Film: The First Omen

This weekend, for me, is all about horror - today, I was planning to go to a film, and could have chosen something higher rated: in particular, Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life), which is top of my list in terms of ratings, looks a striking film, based on the true story of an Indian man who went to Saudi Arabia in the expectation of a higher paying job, but ended up being effectively kidnapped by a local goat farmer, and spending literally years in the desert, paid nothing and treated worse than the animals! He finally managed to escape - on foot. Seems an epic tale.

It also seems not that much fun. And when I saw that The Hideout, who were headed to The First Omen this evening, had a space available in their group - they'd been full when I last looked - I jumped at that instead. They were going to the Vue West End. Honestly, I wasn't completely optimistic about it, on foot of the trailer - but gee, the rating has soared from when I first read it! 6.9 at time of writing - a very encouraging rating for a horror film.. It is, of course, a prequel to the classic The Omen.. so, many references to that were to be expected. Bill Nighy shows up as a cardinal, Charles Dance plays a priest.. not Father Spiletto, famous from the previous films, although he appears in this too.

Thinking of eating beforehand - handier than after - I saw there's a Bella Italia next door! Ah lovely, I couldn't go wrong with them.. so I booked. On the bus in, had the worst incident of mansplaining yet.. at some point in the journey, he decided sod it.. and completely stretched his legs across, impinging on my space! Happily, a space had come available across the aisle, and as soon as I had a chance, I changed to there. You know, he could just have stood..

My bus should have taken me further, but was stopping short, so I had to change - but still made it in plenty of time. And it turned out I didn't have to book for this restaurant, which was quiet enough - the one at the other side of the square had been completely booked up! but this suited me better anyway. I sat inside - it was way too windy to sit outside, as some were, and their protective umbrella was being blown around something fierce. Service was excellent, food was excellent.. the only problem was the complete lack of internet! Their WiFi wasn't working, and the whole area seems to be a real internet blackspot for me..

Well, I made the cinema bar in good time. And it was just as well the group organiser, whom I know well, was one of the first to arrive - still without internet, I couldn't leave messages! A lot of first-timers tonight, as well as some familiar faces - we had a most convivial chat before we went in! Nice, comfy recliner seats when we did go in.. I'm liking this trend in cinemas.

He asked us for ratings when we came out.. I "scraped" a seven. About what it is on IMDB then! It's good. It's visceral. It starts with a young American novice nun arriving in a Roman convent to complete her novitiate - she's been recommended by Bill Nighy. She's to work in the orphanage. As shown in the trailer, there she befriends a reclusive young girl who seems to be having a hard time of it.. Boy though, is she unprepared for what she's going to find!

Naturally, as a prequel to The Omen, it's working up to preparation for the start of that film, which it does quite effectively - although keen-eyed fans might spot a discrepancy, which I won't say more about. The orphanage is suitably stark, the nuns' habits suitably grim - not many priests in this. Again, fans will notice events that reference the original film. Like the woman on the balcony in the trailer.. 

It's decent in its execution. It does improve at the end, if only for the injection, finally, of the excellent original theme song. Yes, worth a look.. a very respectable addition to the series.

Tomorrow is also horror - I'm going with the London Horror Film Group to the Satanic Spring Market. It was good fun last time, although I didn't find anything to buy..

On Monday, I'm back with North London Friends - they have tickets for The Comeuppance, at The Almeida, and I got the last of theirs. It's now sold out for that day.

On Tuesday, I'm back with Over 40 Living the Life - a more dependable dinner date this time, at Greenwich Yacht Club!

On Wednesday, back with Up in the cheap Seats - they're off to An Actor Convalescing in Devon, at Hampstead Theatre.

And on Thursday, I booked with them again for The Ballad of Hattie and James, at The Kiln. But gee.. then The Hideout advertised Immaculate (as he said tonight, "the other nun horror film"!).  Which I'd rather go to - so now, I am. Same venue.

And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.