A small tribute to Matthew Hobden

While you very rarely get to know the people that represent the sports teams you support, you can gain an insight into their character when they strive for the same goals and aims as you. You see how much it means to them when they win and when they lose.

So it is always a shock when one of them doesn't get to fulfill their potential and promise. So when someone who is as young Matt Hobden was when he passed away yesterday.

I only got to see him play for Sussex a few times but he looked as if he was really starting to become a cricketer of quality. It wasn't just his bowling that had improved over beyond measure, but his batting that helped Ollie Robinson score a century from number nine.

All the messages on twitter suggest he was a good bloke and from the limited amount of time I saw him he certainly seemed to be just that. You could tell from the way he held himself and the way he was supported by his captain and teammates.

So my thoughts are with his family, friends, and everyone who saw him represent Sussex.
RIP Matt

Joy - film review

When I say a second trailer for the film Joy I was intrigued as they made it seem like two different films. One was a light-hearted comedy about a dysfunctional family with Joy played by Jennifer Lawrence the one person keeping it together. The other showed what looked like it would be a more sombre film. In some respects they are both correct.

The film sets off at a decent pace that is funny without ever getting a room of people to laugh heartily. Robert De Niro is defiantly funnier than in the Meet The Parents films he was in. The real star of the show is Lawrence who gets the character of Joy just right.

I had never heard of the woman this film is loosely based on, and not intrigued enough to find out more; I guess that’s bound to happen when you consider just how unglamorous the world of mops are. That doesn’t mean the story isn’t worth telling.

All inventions have a story to tell, and this one does it well. The use of a voiceover was good, kind of in the Steve Martin mould. It was used sparingly and never got overly emotional.

The focus was truly on Lawrence an actor I haven’t seen that much of (Hunger Games not really my cup of tea), but there is no doubting this film belongs to her. It has a strong supporting cast who help the film flow.

As films go it's a good way to start a new year with. It won’t be the best film of the year, nor will it be the worst, it will however be near the top of the rest.

https://youtu.be/uR-2TiQVY-k

https://youtu.be/D-A85lXUCO8