Film: Nope

Today, I decided on film. Having garnered all the available films this week, I had an interesting choice to make: ended up eliminating lots of films from the top of the list for sheer lack of interest! Basically, the decision process ran like - if this came on TV, would I watch it or turn it off? And so I came down to the one I really wanted to see. Nope is the latest from the excellent Jordan Peele, and stars Daniel Kaluuya (again) as the hapless victim of horrific events - extra-terrestrials this time. With Jordan Peele's typical injection of humour, this promised to be fun! And it's on at my local, so I got to see it for free.

Didn't go to the first showing of the day, which would have clashed with my daily afternoon call to my mother - nope, I waited for the early evening one. By which stage I was quite peckish, but it did give me time to get some errands done through the afternoon. I then schlepped down to the cinema, dropping off some recycling en route, and shopped for a greetings card, as I was early. (How organised am I!) Seriously - when the young shop assistant asked whether she could help, and I asked for condolence cards, she didn't know what I was talking about! "Would 'thank you' cards do?" Eh, no.. Well, I found what I was looking for, and I hope she learned something. Honestly..

That done, I headed to the cinema early. The man - unusually - wanted me to swipe my membership card! Aagh! Well, that not being an option, he switched me over to the monitor pointed in my direction, so I could help him to find me on the system. That done, I chose my seat - it wasn't selling out - and asked for chocolate-covered honeycomb bites. They didn't have them.. nooooo! I consoled myself with a v nice glass of sauvignon blanc, and took myself downstairs to the cinema, which wasn't open yet - they have a bar on each level, and by the time I'd gotten down to the basement, I felt like having chocolate buttons. So I did - and once I'd ascertained where my screen was (I'd never been in the Renoir before), I had a seat nearby - it wasn't open yet - and scoffed them. I was peckish.

Went in at around the scheduled start time - there was no announcement. The ads were on, soon followed by the trailers - meantime, I settled myself in my comfy pullman seat and positioned my wine on the side table. The seats are curved around the screen in this small room - I should maybe have taken a more central seat, but it was OK.

Ah man, this is terrific! Yes, it's fantastic fun - and as I snuggled into my chair, I was also seriously impressed by the man's ability to drag out the suspense. The alien craft is huge, and suitably mysterious - and as it gets closer, it emits this fantastic, low drone; my glass rattled every time. As is revealed in the trailer, Daniel Kaluuya figures out that it won't eat you if you don't look at it. So you have this terrific image of people hiding behind walls, under tables or whatever - and resolutely looking anywhere but at the THING behind them!

He's a fantastic, deadpan actor, BTW - goes through the entire film with a kind of "why me?" attitude that is a real antidote to the terror unfolding. As for the title - well, people have theorised that it stands for "Not Of Planet Earth". My first idea, personally, was that it was just what people said when confronted with this thing - as in, "Nope, not looking over there!" or "Nope, that didn't just happen!"

Jordan Peele, mind you, throws a lot of puzzles into this mix - imagery that's just off, visual gags.. one of the themes in this film is the treatment of animals for showbusiness, and how it can backfire. Watch for the recreation of a real-life chimp attack, whose victim makes an appearance.

Beautifully shot, terrific suspense - this is a real rollercoaster, and the best fun! Very highly recommended - if your nerves can stand it. Also, his vision of what the spacecraft really looks like is refreshingly believable - actually really beautiful, in a terrifying sort of way.

Afterwards, I headed for food. There are a couple of restaurants nearby - I decided to try Gourmet Burger Kitchen, which I hadn't eaten in for years, but remembered as being really good. Only one person greeting people, taking orders, serving food, and clearing tables - the other, younger, guy seemed confined to delivering drinks. Really carefully. Anyway, I was told I could sit where I pleased - so I sat way over in the corner. Was told I could order on the app, or he'd come over - well, the app didn't work, and I could barely get any reception there anyway - so a verbal order it was.

It was hard to choose between a beefburger and a chicken burger - I eventually plumped for a basic chicken burger, but with the chicken in breadcrumbs. Asked whether I'd like fries with that, I chose onion rings instead. And a glass of wine. Now, everything took a while to arrive - and oh, the care and attention that lad gave to carrying my drink out! But wow, it was all worth the wait. The onion rings came fetchingly stacked on a little wooden pole - and the burger was just divine, including both a relish, and their "special sauce". Man, these are the best burgers.. I gobbled it all, and was too stuffed for dessert - had a second glass of wine, though. You can ask to pay at your table, but I figured it'd be faster if I went to the till. So, highly recommended - but maybe not if you're in a hurry.

Interview for another contract tomorrow morning. Then, of course, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. Planned film for the weekend is looking - finally - like Thor: Love and Thunder. Well, I've seen everything better - no longer showing in Ennis, so I'll see it at the Omniplex.

Stars Chris Hemsworth in the title role, with, jeez - Natalie Portman as his ex-girlfriend: Christian Bale heavily made-up as the villain: Tessa Thompson as a valkyrie, as in Thor: Ragnarok - although I think in this one she's been promoted: the voice of Taika Waititi as an old god (he also directs and co-writes): Russell Crowe as Zeus: Chris Pratt as a star lord (no, me either): Dave Bautista as a kind of sympathetic mercenary (sorry, I just don't follow this stuff in general!): the voices of Vin Diesel (as a talking tree) and Bradley Cooper (as his raccoon sidekick): Ben Falcone as the Asgardian stage manager (!): Simon Russell Beale as Dionysus (way!): Tristan (Thor as a kid) and Sasha Hemsworth (an Asgardian kid) - Chris' twin sons: Matt Damon (uncredited) as an actor recreating Loki's part in Thor - Ragnarok: Luke Hemsworth (yes, Chris' brother) (uncredited) as an actor recreating Thor in Thor - Ragnarok (how appropriate!): Melissa McCarthy (uncredited) as an actor playing Loki's daughter: and Sam Neill (uncredited) as an actor playing Odin. Gee, you think they all really wanted to get involved..?! Anyway. I loved Thor: Ragnarok, which is hilarious.. this isn't, apparently, as good, but as I say, is top of what's left! and stands on its own merit, I hear.

On Monday, planning another film. Now, next week's film list is partially out - but since the lockdowns, the film times just aren't coming out promptly any more. So there I was, checking film times for a couple of films at the top of the list I had, both showing at Hackney Picturehouse. Looked up the films showing there that day - and lo, I got a list of films, many of which were not mentioned on the overall film listing site yet at all! Have now added them to my list - and thus, I have a new film at the top, for next week. Girls Can't Surf is a documentary about how women broke into the male-dominated world of surfing. I'm not into surfing - but am always up for a feminist tale! Showing in a number of Picturehouses - and if I should happen to be working by then, there are evening showing options.

On Tuesday, I had already booked for Tom, Dick & Harry at Alexandra Palace. This is the story of the POW camp escape, during WWII, which was fictionalised in The Great Escape. ("Tom", "Dick", and "Harry" were the names of the escape tunnels.) I got my ticket from London Theatre Direct. And then, wouldn't you know it, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) decided to go the same night! So I'm going with them, which will be nice. Sadly, I missed out on the deal they snagged from TodayTix, which is even cheaper..

On Wednesday - well, with a dearth of alternatives, I'm thinking of SCFSS again.

Next Thursday, I'm back with UITCS - crikey, when's the last time that happened, twice with them in one week! This time, it's for Yeast Nation in Southwark Playhouse. Bless, they always put on something interesting.. Anyway, with my old payg subscription used up, I've taken out another - £60 gets you five tickets, over an unlimited period. Excellent value! and I have such good memories of evenings spent in the bar here. Sadly, these days, memories are all I have of it, with this group unwilling to drink after shows.

On the 26th, I got a cheap ticket with TAC to the Cabaret All-Stars!

The 27th is going to be busy - I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners for a walk called Glorious Greenwich. So popular, he's reached capacity and there are six on the waitlist! He's having trouble finding somewhere to squeeze us all in for lunch after..

That evening, I'm meeting two ex-coworkers for dinner and drinks. Unfortunately, one of them can only manage central London - Greenwich is too awkward for him. Venue TBC, but I've floated the idea of going back to Imad's Syrian Kitchen.. perfect location, great restaurant!

And on the 28th, I'm off to Rye. London and Sussex Walking Tours - whom I joined during lockdown - are running a daytrip! called Rye - Pirates, Ports and Jazz (they also have a jazz festival that weekend): and I've never been. It's a bit of a palaver to get to, involving two trains - but well, it's about time I travelled a bit, and it's not too early a start. And the tour itself ends early in the day, so I have plenty of time to eat and explore before my train(s) back.