Why I love Broadway
No, not that one ;-)
I love my local art house theatre, Broadway Cinema in Nottingham.
It's a chilled out, laid back kind of place, with a large cafe bar on the ground floor, a mezzanine bar on the first floor, 4 screens, plus various other meeting rooms.
They show an eclectic range of films, including blockbusters, foreign language films and quirky independent productions. In the past couple of weeks I've enjoyed Populaire - a French film set in the competitive world of late 1950s speed typing (I know!) and Great Gatsby - which needs no explanation. I'm planning to see Behind the Candelabra at the weekend - can't beat a bit of camp in my view!
Another reason that I spend a disproportionate amount of time at Broadway is to while away the hours in the cafe bar. Whilst the service isn't the best I've ever experienced, the staff are friendly and the menu good value. As a veggie there are always good things to choose. And there's free wifi. All this adds up to a happy crazyfilmbug :-)
However, best of all (at least for those of us who have reached our 30s), I have never had a film viewing spoiled by teenagers messing around, or by people eating food as loudly as possible whilst updating facebook. I could rant about these behaviours, but will save that pleasure for another day. Suffice it to say, watching a film at Broadway is as pleasureable an experience as it is meant to be.
What do I love to do most in the world? Well apart from the obvious, including things that are unmentionable on a polite friendly blog, I love going to the cinema. There's something about sitting there in the dark, in a big, comfy, plush chair (well, if I'm lucky...) that makes me feel content and at peace with the world!
I tend to go the the cinema once a week at least, and frequently more often, especially when not working a full week. I go on my own, with my bf or with large groups of friends. I visit the local arts cinema for subtitled foreign language films, documentaries and a selection of strange little seen movies. However I sometimes sell out and go to see blockbusters at my nearby multiplex, revelling in the much bigger screens, comfier seats and range of junk food and drinks on offer. Although, another advantage of my arthouse is that we can take in alcoholic drinks...
And of course, you cannot beat snuggling up on the sofa, under a duvet, wearing too-big pjs and socks stolen from bf, to watch an old film on TV.
In this, my first attempt at blogging, I have a couple of aims. To write about films I have seen and enjoyed (or hated), and try to examine why. I also want to practise my long-dormant writing skills, and hopefully develop a useful craft.
And so, with all necessary drumrolls...
This is a Japanese language film, released in 2007. I saw it in March of this year as part of the Japanese Touring Film Foundation at my local art cinema.
As
my movie-buddy commented after the film, this is the best James Bond film
never made. It has all the necessary components; a womanising hero,
geisha, crazy fight scenes and camp humour.
The basic synopsis (trying very hard to avoid spoilers) is that a young bar hostess, Mayumi, discovers that her mother is not dead, as she thought, but had invented a time machine in a washing machine (yes, that's a washing machine...) and has used it to return to the past. Mayumi wants to find her mother, so follows her back in time to 1990.
Why has her mother returned to 1990? To prevent the stock market crash of course!
This film is extremely tongue in cheek and so much fun. Marvel at how the 'locals' are unable to text each other! Sing along to the 1980s and 90s soundtrack and laugh at the fashions, hairstyles, and dance crazes of the time. Not that I ever wore anything like that of course ;-)
Recommended to anyone who wants a light-hearted evening's entertainment, with the energy to focus on subtitles.
