Film: CODA

Tonight was film - with a few Indian films at the top of the list looking unappealing, I rejected them when I checked out the trailers. Which left CODA! Winner of best picture, best supporting actor, and best adapted screenplay at the Oscars, this was actually showing a while ago and is no longer on general release. I missed it at the time, and am lucky that Riverside Studios decided to re-release it, on foot of its Oscar success, for just two days, today and tomorrow. There's only one showing each day though, and early enough, so I'd have to hustle to make it all the way out there in time! Wasn't booking out, so I didn't book. "CODA" stands for "Child Of Deaf Adults", and focuses on the hearing child of deaf parents, who kind of deserts them when she decides that she actually wants to pursue a career they can have no real appreciation of - singing, of all things! Marlee Matlin plays the mother.

Tube, of course, so far out, and I was lucky enough to catch one straight away. Then I got lost, looking for the way to Riverside - well, it's been a while since I was last there! And as for Riverside itself - huh. Completely forgot where the entrance was. They really should have a signpost of some kind, pointing to the right as you come from the station, as most people do! I wasted some minutes figuring out the correct direction, finally coming across the entrance. The lady who greeted me at the box office had to direct me to her colleague - they only had one card reader. That lady, having sold me my ticket, was good enough to volunteer to tell me where to go. Damn confusing building. Anyway, at least when you get near the stairs heading down to the cinema, there's a sign.

Downstairs, I headed for the bar first, for a glass of wine and a pot of chocolate jazzies - I was hungry. And so into the smaller screen, where the trailers were showing. Good timing then! The film itself is subtitled. It'd have to be anyway, for the scenes with only sign language, but actually it all is. Indeed, I'm sure I passed a deaf lady as I was looking for the door (signing to her friend, who was inside the glass, obviously asking the same thing!). There were probably deaf people at the screening. Nice to see.

It's an interesting point they make - what happens if you grow up as the only hearing person in the family? So, we learn that when she started school, she was bullied because of her "funny accent". And as she has grown older, she's got interested in music - but it's something none of the family get at all. She is told off for listening to music on her earbuds, which, as she points out, she has to because everyone is so noisy! Indeed, they are so deliberately - if someone puts dishes down with a clatter, you can feel the vibration in the table. Her dad drives with rap music blaring at full volume - he can feel the vibration. It's a nightmare for a hearing person.

On top of all this, her father and brother have a fishing business, but legally need a hearing person on board for using the radio, hearing sirens and warnings etc. And she doesn't have to be paid.. so she gets up at 3am to work with them, falls asleep in class, and everyone makes fun of her. And when she turns around and says she wants to go and study music.. and they just don't get it.. and can't tell whether she's any good.. well.

How they overcome all this is a fascinating tale, and heartwarming too. As her classmate points out, at least her parents are mad about each other - his can't stand each other! The acting, as you'd expect, is superb, and it's a gorgeous film. Troy Kotsur, who plays her dad, really deserves that Oscar. One you really should see.

Tomorrow, I have another flat viewing scheduled - with no word about the last one, I think I'd better attend. It is slightly closer to the office, you never know, it might suit better. For the evening, I was without anything in particular to do for a while - unusually for a Wednesday! Of course, Meetup annoyingly doesn't always show everything running on a particular day - not even for your own groups. So it was only last week that it reminded me that Up in the Cheap Seats had an event on! They're going to see The Misfortune of the English, at the Orange Tree, and I got the last cheap ticket in the front row. It's based on the true story of a group of English schoolboys who arrived in Nazi Germany in 1938 to go on a walking tour in the Black Forest - just as a blizzard kicked in. And it'll be lovely to see some folks I haven't seen in ages! My only social event of the week, too. Delighted I caught this.

On Thursday, back to Riverside, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'll be singing popular show songs. And at least I know where I'm going, now!

Then back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! So, thinking of that for Saturday. (Funnily enough, that was the first trailer I saw, this evening.)

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle. (And this was the second trailer I saw this evening! The third was for Operation Mincemeat, which of course I've already seen.)

Back then on Monday, and next Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

On the 4th (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen tomorrow, which was why I was left with nothing to do tomorrow. Unfortunately, on the 4th, it clashes with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

On the 5th, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric (which I passed this evening, helpfully). Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Friday evenings. Our ex-colleague is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.