Monthly culture, January 2026
Saturday, January 31st, 2026 09:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranth01JAN26: Rosalie (Di Giusto, 2023) -- iPlayer
Inspired by the life of Clémentine Delait, a French 'bearded lady': Rosalie (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) is indeed hirsute, and her husband is unimpressed, until her cheerful presence and people skills make his failing cafe a success. Some powerful scenes and a nice emotional arc: filmed in the forests of Brittany, and I could almost smell the mulch. Sadly, the film has less of a happy ending than the real life inspiration.
08JAN26: Princess Caraboo (Austin, 1994) -- Internet Archive
Another film based on the life of a real historical figure. Princess Caraboo presented herself to Gloucestershire society, in the early 19th century, as a princess from an exotic Eastern land. Spoiler: she was not. Phoebe Cates is awesome in the title role: Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan!!) chewed scenery as a society lady; Kevil Kline (Frixos, the butler to the family which takes Princess Caraboo in) was as delightful as ever. Stephen Rea as Gutch, the journalist who exposes the fraud, is also great, as are Jim Broadbent as the gently corrupt magistrate, and Wendy Hughes as his clever and compassionate wife. The music was a complete mish-mash and something about the ambience felt dated (this was made in 1994), but this was really enjoyable and nicely paced.
09JAN26: Hamnet (Zhao, 2025) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
I've seldom seen our local Picturehouse so busy on a Friday night. This film is an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel Hamnet: O'Farrell co-wrote the screenplay with Chloe Zhao, and I think simplified the story -- though also made it considerably more heartrending. I was feeling a bit bludgeoned emotionally, but the last half-hour made up for a great deal: the staging of Hamlet at the Globe, with Noah Jupe as Hamlet -- he's the brother of Jacobi Jupe, who plays the doomed Hamnet. Jessie Buckley as Agnes (better known as Anne) was astonishing and raw: Paul Mescal inarticulate and indecisive as Will.
15JAN26: High Society (Walters, 1956) -- iPlayer
Watched as preparation for the stage play this summer. Grace Kelly so elegant and beautiful, with excellent comic timing; young Frank Sinatra really rather appealing, though Bing Crosby (as usual) did nothing for me. Louis Armstrong, despite playing to racial stereotypes, was a delight. Cinematography and editing rather uninspired. The child actor who played impertinent younger sister Caroline -- Lydia Reed -- quit acting at age 18. Several songs I didn't realise originated in this film.
17JAN26: Egypt: Influencing British Design 1775-2025 -- Sir John Soane's Museum
Much-delayed but we made it in the end! SO MUCH STUFF. C and I discussed whether a visit from a time-travelling Marie Kondo would have destroyed the collection -- but I think it all brought, and brings, joy.
The Egyptian influence rooms were fairly small but some interesting pieces. I liked the art by Sara Sallam, juxtaposing Egyptian (and 'Egyptian') scenes and modern London.
22JAN26: Leave the World Behind (Esmail, 2023) -- Netflix
Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke as the Sandfords, New Yorkers taking a weekend break with their 'adorable' kids; Mahershala Ali and Myha'la as father and daughter, the owners of the house in which the Sandfords are staying; Kevin Bacon as a survivalist. The film's executive producers were Barack and Michelle Obama.
The internet goes down: satellites repoint: a ship grounds on the beach, and planes crash, and there's an emergency warning on the TV. Worst of all, adolescent Rose Sandford can't watch the season finale of Friends.
Really well done: unsettling music at the most cheerfully mundane moments, a creeping sense of dread, consciously uneven pacing, and -- all too rare -- a lack of overall explanation.
I liked the zombie Teslas, the interpersonal conflicts and resolutions (constantly shifting), This film was released during the Biden administration, and hits rather differently now.
An interesting contrast to The End We Start From, which was a very British apocalypse.
23JAN26: The History of Sound (Hermanus, 2025) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
Set between 1917 and 1924, this is the love story of two men who love American folk music. Lionel (Paul Mescal) is from a poor farming family in Kentucky: David (Josh O'Connor) is more mysterious, and we never get to see his background. There's a long trip around Maine collecting folk songs, which are recorded on wax cylinders: then Lionel travels to Europe, and none of his letters to David are answered.
Yes, there is a reason why, and it's not the obvious one.
I really liked this: the music, the glimpses of a lost era, the coda set in 1980 which gave some closure. Quite a slow film and somewhat predictable, but definitely worth seeing.
29JAN26: One Life (Hawes, 2023) -- BBC iPlayer
Biopic of Nicholas Winton, who rescued nearly 700 children from Nazi-annexed Czechoslovakia just before WW2. Anthony Hopkins plays 1970s Winton, Johnny Flynn is the 1930s version (Helena Bonham Carter plays his formidable mother, herself an immigrant). The scenes in 1930s Prague were harrowing: parents having to bid farewell to their children, and the children who could not be saved. The 1970s episodes were much more cheering. I watched this with a friend and we both vaguely recalled the 'That's Life' episode where Winton was reunited with people he'd saved. It made little impression on our adolescent brains, but now it feels uplifting.
Inspired by the life of Clémentine Delait, a French 'bearded lady': Rosalie (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) is indeed hirsute, and her husband is unimpressed, until her cheerful presence and people skills make his failing cafe a success. Some powerful scenes and a nice emotional arc: filmed in the forests of Brittany, and I could almost smell the mulch. Sadly, the film has less of a happy ending than the real life inspiration.
08JAN26: Princess Caraboo (Austin, 1994) -- Internet Archive
Another film based on the life of a real historical figure. Princess Caraboo presented herself to Gloucestershire society, in the early 19th century, as a princess from an exotic Eastern land. Spoiler: she was not. Phoebe Cates is awesome in the title role: Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan!!) chewed scenery as a society lady; Kevil Kline (Frixos, the butler to the family which takes Princess Caraboo in) was as delightful as ever. Stephen Rea as Gutch, the journalist who exposes the fraud, is also great, as are Jim Broadbent as the gently corrupt magistrate, and Wendy Hughes as his clever and compassionate wife. The music was a complete mish-mash and something about the ambience felt dated (this was made in 1994), but this was really enjoyable and nicely paced.
09JAN26: Hamnet (Zhao, 2025) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
I've seldom seen our local Picturehouse so busy on a Friday night. This film is an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel Hamnet: O'Farrell co-wrote the screenplay with Chloe Zhao, and I think simplified the story -- though also made it considerably more heartrending. I was feeling a bit bludgeoned emotionally, but the last half-hour made up for a great deal: the staging of Hamlet at the Globe, with Noah Jupe as Hamlet -- he's the brother of Jacobi Jupe, who plays the doomed Hamnet. Jessie Buckley as Agnes (better known as Anne) was astonishing and raw: Paul Mescal inarticulate and indecisive as Will.
15JAN26: High Society (Walters, 1956) -- iPlayer
Watched as preparation for the stage play this summer. Grace Kelly so elegant and beautiful, with excellent comic timing; young Frank Sinatra really rather appealing, though Bing Crosby (as usual) did nothing for me. Louis Armstrong, despite playing to racial stereotypes, was a delight. Cinematography and editing rather uninspired. The child actor who played impertinent younger sister Caroline -- Lydia Reed -- quit acting at age 18. Several songs I didn't realise originated in this film.
17JAN26: Egypt: Influencing British Design 1775-2025 -- Sir John Soane's Museum
Much-delayed but we made it in the end! SO MUCH STUFF. C and I discussed whether a visit from a time-travelling Marie Kondo would have destroyed the collection -- but I think it all brought, and brings, joy.
The Egyptian influence rooms were fairly small but some interesting pieces. I liked the art by Sara Sallam, juxtaposing Egyptian (and 'Egyptian') scenes and modern London.
22JAN26: Leave the World Behind (Esmail, 2023) -- Netflix
Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke as the Sandfords, New Yorkers taking a weekend break with their 'adorable' kids; Mahershala Ali and Myha'la as father and daughter, the owners of the house in which the Sandfords are staying; Kevin Bacon as a survivalist. The film's executive producers were Barack and Michelle Obama.
The internet goes down: satellites repoint: a ship grounds on the beach, and planes crash, and there's an emergency warning on the TV. Worst of all, adolescent Rose Sandford can't watch the season finale of Friends.
Really well done: unsettling music at the most cheerfully mundane moments, a creeping sense of dread, consciously uneven pacing, and -- all too rare -- a lack of overall explanation.
I liked the zombie Teslas, the interpersonal conflicts and resolutions (constantly shifting), This film was released during the Biden administration, and hits rather differently now.
An interesting contrast to The End We Start From, which was a very British apocalypse.
23JAN26: The History of Sound (Hermanus, 2025) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
Set between 1917 and 1924, this is the love story of two men who love American folk music. Lionel (Paul Mescal) is from a poor farming family in Kentucky: David (Josh O'Connor) is more mysterious, and we never get to see his background. There's a long trip around Maine collecting folk songs, which are recorded on wax cylinders: then Lionel travels to Europe, and none of his letters to David are answered.
Yes, there is a reason why, and it's not the obvious one.
I really liked this: the music, the glimpses of a lost era, the coda set in 1980 which gave some closure. Quite a slow film and somewhat predictable, but definitely worth seeing.
29JAN26: One Life (Hawes, 2023) -- BBC iPlayer
Biopic of Nicholas Winton, who rescued nearly 700 children from Nazi-annexed Czechoslovakia just before WW2. Anthony Hopkins plays 1970s Winton, Johnny Flynn is the 1930s version (Helena Bonham Carter plays his formidable mother, herself an immigrant). The scenes in 1930s Prague were harrowing: parents having to bid farewell to their children, and the children who could not be saved. The 1970s episodes were much more cheering. I watched this with a friend and we both vaguely recalled the 'That's Life' episode where Winton was reunited with people he'd saved. It made little impression on our adolescent brains, but now it feels uplifting.
