Film: Knives Out

Tonight was going to be film as well - which is where Knives Out came in. No question I was going to see it - it was just a question of which to see first! This is a classic, drawing-room murder mystery. Daniel Craig is the detective, hired to investigate the murder of Christopher Plummer. Jamie Lee Curtis is the deceased's daughter, married to Don Johnson. Toni Collette is the deceased's son's widow. Each as horrid as the last.. and I booked it, because the closest showing was in the Vue Islington, and Vue are apparently cheaper online.

Damnit, the office is (according to Google maps) within a half-hour's walk. So that's what I did - on a miserable, rain-soaked evening. At least the wind died down. I was a little late, as usual - but of course, that doesn't matter for mainstream films, where all you're missing are the ads. When I finally sploshed into the complex where the cinema is, I came across the most enormous queue, apparently for the O2 Academy!

I discovered that the escalators were out of order - lovely. Climbed the stairs to the cinema, then happily the escalator inside the cinema was working to take me up to the screens. But oops! my film was in Screen 10 - downstairs. Down I went again, forgetting that the door is opened by a code. Back upstairs to ask for the code - which she gave me on one of a pile of little strips of paper. Then back downstairs - where, happily, once inside, I found I was the first to arrive in my row! I also had a broken seat to one side of me, which was handy, as it gave me a bit more space. Sadly, to the other side, someone had some very smelly popcorn..

Comfy, leather seats, with head support - although they don't recline. I was just in time for the trailers - some more attractive than others - before the film started. The plot has the victim as a mystery writer, and one of the cops remarks that the rambling house looks like the set of a game of Clue. Me, it reminded of the Winchester Mystery House! what with the look, and the hidden entrances.. And I loved the opening shot of the house, with two large black dogs running in slo-mo across the front lawn towards the camera - very Hound(s) of the Baskervilles! Although whose idea it was to plonk a chair in the library that is reminiscent of the iron throne.. (nice touch to have all the knives pointing inwards, implying that whoever is sitting in the chair at the centre is under attack!)

The film declares quite early what the tone is going to be - because this, above all, is a comedy. And a damn funny one - I found myself laughing more than I usually do. I actually found it more enjoyable than the trailer promised.. Frank Oz is the executor of the will, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt has the most subtle cameo of all, as the voice of the detective on a murder film that the sister of the dead man's carer is watching! Christopher Plummer does an excellent job - but the acting is spot-on, throughout.. and the others all look suitably menacing, each having a motive to kill.

The plot is suitably twisted, and throws up enough surprises to keep most mystery fans happy. There's hardly a scene without something to laugh at - watch out, in particular, for the little things. Excellent attention to detail, and recurring, unmentioned, jokes, make this a joy to watch. Only thing is - I could not get with Daniel Craig's southern accent. Agree with "Ransom" on that one - "CSI KFC" indeed! But that was my only blip. Recommended.

Afterwards - who would've thought that the upstairs of the shopping complex has no internet access? While I was waiting for my phone to connect, I was amused by some guy, accompanied by his mate, who seemed to have - eh - lost a shoe?! So he was hopping everywhere, quite spectacularly. I eventually gave up on the internet, which turned out to be much better at ground level, where the patrons of the O2 Academy were making their sweaty way out, stripped down to their t-shirts. And I discovered that any bus that stopped across the road would get me home - happily, it was too far to walk home! Given the still-pouring rain, that was a relief. I was wet enough as it was.

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday, back with Civilised London for another jazz night at Wilton's. This time, it's Uri Sade.

On Tuesday, back for another comedy show at Soho Theatre - this time, it's Hench, by Jessica Fostekew.

On Wednesday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for a preview of Aisha and Abhaya, at the Linbury Theatre - apparently a new venue for the Opera House. My first time there.

I hadn't anything definite booked for next Thursday - which turned out to be for the best, as The Embers Collective has finally published their New Year's schedule! Very late notice - I swear this wasn't up yesterday. They have a show next Thursday, called Wild Beasts, in Cafe Cairo - and I've booked. Tickets, as usual, from Design My Night. I just hope I don't have a repeat of the last time I tried to get there, when the Tubes were down..

And on the 24th, I've booked for the Troy: Myth and Reality exhibition at the British Museum. Should be interesting.