Film: Anatomie d' une Chute (Anatomy of a Fall)

Well, I'm back in London. Although getting home last night didn't seem at all a sure thing - my flight was delayed, of course, and I didn't get into London until after midnight. Trying to get a bus was great fun - the departure boards (for both stops I could use) were crazy, Google Maps was telling me the next buses wouldn't be for hours.. I'd have walked faster. I changed stops, then saw a bus I could have taken, which wasn't supposed to come for hours, sail past from the other stop. Mercifully, mine came in the end.. after 20 minutes.

Today, I decided on film as well - and what came up was Anatomie d' une Chute (Anatomy of a Fall). The trailer for this looked really good - a man's body is found in the snow under his family's ski chalet. His wife comes under suspicion, as they try to decide whether he fell.. or was pushed. And so we get into the complications of their marriage.. Showing at a few times in the Curzon Bloomsbury - this was my last free ticket. Not selling out, so I didn't book until today. I wanted to see what'd suit - remembering the last time I went to a Curzon, and missed my showing!

Well, I was organised enough for once to go to the early evening showing. As I walked the last bit to the cinema, it drizzled on me - tarnation, it wasn't supposed to rain till later! I was half an hour early - got my usual Sauvignon Blanc and chocolate honeycomb bites, and plopped myself in the lobby bar, where I eavesdropped on preparations for some, apparently female-related (there were so many of them around) event happening in one of the screens. There was talk of a drinks reception and such. Interesting - but not for me. When it was time, I headed downstairs - where I had to manoeuvre bag, bites and drink to get out my phone and ticket for the usher. I was first into the screen, as it happened.. saw an interesting trailer for The Eternal Daughter, where Tilda Swinton apparently plays both mother and daughter, with a woman bringing her elderly mother back to somewhere she knew in her youth. Oh, and it looks spooky.. :-) Sadly though, I see it's low-enough rated that I probably won't ever see it..

And so to this evening's film. Ah well - the trailer promised more than the film delivered, for me at least. I was hoping for some kind of murder mystery - mostly, what I got was a highly introspective French piece, albeit with some gorgeous scenery (it's set in the French Alps, in winter). Most of the film is set in the courtroom - and wow, is this really how French courts work? as a kind of round-table discussion, everyone allowed to chime in as they see fit? (probably not including the audience, who looked like your standard, fascinated audience. All they were missing was the popcorn.)

I got really sick of the prosecutor - but well, that's his job, eh? And heavens, with nothing much to go on by way of concrete facts, they start examining the books she's written! (She's a professional author.) As her lawyer says at one point - "Stephen King is not a serial killer!" They're back and forth, back and forth over past arguments the couple had, one of which is reconstructed for us. I felt quite bamboozled at the end - this is, essentially, a murder mystery without a conclusion. Even the court-appointed "guardian", living with the widow and her little boy, to make sure his testimony isn't compromised, tells him at one point that, if you aren't sure which side to believe, you must just come down definitely for one or the other. So, all about personal opinion, then. Whatever. I hardly cared by the end.

The scenery is beautiful though - and I love that the piece he's learning on the piano is Asturias. Adore that piece of music.

And so outside - their Christmas lights are in full swing:

And so to Nando's - where I was there before the large group this evening! (There always is one.) Ordered on the app, as usual - but since when do they not have Sauvignon Blanc by the glass on the app?! They have it on the printed menu - rather than order from the counter though, I just had the Chardonnay. Which isn't as nice. Ah well. I did tell them that in the survey they sent afterwards - perhaps they'll fix it. Hope so!

I went to shop afterwards, and managed to catch Waitrose before they closed - they do close early. One of the things I needed was water, though - and the single bottles were pushed right to the back of the top shelf! I'm not short, but I still couldn't reach. With few assistants available, I said sod it, and went to Sainsbury's for that instead. It's been a while, and I see their automatic door is still sticking - well, I got water there, which was on a lower shelf. It was more expensive though. And then the buses were packed like tins of sardines on the way back. Bah humbug.. at least it'd stopped raining.

Tomorrow, London International Meetup advertised a trip to see Thank You for the Music!, an ABBA tribute act, at the Adelphi. But then I saw cheaper tickets on CT, so booked there instead (possibly where he got tickets as well).. it'll be funny if we end up sitting together. But then, I think the only person going in that group that I know is the organiser, and last time we met, he didn't remember me.. Not a group I join often.

On Wednesday, Scottish in London are off to a trilogy of Scottish plays at the Finborough, called Knocking on the Wall. Well, I'm not Scottish, so not joining them - but I've booked my own ticket.

On Thursday, London Social Detours is off to a talk about Chanel, at the V&A - and so am I, still being unemployed.

On Friday, back with the Crick Crack Club for storytelling at Rich Mix - this one is The Spanking Goddess, with the inimitable Clare Murphy.

On Saturday, at The London Horror Film Group's Christmas Social - again, at The Angel on St. Giles High Street. 

And on Sunday, back with Buddies on a Budget (BoB) in London for more Christmas lights - this time, it's a full lights walk, and she's charging, sensibly. A joint event with her London Herstory Walks group.