Film: A Little Life

Today, decided on film again, back in London - had to redo the film list, which keeps being updated! Top of the list was Chithha, an Indian film about a guy raising his niece, who then goes missing; there's some suggestion that someone was suspicious of his relationship with her. Does look good, but unfortunately, the closest it's showing is in the Cineworld Ilford, which would take an hour to get to from where I live now. Combine that with the late hour it'd finish, and I'd probably fall foul of my mother, whom I always call at night.

So instead, I went to A Little Life - showing in the Everyman Borough Yards, which is now walking distance from me. This is one of those films of a play, which I heard is somewhat harrowing - certainly, the screening is 3h 40 m long! But it starts early enough, and as I say, is much closer to me. Plus, it's right beside Borough Market, so I wasn't short of places to eat..!

Decided to be boring, play it safe, go to Nando's. They're the fastest, and among the cheapest - plus, I can earn a free meal. I did know where they were - just hadn't approached from this side before - not while looking for them! They're housed in one of the old railway tunnels - spectacular, high ceilings!

My food was generally lovely - the garlic bread very tasty, but a bit cold! Never mind, the taste made up for it. Now, the couple beside me ordered a starter (to share) - they were waiting so long for their main course, it confirmed my own doubts about ordering dessert! so I didn't. I guess Nando's are pretty good at serving one order per table - not really great at follow-ups.

Well, it's a short walk from there to the cinema - but I went a slightly longer way, just to have the chance to walk down Dirty Lane, on which the cinema is located! Reading the linked article, I see it isn't the original location, but the developers - rightly - loved the name, and wanted to keep it! I can't agree with the bloke that wouldn't walk down at night for fear of muggers, though - I've never found this to be a dangerous area!

The cinema is easily found at the end - you have to go downstairs for pretty much anything, although the lobby does have some comfy seating. I hadn't booked, as it wasn't selling out: got my ticket at the bar downstairs - kind of eye-wateringly expensive, until you consider that this started life as a play, and you'd probably pay much more for a theatre ticket to see it! Of course, it sold out before I could get to it, when it was playing live. Wine isn't cheap here either, but I've seen worse prices. The screen wasn't open yet, so I took a seat - and for some reason, probably helped by the plush, red velvet wall drapings, I couldn't get the song White Rabbit out of my head..

After a few minutes, the barman came around telling people that the screen was now open - he seemed to forget about me, but never mind; maybe he was targeting people who were deep in conversation with each other, and hadn't noticed his perambulations. Anyway, I took my armchair seat - and they're so lovely and comfy! Much more so than a theatre seat - and with a cushion. And a tray on each armrest, which, mind you, you get to share with the seat on the other side of it, but we all behaved ourselves. And there's a wooden shelf on the back of the seat in front of you, which acts as either somewhere to leave things, or more usefully, a footrest.

A staff member actually came on to introduce the film, and we were provided with cast lists. She also pointed out that anyone who hadn't yet got their order soon would - you can get food here as well, but it's pizza and burgers, and I didn't fancy it. After that, she said, you'd have to go to the bar at the interval to order - excellent policy, which avoided people traipsing in and out during the show! We got some good trailers beforehand - the film actually didn't start until about 7.30.

Wow, what a depressing film/play. No wonder the person who introduced it expressed the hope that we'd find it "cathartic", rather than enjoy it.. I found it ironic that an usher, as I was leaving, said he hoped I'd enjoyed it! Nope, "enjoy" is not the right word. This is the most depressed lead character I've ever seen - it's no spoiler to say he was abused as a child, indeed repeatedly, by pretty much everyone he met! This left him with both physical and emotional scars, as we discover before too long. As he grows, his network of friends starts - slowly - to heal him: but just you wait, there's more trauma in store..

Yes, it's a massively depressing story - but beautifully acted. I started to think - this is what I was missing in The Little Big Things: pathos! Depression! Not that I'd wish it on Henry Fraser, the subject of that show, but it does make for a more gripping story. Perhaps too much so, in this case. So, from a show with not enough darkness, to one with far too much. Lordy, the life of a theatre-goer can be a hard one.. I did prefer this play/film, though, and am glad to have seen it, finally.

Tomorrow - I have something very, very interesting planned. It starts that night with a flight back to Shannon, and a stay in the airport hotel..

That's so I can get preclearance, for my flight from there on Wednesday - to Las Vegas. I just got the list of films due to be shown on the flight, but it's subject to, well, them not being shown! Specifically, the films I want to see - not in order - are:

• No Hard Feelings, a romcom with Jennifer Lawrence, in which she's tasked with bringing an introverted teen out of his shell
• Book Club: The Next Chapter, a comedy with Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson, and Craig T. Nelson, which follows the ladies' adventures on a trip to Italy
• Past Lives - the highest-rated - a Korean romance
• BlackBerry, the story of the world's first smartphone
• Insidious: The Red Door, starring - and directed by - Patrick Wilson: the latest in the franchise
• Being Mary Tyler Moore - a documentary

Of course, on a flight, I have full freedom to stop watching any of them I don't think much of!

I'm staying in the Hilton Vacation Club Polo Towers. Got a good deal on flights and accommodation with Expedia. I'm not booking restaurants in advance though - I couldn't be bothered eating terribly posh, and it'll be as hot as anything we've had in London this year - I'll see how I feel.

On Thursday.. my first of four U2 concerts, which are of course the reason for my being there. Quite by accident, I managed to score a ticket in each of the four sections, so I can review properly! And wow, the reviews of the first are terrific.. this new venue features groundbreaking visuals, it seems - and some audience members had to leave, after they got dizzy. Haptic seats, too - this is going to be some experience. Now, over the weekend, I decided to check the tickets - and lo, none were displaying in my account! Cue a panicked email to Ticketmaster (TM). 

Following which, oddly, the tickets suddenly all displayed! Relief.. I was still worried about having to have the tickets scanned going in, because TM doesn't let you screenshot them, so it depends on having an internet connection at the right moment - and you know what that's like. But they did say to store them in Google Wallet - which I'd never used - I got interested when I read something about not having to depend on an internet connection! So I installed it - and saved all my tickets to it! And I checked - sure enough, you can still access them without an internet connection. Well, fantastic.. interestingly, I accidentally saved two of them to each of my Google accounts! (I have had two since I lost my phone, and had to create a second instance.)

PS I emailed TM to say don't bother, I dunno why, but it's all working now. TM subsequently responded to say they can't answer questions about events in the States, I'd have to get onto their American branch! Two observations - they were happy enough to sell me the tickets, but not to respond to questions about them? And they obviously didn't read the content of the email, where I said all was now well.. typical customer service, eh?

Right, well, U2 aren't playing on Friday. I was browsing what was on, and came across a circus called Absinthe, at Caesar's Palace - sounds good, but tickets are a bit expensive. So I thought I'd try the last-minute approach, see whether I can get a ticket at a discount. I dunno though, it being Friday..

Saturday and Sunday are also U2 days - at some stage, I must also check out the Zoo Station experience at the adjacent Venetian..

Next Monday, headed to the Sphere Experience in the afternoon - as if I won't have enough of the place at that stage! It's a dedicated, two-hour show, to show off what the sphere can do, basically! Tickets from TM, again.

That evening, I'm going to a Motown tribute show, All Motown, at the Alexis Park Resort Hotel (trying to stay pretty close to my hotel). Got my ticket from TicketKite.

Have to be up bright and early on the 10th - I'm headed on a tour of the Grand Canyon, with Christianson Tours. They'll pick me up, a few minutes walk from my hotel. And it turns out to be an all-day thing - I never realised the Grand Canyon was so far from Vegas!

The 11th, my fourth and last (for this year) U2 concert. Then I fly back on the 12th, arriving the morning of the 13th, for another weekend in Ireland before flying back to London on the 15th. Uhh.. it's exhausting just thinking about it..

My mother found out tonight.. not pleasant, but I've survived worse.. my horoscope, BTW, tells me to "smile"!