So here is my update pics for this week. I will also be updating my Workout log, but need to write it up as the last version I did broke :’(

Excuse the scruffyness, I will be doing most of these before my weekly shave / shower so unlikely to look that tidy  

Would love to hear your feedback as the weeks go on!

All the best Geekazoids!

13.01.13

Bod shot 13.01.13

Apologies for my shitty look, but meh I am still recovering from the new year.

This will mostly be done on weekends when I have time to update my blog before I have to worry about eating breakfast

Judge away!!!

See ya later Geekazoids!

Gotta start somewhere…

Well I say balls to it. Each year I make vague resolutions to make some minor improvement in my life. But this year I want to be more defiant. For 2013 I am setting myself challenges!

fitness challenges
I have been talking about this since September time and have made
Some steps towards this goal but it’s time to really step it up. I want to enter the Men’s Health cover model competition. The main reason is because my training has started to get a little stale (2 years of just working on getting as strong as possible). This challenge has already helped me freshen things up with being given swimming lessons from an avid swimmer friend to help me tighten up my form (and swim properly). This adds a new dimension to my training as it means I am learning a new way to work with my body and breathing. On the gym floor I am going to consult a good PT friend for a workout plan to help me out. Submissions for last years comp were accepted as late as June 6, so I am giving myself till May to get in shape. To add to this I will be giving updates and progress pics so you lot can follow

Work challenges
I feel I have been very lucky in my work life. I have worked in the same place for the last two years and been promoted twice. In the media world that can be a challenge and I have seen many friends bounce from place to place to climb the ladder. So I feel very privileged to have gotten this far in one place, but with the changes mentioned earlier in my blog, I want to go further. I am challenging myself to learn all I can and develop my skills throughout video so I can truly call myself a video marketing specialist. I am already doing PRINCE2 foundation to further my skills as a manager so let’s see how far I can truly take it. A piece of work I did in 2011 won an award in 2012. So let’s see if we can’t win another award too .

So those are my two main challenges in 2013. It’d be great to hear how you want to challenge yourself next year in the comments below.

Happy new year geeks!

Jon

A Change is Coming

So Xmas is over which leaves one more “big deal” for the year… well actually it’s the end of the year! And I for one, am looking forward to it!

I have somewhat felt a little in limbo the past couple of weeks as 2013 is looking to be a year of change for me (besides refreshing the blog), particularly in January:

Work 
For the last two years, my manager and I have been working on building a video marketing team, originally fleshing it out as “Video SEO”, the department has evolved and we have gone from one small solo project, to winning awards, and providing a borderline full circle service.
whilst I have been working between SEO and what is now iProspect Play, In 2013 I will be working fully on “Play”, an exciting adventure for me as it means I will  be learning new skills, new ways of working, and seeing the team evolve even further.

Home life
So I recently moved into what can only be called a luxury penthouse flat in the heart of Camden. Unfortunately, my housemates have turned out to be pretty enormous dicks and have asked me to move out because they don’t like me having friends round (Yes really!) well I have fortunately found a place with a friend of a friend who is probably reading this, so I shall only say good things, but I am genuinely looking forward to moving in with him as it looks set to be a good new era

Fitness
For the last couple of years I have been going to the gym and working on building my strength. after some ups and downs (mostly ups though) I have decided to take my training in a new direction by working to get into shape to enter the Men’s Health 2013 cover model competition ( yes really), so this means  I will also be using this blog to record my progress

So there you have it, my life is taking some interesting changes for the new year I am looking forward to it, and I hope you will enjoy it too!

See ya later Geeks

Jon

Due to a lack of energy, and time, I really haven’t been able to work on my blog as much as I would like, (It’s been over a year since I properly posted!) WeIll… Times are a changing, and I am determined to change this in 2013. 2 years of working in SEO has meant that I am constantly looking to find ways to optimise my time, that now includes finding the time to blog about the things I like in life.

So if you are new to this blog… Welcome! and if you are an older viewer, Welcome back! I look forward to 2013, as it’s already shaping up to be an interesting new year with a lot of new beginnings which I am going to discuss in a post coming very soon!

Peace out Geeks!

Jon

Andy Serkis plays Ceaser

So as mentioned in the title, with the London riots going on as this film came out.. I felt that never before had fiction come so close to reality.

Real life events aside, I had been wanting to see this film for quite a while, especially after seeing the trailer (see below). One reason being that this is a film about monkeys, lets face it, monkeys are cool. and secondly because it stars James Franco who I have come to respect as an actor after 127 hours.

So onto the review.
Will Rodman (Franco) is a  researcher trying to find the cure for alzheimers, after one of his female test subjects (an ape nicknamed “Bright-eyes”) breaks out violently and is put down. Rodman discovers that Bright-eyes was actually defending her newborn baby ape. Fearing it’s safety, Rodman takes the baby home who is given the name “Ceaser” by his father.
Rodman however discovers that Ceaser is unlike any other ape. The drug which had been used on his mother enhanced an apes intelligence and this effect had been passed onto Ceaser through umbilical blood. however unlike his mother who needed regular doses of the drug, Ceaser shows a naturally superior intelligence to any ape and indeed several humans of his age.

All good things must come to an end though and soon Ceaser is deemed dangerous and is locked away at an animal sanctuary. however unhappy with how he and his peers are being treated, Ceaser soon becomes the leader of an ape revolt…

Rise of the Apes (I’m shortening the title for typing convenience)… is a pretty damn good film. The build up and pace of the film is just right and there is enough nods towards the original film to indicate another sequel (I say other as there has already been a re-make of planet of the apes with Mr Mark Wahlberg).
James Franco  put on a great performance and interacted with Ceaser (played by CGI extroadinaire Andy Serkis) really well.
Assuming Ceaser was animated the same way as Gollum (i.e Andy was actually on screen when Ceaser was) then Andy put on a great performance as the leader ape Ceaser. Even though it was essentially a silent performance, his movements and interactions mimicked a monkeys with near flawlessness.
John Lithgow played Will Rodmans’ father with Alzheimer’s, a role I felt he played well. I had only really seen John in comedy roles before, so it was refreshing to see him play something more dramatic.
Freida Pinto played Rodman’s love interest and though her role was smaller then most, she provided a needed more sentimental edge to the film.
Tom Felton and Brian cox played the not so nice Monkey Sanctuary staff. Brian Cox played a strong role whilst Tom Felton didn’t really feel any different to me beyond Draco Malfoy, only now he was dressed normally and had an electric prod. he still just felt like a slimy bully, which is right for the role but hopefully he can get to work outside the box in future films.

All in all I enjoyed Rise of  the Apes. as I said before the pace worked well and it ended at the right moment. All the acting was solid and the interaction between characters felt genuine.  There was enough left in the film to hint towards how they get from the end of the film to “Planet of the apes” and I look forward to seeing a hopeful sequel.

Enjoy the trailer below, go see the film then let me know what you think

<iframe width=”560″ height=”345″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/T3tidwW1gGM” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

I absolutely love Lego and saw this great Coldplay Lego video  by Dylan Woodley. I figured I would share it with you guys as it took 2 years to make and is a bloody nifty piece of work!

If anyone knows of any other great Lego productions then leave a comment with a link!

Vida La Viva Lego Video by Dylan Woodley

Chris Evans as Captain america

As with all superhero films, I never knew where this film was going to go. Online reviews were good and bad, though those who I actually knew in the real world had said good things so with a glimmer of optimism I went to see Captain America – The First Avenger.

My initial reaction to this film was trying to work out how Chris Evans can play 2 different characters in the marvel universe, it makes the possibility of a cross over pretty much impossible unless they get a new actor for the human torch… but that’s all if’s what’s and maybe’s…

For those who live under a rock, Captain America is originally set during WWII, and follows  Steve Rogers, a small, weak,  young man who is determined to join the army and help fight the Nazi’s. Rogers is turned down for enlistment due to his fragile health, but seeing his determination at an enlistment fair, Professor Abraham Erskine (Stanley Tucci) gives Steve the chance Rogers so desires.
After proving his worth at the enlistment trials, and despite the doubt of Colonel Chester Phillips, (Tommy Lee Jones) Steve is chosen to be given a super serum and become the first of a new breed of super soldier.
Whilst this is all going on, the Nazi general Johann Schmidt, (Hugo Weaving) the leader of Nazi research team HYDRA, has harnessed a mystic power of the Norse gods and is using it to make weaponry unlike anything ever seen before.
Johann Schmidt also happens to be the only other person who has used the Super serum, before it was complete, resulting in a hideous transformation and earning him the nickname of The Red Skull (I’ll spare the patronising details as to where this name comes from exactly.)

The film itself plays out well, there is a good mix of action to non action scenes and plenty of comic relief be it subtle, dark, or slapstick (normally provided by Howard stark, played by Dominic Cooper of “The History Boys” and “Mamma Mia”). Chris Evans is surprisingly good as a more humble superhero. I wasn’t sure if he could do the role justice as personally I am used to seeing him play more arrogant or cocky characters, but I have to say he pulled it off successfully. Hugo weaving was on form as usual and played the Red skull well. His cold demeanor was perfect for the character who was hellbent on destroying the world for his own ends. Tommy Lee Jones’ loud and cocksure performance presents the general perfectly, depicting his character as a typical army general who thinks of little more except the numbers behind winning the war. Hayley Atwell is the love interest in the form of Agent Peggy Carter, the warm hearted femme fatale who see’s Steve for the hero he is. As I mentioned before Dominic Cooper act’s well as Howard Stark who becomes a good ally of Rogers on top of providing comic relief. Captain America’s sidekick Bucky also features in this film, played by Sebastian Stan who upholds the role strongly. He interacts nicely with Evan’s and you can feel the history and compassion between the characters.

Overall Captain America is an enjoyable film which paces the action suitably and to good effect. I never felt bored and I enjoyed the ride. The characters all interact nicely together and considering it’s a marvel film, there isn’t too much cheese. It’s probably one of the strongest marvel films so far, though it’s not as good as Christoper Nolan’s Batman films. (YEs I know Batman is DC but I was talking in a hero movie sense.) Possibly not as good Edward Norton’s Hulk either…
Be sure to stick around till after the credits as there is a teaser for the upcoming Avengers film

Harry Versus Voldemort

I have always been a bit baffled by the Harry Potter films.

From what I understand, J.K Rowling is involved in the movie productions, yet for someone who seems to be so fiercely devoted to her literary works, she seems to be happy to let the films change huge details and assume you have read the books and so would know certain details which seem to be overlooked and merely danced around in the movies.

To keep this main gripe short and simple, I’ll refer to the 4th film which saw Neville Longbottom give Harry the Gillyweed which he uses in the second event of the Tri wizard tournament.
However in the book… it was actually Dobby who gives Harry the Gillyweed. (There is a whole saga around Dobby and the house-elves which is missing from the 4th film entirely but that’s another matter)

Anyway… that aside, Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows is the 8th and final Harry Potter film of the series which see Harry and the rest of Hogwarts take on Voldemort and his Death eaters.

The 2nd part begins where the 1st ends *SPOILER ALERT (in case you haven’t read the books)* with The main characters escaping the Malfoys and re-cuperating at the beach. after having buried Dobby, Harry has resolved to return to Hogwarts to destroy the final horcruxes.
Meanwhilst Voldemort has found the Elder wand, after taking it from Dumbledore’s cold dead hands and has strengthened his resolve to destroy Harry Potter and then… Kill all non magic folk and attain world domination… I think I forget.. it’s all been about
killing Harry for so long!

Deathly Hallows Pt2 is pretty much one huge battle, with a few revelations given along the way (but far be it from me to spoil anymore for those who read)

The Battle scenes are actually pretty good, though again there are some gross changes from the book which for me personally downplayed the film. mostly because I preferred the play out in the book, but thats my opinion. There are some great victories amongst characters like Neville and Mrs Weasley (Julie Walters should have been a heroine in a past life! I love that woman!) and some well deserved deaths come in too. (not to mention some impromptu ones). To give a point to my initial gripe, there is again moments where you are expected to know what’s going on because it is assumed you have read the books. This is a bit annoying as films and books operate differently, and so you can’t always assume people are aware of what is happening in films like you would in a book where you can layout several layers of a characters psyche.

As a film on it’s own standing it’s not too bad… Daniel Radcliffe has actually gotten decent enough to pass as an actual actor, Emma Watson doesn’t seem so stiff that she is going to float off in a strong wind and Rupert Grint … well out of the 3 he was probably the most passable anyway. Ralph Fiennes has always been great as Voldemort, and as usual, he puts on a great performance. Bad adaptation aside, the film is actually pretty good and I would happily watch it again. In fact I am planning a HP marathon with a friend …. gona be epic.

Ok I wanted to create an article to make sure my subscription doo hicky works… so hopefully after I have created this post I will recieve an e-mail!

Here’s hoping!