Happy 2024!

 Happy New Year readers!

Entering 2024 brings a mix of reflections and hopes. The lows of the past year, marked by global challenges and personal loss, are acknowledged. The struggles of countries like Ukraine, conflicts, and the ever-present cost-of-living crisis are on the forefront. 

Of course, we lost some famous faces in 2023. They include;

Adan Rich

Alan Arkin

Algy Ward

Annette McCarthy

Arthur Schmidt

Barbara Bosson

Barbara Bryne

Barrett Strong

Bernadette Hunt aka Falcon from Gladiators

Bill Butler

Billy The Kid

Bo Goldman

Brian Tufano

Bruce Bould

Burny Mattinson

Burt Bacharach

Burt Young

Charles E. Bastien

Chas Newby

Dale Meeks

David Crosby

David Elliott

Dee Dee Wood

Donald W. Ernst

Doreen Mantle

Droz

Earl Bohen

George Armstrong

Gloria Dee

Harry Belafonte

Ian Bairnson

Jean Boht

Jerry Springer

Jim Gordon

Joe Fagin

John Gosling

John Nettleton

John Waddington

Keith Reid

Lawrence Turman

Lisa Marie Presley

Mark Gilpin

Mark Goddard

Mark Margolis

Mark Stewart

Matthew Perry

Michael Gambon

Nick Lloyd Webber

Nizo Yamamoto

Norman Reynolds

Owen Roizman

Patti Love

Paul Cattermole

Paul Grant

Paul O'Grady

Peter Shelley

Randy Fullmer

Randy Meisner

Raquel Welch

Richard Romanus

Robbie Bachman

Robert Butler

Roger Kastel

Rolf Harris

Sean Keane

Shane McGowen

Sheldon Harnick

Sheldon Reynolds

Sinead O'Connor

Steve Halliwell

Steve Mackey

Tina Turner

Tom Sizemore

Tom Whitlock

Tom Wilkinson

Tony Bennett

Walter Charles

Walter Cunningham

Walter Mirisch

William Friedkin

Personal grief is shared, particularly the passing of my mother. Despite the hard times and the harsh effects of cancer, this was a poignant moment that led to a unique and vibrant funeral. This close relative of mine was loved and not forgotten by all those around her.

However, amid the challenges, there are uplifting moments. My progress in filmmaking, accumulating credits in sound production and exploring diverse roles like production assistant and 2nd AC/Slate Operative, along with an animated stop-motion film, showcase growth. Becoming a homeowner provides a dedicated space for creative endeavors, and the surprise visit from a friend in China brings a heart-warming reunion after a long separation.

I'd like to briefly talk about the film industry. Despite the fact that Walt Disney Pictures have not had the best year especially when it came to box office results for most of their releases, it was wonderful to know that they had reached their 100-year mark. Not a lot's been said about Wish that I don't agree with, but I did find their short film, Once Upon A Studio, visually intriguing and a nice way to celebrate its works and express hope for the future, just like the song When You Wish Upon A Star.

Speaking of film, I did watch a few films that came out in 2023. I watched Oppenheimer which focuses on the physicist who developed the atomic bomb. The film famously and coincidentally clashed with the release of the movie based on the Barbie doll franchise. I didn't see the latter, partially because of my masculine side and considering the impact the dolls seemed to have on its target audience. I often doubted that even if I was part of that market that it might've appealed to me. Other films I saw include Napoleon, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts, The Flash and Plane. 

But the film I enjoyed the most was Sisu. Although this is technically a film from 2022, some of us here in the UK didn't see it until last year and it was when my Dad and myself saw it at one of the local theatres in Leicester. This film is about a Finnish guy who travels with his horse across the country during WW2 collecting pieces of gold. I was very intrigued to see how this film managed to progress without much dialogue included and the action scenes were extremely exciting. I also felt how the guy is able to survive all the injuries he gets from various attacks from the enemy soldiers. You could say that he's entering a harsh battle of survival. I would really recommend this one.

As for the music industry, I've not heard a lot from 2023. Earlier, I wrote a review on Yes' latest album, Mirror To The Sky. I stated how Yes has always remained true to their arts and how well they created an atmosphere of luminosity. However, if I was presenting the BRIT awards, the one album I would award Best Album of 2023 is...

A Gallery Of The Imagination by Rick Wakeman.

I was shopping in ASDA once when I came across the CD in the music section and considering how much I admire Rick's artistry and amazing skills, I decided to purchase it and I had no regrets. Much like his Yes bandmates, Rick has never sold out throughout his career and this album serves as a justification, consisting of his progressive rock pieces, artistic contributions i.e. Cuban Carnival and occasional gentle piano melodies. also providing a valid contribution is Hayley Sanderson who sings vocals - one particular song which I'm fond of is A Day Spent On The Pier; which has Rick playing a nice peaceful piano melody and Hayley describing the atmosphere of life near the seaside and how people spend their days on the pier ("Mussels in their shells/and fish and chips in paper"). It's sort of like being in Skegness or Blackpool. But it's the instrumentation from Rick and the way Hayley sings that I admire most. This is an album I recommend.

As I bid farewell to 2023, you express optimism for the future. The blog ends with a warm wish for everyone to have a happy new year.