Prairie Home Companion

Delightful, warm and witty. Elegiac. And not a bad movie either. As Garrison Keillor observed, "The death of an old man is no great tragedy."

As posted to Guardian Unlimited film 05/01/07

Heather and Lauri flew home

Personally, I don't think the saving you make by flying Korean Airlines is worth the twelve additional hours travelling, even of they do throw in a room and dinner in a Seoul hotel. My advice? Fly direct.

Happy New Year 2007

We attended the New Year's concert at the Opera House (we being Heather, Lauri, Susi and me). Beutifully played music (starting with the William Tell Overture, which cast-up memories of The Lone Ranger, of course; this being a movie themed evening). Enchanting singing, especially the flower duet from Lakme. The fireworks were truly breathtaking, as ever..

Picture by Susi

The Departed

If it didn't say Scorsese in the credits, would you know? I don't think so. It was about as authentic as Mark Wahlberg's haircut in the scene where he meets Leo. Disappointing in a big, big way.

As posted to Guardian Unlimited film 25/11/06

On the road near Haputale, Sri Lanka

Picture by Susi

World Trade Center

Its biggest failing, I think, is that it's such an old-fashioned style of movie: boring, except when he cut to extracts from the CNN library. If he was trying to tell the true story of genuinely brave uniformed public servants (an honourable goal) he failed them and added nothing insightful about the bigger picture.

As posted to Guardian Unlimited film 17/10/06

The Devil Wears Prada

Hands up anyone who could suspend disbelief long enough to allow the thought that Andy would give up the Chanel boots for the mop-head sous-chef... no, I thought not. Redeeming feature? That one scene with Meryl Streep in the Paris hotel with no makeup. God, that woman can act and we're all the better for it.

As posted to Guardian Unlimited film 13/10/06