I always was a little bit backwards…

So what was the other film I saw in my week of cinema-going when I reviewed Avatar?

It was An Education, a small British film about Jenny, a middle-class girl growing up in the 60s. Jenny’s rebellion against her pushy father leads her to quench her thirst for life with an older bachelor who drives her home from an orchestra practice one day and soon invites her into his world of culture and money.

The greenest grass is usually grown with pesticides, and the audience spots the cracks in the facade faster than Jenny, who has lessons to learn the hard way. Carey Mulligan (who previously starred in the best Doctor Who episode of its new run, “Blink”), played Jenny brilliantly. The script and direction may be guilty of placing her on a pedestal, but ultimately this is her story.

To coin a phrase, this is a slice-of-life film; my favorite kind. I just love films which take small, inconsequential stories and play with them in an organic manner. Quiet City, Once, The Squid and the Whale, Before Sunset… I could list many great examples, maybe you’ve seen one of them. None of these stories have far-reaching consequences and they don’t feel like they are working methodically to a predicatble final denouement. They develop and a natural pace and affect the central characters in some way, and then we leave them to get on with their lives as we contemplate our own. An Education joins this group and its an illustrious one. It’s earned its plaudits pile upon it by much more eminent critics.

My experience of watching this film was what I most wanted to write about. It didn’t get a wide release and I ended up waiting several months to see it at my local cinema, The Rex. I enjoyed the film with a drink in my hand and revelled in the quaint atmosphere of the place. I talked to people after the film about how great it was and walked home with a spring in my step.

This week I decided to share the experience with my Dad and we went to see A Serious Man, the latest movie from The Coen Brothers. It’s a dark comedy and another very personal story, although it definitely doesn’t develop at a natural pace and has some pretty far-reaching consequences! It was another brilliant film and I haven’t laughed so much in ages.

My enjoyment was once again enhanced by the atmosphere. I was made very welcome when I entered and by the end I felt as if I actually belonged there. Please, please support your local cinema as this is definitely the way to enjoy films. This week they are one of the few venues in the country showing A White Ribbon. I can’t wait!