Miscellaneous Film Events

[prettyxcool]

The Extant premiere at BAFTA was a lovely event. Lots to drink and plenty of canapes, but as usual, so small they do not really fill a hole, but nonetheless very delicious, as well as the macaroons and summer berries tartlets, one mouthful and they are gone! With overflowing drinks, no wonder we went into the screening room rather tipsy.

Before the screening, we all had our photos taken with a talking robot - a bit like C-3PO from Star Wars, but more skeleton looking. His body and face lighting up and even blushing.

This was a press screening by Amazon Video UK. The TV series will be shown here every Thursday, at 9pm on Amazon Prime Instant video streaming, a day after the CBS screening.

Shame I found it very boring and flat. And I really like the sexy doctor from ER, Goran Višnjić. The humanic kid was very creepy though, good acting, innocent but evil

[yogi]

Went to the live broadcast of the final Monty Python reunion show tonight.

It was impossible to judge objectively as I'm a huge fan having even 'performed' the Four Yorkshiremen sketch back at school, but I'd say overall it was really enjoyable.

There was a mini red carpet in Bolton where we went and we all got an A4 irreverent printed message from the Pythons on the way in. There was some behind the scenes stuff and a funny bit with Mick Jagger in the half hour before the live broadcast.

The show was 90% old material, 5% dancing to cover costume changes and 5% new animations and links, mainly a nice one with Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking.

I can see all the arguments about it being a lazy cash in, but the Pythons have been aware of this for years as the contractual obligation album in 1980 shows.

Anyway it was great fun, I laughed a lot and it was well worth seeing it with a very appreciative crowd, especially as I used a Cineworld voucher. 8/10

[prettyxcool]

Went to the live broadcast of the final Monty Python reunion show tonight.

It was impossible to judge objectively as I'm a huge fan having even 'performed' the Four Yorkshiremen sketch back at school, but I'd say overall it was really enjoyable.

There was a mini red carpet in Bolton where we went and we all got an A4 irreverent printed message from the Pythons on the way in. There was some behind the scenes stuff and a funny bit with Mick Jagger in the half hour before the live broadcast.

The show was 90% old material, 5% dancing to cover costume changes and 5% new animations and links, mainly a nice one with Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking.

I can see all the arguments about it being a lazy cash in, but the Pythons have been aware of this for years as the contractual obligation album in 1980 shows.

Anyway it was great fun, I laughed a lot and it was well worth seeing it with a very appreciative crowd, especially as I used a Cineworld voucher. 8/10

Oh no, totally forgot about this! Glad you had a lovely time.

[raj101]

Went to the live broadcast of the final Monty Python reunion show tonight.

It was impossible to judge objectively as I'm a huge fan having even 'performed' the Four Yorkshiremen sketch back at school, but I'd say overall it was really enjoyable.

There was a mini red carpet in Bolton where we went and we all got an A4 irreverent printed message from the Pythons on the way in. There was some behind the scenes stuff and a funny bit with Mick Jagger in the half hour before the live broadcast.

The show was 90% old material, 5% dancing to cover costume changes and 5% new animations and links, mainly a nice one with Brian Cox and Stephen Hawking.

I can see all the arguments about it being a lazy cash in, but the Pythons have been aware of this for years as the contractual obligation album in 1980 shows.

Anyway it was great fun, I laughed a lot and it was well worth seeing it with a very appreciative crowd, especially as I used a Cineworld voucher. 8/10

Oh no, totally forgot about this! Glad you had a lovely time.

its on tv GOLD tomorrow and Friday (monty python at the o2), PC.

[prettyxcool]

ok, thanks raj101. Unfortunately, I am out both nights, unless it is on late.

"tvGold is currently in for maintenance" so can't check timings.

[valda]

Unfortunately Gold Beeped the hell out of it as they were showing it at 7.30.

So timings tonight are 9pm or 10 pm on +1 Friday is 9.55 or 10.55. Hopefully the beeping will be gone

[yogi]

To be honest I'm not sure it's essential to see this in the cinema, but if anyone is gutted that they missed the chance to see it with other Python fans then I've just seen this...

"@vuecinemas: We're giving you another chance to see @montypython (Almost) Live. It'll be our Encore feature on 5th August. Tickets will go on sale soon."

[prettyxcool]

Went to Channel 4 TV Studios to see Music for Mandela at it's UK Premiere last Friday.

The event was part of the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), already in its 9th year, supported by Channel 4 and sponsored by The African Channel UK,

An inspirational film for an inspiring man. The film explores the link between music and Mandela's struggle against apartheid, and shows the power of music. Music was used politically to rebel against the harsh South African rule and anything to do with freedom. Mandela used music and singing to raise the spirits of prisoners on Robben Island.

Songs were used to raise awareness of social injustices and because the government banned images of Mandela, and anything to do with Mandela, the people of South Africa kept him alive through music and folk songs and would sing behind close doors, which caught on and lead to the Special AKA and "Free Nelson Mandela" song which was banned in South Africa but went into the UK Charts.

The film took Jason Bourque, the Canadian Director three years to make. We learnt that only when he went out to film there a second time without a film crew that people started to open up, and he got some great interviews and insights about Mandela, with Mandela's best friend and fellow prisoner at Robben Island, and Mandela's grandson, a hip hop artist, who said his grandfather "could not dance". There were some great moments in the film, that was unplanned, the director just happened to be in the right place at the right time, such as the scenes in the Nelson Mandela Square, where visitors were visiting the six-metre tall statue of Nelson Mandela.

We had pre-drinks before the screening and after the Q&A, what a delight to be given plenty of food and more drinks: spring rolls, prawns in bread crumbs, little pizzas, chicken skewers and fish cakes.

8/10

[prettyxcool]

Went to the Harry Potter Tour last night plus film screening.

What a delight this is for fans of Harry Potter. Even if you are not, it is really interesting as you go behind-the-scenes and see the stunning and incredible amount of details that went into making these films. During the welcome, we were told you could spend 3 hours, or 11 hours as someone apparently has done! There is indeed a lot to see.

Everything you see in the films are displayed larger than life in front of you. A great intro by the stars themselves on screen before you go into Hogwarts Great Hall, see Dumbledore's Office, Gryfindor's Common Room, walk in Diagon Alley, along Hogswart's Bridge, get on the Knight Bus, try a cup of Butterbeer (which was actually very nice), go to Privet Drive and a lot more. All very magical. The green screen photos were quite expensive though, but the photos are very good. Thanks winitfamily for showing me as I was not tempted, and lovely to see winitfamily and family.

Then after a large hot dog and a drink in the Studio Cafe, we took our popcorn and sweets into the screening room, and watched Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. Lovely to see the fourth film again, very enjoyable, creative and fun, but I still feel the young trio's acting are over the top, but great to see Robert Pattinson, at 19, a much more mature actor, showing them how it is done before he got too famous. A lot of star spotting too. Mad Eye Moody is a great character with that roving eye, and ominous and sinister air about him. 8/10

[prettyxcool]

A nomad screening of The Talented Mr Ripley at the beautiful location of the Hyde Park Lido. It is so totally set inside a secret garden.

Thanks to elski, for taking me as her plus one tonight. However, what a shambles with the comp organisers emailing me at 5.17pm to say I could have tickets too! I was out and about and did not see it till an hour later and on route anyway! Luckily, so as not to waste the tickets rang around and managed to find one friend at short notice to come, and luckily she was dressed for the weather as it did get quite nippy during the evening. Thanks to elski for bringing a blanket to share, or we would have been even colder!

This is a perfect setting for a lovely summer's evening screening, after a nice picnic beforehand. As we have VIP passes, we were given the Royal Parks' luxury chairs which are basically deck chairs with nice colourful material to sit on. Which is not as good as the Magic Carpet tickets, which includes:
> Priority entry - avoid the queue! (What queue? )
> Goodie bag of edible extras
> Waterproof 'magic carpet' to sit on
> Inflatable back support to lean on
> Blanket to wrap up warm in
> Emergency poncho - just in case!
> Fairy lights for a bit of magic...

This is a very fascinating thriller. Great Italian scenery, great cast and acting, Matt Damon (so brilliant and creepy), Jude Law (oozes charisma and charm), Gwynneth Paltrow (intelligent and believable), Cate Blanchett (perfect in her small role), Philip Seymour Hoffman (steals his scenes) - all looking oh so young (film made in 1999).

A very strong plot, sad and unsettling ending. 9/10