Films

On screen and stage

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I stayed up on Sunday night to watch the Oscars, it was on ordinary telly for the first time in the UK and I had a good feeling. And yay, Emma Stone picked up Best Leading Actress, totally deserved! I went to Poor Things for a third time earlier in the evening (as I’ve previously mentioned I would), there was a reasonable size audience for it, good to see (apart from the person who was eating out of a very noisy packet). I’m sure Stone will have a long, successful career but I reckon Bella Baxter will be one of her top performances. Oppenheimer picked up the most Oscars but Poor Things did also get the awards for Make-up & Hair Styling, Production Design and Costume Design, again all three richly deserved.

Oo, I went to see Wicked Little Letters a few evenings ago, what fun!! Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley are both on excellent form, well, the whole cast are a delight. The film is based on a true story that happened in a little English seaside town in the 1920s, but be warned, some of the language is very fruity, okay, there’s long strings of swearing and obscenities like you’ve never heard! Best leave that person behind again, maybe the next film will be nicer and proper. Wicked Little Letters is hilariously funny but there are dark sides around the events too, I thought the balance was played really well.

On the small screen I’ve just watched the final two episodes of Our Flag Means Death, man, that was brilliant telly! Just so many great elements to it, so of course it’s been cancelled, no series three, boo. Mind, this way it remains a beautiful gem, no overstaying and sinking into the mediocrity of weaker stories (though with Taika Waititi at the helm that could have taken quite a while).

In other news, the first batch of tickets for this year’s Edinburgh fringe are on sale, not that I’ve bothered to look, all in good time. What I have had a ganders at was the line-up at the Leicester Comedy Festival in February; good to see plenty of WIPs (Work In Progress), hopefully they’ll be all polished and sparkly by August. Grubby Little Mitts have yet another new show, yay, Luke Rollason too, two for my definites pile, well I assume they’ll be coming to Edinburgh. Very exciting, I see that John Robertson was trying out a new show, I really hope that makes it up here.

I also had a peek at who’s been at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Eric’s Tales of the Sea – A Submariner’s Yarn is still doing the rounds! I wonder if it’s still the same as when I saw it many years ago or has he tweaked it over time? Manbo and Yippee Ki Yay, two great shows paying homage to two classic 80s movies, popped over. The fabulous Aidan Sadler has been having a whale of a time out there, first time in Australia, first time in drag – I follow them on Instagram, very entertaining stories!

Starting this week and going on until the end of March is the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. I haven’t looked to see what’s on, hopefully plenty of shows being nicely honed for Edinburgh in August. Oh, I do know of one, Napoleon’s 100 Days on for two shows Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th, by the same chap who totally captivated me with the marvellous tale of Mark Twain’s The Stolen White Elephant last year. I’ll be away otherwise I may well have popped across, but hey, it’s going to be at the Edinburgh Fringe, I shall definitely see it then.

Well, my friend, its now very late, so I’ll bid you good night and sweet dreams.

Did I say tomorrow?

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I never did get round to writing more about Poor Things as I said would, oh, three plus weeks ago?! Life, huh. Since then Emma Stone has won Best Leading Actress at the BAFTAs, and quite rightly, her performance as Bella Baxter is possibly the best work she’ll ever do, I totally bought into the premise of Bella. Like I’ve said previously, Poor Things is an adult fairytale, it’s not some harrowing real-life scenario, apparently some folk were real hung up on parts, hmmm, I don’t think they got it!

Bella Baxter sees life with all the glee, curiosity, simplicity of a child; there’s also the petulance and innocent self-centeredness of a child yet to discover the wider world. She’s uninhibited and unaffected by societal norms, and so doesn’t react to situations as those around her would expect; the two villains in the tale are completely undone by Bella’s simplistic pragmatic ways. Yes, there’s lots of sex, or “furious jumping” as she calls it, but as Kenny Everett would say, it’s all done in the best possible taste!

Poor Things also won BAFTAs for Make-up & Hair, Costume Design, Production Design and Special Visual Effects, which doesn’t surprise me in the least; PT is stunning in all visual aspects. Two more things, Mark Ruffalo is tremendous as Duncan Wedderburn, cad and bounder, played to the max; and I found that occasionally Bella’s turn of phrase reminded me of Amy Farrah Fowler when she first turned up in The Big Bang Theory, anyone else get that?

If Cineworld puts on all the Best Film Oscar Nominations this year I would go back and see it again, hell yeah. Would I go see Oppenheimer again? No, I did enjoy it but once was enough. Oh, I saw American Fiction last weekend, picked from just a quick glance at the blurb; good call, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Turns out it’s up for a few Oscars and won Best Adapted Screenplay at the BAFTAs.

Tonight it’s time for something completely different – in honour of it’s 48½ anniversary Monty Python and the Holy Grail is showing on the big screen. Of course I’m going! And from the ridiculous to the sublime, tomorrow evening sees Babyface and the Beltin’ Boys back at Stramash, yay!

Promise my next post will be sooner than this was! Toodle pip!

An unlikely double bill

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January hasn’t been a month for doing much, certainly not outside anyway, lucky for me there’s been things to see in the cinema. Mind, I let a few go by, awkward times or appalling weather to battle through; just two shone through as seriously worth seeing – and how, I went and saw both a second time! Just as Barbie and Oppenheimer made an unlikely double act so too do these two, Wonka and Poor Things!

Just sticking this here, just because

Okay so Wonka is PG and Poor Things is 18 but they’re both fantastical fairy tales, just one has more adult themes (probably not for a prudish relative nevermind the children!). Both have glorious cinematography, stunningly sumptuous sets; and the hair, make-up and costumes were pretty damn fine too! The music in each is so perfect to the stories, Poor Things has been nominated for the Best Original Score Oscar, along with about ten other nominations.

The music in Wonka is so so wonderful 💛 Yes, it gets a golden heart from me. Really, I cannot believe that A World Of Your Own hasn’t been nominated for Best Song Oscar, it’s so utterly charming and joyous, with a touch of bittersweet. All the songs are deliciously sharp-witted but when you have Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy writing them, well, it’s to be expected (he’s also responsible for that Eurosong entry My Lovely Horse on Father Ted).

I have little, well, no love for Tim Burton’s film in 2005, it was all so wrong; but hearing this film was being made by Paul King (who made the Paddington films) as a prequel to the original 1971, oh yay, definitely promising news. Oh, my heartses, when the film opened with those familiar notes! A very charming bow to the original, and an orange and green Oompa-Loompa singing his Oompa-Loompa ditties too!

The whole cast are brilliant, the big musical numbers, just jaw-droppingly wow. Timothée Chalamet is perfect as a young Willie Wonka who’s sweet, quirky and a tad naive; an irrepressible optimist who’s come to town to open his dream chocolate shop….. Mean, unscrupulous baddies at every turn, but Willie’s winning smile makes friends and sells chocolates. As the story unfolds he becomes smarter and wiser but never loses his childlike sense of joy, it was like the mix of these created who he became; I fancied his eyes sparkled a little brighter (and wilder!?) and his tone had a more confident edgy smile in it by the end of the film. I reckon Gene Wilder would have approved!

Okay, I seemed to have prattled on somewhat about Wonka, oops. I’ll leave saying more about Poor Things until tomorrow. I’ll leave you with few pics from the Innocent Railway Tunnel today, the graffiti gallery has all been refreshed, so…..

Toodle pip!

Christmas Carolling

bruceonthefringe 2023, Cabaret and Variety, Christmas, Cinema, Comic theatre, Films, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Ghosts, there’s a lot of them about at this time of year. I was just at the cinema tonight to see Spirited, it was a singalong version, not that any of the dozen or so folk there bothered to sing along (I’d never seen it before, that’s my excuse). I was barely aware of it but seeing pictures on social media of Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, oh yes! Another retelling of A Christmas Carol with a modern setting and lots of liberties.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, Reynolds and Ferrell are both such fun playing to their usual types (but they do it so well). Overlong some say, but I was fine with it, the plot bounces along at full speed. The concept of the ghost organisation doing so much in the background put me in mind of The Cabin In The Woods. The humour is fast, sharp, clever, with some deep stuff in there. I’d definitely watch it again but I’m still not enticed to bother with subscription telly.

Sunday night I went along to Assembly Roxy to see Boris and Sergey’s Christmas Cabaret, another loose spin on Dickens’ classic. Oh, it was great to the pair again and fall into their disturbing surreal world. The old church hall was a perfect setting from them, with cabaret style seating around small tables.

Flabbergast Theatre are an brilliant company, their physicality is otherworldly, the long steady gazes and quick glances right at you can be disconcerting. Are they staying in character, or is this who they are? A ragtag bohemian troupe from another age; they’ll entertain, bemuse and slightly scare you. Oh, and they sing, what a rendition of We Three Kings at the start! Beautifully arranged harmonies, spellbindingly performed; but what on earth were the instruments? I’ve never seen them before, a sound to perfectly match the mood of Flabbergast.

Boris and Sergey are a great double act, Sergey is the cleverer, meaner one who tends to boss poor Boris around. It’s easy to become absorbed in their world, but then like a weird dream that doesn’t quite make sense, at times they acknowledge the puppeteers. Watching the two fight is always brilliant, they do fight a lot, and die on occasion, but they would go to hell and back for each other.

This is a cabaret show, so plenty of interaction with the audience (and a humbug if you’re lucky), a game of What’s In The Box and some breath-taking aerial rope acrobatics. A Christmas Carol weaves in and around the cabaret element. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, I’ll give 4 stars; it deserves a bigger audience than was there when I saw it. There’s three more performances 19th to 21st, treat yourself, it’s Christmas!

A bit about Elsie, a bit about Eileen

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Just twenty-one days to go until Logan’s Close play the Liquid Room, yay. Tonight they’re playing at Purple Weekend in León, lucky Spaniards! I’ve noticed on Instagram that former band member Alex Palmer will be on drums. Well, trying to round up five musicians all at once can be tricky! Worse than cats. The Liquid Room gig won’t have Stuart on bass but original bassist Olly is stepping in, sweet.

So will I be jigging around to any sounds tonight? Oh yes, The Blueswater are making a rare appearance at The Jazz Bar tonight at nine. If I’m not ready to head caveward after that, there’s the Moanin’ Bones at Whistlebinkies at midnight (well, so Binkies’ calendar says). Feels like ages since I was last out, three weeks is a long time without live music for me. Oh, I was out at the cinema the other night to see Eileen.

It’s an odd movie, left me feeling slightly on edge, on the disturbed side of bemused. The wonderfully ethereal Thomasin McKenzie plays the title character Eileen, a young woman stuck in small town 1960s Massachusetts; she works in a correctional facility for teenage boys and lives with her alcoholic ex-cop father. This young lady spends a lot of time fantasising, fantasies that escape on to the screen leaving the viewer unsure each time, then one day into her life comes a stunning blonde – is this ringing any alarm bells for you too? I wanted to yell, stay away from her, girly, stay away!

She doesn’t. She is utterly bewitched by Rebecca, the new psychologist at the facility. To be honest I was too, come on, Anne Hathaway with a blonde bouffant hairdo! She looked so different and clearly relished the part, enigmatic, independent 60s female, so Rebecca maybe had a screw slightly loose, quirky?! Both actresses were great as ever, there’s a real chemistry between their characters in this dark kinda noir thriller.

No other movies or musical interludes planned for this weekend. I suppose I should get on with present buying and festooning Old Hummus with tinsel. Of course, there’s Dr Who tomorrow evening, I’m so enjoying this little trio of Tennant treats; and last week’s with Mr Cribbins ❤️ oh, my heartses! My eyes may have gotten a tad moist.

Yay, next week is a Scat Rats double, midnight Tuesday in Binkies and seven on Thursday in Stramash. Dr Salad (Scott’s other band) will also in Binkies on Tuesday, hitting the crowd with some saucy, heavy romantic vibes. That’s about it for me until after my Christmas trip to Yorkshireland. Oh no, must grab a ticket for Jed Potts’ Blue Christmas 2023 on the 20th, it was so good last year. Blues fans in Edinburgh, get yourselves in the Christmas spirit at this wonderful event – and the proceeds go to charity!

Anyhoo, time to spruce up for the Jazz Bar. Toodle pip!

A post starts with a single word

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Hey! It’s been three weeks since my last post. I seem to have lost the ability to communicate, not sure where I put it! I’ve tried a number of times to start a new post (two drafts are as far as I got) but everything empties out of my head, numbness, or my old enemy procrastination takes over. So, one word at a time, like those single steps in a walk.

The last two evenings I went to the cinema. Even cinema-ing has slipped by the wayside recently, mind, the miserable wet dark nights may have had a hand in that. Tuesday night I saw Bottoms and while it was “a teen sex comedy” the title is meaningless, like it was a working title that they forgot to update. Once I got in the rhythm and pace of it (fast, high schoolers speak really fast, hardly drawing breathe, with a weird logic of their own) I really enjoyed it. Two high school girls set up a girls fight club in hope of some girl action for themselves; ooch, please don’t judge me as sleazy! Bottoms was just on my maybe-watch list, then Edgar Wright said it was tops on Instagram, that’s what swung it for me.

Last night I procrastinated again, going off to see Five Nights at Freddy’s anything rather than sitting staring at my tablet. I’m aware that it’s based on a very popular video game, a video game I’d never heard of, let alone ever played. Somehow I was under the impression it was a comedy horror (no, I have no idea why), and it’s rated 15, how scary could it be? Not particularly scary as it turned out but the first five minutes had me wondering! The threat of gore and violence is never far away but not actually seen much. FNaF turned out to be more of a supernatural horror film slowly revealing the truth bit by bit, it certainly kept my interest. The animatronic puppets were very creepy but what really made the film for me was the lack of annoying “give away” incidental music. Certainly the quietness cranked up the suspense in the film, but maybe it helped that I had no foreknowledge of what was on the cards.

Okay, so I’ve managed to break my own silence, maybe tomorrow I’ll get on and write some more. Time to pop up to Stramash as Baby Face and the Beltin’ Boys are on at ten.

Toodle pip!

What my procrastination gets up to at it’s worst….

Like stair rods, I tell you

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Outside my window the sky is a soft blue with wispy clouds hanging around, butter wouldn’t melt in it’s mouth if it had one. It’s monsoon time again, lovely summer weather to draw everyone out, then down it pours; we’re talking cats, dogs, frogs, fish, there’ll be kitchen sinks hurtling down next. So far I’ve been pretty lucky but for how much longer?

It’s partly due to the deluges that I read a whole book yesterday, from late afternoon, a quick break to make tea, then through until late evening. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, and it wasn’t a short book, but it was very gripping! A Death at Fountains Abbey is the third novel set in the early eighteenth century following the escapades of one Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson. By’eck, the lady knows how to write a good thriller, all three books have been great but this one, wow (no, I’m not biased just because it’s set in Yorkshire).

The evening before was a movie marathon of Asteroid City followed by Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse about five hours at the cinema with just time in-between to grab coffee and cake. Yeah, I needed reviving after Asteroid City oh, it was okay, a very very Wes Anderson film, you know it’s his immediately, arty and clever, and so like so much else he’s done; I guess I’ve gotten bored with him. The new Spider-Man film bounced along nicely and held my attention through all the multidimensional wibbly-wobbliness. But aargh, I didn’t know it was gonna end on a cliffhanger!

On films, there is an Edinburgh International Film Festival this year, running from 18th to 23rd August. I did have a quick glance through the programme online (I don’t know if there is a printed version this year) but nothing grabbed my attention, I’ll maybe have another ganders at what’s on offer.

Fringe-side, the new Fringe App is now available, time will tell just how good it is. Hopefully it won’t be as draining on my battery as the previous incarnation, that was very greedy! Bad news about the Half Price Hut is it’s back in the Fringe Box Office again, so shuts at 6pm, sooo stupid!! Once again folk coming into town for an evening (well, any time after 5.45) won’t be able to take advantage of HPH offers.

Must dash, the Cumbiatones are doing their thing at Stramash, in fact they’ll have already started. Toodle pip!

Harold, yes, Chris, no, Elsie, yay

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I was at the cinema last night to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, oh it was so good. Harold is played by Jim Broadbent, one of our finest actors, a perfect piece of casting! I read the original book a few years ago and Jim Broadbent is just how I pictured Harold, with his gentle manner and slight bewilderment at situations. His wife is played by Penelope Wilton, another of our finest, the two together really show how it should be done!

There is, as usual, a lot cut from the book to fit the story into a movie time frame but the essentials are there. If you happen to see the film and enjoy it, you really should read the book; if I happen to see a copy in a charity shop I’ll definitely by buying it for a second read. The film seemed to be hardly on for any time in cinemas but it won’t lose anything on a smaller screen so do catch it on whatever stream you fish in.

The previous evening I popped out to see Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, hmmm. Not something I’d bother with without an Unlimited card but the reviews were quite good – erm, reviews by folk who haven’t seen many fantasy adventure films before?! Yes, it was going be fairly generic but I was hoping the script and performances would sparkle, nope. Ok, I enjoyed Michelle Rodriguez, great to see her again, but Chris Pine, nope, nope, nopity, nope (still doesn’t figure how he got the girl in This Means War over Tom Hardy).

Two out of three, that evening between the North West twigs and Yorkshireland, I went to see Renfield, another film only in cinemas for a short time, it was my only chance to see it. So glad I did, Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult together, that only had my interest, but Nic Cage as Dracula?! Oh yeah. Hoult plays our eponymous hero, Renfield the putupon lackey of the vampire; he’s had enough and seeks solace at a self-help group for people in co-dependent relationships…..

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, very funny, sharp and violent; Cage being Cage and Hoult doing that thing he does so well, but with added action and violence. I could definitely watch this again and probably will. Renfield won’t be for everyone, maybe not someone who thinks Dungeons & Dragons is an excellent film.

Anyhow, I need to sort myself out, have a bite to eat, spruce up – I have a date with Elsie tonight! Yes, Logan’s Close are playing a sold out show at the Caves tonight, just over three years since the last time. So, so excited!

Toodle pip!

A quiet weekend….

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No Rats, Bones, Buccaneers or mild-mannered janitors this weekend, suppose I’ll just get on and write to you guys. I have a chicken leg roasting in the oven (along with tatties, carrots, red onion, garlic and rosemary, all sloshed with olive oil), so fifty minutes to spare! At least I think none of my favourites are playing nearby, some website calendars have gaps in them and others, well, are not necessarily right by the night (if you read this blog much then you’ll know which local hostelry I’m referring to here).

Next weekend’s better, I believe the Scat Rats are at Stramash on the Friday early evening slot (well, Mr Marah thinks they are), then at midnight the Moanin Bones are rattlin’ and rollin’ at Whistlebinkies. Saturday sees the Scat Rats at Binkies at seven o’clock, a fine way to start a Saturday evening, folks. And it’s the Handsome House Band’s 100th gig at Stramash next Sunday! It’ll be featuring Tim Elliott (Blues’n’Trouble frontman, harmonica and vocals) and hopefully more unannounced guests. Come on, the 100th has to see a few “previously featured” getting up there for a jam!

Earlier this week I went to see Empire of Light at the cinema, there’s been mixed reviews but I loved it. Olivia Coleman is always great to watch, and with Toby Jones, Colin Firth and Micheal Ward in there too – well, it ticked plenty boxes. What a cinema it’s set in! Apparently it’s the Dreamland Cinema in Margate (first opened in 1935 with a very chequered past, like many old cinemas), almost another character in itself. The story takes place in the early 1980s, a time I remember, the good and the bad, I thought Empire of Light portrayed it well.

In other news, show registration for Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 is now open. I don’t know about anyone else but I do know Accordion Ryan has registered, yay! So that’s one show on my list to see, sweet.

Well, my tomato timer has ticked round to almost zero, I’d best go check on my chicken.

Toodle pips!

A dud, an oddity and a hero called Jane

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One of the best things about unlimited viewing at Cineworld is not being annoyed for wasting money on some rubbish film, time maybe but not money, hey, I’d have probably frittered the time away anyway! The film on this occasion was Black Adam, boy was it bad. I should have paid attention that it’s part of the DC Extended Universe, even with Dwayne Johnson in it I would have thought twice about bothering. For me Black Adam was dull, oh there’s lots of action scenes but they do get tedious and boring when there’s no decent story between them, no interesting characters, no sparkling wit. The few attempts at humour were obvious, sad or cringey, or all three (like some Radio 4 comedies).

The shazam thing had me a tad puzzled, was this the same as in Shazam!? Actually that’s a DCEU movie that I did enjoy. What really bugged me were the sanctimonious Justice gang, were they meant to be nice guys? I really couldn’t tell, and that locking him away ’cause they didn’t like his attitude, next minute, please, please break out of that prison we put you in and save the world. Come on!

I also went to see The Banshees of Inisherin this week, a definite go-see for me as its written and directed by the chap who did In Bruges which also starred Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson (that film truly blew me away). Banshees is a quiet, oddly compelling film; I really felt for Pádraic (Colin Farrell), his bafflement and sorrow at the sudden end of a long friendship, his attempts to try to put things right, always making the situation worse. Oh, there’s lots of dark humour in there and so many little absurdities scattered around along with just a little violence (well, this is a Martin McDonagh film, there was definitely going to be at least a bit of violence somewhere). The slow pace of it won’t be to everyone’s taste but it’s got more going for it in one of Colm’s (Brendan Gleeson) cut off fingers than the whole of Black Adam.

In between seeing The Banshees of Inisherin and Black Adam I went to see Call Jane, a completely different kettle of fish again. I knew it was a fact-based film about abortions in America in the late 1960s, sounds heavy, but with Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver in it, I was fine when a friend asked if I’d chum her along to it. Wow, yes, a heavy subject but here it’s tackled so well, it’s written with a lightness and positivity, showing women joining together being proactive, helping each other; a very welcome change from how this subject is usually portrayed on screens according to my friend.

Bet I wasn’t the only one who got home afterwards and immediately went on Google – there’s plenty about The Janes and their background (the Smithsonian Magazine had one of the better pieces). Call Jane may be set just over fifty years ago but it is a very relevant film, especially with the overturning of Roe v. Wade by America’s Supreme Court in June this year.

It is a very human trait to want to have superheroes of one kind or another, enjoy watching films where cities are smashed to smithereens by great hulking chaps, superheroes who will return again in our hour of need. Then there’s real folk who go about under the radar helping others even when it puts themselves in danger, doing the right thing just because.

Goodnight all.