Saturday, September 10, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

Retro: Kimmer

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RETRO KIMMER:... LOVES MICHAEL BUBLE...

Posted: 10 Sep 2011 06:14 PM PDT



I have been a huge fan of Michael Buble since he bagn his career... Enjoy his my favorite song of Michael's "Feeling Good"

[New post] Doctor Who – The Girl Who Waited

Doctor Who – The Girl Who Waited

"The Girl Who Waited"

Series 6
Episode 10
Transmitted 10 September, 2011

Thinking that he is bringing his companions to the second most amazing holiday planet in the galaxy, Apalapucia, the Doctor finds that he has instead made a grave error of judgement that places his newlywed partners in dire peril. The planet Apalapucia is under strict quarantine to combat a plague so deadly that the treatment involves placing the infected into separate time streams to make the loss of the victims easier on the family members on the other end of the temporal visiting mirror. While Timelords are not immune to the plague, humans are, but the cure offered by the clinic is just as deadly. Unfortunately, Amy and Rory find themselves on different time streams thanks to a clumsy mistake.

The Doctor attempts to merge the two time streams and rescue Amy from the clinic, but unfortunately he is too late, a few decades too late. By the time Rory finds his wife she is a 36 year old survivor dressed in the discarded armor of the facility robots and self trained in sword play enough to stay alive. The Doctor and Rory face two problems, how to solve the fissure in the time stream (easy-peasy) and what to do about there being two Amys in the world.

The author of the series 2 Cybermen story Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel, Tom Macrae, vindicates himself with this episode. Fast-moving and utilizing the ideas of time travel in order to tell a different type of story is exactly the kind of thing Doctor Who needs to do more of. Never mind that we get more of the 'time wimey' nonsense that was stolen from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure of all places, it's a step in the right direction. Trapped in a different time stream, Amy hardens as a person and becomes full of resentment and hatred not just for the Doctor and Rory for not saving her but for herself. It's a rather adult concept to show the potential of something going horribly wrong for the companion and I'm glad that this episode explored that idea.

The facility itself was brilliantly executed with that mixture of simplicity and complexity that Doctor Who excels at. White walls with magic doors that link to other sets or exterior locations. Nice. The 'temporal engines' being located in what appears to be the boiler room was a bit laughable, I have to admit. Why does modern Doctor Who keep going back to the same industrial complexes when a super scientific setting is called for?

Industrial complexes are the new quarries, apparently. In twenty year's time fans will make pilgrimages to rubber factories and visit where the 'Love Triangle of the Sea Devils' was filmed.


While the direction is almost as dire as Murray Gold's musical score (why so much slow mo? Why so many close ups? Am I meant to be brain dead?), the plot is actually quite clever. However, in order to tell its story,The Girl Who Waited utilizes an accepted conceit that the program is based entirely on love. Since the program returned in 2005, the theme of romance has been a part of Doctor Who. The Doctor and Rose were presented as the greatest love that there ever was, only to be torn apart in the finale of series 2. Series 3 saw Martha pine after the Doctor but he could never be hers because he loved another... a woman whom he could never see. More recently the Doctor revealed his deep longing love for the TARDIS itself.  The idea continues here but in this case Moffat has had a stroke of intelligence by removing the Doctor from the equation and instead inserting a pair of lovebirds in his place. It's still unnecessary and crass, but it works given that Rory and Amy have already been through so much together and the actors can pull it off. The sappy scenes of Rory and the future Amy crying on opposite sides of the TARDIS door, however, followed by future Amy telling the facility interface about her great love while looking at a hologram of the Earth (I know that's what I do) is unneeded.

I called it when he first appeared as a regular, but Arthur Darvill is just magnificent. I am a sucker for the well-meaning klutz character and he embodies that so well with Rory. While the Doctor knows exactly what the script needs him to, Rory must not only make do but often stumble about making mistakes until he gets it right. His character also genuinely cares about people, exemplified by his relationship to Amy, a girl who brushes him off at each opportunity but is still the most amazing woman in his life. He has time and again risked his life for others but dared anything to save Amy. As I say, this serves the marketing demographic that the program is looking to reach who apparently needs to have a couple in deep undying love on screen in order to pay attention, but if you're going to go in this direction... this is how to do it.

Karen Gillan won me over almost immediately as new companion Amy Pond last year. Steven Moffat obviously has a thing for forthright heroines (nearly every script he has written for Doctor Who not only features one but is centered on such a character type), but for some reason in interviews refers to her as a 'bad girl in the TARDIS' which I think misses the forest from the trees. Amy is not a 'bad girl' at all, she's 'brassy.' Think Tegan ramped up to 11 and add another. Not only does Amy take no nonsense from anyone, even the Doctor, she hardly waits around to be rescued. Case in point, in this episode she not only fights back against the situation she has become stuck in but she improves herself, hardening her survival skills to the point that she is not just deadly but brilliant (just how did she invent a sonic probe??).

'I'll go down fighting'- Amy clobbers an army of alien robots

Matt Smith is again in tip top condition as the scatter-brained alien stuck with a pair of humans to protect, but The Girl Who Waited is the third story in a row where the Doctor does almost nothing at all. In 'Let's Kill Hitler' he failed to save Melody, failed to procure an antidote, did nothing against the time traveling policemem and had no interaction with Hitler. In 'Night Terrors' his big moment was to convince a man telling his son he loves him was important (that's two scripts that Gattis has put this into and I'm officially worried about the man). This week he chats on a video phone through Jarvis Cocker's eyeglasses. I'm all for an ensemble program, but this is just bizarre.

Rory's two wives

The Girl Who Waited is a tightly written melodrama with science fiction elements and some keen action sequences. Over the top and saccharine-sweet at times, it is nonetheless an episode that tells a compelling story offering more depth to the characters and the concepts of the program. Given the choice, I'd gladly watch the Silurains or Dominators and even pay for pizza and beer too, but for new Doctor Who, this was quite good.

Next time: The God Complex
watch?v=col-6ROmE6o

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Latest articles from Retro To Go

Latest articles from Retro To Go


Tramp Needlepoint Pillow from Jonathan Adler

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 01:06 PM PDT

Tramp

Charlie Chaplin's immortal movie persona The Tramp is immortalised in fabric form in this Tramp Needlepoint Pillow from Jonathan Adler.

The legendary star of the silent screen's distinctive visage has been captured on this rather plush pillow using the traditional needlepoint tecnique, handmade using 100% wool and backed with luxurious velvet. A stylish nod to early cinema that real movie buffs will adore.

$165 from the Jonathan Adler website or, if you can wait, you'll be able to pick it up in his first UK store which is opening in London in October.

HEE Dining Chair from HAY

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 12:39 PM PDT

ChairThis HEE Chair from HAY will have you dreaming of holidays in the sun as the long winter nights draw in.

The chair has a real retro 60s asthetic - you'd no doubt see its ilk at the poolside of a luxurious mid-century California ranch house. It is made of galvanized steel with powder-coating, making it nice and light and suitable for outdoor use as well as indoor. The chair is available in 6 colours and is also available as a bar stool or lounger.

£140 from The Lollipop Shoppe. See the website for more details.

Adidas Padded Colorado Windbreaker

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 06:17 AM PDT

Col

Remember the 1980s Colorado we featured a while back? Well, there's now one for the colder weather - this Adidas Padded Colorado Windbreaker.

It's still the same '80s archive jacket, but this time it has been reworked  for winter with down-filled quilted padding. There's also a showerproof nylon outer, a mesh-lined adjustable hood and contrast stripes and logo.

A limited edition number, it sells for £69.

Find out more at the End Clothing website

Marianne Westman's classic midcentury Picknick design now available as a fabric

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 05:55 AM PDT

Pick

Good news for lovers of Scandinavian midcentury design, you can now get the Picknick design by Marianne Westman as a fabric.

It dates back to 1956, a variety of Scandinavian foodstuffs given a distinctive period twist for a selection of homewares, many of which were reissued back in 2010.

But now you can create our own designs with the cloth, which is made of cloth and sold by the metre. Try the Scandinavian Design Center for some, they sell it for £19.41 per metre. They also stock the homeware too.

Find out more at the Scandinavian Design Center website

B&Q 1960s space age-style Gizmo table lamps

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 05:31 AM PDT

Giz

Look at the image above, what are you thinking, some design classic from the mid to late-60s. That's what we thought when we first caught site of the Gizmo table lamp. But amazingly, this is a budget offering from B&Q of all places.

They are quite amazing pieces of affordable design. Take your pick from black or white for the finish, with these metallic lights having the switch built-in for on/off and an adjustable shade to focus that stream of light where it is needed.

Before you rush off to buy a couple, a word of warning. We've asked B&Q for a shelf date (or an online date) and we've been told they aren't scheduled for a month or so. Basically, keep checking the website, as these will fly at that bargain price of £14.98 each.

B&Q website
www.diy.com

Retro owl necklace

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 04:20 AM PDT

Owl


Feed your retro obsession with this retro owl necklace.

The cute little vintage necklace follows on from all the other owl-related fashion we've seen so far this year. We love these little owls and they make a good accessory for adding a little bit of quirkyness to your outfit. This also makes a great present for someone who might be hard to buy for as it's from Etsy so you won't find it on the high street.

Get yours online for the bargain price of £5.99 (plus postage).

Retro leather satchel

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 04:14 AM PDT

Satchel



Get ready for going back to school with this retro leather satchel.

Although your school days may be long gone, it's always this time of year when you would have been decked out with new uniforms and stationary to start the new year. This lovely leather satchel from John Lewis is the perfect retro bag which fits in quite a lot and looks fashionably grown up.

The bag is £79 from John Lewis.

Horror Top Trumps Print

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 02:25 AM PDT

TT1 
Stuart Gardiner has carved out a niche with idiosyncratic retro designs, but his Horror Top Trumps Print is eccentric even by his standards.

Most people will be familiar with the top trumps game, but here the characters for comparison are from classic horror movies with illustrations as kitsch as the old films. In traditional top trumps style, characters are graded according to physical strength, killing power, fear factor and horror rating. The print is limited to 60 individually numbered editions and is A2 size.

It costs £75 unframed directly from Stuart Gardiner's website.

Fauteuil Chair

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 02:02 AM PDT

Short-leg-armchair_grande
The Fauteuil Chair by Iman Deco combines a range of influences, but the overall effect looks distinctly retro.

The name and the design come from France, but the woven seat that gives it a 1970s look was done in Africa. The long metal legs add to the retro look. The chair is available in a variety of colours and in either adult or child size, priced £140 and £90 respectively.

They are for sale from SCP – visit their website for their contact details and store locations to buy.

eBay watch: Ultra limited edition Back To The Future Nike Air Mag trainers

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 01:06 AM PDT

Future

It's likely to be the most sought-after shoe of this year, but the good news is that new pairs of these ultra limited edition Back To The Future Nike Air Mag trainers are going up for auction each day for the next 10 days. So if you miss out early on, stick with it.

As the name (and photo) suggests, these are the boots from the 1989 movie Back To The Future II. Ok, not an exact copy, but pretty much as close as you can get the once futuristic footwear - the first rechargeable pair of Nike trainers, but without the power laces. Much the same shape though and with that glowing LED panel and luminous Nike logo. Give the boots a nip and they'll glow - for up to five hours per charge.

Future2

1,500 pairs have been made, with 150 pairs per day going up for auction over the next 10 days. It's not just some 'fun' exercise for Nike, this reissue does have a purpose - all net proceeds going directly to the Michael J Fox Foundation, supporting sufferers of Parkinson's disease, like Fox himself.

Interested in a pair? Check the official eBay site for the auctions for the latest prices and stock levels. You can stick a bid in there too, of course.

Back To The Future Nike Air Mag trainers auctions at eBay

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