Rented three films this weekend -

* 24 Hour Party People - brilliant depiction of the rise and fall of Factory Records. Told through Tony Wilson (well played by Steve Coogan) the film chronicles Factorys ups and downs through Joy Division, The Happy Mondays and the Hacienda. Tagline - Genius. Poet. Twat. [Web banner with pictures of Ian Curtis, Shaun Ryder and Tony Wilson respectively]

* Howls Moving Castle - I'm a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki so I was looking forward to his latest film. The animation is spectacular (as you'd expect) and the storyline is simple but rewarding (suitable for almost all ages). Not quite as good as his earlier western releases - Princess Mononoke or Spirited Away though.

* Brokeback Mountain - The cinematography was amazing - the scenery was almost a third character. The storyline and acting were both well done but I did find the film dragged a little. The low-talking was also a little annoying - at one point we had to switch on the subtitles to see what was being said - I wonder if men mumbling is the root of all miscommunication :-)