In-flight entertainment

I often look forward to travelling by plane or train, partly because it allows me to spend many hours justifiably doing nothing more than reading or watching movies. However three things prevent me from fully enjoying these hours in limbo:
1) The lack of physical comfort, which especially becomes an issue on long-haul flights (for example, [...]

Lighting candles

It’s not often I find myself in agreement with the Vatican, but something they said recently about this year’s Oscar-winning films caught my attention, and chimed with thoughts I’d been having recently on the same topic. Basically their complaint is that, this year at least, the Academy rewarded films which are ”filled…with hopelessness”.
I’ve seen “No Country [...]

National pride

(Please note that this post is not intended as America-bashing. I’ve met a few Americans and they seem perfectly pleasant and normal. Although they do talk funny). 
The recent release of “American Gangster” got me thinking - Why so many movies with the word “American” in the title? There was the Oscar-winning “American Beauty”, “American Pie”, “American History X”, [...]

In f***ing Bruges

Readers with long memories may recall that earlier this year the wife and I spent a weekend in Brugge. The trailer for the film Colin Farrell shot in the very hotel where we stayed, is up now (warning - trailer features lots of “language”).

Home Movies

What’s it like to see your hometown on the cinema screen? It would be weird for me, as Exeter has never, as far as I know, been seen in any major modern film or TV series. Its historic quay area was used for some sequences in the TV series The Onedin Line, but I’ve never [...]

I, geek

“It’s always bothered me that if you’re a geek about certain acceptable things it’s different - if you’re into wine you’re not a geek, you’re a connoisseur. If you’re into food you’re a gourmet, if you’re into cigars you’re an aficionado. When you think about cigars it has to be just as esoteric and unimportant as [...]

Simon recommends

If you only see one French black and white animation about the Iranian revolution this year, make sure it’s Persepolis.
Original, visually sophisticated, moving, humane, and, perhaps surprisingly, laugh-out-loud funny.

Five Films

Another list, but I promise not to make a habit of this. I wasn’t tagged this time, but if anyone else feels like joining in, go ahead.
 
Last 5 films I saw at the cinema

Fracture (ok)
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (fascinating)
Ratatouille (fun)
Harry Potter e L’ordine del Fenice (meh)
Infamous (funny/sad)

 Next 5 films I intend to see at [...]

‘SPLOSIONS!

Saw “Transformers” last night. I came out with a headache which took until lunchtime today to fade. I know this makes me sound like an old fogey but it was just too damn loud. Otherwise, it can be reviewed using only the classic phrase “I liked everything about that movie except for the script and the [...]

8 ball

For my sins (which are many and various) I have been tagged, so here goes.Eight random things about me:
1. I count stairs. I can tell you exactly how many stairs there are on each flight in my house (12, then 6, then 10, then 7. There are 13 down to the basement). This comes in handy [...]