Scene and Heard

Trafalger Square, London, 30.10.07: Waiting for the nightbus, a woman with her daughter approaches me. "Is this the stop for Heathrow?" she enquires. "I hope so", I reply. Where are you going?" she continues. "Goa", I respond, smugly. "and where might you be going?" "Apora", she replies. It later transpires that we are on the same flight.

Upper Street, Islington, London N1, 24.10.07: Bald middle aged man: "Ere, mate, do you know what skunk is?" Me: "Yes". Bmam: "Well, let me tell you, it really fucks you up, I ain't never doing it again".

Food

La Bouche, Broadway Market, London E8
A Guardian readers' (self included) favourite where the pastries and coffee are almost as fabulous as the staff. Ideal for an al fresco breakfast, which will set back £3.30 for a large latte/cappuccino and an almond croissant. Lots of other delicacies to go, including French cheeses and crispy baguettes (£1.30).

Music Gigs

Kevin Davy Group: Kevin Davy, (trumpet, and flugelhorn), Cheryl Alleyne (drums), Vicky Tulson (bass), Renu Hossain (tablas and percussion), Dom Pipkin (piano and keys) and Jo Hendrix Ndelo (vocals) Vortex Jazz Bar 18.10.07

Jazz can be as unforgiving as it is complex. In a rock band the lack of technical ability can give you street cred, whereas in jazz you just sound crap if you hit bum notes. Not there were many of the latter coming from Kevin Davy's band, it was more a lack of togetherness that was the problem. To be fair they suffered from a poor mix in the first half with the piano and bass straining to be heard. This lack of balance highlighted the need for another front line player to complement the formidable Davy. It also placed the rhythm section in the headlights and while they played well individually, they never sounded anything like a tight unit. The material was a mixture of funk and Afro jazz, mostly self penned though Branford Marsalis' Mo Better Blues was given a workout.

In the second set things got better as they always do at jazz gigs, starting off with an excellent piano solo from the the previously inaudible Dom Pipkin, while the scat vocals of Jo Hendrix Ndelo provided much needed variety. The percussion led by Cheryl Alleyne whipped up a storm much to the crowd's delight, and what they lacked in unity they made for in volume. I'd still like to see another horn player to fill things out. The last band I saw at this venue was Stan Tracey's trio and although they were only half the size of Davy's group, they sounded like an orchestra by comparison.

Two Wheels Good

13.10.07 Mind my bike because it's a Giant (XTC) and quite a beautiful one. For those saddos like me to whom such things are important, here's the setup: Rock Shox SID forks, Mavic 223 disc rims, IRC Mythos XC semi slick tyres, Continental Speed Light tubes, Shimnao XT 9-speed front and rear mech, SRAM gripshifters, Hayes disc brakes, Race Face cranks and chainset, DMX V12 LE chrome pedals, Race Face Evolve XC bars and stem, Kore iBeam saddle and seatpost. My bike is one of the few things I missed when in India and so when I returned one of first things I did was get on it. My local bike ride happens to be a really good one. Starting off along the Regents Canal towpath it turns left into the Hertford Union Canal , (below) which eventually flows into the River Lea (below)From there it's into the Hackney and Walthamstow marshes for a bit of off-roading, though the bike path extends thirty-five miles into Hertfordshire.

The trail I took was unsurprisingly muddy and I got well splattered, though the tyres gripped like glue. On the day the weather was beautiful, a lovely autumn glow with brown leaves everywhere. An English breakfast at a caff on the Hackney Rivera (below) quickly replaced lost calories.












Further inspiration to explore the countryside on my urban doorstep was provided by the new BBC series The Nature of Britain - a celebration of the creatures, such as the blonde hedgehog (pictured), with whom we share our small but animal-friendly island.

Hedgehogs: Blondes have more fun (BBC Images)








The Bicycle Film Festival, Rick Mix Cultural Centre, Oct 23-26 I only saw one film at the festival and Klunkerz made me wish I'd seen more. This is a documentary on the birth of mountain biking. Let's face it, any film about a bunch of pot smoking hippies creating a multi-million dollar industry can hardly fail, and this one didn't. True, it could have done with serious editing but let's not carp. The title refers to the prototype
MBs used by Gary Fisher and his pals in Marin County, just over the Golden Gate in San Francisco. Klunkers were downhill only and had no brakes - steel boots were the method of choice in this regard. Fisher, of course, went on to found his own bike company though he comes across in the film as a hippie with an eye for the main chance. Tom Ritchey offers plenty offers of insight as you would expect from a frame builder and the creative force of the group. He, too, now has a highly respected bike components company bearing his name.

The material is mostly 8mm footage of guys (and one gal) tearing down Mount Tam, attempting to stay on their bikes. There's also some interesting footagedetailing the links between the mountain bikers and the counter-culture movement prevalent at that time in the Bay area. The numerous anecdotes are worth hearing, though I would have liked more focus on the transition from hobby to serious business. One unintentionally funny moment comes when the now head of Specialized bikes describes how he got Ritchey to build a frame, which he then took to Japanese steel foundry and ask them to copy it in bulk. "I wanted to turn this into a proper industry" he states in businessman-like tones, a marked contrast to all that had gone before.

Other films at the festival which I would have liked to have seen include Night of the Living Bicycles - zombie bikes in Copenhagen, and Duet on Three - waltzing bicycles. This is a travelling festival so it may well be that it's coming soon to a cinema near you. Ding! Ding! Bicycle Film Festival

Films: Recently Seen

Which is not to say they're recent

Michael Clayton
Directed by Tony Gilroy (2007)

If there's such a thing as a thinking man's John Grisham, then Tony Gilroy and his script for this legal thriller come close. 'Thriller' is almost a misnomer here as it's all very low key, with the emphasis on character rather than action. George Clooney in his best performance yet plays a man facing up to failure when a brilliant career once beckoned. He's now a bag-man, or fixer, for a corporate law firm who are in the midst of defending a GM crops company, a concern that bears a striking resemblance to Monsanto.

The head of the defence team, brilliantly played by Tom Wilkinson, has turned turned turtle and is threatening to blow the whistle on his erstwhile clients, while a genetically modified Tilda Swinton is equally determined to stop him. Clooney is the man in the middle, his smarm factor considerably reduced, still present but now accompanied by vulnerability. The problem is, he can't do angry. Whenever he tries to appear tough he looks like he's about to give you a hug.

You don't need to be a lawyer to spot a few holes in the story, though you can easily buy into it. What really grabs is the acting, set design and the photography, which all leave you thinking that they deserve a rather more substantial film. Politically the American liberal tradition of blaming wrong-doings on a few misguided individuals, is followed religiously. So then, a good evening's entertainment and just a bit more besides Michael Clayton

Black Book
Directed by Paul Verhoeven (2007)


I've always been a fan of the much misunderstood Paul Verhoeven. Although you wouldn't think it from his films, at least if you take them at face value, he comes from an academic background, his speciality being classical Greek theatre. He professes amazement that films such as Basic Instinct and Showgirls are taken seriously, and not considered the assault on American mores that he intended. But you can only take the piss for so long before you start to forget what you really believe in. Hollow Man his last US film, and one which lived up to the first part of its title, ultimately caused him to take flight and stock and return to his Dutch roots.


Black Book is his first film since his homecoming and while it is astonishing in places, it's ultimately disappointing. Set in German occupied Holland the story focuses on the Dutch resistance, in particular Ellis a young Jewish girl who will go to any lengths for the cause, including sleeping with high ranking German officers. Her original intention is to see off a German general, but he turns out to be a 'good Nazi' if such a thing ever existed. The tale then turns into one of betrayal for the pair of them as the general's underlings have been running a scam murdering and robbing Jews seeking to flee the country and then pocketing the proceeds, something even the Nazis think is beyond the pale.

What's astonishing is the sheer pace with which events unfold, quite unlike any European film, while the lavish production values would grace any Hollywood release. What disappoints, ultimately, is the convoluted story which would have you believe that there were more traitors that fighters in the resistance movement. Up until a certain point you go along for the ride, indeed it's a thrilling experience but the denouement is one trick too many.

The Dutch/German cast are superb, though Sebastian Koch looks much too nice to be wearing a Nazi uniform. But it's Carice van Houten as Rachel/Ellis who steals the show, even with her clothes on. You can see how much Verhoeven has learned from his American experience, I just hope next time around this is tethered to a more credible story, though It seems churlish to dismiss this on such grounds given its many qualities - it's thrilling and and at times, edge-of the street-stuff. Just be sure to have several pinches of salt handy.

Comme une Image
Directed by Agnes Jaoui (2004)

This got great reviews and it's easy to see why. Too easy. The acting is superb, the cinematography lush and it's about the critics' favourite subject: writers. But is it too saying 'look at me'? There's a kind of picture book blandness about this, especially when compared with Jaoui's previous work , Le Gout des Autres a biting tale of French cultural snobbery. All we are told here is that the French literati are self obsessed wankers. Hands up those who didn't know that.

Pan's Labyrinth
Directed by Guillermo del Toro (2006)

Expectations were as high as the concept for this. A young girl seeking to escape the horrors of her surroundings and her brutal fascist stepfather, concocts an escapist world of fairies and other such forms. The backdrop for this is the last days of Spanish Civil war. Franco's forces have triumphed but there are still pockets of resistance, giving the fascists yet more scope for killings and torture.



All this is handled adequately but the problems begin when the fairies make an appearance. Actually, they're not so bad, it's the fauns you've got to watch out for as the labyrinth lurches into a CGI fest. The idea, of course, was for the girl to dislocate herself from reality but the effect on this spectator was to dislocate from the film itself. It almost felt there was an intermission and I was suddenly plunged into a trailer for a Pixar production. Nothing wrong with Pixar, but if you are in the middle of watching, say, Shrek, I doubt if you'd be too pleased to find the film suddenly cutting to Schindler's List.


It's a fact that we live in a digital age, but it wasn't always thus. There was a time when filmmakers had to rely on their imagination, and the audience too, but now it's all laid out for you. I'm not advocating going back to the radio, or should I say wireless, but there must be a better way of doing things than this. I should say I'm in minority here as the film is the recipient of several oscars and is currently rated #47 in the all-time greats on the Internet Movie Database. Pan's Labyrinth

Films: Best of 2007

Spending most of the year in India limited my cinematic choices, hence the emphasis on American films - nobody there bothers pirating European films. Of these, perhaps only the Lynch film would have figured on a 'best' list in previous years. And so, in order of preference...

Inland Empire David Lynch's stunning video installation art masquerading as film. It's a few steps into the stratosphere from Mullholland Drive but is a similar meditation on Hollywood. Despite previously insisting he would never shoot digitally, Lynch gets with the dots here and uses the mediums garish tones to great effect. Narrative cinema is completely abandoned here in favour of some great set pieces, notably Grace Zabriskie's cameo and Little Eva's 60s hit Locomotion used to accompany a gym workout. Laura Dern and Justin Theroux head a great cast The girl I went with hated this. "Too dark", she complained as though expecting Shrek 3. Inland Empire

The Namesake Based on the book of the same name, this brilliantly encapsulates the cultural difficulties experienced by a Bengali couple when they move from Calcutta to New York. While being both witty and romantic, it doesn't shy away from some biting criticism of western values. Surprisingly for an adaptation it's visually rich making it a work of art in its own right. The largely Indian cast are brilliant, non more so than Kal Penn, previously seen as the latter half of Harold and Kumar. I saw this on a laptop in Ladakh with a bunch of fine people from the USA, and one from China. Different nationalities but all as one on this. The Namesake

Planet Terror The better half of Tarantino's now severed Grindhouse experience, directed by QT's pal Robert Rodriguez. The big mistake was showing this first, as its witty, fast paced and not pompously self referential. In other words, it's everything that its other half, Deathproof, isn't. By the time that latter has finished, over three hours would have elapsed on the clock. Had the Rodriguez film played last it's energy might just have you through, but instead you get QT's fantasy of how girls talk when left to their own devices. Yawn. Grindhouse

Zodiac Very good indeed in places, those being the first half when Robert Downey Jnr and Mark Ruffalo are most prominent. One of the film's other major assets is the recreation of San Fransisco circa 1970, using the latest in digital technology. It's not just the city that's being revived but the 70's genre with its tight focus and warm shadows. It recalls Klute in more than one way, another film with a serial killer at its centre, though the emphasis is on police procedural even though the book on which it is based was written by the cartoonist from the San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Graysmith. He's played here somewhat disastrously by the callow Jake Gyllenhaal. A real standout is the use of Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man, always a creepy song and the film exploits that to the limit. I've always liked David Fincher's ideas, and this is the one film in which most of these are realised. Zodiac


Shooter An atypical choice for me as I'm no great fan of American action films. This one comes with a few twists however, and the considerable presence of Marky Mark. It's a conspiracy thriller and like all such, it's convoluted. It's directed with flair and energy by Antoine Fuqua and apart from Mr Wahlburg it comes with Elias Koteas, Danny Glover and Ned Beatty on board, the latter a 70s veteran and a nod to the film's roots. Shooter

The Illusionist A film which almost lives up to its own title as it appeared to vanish before reaching the shores of the UK. A pity, for it really is quite lovely but maybe not if you know the twist in the tale. I'm hopeless at spotting such things so I just bought right in. Edward Norton, magic, turn of the century Vienna in sepia. I ask you, what's not to like? The Illusionist

The Lookout An encouraging directorial debut from Scott Frank whose previous credits as a screenwriter include Get Shorty and ???. This is an altogether moodier affair, with a lengthy exposition and very little action when considering it's basically a thriller. If anything it recalls Brick in tone but unlike that film, it doesn't try to be too clever by half. It also has the excellent Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who manages to hold things together when Jeff Daniels attempts to have the scenery for Lunch. The Lookout

Climates A Turkish film from the excellent Nuri Bilge Ceylan, whose Uzak was one of my favourite films of the current decade. As with that film, the prevailing conditions are chilly, Begrmanesque even. It's the story of a relationship which has gone tits up but the self absorbed theatre director refuses to accept this. The clash between the older man's ego and the girl's self determination will give many pause for thought. There are few laughs to be had but its very seriousness is its strength. Climates

The Last King of Scotland What starts out as a somewhat whimsical bio of Idi Amin and his relationship with a (fictional) Scottish doctor, gradually and seamlessly morphs into something appropriately darker. Excellent performances from Forrest Whittaker and James McEvoy lend credibility to this bizarre tale. The Last King of Scotland

Michael Clayton (check the 'seen recently' blog)

Requiem The words 'based on a true story' usually fill me with dread, but Hans-Christian Schmid's film shows how it can be done, even when 'true stories' don't come much more difficult than this. The events - the possession and exorcism of a young girl - sound medieval but in fact took place in Germany, 1976. Schmid is refreshingly upfront about his interpretation, preferring to imagine the reaction of her friends and family rather than trying to get them to relive what must have been an extremely painful time. But this is not just a film about pain, it's also one about love as those around the troubled girl unite in their efforts for a cure. There are no dramatic flourishes here or any special effects, though the period is captured to perfection. What holds it all together is a stunning performance from the theatre actress Sandra Huller, watching her is almost a cathartic experience in itself. Requiem

Backgammon

At last an online backgammon site that doesn't look like it was designed by Freddie Flintstone. The interface is smooth, the boards are excellent and the dice, well, you can't do much about those. Unfortunately there's a distinct lack of users, though perhaps it's as Kevin Costner once opined "If you build it they will come". So far I've been doing reasonably well, much better than face-face to games. However, with a current profit of £25 I won't be turning pro just yet.

Back to the boards, kicking off at Mad Mike's Camden tournament. I'm feeling confident after an intensive session with Snowie and with new board in tow. It's all misplaced, of course, and I lose almost every (money) game to Sean Williams. I then get drawn against him in the tournament and go down 7-0. In the £10 tournament I make it to the final where I lose to Miranda. At least this gives her some cash so she can return some of the three-year old debt that's owed to me. It's a great venue and the tournament is well run with something for all levels of skill. Just as well if my results are anything to go by. I end the night -£30.