Here we are at door 9 of the James Proclaims Advent Calendar Of Christmas(ish) films, and it’s about time Bruce Willis popped up. Yes it’s no other than the most Christmas(ish) of all the action films…. …The Last Boy Scout Sorry, were you expecting something else? Is there a more Christmas(ish) Bruce Willis flick than…
Category: review
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 8
Hello and welcome to day 8 of The James Proclaims Advent Calendar Of Christmas(ish) films. And door 8 invites us to cast our memories back to 1996, to a film in which Geena Davies has lost her memories – for our film today is none other than The Long Kiss Goodnight. And wouldn’t you…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 7
Behind door 7 of The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films we find the neo-noir crime masterpiece that is LA Confidential. Released in 1997, it’s hard to believe this movie is twenty years old. There’s a genuinely timeless air about it, perhaps partially because of the 1950s setting, but more so because of…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 6
The other day I was strolling past a nice(ish) hotel and I saw Father Christmas. He seemed to be promoting some kind of Christmas event that was being hosted within the establishment. He was not alone in doing so, for he was accompanied by a woman that I supposed to be his good lady wife…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 5
It’s day 5 of December, so it’s no coincidence that we’re opening door 5 of The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) films. And out of the shadows comes the ‘spooktacular’ Ghostbusters 2. Which is the sequel to the original 1984 Ghostbusters and not the 2016 reboot. Ghostbusters (1984 version) is one of my…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 4
So far, the Christmas(ish) movies featured have been very much of the action genre. They’ve also been largely attributable to writer/director Shane Black. He’ll be back a couple more times before this journey is over, but door 4’s Christmas(ish) film is not one of his. It is violent though. Really violent. For it is none…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 3
Another day, another Christmas(ish) film. But just what is behind door number 3? Goodness me, it’s Lethal Weapon. Which is, surprisingly enough, another Shane Black film. Although he’s not the director this time, but he did write the script. Richard Donner was the man in the director’s chair (he also directed Superman the Movie and The…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 2
It’s time for Door 2 of ‘The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films’. Today we find Iron Man 3. Which, like yesterday’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is another Shane Black and Robert Downey Jr. collaboration. And it’s the first (and, to date, only?) movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be set during the…
The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films – Door 1
It’s the first day of December and coincidentally it’s also the first day of ‘The James Proclaims Advent Calendar of Christmas(ish) Films’ And what do we have lurking behind door 1? Why it’s only Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Which is one of a number of Christmas(ish) films attributable to writer/director Shane Black, a man who…
The Obligatory New Year’s Eve Review Of The Year That Was
Last year I wrote a review of 2015 on the 31st December so it seems only fitting that I review 2016 today. Except that I’d rather not. It seems to be universally accepted that 2016 was a bit of a rubbish year all around. Not for everyone obviously – some people might well be thinking…
James Reviews the 2016 Marks and Spencer Chocolate Advent Calendar
I’m not sure if I’m going to make the review of my chocolate advent calendar an annual event. However, I did do it last Christmas Eve and I seem to be doing it again this year so there’s every chance it’ll happen again next year. There has been a development on the chocolate advent calendar…
James Reviews The Rio Games From The Comfort Of His Sofa
As I write this I’m half aware of some brightly coloured fruit and vegetables dancing in front of me. I’ve checked the ingredients of the M&S “Spirit of Summer” Cocoa and Pecan fudge that I’m currently snacking on (a welcome and undeserved gift from Mrs Proclaims who just returned from the afore-mentioned M&S), to see…
James Reviews ‘The Rentokil Advanced Fly Trap Window Sticker’
There are no flies on me. Literally. There were yesterday though. It’s unseasonably hot in the UK at the moment. I mean it’s summer so I suppose it is actually ‘seasonably’ hot but no-one really expects nice weather in Britain at any time of year and British summers are notorious for being miserable and wet.…
James Reviews 2015, Just In Case Nobody Else Remembered To Do It
Well it’s the last day of 2015 and that calls for some kind of review of the events of the past 12 months. I’m probably the only blogger that’s even thought of doing this. It’s a pretty original and exciting idea is it not?
James Reviews the 2015 Marks and Spencer Chocolate Advent Calendar
Every year, without fail, my mum buys me a chocolate advent calendar. I would genuinely be upset if she didn’t. Yes I’m 36 years old but frankly if it’s wrong to have a chocolate advent calendar in your mid-thirties then I’m not sure I want to be right.
James Reviews James Proclaims
I haven’t written a ‘James Reviews’ for a while. The original concept was that I’d write reviews about stuff that no-one really needs, or at least stuff no-one really needs a review of. Obviously everyone should own drumstick pencils and a Jedi dressing gown. But the trouble is that there’s only so often you can…
James Reviews Sudoku Themed Toilet Paper
What do you get the man who has everything? Probably not Sudoku Loo Roll. He’ll already have some if he’s got everything and no-one needs two rolls of Sudoku themed toilet paper. But if you’re trying to buy a gift for the man who never really wants anything, then Sudoku Loo Roll could well be…
James Reviews a 16kg kettlebell
If like me, you have a track record of buying home fitness equipment and not really using it, then this 16kg kettlebell is just what you’ve been looking for. Unlike that enormous weights bench, which sat in your parents’ garage long after you left home, this kettlebell is relatively easy to transport. A cautionary note,…
James Reviews The Tesco Hudl Replacment Charge Board Port Socket Micro USB Port
If, like me, you realised about a year ago that this whole ‘iPad’ malarkey wasn’t just a fad and that maybe technology was starting to get away from you, then you too may have rushed in a mild state of panic, to your nearest Tesco, in order to rectify the situation. Obviously not to buy…
James Reviews – Fifty plastic money bags
Do you get really stressed when you’re at the checkout, and always pay with a note, even when you’ve got the exact change in your pocket? Then these plastic money bags are absolutely essential! Because inevitably you’re going to have lots of loose change lying around. And that can be annoying.
James Reviews – A Jedi Themed Dressing Gown
This dressing gown is a must have. When you’ve had a tough day fighting Sith lords and Stormtroopers, there’s nothing better than kicking back and relaxing in one of these luxurious robes. Equally if the force isn’t quite as strong with you, or you’re now in your mid-thirties and therefore ‘too old to begin the…
James Reviews – The Oxford Paperback Italian Dictionary, 1997 edition
If you are a student of the Italian Language in the late nineties then this dictionary is a ‘must have’. If you’re an Italian speaker who is trying to improve your knowledge of the English language circa 1998, then it may also prove useful. The cover boldly claims that it’s ‘The biggest paperback dictionary of…
James Reviews – Drumstick Pencils
Could this be another new feature on James Proclaims? A feature where I regularly review stuff that you may, but probably won’t, find useful? Only time will tell. Today I’m reviewing something that I got given as a Secret Santa gift in December 2013. I am reviewing these drumstick pencils.
Eggcellent Electricals (would egglectricals be stretching the pun too far?)
No-one enjoys a bit of washboard percussion more than I. But apparently the washboard wasn’t created as a musical instrument. It’s actually, believe it or not, a device for doing laundry, but the invention of the washing machine has rendered it all but redundant in this capacity. The world is full of such labour-saving devices.…