What you’re looking at here is a miracle of modern times. Its no burning bush. Not even a burning car. Thank God, cos that’s Mel’s car. But miracle it is.

Because last night we went to see Carol. Ahhhh, Carol. Oh Carol. It was at the Everyman in Hampstead. Which is the illuminated building behind the car. The one with ‘hunger games’ just about visible.

We go to the Everyman quite a bit. Have done for years. And we drive into Hampstead and park. Usually half a mile away and trudge back up the hill. Because parking in Hampstead village is impossible. Daytime is bad, night is worse. So many restaurants. So many people, so many fucking cars. Yet last night as we arrived, 10 minutes early to allow for a good hike, a car pulled away leaving… The Holy Grail. The best parking space in the world. Tears sprang from my eyes. It was emotional.

First World problems.

Unfortunately the film didn’t really live up to the parking space. Its a lovely film. Its an exceptionally beautiful film. The acting is fabulous. The clothes and sets and cars from 1950s New York are just wonderful. But its sloooooooooooow. Really slow.

Not that I was in any rush. I had the best parking space money can’t buy, was seated on a lovely red sofa with my first wife, sipping my latte, I had not a care in the world. I was ready to be entertained. And I was. A bit. Just not enough.

Its a lesbian love story. Set in a time when such activity was rather frowned upon and deemed amoral. The Carol in question was married and fell for a shop-girl, played by Rooney Mara. Who is at times exquisite, elfin, delicate, Hepburnesque. Whereas Cate Blanchett looked like her mum. Albeit a fantastically dressed mum.

I’ve had a couple of lesbian relationships myself in my time. Well, I’ve been on a couple of lesbian porn sites, which is the same thing, surely? They weren’t as slow moving as this. Nothing like.

Not sure Carol lives up to all the massive hype really. But stunning to watch. For a bit.

Came home, turned on the 24 hour news channels and they were all reporting ‘live from California’. The latest shoot up in San Bernadino. Great news reporting. Helicopter film of a shot-out SUV (the ‘perp’s’) in a car park. With the newscaster telling us all the things they didn’t yet know. “We don’t know how many killed yet”. “We don’t know if the police have shot the perpetrator”. “Or perpetrators”. “We don’t know how many shooters there were”. All this for about 20 minutes.

Message to 24 hour news channels with all the time in the world and not much to fill it: COME BACK LATER. MOVE TO SOMETHING ELSE.

It made Carol seem fast-paced.

Happy Thursday

A xxxx