Ideal Home Show Christmas & Film: The Imitation Game

Yes, I dutifully went to both things I had a free ticket for, today! Good for me.

After a late night blogging, I was up quite late. And I hadn't showered either, so did before I left - which made me quite late for the Ideal Home Show Christmas. Fortunately, it was on at Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, which is under 10 minutes walk away. Sad really - it'll probably be the last show I see there, they're planning on turning it into flats at the end of the year. Not that I'll be able to afford one, of course..

I made it with just under an hour to go before it closed. Less time than I'd have liked, really. My first port of call is usually to get a goody bag - they give away a bag-full of free stuff. Not usually anything useful, but you know how people do like to get something for free. Well, this year, for once, I was spared going through the bag to see what I'd got; the front desk was unoccupied, and further in, I found the stall where you could collect your freebies. And then I realised that the enormous queue, which I'd thought was for food, was instead for goody bags. Gee, that was that then - if I'd joined the end of the queue, I wouldn't have seen anything!

At least I didn't have to carry a bag-full of brochures then, as I meandered through the stands. It soon became apparent, however, that I wasn't going to have much to carry at all - this year's affair was a bit of a damp squib. I didn't want homewares or decorations. I saw plenty of candle stalls, but I didn't want any of those either. There were a few decent jewellery stands, but I didn't see anything I fancied - nor among the clothes stands. There were no fudge stands, or hot chocolate stands, as in previous years!

There were some of the usual suspects, whose wares I already have enough of. There was one really interesting chocolate stand, where they had chocolate novelty items, in the shape of.. tools. Now, that's really interesting, but unless you happen to know someone who's both a chocolate fanatic and keen on DIY.. The Cats Protection League tried to grab my attention, but I already donate to the Battersea Cats & Dogs Home, and I think that'll do for now. My attention was also craved by a guy who wanted to clean my glasses. Eh, no thanks. Indeed, not buying very much at all, I zipped through the exhibition in no time, and was out of there by 5.45. Glad the ticket was free..

My other mission of the day was to use my remaining Sweet Sundays cinema voucher. Now, these were available with sweet packets - max two per email address - and entitle the user to a free ticket with a named cinema chain - Cineworld or Odeon. Cineworld is handier for me, so that's what I chose. Unfortunately, I've been a bit busy, and before today had only used one of them. Anyway, they have to be used before Dec 7, and since they can only be used on a Sunday, and I'm in Ireland the next two weekends, this was my last chance!

So I had a look at what was on in Cineworld. Luckily, this is a great time of the year for good films, and the choice was decent - top of the list, having shot up the IMDB ratings, was The Imitation Game. There was a showing of that in my local Cineworld at 8.50, which gave me some downtime before I had to head out again. It was bitterly cold by the time I did, mind - I'm back in thermals for the first time this year.

No need to look up directions - it's been a while, but I remembered. And again, it's close enough to walk - so this was a cheap day's entertainment! I was glad to arrive and get in from the cold. Given that I had to hand in a voucher, I was worried that, as so often here, there wouldn't be anyone at a desk for me to ask - but it was the evening showing, and there was. Indeed, the person in front of me had one of the same vouchers, and asked for the same film, I think.

I ended up with a seat in a row that was quite high up - but the stairs here, although not complete with railing, are helpful to someone with a stairs phobia - they're graduated; every second step is a long one, which really helps steady me. The cinema was decently full, despite the film having been out for a while. And after a few ads, we were into the film..

This is a biopic of Alan Turing, the English mathematician who cracked the German Enigma code during the Second World War, but was later convicted for homosexuality. He's played by Benedict Cumberbatch, with Keira Knightley as his fiancée, Matthew Goode as his commanding officer, and Charles Dance as Commander Denniston, the head of the codebreaking school, who employed him. Mark Strong plays the head of MI6.

You'd have to say that Alan Turing comes across as an unlikeable character - geeky, introverted, unsympathetic. Displays a distinct lack of empathy with others. So it's immensely to Benedict Cumberbatch's credit that we find him so sympathetic, and find ourselves rooting for him so much! You know, you could get tired of Benedict Cumberbatch - he's everywhere. But it's a film like this that shows what a really fine actor he is. This is truly an Oscar-winning performance, and fans of Benedict Cumberbatch would be advised to see this film for him alone - as would everyone, really!

People don't like Keira Knightley, and I think it must be down to the jaw. She has a really pronounced jawline. But you know, we really shouldn't discriminate against her for that - and she does a fine job here, as do they all. Kudos to the film-makers for making cryptography interesting; this is a maths film - albeit with an interesting application - that grips its audience from start to finish. I rarely find a film where my attention never wanders, but this was one such. Highly recommended.

Tomorrow, back to the office, and back to normal, I guess! I've booked to see Our Town, in the Almeida, tomorrow evening. Pity it's such a long way away - the Almeida is known for staging great productions, that tend to make it to the West End later..

Film: Pek Yakinda (Coming Soon)

Went to some effort last night to get this week's film list done, and at the end I noticed that a lot of films had achieved very high scores (so far) - so high that only the 8s and 9s are in contention this week! Two films tied for the top place and a score of 9, but the other was Haider, an Indian adaptation of Hamlet. I'm sure it's very good, but I've always had a problem with the character, and I guessed, from the trailer, that the same would be true of this film. So I decided to go to Pek Yakinda instead, a Turkish comedy about a guy trying to win back his estranged wife by making a film (turns out she's an actor, see, looking for work, and he's a dvd pirate turned would-be film producer and trying to prove he's on the straight and narrow now).

When I checked it today, it had slipped in IMDB ratings - but only slightly, to 8.9. This left it joint top with The Imitation Game, the new biopic of codebreaker Alan Turing, played by the omnipresent Benedict Cumberbatch, with Keira Knightly as his fiancée. Also stars Matthew Goode and Charles Dance. And I'll be very happy to go see it. Thing is, though, it's only previewing this week, and only on Thursday afternoon, when I'll be at work, and Wednesday evening, when I've already booked to see Pitcairn, at the Globe again - a drama about what happened when Fletcher Christian was left in charge. (Got a fantastic deal on that from the Globe website, using the code PCDWRITE, which gave me any seat I wanted for £10. They give these offers occasionally.) Must remember to take my camera that evening - the view as you exit onto Bankside in the dark is stupendous!

Anyhoo. So, The Imitation Game is off my film list this week, and I was back to Pek Yakinda. The nearest place it's showing is Cineworld Wood Green, which, although a long way away, is easy enough to get to - Piccadilly Line to Wood Green, hang a left and walk for a few minutes, past the Vue (they're well served for cinemas there). I would've booked online, but they've now introduced a booking fee, so I decided to get my ticket in the cinema. That meant printing out the voucher. Unfortunately, the first sheet of paper I used was crumpled and the code they need to scan didn't come out right - it required a second run. And the faulty colour cartridge in my seldom-used printer made the code appear rather green. Ah well, better than depending on iffy smartphone coverage, and being able to find the email when I need it, and enlarge it enough to scan..

I was unlucky with the Tube - I decided to take the Tube to Earl's Court, where I had to catch the Piccadilly line, rather than walk. Unfortunately, Chelsea was playing today, as I discovered - and the match must just have ended, because the trains pulling into West Brompton were as crammed as anything you'd see at rush hour. (Chelsea's home ground, Stamford Bridge, is near the next station along, Fulham Broadway.) I had to let the first train go by, there wasn't room. For the next, I made for the back of the train, since the front hadn't done me any good the last time - there was space at the very last door, and I was off at last! and glad to be changing at the next stop. The Piccadilly line was a bit better, and I even got a seat at the next stop after that. The crowds dissipated, finally, at Kings Cross St Pancras.

We eventually rolled into Wood Green, and I found my way without trouble. Damn chilly day though - we're definitely into autumn! I spent longer queueing at the chaotic concession counters - the box office was closed, and that's where you had to get your ticket - than I had walking there. Good job I was early - must have been at least 10 minutes. After an anxious moment, she got the code to scan and I got my ticket - annoyingly, the monitors don't swivel, so she couldn't show me the seat availability as I was choosing mine - I just asked her for an aisle seat in the middle. The screen wasn't ready when I asked, so I moseyed over to the pick n mix, where the queue wasn't as bad. Ages since I've had pick n mix - had forgotten how pricey they are! Ah well, I got the film for free.

Some seats had been prebooked - not many. Anyway, she'd given me a seat in Row G - the stairs start at Row C, so I had to climb a bit, but with frequent wide steps, I was fairly ok. Another horror film trailer to start - again, 'tis the season! The Babadook - sounds half decent. I took my seat and started to pig out on pick n mix.

The film? It's good! Maybe not 8.9 standard - on reflection, I think I'd give it a 7.6 or so. It has a gentle humour - gentler than some foreign comedies, and with a rockin' soundtrack. The characters are sympathetic, and I did really enjoy it. Recommended if you come across it, but don't go out of your way.

I had an uncomfortable journey back, with indigestion partly attributable to pick n mix overindulgence..

Rigoletto tomorrow, in the Royal Opera House. Things left to do: trace my route back to Leicester Square for afterwards - Covent Garden station is exit-only until December.