for given the nature of the draw.

As for the squad we took to Euro 08 and in previous tournements Michael Ballack is our only World Class player, but other players have stepped up in other individual tournements.

In 2002 it was Oliver Kahn and Klose, in 2006 Podolski and Klose ran were the heroes, and in 2008 Schweinsteiger was the man.

Obviously it can be argued who did what in these tournements, but fundementally the German teams have been solid units from which only Ballack can consistently be considered a class above.

Euro 08 was no different, and our limitations were obvious, Lehmann is a stop gap Keeper likewise Fritz and, when he is not fit, Frings.

But our unit was one of the strongest in the tournement.

To go one further and win the competition like in 2006 and 2002 what we have needed is an additional World Class offensive player, someone who could play up front and allow Pod to play on the wing or on the wing so Pod could go upfront.

I thought it would be Gomes this time around, needless to say, it wasn't. In 2002 we needed a pace merchant like Podolski but he was still in nappies.

And in 2006 we needed... i dunno, something. But then again we were at home so everyone stepped up.

A decade of failure? No !, A decade of success? Not really.

I'm willing to put our poor performances in Euro 2000 and 2004 down as results of internal disputes, a tough draw and a gearing up for hosting the World Cup.

It has been a decade of beating teams that are worse than us and losing to better teams, very German.

The next Generation will be of a similar ilk, Neuer, Kroos and Marin will be just as effective and good, plus a few guys like Klose will come good out of nowhere.

But like all German teams , and this is sitting on the fence abit, they will do as well as can be expected and maybe abit better. A very high quality of average sometimes crossing over to World Class.

Student ID Cards

Here is another one of my packages from University.

Boris Johnson slams Labours plan to test their controversial identity card scheme on students. Jacquie Smith, claims using young people is the perfect way to test run the programme. But critics think the Home Secretary is trying to introduce the cards without on the sly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NleCEum7JBY

Walpole Park

This was my first go at making a package and i hope i have added the one with the voice over. If i haven't, enjoy the pictures.

Sound of Music

A new Maria will be gracing the stage in the West End show The Sound Of Music. Summer Strallen's switch from teen Tv soap Hollyoaks to the London Palladium is meant to attract a younger audience, but will it work?

Our showbiz reporter Edward Asta caught up with her to see if it will work.

(A big thanks to Neil Sean for helping me arrange this interview)

MOMA

During my recent visit to the Big Apple i dropped by the Museum of Modern Art.

What could be better a modern art museum in one of the worlds trendiest and richest cities in the world? I was ready to see something new different, bold, mind bending but i did not find this.

Instead i found the same mediums such paintings, photo's and weirdly shaped object just with a slightly more modern take on things. What did i expect? This is modern art? True, but i would have quite liked to have seen something that Incorporated two or more styles in one piece. Something with abit of a shock and awe factor, something incomprehensible or too complicated for words and pictures.

The closest thing i could get to that was the work of Jackson Pollock and as a result i am now ab it of a fan. His work is craziness on a page and fantastic as a result. If you think about what it means it will drive you crazy as well, trust me i have tried. The picture above is a relatively tame creation but make my point. You couldn't explain or describe this accuarately in any meduim which currently exists.

And if you find yourself looking at a melee of colours ask yourself why did this piece end up like this? You'll soon get lost.

A Hattrick

I'm at work at 9.45 pm on a Saturday night and may miss Germanys opening game of the European Cup , so i'm in a bad mood and don't have much time to write an indepth piece.

But here are a few of my opinions on a couple of issues.

New York City - An amazing place. It was less glamourous and dirtier than i expected, but was twice as good.

Euro 2008 - Germany or France will win it. No Cannavaro rules Italy out and France's tricky run in means they may could be knocked out at any stage, where as Germany will progress steadily and will only have overcome Croatia, Portugal and Someone else in the final.

Foo Fighters at Wembley Staduim- Awesome- too good to put into words, listen to their albums and imagine 86,000 people singing, dancing, moshing and getting smashed together and you'll be somewhere close to it, but still nowhere near the mark.

My Computer - Exploding piece of rubbish.