The Flicks.

I have a confession. I'm gonna say something contraversial: I don't 'do' films. There- done. Relief! I have the sheepish look of somebody who doesn't conform now. I don't have piles to the ceiling of DVDs, and I rarely go to the cinema because of babysitting (or lack-of) and cost. I don't find that I have the patience to sit in front of films at home (until recent desperation- please see below!)- I find myself thinking 'I really should finish my laundry' in the dramatic bits... which, by the way, I quite often fail to take seriously. I laugh in all the wrong places.
I don't really get 'epics'-I'm not really a Lord Of The Rings girl, although I really didn't mind it, but it didn't grab me massively.  I have used hours of my life on films that I wouldn't have minded missing!  The guy who I saw Avatar with said to me, by way of justifying the choice of film, 'the special effects are amazing, and its the most thats ever been spent on a movie'. (Is that really a good thing?!)
I find my film apetite is a fussy one, and in the same way that I feel I can't really 'join in' with the cafe culture, as I don't drink coffee, I cannot discourse over the merits of the latest Brad Pitt movie, because, I likely haven't seen it, and I likely don't really have an opinion once I do. It has been taken as a challenge, by various men-folk of my past, to 'educate' me due to films that are so far missing from my life. Have I shocked you yet, lovely Blogland residents? I hope not!

I'm not totally devoid of the film-loving gene. Its difficult to describe what I like, but they have to make you think, and get you involved emotionally, and leave you with 'that buzz'. I love real stories, or films that feel as though they are. I've spent more time watching DVDs in recent months, than at any other time in my life. I've been fortunate enough to discover some real gems, through the reccomendations of others, the kindness of my fella and his family in lending me things, impulse buys at the supermarket, of things that are reduced to £3, and sheer boredom... because I have no 'live' TV, and haven't done since September. Its a long and boring Virgin/Sky/ BT saga, but I have a box, to catch various updates and replays (much like the iPlayer, and god, am I loving The Tudors?!) but its not at all exhaustive... I never used it much, but I miss my telly... sigh.

So, anyhow, having spent time thinking about films in the last 4 months, and persevering through my lack of filmy thirst, I have realised that there are actors and actresses that I love (Tom Hanks, Keira Knightly) films I *want* to see (Breakfast at Tiffany's, Singin in the Rain, the new Pirates of the Carribean one), and films that I would see again and again: Shakespeare In Love, Ray, The Sound of Music (there is no real explanation- but does it need one?!) Atonement, Love Actually, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption... and THIS one, the one that I saw yesterday.

Oooh, it got me. It has it all. Historical drama, real people from your lifetime that have genuinely fascinating lives, and an amazing soundtrack that made me want to return to my pre-baby days of Orchestra rehearsals. Dyou know what made it even better?

A very old fashioned cinema trip. There were red paper-stubb-tickets, and a cosy velvet seat, and a balcony, and 3 (yes, three) friendly staff on hand at reception (who didn't accept card payments- oops!), and gold- framed pictures on the walls like this

(Isn't she beautiful?) and this

Ahhh, and this, which my fella and I were only talking about the other day

and of course, lets not leave them out:

I realised that I like the cinema afterall! I have two lovely cinema-related memories from my past, now I come to think about it. One was in Cornwall, some time in the mid-'80s, going to see a My Little Pony film with my sister, and my dad's family. Now, I have a terrible memory, and I was rather small, but I REALLY want to believe that my dear Granny came with us, and that we got free cardboard 'ponies' afterwards, and you could put your fingers through the holes to make little trotting legs. All in my imagination? Probably. The second memory was taking my Grandad, on my mum's side, to see The Flintstones Movie, as he was a fan of the cartoon (great taste, my family!), and he said it was the first time he had been to The Flicks since, he thought, the '60s. He was a very happy man that day. And now I have a very happy thought for the rest of the day, and could even be persuaded into typing one of these for the end of my post, in a very text-like fashion

                :)



xxx