Film: Jesus Revolution

I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. How surreal it seems, to travel above the clouds - the views can be amazing:

Was waiting to hear what rating the new Indiana Jones film would have - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sees Harrison Ford, back again as the coolest archaeologist in the Western world. And yes, your eyes don't deceive you - that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, tagging along as the female interest (his god-daughter). So, expect some good lines. Antonio Banderas shows up as - someone scruffy-lookin'. Mads Mikkelsen is the baddie, Toby Jones a professor. And I'd be happy to see it - if only for the CGI that makes Harrison Ford look young and gorgeous again.. (there's some time travel, I believe).

However, now that its rating is out, the highest rated was Jesus Revolution, based on a real-life spiritual movement across America in the 70s. Stars Kelsey Grammer as the straight-laced pastor whose daughter convinces him to give these long-haired hippies a go.. Showing, as is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, in Limerick Omniplex. (Actually, it was also showing on Wednesday evening in London, but I really wanted to see Asteroid City, so although it wasn't as highly rated, I executed an executive override..)

Naturally, my mother presented me with a whole range of jobs to do - so timing was tight. Funnily enough, on the drive in, Take Me to Church was playing on the radio. I arrived in the cinema just as the film was starting - people being baptised in the ocean, a journalist interviewing a young man who's sketching what he sees. We then get the backstory, which starts a year before, basically following the story of the pastor, and of this young man.

It's an interesting take - very much, the focus is on the hippy movement, and a charismatic preacher called, ahem, Lonnie Frisbee, who by chance meets the pastor, and enthuses him with the sheer simplicity of his message - of peace and love. (Apparently he was also a homoesexual, but they decided to leave that bit out, despite focusing on his character quite heavily.) It's actually really moving, as the pastor brings all and sundry into the church, openly defying the church committee. Drugs - whose use we do see, but outside this Christian community - are described, by Lonnie, as a way to try to find God, but a false high; our protagonist, in fact, goes down that route first before finding Jesus.

Once this Utopian community is established, it starts to go pear-shaped, of course - Lonnie gets a bit too fond of the limelight and moves on, and our protagonist wants to marry his girlfriend, but gee, discovers that her wealthy father views him with some suspicion, having no money and no apparent direction in life. But hey, it all resolves itself - a set of snippets at the end describes how everyone turned out.

As I say, I found it quite moving - honest belief always is, and this really does start with the naive beliefs of a movement of teenagers. Whatever your belief about religion in general, it's refreshing to take it back to basics. You could say it's biased in favour of Christianity, but this was a real movement, and people's enthusiasm for it deserves to be noted.

Only a few others at the screening - and Lordy if some of them didn't try to evangelise me! One lady gave me a leaflet about herself, for goodness' sake - and a couple of guys at the door were giving away free copies of the New Testament. I passed. So, careful.. to be fair, they just seemed enthusiastic, rather than creepy. And it is an interesting film.

On Monday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre.

On Tuesday, thinking film again - and it's looking like Hello, Bookstore, a documentary in the Curzon Bloomsbury again.

Then two more days with UITCS - well, they book so much stuff! On Wednesday, it's Robin Hood: The Legend - Rewritten, at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

On Thursday, it's School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play, at the Lyric Hammersmith.

On Friday, London Baroque Music Lovers just advertised a concert, by La Nuova Musica, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, of Handel's Coronation Music. Oh, lovely - I found this music so moving at the recent coronation!

Next Saturday could be a landmark moment - could I get my four ex-colleagues together in a room at the same time?! So far, so good - nobody's yet said they can't make it. And although I'm already supposed to have moved, well, I'm between places - particularly with the constant mix-ups with my keys! so I just booked The Lucas Arms again.

On the 9th, heading with Cultureseekers, for a Historic Hampstead Treasure Hunt. We'll be split into groups, apparently, and the clues relate to historical plaques and the likes in the area. Official guides not allowed to participate. Hmm - how much can I remember from Laurence's walk there..?

On the 10th, booked with TAC for an interesting-sounding show - Blood, Gold and Oil is about Lawrence of Arabia, and showing at Riverside Studios. Part of their "Bitesize Theatre" series.

On the 11th, back with UITCS - really excited to see The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh, at the Duke of York's Theatre.

On the 12th, back with the World Music Meetup (and Tuned In London) for a concert by the Scottish/Zambian singer Namvula, at City Hope Church. Tickets through Billetto. And yes, closer to my new place, so it'd be really nice to be able to stay there that night..

On the 13th, back with UITCS for Cuckoo, at The Royal Court. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.