We went to our only NSFW screening for this year this morning. I’d booked Longleat for Monday without realising it was film week which wrote Monday off and then I worked yesterday and am working again tomorrow which only left Tuesday and today free. I did try and book films for Tuesday and another for next week but the only booking that came through was for todays. In the same way as I have gotten carried away with RI lectures though I have had to restrain myself from booking films we’re not really bothered about seeing or from travelling way further than is cost effective even when the film is free. I’d have liked to have seen the flamingo film which was one we didn’t get and also Ice Age 3 as we missed that when it was on general release, but never mind.
So today was The Tale of Despereaux which I’d never heard of and neither had the kids. I quite like going to the cinema without expectations of a film though and it was certainly not one we would have chosen otherwise. We were there early enough to nip to the cheapo shop in the marina for some additional sugary snacks and drinks and then we got to the cinema. It was a very poor turnout although we did see Toby and Ryan there we are confirmed front row watchers whereas they prefer to hang out nearer the back so we didn’t sit together.
Actually I thought the film was pretty good, nothing dramatic in terms of clever plot lines, amazing effects, fab cinematography or any other twiddly bits but a nice story, a few laughs, a few tense moments and a happy ending. Can’t ask for more really I don’t think. It was narrated by Sigourney Weaver and was very much in the style of Desperate Housewives narration, it even made me wonder if the name was a clever spin on it and once that nagging ‘what does this remind me of?’ question had been answered I sat there thinking surely everyone else who has ever seen Desperate Housewives must be thinking the same.
Davies and I enjoyed the Mouse School bits and lectures about ‘learning to be scared and needing to be timid’, we both liked the irony there and Scarlett enjoyed the simplicity of the tale. They both said they enjoyed it afterwards.
We left the Marina and headed to Ali’s where we had a very nice few hours chatting, playing and generally hanging out. The children pretty much pulled off being in each others company and getting along and Ali and I made a bit of a dent in our being in each others company deficit from last week’s early finish.
We left later than planned and detoured to Tesco for garlic bread and a sweat band for Davies for gymnastics next week. I’ve tried a few places and failed to find one but Tescos did have a skull one in their Halloween gimicks display so we’ve got that sorted now. I am still very tempted by the one Liza linked to in her comment though… 😉 I also bought a load of hair slides which were all reduced from several pounds to pence for some reason including some of their fancy Finest range and some branded ones like Babyliss. I’ve decided, for now, to grow my hair long again so wanted some nice things to decorate it with to stop me getting bored of it and chopping it all off again. I got loads of sparkly, pretty things for about a fiver :). Still hate Tescos though, it’s been months since I was in one.
Back home for a pasta tea for the kids, putting the chickens away and catching up with Ady who arrived home a while after us. We finished the end of the Roddy Doyle book we’ve been reading, explained what the protest being covered on the news was about and who the BNP are and the kids went off to bed with an Argos catalogue each and Davies has started on his Christmas list. I’m slightly grr-y about this both on the basis that Ady brought home two great big catalogues just half an hour after I’d lectured the kids about NOT needing two of the same leaflet advertising Tesco’s Christmas range as we’d rather less trees were cut down and fewer leaflets were produced / needlessly taken home. I also have issues somehow with the creation of a list and the fact that Davies has suddenly got over £100 worth of stuff he wants and will clearly not be getting anywhere near that. Hmmmm…
The Tale of Despereaux is a lovely book. I think it was the first proper book Pea read when she was about 8. I haven’t seen the film yet.
I haven’t had anything to do with Tesco’s for 7 years now! Apart from a blip when we have Love Film before knowing it was owned by them. Obviously Tony still uses them!
I’ve tried to cancel Christmas here in favour of a holiday- only Boo and I are up for it though.
Comment by Roslyn — 23 October 2009 @ 2:45 pm