Film: A World Not Ours

Today, second day in a row of four for film, I saw a film under my own steam - A World Not Ours is a documentary that promised a different take on the Ein El-Hilweh refugee camp in Southern Lebanon. Showing in another Curzon (also second day in a row) - Curzon Bloomsbury, this time. I raced off, after publishing the last post, and - the bus that Google Maps had suggested to me was nowhere near! However, a combination of other buses got me there in good time, and despite the usher's misgivings, I managed to get wine, chocolate, and phone, downstairs to the screen without an accident!

I was at the end of the row - fortunately, because this screening, the only one of this film currently, was pretty packed. Indeed, the director was present for a Q+ A afterwards. It's his personal story, interviewing his family and friends about what it's like there. And at the end, he describes his friend's bid to escape - actually interviews him in Athens. And that's when it started to look familiar to me.. yes, I saw it 11 years ago! Wow, so many job and flat changes since.. On that occasion, it was in the ICA. 

I don't often repeat myself, but it's hard to keep track of everything. Hey-ho, it was a convenient location, and I do love returning here, as much for the eating and shopping options as for the cinema itself. As to the film - well, it didn't tell me anything new (unsurprisingly): but for those who haven't seen it, I do recommend it as an insight into the Palestinian refugee camps. And this time, we did get to find out that the friend made it to Germany, and is now relocating to Belgium.. The director stayed to chat to people in the bar afterwards, but I left them to it.

And so to GBK, yum.. it's been more than a month! It wasn't that crowded, so I got a quiet corner to myself for most of the meal - and just as I was nearly finished, the waiter came over to say they were offering complementary ice cream, and what flavour would I like?! Now, when I had ice cream here before, it was awful - obviously fake, with an unpleasant aftertaste. However, I thought I'd take a chance, since it was free - and yay, it was gorgeous! So, happy to report you can safely indulge in dessert here again..

Afterwards, I needed a couple of things, so headed for Waitrose, which was nearest - and had a sign on the door, saying they don't do Sunday evenings any more! They close at 6, bah humbug.. happily, they're not the only shop around. Oh, and on the way home, consulted Google Maps again - just as well I've done this route several times, and knew the best method to use, because Google Maps sure didn't, wanting to send me walking all over town!

The next two days, back with Movie Roadhouse London! in Picturehouse Central, this time. Tomorrow - well, they're seeing The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson as an ageing showgirl whose long-running Vegas show is about to close. I just couldn't resist, the shots of the Strip in the trailer made me so nostalgic! Includes a recorded Q + A with her.

And on Tuesday, they're seeing September 5 - a tense thriller about the terrorist attack on the Munich Olympics. The trailer looks terrific - really tense - and it apparently includes some original footage.

On Wednesday, a break from Meetup and from films - I'm back with Storytelling at Torriano Avenue! This one is "Queens of Albion"..

On Thursday - yes, back to film, this time on my own again - I'm thinking of Certified Copy, a nice pre-Valentine's Day romance, with Juliette Binoche showing an English author around Tuscany. Showing in the Prince Charles, one day only - and I'm planning to eat in my fave Bella Italia (Cranbourn Street) afterwards. I see French Film Fanatics are seeing it too, but they're meeting for a drink afterwards, and I want my dinner! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

And on the 17th, back with CT for a jazz & tap night at Piano Smithfield..

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leaving Drinks

Yesterday, I booked with CT for a play called  10 Nights , at  Riverside Studios . But it was a colleague's last day, and he booked the  All Bar One  by the office for leaving drinks - so I did that instead. I loved working with him, he'll be missed - and I was just as happy not to have to traipse all the way to  Hammersmith .. A large card went around, appropriate for all the people that wanted to sign it - and before the pub, there was a speech in the office, streamed on Teams for anyone who wanted to watch and wasn't in yesterday. It was pointed out to those online that we had drinks in the office, too - there was plenty of beer, something fizzy, and a bottle of regular white wine. Unfortunately, I never did get to that - there wasn't a general move, although the CEO's wife, who'd come in for the occasion, partook of the wine. But you see, I didn't want to start a glass and then discover we were en route to the pub! I needn't have worried - I thought...
Read more

Film: I'm Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui)

Image
Tonight, I decided on film - and the film at the top of my list looked really good;  I'm Still Here  is about a  Brazilian  woman whose husband disappeared during the  military dictatorship . Based on a true story, this is receiving a lot of attention. Also showing widely - the closest to me is in the  BFI . I booked it, because it had started to sell out - in fact, in the end it completely sold out . Interestingly,  Movie Roadhouse London  saw it on Sunday , and loved it.. if I hadn't had this booked, I'd have gone with them! And by the time I discovered I was free that day, of course I'd already booked for tonight.. I made it just in time, and had booked for the end of a row, conveniently. Now.. the difference between this and the film I saw on Sunday can be very succintly described - this director knows how to tell a story, that director didn't. For all that each is the recounting of a true story, they couldn't be more different. In this fi...
Read more

Play: Lynn Faces

Image
Tonight, back with  Up in the Cheap Seats  for  Lynn Faces , a comedy about women of a certain age starting a punk group, and playing at the  New Diorama .  My plan was to eat at the nearby Wasabi  beforehand. It was another member of the group, who, when we're both headed to something, joins me for food beforehand, that spotted that it closes at 3! Undeterred, we decided on the one by Warren Street . I got there early, as it happened - to discover that that one is essentially a cupboard with shelving. No seating whatsoever. So, Plan C - I took myself off to the other alternative we'd considered, the Greene Man , pretty much across the road from the theatre, and which, when I spotted it, I realised I'd eaten in when I was here before ! On the way, I passed the other Wasabi, the one that closes early.. I see they have lots of space.. Happily, the pub wasn't too busy, and I got a table without trouble, where my companion duly joined me. And we both had their...
Read more