For those jonesing for more Wright Stuff presentations, I offer you a temporary and quite awesome salve.

I haven’t been able to schedule anymore double bills at the Prince Charles due to my quite insane schedule and print availability in the UK of some of my favourite cult items, but…

The good folks at Curzon Soho have asked me to do one of their Midnight Movies so I would like to cordially invite you to a Michael Winner classic.

DEATH WISH 3!

Fri 19 Feb 11:30pm | Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue W1D 5DY 0871 703 3988 More details on their site.

Now, it’s easy to rag on Michael Winner, but there’s more than a couple of his films that I would applaud. ‘The Mechanic’ is a great 70′s thriller, the original ‘Death Wish’ is strong stuff and my beloved ‘The Sentinel’ is just insane.

But ‘Death Wish 3′ is…is…something else.

Come along on Feb 19th and witness the majesty of this 1985 epic.

It is shot in London doubling for New York…

It features a mail order rocket launcher…

It is the quintessential Cannon Film…

It is DEATH WISH 3. See you there.

Trailer

More about the Curzon’s Midnight Movies listings

Midnight Movies
sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey

Once a month we bring you the best in cult classics, trash beauties and art house jaw droppers alongside exclusive previews. Saunter down to the Curzon Bar from 10.00pm for live music, visuals and a party atmosphere plus a complimentary Jameson cocktail, before taking your seats for our very special feature.

To be the first to know about forthcoming Midnight Movie events, join our mailing list by sending an email with ‘listme’ as the subject to midnightmovies@curzoncinemas.com or be our friend on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

I don’t know how I’ve haven’t seen this before and don’t quite know who made this amazing mash up, but…

Thank you. Fuck yeah.

This is a tad late, but I wanted to share my Top 30 tracks of 2009 with you people. I was very busy for all of last year, so I didn’t get as much time to listen to whole albums as much as I’d like.

Given how crazy busy I’ve been working, this is almost a Top 30 list of songs that permeated my brain even during the insanity of production last year.

Not all of these are singles with music videos and indeed some of these singles don’t even have official videos. So have a peruse below at my very favourite tracks of 2009 and enjoy the videos that were available on the internet for them. I’ve tried to do a proper High Fidelity list and not repeat any artists too.

I also, obviously, didn’t include any older numbers on this list, even though I could honestly say Ennio Morricone’s ‘Rabbia e Tarantella’ from the ‘Inglourious Basterds’ album soundtracked many a walk to work back here in London.

Either way, here’s my 2009, starting with this catchy little number.

30  >  15 to 20 | The Phenomenal Handclap Band

29  >  Tropical Disease | AIR

I loved Air’s LOVE 2 album and along with this track, I also especially liked ‘Be A Bee’, ‘Eat My Beat’ and ‘Sing Sang Sung’. Well worth checking out the whole album.

28 > Starting Over | The Black Lips

I love The Black Lips. I got to see them live a couple of years back and meet them all. I particularly like their commitment to writing a great melody and then recording it sounding completely hammered.

27 > Dead Bees | Graham Coxon

Always been a fan of Graham Coxon’s solo work, so great to have another excellent solo effort in the same year at Blur’s triumphant reunion tour (which I missed entirely while in Toronto).

26 > The Girl and the Robot | Röyksopp

This is maddeningly catchy, there’s an official video over on YouTube too.

25 > I Think I Like It | Fake Blood

I loved me some Mars by Fake Blood last year and this too is, to use the parlance, a ‘banger’.

24 > Mary Jane | Major Lazer

Another great album; I almost put Major Lazer’s Pon De Floor on this list, just to embed a clip of Eric Wareheim’s absolutely insane video. For that, head over to YouTube and have your mindeyes blownfried.

In the meantime, listen to this addictive little ditty. (*cough* about drugs).

23 > Mind Eraser, No Chaser | Them Crooked Vultures

Haven’t had a chance to listen to all of this album from the Grohl, Homme, Jones supergroup, but this single was a hard rocking earworm for me.

22 > Animal | Miike Snow

This is a great track that I first became aware of at Adam Buxton’s great BUG night at BFI Southbank. This very interesting video is by Anthony Dickenson with amazing effects achieved mostly in camera.

21 > Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat | Beck

An awesome Bob Dylan cover from Beck for the War Child album.

20 > Let’s Go Surfing | The Drums

Tipped to be huge in 2010, let’s hope their first album is all as catchy as this.

19 > Go Bananas | Joe Goddard

Joe Goddard from Hot Chip released a fruit based solo album ‘Harvest Festival’ which featured this fantastic dance track. Love his Bryan Ferry styling on the ‘whoa-whoa’ vocals.

18 > Surf Solar | Fuck Buttons

This is one of the few albums I listened to in full many times this year. Fuck Buttons’ second album Tarot Sport is just immense. Contact high music.

17 > High Together | Siriusmo

Speaking of contact highs, here’s another great piece of electronica that tickled me this year. Found this on one of the always great Kitsune compiltations, it sounds like a blissed out Blade Runner out-take, but with more five year olds singing on it. Love it.

16 > The Key | Speech Debelle

Haven’t had a chance to hear the whole of her Mercury award winning ‘Speech Therapy’ but this is joyous.

15 > White (Adem Remix) | Charlotte Hatherley

My good friend Charlotte Hatherley had a great year touring with Bat For Lashes and the best reviews of her solo career with her ‘New Worlds’ album. The remixes on her ‘White’ single from great too, my favourite being this one by Adem.

14 > Glass | Bat for Lashes

Bat For Lashes second album ‘Two Suns’ is just a great, beautiful piece of work. Saw her live in Toronto during filming with most of the cast and her voice was just incredible live. Loved the single ‘Daniel’, (check out the Official video on YouTube.) but this is my very favourite track from the album.

13 > Lisztomania | Phoenix

Have loved Phoenix since their United album ten years ago. Was very pleased to see them have their biggest hit last year with the brilliantly titled ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’.

The whole album is great; with special mentions to ‘Fences’, ’1901′ and this, the first hit single to be named after an obscure Ken Russell film.

12 > 11th Dimension | Julian Casablancas

This track is way too much fun. I’m pleased to hear Mr Casablancas having such a ball. He revealed a goofy side as guest vocalist on The Lonely Island’s ‘Incredibad’ album and then released a solo album with tracks as poppy and awesome as this. I doff my cap to you sir.

11 > Anna | Charles Spearin

This is from The Happiness Project album, a side project from Broken Social Scene member Charles Spearin. On this album he recorded interviews with friends and neighbours, then played music in time with the cadence of their speech. It’s something like a music version of the techniques employed in Aardman’s ‘Creature Comforts’ shorts. Like the following track, its frequently beautiful and life affirming.

10 > Punch You In The Jeans | The Lonely Island

I am not going to lie, this is actually my most played song of 2009. I bought The Lonely Island’s ‘Incredibad’ album in January and listened to it in the car on the way to work many, many times.

I also have to give props to the following tracks that I know off by heart; ‘On A Boat’, ‘Who Said We’re Wack’, ‘Santana DVX’, the aforementioned ‘Boombox’ with Julian Casablancas and ‘Dreamgirl’ with Norah Jones singing about Chexmix.

This track is just great, like a Beastie Boys track that never was.

9 > Robbing Banks (Doin’ Time) | The Slew

This is a great track from the album ’100%’ a scratch-rock collaboration between the amazing turntablist Kid Koala and Dynamite D. The whole album is fantastic, so if you like this, buy it. With immediate effect.

8 > Demons Out! | Art Brut

Some of my favourite lyrics of the year and a epic rhyming of ‘entertainer’ and ‘detain ya’. Eddie Argos is as witty as ever in this brilliant track from the also amazingly titled ‘Art Brut Vs Satan’.

7 > Bonkers | Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden

Many of you will know this very well. It was huge last summer. But what a track. And what a video.

Non UK readers, please enjoy the national institution that is Dizzee Rascal.

6 > Actor Out of Work | St. Vincent

I was late to the party on this song. In fact I had bought it on iTunes and not listened to it until the end of the year. And now it stormed its way into the Top 10 as I’ve played it on a loop of late.

5 > Angela | Jarvis Cocker

Love this glam single from Jarvis’ ‘Further Complications’ album. I haven’t had a chance to fully dissect the lyrics, but there would seem to be much filthiness. All power to that.

4 > My Girls | Animal Collective

Many people made ‘Merriweather Post Pavillion’ their album of the year and this track the song of 2009. I too adore ‘My Girls’ and being a big fan of Noah Lennox’s side project ‘Panda Bear’, I was pleased to see the neo Beach Boy vibes from that album carry over into the new Animal Collective disc.

3 > Zero | Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Tough to pick from all the great tracks on YYY’s ‘It’s Blitz’ album. It’s full of killer tracks like ‘Heads Will Roll’, ‘Little Shadow’ and this glorious anthem.

2 > Two Weeks | Grizzly Bear

So beautiful. I was already a big fan of their ‘Friend’ album, but this track and their new album is stunningly good. Love this video too.

Much like the next track, I was in love with this track before even the first chorus had kicked in.

1 > Help I’m Alive | Metric

Was already a big Metric fan before I got to work with them this year on Scott Pilgrim. The new album ‘Fantasies’ is their best yet, with amazing tracks all the way; ‘Sick Muse’, ‘Stadium Love’, ‘Front Row’, ‘Twilight Galaxy’ and more.

This, their first single, is my favourite track from the album and my favourite of the year. Many a trip to work was soundtracked by me yelling out ‘beating like a hammmmmmerrrrrr’.

So for that alone, it’s my song of 2009.

And there you go. Will try and update with clips for those that have none, if I can find something good.

Okay, this is astonishing, mindblowing and deeply flattering.

Last year, I posted a picture a day every day.

Truth be told, I posted 525 Photos and 1 Video in 365 days.

It was as much a great exercise for me as it was fun to blog them for you on this site.

I’ve never taken many mementos of my film-making before, indeed I took next to no photos during SHAUN OF THE DEAD and HOT FUZZ. Or SPACED. Which in retrospect, saddens me.

I was determined to record the whole of last year and the production of SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, in painstaking detail.

Finishing it on Dec 31st was bittersweet. Part of me was happy to not have to think about posting something cool, interesting or facetious every 24 hours. But part of me also misses just taking photos on a daily basis.

So I have to thank regular poster Joel Vallie for this equally painstaking video that covers my entire 2009 in 8 minutes flat.

Every single one of my 525 photos, plus all the other material I posted on here – blogs, retro blogs, music videos, is featured in this incredible piece that Joel edited.

See my life flash before my eyes in high style in the clip below.

Joel, you’ve outdone yourself. Thank you so much.

You ended my 2009 blog in a way I could not have dreamed of.

Bless you forever for this.

Joel Vallie
http://joelvalliefilms.com/ | http://twitter.com/joelvallie

(p.s. Bonus points for anyone who knows what the first track is from…)

Many film sites covered the first official stills of ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ this week.

Much of the response was very exciting and very funny.

But only one website closed down its operations for the day and brought their coverage to a halt for our photos.

www.ultraculture.co.uk, I salute you.

6 January 2010 – Photo by Photo Credit: Kerry Hayes – © 2010 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

6 January 2010 – Photo by Photo Credit: Kerry Hayes – © 2010 Universal Studios. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This is not my photoblog. This is for real!

Above are the official first stills of Scott Pilgrim Vs The World from Universal.

And here’s how it was covered…

• First Official Photos: Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World | /Film
• HOLY CRAP! AWESOME NEW SCOTT PILGRIM IMAGE | Chud
• Scott Pilgrim with a flaming katana! | AICN
• SCOTT PILGRIM. FLAMING SWORD. RANDOM BACK FLIP. | Twitch Film
• First Official SCOTT PILGRIM Image Features Michael Cera Wielding A FUCKING FLAMING KATANA | Collider
• First Still From Scott Pilgrim Is Online, Michael Cera has a flaming sword! | Empire Online
• New ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ Image Hits The ‘Net — Here’s What We Know About It! | MTV Splashpage

Among many others too. Thanks for all the positive feedback.

So this is equally fascinating.

On my Flickr account where I’ve been uploading all my photos in 2009, you can look at which are the most favourite’d by users.

The results are also very interesting indeed. And throw up an entirely different final ten than the most viewed photos.

Enjoy then, my top ten most favourite’d photos that I took in 2009.

Pos.			Views	Favourite’d
1		March 11th, 2009	6,223	50
2		May 27th, 2009 (1)	3,947	42
3		November 12th, 2009 (2)	1,412	38
4		August 18th, 2009	3,312	37
5		May 16th, 2009	4,436	37
6		May 4th, 2009 (3)	3,062	28
7		February 16th, 2009	3,521	24
8		March 9th, 2009	3,150	23
9		February 15th, 2009	2,762	22
10		September 1st, 2009	1,088	21

So this is pretty fascinating.

On my Flickr account where I’ve been uploading all my photos in 2009, you can look at which are the most viewed.

The results are very interesting indeed.

Enjoy, my top ten most viewed photos that I took in 2009.

Pos.			Views
1		December 14th, 2009	8,687
2		May 18th, 2009 (3)	8,648
3		February 8th, 2009	8,328
4		November 1st, 2009	6,400
5		March 11th, 2009	6,223
6		October 29th, 2009	5,749
7		April 1st, 2009 (1)	5,312
8		August 28th, 2009 21:40 (EDT) Final Slate.	4,813
9		April 20th, 2009 (1)	4,475
10		May 16th, 2009	4,436

In my epic quest to find you all the perfect final blog, I eventually plumped for a cyclical caffeine based triptych of espresso.

But here, I’d like to present what were the other contenders for my last day of photo blogging in 2009.

Enjoy. Be baffled.

Today, I dropped my lens cap down a drain. It was a very real sign that this 365 day photo blog must come to a close.

C’est tout, mes amis.

For now that is…

Let’s finish where we began.

Bonne année.