EIFF 2008 – Summer – Review

 

I was given these tickets by Sarah who couldn’t make it.  It was at the Filmhouse rather than Cineworld.  Summer was another premiere – and a lot of the cast members as well as the director and writer were in attendance.

 

This was another great film.  About main character, Shaun (Robert Carlisle) and his reflection on things of the past while in the present he is caring for his best friend Daz, who is in a wheelchair and dying of liver failure.

 

I really enjoyed it – what I noted most was this was a film with hardly any dialogue but so much being said.  There were lots and lots of silences but none of them awkward.  There were also well structured flashbacks to particular events in both lives which help the audience appreciate how Shaun and Daz have ended up where they are.

 

It has moments of pure comedy and also tragedy.  Shaun as a child struggled with the frustration of a learning disability, and the teenage Shaun (I think played by Sean Kelly) was amazing in portraying this – apparently this was his first time acting but I would have never guessed!

 

What was really liked was at the end of the film there was hope.  Shaun has spent this period of time looking back at events that have led with him where he is but at the end of the film you really feel that he has finished his reminiscing and is now ready to move forward with a more positive future with renewed purpose and direction.

 

The questions and answers at the end were really interesting – Robert Carlisle demonstrated a real understanding of his character which was impressive and having the writer and director on stage discussing their use of silence as it’s own kind of dialogue was fascinating.

 

Great stuff!

EIFF 2008 – Before the Rains – Review

 

 

 

I saw this with Sarah last Thursday.  As it was another premiere, the Director, Santosh Sivan and one of the main actors, Linus Roache were there to introduce and then take questions afterwards.

 

I really enjoyed this film.  It was a tragic story of greed, passion, betrayal set in a remote village in Kerala.

 

On the surface it is about a plantation owner, Moores (played by Linus Roache) and his affair with housekeeper, Sajani (Nandita Das).  It is also about the plantation Moores is developing to increase not just his prosperity but to the whole area around him by creating jobs, building hospitals and schools etc.  What I really felt it was about was the development of the character TK, the right-hand man of Moores.  He at first works loyally with Moores as he develops his plantation and then slowly but surely realises he cannot balance his modern and traditional life.  Throughout the film he is seen as looking up to and even idealising the character of Moores and then as the film and story develops realising that he does in fact embody everything that he should hate about the British Empire.  The idealism Moores is aspiring to goes out the window as he reveals his true nature under pressure and this is a great disappointment to TK and rightly so!

 

It was beautifully filmed and in the interview Sivan commented that he wanted the location to be considered a character in the film – this I believe was successfully achieved.  The scenery and countryside was truly breath-taking.  You also got a real sense of what it might have been like to live in India as a Brit and even as an Indian in that time.  The story was relatively simple but very well executed.  It has a very real message and was really quite tragic but I did not leave the theatre depressed or heavy hearted.

 

Also – very pleased that at the end I got a chance to meeting Santosh Sivan – if briefly – and say thank you and that I enjoyed the film very much.

EIFF 2008 – The Edge of Love – Review

 

 

 

I have seen a number of films in the Edinburgh International Film Festival (http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/) this year so thought I would use my blog to write some reviews.

 

The first film I saw was the Premiere and opening film “The Edge of Love” with Keira Knightly, Matthew Rhys, Cillian Murphy and Sienna Miller.  I should mention thanks to the Apex Hotels for the invite!

 

The showing was the 1830 showing with the stars in attendance (sort of!) and a chance to walk down the *red carpet*.  Have to say I LOVED walking down the red carpet – once in a life time experience and was both nerve-wracking and thrilling.

 

The film itself was just OK.  It centred largely the relationships between the four main (and pretty much only) characters – Dylan Thomas, his wife Caitlin Macnamara, his childhood friend Vera Killick (nee Phillips) and her husband William Killick.  It was set in both London and West Wales.

 

It was a quite interesting storyline – a lot of conjecture mixed with some actual events.  For example the incident where the incident where William Killick shoots at the Thomas’ household and threatens them with a grenade was a true occurrence – even if the events surrounding it were not.  It follows the period of time when the three main characters, Thomas, Caitlin and Vera were extremely close both during their time in London and later in West Wales.

 

I found the first part of the film, tighter and more together and than the second part which was shot in Wales.  The film seems to go down hill when Vera’s husband, William goes away to war – this may be to help represent the unravelling of his character on return from the Second World War.  However, my personal opinion is that as this is the part where the most imagination is required – as to what actually happened during this time – the writing is what is at fault.

 

I felt the acting was good – on all parts – even if Knightley’s accent could have been a little less exaggerated.  I was particularly impressed with Sienna Miller as I had not actually seen her act in a film before.

 

In conclusion I did enjoy the film even if it may have been down to the *event* of attending the premiere and after show party rather than the actual film!

Bread

I have been making a lot of bread recently so thought I would post my fav bread recipe.

You will need:

200g strong wholemeal flower

300g strong white flower

1 pack of dried yeast

0.5 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of butter (salted or unsalted)

300ml of warm/hot water

Mix the dry ingredients together, add about 2oo ml of the water and mix. Put in kitchenaid with dough hook and add water slowly to a dough, add the butter (make sure you still have a bit of water left to add just in case the butter is enough moisture). Keep in kitchenaid mixing for about 5 mins. Then place in oiled bowl, making sure that the dough is covered with oil and then cover with cling film and leave for about 1-2 hours in a warm place. For me 1.5 hours is usually perfect. After that, knead the dough in to the shape you want and place on baking tray, cover with a clean tea towel and rest for another 30mins – then after that shove in the oven about 190c for about 35 mins. To test it is read, knock in on the underside and it should sound hollow.

The hardest part is then waiting for it to cool down! I have some in the oven now and I’ll post a pic if it turns out ok…

Itunes not updating Artist to Ipod

Came across this problem when my b/f gave me an Ipod last week. The artist showing correctly on itunes was not showing at all on the ipod when you went into the “Artist” menu, and you could only find the artist when looking through the “Album” menu. Frustrating – and concerning that you might miss your music when flipping through artist when deciding what to listen to! In particular this was happening to my Gwen Stefani album (not sure why I am telling you that particular detail!).

I looked this up on the net and got some advice to update (in bulk) the artist name to itunes. For me this didn’t work as the artist was already correct in itunes. In the end the ever clever b/f went through menus on the ipod and realised that some albums were categorised “Compilation” for some reason (it may be because they co-wrote the album?).

ANYWAY – I highlighted the artists concerned in itunes and went to “Get info” – I then went to bottom right of info box and checked “NO” under compilation and then synced my ipod. Problem solved!

Let me know if this has happened for you and if this helps at all!

S

Old-fashioned gingernuts

As a few people have asked for my ginger-nut recipe I have posted it online.

You will need:

350g self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

200g golden caster sugar

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

115g unsalted butter

85g golden syrup

1 large egg, beaten

(also several baking sheets greased)

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt, sugar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda. Put the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring occaisionally, until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the heat, let it cool until just warm, then pour on to the dry ingredients. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.

Roll the dough into around 30 walnut-sized balls. Place the balls well apart on your prepared baking sheets then flatten slightly with your fingers.

Cook in a preheated oven at 170 c (325 f) Gas mark 3 for 15-20 mins or until golden brown (15 mins for soft chewy and longer for crunchy). Remove from oven and transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool.

Sal’s hint – if you cook in two batches you can make both chewy and crunchy biscuits.

Enjoy!!!

Weekend shennanigans

Been very busy starting the new job.

This weekend shall prove to be most excellent and also very busy.

Flying down to London EARLY tomorrow to get some more training in from HQ and then heading the the office Christmas party in the evening.  R is taking later flight and then Saturday we are going to the Arsenal vs Tottenham game as we have managed to procure two tickets.  R’s first time to the Emirates and my first time ever to a football match (being a Swansea girl only managed rugby before).  Saturday night staying with JC and JC in their new pad and hopefully Sunday catching some friends for some Sunday lunch.

All very exciting.

Next week, being my birthday week, also all very exciting!  Monday day night some networking event for work.  Tuesday night Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Playhouse. Thursday *surprise dinner* and Friday to Aberdour to see BA and others.

Yeee ha!

Pudding

Made sticky toffee pudding last night when BA and R came round.  It was YUMMY and the most easiest recipe ever to follow!  I prepped everything before they arrived then when the roast came out of the oven mixed it all together in about two mins, then just shoved it in and it did all the work!  Great stuff when you have visitors.

Sooooooo Stobo!

BA and I have just spent a heavenly time at Stobo Castle.  We went with my work discount (last time – sob!) which was excellent and indulged ourselves with a couple of treatments.  We then spent a vast amount of time working out how much money we would need to save to be able to afford a two night stay in a years time!

We arrived a little after three, had treatments at four, went swimming to the sauna etc etc, had a three course meal with a sneaky glass of wine then back to the room for gin and Spooks.  The next day, full breakfast followed by more treatment and a relaxing lunch before heading home to reality!  It was so luxurious and calming and the service was immaculate.

Below is a picture of our room – I wish I’d taken more pictures.  It was quite the nicest trip I’ve had this year (and I’ve been on A LOT).  It was soooo relaxing.  I would definitely recommend it!

That’s a wrap

Yesterday completed my last day of work and I’m now on holiday for 8 days before starting my new job! Very exciting times.

Last night went out with work colleagues to celebrate. Feeling a little tender this morning but not as bad as I thought.

P and B get married tomorrow and R’s dad retires on Friday so it’s all go for a little while. Looking forward to relaxing times, moving flats and new jobs.