Film: The Fabelmans

Well, back to Ireland for the weekend again. Interestingly, no scrum for the airport bus this week - it was very relaxed, in comparison to last time! Very relaxed driver too, considering he made us load our own luggage.. pity his driving wasn't as relaxed. What with the constant acceleration and braking, and a stuffy, over-warm bus, I felt a bit ill by the time we got there.

Anyway, I was in plenty of time to grab a sandwich at Pret. And we were boarded in due course, sat on the plane and waited. And then - it got interesting. A member of cabin crew asked could we please dig out our boarding passes again.. turned out that the computer that records your details as you scan your boarding pass as you board - wasn't working. So our details hadn't been recorded. And, I kid you not, a guy came on with a pen and paper, and wrote down all our details. And then off he went to enter those on the computer. And then we had to wait for them to get that computer working again, so they could board the rest of the plane - I'd thought it looked a bit empty! To top it all off, when we landed, someone was parked in our spot.. so the journey took a bit longer than it should have..

Film for the weekend was The Fabelmans (Oscar-nominated for Best Picture), in Ennis - an autobiographical tale from Stephen Spielberg, about how he got into filmmaking. Stars Michelle Williams (Oscar-nominated for Best Actress) as his mother, Paul Dano as his father, Judd Hirsch as his great-uncle, who spent his lifetime in the circus and drops by, following his grandmother's death, for a single, Oscar-nominated (Best Supporting Actor) scene,.and Seth Rogen as a friend of the family. Oh, and real-life director, David Lynch, as the legendary director, John Ford, whom Spielberg meets briefly, in one of the most spellbinding scenes of the film. Directed (with another Oscar nomination), co-produced, and co-written, by Steven Spielberg. Naturally.

An Evening Standard review said it best - this is pure.. magic. No more than expected, from the master magician of movies. All the characters are lovable, and despite the long running time, I didn't find it dragged at all. It's fascinating to watch as he learns his craft - and just near the end, as he's about to start making history, a couple of great scenes top it off.

First up is the scene after he plays the film he shot of the school's day at the beach, which he shows at the prom. He's been bullied a lot at school for being Jewish, but he makes one of the bullies the star, depicting him as a hero, winning the footrace. Afterwards, this guy seeks him out for an explanation. While they're talking, another bully appears - he didn't come across so well, and wants his revenge. Well, the first guy sees him off - then warns Fabelman (Spielberg) never to tell anyone about this. "Oh, I won't!" he reassures him. "Well, unless I put it in a film." Seeing the other guy's wary look, he hastily adds, "Which I never will!" Yeah, well, he did wait a while, huh..? ;-)

The other scene that stuck out to me was his chance meeting with legendary director, John Ford, who gruffly gives him a few minutes and a nugget of advice. Right at the end of the film, just as he's starting his career. And having watched years and years of his movies.. all I can say in response is, "Wow." This is like being there at the start. Just "Wow".

Back to London tonight, and tomorrow, I'm heading with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) to Noises Off, starring Felicity Kendal, at the Phoenix. Again, cheapest tickets from Official London Theatre (OLT).

On Tuesday, with a group I haven't joined in a Very Long Time - I'm back with London Dramatic Art, from whom I've got a front-row ticket for Sylvia, at The Old Vic; this is the story (in song) of Sylvia Pankhurst, and stars the excellent Beverley Knight. Completely sold out - this was my only way to get a ticket!

On Wednesday, back with the Horror Book Club. This time, it's The Ballad of Black Tom, based on the Lovecraft story, The Horror at Red Hook, but told from the perspective of a black man. I managed to get through the club's book, and read the entirety of the story it's based on, which is much shorter - and less coherent. Again, the meeting is in the Prince of Wales, Covent Garden. Question is, will the kitchen be open..?

On Thursday, I'm on my own for My Son's a Queer (but what can you do?), a musical at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On Friday, my first meeting of the year with London Classical Music and Theatre Group! We're off to Wigmore Hall, to listen to the Hagen Quartet play Mozart. They're Austrian, so that's appropriate.. I just need to remember not to drink the ultra-expensive sauvignon blanc! Meeting my sometime dinner companion beforehand, down the road at Olivelli.

On Saturday, well, Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are back to Greenwich again. Now, I have been there with him before.. not sure how "new" this one will be, but hey, it was a great day last time! Indeed, that evening might be the time to meet Ivan - and our coworker, if he's recovered, by then, from the jetlag he'll suffer from the trip to India he's currently on!

Next Sunday, nothing on Meetup appealed massively - I thought I might go for a walk along the Ken's Events route, if I feel like it! (on my own). Or Over 40 Living the Life has advertised a walk along the New River.. I'd have to see, as I have to pay to sign up (refunds given to those who then come). And I might well change my mind.. which I finally have, now that Free Stuff and Free Events has advertised a blues concert at the Earl of Chatham, Woolwich. It's a way out, is all - but then, it's free, if I want to cancel.

On the 6th, my first actual event with the Over 40s. We're off to How Not to Drown at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East - the first event of theirs for which I couldn't get a cheaper ticket! So I decided, if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them. True story of an unaccompanied, 11-year-old asylum seeker.

On the 7th, excited to be headed to see Derren Brown in Showman, at the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Cheapest tickets with OLT again.

On the 8th, off to The Lehman Trilogy, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Based on the true story of the bank that collapsed. Got the last £39.50 ticket!

On the 9th, back with UITCS for Winner's Curse, at the Park Theatre - an interactive show about a peace negotiation. Turns out North London Friends are headed to it the same night - what, are they now copying this group, as another group did some time ago? (since closed down). And then I'm back to Ireland again.

And on the 13th, I'm headed to Allegiance, starring George Takei in a musical based on the true story of his time in an American internment camp during the Second World War. Showing at the Charing Cross Theatre.