The nights darken as the leaves redden, autumn is here and Halloween season is upon us. Let’s get started with a few things to have occupied me in recent weeks…..
Down the under-rated movie rabbit hole.
Every year, during October, I attempt to watch 31 “horror” films. The definition is quite broad, previous years have included Blair-Witch parody “The Scooby-Doo Project”, Ingmar Bergman’s “Hour of the Wolf” and will always include our annual family viewing of Disney’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”.
In the run up I usually have a mental list of films which have peaked my interest during the preceding months and, in addition, embark on a little additional research for others.
A few weeks ago I stumbled on this absolute gem of a podcast with director Edgar Wright on under-rated British horror films, which put a handful of new films on my radar, and in turn lead me to the listen to a few of the other Pure Cinema Podcast episodes (the one on cult Sixties movies was particularly fruitful).
All this in turn has lead me to the movie rating app/website Letterboxd, which I was aware of but had somehow neglected. Letterboxd, allows you to compile lists of films, as well as rate and review them, and follow other users whose taste overlaps with your own. Kind of like a social-proofed IMDB with a much better interface.
The result is that I now have several dozen old and forgotten films to watch and a place to keep track of all them all. Bliss.
Utterly mentalism.
After buying tickets more than 18 months ago, we finally got to see the latest Derren Brown live show: Showman a few weeks ago.
As impressive as his TV shows are, there is something inherent more powerful about live performances, and I find the while the narrative threads that tie the show together are inherently looser, they are all the more rewarding for that.
During COVID, my eldest son and I did a 6 week magic course over Zoom, with a professional magician. I once asked him about a certain trick in one of the earlier stage shows. The magician responded that he could work out how the trick was performed, but not how Derren Brown had the gall to attempt it before a live audience.
At the end Showman, Derren requests that the audience not divulge any of the shows secrets. This at least spares me writing a no doubt inadequate description of the show here, except to say that I both laughed and cried.
Most baffling of all, however, I also lost 8 - 10 seconds of my life and memory. During which events unfolded of which I have some proof, but no recollection. It was the oddest thing.
Check it out.
T2 for two.
My current favourite tea - Salted caramel matcha! Described by the T2 website as:
A light matcha hit with a salted caramel streak! Who says you can’t get all that good green stuff in and have a delicious old time while you’re doing it? This matcha drop serves up deliciously sweet toffee flavours, with a tingly sea salt sprinkle.
Pairs well with a Hob-nob.
Hope life is treating you well.
Marc