Nice and easy

Had a slow start to the day. Think I was busy 'snoozing' for the better part of an hour. What I need is this clock. Ought to make life more manageable, or just annoy the hell out of you.

Some things are meant to be savoured slowly though. I've been told that I have this habit (especially when it comes to food) of doing things slowly, with my eyes occasionally half-closed, as I enjoy 'the moment'. And why not? Chewing a juicy steak, listening to the piano version of Canon in D, eating Lindt's praline chocolate, breathing in fresh air after a heavy downpour, smelling the sweet scent of Sweetie - are just a few of the experiences that should be enjoyed to its fullest.

One of my favourite things in life is listening to classical music, and one of my favourite forms of classical music is choral work. Think 'For unto Him a Child is Born' from Handel's Messiah. There's just something about the harmony of voices that can make one get lost within the various movements. Which is probably one of the reasons I enjoyed Les Choristes (The Chorus), which I watched with a few friends over at the Tyneside Cinema last night.

The story is set in post-war France, and takes place in a boarding school for troubled children called Le Fond De L'Etang, which translates to 'Rock Bottom'. This should automatically give one an image of the school - kinda run-down, the kids causing an atmosphere of almost-constant chaos, with teachers who either have nowhere else to go or are remarkably dedicated.

A new teacher, Mathieu, arrives on the scene. He's a rather pitiful-looking character, but this appearance of being a 'sad-case' masks a rather intelligent individual who's not only talented, but is also witty and seems to have a knack for connecting with the students. To cut a long story short, he uses his ability as a musician to form a choir - an act that not only gets the students' attention, but also helps toward improving their general attitude towards life.

It's not the first movie to showcase the struggle of a teacher in wanting his students to 'reach beyond the stars', and it's probably not as good as Dead Poets' Society. But it's definitely up there, and makes up for the predictable material with rather good acting (Gerard Jugnot is plays the teacher who's both inspiring and emotionally wounded), a simplicity in its cinematography that is instantly appealing, endearing characters that make you want to both laugh and cry, and most of all, a magnificiently haunting title score that I'm still humming along to. Beyonce definitely didn't do it justice at the Oscars.

After the movie, Jo n I had a nice relaxing chat over some lovely coffee and tiramisu. Was joined by RH and her friend, who I've always heard about but never actually met. Next movie we'll be watching at the Tyneside is probably gonna be Downfall, a rather interesting-looking movie about the fall of the Third Reich from the German point of view.