Jake Gyllenhaal celebrates Independence Day in the Kitchen, Prisoners gets a UK release date and a WDW Interlude

In the US it is, of course,the Independence Day holiday weekend. This does not mean that aliens invade the country's cities while cigar-smoking heroes blast them to smithereens under the direction of Roland Emmerich. But it does mean a chance to celebrate freedom from British rule while shedding tears over having to call chips fries and crisps chips. It appears that Jake Gyllenhaal is spending the holiday (or at least part of it) in one of his very favourite places - Martha's Vineyard. We know how Jake spent his summer holidays as a teen helping out in restaurants on the islandd, it looks as though he's doing the same thing now. Every penny helps. It's possible that my eyes deceive me, but isn't that Jake's old friend, Chris? Photo thanks to IHJ.

With thanks to Mermon for the heads up, we have release dates for Prisoners and it looks like some of us won't have to wait as long as normal. The film is out in the US on 20 September but now has the release date in the UK of 4 October - just a fortnight later. Good news! Although, as we know, these things have a habit of changing.

Incidentally, if you're in the UK and have LoveFilm Instant, I believe that Prince of Persia is now available to watch.

WDW Interlude

The weather has been hot and muggy this week which doesn't just mean that Wimbledon can behave itself and get the games played but that events don't get rained off for a change. Last weekend we attended the Chalke Valley History Festival in deepest Wiltshire, although most of our day visit was spent queuing up in a very hot car waiting to get in while catching glimpses of a WW1 dog fight being fought above our heads, through the tree canopy... When we eventually got it, there were historical experts to see, London mayors to laugh at, bubbles to drink and cakes to eat.

Below are the very familiar faces of Tom Holland and Dan Snow.

Mayor of London Boris got the chair.

On the way home we passed a small church I had to stop an photograph.

I'm off to Rome for a few days on Monday so it's a near certainty that photos will follow of a bunch of old stones...