In Time - film review

In Time

Film Review

In Time - an intriguing concept which lapses into a two dimensional chase.

I would suggest that a more accurate title would be "Time is money". Set in the not so distant future where humanity has been genetically engineered to stop at the age of 25, after which you have just one year of time on your clock, counting down on your left forearm in flashing neon lights like a 1970's Casio calculator. The key twist is that this time is a transferable commodity, bought and sold, won and lost, borrowed and banked - run out and you are dead! 

The end result is an impoverished underclass who scratch around trying to accumulate enough minutes to last another day, whilst at the other end of the spectrum there is the "monied" ruling class who have all the time in the world - literally. So here is a fascinating opportunity to look at inequality, a world where for the haves to live on in luxury, the have not's must die. Unfair, but not so far from the reality we know. 

The shame is that this original premise in not fully explored. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is the hero from the ghetto, aged 28 (or 25 plus 3 as he puts it), acquires over 100 years or tradeable life which he uses to buy and gamble his way into the world of the wealthy - time rich who are nearly immortal but lead impoverished and empty lives. Will meets Sylvia Weiss (Amanda Segfried, aged 25 plus 2) - daughter of one of the worlds most wealthy time lenders and a classic Bonnie and Clyde partnership ensues. 

Will wants to change the world, just like his father, and Sylvia wants excitement. They blunder around chased by a time marshal who plays a central role, but who's character and motivation is never unpacked - an opportunity missed. There is a lot of "will they wont they" as they fumble around for a plan, but in the end they decide upon a spot of Quantitative Easing which hits the spot, but leaves the film with an uncertain outcome. I suspect that the idea is to leave scope for a sequel, but the concept has probably run its course and will be left to time out like the people of its creation. 

Sometimes its the little things in films which bug me. In this case it was Sylvia Weiss who morphed from a spoilt and protected brat to a gun toting Lara Croft in the blink of an eye. But what was worse was the fact that she did so wearing a pair of the most ridiculous 5" heel platform shoes. I am not sure which was more implausible: running and jumping in these high fashion effectations or the fact that humankind would be stupid enough to bring back platform soles for a third time.... 

So, the film contains a premise which really gets you thinking, but whose interpretation utterly fails to do the concept justice. Entertaining but it could have been so much more.

And the winner was....

Results of the Huddersfield Canal Society photographic competition 2011

January 2012

OK, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the comments on the photo competition post, and its interesting to compare your collective views with those of the judges. See my post from two days ago for the images.

If left to you guys the steps at lock 10 East (Milnsbridge) is the clear winner, but this was not the judges decision.

The actual order was:

Category winner : 39 East - top of the Marsden Flight

Runner up :  10 East - steps at Milnsbridge

Highly Commended : 32 East (but actually its 31 E at Linguards Wood - I labelled it wrongly!)

Its interesting that my entries were the only ones with no boats in them! I have always said I am more into the infrastructure than the boats. I love the rugged nature of the this incredible canal ,which is captured in that flight of gritty steps.

But lets be fair, the overall winner was by John Brierley, a regular participant in this competition and a worthy winner he is too:

John Brierley - Overall winner 2011

I love his shot of 'Chelonian' at the Diggle Festival Boat Gathering - the colours are almost acrylic. He is fortunate to live so near such a wonderful canal and be able to photograph it through all seasons. 

All in all I was very pleased with the results of our 'one pass' visit, but I would hasten to say that the West is pretty too, it just happen to rain for the entire duration of our descent - hence no photos!

C&RT Election - my 150 word mini manifesto

Why vote for Capt Ahab (Andy Tidy) in the C&RT Council Elections?

3rd January 2012

Its the first business day of 2012 and what better day to get all those forms off to the C&RT offices?

I have prepared my "mini manifesto" but trying to say who I am, what I am and what I can bring to the party all in 150 words must represent a new sport - extreme precis!

Captain Ahab aka Andy Tidy doing what he loves best!

Well, having chopped and changed my statement for the last couple of weeks here it is:

Andy Tidy, Author of website "Captain Ahab's Watery Tales"

My passion for boating dates from the "dirty ditches" of the 1960's to the magnificent system of today. I have travelled widely on our narrowboat Wand'ring Bark, and it has been said that canal water flows through my veins!  

Professionally, I oversee operational integrity within a multinational business, shaping policy, strategy and applying a commercial approach to planning.

If elected I will approach this Council role as an enthusiast and a professional, combining 30 years of commercial experience with a 40 year passion for our waterways. It's crucial that the C&RT strikes the right balance between the needs of the various user groups, particularly the boaters who must remain core to its operation. I will take a critical view of commercial and strategic aspects of the Trust's proposals and plans.

 I would be honoured to represent the boating community. 

This little statement, and those like it from the other candidates, is all you get to chose who represents the boating community on the C&RT Council. Not a lot to go on is it?

I have had a look at some of the other statements kicking around in the public domain and my distinguishing feature, my USP if you like, is that I am an enthusiast first and foremost. Whilst I don't currently sit on any canal related committees, I do get plenty of experience in that direction at work. However, I believe that the getting the strategy of C&RT right is absolutely essential, hence my desire form part of the C&RT's inaugural overseeing body.

I guess that this is the official start of my campaign, not that it will be quite like the Presidential Primaries in the USA!. If I am to represent the ordinary boater I will need votes from boating community, which is where you come in. I would like to say an enormous thank you to all those who offered or actually did fill in the Sponsor forms to allow me to enter the election. The papers have been collated and sent to Watford.

If, having read this, you would consider supporting me can I ask you to spread the word by e-mail, facebook or text or however please? With few boats moving at this time of year communicating with other boaters is difficult, so using personal recommendations and pointing 'floating boaters' in the direction of my blog and my name on the ballot paper would be a great help.

Oh - one small thing to bear in mind. Most people know me a Captain Ahab and I frequently hear cries of Aye Aye Captian from the towpath, but Capt Ahab won't be appearing on the ballot paper. If you want to vote for me when polling opens on the 8th February, you will need to look for me under my real name: Andrew (or Andy) Tidy. 

The papers will be listed alphabetically by surname, so its back to schooldays with me way  down at the end of the list! Nev Wells (nb Waterlilly) knows exactly how that feels....

Everyone's a winner!

Photographic success for the Captain

January 2012

I like to set myself a few objectives each year and one for 2011 was to get a photo onto the winners rostrum of the Huddersfield Canal Society's annual photographic competition.

This target was assisted by a planned trip along the canal in the summer, so I set off from Aspley Wharf with camera in hand.

The competition has seven winning slots in two categories and I was  delighted to learn that I had succeeded with not one, not two, not three but four photo's in winning positions.

One winner was the runner up in the non Huddersfield Canal section, an image of Hillmorton Locks taken last Easter:

Hillmorton Sunset

But the other three winning photos occupied the winner, runner up and highly commended sections of the Huddersfield Canal category. My question to you is which one won first place? See if you agree with the judges.

31 East

10 East

39 East

Answers in the comments section.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

January 2012

With the festive season hurtling towards the buffers of New Year there is just time for a last seasonal post.

Christmas Eve offered an opportunity to visit WB to check all is well, after a gap of five weeks. Jeff came with me and, with a whole day to play with, we did the essential fixing and cleaning and then set off for the Fox and Anchor in Coven, our boating "local". We had the canal to ourselves as we powered along, scouting out possible  trees to turn into firewood.

 Quality holly

Just before the pub we came across a magnificent holly bush smothered in rosy red berries, just right for Christmas house trimming. We backed beneath the branches and soon accumulated two bin bags full before attacking those much anticipated pints.

On the way back we passed a boat which had really entered into the festive spirit, just before a rather fine dead tree which was demolished in a cloud of two stroke and sawdust. Enough fuel to keep the home fires burning for a couple more weeks.

Gathering winter fuel