I was delighted to see the BAFTAs reward "The Hurt Locker" as the superior film by awarding it as Best Film and giving Kathryn Bigelow the Best Director award and Mark Boal best original screen play and a hatful of technical awards as well.
I was sorry that Jeremy Renner did not win Best Actor award but was not surprised to see Colin Firth do so instead. After all these are the British awards. However I would hope to see the situation reversed at the Oscars with American Renner's perfformance being rightly aclaimed. I still think his greatest rival is Jeff Bridges, who won the Golden Globe.
I was pleased that Carey Mulligan won best actress as it ws well deserved but figure the American Oscar vote will go to Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious". I suspect Monique will again be the strong contender for best supporting actress but hope Vera farmiga will pip her at the post at the Oscars.
I love the Award season. Coming up next is a review of "Someone Who'll Watch Over Me" by the Bench Theatre.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The first 26 km
The first day's walk in the Great France Walk starts at the Riva Bella Plage, with a symbolic paddle in the Channel. The beach was known as Sword Beach in the D-Day Landings in June 1944 and one of the first landmarks is an icon of those landings.
Leaving the beach I head directly south to find the way-markers at the start of GR36. The Grande Randonnee runs alongside the Caen canal to the Pegasus Bridge.It crosses the canal there and then crosses the River Orne to the east bank to continue south. It forms part of the Pays Tour du Bessin, while heading south west towards Caen.
In order to make its way through Caen, although clinging to the canal bank throughout, the GR36 recrosses to the west bank. Directly south of Caen as the city is left behind, the footpath follows the east bank of the River Orne to Fleury sur Orne. It ignores the bend to Louvigny but cuts across country to St Andre sur Orne. Finally a little further south it comes to the resting place of May sur Orne, which is the end of the first day's walk.
Hopefully as part of the walk I will be able to sketch, take photographs and on occasion film particular stretches in order to supplement my diary and blog postings as a record of the walk. It begins to take a definite shape and a plan is growing.
Leaving the beach I head directly south to find the way-markers at the start of GR36. The Grande Randonnee runs alongside the Caen canal to the Pegasus Bridge.It crosses the canal there and then crosses the River Orne to the east bank to continue south. It forms part of the Pays Tour du Bessin, while heading south west towards Caen.
In order to make its way through Caen, although clinging to the canal bank throughout, the GR36 recrosses to the west bank. Directly south of Caen as the city is left behind, the footpath follows the east bank of the River Orne to Fleury sur Orne. It ignores the bend to Louvigny but cuts across country to St Andre sur Orne. Finally a little further south it comes to the resting place of May sur Orne, which is the end of the first day's walk.
Hopefully as part of the walk I will be able to sketch, take photographs and on occasion film particular stretches in order to supplement my diary and blog postings as a record of the walk. It begins to take a definite shape and a plan is growing.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Great France Walk starts to take shape
As the spring approaches so my attention turns to how to turn the Great France Walk into an actual event.
For a start I now have an actual map of the first day's walk. I ended up buying map 1612OT direct from the IGN of France. I will have to include a visit to the wonderful map shop near the Lamb and Flag on my infrequent visits to the capital. Anyway what this map clearly shows is that I have to be able to cover 26 kilometres in the day.
That is therefore my target for the Spring and Summer as I raise the distances I can travel in one day to the 25-30 km mark. I intend doing this by doing first one and then two circular walks of the required length in a day.
I will have to look carefully at my clothing and then at my equipment. I want to be able to be self sufficient on these journeys so will need a proper rucksack to carry my clothes and camping equipment on my back. This again will necessitate practice carrying.
The second day's walk ends at Thury Harcourt, which possesses a camping site, where we have been before and which is in our Michelin guide. The first day's walk ends at May sur Orne, which doesn't have a campsite. I am not planning to sleep rough so as part of our June in France holiday we shall visit this village and see what accommodation is available. At the moment it looks like the first instalment of the Great France Walk could be this autumn.
Those who know me will not be surprised to find I have discovered a gadget which may or may not prove to be useful. It is a GPS IGN Evadeo X55. This is a device similar to the SATnav which can be used with walking, cycling and driving if you use the appropriate maps. I can hear you say but what is wrong with the maps. Nothing is the answer and of course each walk will be planned using the maps. However the GPS device gets you out of those tricky moments of decision when following waymarked signs when the wrong choice can add many km to the walk and delay your arrival at the day's destination. Let's just say I am tempted.
I have also started to think about the security arrangements needed to travel cross country this way. Where does one store the GPS, the cash and the credit card needed to use in an ATM for more cash, and the mobile phone?
I am about to enter a brief period of theatrical endeavour in which I resurrect three productions from last year and start to learn a new one. The resurrection of productions is a new one to me as normally I learn lines for a production, maintain them until the final performance and then erase them from my memory. I have found difficulty in the past remembering even memorable lines from plays that I have been in so my new task is daunting. I have to relearn the lines rapidly as I haven't the luxury of spending weeks in rehearsal. The first of these productions has a rehearsal tonight and then two performances on Friday and Saturday. I start a second revival next week with a rehearsal on Monday. My grey brain cells are in for a hard time!
For a start I now have an actual map of the first day's walk. I ended up buying map 1612OT direct from the IGN of France. I will have to include a visit to the wonderful map shop near the Lamb and Flag on my infrequent visits to the capital. Anyway what this map clearly shows is that I have to be able to cover 26 kilometres in the day.
That is therefore my target for the Spring and Summer as I raise the distances I can travel in one day to the 25-30 km mark. I intend doing this by doing first one and then two circular walks of the required length in a day.
I will have to look carefully at my clothing and then at my equipment. I want to be able to be self sufficient on these journeys so will need a proper rucksack to carry my clothes and camping equipment on my back. This again will necessitate practice carrying.
The second day's walk ends at Thury Harcourt, which possesses a camping site, where we have been before and which is in our Michelin guide. The first day's walk ends at May sur Orne, which doesn't have a campsite. I am not planning to sleep rough so as part of our June in France holiday we shall visit this village and see what accommodation is available. At the moment it looks like the first instalment of the Great France Walk could be this autumn.
Those who know me will not be surprised to find I have discovered a gadget which may or may not prove to be useful. It is a GPS IGN Evadeo X55. This is a device similar to the SATnav which can be used with walking, cycling and driving if you use the appropriate maps. I can hear you say but what is wrong with the maps. Nothing is the answer and of course each walk will be planned using the maps. However the GPS device gets you out of those tricky moments of decision when following waymarked signs when the wrong choice can add many km to the walk and delay your arrival at the day's destination. Let's just say I am tempted.
I have also started to think about the security arrangements needed to travel cross country this way. Where does one store the GPS, the cash and the credit card needed to use in an ATM for more cash, and the mobile phone?
I am about to enter a brief period of theatrical endeavour in which I resurrect three productions from last year and start to learn a new one. The resurrection of productions is a new one to me as normally I learn lines for a production, maintain them until the final performance and then erase them from my memory. I have found difficulty in the past remembering even memorable lines from plays that I have been in so my new task is daunting. I have to relearn the lines rapidly as I haven't the luxury of spending weeks in rehearsal. The first of these productions has a rehearsal tonight and then two performances on Friday and Saturday. I start a second revival next week with a rehearsal on Monday. My grey brain cells are in for a hard time!
Saturday, February 06, 2010
The Hurt Locker
The Oscar Nominations are out. As usual it is slightly frustrating that the UK distribution of films is slightly out of step with that of the USA. Some of the films nominated and sometimes the winners themselves appear in our cinemas just before the award ceremony or even just after. There are nine films nominated for Best Film: I have reviewed "Avatar", "Up in the Air" and "An Education". I have seen "Inglorious Basterds", and "Up" (which I trust will win the animated feature Oscar),leaving "The Hurt Locker" which I review below and three others (http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees)
Alice hates me reviewing films she hasn't yet seen because she is worried I will give away too much of the plot as I have on occasion in the past. However I try to review in abstract terms rather than involve plot spoilers. The film is set in Iraq where an elite Army bomb disposal squad is seen at work in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a potential bomb. The chaos of war is magnificently created and there is a true cat and mouse element to the film and the plot. I finished my viewing of the film with a tension headache. I was that immersed with the activities of the bomb squad and with their characters, I was there as they work their way through their tour of duty. The three men of the bomb squad became real to me and I deeply cared about all three of them. They are wonderfully contrasted people, deeply complex and all trying to survive in an insane world. Anthony Mackie (Sergeant Sanborn) and Brian Geraghty (Specialist Owen Eldridge) are as different from each other and as different again from the third member of the squad, Sergeant First Class William James. If the tensions out on the streets of Baghdad are not enough, the tensions within the unit are as palpable and as dangerous. I believed in both Mackie and Geraghty as characters and as people. I cannot believe neither of them has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Nominated for Best actor is Jeremy Renner as Will James. He is up against George Clooney (whose performance I rated highly in my review of "Up in the Air" - see below) and Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart, for which he won the Golden Globe.
Jeremy Renner wasn't acting. He was Will James. I totally believed in this not exactly likeable character. His complexes and his complexity made him feel as dangerous as the explosive objects he was working with.
The screenplay by Mark Boal is brilliant and the cinematography by Barry Ackroyd matched to the editing by Bob Murawski and Chris Innis all add to the incredible achievement that is this film and to our knowledge of the insanity of war.
The major credit must go to Kathryn Bigelow as director. I liked what Jason Reitman did with "Up in the Air", James Cameron with "Avatar" and Tarantino with "Inglourious Basterds" direct with the panache and flair expected of such well renowned film-makers. I hope the Oscar goes to Kathryn for what I felt was a moving experience in the cinema.
Alice hates me reviewing films she hasn't yet seen because she is worried I will give away too much of the plot as I have on occasion in the past. However I try to review in abstract terms rather than involve plot spoilers. The film is set in Iraq where an elite Army bomb disposal squad is seen at work in a city where everyone is a potential enemy and every object could be a potential bomb. The chaos of war is magnificently created and there is a true cat and mouse element to the film and the plot. I finished my viewing of the film with a tension headache. I was that immersed with the activities of the bomb squad and with their characters, I was there as they work their way through their tour of duty. The three men of the bomb squad became real to me and I deeply cared about all three of them. They are wonderfully contrasted people, deeply complex and all trying to survive in an insane world. Anthony Mackie (Sergeant Sanborn) and Brian Geraghty (Specialist Owen Eldridge) are as different from each other and as different again from the third member of the squad, Sergeant First Class William James. If the tensions out on the streets of Baghdad are not enough, the tensions within the unit are as palpable and as dangerous. I believed in both Mackie and Geraghty as characters and as people. I cannot believe neither of them has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Nominated for Best actor is Jeremy Renner as Will James. He is up against George Clooney (whose performance I rated highly in my review of "Up in the Air" - see below) and Jeff Bridges in "Crazy Heart, for which he won the Golden Globe.
Jeremy Renner wasn't acting. He was Will James. I totally believed in this not exactly likeable character. His complexes and his complexity made him feel as dangerous as the explosive objects he was working with.
The screenplay by Mark Boal is brilliant and the cinematography by Barry Ackroyd matched to the editing by Bob Murawski and Chris Innis all add to the incredible achievement that is this film and to our knowledge of the insanity of war.
The major credit must go to Kathryn Bigelow as director. I liked what Jason Reitman did with "Up in the Air", James Cameron with "Avatar" and Tarantino with "Inglourious Basterds" direct with the panache and flair expected of such well renowned film-makers. I hope the Oscar goes to Kathryn for what I felt was a moving experience in the cinema.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
An Education
Met up with the Best Beloved after her stint as invigilator at the University and went to see "An Education", the film starring Carey Mulligan. The Best Beloved has been keen to see this film as it is set in the time when she was also a grammar school girl. It was one of the films that I had earmarked as seeing later on DVD. Some films just have to be seen in the cinema, for example, "Avatar" in 3D. Smaller scale more intimate films can be seen on the TV screen or on the projector without losing too much. However having said all that I am glad I went to see "An Education". Everyone who has seen it or reviewed it has raved about the central performance of Carey Mulligan, as the bright teenager with a glowing education future, and her encounters in the "university of life". The Danish director, Lone Scherfig, specialises in films dealing with characterisation and is concerned with the lives of ordinary rather eccentric people. She is married to a psychologist, which could be a result of her work or a contributory factor to it. The screenplay is written by Nick Hornby and is a wonderful piece of work. All the character work is exceptionally well done. As the playboy nearly twice her age who changes Jenny's life, Peter Sarsgaard, creates a man with whom we could be morally outraged but with whom we always maintain a touch of sympathy. Peter appeared in the Sam Mendes' film, "Jarhead",as a die hard member of the Marine elite unit, and he played the air marshal, Carson, in "Flight Plan" with Jodie Foster. Peter certainly has range and form and his performance in "An Education" as David must rate a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Alfred Molina as Jenny's father also gives a performance of note although I am a sucker for father roles. He has set great store by his bright girl going to university and adds to the pressures on her. Olivia Williams gives a good performance full of subtleties and nuances as Miss Stubbs, the grammar school teacher and role model, who is challenged almost as much as is Jenny by the latter's experiences. Rosamund Pike, though would also gain my nomination as Best Supporting Actress, as Helen, the blonde air brained girlfriend of Danny (Dominic Cooper). When Jenny says she is going to read English at university, Helen's look of incomprehension is wonderful to behold as she struggles to understand that Jenny is going to read English "books" and why would anyone need to go to university to do that! I would highly recommend "An Education" but you will have to hurry if you want to see it in a cinema as screenings are becoming few and far between. If you don't make it, do catch it on DVD!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Doing it for and by myself!
Do you know how you don't write anything for ages and then one post seems to uncork your brain and ideas that must have been lurking there half-formed for ages suddenly push themselves to the forefront and demand to be written about?
Neither the Best Beloved and I had any dreams about round the world cruises when we retired. At the time I was happy with that decision and we did spend a great deal of money on an extension to our house, feeling we hoped to spend a lot longer in it. We could also justify our decision in terms of reducing our carbon footprint and other worthy explanations, but the truth is more mundane and less worthy.
The Best Beloved's responsibility for an aged mother meant she could not contemplate too many or very long holiday breaks.Even that last phrase arouses in both of us the PWE or Protestant Work Ethic abhorrence of possibly going away on something as frivolous as a holiday! We're not Methodists for nothing! Although only one till five years old, I still seem to carry around a lot of Catholic guilt with me. I am unsure though whether our desire to stay within our comfort zones and not be too risky was also a major factor.
However now the responsibility for aged mother is no longer 24/7 we can contemplate more breaks, for longer durations and for greater distances. We have looked at winter sun holidays and heard on Tuesday of someone who had flown off that very day to Tenerife on a 7 day break of £500 pp having booked it on Sunday on lastminute.com.
We have not yet been bold enough to do that. We are planning to go on a month's camping trip to France in June. We shall have a pop up tent for overnight stops and the proper tent for when we find somewhere we want to stop for a while. We shall wander south by route national rather than autoroute, probably to the South West corner as our visits there have been less frequent than other parts of France. We are planning another canal boat trip in France with friends this year. I have gone off my train journey across the USA idea. However I have discovered the Western Discovery tours and want to do them this year or next. The Best Beloved and I also want to visit New York and New England.
For me though the biggest discovery is that one of the joys of walking is being alone and telling the tales afterwards. This is an important realisation. I have been trying to fit my practice walks involving the Wayfarers Way and the Solent Way around other people and commitments, rather than relying solely upon myself and fitting the other commitments around me. I must be able to equip myself for the cold and wet as well as the fine and dry weather.
I was actually better at this when I was teaching but probably because it was like snatched time from terms or preparation time. I might just sneak under the radar with my 2:2 degree in order to join David Cameron's elite teachers. The sentiment is worthy but ill thought through. In my time as deputy head I had to monitor and assess a number of prospective teachers. My opinion was sought at the end of their time doing "school practice". In some cases I would and did fail candidates. Some of these were the cleverest of the crop but my bottom line criterion was always would I want my Zoe and my Alice to spend all day in the classroom with this person. Mind you, I applied the same criterion to mini bus drivers I used to assess - would I want my two kids riding in the back of a bus driven by this person? I realise this was subjective but it meant I wouldn't wish any less for other people's children and would look back over the other more objective summaries and judgements I had to make.
I am trying to recapture some of that sense of urgency about my walking. This is the year and now is the time to make a start! I need to clear my head and some of the commitments that I keep using as an excuse to cover my lack of effort and drive.
Neither the Best Beloved and I had any dreams about round the world cruises when we retired. At the time I was happy with that decision and we did spend a great deal of money on an extension to our house, feeling we hoped to spend a lot longer in it. We could also justify our decision in terms of reducing our carbon footprint and other worthy explanations, but the truth is more mundane and less worthy.
The Best Beloved's responsibility for an aged mother meant she could not contemplate too many or very long holiday breaks.Even that last phrase arouses in both of us the PWE or Protestant Work Ethic abhorrence of possibly going away on something as frivolous as a holiday! We're not Methodists for nothing! Although only one till five years old, I still seem to carry around a lot of Catholic guilt with me. I am unsure though whether our desire to stay within our comfort zones and not be too risky was also a major factor.
However now the responsibility for aged mother is no longer 24/7 we can contemplate more breaks, for longer durations and for greater distances. We have looked at winter sun holidays and heard on Tuesday of someone who had flown off that very day to Tenerife on a 7 day break of £500 pp having booked it on Sunday on lastminute.com.
We have not yet been bold enough to do that. We are planning to go on a month's camping trip to France in June. We shall have a pop up tent for overnight stops and the proper tent for when we find somewhere we want to stop for a while. We shall wander south by route national rather than autoroute, probably to the South West corner as our visits there have been less frequent than other parts of France. We are planning another canal boat trip in France with friends this year. I have gone off my train journey across the USA idea. However I have discovered the Western Discovery tours and want to do them this year or next. The Best Beloved and I also want to visit New York and New England.
For me though the biggest discovery is that one of the joys of walking is being alone and telling the tales afterwards. This is an important realisation. I have been trying to fit my practice walks involving the Wayfarers Way and the Solent Way around other people and commitments, rather than relying solely upon myself and fitting the other commitments around me. I must be able to equip myself for the cold and wet as well as the fine and dry weather.
I was actually better at this when I was teaching but probably because it was like snatched time from terms or preparation time. I might just sneak under the radar with my 2:2 degree in order to join David Cameron's elite teachers. The sentiment is worthy but ill thought through. In my time as deputy head I had to monitor and assess a number of prospective teachers. My opinion was sought at the end of their time doing "school practice". In some cases I would and did fail candidates. Some of these were the cleverest of the crop but my bottom line criterion was always would I want my Zoe and my Alice to spend all day in the classroom with this person. Mind you, I applied the same criterion to mini bus drivers I used to assess - would I want my two kids riding in the back of a bus driven by this person? I realise this was subjective but it meant I wouldn't wish any less for other people's children and would look back over the other more objective summaries and judgements I had to make.
I am trying to recapture some of that sense of urgency about my walking. This is the year and now is the time to make a start! I need to clear my head and some of the commitments that I keep using as an excuse to cover my lack of effort and drive.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sitting and thinking
I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and some of the thoughts are beginning to form a coherent whole.
I didn't audition for the Bench production of "The Crucible" in April as I had first intended at the play selection. Vaguely it was part of getting outside of my comfort zone and taking more risks, which is one of my new year resolutions. However on closer analysis I found it was more to do with a possible rehearsal schedule of 30 rehearsals and 8 performances over a pretty solid fortnight. I know it wouldn't be me committed to 30 rehearsals but at three rehearsals on average per week and one of those usually Sunday afternoon this can mean a commitment of 10 weeks and/or 10 Sundays. That is one heck of a time commitment and one I have done regularly now for decades. The number of projects I have deferred because I was in a Bench production is phenomenal. It is probably because I can't multi task, and am lazy/indolent and need an excuse to blame for my lack of application (or am possibly just an old "tart" who needs his time upon the stage topping up at frequent intervals). I have satisfied some of that parenthesised demand (old "tart") by accepting three parts working for Cloak and Dagger, murder mystery dinners. These total 7 rehearsals and 8 performances in the same time scale as I would have been working on "The Crucible". Admittedly the type of work is very different but I am beginning to enjoy more and more the working directly with an audience and staying in character while being questioned at a dinner table. I am also enjoying exercising the old comedy skills, which I enjoyed knocking the rust off in "What the Butler Saw".
I will probably feel the need to exercise my dramatic side at some stage during the year but will look out for those opportunities.
What is the purpose of all this time clearance you may ask? The Great France Walk calls! My health fright on "Butler" shows I cannot blissfully assume that I can do it in my own good time. I need to start putting flesh on the idea. If I am to achieve the dream, I need to develop the ability to walk an "x" number of miles carrying my equipment upon my back in a day. I need to define and refine that word "equipment" down to its basic essentials so that overnight and for the agreed duration of the 'hike' I am self sufficient and self reliant. I need to do some planning and map work, improve my basic French and acquire clothing and gear. But above all I need to do some real walking!
I didn't audition for the Bench production of "The Crucible" in April as I had first intended at the play selection. Vaguely it was part of getting outside of my comfort zone and taking more risks, which is one of my new year resolutions. However on closer analysis I found it was more to do with a possible rehearsal schedule of 30 rehearsals and 8 performances over a pretty solid fortnight. I know it wouldn't be me committed to 30 rehearsals but at three rehearsals on average per week and one of those usually Sunday afternoon this can mean a commitment of 10 weeks and/or 10 Sundays. That is one heck of a time commitment and one I have done regularly now for decades. The number of projects I have deferred because I was in a Bench production is phenomenal. It is probably because I can't multi task, and am lazy/indolent and need an excuse to blame for my lack of application (or am possibly just an old "tart" who needs his time upon the stage topping up at frequent intervals). I have satisfied some of that parenthesised demand (old "tart") by accepting three parts working for Cloak and Dagger, murder mystery dinners. These total 7 rehearsals and 8 performances in the same time scale as I would have been working on "The Crucible". Admittedly the type of work is very different but I am beginning to enjoy more and more the working directly with an audience and staying in character while being questioned at a dinner table. I am also enjoying exercising the old comedy skills, which I enjoyed knocking the rust off in "What the Butler Saw".
I will probably feel the need to exercise my dramatic side at some stage during the year but will look out for those opportunities.
What is the purpose of all this time clearance you may ask? The Great France Walk calls! My health fright on "Butler" shows I cannot blissfully assume that I can do it in my own good time. I need to start putting flesh on the idea. If I am to achieve the dream, I need to develop the ability to walk an "x" number of miles carrying my equipment upon my back in a day. I need to define and refine that word "equipment" down to its basic essentials so that overnight and for the agreed duration of the 'hike' I am self sufficient and self reliant. I need to do some planning and map work, improve my basic French and acquire clothing and gear. But above all I need to do some real walking!
Last Minute Revision Pays off!
I was delighted to see "The Hangover" win the Best Film Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes. I was also pleased to see "Avatar" win Best Film Drama and James Cameron win Best Director. My last minute revision certainly paid off. I was sorry that Ricky Gervais resorted to penis jokes so early in his introduction. What was so impressive about the "Avatar" win was that it is no longer the second highest grosser in cinema history after "Titanic" but has now overtaken the latter and takes first place. Such films are usually overlooked for less commercially successful. I expect that the Oscars might still go for "Up in the Air" and perhaps Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
