angelophile | Modern cars - they all look like electric shavers.

Took my car in for its annual MOT - dunno if they have the same in the US, the basic tests to ensure it's safe to drive that's a legal requirement. Anyway, the car went and dog gone failed on a couple of things - namely 3 tyres which they said were cracked - I was wondering about them - they got though last year but I guess they're a bit tighter this year. Also an imbalence in the rear brake that could be just about anything - so, yeah, gonna cost me a bomb to get the car through the test. Have to have it all done on Friday or I'll end up paying for another MOT.

While the car was in the garage I walked along to the cinema and plumped for watching Sin City, which has only just come out here last week. Worth the wait - it was everything I'd hoped it would be. As a movie it was barely entertaining - It's one of those films that I enjoyed more as a piece of art than as entertainment because of how violent, black and graphic it was. I can't say I -enjoyed- the movie, but I did love it as an incredibly faithful recreation of Frank Miller's work. I'm shocked at how much, pretty much everything, got past the censors. Black, disturbing, gritty, it was an incredible achievement.

There was a 70 year old couple sat just behind me in a nearly empty theatre and I guess a woman in her sixties a few rows forwards. I have no idea what they made of it but I'd have loved to have asked. If they were expecting a tribute to noir movies they got it, but a lt more besides I can't imagine that they were expecting.

Great performances from the ensemble cast, managing to make lines that could have been awful credible. I was expecting Miller himself, appearing in a cameo, to be the weak link but his spot was actually pretty good - it was Jaime King as Goldie/Wendy who was disappointing. And, I'm afraid to say, the ever gorgeous Jessica Alba didn't wholly ring true in every spot. Incredible performances from Mickey Rouke and Elijah Wood though, who creeped the hell out of me at every turn. And That Yellow Bastard... I never thought he'd translate from page to screen, but he did.

Roll on Sin City 2...