Film: The Pope's Exorcist

My mother is doing quite well in allowing me out in the evenings - obviously because I'm back for an extended period. Which meant I could get to the cinema this evening. Top of a short list was The Pope's Exorcist, which stars Russell Crowe as the real-life Fr. Gabriele Amorth. Looked ok - and I was rather more convinced by a review I found than by the clip on the IMDB page.. as he says, the best thing about it is Russell Crowe, whose first horror film this is! The review, BTW, is quite decent, if a little repetitive - could have done with some editing. But he sounds like he knows his stuff. Says that, apart from Russell Crowe being in it, it's quite a bog-standard horror - with good effects. Anyway.. earliest showing was in the Omniplex.

So, off I went, arriving with five minutes to spare. Turned out I was hungry, so queued for some chocolate - it went slightly past the scheduled time, but of course that doesn't make any different in mainstream cinema, there are always ads.

Now, I always book for the Omniplex - it's the same price, and saves time. My though, was I glad I'd booked this evening - when I went in, it was packed! Of course, it's in a small screen. So I made my way to my appointed seat - people really had to stick to their bookings this evening, there wasn't much room for leeway. As to the crowd - a couple of premature shrieks during the film, but what was annoying was the chatter from behind us. They had to be told several times to shut it. Personally, I was sufficiently absorbed in the film that it didn't make much difference to me - nor did the couple making out in the front row. Honestly though, you'd wonder how so many people just don't know how to behave in the cinema.. Even the lady beside me, who was one of those who complained about the noise, felt it necessary to check her phone during the film!

Basically, the aforementioned review was spot on. It is a good horror film, well-acted, good sfx, and Russell Crowe is terrific. Apart from one jump scare I thought laid it on a bit thick, I didn't see any overacting or cheap thrills. Oh, and yes, there is something of an eye-roll at the end, where they set it up for sequels. And yes, we've seen most of this before - any demonic possession would have to be pretty unusual to stand out from all the others we've seen depicted. However - I adore a good demonic possession, with the whole theatricality of Catholicism laid out as armour against the devil. And this has it in spades.. I loved the film. Like the reviewer, I'm unsure there will actually be sequels - but this is worth watching if you're into the genre. Delighted to have seen it.

Tomorrow, I'm at a concert at the University Concert Hall, Limerick - Dolans Presents Scott Bradlees Postmodern Jukebox.

On Monday, if I get to the cinema again, the very last decent thing on locally in mainstream cinema is God's Creatures, also at the Omniplex, in which Emily Watson plays Paul Mescal's mother, in an isolated fishing village - sounds Irish, by the accents - where she finds herself lying for him. Which has repercussions..

Now, I have an old friend, Vicki, in Cork, whom I usually go down to see once a year, staying the night - usually at Christmas, but she was too busy for me last Christmas. So we've arranged for me to go and stay on Tuesday, coming back on Wednesday. Now, that realistically means I can't fly to London before Thursday - but with nothing unmissable on Friday, I'm flying back that day instead. I checked on my holiday request, and it looked approved..

On Thursday, I might think of Plan 75, showing at the Belltable as part of the Japanese Film Festival - people aged 75 or older are given the option of assisted suicide, with free burial, and a $1000 grant to do with as they please.

I definitely have to be back in London for next Saturday though, when I'm booked on another walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! This one is A City built by a Genius - Wren's London. And as of now, he's scheduling walks I haven't done for days I can make them! Very cool.. because I do love his walks. And lunches.

Now, my boss suggested - quite a while ago - that we might have a jaunt to the head office in Tel Aviv on the 16th! I hadn't heard anything since, though - so I finally asked him. He confirmed that it won't be until at least next month now - wants to get the latest release out. So I'll be in London that week. However, there isn't honestly much coming up on Meetup - so, for the 19th, I've booked For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide.. at the Apollo. I have a front-row seat in the Dress Circle - now, I seem to remember ridiculously tight legroom, here - so I'm at the end of a row, and Seatplan says it'll be OK if I lean forward..

On the 20th, I'm with TAC for a talk on Arab & Islamic Roots of Europe's Architecture, at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend. On the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for The Secret Life of Bees, at the Almeida - no seats left in the stalls! Seatplan made me wary of the cheapest seats, so I'm in the next bracket up..

And on the 25th, back with Over 40 Living the Life, for dinner at the Greenwich Yacht Club again. Well, it was good last time - good food, cheap prices, good company. Three of us going so far - I'm sure there'll be more!