Film: Sorry, Baby

For today, of the next-highest-rated films on Flicks, the best looked like Sorry, Baby, which is rated much higher there than on IMDB. It's been out a while, so by now the closest showing to me was in the Ritzy - and not selling out.

Last night, it didn't promise rain for today - when I was getting dressed today, it didn't locally either - but did for London in general. So I dressed accordingly. And sure enough, when I was changing buses, there was the rain - light, but annoying. I headed down to where there was a stop for the buses I needed to get - to find it closed. Mind you, there was a large crowd there, and no sign of the roadworks that were supposed to cause the closure - so I said I'd wait and see. And sure enough, another bus duly stopped there:

So I waited for one of mine to come - and when one did, a couple of us tried to hail it - only for it to sail on past. I wouldn't blame people for waiting at a closed stop, when we get mixed messages like this.. but all things considered, I felt I'd better head to the next stop. I missed the next bus while walking, so I ended up a little late at the cinema - no harm, the trailers were still on when I went in. Bought some chocolate, got some of a wine I love, and headed in.

It's over 10 years since I was last here, and that was in the music venue upstairs. So I'd never before been in the actual cinema - the city centre screens are closer, and I can usually get to see what I want there. This is a Picturehouse, with lovely, comfy upholstery.. and a nice, big, uncrowded screen.

This is a clever film, with a clever central character - when we meet her, she's just been made a permanent staff member at the university she and her friends attended. The film's story brings us back, in a non-linear timeline, to when they were grad students, and she was the teacher's pet, you might say - the star student, of whom he was very fond. It's not too much of a spoiler to say that something happened between her and the professor, something that she wasn't happy about - he abused his position, and the rest of the film is her attempt to come to terms with it.

She's clever, as I say - witty, smart, with a sense of the ridiculous that pervades the whole film. So has her best friend, whom we meet when she's paying one of her infrequent visits to our protagonist, the friend having moved away and married since those days. So what could be a very mawkish film is actually a sensitive portrayal of something that it takes her years to process, but without being at all maudlin - and indeed, she has a delightfully quirky way of dealing with things. So whether it's at the hospital, or in a complaints process, or venting with her friend - or indeed, forming a relationship with her neighbour - it's a delight to watch, most especially because we never know how she's going to deal with it.

Besides, no film that has so many cats threaded through the story can be all bad!

No, I really enjoyed this - I think I can say that you can safely watch it without getting bogged down in sentimentality.

The rain only got heavier as I was inside - I had sourced some places to eat, and headed for Clutch, a minute or so's walk away. They had a couple of large parties, and it took a while to be served, but the food (I had the crunchy chicken burger with fries) was delicious - albeit a shock to my system, as it processed all the salt. I also had onion rings, which were classic takeaway style. No alcohol, funnily enough - although they do some interesting-looking mocktails.

Glad to be in - it's damn cold out there. Tomorrow, I finally fly back to Ireland again - and it'll be a relief to get a wash on (there's a washing machine in my flat, but no dryer) and get at the rest of my wardrobe! I've been delayed in going back until now because my car broke down, but it's now fixed, and I need to get back - because I found out about something in Ireland on Tuesday that I'm dying to go to! Martin Shaw, the London storyteller - and you know how I love storytelling - is doing a tour, of Ireland only (now completely sold out), with none other than Tommy Tiernan! They're doing a show called Between Dog and Wolf, and are playing Glór, the closest venue to me, on Tuesday. Couldn't miss that.. and I'm provisionally meeting an old friend for lunch at Jade Cottage, earlier that day.

I fly back to London on Wednesday evening - that'll be my last trip to Ireland before November - and on Thursday, the start of a six-day Meetup run, finally back with Mandy Morrow, who's running a new type of event called Rat-Arsed Tours! (Historic walk and pub crawl, basically.) Tickets available from Eventbrite, and it is starting in St. James. Somewhere.

On Friday, finally back with Up in the Cheap Seats, who are going to Sadler's Wells for R:Evolution, by the English National Ballet. Oh, it's months since I was last there.. Eating at The Wilmington beforehand.

Next weekend is all about The Hideout, for the month that's in it! On Saturday, the first of four days of horror for me, we're on a field trip.. to Shocktober! Running at Tully's Farm, it promises shows, scares, fairground rides.. a maze with zombies that chase you with chainsaws.. also food and drink. We're taking a train from Victoria together - and as usual, I found Uber cheapest.

Next Sunday, we're headed to A Nightmare on Elm Street - oh, I just love that film! Showing in the Prince Charles - and of course, I'm in Bella Italia beforehand. It'll have been nearly a fortnight - wonder whether they wonder where I've been!

On the 6th, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group for the last day of Sicilian Vespers at the Royal Opera House. Continuing the horror theme, even the publicity shot for this shows skulls.. Again, it's months since I was last here, or with this group. Eating in Cote Covent Garden beforehand - even though it's on early, it's a long one, so I'll have to eat beforehand.

On the 7th, finally back - for the first time in nearly a year! - with the Horror Book Club! Not a book club meeting per se - I never have time to read them - this is a panel, in Waterstone's - of new horror writers, discussing what's current.

And on the 8th, finally back with storytelling at Torriano! Hosted, as ever, by Nell Phoenix, it's - again - months since I was there. On this occasion, the performance is Lilith: The Other Side of the Story.

On the 9th, by the way, we have a company-sponsored team lunch, a reward for our hard work on the recent release - and I'll be eating burgers again, in Byron Burgers. Another place I haven't been to in years!