Check out my new movie blog!

Bookmark my new movie blog, which I'll be putting my efforts into. I watch a lot of movies and was never totally happy with the open nature of this blog, bit unfocused. The new blog is all about movies. You know, I felt the single rating scale was just not doing justice to all the goodbad, badgood, so bad its good, just bad, good but not bad movies that were out there, and obviously multiplying ratings figures could quickly get out of control. I mean, is your rating different depending on who you watch it with, whether your mood synced up with the film's mood, I guess this whole thing could just be a massive kettle of worms. I feel confident that by creating authoring and originating * the guaranteed very first of its kind, one of a kind, never to be repeated, limited time, until we get sick of it, dual rating scale:

One scale for bad movie night.
One scale for any other night.

Thankfully every movie on earth can be safely evaluated on these two criteria, and by george we're going to try! Join the adventure, then add me on Google+ to receive updates in your feed.

* no idea if any of this is accurate, simply no way of knowing...

I can see clearly now nothing's clear

Is it true that I can only begin things,
and, before long, its unbearable
I grow tired and begin again.

I don't know myself too well.
I'm often rude, I require medication.

I exist in so many different places
on the internet, I don't even know
where to send people to.

I guess that's why people still make web sites.
It helps bring you together.

What have I been doing?
I've discovered board games.

I have stopped playing so much with the chats,
where we made songs up on the spot.
Though I'm still perfectly capable of doing so.

Instead I've reunited with my first musical flame,
Alex from John Columbus,
and we sing little duets with our nylon stringed guitars.

It would be idyllic if I possessed any capacity to market it any place.
So far there's nothing to tell about. The material is still in flux.
Do I write for myself? I've just started putting together some plays again.

I've always wanted to make movies, but jokey sketches sometimes occur to me
And it pleases me to work them out. I don't really want to be a teacher,
I just didn't want to grow up, and I wanted the dream to go on.

Xbox One Review: Everyone Else Is Wrong

Microsoft's new console benefits hugely from the diminished expectations I had after the mixed messages prior to the launch. I had every expectation this console would be terrible. I watched youtube videos where 360 owners, sore after years of Kinect 1.0 not working, hurled abuse at the Xbox One's integration of the Kinect 2.0, an accessory which they expected not to work and so possibly didn't play around with to the small extent that I have. I never got Kinect for my 360, because I was primarily a PC an Playstation gamer during the last generation, but since it comes in the box with every Xbox One, I set it up under my TV.

Or, I should say, didn't really need to set it up at all. It just sort of recognised me. I have no idea how this happened, does someone at Microsoft know what I look like? And then when it doesn't recognise me, all I do is smile and ping, it says hello and signs me in.

I don't want to know how the process works, I just wanted people to know that unlike what I heard about Kinect 1.0, it does work. And unlike Kinect 1.0, its basically plug and play, like most of my Xbox One experience.

There are areas that are not, for example the Achievement system is cumbersome, and requires a separate App to be launched just to see the details of the Achievement that just popped. Oh, and "Xbox On" will not work, no matter what accent I try.

But why am I most pleased with my purchase? "Xbox Go Home" and "Xbox Turn Off" are fantastic and convenient; Dead Rising 3 was more fun than I had with any PS4 launch title (I played Contrast, Resogun, Assassins Creed 4, and Killzone) And the Suspend and Resume feature, missing from PS4 at launch, is so great. You can turn the console off for the day and as long as you want to play that same game you were playing when you shut it off yesterday, you can jump right back in without any loading times.

An incredible feature for making you feel like your time is valuable, and reducing that delay between wanting to play and actually playing.

And talk about launch titles: Dead Rising 3 and Forza Motorsport 5 are incredible. The latter really sells the programmable rumble motors in the triggers. That controller is superb. While I wait for developers to think of any positive use for the PS4's touch-pad, the 360 controller has no useless buttons and better sticks and better triggers. Both are superb controllers, but the PS4's sticks are not as grippy, and you might find yourself sliding off them like last gen. But most of all, I'm grateful to the Xbox One for giving me that thrill of driving through a proper street full of zombies with a vehicle made from combining a motorbike with a steamroller: The Rollerhawg. Absolute system seller.

So while everyone else seems to be moving from Microsoft to Sony, I feel like I'm the only one moving the other direction, into a land where games are fun again.

EP out now

EP with live recordings of the first phase, Mk 1 of sydney trio The Chats, made up of me on guitar and vocals and my friends Joe on kit and Dan on upright bass, the EP is a laid-back affair recorded in two hours at goose studios in Leichardt, Sydney featuring the irreverent sunshine folk rock the Chats have begun their musical journey with. Catch them while they're still mildly conventional; it could all turn to instrumental jazz fusion freakouts any day now.

News: Chats shows for $5 via myspace.

Me and my band have done some fun shows lately; two specifically memorable shows: we're going into the studio to record our first EP, but these shows have the relaxed fun of a gathering of friends, which, in both cases, they actually are.

FREE MP3's AND PURCHASE CHATS MP3 ALBUMS:

For $5 you will receive an exclusive one-time link where you can download a rare, unique show by The Chats, including between-song banter, rare improvised songs and others.
We accept payment via paypal or direct deposit. Msg or email ben(dot)cheshire(@)optusnet(dot)com(dot)au for free mp3 or payment details. Leave your name as payment description and send me your email address so I can email you the link.

Shows available are:

1. The Living Room Gig:

The Chats blow off a shitty band-comp and took our friends back to Joe's place for a private performance to remember. Recording thanks to Joe Gould.

Introducing the Audience / Nightingale / Heaven / Who Am I / Love Song / Mexican Gin / Happy / Looking Out / Noting's Going To Be The Same Again / If Life Were Like Porn (excerpt) / Holiday / The After Party.

2. Chats in the Thicket:

The Chats were invited to host the birthday picnic of a special musical friend; the Chats first outdoor performance is accompanied by the lovely rustling of a gentle wind; and the laughter of a bunch of friends having a great day. Recording thanks to Alex Shaw and Peta Wood, and all others who made it a special day.

Happy / Nothings Gonna Be The Same / Love Song At The End of A Rope / Holiday / Lull in the Set / Heaven / Ice Song (Who Brought The Ice?) / Who Am I (Drunken Sing-a-Long Version)