Mixed Emotions

Dublin International Film Festival
Cineworld Screen 17.
Both nights.

When I was going to see Transamerica I was expecting a traumatic film dealing with being a transsexual and the process one must undertake to go through with such a transformation. I was wrong, I thought it was a film dealt with very tenderly, ultimately it was a film about love and support and it made me think twice about judging people in that situation, which ultimately says more about me then it does the film. It also shows how a family unit can stabilise a young person on the road to delinquency. Overall it has a nice summery feel to it and it is a film you will want to see again, stellar performances by Felicity Huffman but also Kevin Zegers. Here’s hoping he doesn’t pull a Keanu Reeves on his career.

Now Capote is an odd one. How does he do it?….. Phillip Seymour Hoffman makes you like a character which is ultimately self absorbed and uses people as pawns throughout his life. Best line showing how Truman pushes to get what he wants is when he is bribing a stunned prison officer “what I want is to be allowed access as many times as I want for as long as I want”, it has to be seen to be appreciated, but enough about the acting, this film is about more then that. It’s about Capotes personality, its about exploiting a situation to make money, its about doing things your way with no compromises, its about remorse and understanding. Mostly negative things, and you come out of it feeling negative, why would you empathise with two killers on death row after all? But you find that you do, just like Capote did.


Capote is a fascinating man who is writing a book about two men who killed a family in Kansas and their journey to death row. To do this he had to get close to the killers and through time his emotions got mixed up as he genuinely liked these people and paid for them to get a new lawyer for appeals and the like but if they did not die he did not have a book. It led to him later in life breaking down and dying a death related to alcoholism – That was the price he had to pay for finishing the book which raised his profile as far as it could go in America. The script itself top notch, keep an ear out for the last thing Harper Lee says to Capote which ultimately sums him up. Would he have changed a thing? Probably not.

I need to change my name by deed poll

I ran out of surplus dosh and stayed in on Valentines. Me = Bridget Jones.

Wasn't school great gas?

Blog has been quiet. I have been quiet. Last Wednesday week just put me over the edge, defeatist attitude I know but I am going to see Jimmy Carr in Vicar Street courtesy of Ms Russell tonight, so my thirst will be back by then. Then going to Leopardstown on Sunday to try to be a good gambler. So what have I done since last week, not a lot, a lot of telly I imagine and possibly some fresh air in between.

Talk has been mostly of Valentines and an upcoming school reunion/anniversary type thing. Rumour du jour, spread around by me, is that it’s cliché to stay in on a Valentines so I think I may go out next Tuesday, I’ve done this a few times on Valentines and town is full of people up for the craic. I refuse to transform in Bridget Jones and get in to my pyjamas, sup on a bottle of wine or two and play karaoke on my own, but I had better not speak too soon just in case – I love doing karaoke when everyone’s gone to bed or out, you can practice so much more when no one is around. Those Sheryl Crow numbers need hard work.

The school bash is an anniversary, something like its 25th, not entirely sure of what is happening but some ex pupils out of each year there ever was in HFCS gets to go to the event in Citywest and so do the teachers, good in some ways, bad in others, I wasn’t the best behaved during my teens. But it will be interesting to see if some of the teachers have stayed the same; like the teacher who once cracked on to a pupil when she was well into her forties at a debs, the teacher who stares at girls boobs and never their face, the dipso who confiscated our drink on a school tour and fell down the stairs after consuming the lot. Then there are the nice ones that will be a pleasure to see again, the English teacher who still remembers his students name, the geography teacher whose intentions were good but spent most classes roaming the corridor for gossip and then the woodwork teacher- ahhh the woodwork teacher – the man who I went to school for. It might turn out to be a non event but I’m holding out for a bit of Gross Point Blank excitement, is that too much to ask?


Thought of the day:

Willie O Dea, yesterday announced legislation will begin to allow Irish troops take part in European Union battle groups will be in place as soon as this summer….. The word neutral must not have made it into dictionaries in Ireland. Willie you will remember is famous for his recent Tom Selleck impersonations during a recent photocall sporting a questionable moustache.

Old men are so much hotter then old women.

Its Oscar nods season and instead of predicting who will win I won't cos I can't, this is something to do with the fact that I have not seen most films nomnated. Where does the time go. Im gonna rate the actor and my fave piece of work of their career, I'm a bit hungover so bear with me on this one....

Leading Actor Nominees
Philip Seymour Hoffman- a great man, his choice of films aren't at the standard where they should be. Almost Famous is his best work, he made Letser Bangs look like a great guy for the purpose of the film,who then went on to inspire young William in the film. Making him look good wasn't an easy fete as the real Lester Bangs was not a nice person.

Terence Howard - Didn't find his character believable in Crash. Didn't see "Ray". He was good on Oprah.

Heath Ledger - A Knights Tale. A Knights Tale you say? It is a film that has grown on me, I thought at first it was such a useless film, but its very funny with a lot of good charachters and some dinky tunes to boot. I had to watch it a few times to appreciate it. I urge you to give it a few tries too.

David Strathairn- Quite an underrated actor for someone who has been in 70+ films. Possibly LA Confidential. He's quite hot for an old guy.

Joaquin Phoenix - so many to choose from so I won't, I'll list my top five. In no particular order. Hotel Rwanda- Scruffy is a good look for him. Buffalo Soldiers- Funny side seen in it. Gladiator- Didn't think you could hate him? You can. To Die For - awkward in a good way. Parenthood- again funny.

Leading Actress Nominees
Judi Dench- Not a huge fan of her acting in general but I would allow her to audition to be my granny. Jack and Sarah, just cos I like the film.

Felicity Huffman - A witty woman with great integrity.Frasier - she's the woman who Frasier chooses to be with in the last episode- kinda cool.

Charlize Theron - She made no fans with her "It's tough when you are good looking" comment. I liked her in The Devils Advocate and she is 100% Aileen Wuornos' twin in Monster.

Reese Witherspoon - quite possibly Cruel Intentions and for some reason I went to see Legally Blonde 2 twice in the cinema so she must've been believable in it!

Keira Knightley - are you having a laugh?

So thats my lot. Speaking of fliks I went to the launch of the Dublin Film Festival last night, free Jameson ensued. Which then turned into heading to the Clarence then Renards- which apparently me and Fiona didnt get into, Lillies the fools let us in. Lillies was gas craic theres was dancing very badly and a coach of French older men, so it was a great night. Home early, got to my scratcher at bout half one. Dog rough today. Is that Curry chips Im having for my dinner? I think so.