Film: No Time to Die

Decided to see No Time to Die today - well, it was the obvious choice, especially with so little choice back here. Lots of showings, everywhere - Limerick Omniplex was the choice, with the lowest price and convenient parking.

They like you to book, and seeing that the 4pm was sold out, I did (it's also free to book) - although I was heading to the 2pm. Traffic was bad, what with ongoing roadworks on O' Connell Street - and when I finally got to the cinema, the car park was as full as I've seen it! Blame the James Bond phenomenon - several showings were already underway, having started before mine. So I parked right at the edge, pulled up my mask, gathered my stuff and headed in. I'd sensibly booked a seat right by the entrance, so not hard to find - and a very comfortable, leather, pullman seat it was. I was only just about organised by the time the feature started.

Well, you'll never be disappointed by a Bond film. Terrific production values, stunning scenery (this starts in Italy), thrilling action sequences. And I have to say, as someone who's not generally into action films, this is quite different from the norm, with humour and clever editing that really means I didn't feel the nearly three-hour running time. Interesting characters too, and surprisingly emotive scenes between Bond (Daniel Craig, in his last outing) and his girlfriend (Léa Seydoux), whom we were apparently introduced to in the last Bond film, Spectre, which I never did get around to seeing. Speaking of which, yes, it pays to have a knowledge of that film - I looked up the Wikipedia plot summary, and was glad of it.

So, Christoph Waltz apparently showed up in that as the arch-enemy, and makes another appearance here - although that title more properly now belongs to Rami Malek, with everyone criticising the decision to give him a scarred face, as it's discriminatory to people with physical characteristics like that. Ana de Armas plays a delightfully inexperienced agent, Ralph Fiennes is M, Ben Whishaw is Q, and Hugh Dennis gives an excellent cameo as a scientist working on MI6's secret weapon.

The whole way through, I found myself marvelling at the plot twists - clever, you know. And sure enough, Phoebe Waller-Bridge was one of the writing team. For one thing, with Bond retired (when the film starts), there's a new, female 007! As I say, with emotional scenes between Bond and his girlfriend, the character is taken in a new direction - and as you watch the ending, start thinking about what the next Bond film is going to look like. Because, especially with the interest for this, I'm pretty sure there'll be another! and by the looks of tis ending, it could be quite interesting. Anyway, this is well worth seeing - as I remarked afterwards, I'm not an authority on Bond, but this must be up there with the very best of them!

Working from home tomorrow, and flying back to London that evening.

On Tuesday, I found a curious thing on Meetup - it seems that Watkins Bookshop has its own Meetup group, where it advertises events, and that day there's a talk by Stephen Skinner, about Aleister Crowley's Four Books of Magick. Ok, sounds interesting to me - I signed up. It is a bit early, so I'll have to see how we go. Especially now that the office has advertised they're bringing in cake that day, in honour of World Mental Health Day. They're making active efforts to bribe us to come in - and indeed, when nothing in particular is happening, it's like a graveyard! So, if that attracts a crowd, you never know - we might head for drinks again.

On Wednesday, we were supposed to be with Civilised London. We were booked for what promised to be another excellent meal, this time at the Korean restaurant, The Petite Corée. Meeting beforehand in The Railway pub. Sadly, got word during the week that it's been cancelled - the organiser has personal business. So, instead I'm with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for a double bill at the Royal Court - What If If Only (15 minutes long) and Is God Is, later that evening. The short play is only £5 if booked with the other.

On Thursday, back at last with London European Club (LEC)! Happily, they're going to what I'd be going to anyway.. the Crick Crack Club is performing The Women Who Gave No F*cks, at Rich Mix. Fantastic when the London European Club decide to come..

On Friday, woo! A couple of weeks ago, UITCS was off to 2:22 - A Ghost Story, but I was meeting an ex-colleague for drinks that night and couldn't go. Well, I got a ticket for the 15th - second-last night of the run! Unfortunately, cheapest available were £65, and no availability with cheap ticket sellers - ah well, I decided I really wanted to see it (great reviews helped), so I booked. Had great fun trying to decide which of the few remaining seats at that price was the best.. Showing at the Noel Coward Theatre. And with all the cheap shows I'm going to, I can afford it!

On Saturday, my first outing with another new group - Bucket List London is off to Kenwood House, and I said I'd join them. You don't have to book, but it guarantees availability- tickets for free from English Heritage, via See Tickets.

Next Sunday, I found something interesting with London Walks, Art & Culture Explorers! Yet another new one for me. This is an "Uncomfortable Statues Walk" - statues commemorating controversial people. I can think of a few, and it'll be interesting to see which come up on this!

On the 18th, I'm with London Classical Music & Theatre Group, for a choral performance (annual, apparently) by The Sixteen in Temple Church. Fantastic, and I've never actually been inside!

On the 19th, I'm with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex (!). They have an online talk entitled Hallowe'en Penny Dreadful Online Show - The Art of Victorian Horror. I have to say, online has become much more of an option since lockdown.

On the 20th, I booked another walk with Invigorate - this one is a tour of (the outside of) Christopher Wren's churches.

On the 21st, an online storytelling double-bill - I'll have to see how that pans out. First, I'd booked Universe, a Crick Crack show happening in Oxford and live-streamed. Clare Murphy - and I've seen it before, and it was the best show ever! And then I saw that Martin Shaw, another member of Crick Crack, was doing an online show, earlier in the evening.. this one, in association with Watkins again, is called The Smoke Hole, and it's free. So I said, hey, why not?

On the 22nd, back with the LEC for a concert - Balkan Music, courtesy of Raka & Balamuc, in The Post Bar, Tottenham. Sounds like fun. Then I'm back to Ireland - another Saturday flight - and with a few days off, I'm not flying back until the 28th.

But on the 29th, back with that group again, for Carmen - contemporary flamenco at The Place. Funnily enough, someone in the group said there were no individual seats left, and asked whether anyone wanted to double up with her. I offered, if there were no other takers - but she never got back to me. So, since I was now up to that date in my schedule, I decided to check for myself - and got an individual seat! So I've booked it.

And on the 30th, I'm doing something nice and Halloweeny - a ghost story event entitled Night Owl - changed from Scared to Death in the Woods, which they're now doing on Hallowe'en itself, and which has sold out. Tickets from Design My Night. So, an organisation called London Dreamtime is leading us off into a undisclosed location, somewhere around Hampstead Heath.. we're to dress warmly, and bring a blanket to sit on, and a "candle in a jar" - I actually went out and bought an LED flickering candle in a lantern-style holder. Well, thought it was the most practical!