Films: Alien - Romulus & Awakenings

Back in Ireland, whee. Today was National Cinema Day, with most cinema tickets €5.. and it was Alien: Romulus at last! In Ennis, which had the most convenient time.

Well, they've finally finished the pedestrianisation of Parnell Street - a no-brainer, it's narrow, and works much better this way. I'd been a bit delayed, waiting for my mother's new washing machine to finish its cycle - she still can't really work it, and I doubt she'll ever be able. But hey, I literally arrived just in time for the start of the film! Cinema Day must have worked - although it wasn't full, I can't remember seeing so many people at a matinée here before..

Hmm.. yes, I liked this. Interestingly, I rated it - the influence of The Hideout, doubtless - I vascillated a bit, but finished on 7.5. Not too many jump scares - but plenty of suspense, and some nice references to the original. Including the script references from the (gee) one person to survive. I also loved with they did with the synthetics.. a very nice roundup of the logic there.

The basic story starts on a mining colony - a truly terrible place, where most people die of job-related illnesses. A group of what look like teenagers decide not to follow their parents' fates, dying prematurely - they're going to steal a decommissioned ship to head to a decommissioned space station, where they can steal some cryopods and head to somewhere that sounds like utopia. Unfortunately, they are to find something unexpected on the station..

The lead actor isn't Sigourney Weaver - but does a decent job. Yes, and there's a time constraint - the space station is due to crash into the rings of the planet it's orbiting. Which will mean annihilation. The title comes from the structure of the space station - it's divided into two parts: Romulus and Remus. So yes, they're associated with the Romulus part.

Well made, suspenseful.. Recommended. if you're into watching creepy aliens stalk humans..

And later, on TV, they were showing Awakenings! Based on the true story of Dr. Oliver Sacks (played by the late Robin Williams), who found a miracle drug that revived several patients who had been in a catatonic state for years! Robert de Niro plays the first patient who benefits from this treatment - and just imagine what it must have been like; he, for instance, became catatonic as a kid, and re-awoke as a middle-aged man! They have great fun rediscovering the world - for a while; tragically, not so much of a spoiler, it doesn't last. And it is heartbreaking. Worth a watch, glad to have caught it.

Back in London, on Monday, back with The Hideout / Movie Roadhouse - well, I wasn't going to miss the second instalment of the original Star Wars trilogy! Jonny is starting to do these as double bills - you have a choice of two, on at the same time in the same place! This time, the place is the Prince Charles- the alternative is American Psycho. All meeting at Clubhouse 5. Tragically, my favourite restaurant is booked out for the evening, would you believe- instead, I'll be eating in the nearby Imperial. Another Greene King pub..

Tuesday, I'm going with the film list: very interested in seeing what's top of the list- Sing Sing, based on the true story of an inmate in the infamous prison, who got deeply involved with amateur dramatics. Showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury. 

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks for Ian Fleming, Winston Churchill, Isadora Duncan. Meeting in the Bag o' Nails pub beforehand- and wouldn't you know it, it's another Greene King! So I'm eating there beforehand. 

And on Thursday, we have a pre-trip Zoom meeting for our trip to Transylvania! Just finally got my holiday approved by work today - my boss was probably prompted by the head of HR, trying to chase everyone to book their holidays by year's end! Anyway, booked my local Côte for dinner that evening.