April, 2006

Pure terror. I don’t normally frighten at horror movies, but this remake of 1979’s Amityville Horror movie scared the pants off me. Honest.

This version of the Amityville Horror focuses on the Lutzes, the family who moved into the house a year or so after the DeFeo murders.

About The Movie

In a nutshell, ordinary family move into their dream home (after the Estate Agent ‘forgets’ to mention the horrific slaying committed there the previous year. Like you do.) In no time at all, George Lutz is hearing sinister whispered voices and the daughter has gained an imaginary friend with a ventilated forehead. As the paranoia takes over, subtle details about the house are revealed, interspersed with sudden frights.

As you would expect from the genre, the cinematography is grim and dark, creating an oppressive and tense environment. The story doesn’t linger long on the ‘happy families’ prelude, and the frights begin almost as soon as the family moves into the house.

There are some stunning set pieces, such as the scene where the daughter - prompted by her imaginary friend - climbs onto the roof of the house and inches toward the edge. The ensuing scramble to stop her from jumping is edge-of-your-seat stuff. By the time the movie reached it’s climax, I was aware that my heart was actually pounding!

Verdict

Opinion seems to be split on the movie. You either love it or hate it apparently.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover Melissa George in a lead role as Kathy Lutz (old school Home & Away fan!), but although visually appealing, I’m not sure she’s convincing as a mother of three. Ryan Reynolds, on the other hand slips easily into the tortured psycho role, and George Lutz’s role as a second husband gives rise to antipathy and abusiveness towards Kathy’s children as his paranoia increases.

Mrs L and the kids stayed out overnight, leaving me in the house alone. For the first time in years, I raced up the stairs to my bed, after making sure all the hallway lights were switched on. It was that scary!

Friday, April 28th, 2006 // Movie Reviews

Spurred on by Matthew Ingram’s post on blogs affecting politics (and society), I’m wondering to what extent local (Northern Irish) bloggers can challenge traditional preconceptions in our wider society.

That was a long sentence! What I mean is, can blogs like Slugger encourage a wider variety of debate than what we’re exposed to when it’s just one-way propaganda from the party press office?

I specifically mention Slugger O’Toole, because Mick Fealty and the team have done a fantastic job of creating an open forum for debate. In fact, a few people (who don’t know about my double life as Levee) have recommended Slugger to me. They’re always enthusiastic. Many can see from the comments how regressive the ‘old’ attitudes are, and biggoted commentary exposes the futility of the traditional stances (my opinion).

There are other sites which impress me due to their seeming desire to explore new avenues. For instance, Big Ulsterman regularly challenges traditional ideologies by putting forward an alternative viewpoint and trying to reconcile ‘his’ culture and background with Nationalism and (to a lesser degree) Catholicism. He too, appears tired of politics here running around in circles with nothing ever being resolved and rarely ends a post without suggesting something Big that his subject might undertake.

Can Northern Irish Bloggers Make A Difference?

Over to you. Can those of us who blog on politics here make a difference? Is our audience wide enough to make a dent in the old school? What was your motivation for starting a blog in the first place (assuming you have one)?

Update: Slugger has recently run a more detailed commentary on this subject. Worth a read.

Thursday, April 27th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I was pleased to read on Slugger this evening that NIO Finance Minister Lord Rooker has set the record straight on direct rule versus devolved government.

He claims that much of the unpopular reforms the the Northern Ireland Office are currently pushing through were originally conceived by the “locally elected Assembly”.

The inference, as Mick correctly points out, is that the Northern Irish Assembly ministers know that some form of unpopular reform is necessary but that they don’t want to risk the PR backlash of being the ones to announce it. Instead, they’re criticising the NIO for implementing their initiatives!

By the sounds of the UTV report, Jeff Rooker is as fed up with our politicians as the rest of us. Would it be too much to hope that Peter Hain has finally set a time-bomb under their collective arses?

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Paul at The Northern Irish Magyar is hosting a very interesting debate on the subject of Irishness.

Despite my RC upbringing, I wasn’t indoctrinated with attendant Republican or even Nationalist values. I always viewed Northern Ireland as a seperate entity, quite apart from either Ireland or Britain. Paul sums it up well in the comments:

political Republicanism has succeeded in greatly narrowing the definition of Irishness for their own political ends

I would argue that similarly Unionism/Loyalism have narrowed the definition of Britishness (in Northern Ireland at least) to representing a group of pompous, bigotted, intransigent stick-in-the-muds! I’ve never been comfortable with either label.

Another well-made point is that pre-partition, everyone on the island would have defined themselves as ‘Irish’, simply because it wasn’t an issue. A history book I’ve been reading recently has reminded me of the fact.

Interesting to see a number of mostly Unionist bloggers considering national identity and playing with the concept of being Irish while remaining British. I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote:

We appeal to you not to fall into the 1916 trap and risk a fragile new relationship for the whole island, by pressing for the fulfilment of an old political romance. We in our turn will come to acknowledge an over-arching Irishness we all can share. This is an age for forging new relationships, not for breaking up old ones. Irish unity of the traditional kind is no more for our time than it was in 1916.

Works for me!

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

EatLiver.com is a bizarre name for a website, especially one which has a gallery of almost 1,000 hilarious pictures found across the Internet.

They’ve got truck-lifting Russian girlfriends, a psychiatrist who leaves his business card on high-rise office ledges and warnings about stepping out on the ice.

Still, my favourite two so far are the ones I’ve included here - the Chuck Norris Action Jeans (straight out of the catalogue) and the Baby sign. No Sleep, No Free Time, No Fun. Next 18 Years.

Well, I don’t know about “no fun”, but the rest is about right!

Monday, April 24th, 2006 // Observations

A thought-provoking piece by Dr Crawford Gribben about the relationship between Unionism and Protestantism, something which has been on my mind recently.

Dr Gribben makes the assertion that, demographically, Unionists no longer represent a political majority in Northern Ireland and that they need to broaden their appeal in order to regain their strength.

As the population statistics of Northern Ireland no longer reflect a Unionist majority, so Unionist leaders must make the case for the Union to a population broader than the conservative Protestants whose votes they have traditionally taken for granted.

Surely the same argument applies to Nationalists and Republicans in that they need to somehow broaden their appeal to attract new voters, not existing ones? This harks back to what I blogged about earlier - can the political parties broaden their appeal by actually tackling issues that affect the public?

Similar questions were being asked after the Whiterock riots last September, with some citing social differences between Nationalist and Unionist areas of West Belfast as a potential starting point for Gerry Adams to prove that Sinn Fein really wants an Ireland Of Equals, and that it’s not hollow rhetoric.

Friday, April 21st, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I took a hard line yesterday on the language of Republicanism, the talk of continuing struggles and so on. Chris took some offense at my position, which I still feel is justified.

Looking To The Future

Now, Chris Gaskin is an intelligent fellow. As a student of law, he is no doubt aware of some of the ridiculous laws that were created generations ago. Laws that are unrealistic and do not apply to society today.

And, if last centuries’ notions of Protestant/Unionist supremacy are subject to ridicule today, why are other historical events like the Easter Rising beyond scrutiny? They shouldn’t be. We cannot uphold principles from the past century if they do not apply to society today. These things need to be questioned.

What is the compelling reason for a United Ireland? Why should we consider it? Who will benefit from a United Ireland? What about the Unionist/Loyalist population - and people like myself who just want a normal society without the labels? What relevance does the Easter Rising have for modern life in (Northern) Ireland?

Common Ground - Social Problems

Republicanism - yes, and Loyalism - are movements which serve to separate the population by convincing their respective followers of an irredeemable gulf exists between them. But strip those people of their political identities and they are virtually the same. They suffer the same problems: education standards, unemployment, housing, teenage pregnancy, medical care, disenfranchised youth.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time on both the Falls and Shankill Roads over the years, and both are bustling, thriving working-class communities. If both of those neighbourhoods worked together to their mutual advantage, there’s no telling what they might achieve. They have so much in common.

Where are the bold politicians willing to tackle social problems on a truly equal basis? They simply don’t exist.

And that, my friends, is my problem with Republicans. And also with Loyalists. And with anybody who pushes a one-sided political agenda instead of focusing on the issues our society is crying out to resolve. They spend all their time sitting in little cliques, convincing themselves that their narrow viewpoints are correct, churning out outdated slogans (British oppression my arse - who’s paying your benefits?) and conveniently ignoring the ‘other’ culture.

Let’s face it, Northern Ireland - illegal Orange statelet or not - is not immune from 21st Century social problems. Disenfranchised youths, for example, are everywhere. On the mainland, they’re chavs. Over here, they’re spides and millies. They are not the unique by-product of disadvantaged Unionist areas, Dr. Paisley!

I don’t think a United Ireland is some kind of silver bullet solution. It won’t stop teenage pregnancies, stem the suicide rate or stop the joyriding problem. It certainly won’t ‘cure’ sectarianism.

So, which is the more pressing issue? Hooking up with the Republic and filling our wallets with Euros, or dropping the agenda and starting to tackle social problems and sectarianism?

Friday, April 21st, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I’ll make this short.

I’m tired of hearing about Republican ’struggle’ and British oppression and occupation. I can honestly say that not once in my life have I felt oppressed or discriminated against on the grounds of my religious background. I have not been held back from getting gainful employment, nor buying a house, nor living to a relatively decent standard.

While I have little knowledge of the background to the Easter Rising, and subsequent events in Ireland, I am coming to the conclusion that certain parts of our history on this island were inevitable. This is courtesy of Mr Joe Cahill, whose biography I am reading at the moment. It really is food for thought as to how we might have reacted in the same circumstances.

However, we are not in the same circumstances. Northern Ireland has changed. Nobody here is an ‘oppressed people’, except for the daft prejudices that rattle around inside their heads.

This post is in response to Mr Gaskin’s Official Easter Address To The People. I have nothing against the celebrating of the Easter Rising, but don’t bang on about the injustice that is British rule. Especially not when trying to espouse Liberty and Justice for all where all of the children of the Nation, when Sinn Fein (Mr Gaskin is a proud member) have shown absolutely no interest in the welfare or rights of the Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist population here. That just stinks of hypocrisy.

All this talk of comrades and struggles reminds me of that Give My Head Peace episode where an old Republican who’s been hiding in an attic for years comes down thinking the Republicans are still fighting.

Ah, who cares? The only Easter Rising I was interested in last Sunday was the one I woke up with…

Wednesday, April 19th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I know it’s been quiet on The Levee Breaks recently. Still having a tough time at work, with no end in sight. Paranoia is running high eclipsed only by my stress levels.

I’m such a ball of negative energy at the moment.

I had a job interview on Friday last week, and did a fantastic interview with a panel of four (very professionally run, BTW). Needless to say, the weekend was spent dreaming of a job offer and how I might write my resignation letter without lacing it with anthrax…

Ah, but t’was not to be folks. I got a letter on Tuesday to say that I had been unsuccessful in my application, but (some consolation) I was first reserve for the post. All I need to do now is find out who got the job and reverse over him/her with my jalopy……

The sooner I get my arse out of that job the better. It’s really fucking up my chi…

Wednesday, April 12th, 2006 // Family Life

I almost let a significant birthday pass without mention this week, folks and I feel bad about it.

Someone who has brought much pleasure and enjoyment to the human race turned 80, and - yes - he’s still going strong! Certainly, this great man has caused plenty of controversy in his time, and he is probably loved and hated in equal measure.

However, I won’t hear a word against him. Happy Birthday Hef!

*You didn’t think I meant this fella, did you?*

Sunday, April 9th, 2006 // News & Media