Film: About Dry Grasses

Yesterday evening, I was supposed to be back with Buddies on Budgets (BoB) for a sketching evening (!) in Phoenix Garden. Tickets from Eventbrite. Not usually my thing, but I said I'd see. As the week wore on, I grew less keen - especially given that I hadn't had time to source drawing materials. Not keen on drawing nature, anyway (and I was right, that's exactly what they were doing - as per a Facebook post today!). 

I cancelled before I was quite sure what to do as an alternative - I ultimately plumped for film, the first of three in a row! Top of the list to catch my attention for last night was About Dry Grasses, a Turkish film about a teacher in the middle of nowhere, criticized for inappropriate behaviour with a student. The trailer was captivating.. so I booked. First of two in the Curzon Bloomsbury - bless its unusual film listings! (I see the app is still giving issues, telling me there's a problem with my payment method before sending me a confirmation email, immediately after). Mind you, I didn't notice how long it is.. I had to eat beforehand.

So, GBK it was.. oh man, it's been too long! And it was so delicious.. not to mention the great news in the paper about the counter-racism protests! Oh UK, you finally made me proud..

However, it duly came time to go to the cinema for my marathon film - at least it was only down one flight of stairs. I was in the seat by the wall - dumped all my stuff on the seat beside me. Until the row filled up, and it all ended on the floor around me.. which was great fun, trying to find somewhere to put my feet! Well, I managed - and I have to say, at least the seats are comfy enough for a three-hour film.

Our protagonist is a middle-aged teacher in a rural area. Most of the film takes place in winter - a long, and severe, winter by the look of it, snow deep on the ground. Picturesque, and with lovely mountains as a backdrop - but tricky to live in. And isolated. By the time we meet him, he's already desperate to leave - apparently you can do so after four years (or three, I think someone mentioned during the film). Anyway, his time is nearly up, and he's telling anyone who'll listen that he's outta there as quick as he can.

If we don't sympathise with him yet, we do by the end, as he - and a colleague - are accused of "inappropriate behaviour". They're hauled before "The Director" - of education? It isn't clear. But this isn't what we'd normally expect from such a story - no, they're allowed to continue teaching, and told to watch themselves. It wasn't anything too extreme anyway, although yes, it was inappropriate - hugging, holding girls by the waist, that kind of thing.

It's his reaction to the accusations that's interesting - and indeed, he really is the focus of the film. He has an intense look, and his hidden depths are slowly revealed. Which is what makes the film interesting. He's a complex character. And quite aside from the allegations, what makes his life here impossible is the fact that he considers himself an intellectual, and is starved of the company of his own kind.

It is a very long film, but never becomes unbearable. Having said that, the scene that is intended to demonstrate his intellectual capacity - admittedly the scene used in the trailer, a dinner conversation with a like-minded woman - while fascinating, is way too long. But hey, this is an interesting watch! Just remember to set aside a large block of time for it.. 

My bus journey home ended badly, when it turned out that, not only my stop, but the stop after, were closed! Blocked off by traffic cones, in fact. The problem arose from the fact that the driver didn't bother to announce my stop's closure until after we'd left the previous stop - meaning I was dropped two stops away from home! If he'd taken the trouble to say it while we were at the previous stop, I could have got off there.. I ended up taking another bus back, I was so far away. Tried complaining, but their complaints facility seems not to be working - overuse, perhaps..? Anyway, it ran too late last night to blog.

For this evening, I really like the look of Radical, about a Mexican teacher with, well, radical methods for saving his students from the path of crime and violence. On in the same place as last night - have to eat afterwards this time, it's on a lot earlier!

Tomorrow - how could I resist Trap, M. Night Shayamalan's latest, where Josh Hartnett is a serial killer, trapped when he takes his daughter to a pop concert?! I love his dead stare in the trailer.. And this is the start of five Meetup days in a row for me. Two Meetup groups are actually going that day - but London Horror Film Group are going at midday, for goodness' sake. Anyway, I'd rather go with The London Movie Club, who are going in the evening - meeting in Clubhouse 5 beforehand. And given what happened last time, when we headed out after the film, I'm eating beforehand, even though it's quite early - Bella Italia (Cranbourn Street), of course.

Interestingly, they've advertised two cinemas, given the small screens in Cineworld, where I've booked - they've also suggested the Odeon, where there's a showing at a similar time. Unfortunately, they started out with a link for the wrong day for Cineworld.. hope nobody was caught out by that! I only spotted it after my card was inexplicably declined, and I had to try again - damnit, there's always a problem with their site! It's also a nuisance that my Pass app is no longer autofilling card details, given that I don't have them saved with Cineworld, and as I say, I forgot my card and can't remember the details! Had to go with my Irish one, in the end..

On Sunday, back with BoB - this time, for a tango show in the Scoop! My first time this year, imagine.. Supposed to be a hot one that day. Wonder whether I'll run into my new flatmate, who's in charge of security there.. It is actually starting before we arrive, but I'm sure we'll see plenty! Sponsored by the Argentinian Embassy, apparently. I'll eat in Cote at Hay's Galleria beforehand, it's quite close.

The next two days, back with Up in the Cheap Seats - on Monday, we're off to Farm Hall, in the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Based on true events, it's the story of a group of German scientists, detained in England during the Second World War. I'm eating at Angus Steakhouse.

On Tuesday, off to Fangirls at the Lyric Hammersmith. Not a standard pop fan story, this tells the tale of what happens when a young female fan's adoration for her pop idol is shattered..

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks - this walk is the St. James' Walk.

And on Thursday, film again (!) - thinking of a feature at the Prince Charles, who are showing It's Such a Beautiful Day, the animated film by Don Hertzfeldt, which will be accompanied by his new short film, Me. And of course, that'll be accompanied by a trip to Bella Italia (Cranbourn Street) .. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.