Category: Film
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Feeling
Last night I watched Weekend, the 2011 film of an encounter between two guys who clearly need each other. Fairly heartbreaking, and very, very well done indeed – writing, acting, all of it. They go through the usual chaotic mistakes of a hasty encounter between strangers, then as they realize they want to spend more…
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Sherlocks
Two Sherlocks in one week: the first episode of the second season of the brilliant BBC television series, and the second Robert Downey Jr./Guy Ritchie film. Interesting as narrative that the film jumps to such a late place in the SH canon (Moriarty over the falls! that was originally the ending of everything), while the…
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Writing and hearing
Working on a presentation about Derek Jarman's last films, for Wednesday. After much procrastination, aided by the calm, dull backwaters of the Easter holiday. And, amid brief frustrations as to exact dates, processes unrecorded, I realize I am enjoying myself: while making dinner in the kitchen, I say aloud to no one: But this is…
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Ocean’s… twelve
A calm, efficient, bustling day: cleaning, haircut, picked up the exams to mark, managed the first session of the year of the HIV patient group presentations, shopping, lunch. Not in that order; but things tended to happen neatly, quickly, and all slightly too fast to plan ahead and think about – which is actually good;…
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Palermo Shooting
The title of Wim Wenders' 2008 film. Not very successful, widely regarded as pretentious and self-indulgent; and it's true that the script isn't subtle or surprising (who would have thought Death would be so talkative and sententious?). But this isn't a review… for real film people, it may be a failure; but for me it's…
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Je t’aime je t’aime
After a rather extreme version of the usual winter irresponsible incoherent dead-time day and night, I watched this 1968 film by Resnais – perhaps not the best choice for someone thinking about depression and the incoherence of his life. Or, perhaps, the best possible choice. No, let me explain, briefly, or you'll think this is…
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Italians and circuses
Reading a Fellini biography; and watching many Fellini movies, plus other bits of Italian neorealism – it's avoidant, I know (still fallow after that long trip, must get back to work). I've always loved a few things of Fellini – notably Satyricon – but I didn't know any of the early work; it's addictive –…
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To the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
[A grumpy letter to the festival. Perhaps I should sign myself Brigadier-General, as in those parody Monty Python letters to the Times.] Dear LLGFF, So the 22nd London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is on tour; and just three movies from its series will come to Newcastle, at the Tyneside Cinema, in mid-August, with about…
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Mamma mia
Well, well, two summer blockbuster films in one week: quite bizarre for me. David C. and David R. wanted to go; I argued that I didn’t really want to see Mamma Mia, but they wanted to, and it sounded pleasant to spend the time with them, so I went. Well. I suppose there are a…
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Too dark a knight
Today, a day of seeing the doctor, prescriptions, correcting paperwork, getting things done: a decent enough day, though there was no Writing of the Book in it. (And I can’t help thinking that those are the dangerous days: when you really are busy but don’t get any of the big stuff done. However, admittedly, there…
Paul Attinello 