This year for the first time in ages I've almost seen all of the films nominated for the Best Film Oscar - unheard of for me!
Latest one I saw was 'Black Swan' which I went to last night. What a full on film - I came out of it still not sure what I thought, and I'm still a bit like that. Will definitely be watching it again on DVD. Natalie Portman was superb and I can see why its got the Oscar nominations it has.
Still to open here are True Grit and The Fighter - both of which I'm really looking forward to seeing. And Winters Bone (the only other nomination I've not seen) is on my DVD list! I really wanted to see that at the cinema when it came out and missed it - doubly cross about that now.
Having seen most of them I'm not sure which one I'd pick at the mo, as I have loved most of them. Probably Inception for its sheer brilliance and incredibly twisty turn plot and filming - but then again I did love The King's Speech and Toy Story 3...
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Ode to the O
Trotted through another letter on my ipod as well - racing along now!
O - Damien Rice
Ocean Rain - Echo & The Bunnymen
Oceans Apart - The Go-Betweens
Oh My God, Charlie Darwin - The Low Anthem
Okonokos (Live - Disk 1 & 2) - My Morning Jacket
Olympian - Gene
On and On - Jack Johnson
On The Outside - Starsailor
On The Sun - The Black Seeds
On Your Sleeve - Jessie Malin
Once - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Once Around - The Autumn Defense
One by One - Foo Fighters
One Drop East - Salmonella Dub
One Life Stand - Hot Chip
One Plus One is One - Badly Drawn Boy
Only By The Night - Kings of Leon
Open Season - British Sea Power
Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
Origin of Symmetry - Muse
Original Pirate Material - The Streets
Other Peoples Problems - Upper Room
Out of Nothing - Embrace
Out of Time - R.E.M.
Outside the Dubplates - Salmonella Dub
Overnight Success - Dave Dobbyn
Some old faves in this lot - Embrace, Starsailor, R.E.M... And two Salmonella Dub albums - bit like buses really. None for ages then two at once... Enjoyed Muse, The Streets, British Sea Power and Kings of Leon. And of course Hot Chip... Not many duds in this lot actually - except maybe Jack Johnson. He is definitely music for a time and a place - and I'm not sure its the UK in the middle of winter!
O - Damien Rice
Ocean Rain - Echo & The Bunnymen
Oceans Apart - The Go-Betweens
Oh My God, Charlie Darwin - The Low Anthem
Okonokos (Live - Disk 1 & 2) - My Morning Jacket
Olympian - Gene
On and On - Jack Johnson
On The Outside - Starsailor
On The Sun - The Black Seeds
On Your Sleeve - Jessie Malin
Once - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Once Around - The Autumn Defense
One by One - Foo Fighters
One Drop East - Salmonella Dub
One Life Stand - Hot Chip
One Plus One is One - Badly Drawn Boy
Only By The Night - Kings of Leon
Open Season - British Sea Power
Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
Origin of Symmetry - Muse
Original Pirate Material - The Streets
Other Peoples Problems - Upper Room
Out of Nothing - Embrace
Out of Time - R.E.M.
Outside the Dubplates - Salmonella Dub
Overnight Success - Dave Dobbyn
Some old faves in this lot - Embrace, Starsailor, R.E.M... And two Salmonella Dub albums - bit like buses really. None for ages then two at once... Enjoyed Muse, The Streets, British Sea Power and Kings of Leon. And of course Hot Chip... Not many duds in this lot actually - except maybe Jack Johnson. He is definitely music for a time and a place - and I'm not sure its the UK in the middle of winter!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Tragedy...
King Lear that is - which I went to see the Royal Shakespeare Company performing at The Roundhouse.
Absolutely loved it - its one of my favourite Shakespeare plays anyhow (somehow I'm more into the tragedies than the comedies...) and I thought this production was fantastic. I could pretty much remember what happened up to Lear going crazy, but couldn't remember how it finished (although I knew it wasn't a happy ending!) and I'd completely forgotten the sub-plot of Edmund and Edgar.
Seems to have been a few contentious reviews about this particular production - but I'll go with The Guardian's review :-). Although this is reviewing it at The Courtyard Theatre it was the same production we saw with the same cast etc. I'd probably give it 5/5 stars tho...
Absolutely loved it - its one of my favourite Shakespeare plays anyhow (somehow I'm more into the tragedies than the comedies...) and I thought this production was fantastic. I could pretty much remember what happened up to Lear going crazy, but couldn't remember how it finished (although I knew it wasn't a happy ending!) and I'd completely forgotten the sub-plot of Edmund and Edgar.
Seems to have been a few contentious reviews about this particular production - but I'll go with The Guardian's review :-). Although this is reviewing it at The Courtyard Theatre it was the same production we saw with the same cast etc. I'd probably give it 5/5 stars tho...
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Quality 'culcha'
Nice day spent seeing two very good cultural things...
First up was The Glasgow Boys at the Royal Academy with Nicola - very good and some great paintings. Very busy tho - but that does come of going the weekend before the exhibition ends...
Next up was The King's Speech with Jackie. Brilliant film - it has to be a shoe-in for an Oscar for Colin Firth, and Geoffrey Rush is also very good. Would absolutely recommend it - a fascinating story. I remember Mum talking about the abdication and how upset Nana was - that period has featured a lot in things I've seen recently so I might read a bit more about it.
Don't miss it!
First up was The Glasgow Boys at the Royal Academy with Nicola - very good and some great paintings. Very busy tho - but that does come of going the weekend before the exhibition ends...
Next up was The King's Speech with Jackie. Brilliant film - it has to be a shoe-in for an Oscar for Colin Firth, and Geoffrey Rush is also very good. Would absolutely recommend it - a fascinating story. I remember Mum talking about the abdication and how upset Nana was - that period has featured a lot in things I've seen recently so I might read a bit more about it.
Don't miss it!
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Astonishing human endeavour
This has been a weekend of films relating to extraordinary human endeavour - both of which I'd greatly recommend.
First up was 127 Hours - despite knowing what happens, and so waiting the whole film for the 'act' to happen, it was still very very good. Showing Aron reaching the point where he has to do what he does is so well done - does make you wonder how much you would do to survive.
And on that theme I then went to see The Way Back today - I hadn't planned to spend my weekend watching two such full on movies, but today's was already in the diary, and 127 Hours was a spur of the moment thing.
There has been a bit of controversy surrounding The Way Back - was the book it was based on really true etc. This is an interesting piece on the whether it is true or not... However I really enjoyed it, although it did feel long - a bit like their walk :-). But again, showing what people can do and will do to survive. Fascinating film viewing.
First up was 127 Hours - despite knowing what happens, and so waiting the whole film for the 'act' to happen, it was still very very good. Showing Aron reaching the point where he has to do what he does is so well done - does make you wonder how much you would do to survive.
And on that theme I then went to see The Way Back today - I hadn't planned to spend my weekend watching two such full on movies, but today's was already in the diary, and 127 Hours was a spur of the moment thing.
There has been a bit of controversy surrounding The Way Back - was the book it was based on really true etc. This is an interesting piece on the whether it is true or not... However I really enjoyed it, although it did feel long - a bit like their walk :-). But again, showing what people can do and will do to survive. Fascinating film viewing.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Starting 2011 in a busy-ish fashion
As I type the spectre of work again tomorrow is looming over me... But I have been fairly productive with the first few days of 2011 :-).
And I have many plans for the year as well - including blogging a bit more! 2010 was my lowest number of blog entries since I started... so I'll just have to make sure I have stuff to blog about!
And I have many plans for the year as well - including blogging a bit more! 2010 was my lowest number of blog entries since I started... so I'll just have to make sure I have stuff to blog about!
Monday, January 03, 2011
The Big Sleep
Met up with Julia for lunch and we then went to see 'The Big Sleep' at the BFI. It was great! I'd seen it before, years ago, but was wonderful to watch it again. The dialogue was great - and so fast! I also loved the bloodless shootings - so much nicer than the bloodbaths we get nowadays.
My favourite bit was when they both admit they love each other "I guess its because I'm in love with you". Brilliant :-).
And again - I hadn't been to a movie at the BFI for years. Rediscovering things on your doorstep - great cinema, nice bar and restaurant. Might be going back there methinks!
My favourite bit was when they both admit they love each other "I guess its because I'm in love with you". Brilliant :-).
And again - I hadn't been to a movie at the BFI for years. Rediscovering things on your doorstep - great cinema, nice bar and restaurant. Might be going back there methinks!
Sunday, January 02, 2011
First walk of 2011
Headed out with Jackie, Nicola and Sarah to do the first walk of the year - an easy 10 miles in Surrey, not far down the track from me.
This took us past Polesden Lacey where we had a very nice lunch. Didn't go into the house tho - wanted to make sure we could get the walk done while there was still enough light in the day. It was a nice walk - nothing really outstanding. As I've commented before, walking in Surrey often means you don't feel like you are getting that far away from civilization as you see the world out walking their dogs...
But it was great to get out, stretch the legs and get some fresh air and catch up with everyone about their Xmas and New Year!
This took us past Polesden Lacey where we had a very nice lunch. Didn't go into the house tho - wanted to make sure we could get the walk done while there was still enough light in the day. It was a nice walk - nothing really outstanding. As I've commented before, walking in Surrey often means you don't feel like you are getting that far away from civilization as you see the world out walking their dogs...
But it was great to get out, stretch the legs and get some fresh air and catch up with everyone about their Xmas and New Year!
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Finishing the trilogy
On New Year's Day I hauled my slightly sorry carcass to the cinema to see the final film in the Lisbeth Salander trilogy.
I had seen the first two at the cinema so really wanted to make sure I caught the last one as well. I thought 'Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' was very good. Finished it nicely and didn't mess with the storyline too much. I did feel a sense of completion!
On a related note, Maya bought be a spoof book for Xmas - called 'The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo'... Lisbeth becomes 'Lizbreath Salamander' - it actually looks quite funny!
I had seen the first two at the cinema so really wanted to make sure I caught the last one as well. I thought 'Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' was very good. Finished it nicely and didn't mess with the storyline too much. I did feel a sense of completion!
On a related note, Maya bought be a spoof book for Xmas - called 'The Dragon with the Girl Tattoo'... Lisbeth becomes 'Lizbreath Salamander' - it actually looks quite funny!
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