This movie poster hangs on the wall in the flat we've been staying at this month. So imagine my curiosity when in reading up on what's showing at the Glasgow Film Theatre I see that this movie is coming to town as part of the Italian Film Festival. In doing a bit more digging I also find that the American Film Institute has it listed in the top 100 films of all time. Well that's enough to pique my curiosity and decide to check it out.
Let's back up a bit first. Today is Sunday and I finally got myself out of bed in time to make the 11AM service at St Silas. The format is very similar to the evening service with use of the worship team and the casual atmosphere. The congregation is a good mix of generations and the worship is heartfelt. I do enjoy the sermons from Rev David McCarthy and the message today is on how the church should be welcoming. In previous weeks we've always just zipped out the door at the end of the service usually because we haven't had dinner yet. But today we were going for brunch so I decided to stop on the way out and have a quick chat with the Rev. He seems like a nice guy and it turns out he has been to Vancouver before and was at a course at Regent college for a few weeks back in the late 90's. He also has a blog:
This was my third Sunday attending and to be honest I haven't really met anyone yet. But this morning as I was standing waiting to take communion I had this overwhelming sense that this is where I need to be. Once Brenda and I get into our own place and I start work my life will be a little less chaotic and I will start to see if there are ways that I can get involved.
So, went to church, chatted with the Pastor and then went to get some brunch. That special meal in between breakfast and lunch on a Sunday isn't all that popular here. Lots of places offer brunch Monday to Saturday but only a few have it on Sunday. And those that do it's not the typical fare of Benny's and Omelets. Sure they have your traditional Scottish Breakfast (or heart attack on a plate as I call it), but there is also eggs and chips, Omelets (with chips). Not sure what the obsession with chips is all about - it's not like they were invented in Scotland. Today we went to a place called DiMaggio's because in walking by I noticed on the sandwich board it said that they had French Toast dusted with Cinnamon. Brenda loves French Toast so in we went. It did look good and was made of thick cut sour dough bread but - no syrup, no jam, no honey. Just dry French Toast. Maybe it would be a bigger hit with the brunch crowd if they realized that if you serve French Toast you need something gooey and sweet to dip it in.
Unfortunately from the moment I woke up this morning I felt a looming bad headache coming on. I'm in denial that it was a migraine as I felt the same yesterday but it went away once I got outside. So as we were walking to church Brenda was scolding me (and rightly so) that I should have taken my Tylenol 3's right away. But I hate the way they make me feel and I didn't want to experience church in a drugged groggy haze. So I struggled through the service and didn't feel half bad (but not great either). What got me was just before communion the Pastor said that the prayer team was off to the side for those that needed prayer, those with neck and back pain - hello, that's me. I thought about walking over and asking for prayer but I could feel myself start to tear up and I wasn't psychologically ready for an emotional outburst just yet. So after brunch when we came back to the flat I took my Tylenol 3's and Gravol chaser and napped for the rest of the afternoon. When I woke up at about 5:15 I was feeling a bit groggy but better.
I had roughly 30 minutes to perk up, grab a bite to eat (the codeine in the Tylenol 3's do a real number on my stomach so food is a good thing) and then head off to the theatre to catch the movie. It seems at some point during my nap the floodgates opened up and the rain was pouring down. I admitted defeat and wore my Taiga to the theatre. An umbrella is pretty useless if there is the slightest chance of wind as the gusts are so strong they blow it inside out. The temperature had warmed up a few degrees so I was warm and soggy by the time we got to the theatre. A new friend, Neil Quinn (just moved into Lansdowne Cres and is a colleague of Jen's), was joining us for the movie and we met him inside. Lots of ads before the movie (just like in Vancouver) and the seats were comfy but not much leg room. I have no idea how Neil managed as he's a tall guy and if I found it restricting he must have been miserable. Also, no drink holders in the armrest. When we walked in we were given a bottle of water, which was nice but in sitting down had nowhere to put it other than on the floor or on your lap.
So on to the movie - La Dolce Vita - a film by Frederico Fellini, one of the American Film Institutes top 100 films of all time, winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival and the 1961 Academy Award for Costume Design, clocking in at 3 hrs and 15 minutes.
I didn't get it.
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