even better than a record shop?

Although not my favourite of the city's independent cinémas I do quite like the Filmhouse; slightly less films on my watch list than the Cameo and much less pleasant coffee but fewer damp smells in the auditoria, more falafels on the menu and more screenings of Grindhouse including the fake trailers on dates when I'm able to get to see it (the Cameo is showing it on the 13th but I'll be out of town that day). Unfortunately this evening we were here to see The Orphanage as Nicky fancied it (and had liked Pan's Labyrinth (which I couldn't stand) along with The Devil's Backbone (which I quite liked)). Much the same sort of exploration-of-themes as those two (and, to an extent, Hellboy) and the same sort of heavy-handed storytelling and pork-product acting which completely knackered Pan's Labyrinth. If you're a Guillermo del Toro fan you'll probably like it though. There is one good bit (strictly speaking two bits but they're within seconds of each other so only really count once) but if it wasn't for the tasty falafel before the film I'd have felt the afternoon a waste of a visit.

The Filmhouse also appears to be the box office for the Film Festival this year, semi-conveniently now taking place in June rather than alongside the other festivals, supposedly so that more shiny filmy people can swan around and give talks rather than at the world's other and shinier film festivals. On the one hand it'll be easier to get to stuff as it won't be clashing with other things and the city won't be quite so stuffed-to-the-brim with festivalgoers blocking the pavements but on the other hand I'll have to take a couple of extra days off besides normal festival days-off in order to see things. Unfortunately the programme will be released when we're out of the country which might make it tricksy if there's anything really big-hitting on show.