Lady Macbeth

Not from the Shakespeare play. A young bride in the 1850s, purchased to provide an heir and for her dowry of land, is unhappily married to an older man. The husband and her father in law treat her cruelly and she becomes drawn to a young groomsman with whom she has an increasingly violent affair.

This 'Lady Macbeth' is adapted from a Russian short story and the film has the grim and dark atmosphere I often associate with Russian works.

✮✮✮

Peak hour

Two cruise ships sailing out of Sydney this afternoon

Churchill

'Churchill' focuses on a little known situation (to me) when Britain's wartime Prime Minister was at odds with the Military commanders regarding plans for the Normandy 'D-Day' invasion plans.

Brian Cox does a great job in the title role getting the PM's demeanour, body language and voice just right even if his vocal delivery is more a bellow than light and shade.

Quite interesting.

✮✮✮1/2

How not to succeed with the law

My friend A gave a textbook demonstration this week of how not to behave when stopped by a policeman.

She was pulled over for driving an unregistered car by a policeman with his sirens blaring and horns honking (according to A).

Her first response was to be excused as she had a hairdresser's appointment. Always a likely winning argument you wouldn't think.

Her second response was 'to say things (to him) that she probably shouldn't have' not knowing that she was being recorded.

Her third response was to plead ignorance. An argument that even I know from Movies 101 doesn't succeed.

'He's more Greek than Italian'

A brilliant line from 'My Cousin Rachel' which I can see myself using with a twinkle in my eye.

If you can't guess the line's meaning then I'll whisper it to you in the comments.

My Cousin Rachel

Philip (Sam Claflin) an orphan who grows up to inherit his cousin's estate becomes infatuated with the latter's widow Rachel (Rachel Weisz).

'My Cousin Rachel' is a period thriller with an open ending. Was she or wasn't she malevolent? C who knew the story well felt there wasn't much edge to the suspense but he enjoyed the interpretation nonetheless. I knew nothing of the story and was more intrigued than C as to where the plot was headed.

✮✮✮1/2

Easy Reader

I'm enjoying this book.

It is easy to read. The language is not overly academic. It is not set at intellectuals. It is warmhearted. It is honest. Chapters are introduced with an interesting photograph. The writing varies from narratives to jottings.

A bit like a blog really.

Strangers in Paradise

I enjoyed dinner and an evening with friends this week including M who lives in what might be called a designer suburb of Sydney.

Breakfast Point

Breakfast Point has arisen from the metaphorical ashes of an old gas works site. A new suburb of perhaps 3,000 residents in just under twenty years. The residential complexes are built around a number of community facilities including a sports oval and its adjacent sparklingly clean and organised Country Club.

M took us on a tour of the club before we moved on to a restaurant in a nearby 'non-designed' suburb. Each Friday evening the Country Club hosts nibbles and drinks for residents and their guests. Without any reflection on our good friend M it all felt a bit like stepping into the cinematic town of Stepford.

The Country Club

There were about thirty others in little groupings. One couple joined us, glasses of red wine in hand. He was particularly vocal dominating the conversation over his wife who remained mute, not lifting the glass to her lips.

'We couldn't wait to downsize' he informed us. 'Push the kids out and get our lives back' he continued. The 'kids', now aged in their thirties, live respectively in Canberra and Darwin, he said. One has provided a grandchild. The couple is estranged from their children and don't get to see the grandchild. 'Good riddance to them' was the unmistakeable unspoken summary.

This and other tidbits of sensational insider information was imparted to us - complete strangers to the couple - within minutes of meeting. Putting a final stamp on the conversation, the wife finally joined in. Lifting her glass to take an earthy sip of her wine she informed me in confidential tones, 'If I'd known how much trouble children are, I would never have had any'.

Route 389

I think bus route 389 in Sydney must be one of the city's most interesting services. It used to operate between Circular Quay in the city and North Bondi in the eastern suburbs but nearly two years ago the city end of the route was changed to the Maritime Museum on the western edge of the Darling Harbour precinct.

At the time I thought that the change was not particularly convenient for we eastern suburbs residents who more usually head for Circular Quay than for Darling Harbour.

This week I travelled that changed route for the first time and it proved an eye opener for me. Traversing Darling Harbour in itself is quite interesting visually but the real treat is passing through the village and cafe atmosphere in Jones Street Ultimo and the delights of the waterfront at Jones Bay and White Bay.

I tried hard to find a full map of the adjusted route to post but the best I could manage is the western half with the new Maritime Museum destination included.

The full route passes through, or close to, numerous village and cafe locales. Off the top of my head they include Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Dover Heights, Woollahra, Five Ways, East Sydney, the Central Business District, Darling Harbour and Jones Street.

It provides a great opportunity especially for holders of Seniors Opal Cards to use the service as a hop on/hop off service sampling various precincts along the way. I'm going to suggest that friends and I try it ourselves one day.

No wonder our Prime Minister called Route 389 his favourite bus service.

Travelling the full route, according to the timetable, takes around an hour and ten minutes at most times during the day.

The State

For someone who attends the cinema as often as I do it must be a surprise to others that I have never attended the Sydney Film Festival. Until this year, that is.

I booked to see five films but dropped one because of weather and transport difficulties. I enjoyed the four films I did end up seeing and am inspired to attend again next year.

Three of the four screenings I did attend were at Sydney's magnificent State Theatre. I sneaked a few snaps whilst there none of which does full justice to the venue. The link above has some lovely and better images but here are a few of mine taken whilst waiting for sessions to commence.

68

Another birthday. I'm still here.

Holy Air

Sydney Film Festival

Adam (Shady Srour) is a Christian Arab in Nazareth struggling financially and in search of a lucrative business opportunity. He hits on the notion of selling 'Holy Air' to religious pilgrims somewhat to the dismay of his local priest who has his own interests in obtaining financial benefit from the tourism. At the same time Adam is dealing with the prospects of first time fatherhood and an unhappy Muslim partner in their struggling financial business.

Promoted in the Festival program as a comedy this plot sounded funnier on paper than what came across on screen. Perhaps it is a cultural thing.

Interesting to a point but some of the message was lost to me.

✮✮1/2

I Love You Now

Darlinghurst Theatre Company

'I Love You Now' is a two hander, single act, theatre piece. It was written by Jeanette Cronin, one of the performers who is partnered on stage by Paul Gleeson.

Between them, Cronin and Gleeson, play eight characters - I think. Gleeson plays twin brothers, a Priest and a gym instructor. Cronin plays the wives of both brothers, a therapist and another woman involved with one or other or both of the brothers - I think.

The play is about the infidelity of these individuals and how the various relationships change over time.

There are in fact two other performers, musicians, behind a glass wall whose music prefaces and illustrates changes in scenes. The acting is very good but the structure of the play is very complex and we three came away somewhat confused as to exactly what we had witnessed.

Perhaps some surtitles would unravel the complexity?

✮✮1/2

Call Me By Your Name

(2017 Sydney Film Festival)

In 1983 in Northern Italy an American Research Fellow (Armie Hammer) joins an academic family for a six weeks summer placement. The family's seventeen years old son Elio (Timothy Chalamet) at first resents the scholar's behaviour then seeks his attention as he finds himself attracted to him.

'Call Me By Your Name' paints an unhurried picture of Italian summer leisure.

Chalamet presents a fascinating air of insouciance until his character is struck by the full weight of his infatuation with Hammer's character.

✮✮✮1/2

The Party

(2017 Sydney Film Festival)

A newly elected Minister (Kristin Scott Thomas) has planned a small party for friends to celebrate her election. 'The Party' goes hideously off the rails as unexpected home truths are revealed.

This short (71 minutes long) feature film is humorously bitchy as well concealed twists are revealed.

A memorable dark comedy.

✮✮✮✮

The Mummy

A sarcophagus discovered in Iraq contains the mummified body of an Egyptian Princess. Soldier of fortune Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) seeks to capitalise on the finding only to be entangled in an ancient prophesy and imponderable terrors.

'The Mummy' passes through three phases. The first phase is pure adventure in the style of old Saturday afternoon at 'the flicks' serials. The second phase is an off the planet series of adventures. Finally the movie ends on a note of so many loose ends that sequels are clearly planned should box office returns justify.

Tedious.

✮✮1/2

Descent into Sydney

Returning from New Zealand, we approached Sydney from the East, then the aeroplane banked North, flew up Sydney's northern peninsular, banked to the West, banked to the South and descended into Sydney Airport from the North.

Sydney Harbour, Bondi Beac and the Tasman Sea

ManlyBeach (ocean) and Manly Cove (harbourside)

Lane Cove River and Riverview

Hunters Hill

Stanmore and the green sports fields of Newington College

Strand Arcade Auckland

Auckland Art Gallery (Toi O Tamaki)

I love the beautiful blending of the old building and the new extension that comprises this Gallery and also how the design makes brings the external setting into view.

Auckland Harbour and surrounds

Kites

Historic lighthouse and reef warning post

City of Sails

Auckland city

Keen competition

The largest marina in the Southern Hemisphere (apparently)

Mt Victoria Reserve, Devonport NZ

Across the harbour towards Auckland CBD

Northern aspect

Waiheke Island

Spent part of today on this lovely island which is a sort of a suburb of Auckland (I guess). It is reached by frequent ferry service from the city; about 40 minutes each way. It is fascinating mix of remote resort and urban village.

Scenic outlook from the main village of Oneroa

View from Mudbrick Estate. Auckland city in the far distance