The classes have got all messed up recently, with the introduction of premium economy. A lot of the flights to the east coast of the US don’t have any first class at all, it just goes business, premium, coach.
Watching it (again). It’s brilliant but I need to go to bed soon, up at 5.00. Flying again tomorrow, expect more film reviews soon.
Bad planning, long layover at JFK. Suppose I could visit Durbar and remind him of what civility means, but no. Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy: ok, nothing outstanding, nothing offensive. Good lounge at LHR. Films: Death of Stalin - very good, but not as good as The Thick of It or In the Loop. Very good cast and acting, as sharp as a razor. Good sense of the horror as well as the absurdity of Stalin’s Russia. Thor Ragnarok. Some of these superhero films are my guilty pleasures, and I had heard that this was directed by a very funny kiwi bloke, takes the piss out of itself and includes Cate Blanchett who I will watch in anything. Fell asleep after 20 minutes. Tried again after wiping the drool off. It’s ok, some funny bits, but the joke is pretty thin and am I bored of CGI. Not as good as Guardians of the Galaxy or Deadpool (though the novelty in that wears thin in minutes as well). Cate was lovely though. Dunkirk for the trip back.
I just can't be doing with superhero films, I'm afraid. I hope you enjoy Dunkirk, but you're unlikely to get a proper appreciation of it on a tiny screen.
If there is anything else I fancy that will take precedence as Dunkirk has Mark Rylance in it who I can’t stand. I’d like to see a few more films featuring people just talking to each other.
“The Lives Of Others”. German language movie (with subtitles) about the East German Stasi during the Cold War and one corrupt high-ranking official’s attempt to discredit a playwright for less than political reasons using the resources at his disposal. It’s in my Top 10 favourite films and well worth a watch if you’ve not already seen it.
Just finished reading "La Belle Sauvage" - Phillip Pullmans latest novel, the first of a trilogy called "The Book of Dust" which will be a prelude to "His Dark Materials" trilogy. If you're not familiar with his work, the original books came out about 20 years ago, the first of which was very badly turned into a film "The Golden Compass" - awful adaptation, hence they never finished the series. Although the books appear to be aimed at a younger audience than most of us on here, it poses some very interesting questions with regards to the relationship between science, religion and freedom of speech. They are based in a parallel world where your inner self is in physical form of an animal (a daemon), which changes form whilst you are a child, but then takes a permanent form dependant upon your personality once you reach adulthood. The church (The Authority) run the world in a Gestapo style manner, crushing resistance through manipulation - but there are saviours and resistance fighters. There is also a substance, known as Dust, which equates, as I read it, into what we may think of as Dark Matter. Unquantifiable, but there nonetheless, and the scientific resistance are determined to unearth Dusts properties, whilst the Authority will do whatever is in their power to stop this research. "La Belle Sauvage" is setting the scene for some major upcoming events, and I'm looking forward to the next two books. The original trilogy was fascinating, especially once they found the "Subtle Knifex which enabled them to traverse through different parallel worlds, including our own, and a big showdown between one of the main characters and God towards the end. La Belle Sauvage was Waterstones Book of the Year, and Pullman has just been named Author of the Year at the British Book Awards - I really enjoyed it. A far more in depth review here.... The Book of Dust Vol 1: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman review – worth the wait | Books | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2...l-1-la-belle-sauvage-by-philip-pullman-review
Doubt it pal, but it's not an overly difficult read - probably a bit easier to understand than the books it is a prelude to. It's a bit like a mix of the Narnia books, with religion, politics and science thrown in. When the original series was released he was vilified by the right wing God-botherers in USA, with book burnings and protests outside bookshops, saying he was colluding with Satan and warping people minds - "how dare he challenge the Church". I'm completely Atheist, and find it staggering that people in the 21st century can believe in some mythical being, but am tolerant of people who do have faith no matter how antiquated I find their belief system (although it's hard to find a justification for extreme followers of Islam or Christianity). Try the film - it's not that bad if you haven't read the book - it's got an A List cast, including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellan and Ian McShane, it's just a poor adaptation of a brilliant book and could've been so much better.
I saw this on Sky cinema and downloaded it. I've just started watching it and twenty minutes in I thought there's a lack of dialogue. Does that continue throughout the film?
Definately a film for the big screen - can't imagine how it would play out in your living room (although rolling innit on a FB pension bet you've got your own cinema room with a 65 inch flatscreen, full dolby surround system with comfy chairs and a popcorn maker )
