I AM BORING

Ok, I'll get the nasty bit out of the way. Please vote for me in the Author Blog Awards. I am currently one of the front runners, and if I win, all those that voted for me win prizes too.

So enough of the begging and back to the business of blogging.

I was lucky enough (although this phrase may later seem ironic) to win tickets to a preview showing of lo sono l'amore (I am love) with Tilda Swinton cast as Emma Recchi, a Russian who married into a powerful Milanese family.

This film tries too hard to be something that it is not, and the results are not entirely pleasing. It is awkward instead of quirky, and embarrassing instead of emotional. The two hours I sat uncomfortably in my seat felt long and draining. I wanted to love this film, but wanting to love something is not the same as truly loving it.

Even the music, which in isolation might have been something was spoilt by the discordant matching of notes to scenes. And I speak as a Royal College of Music Junior Department veteran, as opposed to a "critic" that happens to tune into Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen on the occasional Sunday morning on Classic FM.

I generally try to be positive about the things that I review because it isn't nice to say mean things. But I have a duty to be honest as well. So I will settle for an attempt at diplomacy. The most beautiful thing I can say about l'amore is that I had a nice long sit-down next to my husband who held my hand for a couple of hours after a busy day at work while I forced this horrendous experience on him. And the only punishment I got was his comment that I could use his line "I am boring" for the title of this blog entry.

If I were a film judge, this film would get 10/10 for effort but only 1/10 for attainment.

Just in a final attempt to be positive, I am very grateful to the esteemed publication that is the Guardian for letting me win free tickets, so I didn't have to pay. Thanking you kindly.

Does Kick-Ass kick ass or does it need its ass kicked...?

The lovely people at seefilmfirst sent me to watch Kick-Ass on the condition that I did my homework which is this write-up.

Actually the headline isn't so controversial and it's completely borrowed from the film.

Kick-Ass is a funny, laugh-out-loud feel-good movie which obviously has you laughing out loud (it does what is says on the tin), but there are also moments where you can feel yourself welling up. Or maybe that's just me, the sentimentalist. And I did feel a bit guilty laughing at the guy being heated up in an industrial microwave, and that's not even the funniest killing of a bad guy. Though that's enough of the plot spoilers.

I would say that this film made me want to join some kind of gun club at the weekend. It makes you want to be as cool as Hit Girl, though not obviously as sad as Kick-Ass himself, but every geek as his redeeming features and Kick-Ass gets his girl in the end as we all know he will.

This is a film that you could happily watch at the cinema, buy on DVD on pre-release and then watch with your friends when you have a popcorn movie night. It's fun and it knows how to laugh at itself too.

Catch it when it comes to a screen near you...

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Afternoon tea with Yevgeny - three years later

Dear audience of web version suitable for the 22nd century

On reviewing my blogs over the last three years, I decided to repost a blog post I published over three years ago when I first had the luck of meeting Yevgeny at Margaret Court in Tiddington. Margaret Court is named after Auntie Margaret who is the wife of Uncle Bob. Uncle Bob is a true gentleman and when I once aided his political campaign to lead the Lib Dems out of their plight in the local area, he only did it because he wanted to make a difference, and not to fuel ambition. I myself would never be a good poltician as Nick Clegg's wife might believe as law and politics do not mix very well. Peaceful co-existence is not the phrase that comes to mind! Rather a battle of wills.

However, in a law of attrition, I think I would beat the best of them - my favourite British policy is "wait-and-see" which has stood the test of time. Those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them as my wise history teacher, Mrs Willis once remarked. She also said something about the great mass of filthy unwashed, which had me in hysterics, as it sounded much like London on a very hot day!

Anyway I am rambling now and repost my thoughts to you below.

This one's for you Yevgeny!

********

During a lovely weekend stay back in Stratford-upon-Avon at Lu headquarters, Uncle Bob and Auntie Margaret invited us to be their guests at a piano recital of the young and rather promising Russian pianist, Yevgeny Sudbin. Already hailed as one of the most talented musicians of the 21st century, my expectations were high. And I was not disapppointed.

Everyone loves Chopin. And particular Sudbin's interpretations of the mazurkas and ballades. His technique is rather impeccable and his manner is vibrant and energetic, though under a degree of considerable control. It was unfortunate that it appeared as though the piano did not meet with Sudbin's standards, remarking politely later at tea that the piano "had once been very good". Note to the Civic Hall that perhaps they might consider an upgrade...

I am a bit of a groupie, so while I was waiting for him to unwrap my CD before signing it, we had a little chat about this and that. He doesn't like Alitalia, flew with BA recently from Holland but was unaffected by the strikes, enjoys yoga and would like to find more time for the gym, but can't and generally seems like a very amiable chap. When I asked him to write "practice makes perfect" in my CD, he said in a bemused fashion "Well it doesn't always".

Sudbin appeared a little tired while we bantered. In the middle of a world tour, off to the states next, this 30-year-old wonder seemed weary, though not wary. He indulged me in my funny questions and attempts at banter, and actually I think he did rather well.

You can catch Sudbin at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 25 March playing the same programme as heard in Stratford upon Avon, or at the Royal Festival Hall on 15 April when he performs Shostakovich's second piano concerto with the Philarmonia Orchestra.

Tune in next time for more cultural chit-chat. Until the next time...

Lady Cross becomes a critic

I know there's no excuse to leaving my audience of 31 viewers (probably most of them were me) hanging in mid-air just before I got married, so here I am, back on the blog.

I've decided, in my wisdom as a married woman, to have a much more positive blog. Maybe it's the Yoga Hatha I've been doing at the gym, or maybe it's just that I've had a revelation, but all the negative angst about silly customer service must be raising my blood pressure, and that can't be a good thing.

So my new venture for my blog is not to moan, but to critique! I'm not quite sure which is worse, but I will give this a go and see what happens.

I've seen quite a few things for free through this brilliant website called seefilmfirst. You get sent codes to see films and show for free and they have a great range of locations to choose from around the UK.

On Wednesday, we saw Waiting for Godot with Sir Ian McKellan and Matthew Kelly. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much because I didn't want to have high expectations and be disappointed. And believe me, I was not. McKellan is not overbearing, and Kelly is overbearing and a larger than life character - but he's merely playing his role. I've heard bad things about Godot, but I very much enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who can get tickets before its run ends on 4 April. It's on at the Haymarket and after the performances finish in London, it's going on a world tour. Try to catch it before it goes.

That's me for now. Thanks for tuning in, and let me know what you think of my new PMA. I feel relaxed and enlightened already and hope you do too. Here's hoping you can also benefit from free theatre and cinema tickets soon.