You can tell it must be the holiday season, because I’m about to report on 3 films I’ve seen, all in the past 9 days.

Last week was WALL-E week. Before the era of audio description, this is the kind of film I would have avoided, since it chronicles the life and times of two robots, and so is a little low on dialog (save some cute electronic squeaking). But thanks to the glories of the infrared headphones, I was able to follow the robotic shinanigans all the way, without missing a single clunk or click.

I am a sucker for the feel-good factor, so the idea that our world might one day be saved by a waste disposal unit was always going to be a hit with me, and indeed I loved it! My particular favourite character, after the two main protagonists, was Little Mo the cleaning machine … … … truly a droid after my own heart!

Then the feel-good factor shot right off the scale when I went to see Mamma Mia. Now, before I commence my plot analysis and deep psychological character evaluation, let me establish some context. For this, my friends, is how you should view this film:

1. Get together with 2 of your best and oldest friends, and all take the afternoon off work.

2. Go on a historic boat tour around Canterbury city centre, being rowed along by George, who is the best boat-tour-guide in the world, is very funny, looks like David Tenant, and spent part of the journey propelling the boat along by pushing his feet against the underside of a bridge, giving us a splendid view of his bottom!
I’m sure
mrspao
will add photographic evidence to her blog soon.

3. Then go to Canterbury’s finest tearooms and order Afternoon Tea for 3 – ignoring the disgruntled remark of the waiter that the chef won’t be pleased at him putting that order in “cos it’s a nightmare to put together”. Is that my problem???!!! At little short of £13 per head I’d expect him to put in a little legwork for us! (After all, George did his for £6.50!)

4. Go to the cinema, sit far enough away from the nearest people so that you can chatter shamelessly all the way through, and get ready to enjoy one of the best films you’ll ever see.

5. Round it all off eating Chinese takeaway and drinking tea together whilst listening to your Abba Gold CD.
Aaaaaahhhhhhh!

Now back to the film itself. I know some people are sceptical about the idea of making a film out of a stageshow. From the few I’ve seen, I reckon there are a few basic ground-rules, if it’s going to work well:
1. The producers and director’s mustn’t take it too seriously.
2. The actors mustn’t take it too seriously.
3. The audience definitely mustn’t take it too seriously!

It is a truly spectacular film. It is very clearly a bunch of highly talented people having a lot of fun in a sunny location, and their feel-good factor comes right out of the screen at ya. The actors are excellent, and are refreshingly happy to send themselves up as much as possible. It is deeply cheesy in places, thoroughly OTT in other places, and extremely funny all the way through.

So, with one Pixar animation and one musical under my belt, I thought I was on a roll. Next stop – War of the Worlds!

OK, the change of mood might strike you as a little jarring, but I am a scifi fan. Alien tripods may not be as classy and melodious as Meryl Streep, but I did love the radio version, so surely …

Hmmm… famous last words. The film was one long, unnecessary bout of shouting from beginning to end. I mean OK so it can’t be pleasant to be pursued and ingested by aliens, but did they really need to yell so much?! The dad (or Tom Cruise to you) yelled; the foolhardy revenge-obsessed macho teenage boy yelled; The bystanders all yelled, all at once; the aliens even yelled (well, honked) … and the infuriating spoiled brat of a little girl just screamed and screamed! Where on earth did they find a child who could scream like that, and why has she not been sent to colonise another planet – preferably one where the inhabitants don’t have ears!

I should add the disclaimer that I’m sure the actor playing her is lovely, and probably reserves all her screaming for her horror/scifi roles, and would therefore be a delight to meet …

By the end, I was ready to be consumed as alien fertiliser myself, if only to get away from the shouting!!!!

I know I know, it’s a geeky thing to say, but the radio version really was so much better!