These three days, with nothing on Meetup that I fancy (and can make), I decided on film. Top of the list for Monday - that I could make, and looked like I might actually enjoy it - was The Sparring Partner, a Hong Kong film based on the true story of a young man who conspired with his friend to murder, and dismember, his parents. Closest showing was in the Odeon Luxe Haymarket - unfortunately, for days, I could neither confirm the times, book a ticket, nor see how it was booking, because the website wouldn't let me in! Even when I got access on my phone, it didn't work right - I always have trouble with Odeon. Apparently, I wasn't the only one - they were advising people to try to use the website incognito.
The website finally worked - on Monday! - only for me to see that the film was nearly sold out. So I booked in a hurry - getting half-price because I signed up as an Odeon member 10 years ago, when I first came to London! Anyway, I tried to get into O' Neill's again to eat - no such luck. The downstairs was packed, but the upstairs was open - but lo, they told me they were only taking bookings. Sod that, I made for the cinema.
Mercifully, it hadn't snowed any more - and hasn't, at time of writing - and the pavements are getting ever clearer, from constant footfall. The West End is particularly clear, given the volumes there. Realising I'd be crossing the Trafalgar Christmas Market, I thought I'd try for food there - I had time. Sadly, no mulled wine - but I had a very welcome burger. Caveat - if that's what you want, go to the stall in the middle of the market - it's £1 cheaper than the one at the edge. Location, location, location.. And after that, I treated myself to some churros - delighted to see these at all the markets now! Yummy. And very welcome in the cold we had that night..
And so to the cinema, where the screen wasn't open yet. They had pinot grigio on the shelf, so I asked for some of that - it was later that I saw sauvignon blanc on the menu. The pinot grigio wasn't great, TBH. Anyway, it wasn't long before the screen was open, and I headed in. All the seats here are recliners, nicely - there's a switch on the side that makes the back lower and the footrest rise. Which meant that all you could hear at the end of the film was the click and whirr of people's chairs being returned to an upright position.
So - it's an interesting film, about an interesting case. Nobody doubted that the victims' son was guilty - for reasons of his own, among them, obviously, a mental disorder, he had committed this crime. It happened in the other guy's flat - the big question at the time was: to what extent was he culpable? The victims' son claimed that the other guy was the ringleader, putting the idea in his head; conversely, the friend, who seemed to have a mental deficiency of his own due to a suicide attempt some years back, claimed he'd known nothing about it until he got home, whereupon the son made him help dispose of the bodies. The truth? probably lies somewhere in between.
The film is based around the lawyers' arguments and - more particularly - the jury deliberations. All sorts of possibilities are entertained - for instance, was the friend faking stupidity? Someone remarked that it's much easier to do that than to fake cleverness. Or perhaps he was just duped by the victims' son, who wanted someone to share the blame. I remember the same deliberations at the time. Go watch it - see whose story you believe, or whether you can come up with an alternative theory..
Again, it ran too late that night to blog, as I had to be up early.
Yesterday - hellfire, if the best thing on Meetup wasn't Free Stuff and Free Events, with another online singalong. I decided on film again - and this time, it was Ingmar Bergman's film, Fanny och Alexander (Fanny and Alexander), which is showing at the BFI. Which has a tendency to sell out - and sure enough, when I checked on Monday, it almost had. So, again, I booked.
I'm in a completely pointless set of sales meetings this week - should have been watching one while writing this, actually. It's part of everyone's induction, but completely pointless for me - the idea is to let everyone know the kind of things that the sales team finds important. So anyway, they're timed to suit the US, where most of the trainers and sales team are - which means they run really late into our evening. So I wasn't expecting to have time to eat - mercifully, one of the speakers couldn't make it, so I just about had! I ran to GBK - which is on the way, and - was completely empty!
Tight on time, I ordered and paid straight away - and gee, they had onion rings. For once. The guy warned it'd be about 10 minutes for the burger - what actually happened was the onion rings arrived after 10 minutes (he muttered something about bringing me a plate, but never did), with the burger not arriving until 10 minutes after that. By which time I'd eaten most of the onion rings. Well, I wolfed down the rest (which was very nice) and raced off, arriving just in time for one of the buses I could get to the cinema. And all was going well.. until we hit dreadful traffic in Aldwych. Including a wheelchair passenger - nothing against the guy, but it was another delay. Finally, when I got to the cinema, and tried taking the river entrance - I was blocked by an attendant who explained that there was a private function and it was blocked that way! So I had to go around. Was 6 minutes late - which, for the BFI, isn't good. Mercifully, they don't seem to have ushers on the doors, blocking latecomers, any more - and this is precisely why I booked an aisle seat. So I took my seat as unobtrusively as possible.
The film opens - well, the bit where I started opened - at Christmas 1907, in Sweden, in the sumptuous (and rather claustrophobic) household of a theatrical family, of which Alexander is one of the youngest members. Fanny is his sister, who doesn't get much of a look into the plot. Frankly, it's something of a relief to get to the next day, when most of the decorations have been removed, and the decor follows cooler, Scandinavian lines. Alexander is a dreamy young soul, but his and Fanny's happy childhood is disrupted by the death of their father, whereupon their pretty young mother marries a local bishop: a nightmare of a man, who sees Alexander's flights of fancy as lying, and disrespectful, and who lives a spartan lifestyle - a complete contrast to the luxurious life they've left behind.
It's a long film, coming in at three hours - a woman behind me remarked to her companion, at the end, "Well, that was long!". I didn't feel it, to be honest. Very glad to have seen this - it's beautifully shot, the characters frequently shot in closeup, continually holding our attention. I became completely engrossed in each aspect of the story. The conclusion of the story is delightful - but the plot isn't really as interesting as the characters living it. I actually really enjoyed it. 40 years old now, imagine.. And I had to be up early again, hence the delay in the blog.
Tonight, I'd arranged to attend another carol service - at St. Stephen's Walbrook - with an ex-flatmate. As advertised by London Cultureseekers. Started at 6pm. But wouldn't you know it - this blasted meeting ran on till practically then. And while I might not be paying attention, it's another thing entirely to sign off! So, so much for that. Instead, I'm at the cinema again - top of the list now is a Turkish film, Elif Ana. Based on a book, it tells the story of a little girl who grows up to be a healer. Full of music, by the looks of the trailer - and music that I like. Actually higher rated than Fanny och Alexander - but I didn't know it was on, not having redone the list yet, when I booked that! Well, tonight's film's closest showing is in Cineworld Wood Green - at 8.20, so I should be ok. Might get food up there somewhere - there's no earthly point in going to O' Neill's.
Tomorrow, back with the Crick Crack Club, yay! for The Winner Takes It All at Rich Mix. This, the club's last performance of the year, is performed by a congregation of souls known as Pandvani 108, comprising Ben Haggarty, Emily Hennessy, and Sheema Mukherjee, among others.
And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - just worked out that way - coinciding perfectly with a train strike! So I've booked a ticket on the bus - will just have to take that evening's meeting on my phone! If it even happens.. since I started this job, there hasn't been an evening meeting! Fingers crossed.. And would you believe it, there isn't a single film showing in any of my local cinemas in Ireland at the weekend that I haven't seen and want to see.. Bah humbug! Just have to go Christmas shopping. ;-)
On Monday, back with London Baroque Music Lovers for the first time in months! This time, we're back to see Les Arts Florissants, who are performing Charpentier's Christmas music at the Barbican.
On Tuesday, couldn't see anything on Meetup, again - so I'm with TAC for The Grotto, a Christmas comedy at the Drayton Arms, which was local to me, many years ago!
Next Wednesday, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group - we're going to St. John's, Smith Square to hear the Tallis Scholars. Which should be lovely!
And - last London event of the year, on the 22nd, goes to (drum roll).. Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners!! Oh, it'll be so good to see them again - I'm taking the day off specially. It's for Dickens in the City - a Festive Walk. Ah well now, I wouldn't miss the last of the year.. Starts nice and close to me too, at the Shakespeare's Head pub. And it's full, with four on the waitlist. Nice way to finish the year - I can't go on his walks so much now, while I'm working and he's only scheduling them during working hours..
On the 23rd, it's back to Ireland for Christmas. See you on the other side..! Have a very merry one.
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