Kevin Bridges at the Edinburgh Festival

It's that time of year again. The Edinburgh Festival has arrived with it vast spectrum of the weird and wonderful. Like last year my friends and I have focused soley on comedy again and to kick things off we went to see the rising star that is Kevin Bridges. Although he has blazed his way onto the comedy circuit in the last year I had never actually seen him in action. He had completely sold out his run at the festival and extra dates were added due to massive public demand, so to say that I expected great things from this young Glaswegian comedian would be accurate. As Tony, Alan and I queued outside the Assembly Music Hall on a fair Friday evening I was handed a flier advertising Kevin Bridges. There were quotes from various magazines and newspapers heralding him as 'the master of stand up at just 22' and 'the most exciting talent in Scottish stand-up'. My levels of expectation were now even higher. So, was he any good? Well, to say that he is 'the master of stand-up' is quite an exaggeration but that's not to say that I didn't enjoy his set. It was good, but just not as good as I had hoped. His material was observational with a strong Scottish perspective. I was more impressed with the maturity with which he delivered his material, like a seasoned pro. Even if his material was not that funny he engineered a laugh because he has a natural gift in telling a story or a joke. I think we are still to see the best of Kevin Bridges, as he gains more experience and refines his material. He certainly has a lot of potential. I just hope he can tone down the strong and crude language. It rarely enhances the material or makes it funnier. 7/10

Inception

I recently saw the much anticipated Inception and I was not disappointed. It boasts a very strong cast with Leonardo DiCaprio leading the way as Dominic Cobb, a man who breaks into the dreams of others to steal information. This process is called 'extraction'. He is also a man on the run, unable to get back to his family in America after the death of his wife (Marion Cotillard). He is offered the chance to start afresh when a powerful businessman, played by Ken Wanatabe, wants him to break into the subconcious of a rival corporate businessman, played by Cillian Murphy, and plant the idea to dissolve his empire which threatens to gain a monopoly in the energy business. This process of planting an idea in a mind is called 'inception'. It is a very interesting and novel idea, thought up, or possibly dreamt up, by the talented Christopher Nolan who also writes and directs the film. He originally came up with the idea about ten years ago but wanted to have more experience in directing big scale films, so with films like The Dark Knight and The Prestige under his belt he went back and worked on the script for six months before selling it to Warner Brothers. I'm not surprised it took Nolan six months to work on the script, as the film is very complex and multi-layered. It's the kind of film that demands several viewings to fully understand what's going on. Or maybe I'm just a bit thick. It is certainly refreshing to watch a film that is this original and not a dumbed down special effects popcorn movie that is part of a franchise or a remake (cough cough Predators cough cough The A Team). Visually the film is very impressive. The dream world is very cool and the action scenes are exciting and fast paced. The plot is inventive and compelling, with some twists that you would expect from Nolan. After watching the film I had a really interesting conversation with my dad about dreams, the human mind and the subconscious. It's a fascinating and mysterious area of our human experience. Do dreams mean anything? Are we using all of our brain? Where does human consciousness and intelligence come from? Is it just a product of neutrons and chemicals in the brain or is there a spiritual element to our intelligence? What is the difference between the brain and the mind? Sometimes my dreams can be very violent. Often I am a soldier in battle. Sometimes, but not often, I am singing and playing the guitar. I am aware in my dream that the music is really good and it's my own creation but when I wake up I can't remember it. I wonder why I can't create great music when I am awake. It seems that in my dreams my subconscious is given a free reign to use all the creative power of my brain. As part of the human condition we are bound by our limitations. It's not something we can do much about, unless there is significant medical development that can help harness the power of the mind. I am sure there are techniques and substances that can help develop our brain function and hopefully medicines can be developed to combat conditions like dementia and Alzheimers. This is indeed important and often I get frustrated myself when my own brain is not functioning well so I don't want to undervalue the importance of the human brain. At times I wish I was smarter. But I can imagine that for many scientists and pscyhologists who are atheists this ability to get as much use of the brain in our one life here on earth can become an unhealthy focus. Brain function and IQ are of course very important but sometimes they can overshadow other areas of what it is to be human like emotional intelligence, kindness and integrity. The actress Natalie Portman once said 'I'd rather be smart than a movie star.' I don't disagree with her but I would rather be kind and loving than smart. If more people focused on developing their emotional intelligence and fostering qualities like kindness and patience and acceptance then the world would be a much better place. There are too many smart people with no heart. Without wanting to sound corny, at the end of the day love is the answer to the problems and frustrations of our limited human experience. My dad made an interesting point about dreams. He said that maybe the wonderful dreams we have are a foretaste of heaven. In heaven we will be set free from the shackles of our human limitations and we can truly express ourselves. Apparently 'eternal life' does not mean the soul living for ever and ever. The Greek translation of 'eternal life' is 'the fullness of life'. Time will not exist in heaven, in the way we experience and understand it now. I have no idea what it's going to be like but it will be 'the fullness of life', which sounds pretty cool.
Inception 8/10

Amish teenagers

I've just finished watching a very interesting documentary about a group of Amish teenagers who leave their community in America and travel to London to experience an alternative culture. Some might think that the Amish are a cult. They are certainly going against the grain in their lifestyle and beliefs but the young Amish people came across as being very genuine, wholesome and content. There was no sense that they are brain washed or weird. In fact they were very refreshing. There is much to admire in the way they life their lives. They live simply and peacefully, work hard and live out the Word of God in their daily lives, like 'love thy neighbour'. I don't wish to romanticize their life but they seem happy. Much in contrast with our secular society. The group of Amish teenagers meet and spend time with some London teenagers, experiencing modern things like street dancing and beauty parlours. Their response is interesting. They are a bit bemused and taken aback at times but they are open minded. I think the Amish guys could take to the different culture more easily than the girls. The Amish teenagers don't compromise their own beliefs and they speak their mind openly but respectfully, which I greatly admire because I know from experience it so hard to speak about your faith and religious beliefs to people of a secular mindset and lifestyle. It takes courage, integrity and an inner strength. It's something I wish I had. And to give the London teenagers credit they are very respective and accepting of the Amish and their ways. They both get along well, even though their lifestyles and beliefs differ, and there is a genuine affection between them. The Amish seem to find many things challenging and thought provoking, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe they can learn something from us or maybe it will just serve to make them appreciate even more their sheltered and safe community life. They might feel that they are being denied some things that are good and enjoyable, like art and music and learning about other cultures. I don't think I could live exactly like the Amish. I wouldn't be typing this blog if I did because they don't use elecricity. They don't use any modern technology. There is nothing wrong with this although most technology is good or bad depending on how it is used. Medicine is an obvious example and it would be interesting to hear their views on this. So while I couldn't totally embrace the Amish way of live, part of me is still very attracted to them. It would be nice to have a happy medium. If I won enough money in the national lottery I would buy a tropical island somewhere in the pacific, invite all my friends and build a Utopian society. We would live in harmony and peace. There would be no crime, no poverty, no boybands. Anyway, while I dream of this I must do the best I can, living in the city, to be true to my Christian values and not get too attacthed to material things. The Amish teenagers might be conservative and even square but they have a peace and sense of belonging which many of our urban teenagers don't have. It is both sad and uplifting at the same time. Well done to Channel 4 for producing such a well balanced and insightful documentary.

2010 World Cup analysis

Best players: David Villa (Spain), Iniesta (Spain), Xavi (Spain), Puyol (Spain), Ramos (Spain), Schweinstiger (Germany), Lahm (Germany), Ozil (Germany), Muller (Germany), Sneijder (Holland), Robben (Holland), Forlan (Uruguay), Suarez (Uruguay)

Best goals:
best individual - David Villa (Spain v Honduras)
best counter attack - Klose (Germany v Argentina)
best strike - Van Bronckhurst (Holland v Uruguay)
or Tevez (Argentina v Mexico)

Worst challenge: De Jong's karate kick in final

Worst hacker: Van Bommel

Biggest flops: Rooney and Ronaldo

Best teams:
1) Spain
2) Germany
3) Brazil

Worst refereeing decision - Lampard's disallowed goal

Best refereeing decision - Lampard's disallowed goal

Into The Wild

Warning - the following contains spoilers

Into The Wild is based on a true story and centres on the adventures of a young man called Chris McCandless. The film starts in 1990 and Chris has recently graduated from college but has become disillusioned with the materialistic, success driven society and in an act of rebellion and idealism he decides to break free and wander rural America in search of an alternative life experience. His ultimate aim is to reach Alaska and live alone in harmony with nature. Along the way he befriends some interesting characters but he is unable to develop these relationships and he keeps moving on, always with Alaska as his ultimate goal. The film might not be everybody's cup of tea but it's at least very thought provoking. I watched the trailer of Into The Wild on YouTube and it was interesting to read the comments of people who have seen the film. Some applauded Chris for his idealism and courage. One person wrote something along the lines of 'He lived more in those two years than most people do in their entire life'. But some criticised Chris for his naivety and selfishness. The film really provoked heated debate and polerized opinion. I think the idea of breaking free from consumerism and the conventions of society all strike a chord with us but it depends how we express this longing for freedom and happiness. Chris thought it would be found in a complete rejection of consumerism and living a solitary life. He seemed so focused on this that he lost sight of the importance of friendships, relationships and family. Throughout the film he has opportunities to develop relationships that are potentially very fruitful but he cannot settle down and take that step of faith. Sometimes I don't know whether Chris is running towards something or running away from something. There are references to a troubled family life which may be at the root of this. At the end of the film, dying of starvation in Alaska, he comes to realise that, in his own words, 'Happiness is only real when shared'. Overall I was not sure whether to admire Chris or feel pity for him. Maybe a bit of both. Like most things in life, it comes down to getting the right balance. He could have settled down with friends and still maintained his close bond with nature and spirit of adventure, but sadly his remarkable journey does not have this happy ending. At the end of the day I guess there is not subsitute for love. Emile Hirsch is excellent as Chris and manages to portray a strong will and free spirit with a sense of underlying insecurity. It is a character driven film and does not have much of a plot but the direction, cinematography, soundtrack, screenplay and cast are all very strong and make Into The Wild an engaging and powerful film. 8/10

Poetry 5

My bed is ruffled,
Shaped like the waves of an outgoing tide.
My dreams are all out at sea,
Lurking somewhere in the depths of the night.
I fish them out in the dark
And they are strange colours and shapes,
Dripping, dripping everywhere.
Not what I want to eat.
So I throw them back in and forget them.
By daylight I shall hunt for deer and rabbits.
They are simple and tasty and solid in my hands.

Poetry 4

I love to hear the sounds
Of this late night's bedside stillness
Of rain tapping on the windows;
A drizzly distant cry;
Rustling leaves in gentle mournful whisper,
Like the murmur of a sad waterfall.
The past surfaces like driftwood,
Fragile yet powerful,
Tossed about on the churning waves of my emotion.
A door outside slams shut
And suddenly they are gone,
Back into the depths.