44 Inch Chest: The Measure of Revenge

From the creative minds of Louis Mellis and David Scinto, the pair of writers that gave us Sexy Beast back in 2000, (has it been 10 years!?) comes a new tale in the Brit gangster genre.

The return of Ray Winstone and Ian McShane together wreaks of "sequel", but from the early reviews it appears that perhaps the roles were written with the two of them in mind, rather than an out-and-out continuation in the life of Gal Dove.

The ensemble cast of British tough guys includes veterans John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson, as well as Stephen Dillane (perhaps better known for his role as Thomas Jefferson in HBO's John Adams miniseries, and as Santiago's manager in the Goal! films). The storyline revolves around the fact that Winstone's wife (Joanne Whalley) hasn't been too happy in their relationship and has admitted to having an affair. Of course, this does not go over well with the cuckolded hubby. So his buddies decide to to do what any real friends would do - kidnap the rogue in broad daylight and bring him 'gift-wrapped' to somewhere out of the way to allow their friend the privilege of exacting his revenge on the horny lad.

It should also be noted that the music is composed by the esteemed Angelo Badalamenti, the man behind the mood music of many David Lynch productions.

Having it's world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in Australia last October, as well as the London Film Festival, it is currently gearing up for it's release in the UK in January. A North American release should be forthcoming.

Since Sexy Beast is one of my fave films, I'm highly anticipating it's screening in my neighbourhood. It's page at imdb.com, as of this writing, has only two reviews: one from someone who attended the Sydney screening who felt it didn't live up to his expectations (Reservoir Dogs meets Last Orders), and the other raved about it, comparing it to a Harold Pinter play. Of course, I shall hold my own judgment until I have personally seen it.

I only hope that the film lives up to the hype. If anyone out there does see it in the UK, post a comment. In the meantime, we have the trailer to enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

It's almost 2:30 AM Christmas Day. My family is fast asleep. I have completed my Santa duties, retrieving presents hidden around he house to place under the already fully laden tree. My kids are old enough to know the truth about Santa, but I still like to keep the myth going, so to speak.

With Christmas, the days of 2009 begin to wane, and a new year approaches. I, or one, will be glad to see the end of 2009: I lost my favourite restaurant/drinking hole; I lost my job of 15 years; I started writing that book I kept promising myself, only to have the time to complete the first dozen pages.....I know the story I want to tell, it's just filling in the details. But time and a commitment to discipline seems to be holding me back. Inspiration from the world around me - friends, family, strangers on the street - register in my head and get filed away for future reference.

So I am looking forward to 2010...... A new year, a new beginning, a new life of loves, laughs, lows, and highs and memories.

So what are you doing New Years Eve?