I should probably be embarrassed by just how excited I am about the upcoming cinema releases of “Star Wars VII– The Force Awakens” and “Spectre” - like millions of others, I rushed to view the trailers as soon as they were released.
The fact is that these movie franchises have been a part of my life for, well, just about all of it and the next instalments are as eagerly awaited as any books from my favourite authors or albums from my favourite bands.
But getting to the cinema, unless I want to go on my own, is never that straightforward. Issues such as the kids (getting babysitters) and Mrs B’s differing views of what constitutes essential viewing, mean that I haven’t been to the cinema for some time. The last film seen on the big screen was “Avengers – Age of Ultron” (I took my lad and his mate for a birthday outing) and before that it was either “Skyfall” or “Muppets Most Wanted”.
Rest assured though that every effort will be made to see the latest Star Wars and Bond releases – even if I have to go on my own.
Much less effort is of course required to see stuff that's on the telly. In the absence of cinema attendance, I can report that in recent weeks I have watched some fine material on the small screen (and not all Rugby World Cup related). I’ll share some personal highlights in the following paragraphs.
I have thoroughly enjoyed “Cradle to Grave” and “The Kennedys”, both comedy sitcoms set in the seventies (and the Kennedys in Stevenage). Great acting, great cars, great clothing, great interior decorations and some laugh-out-loud moments. Both series shown on the BBC and still available on the iPlayer if you missed out.
As far as I am concerned, the BBC is on a roll right now. In addition to the top picks above, Doctor Who is back and DIY SOS: Homes for Veterans has been brilliant so far. With regards to the latter, the first episode last week featured Princes William and Harry who were brilliant ambassadors for our troops and the Royal Family. I’d go so far as to say the DIYSOSHfV is essential viewing.
My final BBC Octoberish experience has been Doctor Foster. Set in Hitchin, the town of my formative years, still the home of my parents, and an occasional rendezvous point for drinking with my old school/work buddies, I was encouraged to watch it by family members that observed the filming in progress.
Doctor Foster is about extra martial affairs, betrayal, retribution and destruction and though star-studded, well-acted/scripted, intense, and set in Hitchin, I have to say that Doctor Foster (DF) made for some bloody miserable viewing.
There is a saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” – that’s the central tenet of DF.
In terms of the way the story unravelled, my analogy – like watching a slow motion car crash, you know it’s going to
happen, you know it’s going to be painful, there’s nothing you can do about it and you are just waiting for the impact.
DF is a case study in how to have everything and then lose it all; if you are contemplating an illicit affair and want some insight into how destructive such a thing could be, I’d wholeheartedly recommend you take to the iPlayer.
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The fact is that these movie franchises have been a part of my life for, well, just about all of it and the next instalments are as eagerly awaited as any books from my favourite authors or albums from my favourite bands.
But getting to the cinema, unless I want to go on my own, is never that straightforward. Issues such as the kids (getting babysitters) and Mrs B’s differing views of what constitutes essential viewing, mean that I haven’t been to the cinema for some time. The last film seen on the big screen was “Avengers – Age of Ultron” (I took my lad and his mate for a birthday outing) and before that it was either “Skyfall” or “Muppets Most Wanted”.
Rest assured though that every effort will be made to see the latest Star Wars and Bond releases – even if I have to go on my own.
Much less effort is of course required to see stuff that's on the telly. In the absence of cinema attendance, I can report that in recent weeks I have watched some fine material on the small screen (and not all Rugby World Cup related). I’ll share some personal highlights in the following paragraphs.
I have thoroughly enjoyed “Cradle to Grave” and “The Kennedys”, both comedy sitcoms set in the seventies (and the Kennedys in Stevenage). Great acting, great cars, great clothing, great interior decorations and some laugh-out-loud moments. Both series shown on the BBC and still available on the iPlayer if you missed out.
As far as I am concerned, the BBC is on a roll right now. In addition to the top picks above, Doctor Who is back and DIY SOS: Homes for Veterans has been brilliant so far. With regards to the latter, the first episode last week featured Princes William and Harry who were brilliant ambassadors for our troops and the Royal Family. I’d go so far as to say the DIYSOSHfV is essential viewing.
My final BBC Octoberish experience has been Doctor Foster. Set in Hitchin, the town of my formative years, still the home of my parents, and an occasional rendezvous point for drinking with my old school/work buddies, I was encouraged to watch it by family members that observed the filming in progress.
Doctor Foster is about extra martial affairs, betrayal, retribution and destruction and though star-studded, well-acted/scripted, intense, and set in Hitchin, I have to say that Doctor Foster (DF) made for some bloody miserable viewing.
There is a saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” – that’s the central tenet of DF.
In terms of the way the story unravelled, my analogy – like watching a slow motion car crash, you know it’s going to
happen, you know it’s going to be painful, there’s nothing you can do about it and you are just waiting for the impact.
DF is a case study in how to have everything and then lose it all; if you are contemplating an illicit affair and want some insight into how destructive such a thing could be, I’d wholeheartedly recommend you take to the iPlayer.
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