Much better than hanging around here with you dorks.

Date: Saturday 9th March

Saturday night, Wales is visiting, the BFF is in town and, for the first time in a long time, I am spending quality time with both the best friends. Whilst London is a big old place, and there are plenty of things we could be doing with our Saturday evening, we know what we like, and it's been a while since we had a chance to do this.

After a quick adventure out of the house to get some food, we were back on the sofa and in our pyjamas for a night of trashy movies. Up first, one of our favourites...

Film Empire Records Remix! Special Fan Edition (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rating 10/10

I've written about this film before, and anyone who knows me, knows how much I adore this. I've seen it more times than is ever necessary and always enjoy it. This was no exception.

As we were watching the DVD, it had all the extra bits I love (and, I'll be honest, miss a little bit when they don't show up in theatrical screenings) and watching it with the one person that probably has seen it as often I have was a real treat. We may have spent the majority of the evening quoting the upcoming scenes.

As always, this is a film that never lets me down.

Film: Grease (1978)
Director: Randal Kleiser
Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing
Running Time: 01 hour, 50 minutes
Rating: 8/10

Another classic film of our youth and one I hadn't seen in a while. If you don't know Grease, you've been living under a rock.

We might have sung, we didn't dance, none of us under went a dramatic make over (although we did all paint our nails).

All in all, a near perfect way to spend an evening with my favourite people.

Challenge day: 165
Challenge Time: 10 days, 03 hours, 48 minutes
Challenge film total: 126

The fate of the planet is in the hands of a bunch of retards I wouldn't trust with a potato gun.

Date: Saturday 12th January
Film: Armageddon (1998)
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler
Running time: 2 hours, 31 minutes
Rating: 7/10

I'm putting it out there. I love Armageddon.

Yes, it is corny. Yes, it is predictable. Yes, it is a ridiculous concept but, there is something about it that I cannot resist. It might be Ben Affleck in a vest...

I've seen Armageddon more times than is healthy for anyone. I had a friend at school whose parents had the very first DVD player I'd ever seen, they only had three DVDs, one of which was Armageddon. We would all gather at her house after school and watch this at least twice a week. It's one of those films I remember going to see at the cinema, I remember who I was with, I remember roughly where we sat, I remember who cried the hardest (and still mock them for it).

After all those teenage viewings, I've taken a little break from this, I don't remember watching it anytime in the last few years. However on Friday we found ourselves gathered around the TV in the office watching the '20 greatest movie songs' and as soon as that Aerosmith video started up, we were off in our own little world discussing the merits of one of the cheesiest action films in a long time (OK, OK, we mainly discussed Affleck in that vest). 

Saturday night rolls around, I'm flicking through the channels at my parents house, trying to find something to watch and, as if the programming Gods had heard the previous days discussion, BBC Three were showing Armageddon. 

The film seems to be a lot cheesier than I remember, and with a less accomplished cast it could have been a complete disaster, but all told, it's a great piece of escapist cinema. It doesn't expect anything of it's audience and aims to do nothing but entertain, and that it does. In buckets. 

Challenge day: 109
Challenge time: 6 days, 13 hours, 01 minute
Challenge film total: 81

Just another tasty treat from the gang at Empire Records.

Date: Saturday 27th October
Film Empire Records (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating 10/10

Saturday night and back to The PCC for another of their wonderful all-singing, all-dancing quote along events. This time around? One of my favourite films...

The bar at The PCC was kitted out in its best Rex Manning Day decorations and they remembered all the little touches that help make The PCC a little bit special when it comes to their events and the films we adore...

So, after a short meeting with The PCC's very own silky shirt wearing Rex Manning, we settled in our seats and Rex Manning himself came out to introduce the film and involve us all in a fancy dress competition, and a rousing sing along to two of the great tracks from the film; Say No More (Mon Amour) and Sugar High





Once we were all at optimum excitement levels, the lights were dimmed and we were transported to mid-90s Middle America for a spot of nostalgia. Quoting, shouting and singing (mainly me, sorry Luce!) our way through the film.

This is definitely the best way to watch one of those films that you adore, it brings a whole new perspective to scenes you have seen a hundred times over.

DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE EMPIRE.

Challenge day: 34

Challenge Time: 1 day 14 hours 25 minutes

Challenge Film Total: 21