We had a pretty uneventful Christmas. Just the same as every other person who comes back into the office a few days after New Year, I'm sure we both fell into the same patter of "Yeah, quiet one for us, stayed at home". I vaguely envy the people who post pictures of their family Christmas... Continue Reading →
Ghost in the Shell – go see
After a day of family stuff, got an impromptu offer of babysitting. Booked tickets for the Odeon online at 5 pm , for an 8.15 pm showing. Ghost in the Shell, which we were hoping to catch, but had assumed we'd probably miss it and get it on streaming in about 6 months. We got... Continue Reading →
La La Land
We saw La La Land mainly out of curiosity about the hype. I can see why it was popular with the film industry, given it was basically Ziegfeld follies with a very slightly updated storyline about the price you pay for ambition. I wouldn't particularly rate it as a film, as it drags on for... Continue Reading →
Friends that are no more
We drove to see our 101 year old grandmother yesterday. It was quite a sad visit, as she is no longer as able to move around her house, and seems as if she suffers. She can't hear anything, so it isn't really possible to tell her all the things she wants to know, like how... Continue Reading →
Birthday greetings
I am 39 today. I always write my diary on my birthday, not that this is my diary. My actual diary contains even more boring diatribes about the various trivial frustrations of my life. Birthdays become a bit depressing past, say, 35. It's just a reminder that you've moved out of the "young" tickbox and... Continue Reading →
Up – the most depressing film ever made
Last Saturday, my brother in law opened up his extensive DVD library, and asked us what we wanted to watch. It had been a slightly wistful day playing around in cold rock pools in Devon, which always makes me miss the heat and the colours of Australia. I wanted mindless entertainment that bore no relation... Continue Reading →
A year of everything
2012 was the year that everything happened at once, both in London and in my life. It's not really a topic that I imagine anyone would be terribly interested in; the narrative of London's marvellous summer of sport and all things royal has been covered to death on every slow news day from here to... Continue Reading →
Making creative stuff can’t be that hard
Adrien Brody is a great actor. He plays every part he takes with an amusing seriousness, and The Pianist made me cry, a lot. Unfortunately, with the exception of that film, his greatest gift seems to be picking the worst scripts ever created. I just wasted some more of my life watching Splice, a 2009... Continue Reading →
Cabin in the woods of your mind
I dislike horror movies. The world is full enough of evil people to find the idea of watching sadistic cruelty on screen very unappealing. Perhaps people like the comparative relief that their own everyday hassles aren't quite on the same scale. A nasty boss making you work late is after all not quite as bad... Continue Reading →
Don’t watch Sunshine
I don't know what planet Danny Boyle was on when he accepted the screenplay for Sunshine. I have obviously completely forgotten about The Beach, and my dislike of anything involving Alex Garland. In fact, I think I'll try to weave the question of whether people like The Beach into all first dates from now on.... Continue Reading →
The resting writer 