Film: Tetris

Today was film, so I was waiting for the film listings - and I was delighted with what came up. Top of the list was Tetris, would you believe! Now, this is a game I used to love - and it seems it also has an interesting backstory! The chameleon-like Taron Egerton plays the Dutch/American businessman who wants the rights, but it seems the inventor is actually a programmer in Soviet Russia. Cue lots of Cold War-style intrigue - right when the USSR was collapsing, in 1989. So, was also looking forward to sights and sounds I remember from then! Also stars Toby Jones, as the first non-Russian to get the rights. Seems the real story wasn't quite as exciting as depicted - but you know what they say about not letting the truth get in the way of a good story! Anyway, the trailer looked fantastic. Streaming on Apple TV+, if you have it.. In cinemas, it seems to be exclusively in the Everyman - not all of them though, and the closest showing to me is in the Screen on the Green. I was too damn interested not to see this.

And then its rating fell. :-( Now, top of the list is Mrs. Chatterjee Vs. Norway - based on the true story of an Indian woman, living in Norway, whose children were taken into care. Differences in perceptions of how children should be raised, apparently. Only showing in Cineworld Wood Green at a time I could manage - but do you know, I much rather fancied Tetris. Anyway, its rating had risen again..

Yeah, that was a no-brainer, wasn't it?! So, off I headed for the Screen on the Green. I'd never been there before, but it's not hard to navigate - I do believe they only have one screen! Bought a ticket when I arrived, to save the booking fee - it wasn't booking out, by any means. The nice lady showed me to my seat and gave me a menu, saying someone would be along to take my order. Now, I hadn't had dinner, so.. they have hot dogs (which I can't eat here) and pizzas (which I'm not generally keen on). I plumped for a garlic flatbread - and since they have wine by the carafe, yes, one of those too please! Ooh, and they have honeycomb bites! Love 'em. So, all of the above.

I have to say, it all arrived much quicker than at Odeon Luxe & Dine Islington! And the garlic bread was actually hot - and yummy. I had everything but the wine finished by the time the film started.

:-) Wow, this is a nostalgia-fest! People goggle-eyed over clunky graphics, cooing over the Game Boy.. never mind the huge boarding passes. (Mind you, Aer Lingus still likes those!) Moscow is as grey and forbidding as you could wish for. Some Russian heavies really look the business. And oh, the music.. Yes, The Final Countdown, which is in the trailer - but also a Russian Holding Out for a Hero, and this earworm of a Russian-sounding piece, which I'm still humming, and shall be for a while..

The story, basically, is about how there was practically a shoot-out with our protagonist, the Dutch/American guy, with Nintendo behind him, and the Maxwells for the worldwide rights, the Russians playing both sides against each other. I believe the car chase didn't really happen - but it's great theatre. The whole thing is great fun! although I can guarantee I wouldn't have been as understanding as the American's wife.. Highly recommended, certainly for anyone who remembers this stuff from the first time around.

Hadn't had time to eat beforehand, so needed to on the way home - and couldn't see anything better than The Lucas Arms. Just about got there before the kitchen closed, and just about managed to get a table. But they were out of pie! so I had the BBQ chicken - which, the guy remarked, he thought might be the last portion.. It was OK, not as nice as the one I've had in the Museum Tavern though, and I don't think I'll have it again. But I got fed. And am I stoked that I've seen this film..

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Unfriend, in The Criterion Theatre. A comedy about a British family that befriend an American lady while on holiday over there, and agree to keep in touch. Now she's on a plane over to see them - and they've discovered a terrible secret about her! How to they get rid of her - politely..? Sounds excellent. My though, I had terrible trouble trying to find a decent seat - everything left that was cheap seemed to be behind a pillar! and they aren't small pillars, as I discovered thanks to Seatplan. I finally plumped for something in the back row of the Dress Circle, where the pillars are thinner. Hey, you never know, I might be upgraded..

On Wednesday, back with the Horror Book Club, at the Prince of Wales in Drury Lane, as usual. And wow, this month's book is a doozy - House of Leaves is a massive tome, which I started reading years ago and never did get finished. I couldn't find that copy, so ended up buying it again - but am I finding the time to read it? Well, I'm doing my best, and it is a cracking read. Here's hoping I get it finished in time, as it's quite dense.. I'm still only under 250 pages through a nearly 700-page story.. Thank goodness for the unconventional publishing style, where some pages have hardly anything on them!

On Thursday, with a bank holiday next day, flying back to Ireland. Aer Lingus, because I left it too late to book with Ryanair, and the evening flights were gone. 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 the 11th this year, coming back the next day. Now, that realistically means I can't fly to London before the 13th - but with nothing unmissable on the 14th, I'm flying back that day instead. I finally got my holiday request in - as the boss says, let's see what we get done this week.. Well, if I am denied the holiday, I'll just have to take the laptop with me. Which could get interesting, as I'd have to have it on in the car on the road to Cork..

I definitely have to be back for the 15th 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 UITCS 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!