Lucky Twice in a Week

On Tuesday I got a phone call inviting me out that evening. Trixy and Rachel were going to the Imperial for the evening and insisted I go too. Well I had to go if they insisted!

So I met them at Trixy’s place and we were joined by a forth. A stranger to the pack – Andy – ohh my god how lovely was he?…shame he’s the new gay bestfriend. Moet was drunk and City2Surf was booked. Only later did Trixy reveal that she was going to be in Bali from the 9th August for a week. So she’s promised sponsorship but can’t actually do the walk.

After a couple of glasses of bubbles to celebrate good exam results for three of us (I got a distinction for Theory and Writing) we bundled into a taxi to go and play Bingay! More commonly known as Bingo, at the Imperial it is called by Mizti McIntosh, the resident Drag Queen and all-round star of the Sydney gay community. The rules are the same as more straight laced Bingo establishments except if you make a mistake (call Bingo instead of Bingay! not have the right numbers etc.) you have to wear a penis hat with hairy testicles included.

Rachel was the first to wear the hat from our group, then I got to wear the hat and a pair of Mitzi fake breasts. Turns out though that shouldn’t have been wearing either I had the right numbers but I did call ‘Ohh Bingay!’ so maybe I deserved it anyway.

The thing is, you have to book now and we hadn’t. So really we were lucky to get in at all.

- When the 54 ball is drawn, Mitzi sculls a Vodka Criser while the ball girl sings a disco song. A example of the high class action to be had at Bingay!

The second luck this week was last night. Edna had booked Harry Potter 5 movie tickets weeks ago and the cinema on George Street had f*cked up. Somehow they had no idea how many tickets they had sold for the 8.30pm showing. So we had to join the back of the queue. Now, I’m not kidding or exaggerating when I say the queue was about 60metres long…it lead from the cinema door down four flights of stairs, round the corner, down the corridor and round the giant supporting pillar. Edna and I were at the end of the corridor next to the supporting pillar. I have never seen Edna spitting feathers like she was last night, ‘any other film this would be acceptable,’ ‘this is a joke,’ ‘I think we should resolve ourselves to not getting in.’ When I suggested we go and see Shrek the Third she got her spirit back and starting thinking it was a possibility that we may get in.

After the long walk from the back of the queue to the front, we did indeed find seats. They were towards the back and to my surprise (I really must stop being surprised at the way people behave) people were still sitting with a single seat between groups. So after I had established that no-one was sitting on either side of a group of lads I asked if they would move up one. The lad in the middle said,’good thing were nice’. My response was, ‘good thing I’m bigger.’ I thanks then and we settled into to watch the movie. Which, by the way was very good.

- - - - There be spoilers below - - - -

Harry, Ron and Hermonie have grown up. They all have and Dudley has grown into the role both figuratively and literally. There are great big chucks missing but nothing that takes away from the story too much. The demise of a key character could have been way more dramatic and the lack of fan-fair for the passing kinda took away from the rest of the drama.

The removal of certain parts of the book does mean that it all moves very quickly from one idea to another meaning that loss of concentration will result in loss of plot. There are also a few things left unanswered. So read the book (if you haven’t already) either before or after.

The casting of Loony Luna Lovegood and Bellatrix Lestrange was insightful and both actresses did an amazing job. Helena Bonham-Carter looked kinda like she does at Hollywood functions, but this time the outfit and makeup works. Ralph Fiennes is great as He who Must Not be Named, the makeup helps there is something so evil about having no nose.

The sets and locations are impeccable as are the costumes. The script is dark and Daniel Radcliff has improved as an actor considerable since the first movie. The humour is light on, but perfectly placed to lift the whole thing, just as it’s getting a little heavy.

I will be seeing this at least twice more at the movies. Hubby wants to see it, Edna wants to see it again and I’m sure Trixy and Rachel will want too. And for the first time in a long time, I won’t mind paying to see a movie again.

Talents to watch – Gary Oldman, Jason Issacs, Daniel Radcliff (currently underage but give him a couple of years) Alan Rickman (that one’s for Edna) and Ralph Fiennes.