Edinburgh Part IV

Smoked salmon and cream cheese for breakfast. Could anything be finer?

Went to The Cameo on Wednesday with my friend Laetitia. Like The Film House, it's one of Edinburgh's quirkier entertainment venues. The main screen is a converted theatre surrounded by a proscenium arch. Huge place, and very atmospheric.

We went to see Melancholia. Despite its 7.7 IMDB rating, I'm afraid I'm more inclined to go with the harsher critics on this one. Really wasn't that enamoured. The choice of using the Blair Witch wobblecam method of shooting led to several people leaving in the first few minutes, I suspect to be sick. I'm usually okay with it, but I did find myself staring at the ceiling until my stomach settled down. This was a shame, as there was some beautiful imagery, and a starlit cast (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland and John Hurt to name but a few) - to lose viewers for the sake of motion sickness seems a waste.

Here's a fairly balanced review. It is highly reminiscent of The Tree of Life, and I suspect that we'll see a lot more like this as an impressionist cinematic phase emerges. My main reading of Melancholia was that you're more likely to be mentally well adjusted to the total inhalation of the world if you're clinically depressed to begin with. Normally well-adjusted people will probably fly off their hinges.

Whether that concept really required two and a half hours to explore is open to debate. As the review says:

The problem with Melancholia is that each of these characters is so entrenched in their particular outlook that it becomes difficult to relate to any of them...

And, for that reason, it does become a bit of a challenge to care. I'm all for experimental and alternative cinema. However, directors themselves must be aware that, if you're going down that route, you're after a niche market. On this occasion, it wasn't a niche that I fitted into.

Still, there's nothing like surviving a questionable movie to bond you over a drink in the pub afterwards. It did provide a few giggles.

Tonight, our friend Ruairí is arriving from Dublin. Haven't seen him since the start of the year, so very excited. The picture above is from January when he last visited. We had a fondue party and learned to make the perfect Irish coffee. Much fun had by all:

Fondue for all!

And other nommy stuff.

My chocolate box hat.
All the rage after a few Irish coffees.

After dinner entertainment.
The tale of one rabbit's fight to overcome alcoholism.

'VSO RVs Rock'
Indeed they do, Laetitia. Thank you.

January view from the kitchen.

I leave you with pictures of Rosslyn Chappel, which features heavily in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. It's very near Edinburgh. Sadly you're not supposed to take photos inside, but there are around 110 Green Men in there, and it is extremely beautiful. If you get the chance, it's worth a visit.