Twilight Book Review

Twilight is the must-see film and indeed the must-read book.

Stephenie Meyer delivers a thrilling romance, which embraces the concept of enduring love between a teenager and a vampire. The story engages elements of old myths and tales about vampires and brings unlikely stories that have surfaced to exist in the modern day world.

These two young beautiful souls, which on both sides were somewhat bored in their very real but dull world, become a drug to each other. Edward Cullen is a blood-drinking vampire, but that holds no obstruction to how Bella Swan feels. Blood-thirsty or not, she is completely and utterly in love with this not so ordinary vampire; and Edward, mystified by this particular human, feels the same. Their literal thirst for each other becomes stronger. It’s too late to stop falling in love, but this unconventional love story must remain a secret if they are to stay together. It seems that even someone as strong as a vampire can’t separate himself from a strong human emotion such as love.

Edward’s family history extends in to an intense account of how his family survive without a single drop of human blood, bringing a whole new level to mental strength and physical concentration in the lives of vampires.

The romance tests all boundaries of teenage love and a vampire’s control. But how long can their romance last if physical attraction becomes too much, and how will other vampires resist an easy temptation? A love such as this must live forever, right?

Meyer’s prose incorporates consistent intensity, depth and complexity that link these two unlikely characters together in a modern day world. An exciting and inspirational tale which grips you with every line; and every page lingers with more intensity. Readers will undoubtedly want to be catapulted in to the bodies of the main characters in this very contemplative and dream-like story.

This is definately a book you will want to read over and over again...well, maybe not until you have at least read the next three incredible installments of Meyer's novels: New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

Slideshow

This is a slideshow for multi-media in-class assessment. I have taken an audio recording of Preston FM Project Manager, Richard Lace and a picture of him, along with pictures I have taken myself of the studio, and put it together on Windows Movie Maker to create this slideshow.

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All the placemarks show where a news story has occured - taken from the Lancashire Evening Post newspaper

Multi-media

This is a video clip with David Thomas of David Thomas Hair Salon in Preston, which I recorded and edited on Windows Movie Maker.

David Thomas recently took part in a charity event at Preston Guildhall, called Dancing Fever, which is Preston's very own version of BBC's Strictly Come Dancing programme. The event was organised by Fever Dance Company in Preston and was in aid of The Legacy Rainbow House charity.

In this short clip, David talks about his dancing experience in front of an audience of 800 people.

30 Days of Night Film Review

30 Days of Night puts the word 'horror' back in to horror films. The film industry has failed to bring us a fresh and unique twist in vampire films lately, but director, David Slade, manages to deliver the goods with this one. In store is a fine gimmick. Taking place in an isolated Alaskan town, its small population has to endure 30 days of winter in absolute darkness - but they are not the only ones.

As soon as the sun retires, the village is sabotaged; power and communication systems such as phones and Internet are corrupted. Vampires are lurking ready to kill with full force. But before the town's sheriff Eben Oleson (Josh Hartnett) can work it out, their defence system comes to no avail, and soon enough the white snow turns in to a blood-spatting killing ground.

The village loses all sense of order and succumbs to utter chaos, as attempts against attacking the vampires prove useless. With only torchlights to resurrect a means of light, Sheriff Oleson tries to contain the few survivors hidden in an attic, praying that they can survive unnoticed until the sun's return.

Instructing the assembly of vicious vampires in a strange ancient dialect is the leader, Marlow (Danny Huston), who orders them to seek and kill any remaining humans who may still be hiding.

Close-up shots of assassination are intense and gruesome, and as the camera sweeps over the village in an aerial shot, the gory carnage can only make you anticipate what is going to happen next.

If you want to sink your teeth in to a brutal, intense, modern horror film that doesn't entail cheap scares and predictable storylines then you'll love this film. If you don't like scary films, watch this one with the lights on.

Neighbours drop to Channel 5...

As most of us should know by now, our favourite lunch time programme, Neighbours, has changed from trustworthy BBC 1 to can-never-get-a-signal-in-my-house cruddy Channel 5.

Of all the channels we can get in this advanced generation , where we can have up to 1,000 channels on our TV, and even watch them on new, state-of-the-art sheen black flat screen TV's for many, we have Neighbours on Channel 5... I may only be speaking for a small group of people here, but channel 5 in my house is about as good as trying to get my arse to smile...

What the hell is going on? I love Neighbours but having to watch it in prickly black and white spots with a crappy picture and sound really gets on my nerves and makes me wonder whether i'll ever get to watch it again without any distracting distortions.

Not only does the channel swap annoy me... but the advertisement for the switch is just cringe-worthy. I can't believe the cast of Neighbours actually thought it would be appealing to run around in their little cul-de-sac shouting, "Have you heard? We're switching to channel 5!" like it's the best thing since hair waxing.

TV bosses can put repeat after repeat of our usual favourite Friends, Frasier, Scrubs and so on and even have them on more than one channel. But when it comes to Neighbours...Channel 5 is their latest effort.

I hope BBC1 TV rates decrease so that they realise how important Neighbours is to the BBC...and to their viewers! Know your audience BBC1! Bring Neighbours BACK!!

Or...Fremantle company who sells Neighbours to us....Drop your prices you crazy people!

Leona Lewis Profile

Described by Simon Cowell as "one of the best female singers to ever come out of the country", Leona's powerful singing voice and "terrific" looks has fascinated and gripped the music industry since winning ITV talent show 'The X-Factor' in 2006. The 22-year-old has had us waiting around for her next stunning vocal range and incredible performance for almost a year, but after watching the video for her new single 'Bleeding Love' on the box, taken from her new highly-anticipated album 'Spirit', she has proven her dream career is set for ultimate domination with full force.

Having been repeatedly told she is hailed as singing sensations of all time such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera - a comparison Leona says is "an amazing compliment". There is no doubt this green-eyed curly-haired songstress with a fresh R'n'B/Pop sound combined with her new-fangled glamorous makeover image, will allow her to achieve more than what she could have possibly dreamed of. Judge Simon Cowell, whom is now Leona's manager, has seemingly fallen head over heels for 22-year-old Londoner. He never doubted her "international" talent.

Leona Louise Lewis, born on April 3, 1985 grew up in the Islington area of London, and is the middle child of three. Her dad Joe is Afro-Caribbean and works as a youth offending officer. Her mum, Marie, is a social worker. Leona went to Ambler Primary School in Finsbury Park, but had always wanted to get in to music and so was sent to the Sylvia Young Theatre School at the tender age of five. She wrote her first song when she was just 12 and won the Lady D under-18 talent show at the Hackney Empire the following year. She also attended the Italia Conti performing arts academy and the Brits Academy. After leaving school, Leona earned her money to pay for studio time by working as a receptionist and as a waitress in Pizza Hut to record her own demo album called 'Twilight', but was never released.

It was the work of Leona's current boyfriend, childhood sweetheart, Lou-Al-Chamaa who made all of this possible for Leona, who had no idea Lou had sent off an X-Factor application form for her. The couple have known each other since they were nine and grew up on the same street.

Leona Lewis is nothing like the pop divas we have today; she is shy and emits a natural glow of unforced beauty. She managed to escape the snooping eyes of the media and record her LP in Los Angeles. She didn't follow the footsteps of other past X-Factor winners who rushed to record their album and then who embarrassingly crumbled in the sales chart. She wisely took her time in LA on producing her album 'Spirit', which is to be released on November 5.

Her career highlight was when her debut single, a cover song from Kelly Clarkson, 'A Moment Like This' became last year's Christmas No 1 and the biggest downloaded single of 2006.

Her career, which has sky-rocketed within literally a click of the remote control, can only get better. 2008 will no doubt bring out even more of her beautiful voice.