Attack the Block

Yet another in the long line of enjoyable yet ultimately unsuccessful comedy-horrors, Attack the Block’s sheer volume of comedy completely overwhelms the horror element.

The story manages to sabotage itself right from the off – the first thing that happens is that the aliens land, and gets murdered by a group of inner city ‘yoofs’. Suffice to say, this proves important later – but the fact the monsters are revealed so soon removes any tension from later, scarier scenes.

You could argue that it is a comedy/monster flick, but even then it falls down, as the creatures are under-designed, presumably with the intention of making them scarier.

There is, however, redemption to be found in the film’s wonderfully funny script – zingers and odd-ball goofs abound, with the stand-out being Luke Treadaway’s lost and slightly confused stoner. Funny but hardly scary, so you don’t need to bring the safety blanket.

(Sorry about the shortness. Was imposing a word-limit on myself. Huzzah!)

Holy mother of god...

I haven't posted here for ages. Again. That's bad. Real bad. So bad that I might cry. No, not that. Faint, maybe, but never cry.

I suppose I should throw some kind of update up. Yes, that seems like a good idea. Been going to the cinema quite a bit lately, but have been unable to concoct anything even vaguely resembling a review for a while. This may be down to my state of mind, but also down to the fact that I've been directing rather a lot of creative energy towards the old novel, which is now coming along rather nicely. Yes, I know I've said that in the past, but this time it's actually true, instead of someone with writer's block making excuses. So woo-hoo for that! But yes, managed to get a review of Thor written, which - as you've probably gathered - I thoroughly enjoyed. I also have a new way of expressing hunger, thanks to that movie: 'This mortal form grows weak! I require sustenance!'. Seriously, go see it, it's awesome.

Other movie news, other movie news. Oh yeah, I saw The Eagle - which was competent if a little average, with some beautiful visuals mitigated by hammy acting and a rather muddled story. Then there was Source Code, which I, personally, think confirms what an exciting director Duncan Jones is turning into.

I managed to acquire Portal 2 - and that was absolutely brilliant. A little shorter than I thought it would be, but so fantastically well written that the enjoyment-to-time ratio is probably higher than any game you care to mention. Favourite line? Is of course 'An eternal nemesis worthy of my intellect. Holmes and Moriarty. Aristotle and MASHY SPIKE PLATE.' Genius. I'll see if I can splurge up a review, but for now, I'll just give it a massive thumbs up.

Next up is Brink, and if you don't know what Brink is, clicky. Apart from the worst backronym ever, I reckon it's shaping up to be pretty damn awesome. Looks like it's gonna play like Mirror's Edge should have. Good news all round.

That's about it. Or at least, all I can think of at the moment. Sorry for lack of any graphical variation to the post. I'm tired and can't be arsed to find pictures. Yes, I'm that lazy.

Anyways! Adieu!

Thor Review

The superhero genre has been a touch on the dormant side lately, with only sporadic, inconsistent brilliance peppering an otherwise fairly lacklustre release schedule. Watchmen was a touch over-wrought, Iron Man 2 all showy flash and little to no substance, and the Green Hornet? Well that was just plain disappointing.

Thank Valhalla, then, for Kenneth Branagh, and Thor, which enters the fray practically from nowhere, and in a flurry of intense set pieces, beautiful visuals and fantastic performances, breathes new life into a genre that seemed to be losing its way somewhat.

The story goes that Norse mythology is more or less real – Asgard is an actual place, home to incredibly advanced beings who wield technology that, in a bizarre reversal, is almost indistinguishable from Magic. After accidentally triggering a war between his people and the rather large, blue and scary frost giants from the planet Jotunheim, the mighty Thor is banished to Earth by his father Odin, and told to stay there until he can prove himself worthy. When he arrives, he’s found by a group of scientists, and more importantly, by SHIELD.

It’s a decent enough story, and it’s competently written, but the true star of the show is the direction. Balancing beautifully on the line between out-and-out camp and down-and-dirty seriousness, Branagh oversees a marvellous dichotomy between the two settings of the film. When on Earth, there’s a tongue very distinctly housed within a cheek during Thor’s interactions with the team of scientists who find him, whilst the scenes on Asgard and Jotunheim are played almost as a Shakespearean tragedy, with betrayal, subterfuge and...well, and Anthony Hopkins.

Ordinarily, a film featuring such distinct tones would feel disjointed, but Chris Hemswoth consolidates them rather elegantly, imbuing Thor with a fantastic sense of overblown grandiose that seems appropriate in Asgard, and yet deliciously silly on Earth. He also gets to shoot off some wonderfully amusing lines – though I won’t spoil them for obvious reasons.

The supporting cast are fantastic too – with Stellan Skarsgard being the highlight as the sceptical scientist who is brought round by Thor’s infectious enthusiasm. Natalie Portman is more than passable as the sassy but brilliant Jane Foster, who is probably the most believable supporting heroine that any Marvel movie has had to date. Also keep your eyes peeled for a rather brief cameo from one of the players from the upcoming Avengers movie – it’s not really blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, but he’s in there without fanfare.

Then there's the set-pieces, and oh, what set pieces they are. From a frost-encrusted battle with giant blue meanies on the frozen planet Jotunheim, to a showdown with some of Asgard's most feared tech right in the middle of small town America, each is directed with a steady hand and a keen eye for fairly awesome action. Coupled with the magnificent costume, set and sound design, each one is an exciting romp through a key locale. That they are each unique in tone and structure is all the more impressive.

If there is a problem with the film, it’s the fact that the action that takes place on Earth seems quite close to unnecessary, and this makes all the Earth-bound characters feel a little bit peripheral. But it’s clear why this choice was made, and thus it’s hard to truly hold this against the film. There are also a couple of moments of rather thudding exposition that perhaps could’ve been a bit more delicate, but this is mostly down to the writing and doesn’t really detract from the experience.

But at the end of it, there’s more than enough great moments, and an infinitely more fleshed out story than Marvel Studios’ previous efforts – that’s right, I’m still looking at you, Iron Man – which makes for a far more satisfactory experience. It also bodes incredibly well for the Avengers movie – I’d even go so far as to say it feels almost like a dry run. So! Let’s hope that this is indeed the second comic-book movie renaissance, and that this time, it’ll stick.

Paul Review

So, we’ve had their love letters to Romero and action movies. Now it’s time to give Spielberg the old romantic treatment. But do abundant ET and Indiana Jones – among countless other - references a comedy film make?

Just about, is the answer to that question – the film walking the knife-edge between accessible comedy and cult obscurity rather inelegantly, threatening to keel over into the latter at several moments, but just about making it to the other side.

Don’t get me wrong, cult obscurity is not only not a bad thing, but this very reviewer’s very own type of specialised knowledge. But I can get all the cult references I need from the beloved, glistening jewel that is the internet – I went to the cinema to see a movie.

The film tells the story of two British ‘companions’ – their words, not mine – Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) who’ve taken it upon themselves to grace Comic Con with their presence. That done, they head on a road-trip to visit the UFO landmarks in New Mexico. Much to their surprise, they acquire a hitchhiker – a rather world-weary alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen), who has escaped government custody and is trying to get home. The government organisation – being, y’know, evil – take exception to this, and the film charts the chaos that ensues.

It’s neatly written, but perhaps a touch predictable. However, being a character piece - let alone a serenade to Spielberg – one can forgive it for that particular quibble.

And, yes, there are plenty of Spielberg references, as well as a wealth of other treasured sci-fi franchises. Keep your eyes peeled for the warehouse from Raiders, the Close Encounters theme, the Star Wars cantina music, and countless others that will no doubt raise a chuckle. Just be prepared to be the only one laughing – I counted three occasions where my laughs were only echoed by about six people in an absolutely packed cinema.

Thankfully, broader laughs are acquired thanks to the easy chemistry between Pegg and Frost, with some of the film’s better moments stemming from the fit of jealousy that Clive experiences when both Paul and a newly converted atheist (Kristen Wiig) threaten to come between the two friends.

That’s not to say that Pegg and Frost are the only ones flexing their comedic muscles. Wiig is fantastically convincing as the one-eyed God-botherer who Paul forces to see – both literally and figuratively. Her transition – given the circumstances – from prim and proper Christian to foul-mouthed sceptic is played convincingly, and as the films sole attempt at satire, it’s actually fairly successful.

The four antagonists do a decent job as well, with Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglia going for brainless bravado as the two hapless agents under the command of Jason Bateman’s Lorenzo Zoil, who not only does a fantastic job as the deadpan foil to the former pair’s antics, but also delivers the best Star Wars reference in the film. Sigourney Weaver - despite her presence feeling like little more than a thinly spread Aliens joke – seems to have relished an opportunity to chew some scenery as the faceless agency boss.

But the true achievement is Paul himself. He’s expertly animated, and seamless integrated into the action, with Seth Rogen lending both his vocal and ‘athletic’ talents to the character. He’s the lynch-pin on which most of the conceits of the film hang, and Rogen does a great job of imbuing the character with not just a foul-mouthed yet oh-so-witty sense of humour, but also brings in a fantastic world-weariness which makes for an interesting juxtaposition. An alien that knows more about being human than two grown men? Who’d’ve thunk it?

At the end of the day, how much you get from Paul really depends on how into sci-fi and movies you are. For the average person, there’re a few decent laughs and a well-told story played out in entertaining fashion. No more than three stars. But if you know your movies, and are willing to look for the references, there’s a whole other level that the film can be enjoyed on. That’s the level I was on, so that means...

Inception Review

The key to success in media-based entertainment is detail. Small details, big details, seemingly irrellevant details - these aren't just a good idea, they're essential in making something more than a mere superficial spectacle (hello, every summer movie ever made!). It's in these details that you'll find Inception's true success - a thriller so intricate, so vast in scale yet fine in detail that you can't help but wonder if Christopher Nolan really is the closest thing this modern age has to its very own Alfred Hitchcock.

Of course, this is a huge - nay, massive - burden to lay across the shoulders of what is essentially a massive, action-packed summer movie, but don't be fooled by the big budget dressings. Like The Dark Knight before it, this is arthouse disguised as popcorn entertainment, gleefully twirling its false moustache as it demands more thought from its audience than any other movie you're likely to see this year. And whilst we should indeed wait for Mr Nolan to make a few more movies before we start comparing him to anyone, Hitchcock or otherwise - Inception is still monumentally impressive, regardless of whether you look at it as a spectacular action blockbuster or a cerebral thriller.

Telling the story of Dom Cobb, a man who specialises in invading and plundering peoples' subconcious through the use of tailor-made sedatives that put the user into a state of hyper-lucid dreaming. Thanks to this rather unique talent, he's presently on the run, doing his best to evade the authorities and do business at the same time. But when a wealthy businessman asks of him the impossible - to plant an idea that the subject thinks is their own: to perform inception - the game changes, and he and his team are catapulted into a dream world which seems to be haunted by the ghosts of Cobb's past.

Suffice to say, the plot thickens from there, and each successive layering adds new possibilities, as well as new implausibilities. To reveal more is to spoil the fun, but bear in mind that this is not a film that you can view with your brain switched to auto-pilot. Turn off for a second, and you're a shoe in for a second viewing. But we shall say no more than it demonstrates that Nolan's talents aren't merely in the language of cinema, but in the structuring of a story too.

Those talents are in full display here. Gravity defying action is the order of the day, and there are moments of genuine exhilaration - watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt cascade about a rotating corridor without your jaw on the floor at your own peril.

There's food for thought too - shades of The Matrix, Dark City and even Nolan's own Memento abound, with musings on the nature of dreams, on immortality and even on the afterlife providing a mental chew-toy for viewers to have at in the hours after viewing.

The cast are exceptional - Leo DiCaprio has arguably never been better in the lead role, with implacable support from Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy. Ellen Page is tasked with the audience surrogate - though her role becomes more fleshed out as the story progresses and she admirably rises to the occasion. Cillian Murphy sets aside his more sinister roles for a put-upon son whose mind is being invaded - doing a fantastic job of blurring the lines of morality.

If there is a flaw, it's that Nolan successfully has us rooting for the bad guys all along. No matter how human we make them, no matter how sympathetic - the act of inception is truly an unpleasant concept here made real, and these gentlemen go about their business in particularly nefarious ways. But this is but an intellectual quibble - one to be debated and discussed, instead of held against the movie itself.

What stands is that this is a truly staggering piece of work. The scale of the imagination, and the detail of the realisation, mean repeat viewings will do nothing if not strengthen its value. One for the ages then - and it brings Nolan one step closer to Hitchcockian glory.

Kick Ass Review

Kick Ass ends with a rather poignant sense of inevitability. Inevitably, within the following few minutes, you will commence your journey home. Inevitably, there'll be at least one person who's staying to the very end of the credits. If you had a drink, you'll inevitably need to use the bathroom. And last, but certainly not least, it was always inevitable that Kick Ass...well, it kicked ass, didn't it?

Taking place in the here and now, a nobody teenager named Dave Lizewski ponders why nobody ever tries to be a superhero in real life. 'Because they'd get their asses kicked' is the universal response, and when he acquires a green scuba suit and attempts to confront some muggers, Dave finds this out first hand. After experience the business end of two sets of fists, a knife and a speeding car, he's left with metal screws and plates holding his skeleton together and deadened nerve endings. With these newfound 'powers', he resolves to fight crime. Only there are two other 'superheroes' out there - Big Daddy and his daughter-come-sidekick Hit Girl - who mean real business, and when their handiwork is mistaken by a mob boss for that of Kick Ass, all hell breaks loose.

What we have here is a relatable superhero movie. It takes place in our world, references our superheroes, wonders why no-one has emulated them, and then rather viscerally explains why. But despite an overall tone that is hardly encouraging, it somehow manages to be rather uplifting, thanks to a story arc that is strangely plausible, if, obviously, a little over the top. Rarely does it clunk, and when it does, it's with a sly wink.

Performance wise, there really is very little to fault, with the core trio - Aaron Johnson as Lizewski, Nic Cage as Big Daddy and Chloe Mortez as Hit Girl - likely being the ones that will stick in your mind. Johnson makes the geeky-but-likeable Lizewski convincing enough, though he seems rather confined by the fact that the character's only real development is to get two shades of shit knocked out of him. Cage and Mortez are the true gems, though, their double act reminiscent - rather thinly in some instances - of Batman and Robin, albeit with a marginally less strict attitude towards bloodshed, and a hefty dollop of crazy just to round the whole thing off. What's important is that through the wise-cracking and swearing, there's a genuine sense of affection between the two, which adds that all-important emotional hook when the finale descends upon you.

Other flourishes abound - the cel-shaded 3D graphics that depict Big Daddy's origin story give the impression of being in the very pages of a comic book, and a battle viewed from Hit Girl's first person perspective is as close to a knowing nod to Call of Duty addicts as you're likely to get. The wealth of pop culture references will please movie-heads as well, with the movie gleefully ripping into the comic book mythology that it sprang from with gory abandon.

If there are a few hiccups, they are only noticeable due to the overwhelming quality of the rest of the product. Chloe Moretz is, as mentioned, fantastic for the most part, but there are a few moments where her performance seems a little forced. That these align with when she is required to swear is of some comfort, at least. It's also far more grounded in reality that you might otherwise expect - there's no bloodless victories here, and boy, do our heroes bleed for it - which leads to some slightly bizarre shifts of tone that frequently threaten to capsize the movie.

Thankfully, though, the performances, dark humour streak and madcap action keep it level and steady. The story? Well, that propels it way up into the air...with Gatling guns attached. So shut up. And see Kick Ass.

Riding the Wave

I haven't posted anything here for ages. That sucks. Oh well indeed.

Got Google Wave from an e-friend on one of the forums I frequent, and I have to say, if it catches on...goodbye e-mail. This is, pure and simply, one of the best ideas to hit the inter-super-highway for quite a while. It's essentially - for those of you not keeping up - an amalgamation of e-mail, instant messaging, and whole manner of other community- and user-driven web resources. 'Communications platform' is the term being thrown at it, and it'll probably stick.

But yeah, it's genius. I presently only have 1 contact and no opportunity to add more so far, so it's a little limited for myself at present. But when it does catch on, it'll be epic. That and it's named after a concept in Firefly...that just gets the geek in me (and the one very much on my exterior...) salivating furiously. So yeah, I'll send you wave...soon as I can. Woo and indeed hoo.

Elsewhere, Winter Wonderland has started once again, and that's the main reason why I haven't been posting anything interesting here. I did get a few more reviews published over on Last Broadcast (here, here and here), so do check them out! Maybe even buy them, who knows...?


And did anyone else notice that Scotland beat Australia. Or rather: Australia lost a game to Scotland. Seriously...where did they get that kicker? Was he plucked, semi-inebriated from the local Walkabout? They had that game by the balls, and all he did was balls it up. Matt Giteau's his name. What a plonker. Still, nice to have 2/3 victories so far...all that remains is Argentina on Saturday. Grudge match against those that knocked us out of the world cup in 2007. Joy.

That's about it, really. Still playing Modern Warfare 2, and it still kicks ass. The sheer variety of play-styles available in the multiplayer is enough to keep me going back for more.

Anyways, I shan't rant any longer on the subject. 'T'would be...unhealthy. Adieu and goodbye, fair internet-travellers.

I lost 2 stone!

But alas, it was only in hair. Yes, after nearly 18 months of growing my ridiculous barnet, I've had to bite the bullet and go in to the dreaded hair-dressers. The nice Polish lady did snigger at me when I told her I did cut it myself a couple of times before she went to town with a pair of scissors and a water-spray-can-thing. 20 minutes later, I look like a Lego man - to be expected: no hair-cut looks instantly right on my bonce for whatever reason. Little bit of hair gel and it'll be right as rain - just for the moment it looks a bit odd.

I have also lost quite a bit of weight - six stone in 14 months no less - which was rather impressive. I'm now a shapely 16 stone and XL, instead of a 22 stone, XXXL monster. Yay! Still classed as 'Overweight' by the ridiculous scale of BMI, but I care so little about that I could genuinely pass out.

Bought and played Modern Warfare 2. Well, I say 'bought' - I didn't actually hand over any money for it. Gamestation were doing a deal whereby you traded in 2 games from a big list, and get MW2 for £4.99. I traded in 3 games, and hey presto, 3 games I don't play any more (Borderlands, CoD4, The Orange Box) becomes one glorious paragon of virtual entertainment.

The campaign is - difficult though this thought may be - infinitely superior to the previous installment. Everything about it has been kicked up a notch, and for those of us who've played the last one, that's really saying something. There's a particular moment in Call of Duty 4, and for sake of avoiding spoilers, we shall call it The Scene, wherein you are inside the head of a man who's more or less in the epicentre of a nuclear blast. Harrowing, haunting and meaningful, it was one of the stand-out moments of gaming in 2007. Modern Warfare 2 matches that intensity at least five times during the campaign.

First there's the highly controversial level in which you watch - or indeed partake, if that floats your boat - the massacre of innocent civilians. If your heartbeat is steady after its startling conclusion, you're not really human. Then there's a fantastic sequence in the snow of the Russian mountains involving ice-climbing and a snow mobile. Then there's the spectacular free-run across the roof of a Brazilian favela. Then there's the moment that you're winched to safety after rescuing a familiar face from the depths of a Russian prison. And finally, there's some good old-fashion movie referenes, most notable here being The Rock. Two sequences are more or less directly ripped off from Bay's seminal opus, but you can forgive them thanks to the sheer majesty that these two set pieces bring to the final few levels of the game.

Chances are that if you have any interest in the Call of Duty series at all, or indeed in FPSs in general, you've already got this. But if you're still on the fence - a piece of advice. Go out and buy it now. This is one of the most entertaining, harrowing and explosive adventures to have ever seen light on any platform. You do owe it to yourself.

Elsewhere...I start work on the 28th! Huzzah! Winter Wonderland again - so being cold and wet may well be the order of the day - but it's money. Yay! Handed in my contract and availability today with Fee, and hopefully we'll be able to score some extra work putting the place together. Fun times.

Can't think of anything else. So I'll leave it at that. Have fun, kiddies.

Up Review

It's likely that at this juncture, you've heard about the first 10 minutes of Up. Be it from a review, or indeed from anyone who's seen the movie, there is a rather good reason for this - it's among the finest pieces of animation that you will see for a long time. Unfortunately, that cannot be said about the rest of the film - despite the fact that it is fully brimming with the wit, invention and charm that Pixar are so very good at. It's not that the film is bad. Far from it, in fact, this is one of the best films you'll see this year. The problem is that it flirts rather too closely with disappointment, and this is something of a first for Pixar.

Essentially a mismatched buddy comedy done Pixar style, Up tells the story of an old gent named Carl Frederickson, who has led a genuinely amazing life as a balloon salesman. We get a brief glimpse of this at the start - remember how we talked about the first 10 minutes? - but the main story kicks off just after Carl's wife and childhood sweetheart dies of old age. Carl becomes a recluse, regretting his forgotten promises to Ellie and seemingly just waiting to die. Until, that is, he decides that he can do something about it, straps balloons to his house and flies to South America - specifically, a place called Paradise Falls, where he and Ellie always dreamed of seeing. Unexpectedly, a young 'Wilderness Explorer' accidentally stows away onboard, and the ensuing adventure to get the house perched atop the Falls sees them get entangled with Carl's childhood hero Charles F Muntz and his army of talking dogs, whose pursuit of a rare bird turns decidedly psychotic.

Detaching oneself from its forebears, the film is nearly immeasurably good. Once again, the boundaries of realism are pushed ever further by those tenacious RenderMan-jocks, with some of the vistas of a non-specific South American jungle so vivid and lifelike that there are a couple of moments where you may well find yourself wondering if you're watching a nature documentary. Director Pete Docter handles everything rather deftly - from his incredible, emotional journeys into Carl's psyche to his bold action sequences to the nearly impossible task of making a talking dog charming instead of annoying, Docter melds them all into something that will make you laugh, cry and stay perched on the edge of your seat. Sometimes all three at the same time.

There are, however, a few niggling complaints that ebb into your thoughts when you do take into account the trash robots, talking cars, toys and rats. Despite clocking in at a kids'-backside-friendly 96 minutes, the actual plot is spread incredibly thinly over the fantastic locations and wondrous characters. Considering that Pixar have made name for themselves with their hefty story-telling abilities, this does leave you feeling a little short-changed as you walk out the cinema. There's also very little invested in building up the antagonist so that his demise actually feels like a victory - after those wondrous first 10 minutes, he's barely in the film until his spectacular exit.

Finally, and ultimately this is Up's central flaw - the film simply feels like it has its emotionally payoff too early. To fully explain why is to spoil the utter majesty of the moment, and if there is a more spectacularly ambitious way to derail your movie, I can't think of it. But the simple fact is that after those staggeringly gorgeous first 10 minutes, there is almost nothing in the rest of the movie that can rival it - barring a reference back to those 10 minutes that will jerk tears - and it feels all the poorer for it. And whilst Wall-E had enough magic and wonder after its opening to pull this feat off, Up just falls short, and this, as I say, borders dangerously close to disappointment.

Take heart, though - this is still Pixar, and is still utterly, utterly wonderful. If any other studio had produced this film, five stars would be the order of the day. But the sad fact is that Pixar are capable of so much more, and that is genuinely saying something given just how incredible this 'misfire' is. See it.

Lack of updatage...

So! Sorry about the utter lack of updatage. Had terrible bouts of insomnia as of late, and being tired isn't exactly the first state that I like to be in when I'm sitting at a computer screen trying to arrange my thoughts!

Pissing down with rain in Edinburgh at the moment - actually the first proper autumn rain we've had, and it's bloody November! The dripping on the scaffolding is infuriating, especially late at night, though that's not really the reason for my lack of sleep. Hardly helped though.

Also! Good news! I have a pseudo-job reviewing DVDs! Which is pretty cool. Big shout out to Last Broadcast for being kind enough to let me spout my madness on their website. Anyways, my first review was of Trinity, and that's been published, so head over here to have a read of that. Next up is Year One and The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition, which should be posted tomorrow. Watch that space or indeed this space for linkage!

Reviewing Wizard of Oz was rather tricky, to be absolutely honest, and I'm not really sure that I pulled it off. It's a modern classic, for God's sake! People have written dissertations on this stuff! Well, whatever - as of tomorrow, my two cents will be added into the mix. And seeing as they're grounded in a childhood fascination with the film, I'm kinda worried they're a bit disjointed!

That's about it, really...I'm working on reviews on Up and Borderlands. Hopefully should have those up soon, though the Up one may dissappear thanks to my hearing my own damn opinions on a certain radio show! Annoying when someone beats you to the punch, even if it would hardly matter if I beat him to it - because people would believe him over me every time!

Anyways! Have fun in Internet Land. Remember - click your mouse three times to get the hell out of there.