Film: Hello, Bookstore

Tonight, was thinking film again - and top of the list was Hello, Bookstore, a documentary in the Curzon Bloomsbury again.

Glad not to have to go too far, on what was a rainy day. I had to run around getting things to post my laptop back to work - they're supposed to be collecting it tomorrow. I've ordered a new one - they really do get cheaper all the time - but they can't guarantee delivery before Saturday. Well, whatever, this is probably the last post I can write on the work one (my old one gave up the ghost months ago). After this, I'll be packing it up and saying sayonara.. So, we'll see how I feel about writing posts on my mobile, before the new laptop arrives. If it's too much trouble, you might have to wait until Saturday (or Sunday) for the next instalment..

After all that, there wasn't time to eat beforehand - so I went straight to the cinema, and had my usual wine and chocolate honeycomb bites. Funny thing is, I'll probably still be coming here on occasion after I move - so much is on here exclusively! Not this film, although from either my new or my old flat, this cinema is the closest it's showing in.. Well, I settled into my comfy seat and started on my "pre-dinner". The one thing I've often remarked on here is that there are no drink holders - so it's quite unnerving, trying to manage a drink as well as chocolates, a coat, a bag.. I usually use the seat beside me as a table. Handily, there's hardly ever anyone booked to sit in it - and the last time there was, she took one look and agreed to sit somewhere else..

Well, the film is a loving look at a bookstore called The Bookstore, in Lenox, Massachusetts. Which has been run by the same chap since 1976! And a more loving bookstore owner you could not find. It truly looks like one of those places you could happily spend a day browsing in - they have lots of nooks and crannies, and comfy seats to snuggle in.. and a wine bar at the back, thank you! where the owner also acts as bartender. Now, he has a fascinating story about the man in whose honour this wine bar was opened - I won't go into it, but this bookstore owner is a man full of stories! He's always in the middle of a book - and happy to pore through his collection for exactly the right one for a customer. Not only that, he can probably give an anecdote about it - perhaps quote half of it to you!

The film, however, starts in the sad days of the pandemic, where everyone is wearing a mask, and the front door is locked - people browse only through the window, or on the website, and put their orders in by phone or email. He then posts the books, or people show up and he puts them on a stool outside. Card payments only, and the details are communicated through the door. We also find out how badly his business was affected - he only did about a day's worth of normal business in a week. So he started a GoFundMe campaign - and wouldn't you know it, the good people of the community gave him the funds he needed in under a day! Now, that's what I call community spirit.

The film also introduces us to his family - and a few customers willing to be put on camera! There's one endearingly candid shot where he's talking to someone on the right of screen - but in the background, on the left, are a completely star-struck couple, grinning inanely at the camera and frozen stiff! It's a tellingly true moment.

Really, if you love books, if you've ever happily browsed a bookshop, you should go see this - it's absolutely charming. And all I can say is, if I find myself in the area, I am so paying a visit..

Ate at Nando's after, and how cosy it was to be inside looking out at the rain..

Next, two more days with UITCS - well, they book so much stuff! Tomorrow, it's Robin Hood: The Legend - Rewritten, at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Today's rain is supposed to clear overnight, fingers crossed..

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

On Friday, London Baroque Music Lovers lately 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! My sometime companion from UITCS suggests we eat there beforehand - which is fine, as long as we can find each other!

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 - although one is worried about the planned train strikes. 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 Sunday, 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 Monday, 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.

Next Tuesday, 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. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 17th, back with UITCS for Song from Far Away, at Hampstead Theatre. I suspect this is one that Meetup just declined to notify me about.. I don't remember seeing it advertised before, although it's been up for a while.

On the 18th, I've signed up for the Epic Film Location London Tour Part 1, with London Socials, a new group to me.

And on the 19th, another new group - London Circus Cabaret and Burlesque Meetup is headed to Fool's Moon, a drag circus act at Soho Theatre. Meeting beforehand at the Nellie Dean - aw man, it's ages since I was at these places! I'm the only person to join, at time of writing..

Film: Asteroid City

Today, was thinking film - and delighted to see that Asteroid City had risen in ratings, and was now top of my list! Ah well, that's a no-brainer - a Wes Anderson comedy, with an all-star cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum (playing an alien, appropriately I guess..), Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie.. and probably some other people I recognise. Anyway, I love Wes Anderson's stuff - and it's on in my local cinema (for flat #1). And there were showings all today, so, given that I hadn't any other demands on my time, until I get another job, I could go to whatever suited!

5.30pm was what suited, and off I trotted, stopping at recycling on the way. And wouldn't you know it, I never before heard that they have cheap tickets on Wednesdays in Curzon! Obviously never been to the Curzon on a Wednesday before.. I was the first into the Plaza, one of the screens it's on in, which is a small one - I'd chosen an aisle seat near the front. Mine was a popular row - with another couple sat inside me, one seat away, when the lady who'd booked the seat beside me came and saw all my stuff on her seat, she volunteered to go into the (empty) front row. Quite sensible - who wants to have people on either side of them anyway, if not necessary?

Ah, Wes Anderson. Quite surreal. First, we meet Byran Cranston, who's hosting a tv show about the writer (Edward Norton) of this play called "Asteroid City". That bit's in black and white - then we're into the technicolour of the desert, where Jason Schwartzman is driving the kids to Asteroid City, where there's a science event for which his son, Jake Ryan, has qualified. His daughters are of similar age, if not actually triplets - and a right little coven they make. Also accompanying their children to this shindig are Scarlett Johansson, a famous actress, and Liev Schreiber. Maya Hawke is a teacher, accompanying a school group to observe. Jeffrey Wright plays the local military general. Rupert Friend is a local cowboy, who hangs out with a gang of cowboys, playin' music, mostly. Tom Hanks is Jason Schwartzmann's father-in-law, who drives to the rescue when his car conks out - Matt Dillon is the mechanic. Steve Carell runs the motel. Tilda Swinton is a local scientist involved with the event. Margot Robbie plays (spoiler) Jason Schwartzman's deceased wife.

And then it gets weird. So, Adrien Brody doesn't apparently exist in this version, he plays Jason Schwartman's character in - the stage version, I think? Lives on the set, gives advice to Jason Schwartzman at one point. Willem Dafoe shows up as a kind of talk-show host, interviewing Edward Norton. Really, some of them are only in it for one scene - you can imagine them joining for fun, then kind of hanging around the set chuckling at the rest of it, once they're finished and can relax. And fun it is - gloriously funny, in that weird, Wes Anderson way. Absolute star of the show, for me, however - is Jeff Goldblum, who plays an alien like nobody else can. Ah yes - won't be for everyone, but if you like Wes Anderson, you'll probably love this. Oh, and why not stay for the road runner's antics, over the closing credits..

Tomorrow, thinking of heading back to Watkin's Bookshop, for the first time in an age - they have an author talk called Holy Waters - Searching for the Sacred in a Glass. There's a new book about this, which considers the use of alcohol in religion - sounds interesting!

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. 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. And Antonio Banderas shows up as - someone scruffy-lookin'. 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 is 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 this evening in London, but I really wanted to see Asteroid City, so although it wasn't as highly rated, I executed an executive override..)

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! Next Wednesday, it's Robin Hood: The Legend - Rewritten, at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

And on the 6th, it's School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play, at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Film: Mi País Imaginario (My Imaginary Country)

Tonight, what was coming up was something not even advertised on my film list, tsk - dunno why I didn't notice it on my local cinema website before, either. Seven Winters in Tehran tells the true story of a 19-year old girl in Tehran, who killed her would-be rapist, and was in turn sentenced to death herself, and imprisoned for seven years. However, checking over the weekend, it turned out not to be showing this evening - so that wasn't an option any more! And so I was back to my original choice, another by Patricio Guzmán - My Imaginary Country describes the activism of women in Chile.

Two days in a row there - I'd normally go to GBK for dinner, but didn't fancy that twice in a row. So I decided to go to Nando's, also in the Brunswick Centre. What a good idea - I was seated quickly, and with the door kept open, I was in the way of a nice breeze. And it made a change - it's a while since I was in Nando's. And it was yummy. I finished in good time, although this evening's film was on earlier than yesterday's, so I was set to shop afterwards.

This is actually a cracker of a film - concentrating pretty much entirely on contemporary activists, we get to see them interviewed, we get to see them protest. We have an interview with a photographer who was shot in the eye. We have an interview with a woman - face covered the whole time - who has a son, and hopes that someone will care for him if, some day, she doesn't come back. We have an interview with a medic, who describes how it's as dangerous for her as for any of the protestors, even though all she's doing is caring for the wounded. And the whole time, he's concentrating on the women..

It's a heady film, as we get planted in the middle of chanting protestors, throwing stones. Irish as I am, the scenes of armoured cars reminded me of the North.. the filmmaker remarked how he couldn't believe these scenes, which looked to him like civil war! Personally, looking at the offices of multinationals in the background, as protestors hurled missiles and police fought back with tear gas, I couldn't imagine how anyone does business in the middle of that - speaking of the North again, investment grew so much after the Good Friday Agreement! As for the filmmaker, he couldn't believe how society could function in this environment either. And such issues as were raised honestly didn't seem that significant in themselves - a hike in train fares, a demand for increased pensions - you have to think, if things like that incite the people to such a degree - how desperate are things for them..?

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - for We Will Rock You! at the Coliseum. Excellent - this didn't have tickets for the night I looked for before. Written by Queen with Ben Elton, should be a great night out.

On Thursday - heading out to Elstree, of all places, for Giffords Circus. Well, it was the best of what I saw advertised..

On Friday, my sometime-companion from UITCS suggested a murder mystery! The Murder Express: Jewel of the Empire.. set on a train, and includes dinner. Oh, lovely.. she got a Groupon deal, apparently..

On Saturday, delighted to be back with Expat Bucket List London! Well, back with the founder of both this and Bucket List London - I haven't actually been with the Expat group yet. Yippee, back to the Globe - for The Comedy of Errors. Unfortunately, while I'm in the Lower Gallery, as usual, the others are upstairs.. the organiser did offer to switch with me, so I'd have some company, but I wouldn't subject him to such a lower-priced seat! Anyway, I do like to be close. And as I've now booked a flat on that side of town, and can hopefully move in by then.. I might be walking to this!

On Sunday, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this will be walking distance from my new place.

On Monday, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

And next Tuesday, back with UITCS again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

Film: War Pony

These two days, thinking film - and the top-rated films on my list are all showing at my local cinema. As usual, I had to check that website specifically. Today, it was looking like Pretty Red Dress, a comic drama about a red dress, and its effects on a family. However.. it's plummeted in ratings! and what was now on top was War Pony, the coming-of-age story of two young Native American boys.

It was on late enough, so the plan was - eat, shop, film. Didn't quite work out that way, as I left a bit later than intended. I headed to eat first, running into the tail-end of some kind of altercation, unusually for the Brunswick Centre! A couple were screaming at a man with two very small kids - now, I don't care what it was about, it's not right to get kids mixed up in that sort of thing. Anyway, security were escorting the couple out as I gingerly passed them to get to GBK. Which wasn't busy - I ordered straight away, and eventually got my food. Again, the chicken was too wide for the bun - again, they cut it in two, piling one bit on top of another, which makes it hard to eat. I ask you.. but anyway, it was tasty, and I was fed.

By the time I finished, it was time to go to the cinema - shopping would have to wait for tomorrow. I haven't renewed my membership - Curzon isn't the closest cinema to my new place, so I probably wouldn't get the value. (Sadly, there are no cinemas so close to my new place, although there are a few within walking distance..) I also got a sauvignon blanc, and some of their delectable chocolate honeycomb bites. Can't say I noticed a massive difference over the membership price. I arrived in the cinema while the ads were on, and settled into my lovely, comfortable pullman seat.

War Pony is an interesting film. We follow the stories of two boys - one late teens perhaps, one early teens - which intersect briefly, but otherwise follow different paths, if similar in ways. The elder lad already has two little boys (to separate women), and is into every wheeler-dealer, money-making scheme going. The younger lad is something of a wannabe version of the elder one, still in school - although gets suspended during the film - getting into alcohol and drugs, and trying to get into girls, although his baby-face is a hindrance.

It's not the most attractive look at Native American culture, although I'm not qualified to say how realistic it is. Plenty of alcohol and drugs, teenage pregnancies, prison.. casual racism, on the part of the guy the elder boy finds himself working for (also from his wife). There are a couple of snatches of Native American music throughout, at some kind of festival - honestly, with everything else that's going on, it's not really relevant to these boys' lives. I did like the running imagery of a bison, meandering down the road, which each of the boys sees at one point or another - spirit guide, perhaps? Not much guidance being provided, if so. Still, interesting for a glimpse into the lives of people from this part of the world. After, of course, it was too late to shop..

Tomorrow, what was coming up  was something not even advertised on my film list, tsk - dunno why I didn't notice it on the cinema website before, either. Seven Winters in Tehran tells the true story of a 19-year old girl in Tehran, who killed her would-be rapist, and was in turn sentenced to death herself, and imprisoned for seven years. However, checking over the weekend, it turned out not to be showing that evening - so that's not an option any more! And so I'm back to my original choice, another by Patricio Guzmán - My Imaginary Country describes the activism of women in Chile.

On Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - for We Will Rock You! at the Coliseum. Excellent - this didn't have tickets for the night I looked for before. Written by Queen with Ben Elton, should be a great night out.

On Thursday - heading out to Elstree, of all places, for Giffords Circus. Well, it was the best of what I saw advertised..

On Friday, my sometime-companion from UITCS suggested a murder mystery! The Murder Express: Jewel of the Empire.. set on a train, and includes dinner. Oh, lovely.. she got a Groupon deal, apparently..

On Saturday, delighted to be back with Expat Bucket List London! Well, back with the founder of both this and Bucket List London - I haven't actually been with the Expat group yet. Yippee, back to the Globe - for The Comedy of Errors. Unfortunately, while I'm in the Lower Gallery, as usual, the others are upstairs.. the organiser did offer to switch with me, so I'd have some company, but I wouldn't subject him to such a lower-priced seat! Anyway, I do like to be close. And as I've now booked a flat on that side of town, and can hopefully move in on Wednesday.. I might be walking to this!

On Sunday, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this will be walking distance from my new place.

Next Monday, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

And on the 27th, back with UITCS again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

Film: A Plein Temps (Full Time)

Tonight, film again - and I saw A Plein Temps (Full Time), at my local cinema. Certainly looked good, with a pacey trailer, focusing on real-life stresses of a single mother, working in Paris and battling train strikes! Well, we all know something about that, eh.. 

Started late, giving me time to get through some of the mountain of backlog of things I have to do myself. I moseyed off in due course, headed straight to GBK - where they sat me on that bench in the middle. Ugh, I hate sitting there - if anyone sits on the other side, it's like being on a bouncy castle! I ordered straight away, but it was a bit busy - it took them fully 20 minutes to bring my order, by which time I thought they'd forgotten. And when they did, the chef had been a bit inventive with the burger - I've complained before about the chicken escalope being too long for the bun. Well, this time, he'd cut it in half, and squashed the two halves together in the bun - completely unworkable, I had to take out one half and eat it with a knife and fork! which kind of defeated the purpose. Half the chips were cold, and he'd absolutely doused them in whatever they shake on them there - not the most successful of meals.

At the cinema, I had a much nicer wine - they didn't have the chocolate honeycomb bites I'm so fond of, so I settled for chocolate buttons instead, which turned out to be tiny! About 1/3 the size of those you can buy in the shops. I ate about half - but oh, it was so nice to settle back in my comfy, reclining seat, with my nice wine and some chocolate, at the start of a long weekend.. needed that! Could have done with another wine, actually. Also nice to go at my own pace; sometimes, you just don't want to have to work around other people!

Boy, this film is way too realistic. A kind of ticking clock soundtrack heightens the tension of a week in the life of this woman, in a menial job in Paris, trying to juggle interviews for a better one, trying to navigate strikes in a country that seems to do them so much better than the UK! Crikey, if you thought UK trains were bad - in this film, the trains, buses, taxis, and by the looks of it, bin collectors, are all out on strike together! This poor woman literally cannot get out of Paris on one night, and has to leave her children with the hapless old lady whose daughter is already complaining that she's being used.. She has to spend some of her dwindling funds on a hotel, and trek out early next morning to buy a suit for her interview that afternoon. And that's just the start of it..

This isn't another Clockwise - there's a little comedy, but it's all realistic, to the point where I was willing her on, wondering how I could have helped, had I been around. Completely engaging, as she deals with one person after another, giving her grief, and constantly takes phone calls on the run. She gets drenched in the rain, runs along in heels, hitchhikes along the road.. oh, what a relief when it all ends! which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed it a lot! It was just almost as exhausting as living it..

Here's to a - hopefully - pretty relaxing long weekend. Tomorrow, back at last with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! It's been too long.. This walk is Highlights of Westminster. Now, I wonder whether there'll be any coronation-related material..

On Sunday, with CT at The Bedford, for Wicked Wonderland: Burlesque Cabaret.

On Monday - which is yet another bank holiday, but the last for a while - I'm with Discover London for a walk entitled The Great Plague 1665: The Full Story. Certainly makes a change from the Great Fire.. and another group I don't get to see often enough!

On Tuesday, having tried several sold-out shows, I finally plumped for Dixon and Daughters, at the Dorfman. Got the last cheap, restricted-view ticket in the pit..

On Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats at last! Well, I couldn't resist a performance of Aspects of Love, with Michael Ball - I've never seen it. Showing at the Lyric - there have been cheap offers, but the best I could find were with the official website. Aisle seat, for the legroom - thanks for the advice, Seatplan!

And yes, film on Thursday - and for now, it's looking like I might finally get to see The Blue Caftan! It wasn't showing this evening - but it is coming up for that evening. It's Moroccan, and again showing at my local cinema. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

Film: Le Otto Montagne (The Eight Mountains)

Tonight - tan-ta-ra, film again! The new listings site didn't change what came top, mind, which was Le Otto Montagne (The Eight Mountains), at my local cinema - as are most things, frankly! Set in the Italian Alps, this is the story of childhood friends who grow apart as they grow up. Continuing the Italian theme.. Certainly, the scenery promised to be lovely!

I dunno, as annoying as my flatmates are, and the landlord, and as imperfect as the flat is, I love the location, and frankly, the alternatives don't appeal. Plus, in the brief time I've been looking, I already came across one scammer - and much more expensive properties than what I'm paying. And there's the hassle of moving - yeah, I'll probably stay put. Anyway, after a distracting and irritating day, I left later than I'd have liked, given that I wanted to eat beforehand. And of course, 7.30 is the busy time at GBK - probably every day.

Well, I could see it as soon as I arrived - although I was seated pretty quickly, once they'd cleared off some tables. To be fair, they really don't have the staff to deal with this kind of business.. a lot of French in tonight, sounded like. It took them 20 long minutes to deliver my food, by which time I had 15 minutes left to eat it. My first bite of the burger reminded me why I continue to come here - despite everything, the food is still delicious! So I gobbled that, finished the wine, and about half the chips, which were lukewarm anyway - the chicken was piping hot, so it looked as though the chips had been left sitting around while the chicken cooked, and the chips went cold. Ah well - I legged it to the cinema.

Where, again, I got someone who didn't expect me to order anything but a ticket! but I got my wine - much tastier than GBK. And for once, the screen was on the next level down, rather than the basement. I got in while the ads were playing, and for convenience, had chosen a seat on the aisle - it wasn't crowded, though.

Real mountain porn, this! I spent most of the film gazing at mountain ranges.. I believe it was filmed mainly in the Val d' Aosta. Sod the characters! ;-) The whole film is about how these men's relationship forms because of the mountains: Pietro comes there on holidays with his mountain-mad father, and bonds with Bruno, the only child left in the village. Then they part ways, but the grown-up Pietro finds himself drawn back to the mountains after his father's death, and ultimately makes a life for himself in Nepal. Bruno, meanwhile, never leaves his mountain home, which ultimately defines him..

Whatever your take on mountains, this is a gorgeous film, and a great watch. I tell you something though, you wouldn't catch me trotting along ridges like these characters! Yikes, the drop..

Tomorrow, back with Over 40 Living the Life - I got the last ticket to this rescheduled dinner at Greenwich Yacht Club!

On Wednesday, back with Buddies on a Budget in London - she's introducing us to the Floating Pocket Park, in Paddington! where they have free things in summer - on Wednesday, it's a free concert.

On Thursday, another film - this, however, is a private screening, organised by The London Palestinian Rights Meetup Group, in association with the Bethlehem Cultural Festival! Showing at the Prince Charles is Farha, the dramatisation of the life of a young Palestinian girl in 1948 - just at the start of the Nakba.. includes a Q+A afterwards with the director. Tickets from Eventbrite again. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend..

And next Monday, just advertised is An Evening Stroll in Fitzrovia, courtesy of a new group, Paul and Tim's Greater London Talks and Walks! So yes, I'll give it a go..

Film: Pamfir

Back in London again. On a Ryanair plane this time, damnit - the Lauda ones are so much more comfortable. It's not even so much the plastic seats over leather, it's the lack of air-conditioning.. Awkward flight time, I was too early to eat at my mother's, and too late to eat out in London. I compromised by eating from a food stall in Liverpool Street - the one with the steak slices. They've changed the name, but I can't remember to what, and can't seem to see it on the station directory - the guy behind the counter recognised me though, I think. And I was begged from as I ate - ah, the nostagia.. I also heard that famous TFL announcement voiced by the King and Queen - and on the way home, I caught a little bit of leftover celebratory decoration!

Anyway, today, I was - heh - thinking of film again. Now, that film listings site is, as established, a nightmare - but I had a choice of two; there was Pamfir, which is Ukrainian, and The Blue Caftan, which is Moroccan. Both showing in my local cinema (how else would I even know they existed..?). Anyway, both are rated the same, but straightaway, Pamfir looked more interesting to me, set in dense forests swirling with mist, and lying somewhere on the border between fact and fantasy.. 

So, off I trotted - a bit later than I'd have liked, but I had the chance to get ahead by doing a couple of easy work tasks before I left. And mercifully, GBK wasn't busy, and they served me quickly. And it was delish - although it continually bemuses me that the crumbed chicken burger consists of a massive chicken escalope, plonked between two halves of a bun, one third its length! Would it kill them to make the bun a little bigger? or to give slightly less chicken? It'd be so much easier to eat.. Anyway, I gobbled it down, and finished five minutes before the scheduled start time - the cinema, after all, is very close. My, I was stuffed though - didn't even manage to finish the chocolate honeycomb bites I always get, there!

Fairytales are mentioned in the trailer - if this is a fairytale, then the title character is a gentle giant. A legend back home for his strength, he used to be involved in smuggling, which is quite a way of life in this isolated community - actually reminded me somewhat of the black market around our part of rural Ireland, when I was growing up. However, we never had this level of corruption, with police and government officials on the take.. Dangerous, when grudges are involved.

And yes, there's a surreal air to this - Pamfir (a nickname that apparently refers to a kind of stone) seems to be the only saviour of the neighbourhood - not only the strongman, but the only one possessed of the wisdom to know which of these people are wolves: and they're not the ones in the masks, which seem to be a tradition around Christmas. Very like the wrenboys, in Ireland, the day after.. except, in this Ukrainian village, wrestling seems to be the thing.

So anyway, Pamfir's son is delighted to see him - but he's talking about going away again, so the daft teenager sets fire to the local church, where Pamfir's work permits are being kept, for some reason I forget - for the pastor to sign, or something. Anyway, the fire spreads rapidly, causing extensive damage - and so the lad's ambition is achieved, of keeping Pamfir there; he agrees to one final smuggling job, to pay for the repairs. And that's the start of all his woes..

It's visceral. It's violent in a couple of parts, there's also a lot of muck - these people live in a region without many paved roads, it seems, but with a lot of rain - so, there's a lot of mud. An easier watch than The Beasts, mind - our hero is always dependable, even if those around him aren't. I enjoyed this window into a part of Europe I haven't visited - yet.. apparently, when fighting broke out, the film editing wasn't quite finished, but they managed to send the materials abroad to finish. Kudos..

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), for Retrograde, in the Kiln. Based on Sidney Poitier, and what he had to do to become a star, it seems.. Now, this is from the same writer as For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy. Which I hated. So I'm taking a risk.

On Thursday, I'm back with The Hideout: Horror Sci-Fi Club London, for wine tasting followed by comedy (hmm..) in La Pizzica restaurant. Could be interesting..

On Friday, I was thinking of film (which meant I had no idea) - but London Social & Cultural Meetups, whom I haven't been with in so long, are having a trip to the National Gallery, to see an exhibition of art related to St. Francis of Assisi! I wasn't going to go with them, given that the group was to include that mad lady that I've been avoiding - but when I looked today, she'd cancelled! for whatever reason. So I'm now free to go. They do advise booking a (free) ticket, and although we're supposed to meet in the Sainsbury Wing, it seems that's closed for renovations.. well, we'll figure it out.

And on Saturday, I'm busy.. First, I booked with UITCS for the matinée of Leaves of Glass, at the Park Theatre.

And then I have to dash across London.. you see, Mandy, who runs London Herstory Guided Walks, has now started a new Meetup group, Buddies on a Budget in London. And lo, if she isn't taking a group to an outdoor Eurovision party! First, she suggested Battersea - but (free) tickets for that went really fast, with only three of us having managed to book. So we've now switched venue, and are going to Between the Bridges, complete with drag acts! You don't have to pay, but if you buy a ticket, it comes with a free drink.. and this, apart from, as she says, being likely to be more fun, also has the advantage of starting an hour later. Which is handy for me, rushing across town as I'll be.. Both advertised by Eventbrite, and as of now, Between the Bridges still has tickets..

Film: How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Tonight, again, loads of stuff on Meetup - but two of my groups were running events that would have interested me, but were sold out. The Horror Book Club, meantime, was reading The Yellow Wallpaper - a novella that I found on Kindle, and downloaded a free sample for. Mind you, it came as part of a collection.. and is so short that its entirety was included in the free sample! so I read the whole thing in half an hour. How different from our last assignment.. I wasn't that keen on it - although the ending is good. So I decided to head to yet another film tonight. That blasted film listings site still has, as of now, partial listings up for this week. Frankly, they're taking the mickey now. So, in the absence of further information about the better-rated films, tonight's film was How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the fictional account of climate activists attacking a pipeline in Texas. Showing in my local cinema - not that the listings site let me in on that secret, but from experience, I tried the cinema website myself directly.. only yesterday did they finally concede it's on there!

On the way, ran into a man walking a small, extremely furry dog - which all the dogs in the neighbourhood seemed determined to bark at! Ferociously. Dunno what they knew that I didn't.. At the Brunswick Centre, the bunting has been joined by a stage, and the stage has grown a roof!

Anyway, I headed to GBK, where I easily got a table (good - I wasn't sure, never before been there this late). As I was eating, a guy came in - large, unkempt beard, every word a shout. Didn't seem to know what the place was - he wanted a sandwich. Bless her patience, the smiley lady who'd served me must have taken 15 minutes to figure out what he'd like - and when she asked whether he'd rather eat in or take it away, he was amazed! "You'd let me eat in?!" "Of course, you're a customer!" So, he sat over in the corner and ate his burger, and declined her offer of extra sauce. You know, it's not everyone would go to that trouble - well done, that lady! V glad I'd given her a tip - something about her made me go out of my way to do so..

And so to the cinema, where the bloke behind the counter - all on his own, poor thing - didn't think I might want anything but a ticket, and rang it through before I had the chance to order wine and chocolate honeycomb bites. Tsk. Well, I got them in the end, and was first into the screen - before even the cleaner. Someone else had arrived by the time the cleaner came, and had sat beside me - the cleaner actually asked whether our row needed cleaning, but we decided not..

Well, now we all know how to blow up a pipeline! This is a meticulously planned operation - they're clever kids, they've thought of everything. Of course, they can't predict every little thing that could happen - therein lies the tension. And there's plenty of that - this is fast-paced, relentless - we are shown their backstories, but everything is just that bit grim, like the main plot. Still, there's more than enough to get us interested in the characters - and the film covers not only the planning and execution, but also the aftermath.

It's sympathetic towards them, but they're not all the same - we're shown just how different they are, from the Christian farmer with a baby on the way, who's concerned about the environment, to the nihilistic young couple who are vegetarian and vegan, respectively, v woke, and just love protesting about things. There's the college dropout with a chip on her shoulder, the girl who's come in support of her girlfriend, whose lifelong exposure to the effects of pollution has left her terminally ill. There's the guy who just got frustrated about the lack of progress in standard protest groups. And there's the quiet guy, with a grudge against the world - who makes bombs as a hobby..

I defy you not to find some sympathy with them, about something. And wow, they don't have an easy time of it in this - but it's consistently engaging. A really enjoyable film, in fact! Recommended. Now, all you need is someone with bomb-making capability, because the instructions in the film are a bit vague.. ;-)

On the way home, met a guy on roller skates, blowing a whistle. This time, it wasn't a dog he was summoning - it was a well-fed cat! Good Lord, what an interesting neighbourhood..

Coming out of the cinema, I had a closer look at the poster on that stage. Now, tomorrow I had booked a livestream from the Crick Crack Club, from the Story Museum Oxford. This is King Lear Retold. However, these tend to be available for a week after - so I took the opportunity, also, to book another concert with the World Music Meetup! This is La Chinganera, in the Finnish Church - and the concerts organised by Eleanor Salter Thorn of TunedIn London are always good! But gee, this event in the Brunswick Centre has the Puppini Sisters.. and looks fun! Supposed to be decent weather, too. Maybe I could schlep along to this for a while first..? Ah, life is complicated..

Then back to Ireland for the coronation weekend. For Saturday (post-coronation), the film is looking like Missing - now, this does look interesting. Taking place almost entirely online, it concerns a teenage girl's efforts to find her mother, who's gone missing on holiday abroad. I do love techy films.. and this has one of the same writers as Searching, an excellent film on the same lines, about a father looking for his missing teenage daughter. In fact, apparently, this film starts with footage based on that film..

For Sunday (given that, with a coronation bank holiday, I have an extra day again), the film is like to be The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, one of those eccentric British comedies, in which Harold (Jim Broadbent) is distressed to hear that his good friend is dying. He's going to post her a letter - but instead, decides to hand deliver it. His wife (Penelope Wilton) is less than impressed, considering she's at the other end of the country.. based on a book. Anyway, both showing in Ennis.

On Tuesday, back in London, I'm - heh - thinking of film again. Now, that film listings site is, as established, a nightmare - but I have a choice of two; there's Pamfir, which is Ukrainian, and The Blue Caftan, which is Moroccan. Both showing in my local cinema (how else would I even know they existed..?). Anyway, we'll see - both rated the same at the moment, but straightaway, Pamfir looks more interesting to me, set in dense forests swirling with mist, and lying somewhere on the border between fact and fantasy.. Now, with additional films announced, I see Little Richard: I Am Everything is rated the same - it's a documentary. But I have little interest in him, and frankly, I don't feel like going all the way to the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith to see it!

Next Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for Retrograde, in the Kiln. Based on Sidney Poitier, and what he had to do to become a star, it seems.. Now, this is from the same writer as For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy. Which I hated. So I'm taking a risk.

And on the 11th, I'm back with The Hideout: Horror Sci-Fi Club London, for wine tasting followed by comedy (hmm..) in La Pizzica restaurant. Could be interesting..

Film: The Beasts

There isn't honestly much coming up at the moment that interests me on Meetup - so I'm  heading to the cinema for today and tomorrow. I've been having terrible trouble with that film listings site, though - even with the new week's films started, listings weren't complete! and new listings were being added over the weekend. Anyway, for tonight, it was The Beasts - set in Galicia, in Spain, this is the story of a French couple who move to a rural area, only to spark an argument with a couple of their neighbours.. I heard good things. Showing in my local cinema, the Curzon Bloomsbury. Not that you'd know it from the listings site, which - last I looked - had no listing for that, in that cinema, for today!

I was glad of the later start - I have an avalanche of work. As it was, I left a bit later than intended - handily, I passed the recycling bins, and dispensed with a large load there! And headed for something to eat - at GBK, which I'd missed while I was away.. Unfortunately, I hit it at rush hour! Dunno whether it's a regular thing, but certainly, 7.40pm on Monday of this week saw a flood of people, both for tables and takeaways. It was 10 minutes before I was seated, another 10 before I got my drink, and another 20 after that before I got fed! They did apologise.. honestly, I don't think they could have worked any faster, it was just bad luck, everyone arriving at once. Anyway, it was gorgeous, as ever - sadly, I didn't have time to finish the fries.

And so to the cinema, where a beaming lady with an American accent served me a ticket, sauvignon blanc, and chocolate honeycomb bites - remarking that everyone seemed to want them, she figured it was a hangover from Easter! As she pointed out, helping me choose a seat, gee, there were all of two other people in the screen - I took a seat in the row in front of them. I think my free tickets are used up - but I still get a discount. Arrived as the ads were underway, and reclined in my comfy seat, where I quickly polished off my picnic.

Whew. This isn't an easy watch. We're introduced to the tone of the film right at the start, as men subdue wild horses.. we're then immersed in a scenic landscape, where this French couple are trying to go about their business - of living the dream. Unfortunately, some time before the film opens, there was apparently a vote about selling some local land to Norwegian wind farmers, and gee, our French couple were almost the only dissenters. And wouldn't you know it, their next door neighbours are the type to bear grudges.. Well, the older brother is; his little brother apparently suffered an accident when he was younger, which impaired his mental capacity. Now acts as his brother's lackey.

What follows, as described in all the reviews, is a great psychological thriller. How can this couple even bear to live, knowing the hatred felt by their next door neighbour, whose door they have to pass to go anywhere? How can they know what he's going to do next? If there's a moral to this story, it might be - don't go live in the countryside unless you're made of strong stuff. It certainly doesn't do the people of Galicia any favours - especially when you realise it's loosely based on a true story! Gorgeous scenery, mind.. but perhaps somewhere you wouldn't want to move to. Truly compelling stuff, beautifully made. The small crowds could be partly attributable to the fact that it was showing here last week as well - hey, I can't get to everything immediatey!

For tomorrow, what's coming up is a Ginger Rogers film - the BFI is doing a season of her films. This one is a comedy called Bachelor Mother - daring for 1939, it has her as a single mother! Mind you, in her case, she finds the baby abandoned outside an orphanage.. also stars David Niven, and Charles Coburn as her father. Also a late one, which is just as well, as it'll give me more time to work.

For Wednesday, I've booked For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide.. at the Apollo. I have a front-row seat in the Dress Circle - now, I seem to remember ridiculously tight legroom, here - so I'm at the end of a row, and Seatplan says it'll be OK if I lean forward.. Just yesterday, they asked me to "check in", and thereupon sent me my ticket..

On Thursday, I'm with TAC for a talk on Arab & Islamic Roots of Europe's Architecture, at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend. Next Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for The Secret Life of Bees, at the Almeida - no seats left in the stalls, when I booked! Seatplan made me wary of the cheapest seats, so I'm in the next bracket up..

And on the 25th, back with Over 40 Living the Life, for dinner at the Greenwich Yacht Club again. Well, it was good last time - good food, cheap prices, good company. Four of us going so far..

Film: Crows Are White

For tonight, decided on film again - the listings site was typically slow last week, but had some info for this week. But given my experience last Tuesday - when it hadn't even included listings for my local cinema - I checked what was on there today as well. And lo, I came up with some not yet listed at all at that stage on the listings site.. highest rated was a documentary - Crows are White tells the story of a rather unusual Buddhist monk, who'd rather listen to heavy metal than birdsong..

Nicely, since it's on at my local cinema, I could walk. Happy not to be headed on a long trip - the weather is miserable. And I passed the recycle bins - and I always have something to dump there. And could have shopped, except for once I didn't need to. And I didn't even have an evening meeting - it got cancelled, because the only ones on the team who could make it had already been dragged into a ridiculously early morning meeting, which proved pointless in the end. Never mind, it left my evening free - and I headed off in time to eat beforehand. Which was in GBK, natch - where the lady behind the counter recognised me, and now we're on first-name terms. I've decided to switch to fries instead of onion rings, BTW - they're less heavy, and they almost never have onion rings anyway.

And to so the cinema, where it turned out I still had a free film coming to me! Gee - I wasn't going to argue. A few seats were booked, but I could sit pretty much where I liked. And, just nicely settled before the film started, I made the rookie mistake of forgetting to turn off my phone! Naturally, it beeped, just as the film was starting - oops, especially considering that the film crew making this documentary were, shortly afterwards, unceremoniously ejected from the Buddhist temple they were trying to film, when the filmmaker's phone went off during a particularly solemn ritual..! I felt his pain.

The heavy-metal-loving monk is pretty much the only one who will talk to our filmmaker. He's a good hook to advertise the film on - but really, of course, it's about much more. Our filmmaker himself was born in Saudi Arabia - when the Gulf War broke out, his parents took him to, of all places, Cavan! Which he loved - until he started to grow up, and question his parents' strong Muslim faith - he took himself to the States, where he now apparently lives, and fell in love: with a non-Muslim girl! O dear. Terrified to tell his parents about her, he schlepped off to make a documentary about monks instead. But this is as much about his own inner spiritual journey.

It's hilarious - the more serious monks won't give him the time of day, so he follows this lowly monk around, who didn't really want to be here at all, but had to come back and take care of the family temple. He learned his English while studying in New Zealand, and now he just wants to move back there and be a sheep farmer. But none of them can give our filmmaker the answer he wants, of how to tell his parents about his non-Muslim girlfriend.. Funny and touching in equal measure, this is a surreal look at religion and the weird things it makes us do. (The title, by the way, is something a senior monk came out with during a training course - the point being, no matter what rubbish he uttered, the students were supposed to agree.) Lovely film, engaging, most enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Tomorrow, heading to Comedy in your Eye, at the Camden Eye. Tickets from Design my Night, including a free drink.

On Thursday - my first Crick Crack Club (CCC) event of the year! Online, but never mind - it's Nick Hennessy, at the Story Museum, performing The Kalevala. I think I remember hearing that he's the only non-Finnish person ever to win their competition to recite this! So, really looking forward to it.

Then, of course, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.. film is looking like A Man Called Otto, which suits just fine! Based on the Swedish comedy, A Man Called Ove, it stars Tom Hanks as an old grump whose wife has just died, but who meets his match in the fiesty young family that moves in next door. And, interestingly, its IMDB rating just keeps rising.. Showing in Ennis, handily.

On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Art of Illusion, at Hampstead Theatre. Award-winning, it seems..

Next Tuesday, I'm headed to Chicago Blues Explosion in the January Blues Festival at the 100 Club. Just a shame their early bird tickets were sold out.

On the 18th, with TAC for a classical concert at King's Place (nice and close). This is the Kirckman Society for young artists, presenting Connaught Brass.

On the 19th, Ken's Green Walks for Health (aka Ken's Events, to those of us who know it from before) is off to see the Winter Lights at Canary Wharf. Now, I wouldn't go with them in a fit - but there's nothing to stop me seeing the lights myself for free, eh? I don't see the point in paying Ken £5 to lead a group around..

On the 20th (a Friday, unusually), back with Watkin's Bookshop for a book launch. This is Fifty Forgotten Books by R. B. Russell. Occult theme, as usual. Let's see whether I can avoid falling asleep this time!

On the 21st, back at King's Place - this time it's the CCC, with Stories in the Dark. Told in darkness, by the sound of it - sounds divine!

On the 22nd, back with Cultureseekers for the Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt exhibition at the British Museum. Assuming it's not curtailed due to transport strikes - there is a warning on the museum website that galleries might have to close early!

On the 23rd, I've finally booked for Best of Enemies at the Noel Coward Theatre. This play concerns a series of debates on US television between liberal writer Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley in 1968 - the interesting twist here, given the time and place we're talking about, is to cast William Buckley as black! Had my own seat review on Seatplan to guide me in picking a seat - this is one of those restricted view/legroom theatres. And despite all the theatre offers flooding my inbox, I found the cheapest tickets for this on the official website! Mind you, what with See Tickets doing the selling, I found myself with a second, unexplained, booking fee..

For the next week or so, it's all UITCS! On the 24th, for some reason, I hadn't seen their advertised event to see Orlando, based on the book by Virginia Woolf, and showing at the Garrick. For this, however, I found the cheapest tickets from Official London Theatre (OLT).

On the 25th, we're off to see John Bishop at the Leicester Square Theatre. Love him, so I booked as soon as I saw this advertised - one of the few things for this month that I booked last month! Not that it seems to be selling out..

On the 26th, we're off to The Vaults Festival - specifically, The Welsh Lxdies, a bilingual show about the women of Wales. Then back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 30th, we're heading to Noises Off, starring Felicity Kendal, at the Phoenix. Again, cheapest tickets from OLT.

On the 31st, with a group I haven't joined in a Very Long Time - I'm back with London Dramatic Art, from whom I've got a front-row ticket for Sylvia, at The Old Vic; this is the story of Sylvia Pankhurst, and stars the excellent Beverley Knight. Completely sold out - this was my only way to get a ticket!

On the 1st, back with the Horror Book Club - Lordy, that means I need to read a book! :-) I suppose I can use my flights for that. This time, it's The Ballad of Black Tom, based on the Lovecraft story, The Horror at Red Hook, but told from the perspective of a black man. Which means I should really read that, too.. Nice, I'd like to get back to some Lovecraft! In the Prince of Wales, Covent Garden again. Question is, will the kitchen be open..?

On the 2nd, I'm on my own for My Son's a Queer (but what can you do?), a musical at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On the 3rd, my first meeting of the year with London Classical Music and Theatre Group! We're off to Wigmore Hall, to listen to the Hagen Quartet play Mozart. They're Austrian, so that's appropriate.. I just need to remember not to drink the ultra-expensive sauvignon blanc!

On the 4th, well, Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are back to Greenwich again. Now, I have been there with him before.. not sure how "new" this one will be, but hey, it was a great day last time!

On the 5th, nothing on Meetup appeals massively at the moment - I might go for a walk along the Ken's Events route, if I feel like it! (on my own). Or Over 40 Living the Life has just advertised a walk along the New River.. I'll have to see, as I have to pay to sign up (refunds given to those who then come). And I might well change my mind..

On the 6th, my first actual event with that group. We're off to How Not to Drown at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East - the first event of theirs for which I couldn't get a cheaper ticket! So I decided, if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them. True story of an unaccompanied, 11-year-old asylum seeker.

On the 7th, excited to be headed to see Derren Brown in Showman, at the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Cheapest tickets with OLT again.

On the 8th, off to The Lehman Trilogy, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Based on the true story of the bank that collapsed. Got the last £39.50 ticket!

On the 9th, back with UITCS for Winner's Curse, at the Park Theatre - an interactive show about a peace negotiation. And then I'm back to Ireland again.

And on the 13th of next month, I'm headed to Allegiance, starring George Takei in a musical based on the true story of his time in an American internment camp during the Second World War. Showing at the Charing Cross Theatre.