The Moon of Liberty

The Moon of Liberty UK Political Index will be updated once a month (except this month when it will be updated on the 1st of November, but I'm giving today's figures to launch it). It is calculated including public opinion polls, local council by-elections and any other elections where the swing from a previous election can be turned into a percentage as against a previous set of elections, as well as percentage extrapulations from General election seat predictions from spread betting sites (a fresh set of these figures will be included every two weeks). Anything over a month old does not count. All of these averaged together give the Moon of Liberty Political Index.

So the first index is as follows.

Conseravtive 41%

Labour 30%

Liberal Democrat 17%

This will be a regular feature on here from now on on a monthly basis. Lets see how our method works in comparison to other 'experts.'

Autumn TV is in full swing, and between Strictly Come Dancing and the X Factor Saturday nights will be dominated by these two particular shows. At some point I may be inclined to write about Strictly Come dancing, but now I'm going to concentrate on the X factor, and the dilemma facing Simon Cowell this year in particular.

The X Faxtor is of course the successor to Pop Idol, the original show to find a star of the future. These shows, despite their huge audiences have had mixed success. Pop Idol scored one out of two, Will Young still sells plenty of singles and albums today, the original Pop Idol in the never to be forgotten contest head to head with Gareth Gates. The the following year came the flop, Michelle McManus was the one hit wonder Simon Cowell and BMG records must have feared a second series would create. Michelle McManus proved all winning gives you is one guaranteed number one, but if you don't have the appeal, nothing more than that.

The X Factor was the revamped version, created to also include groups, although a group has not to date ever won, and probably won't either. It also played to the egos allowing the judges to mentor a category and become competative between themselves. The first series was the worst for this, Simon Cowell's determination to defeat fellow judge Louis Walsh in series one landed him with Steve Brookstein, when G4, the group mentored by Walsh, should have won. Brookstein, like McManus, had one hit, then fell away into obscurity, while G4 did reasonably well, and sold more albums than Brookstien could have dreamed of.

In series two Cowell realised he needed a star. He was given a weak group category anyway, Louis Walsh on the other hand had Shane Ward, a potential star. When he won the final Cowell admitted that while he hated to lose to Louis, the public had got it right. When marketed well Ward can still sell plenty today. The following year public got it right again did again, Cowell had landed the category with Leona Lewis, one of the biggest pop stars in the world today, including in the United States.

So to last year, and the big reason Simon has a huge dilemma this year too. Last year was not a strong year for the show. There was no obvious 'star.' Cowell tried to exploit this to push his cheesy, fun act 'Same Difference' to victory. He failed to pull this off in the process left the one man who could have made Cowell some serious money and become a different kind of star, all be it in the opera style of music rather than in the pop world, Ryddian, high and dry, leaving the field open for the OK, cute but nothing special Leon Jackson from Scotland to take the crown. It was clear he would struggle to sell outside of Scotland however, which was proved with a number 1 single that did not sell half as many as either Shane Ward or Leona Lewis before him.

Yesterday any resonance of hope Leon could turn into a big star died when his new single, with the full backing of a performance in the safety of the X Factor studio, flopped to number 3 in the charts, being beaten to the number one spot by Pink and a spoof rip off of the very X Factor concept Leon was supposed to benefit from. Jackson's career is effectively over in terms of him making it big, surely the X Factor this year needs another star?

Which is why Cowell has a big problem. He no doubt would love to win the show again, and he could. He has the boys category, Austin and Scott both will go down well with the girls, and 16 year old Eoghan from Ireland has a very good voice, and looks very sweet on stage. So yes, Simon could find a winner from that lot. Out of those three however, are there really any starts, there is no evidence of a Shane Ward type standout performer. The girls mentored by new girl Judge Cheryl Cole however, have 3 huge potential stars. Alexandra has enetered before, did not quite make the finals then, and has come back better than ever, an outstanding singer. Laura White has huge charisma and a big voice on stage, and Diana Vickers, Cheryl's other contestant, seems to be able to take any style of song and make it totally unique.

Cowell's boys can still pull it off, but can he sell any of them beyond the fact they may be cute to young girls. That is not enough in itself to make it big. This is particularly an issue given it is Eoghan who appears to be Simon's best chance. He can sing, he looks sweet, but like Leon outside of Scotland, could they sell him outside of Ireland? The stars are amongst the girls this year, much as it may hurt Cowell to lose this year, he needs to decide if he can afford another winner of the cute factor who flops? or will he allow the girls to fight it out to see who emerges as the X factor, and has a huge future ahead of them to boot. Success of the show, an artists career and your companies success, or your ego and short term desire to win the show? That is Simon Cowell's dilemma this year. 

Rocknrolla

Starring - Gerrard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Karel Roden, Chris Bridges, Mark Strong, Toby Kebbel

Directed by Guy Ritchie

A fantastic cast should make for a good gangster film, which is exactly what we get. Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson) is the leader of the gang, practically having the whole of London in his pocket. His assistant One-Two (Gerrard Butler) is a key part of the gang. He and a number of colleagues have spent time inside however, while Lenny does not seem to worry too much, he pretty much owns the place afterall.

When Lenny gets chance to strike a land deal with a rich Russian which would strengthen his position even further, he thinks all is going well. To celebrate however, the Russian lends Lenny his 'lucky' painting. Not so lucky for Lenny, it goes missing, when our new Russian friend wants it back when complications with the deal are found, it elads Lenny to his rock star son Johnny (Toby Kebbel) who he denounced years ago, and was written off as dead due to a boat accident that never actually happened.

To throw  another apnner in the works, the Russians business associate Stella (Thandie Newton) likes to play a bit more dangerously than a women of her demeanour should. She fancies making some money and enlists the help of Micky and Archie, both who have had dealings with the crooked side of Lenny Cole themselves. They scupper the deal with a covert operation to ensure the transfer of money never occurs. Stella's interventions, The unwanted son who loves art and is smarter than his father thinks, a Russian frutrated by the problems with the deal and who wants his painting back soon and the discovery by One Two of exactly how he and his friends were put away in jail, create a coctail of problems for old Lenny, does he have enough to survive it all and come out on top yet again or will there be the emergence of a new Rocknrolla in town?

The film has lots of action, a number of cleverly intertwined plots which come together nicely to create a stroy full of twists and turns. Wilkinson as ever delivers as Lenny, and Toby Kebbel does a great job as the son Johnny, a part that appears to be a bit part to start with and gradually builds up. Thandie Newton adds much glamour putting herself in a postion that she really shouldn't be, but that makes it all the more exciting.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B+' - Fast and furious, lots of action and twists that will keep you guessing until the final moments. Give it a go.

Death Race

Starring - Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie Martinez

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson

A bizarre yet wonderfully put together creation, Death Race is all about a far fetched vision of the future. The US economy has collapsed, and private companies have taken over prisons. One such leading businesswoman, Hennessey (Joan Allen) has created the 'Death Race.' A car race to the death which has become and online phenomonon. A prisoner must win 5 races to gain his freedom, and people can pay online to watch from whatever vantage point they wish.

Jenen Ames (Jason Statham) is a family man trying to do the best he can in the difficult circumstances. However, when his wife dies and he is framed for murder, he finds himself sentenced to Hennessey's prison. Frankenstein, one of the key player sin the Death race died in the previous race. He wears a mask however, so anyone can play his role. The public are told Frankenstien did not die but was just seriously injured. Ames is given the chance to become Frankenstien for the big return. Ames had preivous racing experience, he realises he has been set up, but agrees to play the role of Franknstein, whose big return is a huge money spinner for Hennessey.

With the help of coach (Ian McShane) he must go head to head with Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson), Pachenko (Max Ryan) and a number of others. He realises Pachenko is his wife's killer. Through three stages Ames must survive and win the race to gain his freedom, with the odds stacked against him and Hennessey doing everything to try and stop him, he finds an unlikely ally to make a bid for freedom, someone he has more in coomon with than they both realise at the beginning.

This film has a wealth of action, car chases, violence, twists and turns. Greta one liners along the way too. Allen does a great job as the cold, sexy yet ruthless prison owner, McShane does a fine turn as the wise head being Ames bid for freedom. The story is simple, the idea not immersed in detail. If you can handle the obvious violence, it's fun and does not take itself too seriously. It delivers all the action it promises. A well put together effort in a totally unrealsitic environment.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - RATING 'B+' - A very enjoyable couple of hours of escapism. Helped along by Allen's deliciously horrid portrayal of an irresistable woman you still want to see get what's coming to her.

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

Starring - Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Jack Scanlon, Amber Beattie

Directed by Mark Herman

Through primarily the eyes of Bruno, (Asa Butterfield) an 8 year old boy who is the son of a Nazi soldier who has just been promoted, we are taken on a spine chilling journey into the life of a family seeing things through the Nazi point of view. The family move away from Berlin to the countryside on the back of the promotion which hugely upsets Bruno.

On arrival Bruno, interesting in exploring and adventure just like many an 8 year old, is keen to explore the new place. He finds what he thinks is a farm but cannot understand why they are wearing pyjamas. His father Ralf (David Thewlis) and mother Elsa (Vera Farmiga) try and and keep him away from what is going on. As his interest grows however, his father decides to hire a school tutor for him and his siater Gretel (Amber Beattie)

The tutor gives them history books full of hatred towards the Jewish people. Gretel buys the properganda, beginiing to put tributes to Hitler and the Nazi ideas up on her wall, she becomes a true believer in the Nazi ideals, much to her mother's concern. Bruno finds the history initially boring, until he realises that the Jews he is supposed to hate, are the nice people wearing pyjamas he comes across each day.

Evetually he explores the back garden despite him being told this is out of bounds. He finds a fence which he believes is the farm and meets a young boy named Schmall (Jack Scanlon) They are the same age and become friends. In a session with the tutor, he is told hwoever there are no 'nice Jews.' His sister later then explains it is not a farm, but a work camp to keep the Jews away from us, work in their words 'much needed to make the Fatherland a better place.'

Bruno however maintains his friendship with Schmall. A series of meetings between the across the fence has Bruno in confusion, on one hand being told all Jews are evil, on the other experiencing something completely different for himself. The meetings end in a dramtic finale when Bruno considers digging under the fence to go to the other side of it and see it for himself.

There is no attempt to put on German accents in this film. It is a Nazi family, but English actors are used with English accents of the sort that could be the portryal of a typical English middle class family, It gives the whole thing a normal feel to the English viewer and a very real insight into what life would have been like for English families if the Nazi philosphy had been adopted here. The ending is a shocker, and yet exceptionally well presented as the reality of the affects of everything that everyone involved had been trying to do had had on this one little boy who just wanted to play, explore, and would have been better off naive to the reality of what was going on around him.

The acting is first rate, Amber Beattie as Gretel does a particularly fine job in what must have been one difficult role, playing the young girl who had bought the Nazi line to the point of fantacisim, just like a football fan or fan of a rock group or something like it. Bringing a reality and normality to the family that can engender sympathy coupled with the true horror of what they had been forced to stand for in the heart of the Nazi battle to eliminate all Jews. For anyone interested in the reality of the Nazi mindset, or the diverse effect propergander can have on children, this is a must see film. Not for the feint of heart, or if you want an easy uplifting experience for your night out however.

MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - Rating 'A' - Real, gritty, and a family from the Nazi point of view, through the eyes of a normal, innocent eight year old boy with a ruthless yet brilliant conculsion. Go see it.