I Tried Tinder For A Month...

Just call me Tinderbell.

Over the summer, I became aware of this phone app known as 'Tinder'. I was already aware of 'Grindr' and thought that this was a good idea. However, I wasn't aware there was another similar app. While my friends suggested I go on Grindr, I didn't feel I'd be much use on Grindr. So I decided, more for an experiment rather than anything else, I would try Tinder. Where, at the very least, I might have a chance at meeting someone.

For those who don't know, Tinder is an app whereby you put in 'discovery preferences' along with a mile range and they show you anyone within your parameters who are close by. People use this app either to make friends, find love or to find a partner for a one night stand. Or friends with benefits. I don't judge. If you like someone, you 'swipe right' and, if you're not interested, you 'swipe left'. There's a new feature called 'super-like' but I haven't tried that yet.

While I didn't get on in order to meet anyone, it was obviously in the back of my mind. But I already had other plans of what to do. If I ever got a match, I'd send a very bad joke just to see how they react. If they reacted well and wanted to carry on talking, fine. If they used colourful language to tell me to go away, also fine. Each to their own.

So I got it and made my profile look decent. Using both embarrassing photos as well as slightly better looking ones to throw a curveball.

After a month, this is what I've discovered.

- Tinder is surprisingly addictive. I've always been fascinated by the number of people in the world and this has kind of shown me how many people there are in a certain area. Even if a lot of them are after...illicit things. It's still nice to see such a diverse range of people though in such a comparatively short area. Very fascinating.

- I have a type. Most people I swipe right to tend to be awkward looking, ginger or look slightly geeky/nerdy. Sometimes, all 3 at once. After years of not thinking I had a type, I've evidently been proven wrong. I seem to be drawn to more geeky girls who are extremely socially awkward and have a more red tinge to their hair. I've known for some time I'm a sucker for accents so perhaps my type is a socially inept redhead from Ireland with a comic and Doctor Who obsession. Who knows. But there seems to be a pattern developing.

- There are a lot of people with very strange names. The variety of names on this app are phenomenal. They can range from foreign names to just downright bizarre ones. Obviously you get a lot of Claires, Victorias, Alices and things but when you find someone called 'Rocket' and 'Jessica-Falcon' that you start to wonder if they actually exist. With the amount of strange names on this I'm starting to wonder whether Bob Geldof has had thousands of illegitimate children! Not that it detracts from the person in hand but it is very odd to see some of the titles that come across your screens.

- People are very blunt on their profiles. People on Tinder don't seem to beat around the bush. While they are perhaps frugal with personal details, some put quite a lot on there. Not only that, some people are very blunt about what they're looking for. If they're looking for friendship, they'll say. If they're after something serious, they'll say. If they want to do a certain sexual position, chances are they'll say it. I genuinely saw one profile which had in its description "just looking for a wheelbarrow partner ;)". It's amazing what people put on this. People put this stuff and I'm there calling myself a professional jelly baby.

- A lot of people feel the need to cake themselves in make-up. I don't judge people unless they give me a reason to. Nor do I have a problem with these people. But I've always wondered why young ladies feel the need to literally cake themselves in make up in order to feel pretty. I know it's been the culture for perhaps 15 years to do so but, still, it is a little confusing. I imagine it has a lot to do with the fashion of the time as well as shows like TOWIE and Jersey Shore influencing societal perception of beauty. But, still, there's a lot of these people in Tinder. In fact, I'd hazard a guess that these ladies make up 70% of all Tinder female profiles. It's not a criticism or anything, I'm just saying. It's very interesting to see.

 - People do lie about their age but you can usually tell. There are people on Tinder who do indeed lie about their age. For the purposes of this month, I kept my parameters between 19-23 (my own age range) but there have been people who I've looked at and seen straight away that they're not 21 as they claim. What is interesting though, if you go on their profiles, many will admit their real age which, to me, seems somewhat counter-productive. I've come to the conclusion that most of them are about to turn the age they've put in their profile but are stipulating they are still a little younger for a time. But there have been some who have claimed to be 21 and are blatantly 16. Which worries me slightly but, hey, this is the 21st century?

- A lot of people on Tinder a much better travelled than me. The majority of people on Tinder either have photographs that contain endless selfies of them on nights out or with friends, or they are packed with photos from all across the world. Some hug elephants, some tombstone off a cliff and some hug African children. While I feel happy for them they've had these experiences, I can't help but feel jealous. And swipe left as a result.

- I've had 3 matches and they don't like my sense of humour. Admittedly, one of them was a friend at my uni and we did it to make each other feel better. But still, I've sent all 3 young ladies I've matched with a bad joke to see how they react. The first one, (a young lady by the name of Charlotte), I sent "How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it!". No response. The second one, (a young lady called Zoe), I sent "What do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back? A stick!" Though she already knew the punchline. And made it clear she wasn't impressed at all. The third match, (my friend Kira), I sent "Do you have the Titanic soundtrack on your iPod? I will do, it's syncing now". Again, not impressed but she's used to my humour. I've come to 3 possible conclusions. 1, These ladies (with the exception of Kira) don't have a sense of humour. 2. They just wanted to flirt continually and I didn't submit to that. 3. (and the most likely), I'm just not that funny. Who knows.

- The men are pretty handsome. I'm open to the concept that one day I might meet a guy and fall in love with him, therefore I do not submit to a single sexuality. So, for a couple of days, I included men in my search just to see. While I wasn't attracted to any of them during that period, I can comment that they are aesthetically good specimens. If you're a woman or gay and on Tinder, I reckon you'll have fun trawling through the guy section. Just as much as guys and lesbians would have fun going through the female section. The best thing about Tinder is that it is very inclusive. There are no exceptions to Tinder. If you have a type, you'll probably find them on here.

- Finally, there will be people you knew from school and some of your friends on there. This both shocked me and didn't shock me at the same time. When I used it back home, I found a lot of people I knew from 2 local schools as well as good friends of mine. Some of whom I was genuinely surprised at. Today, I was using it and I found a friend from my uni on it, Someone who I genuinely didn't expect to find on there. Which was a nice surprise. But you will find people you know on there. So, if you're friends with them, swipe right. They'll probably swipe right for you too and it'll be an ice-breaker the next time you meet up. Plus it's another way to send stupid messages to your mates!

So, there you have it. My main findings about Tinder. I usually complain about the 21st Century but, for once, I've actually found a passing craze that's kinda fun. And a bit of harmless fun didn't hurt anyone. Right?

Until next time.

'Fantastic'

I have a plan to save the Fantastic Four...*

The Fantastic Four is, by far, one of Marvel's most popular and enduring comic series. Not only were they different to other superheroes at the time, they also saved Stan Lee's job as he'd previously planned to leave Marvel before the first issue was released. The first issue proved so popular he decided to stay. Or so the story goes.

However, within 10 years, we've had 3 feature film offerings and 1 missed film opportunity of the Fantastic Four. The 2005 and 2007 offerings starred Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic, Jessica Alba as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm/Human Torch and Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Despite the promise of a big(ish) budget from 20th Century Fox, it failed to impress despite a sequel with Galactus and the Silver Surfer as the antagonists and Doctor Doom appearing in both movies. The most recent film (with Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B Jordan and Jamie Bell), seems also not to have impressed many with many aspects of the original comic line up changed, including how they gain their powers. There was also a failed attempt in 1994 to bring the team to the big screen

Given that many reviews of the new movie are coming in, I think that many fans of the comics will start to wonder whether Fox can really deliver on the franchise as well as it thought it could and there might be the debate, as their was with Spiderman, as to whether it's time for the Fantastic Four to return to the MCU in some way, shape or form.

If the return to the MCU ever were to happen (and I think it will within a decade), I would like to offer a layout for a potential Netflix or ABC TV series for the Fantastic Four as, personally, I think a TV series might suit the team dynamic a bit better than another movie. (Although, if they were in the MCU, they could come into the films at any point!)

So here goes. My idea for a 13 episode Season 1.


Episodes 1-3 - Origin
Obviously, with new actors taking on the roles, we'd need to go through their origin story again. Episode 1 would focus more on about why the mission into space takes place, ending with the accident that give them their powers. Episode 2 would deal with the aftermath of the accident: their return to Earth, their reintroduction to society and the discovery of their powers. (Maybe even get SHIELD involved in making sure they're ok and keeping an eye on them. I'd imagine Coulson might find Reed a bit interesting). Episode 3 would then focus on the group recuperating in the Baxter building and Reed trying to help the group make sense of their powers. Johnny might discover his powers at this point by accident while driving a fast car maybe. Something which gains a lot of media attention. In between these, there would little nods to Latveria, where Victor von Doom is now the ruler. The first time we see Doom will be at the end of Episode 3 when the news of Johnny's abilities go global and reach Latverian TV where Reed Richard's face will also appear. This is where the camera pans to show Doom's mask on a chair and his disfigured face on show.

Episodes 4-11 - With Great Power...
It would be in Episodes 4 and 5 that we really see the Fantastic Four take on the mantle of heroes when a new threat appears that the Avengers don't appear to have the opportunity to stop so the team decides to have a go themselves, ultimately succeeding. (Possibly have Mole Man or Hydro-Man as the main antagonist for this). Episodes 6-9 would follow the same formula with different antagonists until, eventually, von Doom starts to make more of an appearance. The Fantastic Four will now be recognised around the globe (in keeping with the celebrity status of the characters in the comics) and will have personal repercussions for the group. (Reed and Sue's relationship, Ben's frustrations, Johnny's antics etc). During these episodes, there would also be visits from other characters in the MCU either as cameo or as crossover. Maybe Johnny could bump into Luke Cage in the street or the team could get a visit or request of help from Spiderman, Doctor Strange or Daredevil perhaps? If they returned to the MCU there's potential for so much in the way of crossovers.

Episodes 12-13 - Doom
It would be at this stage that it's revealed that Victor von Doom has been sponsoring the villains that have challenged the team until now and, given that the team have stopped them at every turn, Doom now feels it's time to take care of the team himself. Doom returns to New York and launches a physical attack on the Baxter Building before revealing himself to the team revealing his motives: to get his own back on Reed Richards for his facial disfigurement. Episode 12 will see the team start to fracture as Sue and Johnny try to get to the bottom of Reed and Victor's spat while Ben remains unusually quiet. Episode 13 will see the truth be revealed and the "final" between the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom. (That depends on whether series 2 gets commissioned or not!)


Tone
See, I grew up with the 2005/2007 films and I love them for a number of reasons. While they were horrifically cheesy, they got the humour and the comic dialogue exactly right as far as I'm concerned. The tone would follow a similar trajectory, only the more serious aspects of the show would draw influences from Daredevil and Agents of Shield, in keeping with the Four's return to the MCU.

Cast

So, here's my idea for a cast were it commissioned tomorrow.

Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic - RICHARD ARMITAGE. Reed is sort of depicted as a "hot nerd" and I think Richard could pull this off quite well. His acting range is *fantastic* so would have no issue taking on the role of a slightly sexy geek. He also looks slightly younger than he is too so it would work for the Reed/Sue storyline.

Susan Storm/Invisible Woman - DANIELLE PANABAKER. I know she's already in the Flash but she wouldn't be the first actress to be in both DC and Marvel! She has the awkwardness that Sue sometimes exhibits but I've also seen her in much more serious roles too so I reckon she'd be great.

Johnny Storm/Human Torch - JAKE ABEL. Seeing as Sam and Dean probably won't bust Adam out of hell anytime soon, I reckon Jake has some time on his hands. Maybe he'd be up for a *hot* new role?

Ben Grimm/The Thing - STEVE PEACOCKE. Australian actor who recently left Home and Away might be up for a new role in the States? Already proving his physique in both Home and Away and the film Hercules, he would definitely be a physical fit for Ben Grimm. He can do both comical and intimidating. Maybe after some bulking up slightly, I reckon he'd be great at the whole thing.
































































So that's my pitch. Marvel, can I have a job now?

Let me know what you think. Maybe you can think of some better villains for the Four to face or some better actors to play different parts?

As always, let me know!


* There are obviously conditions...

Top 10 List: MOVIES

pum pum pum puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum pum!

So after writing about my favourite songs and songs that have affected my life, I think it's only fair I do movies. Here are my top 10 favourite movies...and why they are. Hope you likes these to. If not, fair enough. But please feel free to tell me yours! I'd love to know!


TEN- THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006)

"I am the father of this nation, Nicholas. And you have most... grossly... offended your father..."

A strange film to start with, I grant you, but let me explain what it's about. James McAvoy plays Dr Nicholas Garrigan who is sent to 1970s Uganda to work as a doctor but later becomes the personal doctor to the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (played by Forest Whitaker). As the film goes on, it delves further into Amin's murderous regime and how he brutally deals with domestic troubles while also showing how Garrigan starts to go against these ideas.

I love the film for two reasons. Firstly, it's historically based and people seem to forget Idi Amin in historical terms. His time as dictator of Uganda was fascinating as well as his charming and flamboyant personality. Secondly, Whitaker's portrayal as Amin is chilling. Whitaker switches between Amin's happier and darker sides in an instant which makes for wonderful and scary viewing at once. Especially when the film starts to show what happens to dissidents in his country...

NINE- FORREST GUMP (1994)

"Run, Forrest, run!"

Who can't love this film? It's too damn sweet! Tom Hanks is one of mt favourite actors and this film, for me, is definitely the best of his. (With the exception of two more that will feature on the list). For those who don't know, the film centres around the titular character. A man with special needs who can't use his legs properly until, one day, he manages to run away from bullies. But not only could he run, he was one of the fastest men alive. What he lacked in intelligence, he made up for in speed. The film then sees Forrest get caught up in many historical events including the Civil Rights movement, JFK and ultimately, Vietnam.

I love the film because Forrest is just a funny character and he's one of the most best characters to impersonate ever. MY MOMMA SAID LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES. Also, the way in which they put Hanks into real footage of JFK and the Civil Rights is brilliant to. In one scene, it looks like Hanks is actually speaking to JFK asking to use the toilet. But even the non historical bits are well done. It's just a well written, acted and produced film.

EIGHT- PSYCHO (1960)

"No one really runs away from anything. It's like a private trap that holds us in like a prison. You know what I think? I think that we're all in our private traps, clamped in them, and none of us can ever get out. We scratch and we claw, but only at the air, only at each other, and for all of it, we never budge an inch".

A masterpiece by Alfred Hitchcock. Not only is it perfectly creepy, but it also has some of the best scenes in cinema. The shower scene, the finale and the staircase scene. Every single frame of the film is perfectly crafted for a reason and, to be honest, I don't care the reason. It follows a young lady who runs away from her job after stealing $40,000 from her job and ends up at the sinister Bates Motel who's run by Norman, a man who is dominated by his mother. However, when the lady goes missing, people start to come looking and end up at the motel themselves, only to discover a very sinister secret.

As I've said, it's just perfect. When I first saw it it really kept me on my toes and every moment excited me. And Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates is just perfection. I strongly recommend it. If it's not your thing then don't, but if it is, you have to see this. It's a classic for a reason. Hitchcock is a visionary.

SEVEN- THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

"Why so serious!?"

The first superhero movie on this list (not that I think Batman should be called a 'superhero'). Considering the past Batman films, Nolan's wonderful take on the Caped Crusader is by far the most popular and, the second in the trilogy, The Dark Knight is often stated as the best. I agree. In the film, a madman known as the Joker starts to terrorize Gotham by stealing banks and causing general mischief, until the Joker himself starts a one man war against the Batman. Eventually, Batman starts to get in over his head, especially when the love of his life, Rachel, becomes the target of the Joker. Which then shows that the Joker is the least of Batman's problems.

In this film, the late Heath Ledger plays the Joker, which angered many at first but is now considered one of the best ever Jokers on screen. His psychopathic and deadpan acting makes Heath Ledger unique in the Joker alumni because he is the darkest Joker to date. Cesar Romero was more of a clown, Jack Nicholson was more of a gangster but Heath Ledger was just batshit crazy. (No pun intended). Bale's Batman also works for the film but I think it's fair to say that Ledger is the main spectacle. (He's my favourite part of the film anyway!)

SIX- THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)

"Hello, Clarice..."

Forget the TV show, this was Hannibal Lecter's first rodeo. Anthony Hopkins brings the psychotic cannibal to life alongside Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling who's recruited to bring a murderer who skins his victims into custody. However, not only does Starling find it hard to deal with the charming Hannibal Lecter, she also has to cope with the fact that Lecter escapes after helping her too.

I'm not keen on this genre usually but this film stands out because of Anthony Hopkins. He's already such a diverse actor but in this film he really gets his creep on. What makes it better is that, sometimes, it looks like Jodie Foster is actually creeped out herself by Hopkins which makes the dynamic between them even better to watch. It's a shame that Foster didn't return for the second film but, for this moment, Silence of the Lambs is a film that's all about chemistry and taste. Especially if your taste is human skin.

FIVE- AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (2012)

"Doth mother know, you weareth her drapes...?"

Probably one of THE best superhero movies of all time. The first ultimate Marvel geek-out since X Men 1. Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye and Black Widow all team-up to take down Loki, who is attempting to subjugate the Earth with an alien army called the Chitauri (who we later find out is an army controlled by the mad titan Thanos). While Loki appears to win the battle, the Avengers decide he will not win the war. This ultimately leads to a massive battle in New York, which continues to shape the MCU to this day with the Battle referenced in Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World, Agents of SHIELD, Daredevil and more.

As a comic book nerd, this is the film that got me into comics (even though I prefer DC). But still, the dialogue is just fantastic, funny and meaningful. Especially when Iron Man and Thor first meet. It's also clever in how the story continues like a comic book, something which DC are yet to instigate. Marvel are dominating the comic book movie industry and this film shows you exactly why.

FOUR- GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014)

"I am Groot"

Beating the Avengers is the MCU's Space Avengers, The Guardians of the Galaxy. Peter Quill, or Star-Lord, becomes embroiled in the designs of a Kree who is not happy with his planet's recent peace treaty with a rival world, causing him to try and get an Infinity stone in order to destroy it. Leading Quill, an assassin named Gamora, a tree named Groot, a raccoon named Rocket and a blue body-builder named Drax to team up and take him down.

Much like Avengers, the script is gold, as is the soundtrack. The dialogue in this film however is slightly more adult compared to the Avengers which leads to more adult jokes (for example, there's a comment about Quill's ship being as dirty as a Jackson Pollock painting, which is borne out of Quill discussing his promiscuous lifestyle). But the film is made by the comments between Drax and Rocket who are both too sassy for his own good. Though Drax has attracted many Autistic fans who can relate to him which gives the film an added layer of awesome. And that soundtrack though...

THREE- SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)

"FUBAR!"

Number 3 is another Tom Hanks movie. Which, to me, is only one better than Forrest Gump. From Vietnam back to World War II just as D-Day gets underway, Tom Hanks leads a platoon across France to retrieve a Private Ryan (played by Matt Damon) who has somehow got himself a free pass out of the war after two of his brothers are KIA.

Although the film is very American, and implies that the Americans single-handedly won World War II, it is a sweet film which shows the comrade-ship that would've been present at that time. The relationship between the group is very brother-like, despite the fact all of them are disillusioned as to why Ryan gets to go home and they don't. It's been one of my favourite films since I was 13 when I first saw it and it remains one of them to this day.

TWO (I)- GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997)

"Real loss is only possible when you love something more than you love yourself."

Joint second is a film I saw quite recently for the first time but it did have a very profound impact on me. I saw the film a week after Robin Williams sadly killed himself. Before seeing this, I hadn't seen many of William's serious roles. In fact, Dead Poet's Society is the most serious I'd seen him and I was much more used to his sillier roles like Jumanji, Patch Adams and Ramon in Happy Feet. But it was in this film that I truly appreciated Williams as an actor. I'd always loved him and I always found him amazing but I didn't truly understand how brilliant he really was until I saw him as Sean MacGuire.

In the film, Williams plays a man who attempts to help a mathematically gifted janitor realise is full potential but the pair clash and MacGuire has to become much more rigid in order to get through to him. Throughout the film, I was just completely gobsmacked at the chemistry between Matt Damon (Will Hunting) and Williams who seemed to completely bounce off each other with perfection. The chemistry between Damon and Ben Affleck (who plays Will's best friend) was to be expected given they are best friends in reality but the chemistry between Damon and Williams is just phenomenal and a true genius stroke.

TWO (II)- MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (2013)

"It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die"

The film about the life of Nelson Mandela. I saw this in the cinema a week after he died and it struck me as strange for many reasons. 1) 2 of the 3 girls I went to the cinema with didn't know what Mandela was famous for. 2) The start of the film (which was in post-production months before Mandela actually died) sounds like he was already dead. 3) They definitely went with the black defense for Sharpeville which shocked me slightly. But Idris Elba as Mandela was a surprisingly good choice. Elba portrayed him very well, as did Naomie Harris as Mandela's long-suffering wife, Winnie. The film, while highlighting the much juicier parts of his life, also delves more into his personal life, some of which many people may not have known. Did you know for example he cheated on his first wife? I didn't before seeing that. It showed Nelson in a slightly more human light rather than just showing him as the Elder Statesman that people still view him as to this day.

Given that Mandela is my favourite person from history, it seems natural that the film is up there but I'm glad that the team behind it really paid close attention and detail to his struggle and the effects it had both on him, his family and the country of South Africa as a whole. It was very well produced and that's why I love it.

One- THE GREEN MILE (1999)

"I helped it. Didn't I help it? I just took it back, is all. Awful tired now, boss. Dog tired".

Now, my favourite film of all time is a Tom Hanks film. The Green Mile. A story set in an American Death Row prison where a strange black inmate starts to affect events with his mysterious gift, while facing the death penalty for the murder of two girls which no one is really sure he didn't commit. What makes this film special for me is how Michael Clarke Duncan portrays his character and how the viewer starts off disliking him because he's on death row, and then eventually falling in love with him because he's such a lovely man who can't possibly have done what they say he did.

Despite this, the film is both graphic and clever. Not only is there a death scene which is extremely graphic (after a guard messes up the death process and commits overkill) but it's also clever in how it all comes full circle at the end. I watched this film on my own in the dark a few years ago while mum was out and I certainly did not regret it.

So there we have it. Feel free to tell me yours! I'm certainly hoping Iska might...your new challenge Iska...good luck :P