Film: No Other Choice

Tonight, second film in a row, finally headed to see No Other Choice, a dark comedy about a middle-aged Korean man who, finding himself unexpectedly unemployed and with a family to support, and faced with competing with younger, brighter applicants in the jobs market, decides that the only reasonable course of action is to eliminate them.. Handiest close showing to me was in the Curzon Bloomsbury - I booked it with the last of my year's free tickets. Always good to use a free ticket for something that's not a documentary, and so is priced higher..

A nice late start again.. but the last blog post was such a mammoth undertaking that I wasn't finished it by the time I left! This evening, Buses Due was triumphant again in its prediction of when the #188 would arrive! Mercifully, because Google Maps said I'd just missed it.. Was adding to it as I went in on the #188 - so it helped, although vexingly, when we had to stop for a change of drivers. And then we stopped early - but it was all right, I could, and did, catch another bus from there - which then stopped to even out the gaps in the service! Oh, FFS.. 

So it was about 8.15 when I rocked up at GBK - ordered, and my wine came quickly. And then they had an influx of takeaway orders to fulfil.. waiting, I fixed my eyes on the stack of onion rings that was surely mine, resting under a hot lamp. Sure enough, it was.. and it was a long few minutes before they brought out a burger to go with it!  No delay after that - so it was a backlog in the kitchen that delayed my order. And lo, while I was eating, an absolute army of teenagers showed up - no booking, by the look of it - and occupied the entire back of the room. On a Wednesday night, yet - they sure do some business, here.

Anyway, I gobbled mine down and headed for the cinema. When it comes to Curzon tickets, I have a new strategy - even though the tickets are stored in the app, I open the email they also send, which has the option to save to a digital wallet. This avoids the confusion I always have, having already booked my ticket and trying to buy wine and chocolate at the discounted members' price, for which I need to scan the code - also in the app. Not to mention that the app annoyingly keeps saying I have no booking at all, while simultaneously reminding me of it, and asking whether I want to view the ticket. No, it's much simpler to have the ticket somewhere else, and leave the app for the membership card..

Nobody to scan my ticket, I just went straight on in - and was right on the inside of the row - mercifully, there were only two in the row ahead of me; the rest filled up afterwards. The trailers were on, so I didn't miss much.

Well now.. This is a very well-acted film, sporadically hilarious, with an in-depth view into the characters of not only the man and his family, but his unfortunate victims. It also carries an important message about the mechanisation of society and the rendering of employees as disposable. It's a good film.

It also feels about twice as long as it is. Jeez, the guy in the seat beside me must have been so annoyed, I was squirming so much, wondering when it'd be over. It's quite realistic in that, runs through all the problems that an amateur serial killer might run into. But frankly, I'd had enough after the first one. To be fair, the next one is actually better, and I loved the conclusion - it just felt so long-drawn-out. I was so, so glad when the credits rolled - couldn't wait for the guys beside me to get themselves organised so I could leave. A little less detail, a little more condensed action, methinks..

It finished too late for Sainsbury's, so I shopped in Tesco - so handy, there. And yes, on the way home, the bus stopped for a change of drivers..

Next, three days of Meetup. Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for the opening night of Body and Soul at Sadler's Wells (SW), eating at The Wilmington beforehand as usual.

On Friday, back with The Hideout at last, to see Dead Lover - the trailer is so ridiculously OTT, I can only hope the film is worth it! About a gravedigger, finally finds the man of her dreams, and he goes and dies! Naturally, what can she do but resurrect him..? Showing in the Prince Charles, and we're meeting in Victory House beforehand. Now, I'd normally book at my favourite restaurant for this - but would you believe, by the time I decided what I was doing, they were fully booked for early evening! Eating at the Bear and Staff instead, I know they're good.

And on Saturday, finally back with LoMAZ for their bi-monthly birthday bash - meeting at Benugo in Waterloo, then having a self-guided history tour (ahem) within the station, and repairing to the Union Jack..

On Sunday, I'm provisionally thinking of a film - what's coming up is Everybody to Kenmure Street, a documentary (Emma Thompson takes part) about a movement of Glasgow locals when a couple of their neighbours face deportation in a dawn raid! Only showing in the Lexi, all the way up in Kensal Green.. which I discover I can get to in under an hour, with a combination of Tube and Overground..

The next two days are courtesy of my cheap ticket groups! On Monday, I'm with TAC for a Beethoven concert at the Milton Court Concert Hall. Eating beforehand at Cote Barbican.

And on Tuesday, with CT, I found a live podcast - You're Dead to Me is history with a comedic twist! Playing at The Adelphi.

Then it's five Meetups in a row.. next Wednesday, back with UITCS for Oh! Mary, a musical and comedic look at the life of Mary Lincoln, playing at Trafalgar Theatre. I paid a little over the odds for it at late notice, but decided I'm interested enough to get another perspective, after seeing last month's show about her, Mrs. President.

On the 26th, back with LoMAZ, unusually for a midweek event, a talk on Johnson, Crime and Punishment, in Four Cases, at Dr. Johnson's House. Includes a welcome drink and a chance to peek around the house. Tickets are cheaper if bought in pairs, so I paired with someone from the group.

On the 27th, finally back with Over 40: Living the Life, for Cleopatra: The Experience, at the ExCel Centre. She's found a place nearby to eat beforehand, apparently Italian, details TBA.

On the 28th, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies - this walk is It's Only Rock 'n' Roll but I Like It! Unfortunately, the event page seems to be set up differently, not allowing people to sign up without paying through PayPal, and incurring the fee. He's having to take people's names offline..this wasn't his intention, and I'm not sure what has happened.

On the 29th, back with The Hideout again for They Will Kill You, a comedy horror about a girl who takes a job at a Manhattan mansion, only to discover it's a temple to Satan, and she's tonight's sacrifice. However, they didn't know about the martial arts she picked up in prison.. not a spoiler, that's all in the trailer. Location and time TBA.

On the 30th, heading to something advertised to me by someone I met on the last LoMAZ event I was on - he organises a WhatsApp community called London Fun, and had a spare prebooked ticket to Lifeline, a musical based around the medical profession and starring real medical professionals. So I said I'd go - in SP again.

On the 31st, back with Movie Roadhouse London, who are dipping their toe in horror as well.. we're seeing Brain Damage, an 80s body horror about a guy infected with an alien parasite..  hmm. Showing in The Nickel Cinema - which turns out to be around the corner from The Wilmington, so I've booked there again. 

On the 1st, back with TAC for another Kirckman concert for young classical musicians at King's Place- this time it's Sherri Lun.

On the 2nd, back at storytelling with Orpheus Dismembered, featuring Ben Haggarty, of the Crick Crack Club. Happening at Hoxton Hall, and I'm eating in Schnitzel Heaven beforehand.

And on the 3rd, back with UITCS at SW, for Solera - flamenco with Paco Peña. ¡Olé! Eating at The Wilmington again- and can go a little earlier, it being a bank holiday.