When the Oscar nominations are announced, I have usually only seen about half of the nominated films on the list, mainly because a lot of the films haven't yet been released in the UK yet. This year, through a combination of seeing several films at the London Film Festival and various advance preview screenings, I had seen almost all of them. As such, it feels like I've been waiting a long time to make my own selections from the nominees.
These choices reflect how I would vote and not the way I expect the Academy to vote (for example, I think The King's Speech might just scoop the Best Picture award but my favourite film from among the nominees was The Social Network). And, of course, I'm disappointed that Andrew Garfield didn't get nominated--for Never Let Me Go, if not for The Social Network, although he was also good in the latter.
Best Picture: The Social Network [seen 10/10]
Leading Actor: Colin Firth, The King's Speech [4/5]
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter [5/5]
Leading Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan [5/5]
Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit [4/5]
Director: David Fincher, The Social Network [5/5]
Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network [5/5]
Original Screenplay: The King's Speech [4/5]
Incidentally, last year, I tried to predict the winners as well as picking my favourites. I was right for five out of the seven categories and if I had seen The Secret in Their Eyes before last year's Oscars, I may well have predicted it as the Best Foreign Language Film winner ahead of A Prophet. This year, I suspect there would be a bigger overlap between my favourites and my predictions. Here's hoping that the 2012 Oscars will highlight such a bumper crop.
27 February 2011
23 February 2011
Nothing Lasts Forever
NPR's All Songs Considered looks back to the '90s this week and although some of their song choices do scream "'90s" to me (Song 2, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Doo Wop (That Thing) and No Surprises), none of them would make my ultimate '90s playlist, not even the latter, which was released soon after I started listening to the UK Top 40 each week and so stands out as being characteristic of its era in my head.
I've picked my own top ten, although not simply by getting iTunes to tell me which songs released in the 1990s I've played the most or like the best. Instead, I've tried to pick those songs to which I used to listen the most back in the '90s (and still like now; I'm no longer a fan of Somewhere or One and One by Robert Miles -- the first single I ever bought). This means that songs released in the '90s that make my all-time top ten, like Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah and I Wanna Be Adored by the Stone Roses, don't count because I didn't listen to them at the time. Of course, if this list were really representative, there would be at least one more Oasis song, but that's just boring. And of course, because I only discovered there was more to music than musicals and prog rock (thanks, parents!) in about 1996, this top ten is biased towards the second half of the decade.
- Oasis - Wonderwall (Some Might Say that this is a boring choice but I stole Papa's CD of What's the Story in about 1996 mainly so that I could listen to Wonderwall on repeat. I prefer the Ryan Adams cover now but I still love to sing along with Liam, especially when I'm driving.)
- No Doubt - Don't Speak (Another one for singing along in the car.)
- Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
- Green Day - Good Riddance (The Boulevard of Broken Dreams vs Wonderwall mash-up hadn't been created at this point; it probably still wouldn't have made my top ten)
- Radiohead - Street Spirit
- Embrace - All You Good, Good People
- The Cardigans - Lovefool (This one was used in both Romeo & Juliet and Cruel Intentions. Nice.)
- The Manic Street Preachers - A Design for Life (I used to really like the Manics. I liked calling them "The Manics," like a real fan, even more.)
- Monaco - What Do You Want from Me? (Because I hadn't heard of New Order yet...)
- White Town - Your Woman (The second single I ever bought; hey, I was 13; also, it's a reworking of a Bill Crosby song, apparently, which makes it much more acceptable.)
Honourable mention: Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve. I didn't like this song much at the time but it was in the charts for over three months and it was always on the radio, so I think it counts, especially after I "rediscovered" it when it was on the Cruel Intentions soundtrack.
20 February 2011
Mapping London's Best Espresso Bars
Update: I compiled a new list of my favourite London coffee shops in April 2012, so check that post out if you're seeking further caffeine inspiration.
Six or seven years ago, when my friends and I made the trek down to London from university in Cambridge, we had to settle for Caffè Nero when it was time for a coffee break. There just wasn't anywhere central to get a really good (as opposed to adequate) cappuccino or macchiato. Since then, fortunately, Antipodean coffee culture has hit W1 and the more easterly postcodes in central London — big time. As such, I've put together a list of my favourite places to hang out with a great cup of coffee.
Most of these, if not all, also feature on Time Out's list but that's probably because central London is small enough that it's hard to keep really great espresso bars a secret for very long. Many also feature in my 2009 "London Condensed" guide, which also includes my food and shopping favourites and some inspiration for things to do in London.
As you will notice from my map, most of my top seven fall within (or almost within) the square formed by Mortimer Street, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue and the Charing Cross Road (Providores is not strictly a coffee shop but I felt I had to include at least one place in Marylebone). Espresso Room serves the best coffee but it's so far east I only really go there when I'm working closer to that neck of the woods. Included in the map are the following places (in a rough order of preference):
1. The Espresso Room
2. Kaffeine — my mini-review (2009)
3. Milk Bar — my mini-review (2008)
4. Lantana — my mini-mini-review (2009)
5. Fernandez & Wells (Beak Street branch) — my mini-mini-review (2009)
6. Flat White — my mini-mini-review (2009)
7. Monmouth Coffee Company (Covent Garden branch)
8. Providores — my mini-review (2009)
Further afield...
Six or seven years ago, when my friends and I made the trek down to London from university in Cambridge, we had to settle for Caffè Nero when it was time for a coffee break. There just wasn't anywhere central to get a really good (as opposed to adequate) cappuccino or macchiato. Since then, fortunately, Antipodean coffee culture has hit W1 and the more easterly postcodes in central London — big time. As such, I've put together a list of my favourite places to hang out with a great cup of coffee.
Most of these, if not all, also feature on Time Out's list but that's probably because central London is small enough that it's hard to keep really great espresso bars a secret for very long. Many also feature in my 2009 "London Condensed" guide, which also includes my food and shopping favourites and some inspiration for things to do in London.
As you will notice from my map, most of my top seven fall within (or almost within) the square formed by Mortimer Street, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue and the Charing Cross Road (Providores is not strictly a coffee shop but I felt I had to include at least one place in Marylebone). Espresso Room serves the best coffee but it's so far east I only really go there when I'm working closer to that neck of the woods. Included in the map are the following places (in a rough order of preference):
1. The Espresso Room
2. Kaffeine — my mini-review (2009)
3. Milk Bar — my mini-review (2008)
4. Lantana — my mini-mini-review (2009)
5. Fernandez & Wells (Beak Street branch) — my mini-mini-review (2009)
6. Flat White — my mini-mini-review (2009)
7. Monmouth Coffee Company (Covent Garden branch)
8. Providores — my mini-review (2009)
Further afield...
- Chamomile (45 England's Lane, Belsize Park)
- Fleet River Bakery (71 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn)
- Ginger & White (4a-5a Perrins Court, Hampstead)
- The Table (83 Southwark Street, Southwark)
To try...
- Foxcroft & Ginger (3 Berwick St, Soho)
- J&A Cafe (4 Sutton Lane, Clerkenwell)
- Store Street Espresso (40 Store Street, Bloomsbury)
- Taste of Bitter Love (276 Hackney Road, Hoxton)
13 February 2011
Fire and Ice: Myung Ga Review
If The Bro had spent two years teaching English in Japan instead of Korea, I may have joined my parents and gone to visit him. As it was, I didn't really want to spend so much money on a flight to a country that wasn't near the top of my (admittedly long) to-visit list. Since The Bro's return, however, I've been meaning to try out Korean barbecue in London but wanted to go with an expert. We went to Myung Ga in Soho, which got three stars in Time Out.
I had to try the barbecue and it was quite exciting having the grill on our table, even if our waitress did try to rush us by moving one meat off onto a side plate so she could cook the next one (the restaurant wasn't overly busy so we'd have preferred not to let the meat get cold). We tried three different types of beef (kalbi, bulgogi and deung sim gui), which came with seasme oil and which were all really tasty (bulgogi was my favourite). Then, of course, I had to try the kimchi, which was redder and spicier than I was expecting but not untasty. And then there was the soju, of which The Bro has waxed lyrical on many an occasion. I was expecting something more akin to a 20% wine but it's actually more like weak vodka; certainly something I wanted to knock back rather than something I wanted to sip. I'm not a huge vodka fan anyway but it was nice not to feel very drunk after three shots.
We decided to skip the Korean dessert, instead heading to Gelupo, the gelato and espresso bar associated with Bocca di Lupo. I tried the Gianduja brownie gelato, which was delicious, although I was very tempted by nocciola (hazelnut) and stracciatella (chocolate chip). And after the spiciness of the kimchi, my tongue welcomed the coolness of the ice cream.
Myung Ga. 1 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5PA (Tube: Oxford Circus). Website.
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| Soju! |
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| Korean BBQ at Myung Ga |
Myung Ga. 1 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5PA (Tube: Oxford Circus). Website.
09 February 2011
Paulesque Panorama
Hidden away on the sixth floor of a hideous new shopping centre called One New Change (which sounds like a reality TV show boy band) is a spacious rooftop that provides an amazing close-up view of St Paul's Cathedral, as well as a good perspective of the London Eye and the river. A café is opening there "in the spring" and I suspect that come the summer, ONC's roof will be very busy indeed. For now, though, it is an oasis of calm, at least on a cold evening, which is great for photoshoots.
We didn't have much time this evening as we had a reservation at Hix (the City branch) and there wasn't sufficient time for me to adjust my camera settings properly or to leap and as such, the photos we took were inferior to those taken the last time I was there. But for a quirky London panorama--and a free one at that--One New Change is definitely worth a visit.
And then it's just a 15-minute stroll up the road to Hix, Smiths of Smithfield and the assortment of other nice restaurants near Smithfield Market. When playing tour guide, however, and pointing out a place of "naughty men" (Merrill Lynch), it's really better not to turn around to face one's audience, if one wishes to avoid being run over by a speeding limo rushing said naughty men back to the office.
We didn't have much time this evening as we had a reservation at Hix (the City branch) and there wasn't sufficient time for me to adjust my camera settings properly or to leap and as such, the photos we took were inferior to those taken the last time I was there. But for a quirky London panorama--and a free one at that--One New Change is definitely worth a visit.
And then it's just a 15-minute stroll up the road to Hix, Smiths of Smithfield and the assortment of other nice restaurants near Smithfield Market. When playing tour guide, however, and pointing out a place of "naughty men" (Merrill Lynch), it's really better not to turn around to face one's audience, if one wishes to avoid being run over by a speeding limo rushing said naughty men back to the office.
08 February 2011
Shortlisting Time Out's London Restaurant Longlist
Time Out has just published its latest list of the top 50 restaurants in London. "And, sorry Gordon and Jamie," it adds cheekily, "but you didn't make the cut." I haven't been to any of Ramsay's restaus but I've been to Jamie's Italian in Covent Garden, which was good as long as you can cope with the overly effusive menu copy -- let the people tell you the grilled chicken is lovely, Jamie, don't make them suspicious with pervasive positive adjectives.
Of the Time Out top 50, I've been to ten (although I've almost been to Bocca di Lupo and Ottolenghi on numerous occasions and will hopefully go to both at some point) and I've been to five of those ten at least twice:
#47 Rosa's (Soho and Spitalfields). I had been meaning to check out this Thai restaurant for a long time but the original branch is near Liverpool Street and I don't go that way very often. As soon as the Soho branch opened in Dean Street, I rushed to it like, well, Bexquisite to pad Thai. I've been a few times now and I have had pad Thai on all of them (it's good, although they seem to specialise in pumpkin curry and duck curry and my dining companions have always approved of those dishes). The Soho branch is small but I like the decor, which is very modern and funky. You can get cheaper Thai food in the 'hood but the quality at Rosa's is good, the food is beautifully served and at no expense to the portion size.
#44 Comptoir Libanais (Marylebone). You might say (and indeed, I have said) that someone who lives a five-minute walk from the Edgware Road has no need for a café like Le Comptoir Libanais and sure, you can get similar food for a lot cheaper in the numerous establishments. But I like the funky vibe and the food is reasonably priced (I've eaten a chicken tagine for lunch, macaroons and assorted sweetmeats, and the juice combos are tasty too). For the location, anyway, which is great (at the foot of Marylebone High Street and just around the back of Selfridges).
#34 Providores (Marylebone). This is my favourite bruncheria in the quartier. They're also open for regular lunch and dinner but the queues form at brunch o'clock -- and it's worth the wait, even when it's cold and rainy. I used to be partial to the sourdough French toast with bacon and maple syrup (minus the mushrooms in my case) but of late, I've tended to go for the sweetcorn and blueberry fritters that are served with tomatoes and rocket. However, the online menu suggests they might have disappeared this item (the closest I can find is the "Thai basil and lime waffles with tomato, sweetcorn, rocket and avocado salad and jalapeno chutney," which I'll probably try next time). Their coffee is also the tastiest on Marylebone High Street. I'm sad to say they've renamed "hokey pokey" ice cream as "Golden Crunch" ice cream (at least, I think they're the same); part of the fun of ordering the former was in the mystery of what it would turn out to be.
#21 Polpo (Soho). I first visited Polpo, soon after it opened, on a day when I had spent 48 hours in January without heating at home. Nonetheless, I had a great time, which says a lot. Polpo specialises in regional Italian small plates, from the bite-sized cicheti (I like the potato and parmesan crochetta) to larger dishes like duck ragu, peppercorns and gnocchi, that are designed for sharing. The food is good value for Soho and the wine is also reasonably priced and most wines come in carafes too. The main Beak Street branch is often packed and has long queues but there's a cute zinc bar where you can linger over a glass of Prosecco; a second branch, Polpetto, is down the road, above a pub in Dean Street. Both serve the eponymous (or nearly eponymous) polpetti.
#12 Hix (Soho and others). Mark Hix's empire now consists of several London restaurants (and one on the south coast), including one in Selfridges and one in the City. I go to Hix Soho in Brewer Street most often and it's quite easy to miss the restaurant apart from the fact it has a giant, heavy door. The steaks are good, as are the posh fish fingers with chips and (posh) mushy peas. The focus is on regional British food with some quirky ingredients, which is why a relatively fussy easter like me tends to stick to the steak. Thus far, I've always been too full to manage a pudding but the Bakewell pudding has often tempted me. [Edit 9 Feb 2011: the Amedei chocolate meringue is delicious.]
The other five restaurants I've been to are: Salt Yard (#48) on Goodge Street; the Wolseley (#46) on Piccadilly; Arbutus (#32) on Frith Street; Busuba Thai (#29) in several central locations; and Koya (#2) on Frith Street. I'm surprised the latter ranked so highly; I enjoyed the (mainly noodle-based food) but it was really expensive for what it was and the service was as spotty as you'd expect in many cheaper a restaurant, even on a quiet, rainy Thursday.
Of the Time Out top 50, I've been to ten (although I've almost been to Bocca di Lupo and Ottolenghi on numerous occasions and will hopefully go to both at some point) and I've been to five of those ten at least twice:
#47 Rosa's (Soho and Spitalfields). I had been meaning to check out this Thai restaurant for a long time but the original branch is near Liverpool Street and I don't go that way very often. As soon as the Soho branch opened in Dean Street, I rushed to it like, well, Bexquisite to pad Thai. I've been a few times now and I have had pad Thai on all of them (it's good, although they seem to specialise in pumpkin curry and duck curry and my dining companions have always approved of those dishes). The Soho branch is small but I like the decor, which is very modern and funky. You can get cheaper Thai food in the 'hood but the quality at Rosa's is good, the food is beautifully served and at no expense to the portion size.
#44 Comptoir Libanais (Marylebone). You might say (and indeed, I have said) that someone who lives a five-minute walk from the Edgware Road has no need for a café like Le Comptoir Libanais and sure, you can get similar food for a lot cheaper in the numerous establishments. But I like the funky vibe and the food is reasonably priced (I've eaten a chicken tagine for lunch, macaroons and assorted sweetmeats, and the juice combos are tasty too). For the location, anyway, which is great (at the foot of Marylebone High Street and just around the back of Selfridges).
#34 Providores (Marylebone). This is my favourite bruncheria in the quartier. They're also open for regular lunch and dinner but the queues form at brunch o'clock -- and it's worth the wait, even when it's cold and rainy. I used to be partial to the sourdough French toast with bacon and maple syrup (minus the mushrooms in my case) but of late, I've tended to go for the sweetcorn and blueberry fritters that are served with tomatoes and rocket. However, the online menu suggests they might have disappeared this item (the closest I can find is the "Thai basil and lime waffles with tomato, sweetcorn, rocket and avocado salad and jalapeno chutney," which I'll probably try next time). Their coffee is also the tastiest on Marylebone High Street. I'm sad to say they've renamed "hokey pokey" ice cream as "Golden Crunch" ice cream (at least, I think they're the same); part of the fun of ordering the former was in the mystery of what it would turn out to be.
#21 Polpo (Soho). I first visited Polpo, soon after it opened, on a day when I had spent 48 hours in January without heating at home. Nonetheless, I had a great time, which says a lot. Polpo specialises in regional Italian small plates, from the bite-sized cicheti (I like the potato and parmesan crochetta) to larger dishes like duck ragu, peppercorns and gnocchi, that are designed for sharing. The food is good value for Soho and the wine is also reasonably priced and most wines come in carafes too. The main Beak Street branch is often packed and has long queues but there's a cute zinc bar where you can linger over a glass of Prosecco; a second branch, Polpetto, is down the road, above a pub in Dean Street. Both serve the eponymous (or nearly eponymous) polpetti.
#12 Hix (Soho and others). Mark Hix's empire now consists of several London restaurants (and one on the south coast), including one in Selfridges and one in the City. I go to Hix Soho in Brewer Street most often and it's quite easy to miss the restaurant apart from the fact it has a giant, heavy door. The steaks are good, as are the posh fish fingers with chips and (posh) mushy peas. The focus is on regional British food with some quirky ingredients, which is why a relatively fussy easter like me tends to stick to the steak. Thus far, I've always been too full to manage a pudding but the Bakewell pudding has often tempted me. [Edit 9 Feb 2011: the Amedei chocolate meringue is delicious.]
The other five restaurants I've been to are: Salt Yard (#48) on Goodge Street; the Wolseley (#46) on Piccadilly; Arbutus (#32) on Frith Street; Busuba Thai (#29) in several central locations; and Koya (#2) on Frith Street. I'm surprised the latter ranked so highly; I enjoyed the (mainly noodle-based food) but it was really expensive for what it was and the service was as spotty as you'd expect in many cheaper a restaurant, even on a quiet, rainy Thursday.
07 February 2011
Boredwalk Empire
When I first heard about Boardwalk Empire, I thought it sounded interesting but I wasn't sure I was ready to add another TV show to my restricted repertoire. I was loyal to Mad Men and the fact that Boardwalk Empire started to steal some of its awards this year didn't endear me to it. Equally, although I now have access to Sky via Skyplayer, I wasn't sure I could watch a channel (Sky Atlantic) that pirated MM from Auntie.
Inevitably, curiosity kicked in and I watched the first episode at the weekend. The viewing conditions were not ideal; I should have just downloaded the episode from Skyplayer because although I have a very fast broadband connection, I suspect that Saturday is a common time for people to catch up on their week's Sky viewing. The trouble with streaming on Skyplayer is that a) you have to put up with a lot of buffering (on Saturday nights, anyway) and b) if your internet connection cuts out, even temporarily, you have to start again from scratch (and repeat the buffering process). Also, I prefer my TV shows to last 42 minutes or so and this pilot was way longer.
Overall, then, my rating of Boardwalk Empire wasn't great. I just didn't get into it and I found it a little hard to keep track of who was who (this was possibly due to the aforementioned internet issues that meant I may have missed some parts and watched others twice). Sure, it looked great and Steve Buscemi and Kelly MacDonald are always good value (as for Michael Pitt, I've never trusted him since he played wet Henry in Dawson's Creek, creepy Justin in Murder by Numbers and wet Matthew in The Dreamers) but I wasn't left craving the second episode. I haven't given up on it yet and I'm definitely willing to try to shed my confirmation bias so I will be watching the next part, at least, but it's in no danger of displacing Mad Men from its pedestal.
Inevitably, curiosity kicked in and I watched the first episode at the weekend. The viewing conditions were not ideal; I should have just downloaded the episode from Skyplayer because although I have a very fast broadband connection, I suspect that Saturday is a common time for people to catch up on their week's Sky viewing. The trouble with streaming on Skyplayer is that a) you have to put up with a lot of buffering (on Saturday nights, anyway) and b) if your internet connection cuts out, even temporarily, you have to start again from scratch (and repeat the buffering process). Also, I prefer my TV shows to last 42 minutes or so and this pilot was way longer.
Overall, then, my rating of Boardwalk Empire wasn't great. I just didn't get into it and I found it a little hard to keep track of who was who (this was possibly due to the aforementioned internet issues that meant I may have missed some parts and watched others twice). Sure, it looked great and Steve Buscemi and Kelly MacDonald are always good value (as for Michael Pitt, I've never trusted him since he played wet Henry in Dawson's Creek, creepy Justin in Murder by Numbers and wet Matthew in The Dreamers) but I wasn't left craving the second episode. I haven't given up on it yet and I'm definitely willing to try to shed my confirmation bias so I will be watching the next part, at least, but it's in no danger of displacing Mad Men from its pedestal.
04 February 2011
Bothered and Bewildered
Rabbit Hole wasn't the most cheerful of films for a Friday night. Obviously. After several weeks of being sold out way in advance for its showings of The King's Speech and Black Swan, the Everyman on Baker Street was pretty quiet and mainly populated by women. I'm not always a fan of Nicole Kidman but I thought I ought to see Rabbit Hole--about the only film with at least one major Oscar nomination that I hadn't seen--before I pick my own favourites from each category. Also Nicole Kidman's character is called Becca, which pleases me (Beccas are becoming as common as Beckys in films these days, what with The Good Wife and Make It, Or Break It).
The Becca in question is married to Howie (Aaron Eckhart) and they are in the process of dealing with the death of their four-year-old son Danny some eight months earlier. At first it seems like Howie is dealing much better than his wife: he is keen to go group therapy and he goes out to meet friends and at least act like he has a life. Becca, meanwhile, just mopes, stares into space, does some gardening and picks fights with her family. She doesn't want Howie being close to her or getting intimate and she definitely doesn't want him to bring up the idea of having another child. Their arrangement isn't working very well as Becca becomes increasingly cold and passive while Howie's frustration mounts. It doesn't help that Becca's flaky little sister has just got pregnant or that her mother, who also lost a son, keeps trying to offer "helpful" advice.
Eventually, Becca quits group therapy and she and Howie try to deal with things separately. For Becca, this means stalking school buses; ambushing Jason, the teenager who accidentally ran over their son; chatting to him; and admiring his beautifully drawn comic book, The Rabbit Hole, in which a boy tries to search for his scientist father in an assortment of parallel universes via a series of rabbit holes. Howie, meanwhile, bunks off group therapy with a fellow group member, Gaby, to smoke pot and, briefly at least, contemplate leaving the grief-fest that is his home and starting afresh.
It's a short film at just 90 minutes and nothing really happens. The acting is very good, particularly from Eckhart; Kidman's performance is strong too but Eckhart is much more subtle. Somehow, though, something was missing. I didn't feel very moved, for one thing, perhaps because the raw pain of loss had disintegrated, eight months on, into something deeper and more aching. It wasn't to do with the ending, either, as I felt that was convincing and worked well. On checking IMDb, I saw that the film was adapted from a play and this might explain the nagging void I felt at the end; I could definitely see it working as a play a lot better.
The Becca in question is married to Howie (Aaron Eckhart) and they are in the process of dealing with the death of their four-year-old son Danny some eight months earlier. At first it seems like Howie is dealing much better than his wife: he is keen to go group therapy and he goes out to meet friends and at least act like he has a life. Becca, meanwhile, just mopes, stares into space, does some gardening and picks fights with her family. She doesn't want Howie being close to her or getting intimate and she definitely doesn't want him to bring up the idea of having another child. Their arrangement isn't working very well as Becca becomes increasingly cold and passive while Howie's frustration mounts. It doesn't help that Becca's flaky little sister has just got pregnant or that her mother, who also lost a son, keeps trying to offer "helpful" advice.
Eventually, Becca quits group therapy and she and Howie try to deal with things separately. For Becca, this means stalking school buses; ambushing Jason, the teenager who accidentally ran over their son; chatting to him; and admiring his beautifully drawn comic book, The Rabbit Hole, in which a boy tries to search for his scientist father in an assortment of parallel universes via a series of rabbit holes. Howie, meanwhile, bunks off group therapy with a fellow group member, Gaby, to smoke pot and, briefly at least, contemplate leaving the grief-fest that is his home and starting afresh.
It's a short film at just 90 minutes and nothing really happens. The acting is very good, particularly from Eckhart; Kidman's performance is strong too but Eckhart is much more subtle. Somehow, though, something was missing. I didn't feel very moved, for one thing, perhaps because the raw pain of loss had disintegrated, eight months on, into something deeper and more aching. It wasn't to do with the ending, either, as I felt that was convincing and worked well. On checking IMDb, I saw that the film was adapted from a play and this might explain the nagging void I felt at the end; I could definitely see it working as a play a lot better.