alexsarll | And we're the best in the business, because we kiss

Towers of London are emphatically not my thing (they remind me of those Japanese kids who get every detail of a Western subculture absolutely perfect, and yet somehow get the whole thing completely wrong) but nonetheless, that was a thoroughly enjoyable Stay Beautiful. When it's on form, it's narrowly ahead of B Movie as the most fun one can have in a nightclub.

I'm not sure why, given it's Burton/Depp, but for some reason I wasn't expecting a great deal from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This would be one of those rare occasions when I was wrong, then. Somehow, it manages to be even more disturbing than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - and Depp's Wonka is so unsettlingly Michael Jackson that, for the first time, I think he managed to act himself unattractive (an assessment with which

intermix vigorously disagreed). Even Wonka's back-story, a concept of which I was deeply sceptical, was saved from sappiness by the ever-excellent Christopher Lee*. And the oompa-loompas...marvellous. Well worth the million he/they cost. And then, before the year is out we get more Burton/Depp goodness! Hoopla! Hoopla!
Then home to The Shield and Nick Fury - Agent of SHIELD, another film which was far better than I expected. The Hoff at times appears to be imitating Fury more than playing him, but for such a legendary turkey, it's really not bad. Certainly better than some recent Marvel films, such as Elektra, and I'd probably place it above Fantastic Four too. I'd even rather watch it again than either Spider-Man film, though that's more because the young 616 Peter Parker is such a hopeless dork than any fault in the adaptation. Also, it probably helps that Viper was stunningly attractive. But really, in many ways this was closer in tone to Garth Ennis' Fury than to the original espionage capers, and all the better for it - we don't need another Bond. Score one for the free world.

Sunday was, of course, Love Your Enemies. We broke our own record this time - for much of the night, we didn't even have all the residents present. Sigh. Effusive thanks to those who did come, though.
Space Ace - Brett Smiley
Big Store - The Devils
Saturday Night Special - Fad Gadget
Guns Of Brixton - The Clash
Meet Me At The Airport - Baader Meinhof
Chemical Warfare - The Dead Kennedys
Eleven Executioners - Momus
This World Is Full Of Crashing Bores - Morrissey
Can You Forgive Her? - Pet Shop Boys
I Love Life - Pulp
Jealous Of Your Cigarette - Hawksley Workman
Delicious - Shampoo
Art? - Minty
Close-Cropped - Luxembourg
Falling Out With The Future - Billy Mackenzie
Fait Accompli - Curve
Mouth To Mouth - The Glove
Summer Of Hate - Baxendale
Forever J - Terry Hall
All The Umbrellas In London - The Magnetic Fields
Brilliant Mind - Furniture
Boho Bird - Elcka
A Drinking Song - The Divine Comedy
Search And Destroy - The Stooges
Warrior - Public Image Limited
Killing An Arab - The Cure

Does anybody want boring Young People's Dance Music compilation Microsolutions #1 or boring singer-songwriter Syd Matters ' album?

It's not often that picking up a paper improves my day, but the front of Metro had Bonnie Prince Billy, Scarlett Johansson and talk of treason charges. After that, I was almost sure the lottery numbers would bring me further cheer, but I only got two. Ah well.

*Interestingly, Saturday's Guardian had an article in defence of sweets by a historian of confectionery whose father was a dentist.