Yes, I was sucked into the hideous world that is Jeremy Kyle - what on earth is wrong with me?!
However, did do some cooking, skipping (bloody knackering - after about a minute and a half), cleaning and ticked some things on the list but honestly not the start I wanted.
By the way, I have no qualms - I LOVE ABBA. Showing my age, I remember my Thursday night treat was being allowed to stay up to watch Top of the Pops and I remember watching Waterloo when it was number one and they wore keyhole cut out lycra spangly things (I was exceedingly tiny honest) and I wanted to be as cool as them. I can’t wait to see Mamma Mia…
So finally got round to seeing SATC on Saturday morning. There’s something that feels a bit naughty going to the cinema in the am but then we all need a bit of naughty indulgence now and then. There were only four people in the cinema and - because they had allocated seating - we were all sat next to each other! Eventually we moved so we weren’t in each other’s laps (because there’s something a bit icky about watching a sex scene at the cinema when you’re on your own and so is the man next to you - call me old fashioned I know. Actually why was there a single man watching SATC? Strange stuff).
I really enjoyed it but then I really enjoyed the series, it wasn’t as funny as it could have been, some parts were far too predictable and it took product placement to a whole new level. But hey it’s fun not a cerebral exercise.
I was on my own this weekend so managed to get quite a lot done. Had to do mad frenzy cleaning as my parents are staying the night tomorrow and I am constantly wracked with the fear that my house never quite reaches my mum’s standards of cleanliness (mind you I work full time, she doesn’t and she has a cleaner).
Also spent quite a lot of the weekend being ranty at the television, especially the news. I cannot add anything original or intelligent to the debate about Zimbabwe but it’s a heart-breaking situation. I really wish Mandela would speak out. I know he has left politics behind him and will soon be retiring from public life (he’s 90 and deserves to put his feet up) but this is a subject on which he could have a powerful voice. In the spirit of “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem…” then by NOT speaking out African leaders are condoning Mugabe’s treachery (and just don’t get me started on the crappily ineffectual Mbeki).
FOOTNOTE: Not entirely sure a post should start with SATC and end with Mugabe but hey, the random blitherings of my brain never could be fathomed
Actually not popcorn because I’m not a big cinema snacker.
I still haven’t been to see SATC. However, I have found a girly friend who will go with which is good news. I now just have to navigate my way around football fixtures to find a date.
Beloved and I still haven’t been to see Indiana Jones. Doesn’t help that:
- he pathologically hates the cinema
- aforementioned football
I’m going to try and do diary bashing because the next big film of the summer is only just over a month away and the rate we’re going we’ll just have to camp out at the cinema until we’ve seen them all.
Did see Cloverfield the other week. Good film although (to my mind) didn’t really need the sci-fi stuff - could have just been a good thriller with an unidentified “baddie”. To that end, I’m also looking forward to The Happening (although suspect that will be a small screen outing only) - is it me or are we strangely obssessed with apocalyptic films en ce moment?
…for another year (as I’m so not interested in the FA Cup). Truly gutted about Reading (cannot trust Pompey to do anything right, I mean it’s once in a blue moon I actually want them to win). However, very excited to report that I won the cup competition in my predictions league which I am very excited about. Also came a credible 7th in the league (would have been 5th but for some pesky goal difference). I am also the only remaining girl in the top division which is quite sad - I think they might try and make it boys only - there will be a deposition to the European Court of Human Rights if they do.
However from football to things altogether more girly and my growing excitement that SATC premieres tonight. Hurrah!!
It has arrived! My sandals are on and - according to the weather reports - they will remain on all week - hurrah!
Bank Holiday weekend was a nice little break. Went down to ye olde countryside and avoided turning into too much of a sneezing mess.
Watched I Am Legend which I had wanted to see when it came out but was scared off by the reviews and poor reports from people who had seen it but actually it was really rather good. Okay so the whole virus, zombie thing is not exactly a new format but it was a pretty good effort. The only thing that annoyed me was some fairly poor CGI.
Went to see the much anticipated (well in our house) Golden Compass last night with some trepidation and some excitement. I loved the books so much that I was scared the film would be too Hollywood-ised, there has been much talk about the removal of the religious aspects of the book and I was nervous it would just turn into a romping adventure with too little soul. In actual fact, the fudging of the religious references made little impact in this film (although by the third I suspect this will be a more difficult path to negotiate) and the Magisterium remains the embodiment of organised religion which is promising.
In terms of casting, I was excited by the prospect of Nicole Kidman as Mrs Coulter and she did not disappoint (although there was something very odd going on with her lips which I did find distracting). Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel had a lot to live up to as Timothy Dalton (another Bond - coincidence? I’m not sure) had played the part so well in the National’s stage adaptation. It’s not so much that he disappointed, it’s just that his character was watered down so much, there was little sense of his danger or ruthless streak. Again, it will be interesting to see how that develops.
The joy in the casting was Dakota Blue Richards who was a wonderful Lyra. She was as far away from Hollywood as you could get (they didn’t even try to fix her teeth - hurrah!) and was utterly convincing as a feisty potential saviour of the world. The role helped make Anna Maxwell Martin a star and I hope it will do the same for Dakota (although not in some horrible child star way PLEASE!).
I have referred to the stage production already and that set the standard for me - this didn’t come near it. Having said that, on the whole, I enjoyed the film and it certainly was better than I had thought it would be when I heard Chris Weitz was directing it. My major gripe though was the breakneck speed of its second half and the “happy ending” which is so different from the book.
I am so looking forward to the release of “The Golden Compass” despite its rather crappy name. I suspect it has something to do with the Conservative Christian Right in the US. I just hope the film is faithful to Philip Pullman’s classic.
