If you think that's bad, I'm headed to Moliere on Saturday at my old university's film theatre. It's some French film about their equivalent of Shakespeare. Doesn't it sound like a real corker...? The only consolation is that my lady friend is gorgeous (and possessed of a Law & French degree hence the choice of film) but that just about makes up for it.

City of God is quality.

I finally finished The Good German-a very good novel but utterly exhausting. I've now moved onto H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights which is infinitely more readable.

Yet another next-gen game that cops out before you get your money's worth. Gears of War was equally guilty. It's as if the developers nail the graphics and gameplay and the simply can't be arsed making it worthwhile.

I have noticed some rather clunky looking game footage in the trailers so far produced. This should be so good, let's hope it really is.

Again I though Shaun of the Dead (or 'Shaun' if you work for Empire) was funny enough but nowhere near the masterwork of comedy that it was hyped up to be.

I can't access that trailer. I have to say I found both Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter games to be utterly amazing. Is Rainbow Six Vegas similar or is it completely FPS like, say, Halo?

I have to say that it was nowhere near as I funny as I thought it was going to be. Nor indeed was it as funny as the people behind it clearly imagined. My subscription to Empire magazine is sullied somewhat by its near-orgasmic obession with all things Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright.

Just saw Die Hard 4.0-top, top entertainment and a worthy addition to the series.

Is it FPS?

A class player and an absolutely essential part of our team if we are to progress next season.

I bet you he doesn't.

Not particularly. As Bryan says, a bit gay... I do though like the scene at the start where the bald bloke roars 'We're sending you to Miramar! You're going to TOP GUN!' Pure 80s-as if saying something with enough force and gravitas will make the audience (who haven't a clue what Top Gun is) understand instantly what's going on.

Top Gun is utterly amazing. Anyone who says otherwise is as big a fool as Slider.

Bourne.

What's wrong with number 2?

I went to see The Who in Cork last night. Awesome.

I'm not even an Arsenal fan but the pictures of Henry at the Nou Camp really get me down. The man is the best player ever to have plied his trade in the United Kingdom and his class is going to be sorely missed.

Non-consensual sexual contact other than intercourse I think.

You have absolutely no proof to back up such a statement. The article makes no mention of the legalities that led to such a light sentence being handed out. I don't agree with the court's decision but it's not simply a case of arbitrary leniency because the rapist happens to come from a racial minority.

No it isn't but trust you to bring race into this. Two years for rape is shocking though.

There hasn't been a great Western since Costner's opus Open Range. This looks spectacular though.

I'm currently cutting a swathe through Europe with Porto. I've signed the likes of Daniel Carvalho, Pierre Webo, Morgan De Sanctis, Vikash Dhorasoo and Bernard Mendy. This season I've picked up two hot prospects from South America. Ever Banega is the new Riquelme and was signed from Boca. Ever Guzman could be the next Hugo Sanchez, so I signed from a Mexican team I can't recall the name of now.

The coolest films of the winter? The Kingdom I Am Legend American Gangster

So how is everyone handling it? It's been unbearable here over the last couple of days-I was driven out of my mind in work today.