Film: The Invite

Currently, two more films in a row! Yesterday evening, back at last with Movie Roadhouse London for The Invite. Delighted they advertised it - the trailer looks promising. Based on a Spanish film, in this, Seth Rogen and his wife (Olivia Wilde, who also directs) decide to invite the enigmatic couple upstairs - Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz - for dinner. They have no idea what they're letting themselves in for.. showing in the BFI, and we were meeting there beforehand, and for drinks after. Oh joy, the prospect of a half-hour walk, with a heavy rucksack, in 34-degree heat..

Well, at least it was downhill to the river - I made it five minutes before the scheduled time, running into one of the attendees just as I got there, and we found ourselves in the midst of the London Indian Film Festival! with sundry stars I didn't know posing for photographs. I had to message the organiser to see where he was - standing under a "Mediatheque" sign, as it turned out! Gosh, I'd never noticed that before.. but it turned out to be beside the box office, and we all found him in due course. It was a good turnout - some faces I hadn't seen in ages, and lots of new ones. And we chatted before going in.

I'll say straight off that this film divided opinion somewhat. Most people gave it a good rating - I was one of those keenest on it - but some definitely didn't like it. I know someone for whom the beginning dragged, someone else who thought it was "stagey", "farcical", then "preachy", someone else thought there was too much arguing. A couple of people criticised the cliché of the sexy Spanish lady..

I loved it, as I say. I love a "stagey" film (in this case, certainly, referring to the conversation-heavy first part). They used to make a lot more films like this - I miss them. Love a good back-and-forth, which is what we get with the couple doing the inviting - they are constantly bickering, so if that's not your thing, possibly avoid - but I found it hilarious, as she flutters around trying to get everything ready for a couple that she really wants to get to know better, and he really doesn't.

It's no spoiler that the couple upstairs are into group sex - that's in the trailer. And of course, that's how Penélope Cruz gets to play the sexy Spanish lady. The film on which it's based is Spanish, of course, so it's not a huge leap that the filmmakers fancied including a Spaniard in this story, set in San Francisco, for a touch of the exotic. Ok, it runs to the farcical at this point, and not everyone appreciated the humour - I did, and enjoyed it.

The final act has her character, a therapist, counselling the other couple about their constant arguing. I didn't find it preachy - I did find the final part of the film moving, as they take some of her words to heart.

So, in summary.. go see it and make your own mind up. You'll like it or you won't - personally, I took great delight in seeing these actors on screen, and as I say, in the dialogue in the first part. Very much enjoyed it!

Drinks in the Riverfront bar afterwards, and to get seating for us all, we went outside - unfortunately, the tables, while large, weren't moveable, and the group was split for most of the evening. Still, good chat was had - and I was delighted to see bar food on offer.. I was starving. Had some sticky chicken pieces in soy sauce - did the trick. There is table service, but with no-one in sight, I went to the bar for my second drink - where I was summarily ignored until the guy who'd served me outside took my order (and eventually brought it out to me). Handily, we got a discount, being in the same group as a BFI member..

We stayed until closing, and the last few of us walked together to our various travel points.. I got some last-minute shopping done too, always handy here! A good night was had. I was too tired to blog last night, though.

Tonight, their sister group, The Hideout, are headed to Evil Dead Burn. Now, I don't usually go for these - gore isn't my favourite thing - but more than I dislike gore, I dislike a boring horror film, as so many are. And if this looks like anything, it doesn't look boring.. I particularly love the touch of a zombie literally drinking the wax from a burning candle, as shown in the trailer. Kind of deliciously wicked.. Produced by Sam Raimi. Showing in the Vue West End, drinks in Victory House beforehand as usual. And I'm eating in Bella Italia Cranbourn Street before that. Heading out imminently.

Tomorrow, I was supposed to go to another social with the London SciFi/Fantasy Group in the Mad Hatter - but wouldn't you know it, just like last time, the pub has now cancelled the booking because of the World Cup! Instead, I'm now heading with CT to Dark of the Moon, at Charing Cross Theatre. Chose the matinee, and am eating in L' Ulivo afterwards - it's been years!

Finally, on Sunday, I was thinking of yet another film.. and what's coming up is The Last Viking, a crime comedy with Mads Mikkelson, who plays a man under the delusion that he's John Lennon. Closest showing at a reasonable time is Picturehouse Hackney.. 

But well.. remember the kerfuffle with London Museums A-Z being put on hiatus? Hee hee, I might have expected it.. with a gag on the main WhatsApp group, a few of the organisers have created an "underground" one, called alternately "LoMAZ Hiatus" and "LoMAZ Refugees"! Where they're merrily scheduling new events.. 😀 One of these is a watch party for the Wimbledon final that day, free on a big screen at Battersea Power Station! Thinking I might schlep along to that..