Movie review times 2

I'm not huge on animated films, but I do enjoy the odd one every now and again and I must say I really liked this one:
It tells the story of a monastery in Ireland that is about to be over run by Vikings and the struggle to save an illuminated manuscript. The young monk who puts himself in harms way to save it befriends a forest faerie and together with the old monk who started the manuscript the three manage to save it and civilization in the process.

This film is beautifully animated, it has a spare style that reminded me of Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues. The colors pop in this film and the whole thing is really visually stunning. I highly recommend it, despite the religious elements.

How I managed to miss seeing this film for so long is beyond me. My friend, the smartest man in the world, Joseph F. told me about it and when he recommends a film, you better believe I'll see it, sooner or later

This film tells the story of a young undocumented woman who comes to the USA from Mexico. She joins her sister, who is already here and citizen of the USA who is married with 2 children. She joins her sister on the janitorial staff at a big office building in LA and they get involved with an effort to unionize the janitors. One sister is against unionizing, the other is for it. The film concentrates more on the story of the sister who is for the union but since they are sisters, their stories overlap and intertwine in ways you don't expect. It's a rousing and unexpectedly funny and touching tale that's done very well.

As the sisters Pilar Padilla and Elpidia Carrillo stand head and shoulders above everyone else performance wise. They share many heartbreaking and beautiful scenes that are so touching they may make some of you shed a tear or two. Adrien Brody is also good in his role as the loosey goosey young union organizer. And George Lopez turns in a great performance as the sleazy head supervisor of the janitors in the building, it's kind of disconcerting to see him play one of the villains but he pulls it off so very well.

Ken Loach did a hell of a great job with this film. I highly recommend it. And if you have Sundance On Demand on your digital cable, this film is currently playing for free so check it out.

The Top Gear guide to deflecting criticism of racism

1) First off when you do make racist comments, make them about a group of people from a country not near your own, preferably the country in question should be across an ocean from you.

2) When caught, loudly proclaim your original remarks were a joke and insist that people stop taking everything you say so damn seriously, after all you're just a trio of blokes on a BBC show that's rebroadcast worldwide. It's not like you're on the internet mouthing off and shit.

3) Make people forget the racist stuff you said by saying more racist stuff. For instance if you make remarks about Mexicans, do a bad Chinese accent and say, "Me no rikey dat you carr me lacist." Then say something about a German saluting Hitler and top that off with your impression of the Swedish chef from The Muppet Show.

4) Get your employer to offer up weak as shit apologies while you go off, get dead drunk with that talentless 'comedian' Russell Brand, and leer at his wife's big tits.

5) If a woman calls you on her racism, call her a castrating bitch and tell her to go slap some lipstick on after she gets you a pie.

6) Just ignore it all together because after all, you're white, male, and moderately famous, so what the fuck do you care if you insult a nation of millions. It's not like they'll be coming to England to kick your ass or anything.