What is there to say about The Dark Knight which hasn't already been said? It's been one of the most heavily anticipated movies of all time, it's marketing campaign was unlike anything we've seen previously, it was teased for 3 years ever since we saw Batman turn over the Joker card at the end of Batman Begins, it had it's second biggest star die before the movie could be released and, well, it's the god damn Batman!
There's been a million reviews all around the internet for weeks now so this is less of a review and more of an analysis of the film. I must say that this will contain a few  spoilers so if you haven't seen the film yet and don't want to be spoiled I'd stop reading now.

Mael Functional

The brothers Mael are back with their 21st album and it's hard to believe that after a 37 year career they could still sound fresh, relevant and as genuine as ever but their new album 'Exotic Creatures of the Deep' is another in a long line of SPARKeling gems.
Their last two albums (2002's LiL Beethoven and 2006's Hello Young Lovers) dabbled in the quasi-operatic sounds which reignited their careers and were their best efforts since the magnificent string of albums in the 70s. 'Exotic Creatures of the Deep' moves slightly away from the classical style and becomes a little more electronic, but unlike a few of their dire 19haties albums this time they get it right.

Halt! Who goes there?

Smokers are well used to being hectored in public and private about the evils of their habit. We are variously accused of stealing from honest taxpayers by placing a burden on the health system, bludging on the job by taking a ciggie break, giving others cancer by our second-hand smoke, ruining the environment with discarded cigarette butts, and being utterly selfish by deliberately harming ourselves and hastening our final departure from our loved ones.

To those who put forward these arguments loudly and self-righteously in newspaper 'letters' columns and on blogs, in bars and in office tearooms around the globe, I just hope you never are on a plane full of pious, card-carrying non-smokers when it crash lands on a remote Pacific atoll and it comes time to light a fire.

All the shortcomings of the evil incosiderate smoker are conveniently forgotten when there is a sudden need for fire. Besides the fondly imagined plane-crash scenario, who does the non-smoker turn to when all other lights go out? The answer is not the Star of Elindel. No, it's the brow-beaten, berated bunger-bandits who are asked to dig in the trouser pocket and save the day.

Grand Champion's producers had lots and lots of dirt on Roberts and Willis.'"Grand Champion" is an entertaining adventure that promises to delight audiences of all ages. From its touching story to its charming characters to its upbeat Texas music, there's something for everyone. The adventure begins with the love between a twelve-year old boy, Buddy, and his steer, Hokey Pokey and Buddy's determination to raise Hokey into a "Grand Champion".'

-- rottentomatoes.com

How could this happen? What was I thinking, renting a G-rated movie in the first place? What rush of uncharacteristic tolerance caused me to overlook my hatred of Joey Lauren Adams and the whole American bowl-cut genre and hand over the cash with a benign smile?

Ginger Reyes just testing out her new bass guitar at my place. Oh yeah, she is also in the Smashing Pumpkins Smashing Pumpkins good. Hangover bad. Billy Corgan tall. People asking me important questions right now at work bad. "Bring The Light" good. Festival Hall bad. Got there late. Only missed two songs. Got very drunk. Met hot girls. Danced to Zeitgeist. Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage. Keep hitting back space==///// almost. Pumpkins played wierd song that went for ten minutes. Surprised girls and friends when I told them the song was "Set The Controls For The Heart of the Sun" by Pink Floyd. Say what? Yes motherfucker, it was off their second album Saucer Full Of Secrets. No "Cherub Rock" but Billy wore a silver skirt -- weirdo.

They're French but I won't hold that against themThe last band I saw were Ween and the gig put me off live shows for a few weeks. Basically, I wanted to elbow most of the crowd in the face Fight Club style. They had to be the biggest bunch of angry, stoned, drunk, rude, stinking, drooling yobbos that I had the misfortune of ever being in the room with. Get over yourselves. Adding to that, I thought Ween performed poorly and the mixing was sub-par. Thank Jesus the good Lord Christ that I had earplugs to filter out most of the shitty top end ear-ruining noise.

I missed out on seeing Queens of the Stone Age on Tuesday night due to unforeseen circumstances. So I guess you could say I was happy when I got to the Palais to see Air last night and found that the crowd were not rude, smelly or angry. The girls were hot and the beer was at a reasonable price. It was civilised. It was also Air’s first time in Australia.