"Au contest des guitars, sans guitars"

On the second or third sweep through the EIFF programme when I was trying to fill in early-afternoon gaps I noticed Comrades, a based-on-historical-happenings filmic depiction of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and their proto-labour-union activities. Apart from a few trying-too-hard overtly-symbolic shots (bleeding hands raised against the sky and so on) it was most enjoyable and didn't seem anything like the three hour running time, though the codger-pair a little to my right were evidently feeling the thin seats of the Filmhouse 2 through their bony fundaments and kept shuffling and scratching themselves loudly. They were pissing about with a pair of tickets every now and then which gave the delightful impression that they had another show to rush off to and were planning on leaving early though they eventually stayed right until the end, continuing their irritating behaviours by blocking me from getting out even though they must have been ready as they'd been fiddling with their bags and pockets for the preceding ten minutes before the credits rolled. The programme played up the rarity of seeing the film (and it was made in the late eighties so isn't up for imminent release as far as I know) but it's probably worth catching if it does appear. Take a cushion if you doubt your ability to sit still for three hours and perhaps consider having your hands bound together and tied to your feet if you feel you might be tempted to constantly scritter and scratch your chin, face and chest.

I thought that if I had any time to spare between films I'd attempt to catch Transformers 2 as a popcorny effects-laden break from the mostly slightly less effects-laden festival programme. ILM are still doing their job (apart from a couple of dodgy bits which could either be junior animator or junior effects company-derived) but the film just seemed to be rushing to get to the final battle sequence so that all the obligatory Michael Bay-style final battle sequence-type showdown shots could be employed. There were a number of visual references to various sci-fi classics, though a few might have been animator homages rather than directorial choices. Treated as a joke, it's fine; it's even watchable when there are idiots eating plates of nachos in the cinema as I missed the Odeon showing by a few minutes and went to the Cineworld instead. I usually only go there when something is in the last throes of release and is no longer being shown anywhere else (or when the EIFF forces me there) as if there's one thing less suitable to eat in a cinema than popcorn then a nacho would be it. Except for crisps, also sold in the foyer.

The other problem with things being screened at the Cineworld is that the walk between it and the Filmhouse/Cameo can get unpleasantly warm at this time of year. The evening-film was also at the Cineworld but not for an hour or so so I popped back along the road to find some food whilst waiting for Nicky to appear. Handily there was a little bench available behind the pointless new offices recently unveiled behind Port Hamilton to sit in the shade and eat sandwiches in, though I could see the otherwise-unoccupied security guard in one of the buildings watching me. Hopefully soon he'll have some tenants to stare at instead; after all, some of the offices are so marvellous they have a big sign in the window advising that they've won some sort of award for being the some-sort-of-best office (outside London) 2008, despite not being completed until a month or so ago.

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life was, as stated above, unmissable (in the rating system of the Standard Life Audience Award) or absolutely worth not doing something else to go and see. It's just a series of portraits of the five members of a family as the childs grow up and move out but is well-observed, well-shot and well-scored-and-soundtracked. I think they said it would be getting a UK release in the autumn. If so, go. Despite my work sponsoring the printed brochure and this award there were no visible freebie tickets going about except for a pair for this screening of this film. I was offered them but had already booked my own tickets. One of the subsequent people to be offered them exclaimed "but it's not even in English!" upon reading that it would be in French with English subtitles. I know that people that think this sort of thing exist but it's still weird to encounter them. I hope that by rating it highly it might win awards which would give people the impression that it is highly regarded so that they might go and see it, especially if they have that sort of reaction to the presence of subtitles in this day and age.

One small historical anachronism in the film which I've just remembered to add to this entry six days later is that one of the first scenes (set in 1988) features a girl playing with a Ratten, despite them not existing in 1988. By means of the magic of the foley artist the toy also appears to squeak when dropped, though Rattens cannot squeak (unless modified by an owner or an owner's responsible adult guardian).