An average EV day

Drivers of electric vehicles  are invariably asked as an opening question, 'How far will it go on a charge?' The question is often followed a shake of the head and a response along the lines 'That's not very far, is it?' This scenario becomes tedious after a short time. Most EV drivers have embraced the shortcomings of our vehicles, in order to focus on the many areas where owning an electric car eclipses FOSSIL car ownership...no road tax, very low servicing costs, low fuel costs, lack of emissions and of course quiet driving. Below I have a personal response to those who suggest that a first generation Zoe (22KW) does not have enough range for them on a daily basis.


This post presupposes that there is such a thing as an average day for EV owners!
My story begins the evening prior, I usually plug in Zoe on my return from the work day. However, my charge does not begin at that point as I am a good citizen and am aware that the biggest strain on the UK National Grid is early evening when we come home and begin turning on appliances and of course cooking and watching TV. If I were to begin a charge at this time my usage along with others could trigger a fossil fuel power station being brought onstream....not a good thing!
On Zoe I can preset the charge time in advance, the majority of EV's globally can also do this. I usually set charging to begin around 1am the next morning, when the Grid is less stressed. If I had an Economy 7 tarrif this would also greatly reduced the cost of each KW of elecricity.

(The Renault ZE app)

Having charged Zoe overnight, at 7:30 am I always have 100% ready for the day.
I will select a Friday in school term time. At 7:40 I set off on the school run for my grandchildren requiring around 16 miles of range on average . I then drop in at our office, using 1 or 2 additional miles.
At around midday I set off on the 46 mile round trip to Chepstow which includes travelling from 60m above sea level up to 240m and back down to sea level in Chepstow. The benefit of an EV on this type of journey is that as with ICE cars we use energy going uphill, whers we differ is coming back down....Zoe can on a good day regen' 5-7 miles of range, basically the braking system turns into a dynamo enabling battery recharging going downhill and or braking. This is also a standard EV extra, in fact Zoe is the least effective EV on the road today.

On my return from Chepsrow  I am usually too late for the afternoon school run, but  I often drop my grandson to cricket training which is an additional 10 mile round trip.
I get home having travelled almost 75 miles without range anxiety....in the summer I would still have around 10 -15 range left, whereas in the winter it may just be under 10 miles remaining.....I can the set a charge time, plug into the ROLEC 3KW charger on my wall and leave the car to charge again overnight. This travel pattern would be repeated throughout the week.
You can see from this that for the majority of my week Zoe has a usage and recharge cycle that enables me the flexibilty that suits me and also makes best use of the battery pack in Zoe.
There will be out of the ordinary days like our trip to Coventry (109 miles away) which do require some planning, this may only occur half a dozen times each year....

I would say that users should look for an EV that fits their usual day and their budget.

How did the story begin?

Since my return to the UK in 2016 I was using a 2011 Fiat Panda to get around, the Panda is a very economic and easy car to drive.
However, I have been increasingly concerned over our human carbon footprint for some time. Having followed many very dirty diesels in addition to hearing about the impact of car fumes on the next generation I had it in my mind to make a change.

Throughout 2017 I spent time researching the electric vehicle revolution, and our neighbours acquired a Nissan Leaf mid year. This led me to the Renault Zoe, as the Leaf is a bit big for me, also I think that they look quite ugly!
I am a semi-reformed petrol-head and can be swayed by the exhaust note of many classic cars, including my beloved MGB, having owned a few in my time. I searched many a car advert, from Jaguar S Type R to Mazda RX-8 and back again before finally returning to electric power.

In November I found the GoGreen Autos website and was taken by the no nonsense attitude of proprietor  Matt West. I made a trip up to Kingston Bagpuize to view and drive a very nice looking 2015 Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav 22KWh under warranty until 2019 with 20,000 miles on the clock.

As you can see from Matt's pictures Zoe was in very good order...

From front to back and even under the bonnet...

Also the Zoe is a good looking car, even when not compared directly to the Leaf!

After a short sensible negotiation the deal was agreed, part exchange signed and I had become the owner of Zoe. All that remained to complete was the battery lease application.....this is because the vast majority of Zoe's in Europe are sold where you own the car, but Renault own and lease the battery pack - annual mileage dictates the amount per month paid.

                 Annual Mileage 4500 6000   7500    9000    10500

                 22kW                   £49    £59      £69        £79        £89

The lease ensures that should your battery pack drop below 75% efficiency that Renault will replace it. For the lease you also get nationwide car recovery and up to 3 days car hire. You can call out the recovery for breakdowns, flat tyres and even running out of electric charge. I still think that this is a good deal as it give peace of mind for a relatively small cost.

If anyone considering an EV is squeamish about leasing the battery pack there are plenty of cars out there where you own the car and batteries.

We arranged the handover for the nearest motorway service station with a fast (45KW) charger thus enabling us to get home with ease. Matt from Go Green also loaned me a Granny Cable (it plugs into your domestic wall socket) until I had arranged the fitting of my own home charger. All part of the good service provided by the current EV seller community.

I selected a locally based supplier to fit my charger, in order to support local businesses. The cost £180 - using the UK Government Grant of £500 towards the fitting of chargers (you can fit a second charger and claim the full Grant again).

I now have a 3KWh Rolec charger on the front of the house (it is quite discrete) - so can now charge my 22KW battery pack from 0-100% in just over 7 hours at a price of £0.13 per KW - £2.86. I actually rarely if ever charge from empty, I mainly return with at least 40% charge remaining (13.2KW- charge cost £1.71).

EV drivers are always asked how far will it go? The answer for the 22KW Zoe is... it depends. Batteries do not like temperature extremes therefore the Zoe will usually manage 65-70 miles on a full charge in winter and 90-95 miles in the summer.. for me my daily range is usually around 50 miles giving me a good buffer to get home.

Of course on long journeys, especially in our part of Wales require a little planning in advance... 

So how have I found my time with Zoe... it has been challenging...

and frustrating....

But, ultimately I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and wouldn't change anything, well, almost anything! My future choice is very likely to be another EV, perhaps with a slightly larger battery pack and a tad more range.... more to follow.

Life with Zoe

I have renamed our blog to begin telling stories of electric car ownership in Wales. Many readers will know that back in December 2017 that I finally took the step away from combustion engined travel - vehicles also know as ICE (Internal Combustion Engine or FOSSILS - named after the original of the fuel type and also because they have been around for over 100 years! ZOE came from a very nice man called Matt at Go Green Autos in Oxfordshire. ZOE was registered on my birthday in 2015, so was just over 2 years old and had covered 20,000 pollution free miles when she came to Wales.

ZOE is a 22KWh battery powered vehicle with a notional range at 3-4.5 Miles per KWh giving a range of between 66 ( cold/winter) and 99 ( warm/summer) miles between charges. The majority of the time ZOE charges at home for £0.13 per KW.... 0-100% charge costing £2.86....it could be cheaper if we had Economy 7 with cheap overnight electricity!

 Life with Zoe has not always been an easy road, she is basically more computer than car and as such suffers from occasional 'glitches', the technology is also relatively new and as such suffers from early adoption issues. However, I still would not swap her for anything other than a 40KWh+ battery vehicle.

ZOE has been on the back of a flatbed truck once or twice to the very nice people at Cardiff Renault, the team there led by another Matt on the service desk has always treated us courteously and with respect, I can't fault their customer service.

I wanted to give an insight into the up's and down's of EV ownership by describing our day yesterday. Jaycob and I set off from Abergavenny with 100% charge to drive the 118 miles to an event called EV's in the Park in Coventry.

You will note immediately that at best 99 miles does not equate to 118 miles. I had planned 2 stops for charging. The first was 58 miles away on the M5. We arrived with 20% battery remaining. We got lucky here as our 35 minute stop (including toilets and breakfast - at 8am) ... even more of a bonus was the fact that the charger gave us a FREE CHARGE ( this happens from time to time on the Ecotricity network and is a bonus).
Stop 2 was 23 miles away on the M42. We arrived and met some fellow travellers also on their way to Coventry, charge of 20 minutes to 96% ... cost £2.49. We arrived nicely at 11am to enter the show ground and parked right behind a Tesla Roadster... Jaycob was very happy!!! total cost for 118 miles £2.49

We had a great day trying out vehicles and talking to EV owners and members of the public. We left the show at around 3.45 in order to avoid the rush (there were 103+ vehicles at the show this year). We travelled back to our M42 charge point to charge up to 97% at a cost of £4.49)... now the journey home is a bit more challenging as there is not a fast charger on the southern service station that we needed on the M5. I had planned a short dash for a charge at Waitrose on London Road Worcester.... we arrived with a notional 63 miles and an onward journey of at least 68 miles... so needed a few electrons.
I had stopped at the POLAR chargers in Worcester previously with no problem... sadly not so on this occasion. The first post began charging with no problem, we were just about to go in for another drink break for about 20 minutes when we noticed that ZOE had stopped charging...also there were engine and charging warning lights flashing on the dashboard!!! The car would not allow me to select a gear only to stay in Park!... the charger has charged me the £1.20 connection fee! We decided to take a 20 minute break anyway in order to see if ZOE's computer cleared the error probably caused by the faulty charger....
On our return we were pleased that all seemed well, so we swapped to a second charge post at the same place.....NO charge possible, but at least no warning lights! Can we get home... probably not still 68 miles on motorway and dual carriageway with 63 notional miles on the Guess-O-Meter (GOM)! we searched for other chargers locally and found a similar 7KW charger at ASDA in Worcester... so off to ASDA we went.
Connected with no problem to the ASDA POLAR charger and we took a 30 minute stroll around while we waited for a boost charge...at a cost of £1.20.
We left for home with around 80 miles showing on the GOM and arrived home with 20 miles of charge remaining.
So not all plain sailing then and we probably took 1.5 hours longer than we would have in a FOSSIL car...cost for 236 miles of driving £9.38 ( sadly we had to count the extra £1.20 at Waitrose or it would have been £8.18 giving a cost of around £0.40 per mile... it would have been £0.35 if we hadn't paid twice in Worcester!


So all in all we had a lovely day, a bit of drama and tales to tell. That really sums up EV driving in 2018....more to follow.

Musing on life back in the UK

I have been back in the UK permanently now for just over 3 months. I must say that very much like my relocation to The Netherlands back in January 2011 that there has been a certain degree of 'reverse homesickness'.  There remain aspects of life in the UK that I find hugely frustrating while missing very much the atmosphere of The Hague.
These have however been more than compensated for by the sheer and simple fact that I am home and available for 'family time' from across the generations. I have been on hand to take my mum shopping, to actually attend musical events without the tiresome requirement of a flight!!! I have enjoyed Evensong at St Mary's Church and Sweeney Todd in Abertillery, and been on hand to assist my uncle in roof repairs at my mother's house.
Of course the main reason for my return was to facilitate 'working' from home, this has worked well to date as I have been able to pick up a few short term online projects which while being fun also have the advantage of supplementing my pension! I hope that this work continues as it is great to actually be able to take time out to walk the Welsh countryside, even though I am technically working. Also it makes it  possible to revisit The Netherlands as a tourist in order to get a 'Dutch Fix'  I would contend that this is the best of all possible options and on balance I am more than happy that I made the move.....I will continue to Muse on things that I find intersting and hopefully....relevant?

Blog post from 21/09/2006

This blog will be the musings of a welsh Primary School teacher who should probably get out more !!!
There are some interesting things happening in the world of Web 2.0 at present with the upcoming K12 online conference http://www.k12onlineconference.org/ which look as if it is going to be an interesting step in global communication using the web. The site is still looking for us out there to give them suggestions for the conference content - another step forward. I know that David Noble at Booruch http://booruch.libsyn.com/ is into skypecasting in addition to running an excellent blog and podcast. I guess the leading light in all Web 2.0 stuff is David Warlick http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/ he who must be the blog/pod guru. You see I told you that I should get out more !!!!
An issue that I would like some feedback on is, how in the rest of the UK ( excluding Wales) laptops for pupils run by e-Learning Foundation works out. Their development Director Ray Moore wrote an article in last week's TES (15th September) headlined Home Sweet Laptop where he was showing how the digital divide is growing between England and Wales in as much as in UK as a whole 58% of homes have a PC and 49% have internet connection, while in Wales the same figures are 51% and 41% apparently lowest in UK apart from Northern Ireland and getting wider( straw pole in my Year 3 class - 15 out of 29 with no PC access at home ). In Wales we do not have the laptop for pupils due to the policy of our Assembly to use their funds in other directions ( that's another story).
The aim is that parents agree to pay £3 per week in order to give their child access to a laptop for use in school and at home ( they have a tie up with AOL for free internet access) - while even £3 is a small amount of money, there will still be parents who will not see the worth of computer access even at that price while others will find even that amount quite high on a regular basis. I would like to know if this disadvantages these pupils even more than when there is no scheme at all - this is a problem that my headteacher wanted clarification on also.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Ddraig Goch Blog!

10 years ago on Thursday 21 September 2006 the Ddraig Goch Blog first appeared. In its first few years the blog was dedicated to educational technology. The main focus of the blog in its early days was the integration into education of the plethora of 'Web2.0' tools that were appearing at the time... almost weekly back in 2006-7. It appeared to me that educators were being almost 'blinded' by the new possibilities and that we weren't necessarily as a profession looking at the issue from a fully educational perspective. I am pleased to report that this has improved over the past decade as global educators have fully explored the educational aspects of new programmes and more recently 'apps'. Over the years since my blog began education and 'ed tech' has remained a focus, the blog has diversified as I have.... not always in the desired direction. The result is a very eclectic posting history, which I hope still has the aim of considering the blending of education and technology. Looking forward to the next 10 years.....Hip!Hip!Hooray!
via GIPHY

Relocation back to Wales

Since my late father's passing in November 2015 I have taken the time to re-evaluate my position. I consider myself to be hugely fortunate to have been offered the opportunity to relocate to The Netherlands in 2011. I would recommend to everyone that should an opportunity such as this arise in your life, that you seriously consider it. Of course there are strains placed on family life and relationships, however I firmly believe that the benefits of living abroad outweigh the negatives.
You gain the chance to view your own country as an outsider, this highlights the particular hangups that all countries and their citizens have about themselves. I am of the opinion that you gain a greater perspective on your own life and position from a global perspective.
I read a quote earlier today on Facebook from Tim Rylands - I'd rather look back on my life and say 'I can't believe that I did that', rather than saying I wish I'd done that. I fully agree with Tim's sentiment as it is not productive to look at what might have been. It would have been difficult to consider the 'what ifs' had I not taken the decision to relocate in 2011.
I know that personally I have grown in confidence and self worth as a direct result of having to live and work in a non English speaking country. I accept that the Dutch have very good English and use it regularly and that I worked in an English speaking environment. However, I believe that after over 5 years in the country that I began to think and react like a Dutch person.
The Netherlands is certainly a great country in which to enjoy the outdoor life, museums and the cinema ( with subtitles in Dutch). For me though the pull of 'the mother country' began to impact my thoughts more as we moved into 2016. My original plan was to retire and move back in 2017-18 however this shifted as 'homesickness' increasingly set in. In March I took the decision to resign/retire call it what you will? As with all such decisions, once made there was a sense of relief and the opportunity to look forward to new beginnings at home.... real home!
Time has moved swiftly from that decision and today I find myself back in Wales looking forward to getting back into the life of my small town..... I will of course miss my 'other life', however it will always be with me, and will influence me in the future.
There are aspects of Dutch life and culture that I will miss, no doubt I will require a few visits back in order to get my 'dutch fix'..... I will miss:

• 'Real' Fresh Mint Tea
• Savoury Pancakes ( at the Pannekoekhuis Sheveningen)
• Bottled Belgian Beer ( Palm, Duvel and Le Chouf)
• Pathe Cinema's ( Buitenhof in particular)
• Hema
• Those lovely custard slices from The Bienkorf
• Dutch queuing 
• Trams and buses ( 3 and 24)
• Cycle lanes and priority for bicycles
• Dutch 'Weekends'
• My MuseumCard - and Museum Night

All of the above experiences and situations are locked in my heart and will not leave, I am sure that they will grow stronger with time.

From now on I am looking forward to new employment opportunities and to working from my home as a base.... and reconnecting with my 'Welshness'.

Thank you Holland for the experience and thank you to the IB for the opportunity.

Put the kettle on it's time for a cup of tea!

Did we ever consider our digital footprint?

Checking on an online app that I had first used back in 2007 prompted me to look back to when this blog began and it was.....Thursday 21 September 2006!
I am sure that when it all began for me that I did not pay much heed to the collective power of a decade of blogging. Back in 2006 I had no idea how long I would continue writing, or even if there was an audience for my random thoughts.... I am still unsure!
The blog first began as a test before I unleashed the power of blogging on my unsuspecting pupils in Cefn Fforest Primary School back in 2006. Little did I realise at the time that not only could it enthuse our pupils, but also that it would also give me a whole new group of online friends, many of whom I may never meet in the 'real world'.
What has 10 years taught me, mainly that I actually have the stamina to sustain my thoughts across a range of topics and of course a range of jobs. One truth that is certain is that I found the transition away from teaching and the classroom a challenge from a blogging perspective. As your pupils will tell you, writing for an audience is a powerful force. Once out of the classroom I lost that immediate contact with the group, dropped away from online forums that I had been active in, and eventually of course the blog lost direction.
There have been a few readjustments across the years, however, this blog remains the random thoughts of an untamed educator  released into the 'real world' ... this I suspect will never change.
I look forward to raising a glass of champagne on 21 September and wishing the Ddraig-Goch blog a happy 10th birthday!

Google glass ideas

I want to float my 'Google glass' idea to a wider audience.

Having used Apple FaceTime to take my grandchildren on a short tour of the Rijkmuseum in Amsterdam my mind drifted to how Google glass could be used for a similar purpose. I propose a business idea to run remote tours of museums and art galleries for those who are unable to travel either due to age and infirmity or simply cost.

Use 1 - for residents in sheltered accommodation who retain a love of art and museums. To run remote guide led tours streamed in 'real time' and recorded for future use.

Use 2 - for schools either (a) to prepare pupils for a forthcoming visit to a gallery or museum by giving them an insight into the geography and layout. (b) for pupils studying a particular period who are unable to travel to a venue. An educational guide would lead the class through a gallery answering questions as they move through. 

A further use was suggested by a colleague of mine who recently remotely attended a friend's wedding. The wedding was in New York however those present were usinga variety of social media tools to attend from 10 different countries. How cool would it be to use google glass to give an 'in the room point of view' for remote attendees. This could also be recorded for future use by the happy couple.

I see a use by Estate Agents .....letting agents to produce walk through videos for prospective buyers/tennants.

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of the community......and possible partners?

The Weight of Elephants

Saturday 17 May 2014 - Filmhuis Den Haag The Weight of Elephants (New Zealand)

We meet up with 10 year old Adrian in semi rural New Zealand. In fact the isolation of the film is enhanced by its setting, in and around Invercargill, one of the southernmost cities in the world being at the southern tip of New Zealand. 

Adrian has been abandoned by his mother and is being brought up by his grandmother. Gran is also caring for her disturbed adult son Rory, uncle to Adrian. In his lucid moments Rory bonds with Adrian over the youngster's love of sea monsters. As we meet our characters Adrian is objecting vociferously to having his head shaved by Gran in order to clear head-lice. The 10 year old foresees how this will further alienate him from his peer group in school

The cutting and camera angles in Daniel Borgman's movie enable the audience to experience the awkwardness that Adrian feels as he tries to fit in with his school peer group.

Adrian is haunted by the fact that everyone who is most precious to him abandons him. He is left to his own devices after school and creates his own fantasy world in the abandoned playground next to his Gran's house.

The Weight of Elephants - International Trailer from Katja Adomeit on Vimeo.
In a parallel storyline the TV and media is full of the search for 3 youngsters who have been abducted. While playing in his fantasy world Adrian becomes aware of his neighbours - 3 young children. He has not seen them before and they do not go to school..... has he discovered the abducted children?
After a number humiliating experiences in school Adrian gradually realises that fitting in is perhaps not the best strategy. He befriends his new neighbours particularly Nicole who is his own age. He also finds company with other 'outsiders'.
The cast inhabit their characters well with the children undoubtedly being the stars of the film - The naturalistic acting style of Nicole (Angelina Cottrell) and Adrian (Demos Murphy) in particular steal the show.

IMdB gives a score of 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes do not have any score yet as the film is quite new. I would suggest a score of 7.5 would be a fair representation of the film. I think that viewers will find this to be a rewarding experience.

19th and 20th Century History in film....at Pathe Buitenhof

Quite by chance over the past few days I have been fortunate enough to see two excellent examples of the historical film genre.
Buitenhof again was the venue, I was heartened to find that even after a break of two weeks of film attendance that I have retained the Foursquare Mayorship of the cinema.
The two films show the huge range and variety within a film type. On Thursday evening requiring escapism I headed for my favourite venue to watch The Invisible Woman.

Ralph Fiennes directs and stars in this recreation of the somewhat secret relationship between Charles Dickens and Ellen (Nelly) Ternan. When they first met Nelly was 18 and Dickens 45. He had been married married to his wife of 22 years,  Catherine with 10 children. Nelly was the third of the three Ternan acting sisters.
The film gives what seems to my sensibilities a very good evocation of 19th Century England. You can almost smell the mustiness and feel the confinement of the Victorian age. The acting is earnest and indeed Felicity Jones as Nelly gives a spellbinding performance. However,  I found the film uneven in its rendition of the story. this could be explained by stating that it follows Dickens turbulent moods however it meant that the film failed to fully engage me leaving me ultimately unsatisfied. IMDb gives the film a score of 6.4 while Rotten Tomatoes has the critics scoring the film 76% and Film-goers 52%. I would agree with the Rotten Tomatoes score which is sad as there could be a much better film somewhere in the cutting room!

Sunday 6th April - Pathe Buitenhof  - The Book Thief

I tried to put to the back of my mind some criticisms that have made of this film, and have not read the book on which is was based. I am happy to report that the film is sprinkled with wonderful performances which are drawn together into a well told story. 14 year old Sophie Nelisse gives a magnetic performance as the central character of the film Leisel Meminger. Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson are excellent as the very human husband and wife, with the acerbic Watson lovingly scolding the husband to whom she is devoted. Rush as the romantic and wistful father who holds the family together, but also threatens its very existence thanks to a promise given in a previous war.  I also want to make mention of Nico Liersch also 14 years old who plays Rudy, Leisel's love interest... his striking Aryan looks mark him.
I enjoyed the film the period was well presented and the characters fitted within this very well, each playing off each other. I felt that The Book Thief was everything that The Invisible Woman could have been. While IMDb scores the film 6.4 while Rotten Tomatoes scores the film with 46% from the critics and 76% from us the film-going public.
I think that the Rotten Tomatoes score for The Book Thief by film critics show that on occasions the critics in their earnest desire to give the viewing public the full picture can forget that an audience is often looking for a film which grabs them, takes them on its journey unfolding human emotions along the way. I am glad that I for one managed to banish the naysayers. This is a must see film.

Saturday Film - 29 March Pathe Spui: Captain America: The Winter Soldier IMAX 3D

I did not have my expectations set very high entering the cinema on Saturday, the main draw of Captain America; The Winter Soldier was to experience once again of Pathe's IMAX 3D experience.
One of the issues that I have with Captain America is that of all Marvel 'Superheroes' he has the most difficulty operating in a contemporary setting being rooted back in the global wars of the 20th Century.

Captain America has also been portrayed previously as a rather 2 dimensional 'cardboard character lacking a personality or a sense of humour.
Whether it is the inclusion of  The Black Widow ( Scarlet Johansson) as a foil for our hero, or the bright and crisp screenplay from a strong writing team. The result I found to be as refreshing as the exciting reinvention of Ironman back in 2008. We see Chris Evans breathe life and character into the character of Steve Rogers.
Of course we are not in the audience of Captain America for an in depth exploration of character..... This is after-all a blockbuster 3D tale about a soldier who jumps out of planes without a parachute and seems to be able to defend himself against a huge amount of bullets and rockets with a simple shield!
The story-line has also been used quite recently... I recall another hero,  James Bond and M in a recent tale about a compromised organisation which begins to turn on itself.
Taking the film with all of these compromises into consideration I still found this a credible superhero vehicle.

Of the supporting cast - Robert Redford, Samuel L Jackson and the previously mentioned Scarlet Johansson. Redford and Johansson give strong performances. I agree with others who have suggested that Johansson as The Black Widow has earned herself a film of her own. While Jackson's Nick Fury character I am beginning to find repetitive and too predictable.....There is the hope that change may be on the way regarding  the Nick Fury character(plot spoiler). However I believe that at least 80% of the audience could see through the seemingly actual demise of the character....note to director... must try harder next time!
I must admit I was relieved again to know that it was only really America that was at risk, and narrower than this that it was Washington DC that was the backdrop for our story..... the america-centric nature of the film is a little disappointing and this may ultimately cause it not to play well in the rest of the world.

However with all of its faults I did find the film well worth my time, it moved along at a good pace. Others have reported the final 20 minutes to be too full of over the top  'Bang! and Crash! I would disagree I felt that it was in proportion and leading us to the all to predictable ending.
IMDb give the film a strong 8.3 while Rotten Tomatoes scores Captain America: The Winter Soldier 94% from the critics and +99% from the audience.
I am of the opinion that the Rotten Tomatoes score is somewhat high presently, I would tend on balance to agree with IMDb with an overall score of 8.3 to 8.4.
While I wouldn't say this is a 'not to be missed' film and while it is unlikely to ever be thought of as a classic film, even of its type, I think that the film has merit if taken at face value, I have no doubt that audiences will continue to score this film highly.

August: Osage County

Film: August: Osage County KL086 Singapore to Amsterdam

My film viewing was curtailed over the past week as I have been attending the IB 2014 Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Singapore.....it's tough but someone had to do it!
I have never been a huge fan of watching in flight movies, preferring the big screen experience. However as part of my strategy for sleeping on my return to The Netherlands I wanted to spend the early part of the flight watching a film. August:Osage County has been on my watch list for some time having seen trailers where Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts appear to be on top form.
The film film certainly embodies the matriarchal society in its most powerful form, we meet the force of nature that is Violet Weston (Streep) and her immediate family following the possibly self inflicted demise of husband Beverly. Violet had been diagnosed and is being treated for mouth cancer as we saw earlier in the story. I think it ironic that such torrents of abuse cascade from the area which is causing Violet such pain. The object of this bile is eldest daughter Barbara (Roberts). Barbara is quite capable of looking after herself 'like mother like daughter'

Violet's other daughters do not escape the wrath of Violet whose intolerance while part of her character is also being driven by the medication being somewhat oversubscribed by her doctor. Violet gives Streep the opportunity to show her full acting power and her onscreen presence is played off effectively against Roberts who is similarly blessed. Mention should also be made of Margo Martindale playing Violet's sister Mattie Fae.
Interesting then that the undoubtedly strong male cast members are all consigned to to pay 'bit parts' around the lives of the Weston women. It can't be often that Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch and Chris Cooper went so unnoticed in a film.
August: Osage County was first seen as a Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name back in 2007. The film does show its origins as many of the scenes are based within Violet's house and have the feel of 'set pieces'. This does not however distract from the excellent performances from Streep and her acting sisters.
IMDb gives the film a score of 7.4 while Rotten Tomatoes has a critics score of 64% and an audience score of 71% presently. I am of the opinion that for all of its faults,  the performances of Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts alone are worth an 8.6.
The film set up a fine flight for me, we had 'lights out' just after the conclusion which for me heralded 3 hours sleep. An excellent result I think you will agree.

A Wes Anderson weekend

Pathe Bioscoop Buitenhof: Friday 14th March - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Filmhuis Den Haag: Saturday 15th March - Moonrise Kingdom

This weekend I was transported to the world of Wes Anderson. The experience feels more like having been inside his head reading his thoughts or more worrying having participated in a therapy session for Mr Anderson's deep seated psychological hang ups.
So many of Anderson's themes are very personal: family instability, parental infidelity dead animals, young love, the importance of colour to create emotion, direct dialogue delivered in a deadpan style straight to camera, his musical heritage and of course.... Bill Murray.
Murray is of course only one of the family, Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel and Jason Schwartzman are also essential to an Anderson film. Their participation the greater as seem willing to take small cameo roles in each offering.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a tale told by an aging writer about his adventures at the hotel of the title.

When we first enter the establishment it is down on its luck and far from the height of fashion. We meet he owner of the hotel Mr Moustafa, who our guide takes a meal with. we find out how the hotel became Mr Moustafa's property as he came under the influence of the hotel's legendary concierge from early in the 20th Century, the charismatic but horrendous Mr Gustave H (played with panache by Ralph Fiennes). The story is fantastical and very Wes Anderson with a mix of animation and oddly artificial live action we are carried along as the narrative plays out.... watch out for Willem Dafoe playing a malevolent presence through the piece.

The ensemble just works as they seem to have a sixth sense on the requirement of their acting when working with Anderson.
IMDb gives a 8.4  and Rotten Tomatoes 91% from the critics and 92% from the audience.....I have to say that I don't believe the story works so well I would suggest that 8.6 out of 10 would be a fairer score... I may have to watch the film a second or third time, which would not be a unpleasant experience.

I spotted the showing of Moonrise Kingdom almost by accident as I looked through the film listings for Saturday.

We are back on familiar Anderson territory and angst. As the two young outsiders experience first passionate love. Against the backdrop of  rural New England we follow Khaki Scout and orphan Sam Shakusky as he encounters and falls for the enigmatic Suzi Bishop.
All is played with the support of music from Benjamin Britten - Noye's Fludde ( Anderson and his brother performed in the piece when they were around 10 years old) and the Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra.
Our tale is narrated by Bob Balaban and contains other Anderson stalwarts - Keitel, Swinton, Norton, Swartzman and of course the ever eccentric Mr Murray playing Suzi's father.

The cast is supported by Bruce Willis and Frances McDormand, however it is the juvenile leads Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward and their peers who carry the film.
IMDb gives the film 7.4 while Rotten Tomatoes is more generous in awarding 94% from the critics and 86% from film-goers. I felt that Moonrise Kingdom works better as a story than does The Grand Budapest Hotel and have no problem in awarding it a creditable 9 out of 10.
Wes Anderson's reputation and integrity are preserved by both films which are true to his movie credentials......Anderson is back on form with The Grand Budapest Hotel following  Fantastic Mr Fox which I found to be not quite up to the usual standard

50 Plus night at the Pathe Buitenhof

It was with a spring in my step (ha!)..... that I caught the 24 bus to the Pathe Cinema Buitenhof for 50 plus night last evening. The deal was a screening at 7.15pm ( also at 1.30 on Tuesday) with a free coffee and chocolate.. all free with a cinema card.
I have missed the past two weeks as the offering has been Diana ( not my cup of tea!.. Diana scored 8% from critics and 27% from cinema goers -Rotten Tomatoes).

This week the main feature was Still Mine, a gentle and unpretentious drama ( based on a true story) set in rural New Brunswick.

The main characters are Craig and Irene Morrison, played sympathetically by James Cromwell and the devine Genevieve Bujold. Is it just me or is Bujold still a gorgeous creature? Her eyes still flash with a sensuousness that can beguile. Enough of this fawning!!
This simple but compelling story  follows Craig as he is prompted to build a new house, for his himself and his wife as she is gripped by the slow but steady onset of Alzheimers.

We meet two of their children and a sparky grandson along with their friends and neighbours in this battle of the craftsman versus 'the law'.
Undoubtedly it is the onscreen chemistry between Bujold and Cromwell that keeps the interest in what otherwise would be a ponderous film with a predictable ending. In truth this is a little gem of a Canadian film, I have to admit that this was my second viewing, I first watched Still Mine at the Filmhuis in the city back in the autumn of 2013.... and second time around my emotional heartstrings were duly tugged again, not only by the delightful Genevieve however, but by the whole story.
IMDb gives Still Mine 7.4 while Rotten Tomatoes  scores this a 93% from the critics and 87% from film-goers. Myself even with the lack of car chases and no hint of CGI ( Unless it was the cows!) and not a shoot out in sight give Still There 8.5 out of 10. You don't have to be over 50 to enjoy this film...... but it sure helps :-)
Still Mine garnered seven nominations in 2013 at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cromwell), Best Actress (Bujold), Best Original Screenplay (McGowan), Best Cinematography (Brendan Steacy), Best Editing (Roderick Deogrades) and Best Original Score (Hugh Marsh, Don Rooke and Michelle Willis).Cromwell won the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.

Film Week - Monday 3rd to Saturday 8th March

In previous weeks I have made the most of the Dutch Pathe 50 showings at The Buitenhof Cinema. However for the past two weeks they have been showing Diana on a Monday evening at 7.15 pm.
I have no desire to go to see this film. Over the past three years I have welcomed being out of range of UK media outlets such as The Daily Express and Daily Mail where a mawkish curiosity of the UK Royal family and Princess Diana in particular persists many years after her tragic death. I could care less of the performances in the film, however I did enjoy the Naomi Watts interview with Simon Mayo from the BBC Radio 5 film show.....

This probably gave the movie greater publicity than it deserved.

Monday 3rd March - Spike Jonze -  'Her'  Pathe Buitenhof  starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Scarlett Johanson as the OS - Warning possible plot spoilers ahead!

The film currently carries an 85% score with the public (94% from critics) on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.3 with  IMDb.
Our hero from a time in the future is Theodore Twombly. Twombly is a withdrawn and detached writer of letters, who is going through divorce.

The film is set in a future where the Simon Cowell fashion of the high trouser waistband seems to have won the day. Small in-ear devices are wirelessly linked to mini computers (much like the old fashioned cigarette box in design) these are carried in special pockets enabling video interaction with the 'real world'. Theodore is very sensitive, evidence this is shown in the empathy of his messages.
Into this lonely life comes a new computer operating system (Samantha) recommended to Theodore by his friend  Amy. The system is lauded as the next generation, an OS that interacts with its user and has the ability to learn and develop.
There develops a relationship between human and machine which seems very natural and loving. Her is shot by Jonze in the warm glow of the future with great colour saturation. The characters are largely quiet and reflective. Adams is excellent as the neighbour as is Phoenix,  each exudes calm despite their inner complexity and turmoil.
The central relationship of the film is as one might guess doomed.... there is a feel to the relationship between humans and computers which is similar to  2001 A Space Odyssey......
I would concur in general with the collective wisdom of the reviews and score HER as 8.5 out of 10. I would place it in the 'do not miss' category for 2014.

Wednesday 5th The Lego Movie 3D - Pathe Spuimarkt

A tale of mistaken identity where as usual a 'nobody' in this case a  standard Lego character called Emmet is 'selected' to be the saviour of the world.... Nothing new there then?

However in The Lego Movie does an excellent job of luring the audience into the story, and before long you too will be willing Emmet and his colourful group of friends seek to thwart the evil President Business.

Eventually we all truly believe 'Everything is Awesome' (or Ossum!)
The movie scores 90% with the audience (96% critic score) and 8.4 with IMDb.... I believe, love Lego, love the Lego Movie.... I would suggest a score of 8.6 - go for it, you will not be alone there will be adults in the movie theatre!

Saturday 9th March After the Tone - Zaal 2 - Filmhuis Den Haag
With my usual cinema going buddy Steve O'Regan off discovering Belgium ahead of his retirement next year, I did not want to watch a 'Blockbuster in IMAX or 3D as these are likely to be on the viewing schedule in the coming weeks.
Instead I headed the the Filmhuis to catch the intriguing 'Indie' film .. After the Tone. The film is built around the life of Onno. He is very successful with a great business family and friends. Onno has just won a prize and initially everyone is trying to get through to congratulate him.
We hear Onno's voicemail kick in at the outset of the film....

His business contacts and girlfriend(s) leave him many chatty message within the first 3 days.... however as time progresses and there is no response, concern and worry grow. Onno misses significant important events in addition to work meetings....nobody gets a reply. Each character who calls is recognised not only by voice and tome, but also by location. Time goes on and it dawns on friends and family slowly that Onno may not be coming back.
For a film where we do not see any of the characters, only hearing their voicemail messages it is remarkably touching and emotional, with Onno's mother, Sister Annet and business partner Adriaan being the highlight for me. The death of his father and how this affects the family is particularly poignant as is Adriaan's reading of his eulogy for Onno.
The film is in Dutch, but is subtitled in English, and is therefore great for those learning the language and Dutch idioms. Of course it is also an interesting film. IMDb scores it 7.5 and Rotten Tomatoes has not yet received any reviews. My score would be 7.9 out of 10. It won't change the world but does throw a light on the Dutch Psyche and also it interweaves the stories of those close to Onno through 365 days.. all in 85 minutes.
 I am looking forward in the coming week to viewing Robocop, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Non-Stop....

Oscar fever....is the hype worth it?

On the face of it, the huge media circus taking place today, where filmmakers and stars who have been vying which each other for top spot finally clash seems vulgar and loaded with self importance.
The fact that production companies and their commodities have been lobbying members of the Oscar committee is even more telling.
I recall the comment that Philomena and Judy Dench would suffer in the final Oscar shakedown due to Dench's recent operation and incapacity... Which has forced the star to cut down on her travels. This is surely a sad reflection on the 'film industry'?
In the main the films which have risen to the top this year are some of the best. We know that the critics and other media will be looking for the film which runs off with the most 'gongs'....will it be Gravity.....or 12 Years a Slave?
While the movie industry does its best to place a greater emphasis on the 'nominated' category in order to ensure that a film's credentials are in the public domain. The ultimate strength of the Oscar juggernaut trumps these efforts and eventually renders the 'worthy also rans' road kill in its wake.

My thought would be to encourage filmgoers that you know to ensure that they view the wider list of films that have been nominated across all categories. This would allow cine goers to reward those films which are deserving.
I have to admit not to have seen many of the foreign language and short, first feature offerings. I will try harder and would welcome recommendations in order to enable me to broaden my viewing.

Good luck to all for The Oscar's today.

Update:
Well done to the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences for getting the awards spot on in 2014...it was great to see the awards distributed largely fairly amongst the nominees. This year while not a classic managed to reward the deserving:

2014 Oscar winners -

BEST PICTURE:

12 Years a Slave - WINNER

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:

Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club - WINNER

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave - WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR:

Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity - WINNER

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Great Gatsby - WINNER

BEST MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING:

Dallas Buyers Club - WINNER

BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED):

Mr Hublot - WINNER

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:

Frozen - WINNER

BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION):

Helium - WINNER

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT:

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life - WINNER

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:

20 Feet from Stardom - WINNER

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

The Great Beauty (Italy) - WINNER

BEST SOUND MIXING:

Gravity - WINNER

BEST SOUND EDITING:

Gravity - WINNER

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

Gravity - WINNER

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Gravity - WINNER

BEST FILM EDITING:

Gravity - WINNER

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

The Great Gatsby - WINNER

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

Gravity - WINNER

BEST ORIGINAL SONG:

Let It Go - Frozen - WINNER

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave - WINNER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Spike Jonze - Her - WINNER

Rumpelstiltskin..... Abergavenny Pantomime Company 2014

I would like to wish 'Good Luck and Break a leg!' to the entire cast and crew of Abergavenny Pantomime Company's production of Rumpelstiltskin at Abergavenny Borough Theatre this week....( first night Monday 24 February:
 Monday 24th February to  Saturday 1st March 2014 Borough Theatre, Abergavenny

After our very successful production of Aladdin, we have decided to perform something slightly different, a pantomime which APC have never performed before. 

“Rumpelstilskin promises to be APC’s Pantomime's finest production ever!

Ruby, a poor miller’s daughter, is forced to spin straw into gold when her drunken father boasts that she can. Help comes from an unexpected source in the shape of a menacing and crafty gnome, but at a very high price.

To purchase your tickets phone the Borough Theatre Box Office on (01873) 850505.

Guaranteed to delight the whole family with all the stunning sets, glittering costumes, wonderful songs and dazzling dancing that audiences have come to expect, topped off with plenty of laughter courtesy of the cast and chorus of Abergavenny Pantomime Company. 

I have to own up to a slight bias as this production will mark the first stage appearances of my granddaughter Abi and grandson Jaycob (uncredited but on stage... if well hidden...!). In addition their mother Emily makes a welcome return to tread the boards on the Borough Theatre stage.
Many months of rehearsal will I am sure enable the cast to bring the story to life for the audiences this week.
I am looking forward very much to coming back to Wales to see the show on St David's Day..........Good Luck all.

Saturday 22 February 2014 - Nebraska - Pathe Buitenhof

I had been looking forward to the intriguing Nebraska since I had read Mark Kermode's Guardian review of the film back in December 2013. This was followed by tantalizing snippets which appeared in  the trailers here in The Hague. The setup of this 'road movie' made it number 2 on my 'must see' list for 2014.
Bruce Dern has for me been one of those fringe actors who has never been a favourite of mine has been 'off the radar' for some time.However Dern along with the rest of the cast were given a dream of a script by writer Bob Nelson and director Alexander Payne..... From the opening image of

 a lonely old man trudging along the side of the highway, eventually 'pulled over' by the local police, sets the scene for this finely judged movie.
What a script.....it makes a masterpiece of pauses and short well observed 'one liners' and gives Dern a wonderful deadpan delivery that suits the character of 'Woody' like a glove.


We soon realize the futility of Woody Grant's obsession, as we are introduced to his close family, sons David and Ross and his wonderful wife Kate ( brilliantly observed by June Squibb) who has put up with Grant's madcap idea of claiming his $1million lottery win for too long. The family (an ordinary family) is revealed to us as we travel with Woody and David...from Montana to Nebraska
We meet Woody's siblings and their wider families, watch out for Bart and Cole. There is one great shot where brothers and sons are all sitting in the lounge watching 'the game' the image will long stay in the memory.
We are shown that Woody is a flawed 'Everyman' having been an alcoholic and failed business man, but we warm to our hero as he doggedly pursues his dream. We are introduced to Ed Pegram (Stacy Keach) the ex business partner who along with some family members wants his 'due reward' . We learn of how Kate and Woody got together in such a humorous way, it appears that Woody was quite the catch back in the day.
The pace of the film meanders along towards the final act,  where Woody now resigned to the fact that he will not be winning the much sought after prize is given a touching gift by David which allows Woody to get the last laugh.....
I return to the triumph of the script, it is superb.... one of my favourite episodes occurs when the sons determine to reacquire a compressor given to Ed Pegram back in the 1980's. The boys mistakenly enter a barn that they assume belongs to Pegram and return carrying a compressor. Woody states is not his after the boys have struggled to place the compressor into the back of the car...the following dialogue is delivered in a matter of fact way:
David Grant: Dad, why didn't you tell us that wasn't Ed's house? 
Woody Grant: I didn't know what the hell you were doing. 
Ross Grant: Have you ever seen us steal machinery before? 
Woody Grant: I never know what you boys are up to. 
Ross Grant: Why didn't you say it wasn't yours? 
Woody Grant: I thought you wanted it. 
Ross Grant: What would we want an old compressor for? 
Woody Grant: That's what I couldn't figure out.
Better yet, on returning the compressor  they spot the real owners returning... this gives Squibb some of her best lines.
As you may surmise I enjoyed this experience, the film is a triumph and is on my list of 'must see again' movies along with Inside Llewyn Davis and Captain Phillips. It gets a thumbs up and 8 out of 10 from this reviewer. Don't just take my words of praise for Nebraska take a look at what Catherine Shoard has to say http://www.theguardian.com/film/video/2014/feb/24/nebraska-should-win-best-picture-oscar-video.

Thursday 20 February - 12 Years a Slave

 

12 Years a Slave opened in Pathe Cinemas around The Netherlands this week. Steve O'Regan and myself visited the favoured Pathe Buitenhof on Thursday evening this week for our viewing pleasure.  Steve McQueen's powerful film which retells the story of the deception of  Solomon Northup which saw him sold into slavery by a pair of unscrupulous men, pulls no punches.
The brutality and despair experienced by those who found themselves ripped from their families and transported as slave labour to the cotton and sugar cane plantations of the Southern States, is shown with very little sentiment.... striking was the fear engendered in the slaves which showed them  pointedly ignoring those who were being tortured or left to die by their owners...often having to leave them to die and carry on with their lives seemingly not noticing the scene before them.

One of my minor quibbles with the production is that on occasion scenes are held for too long. I realise that the long scene where Solomon's face expresses the absolute despair felt was extended for effect.... it did linger for too long, I would have preferred it to have drawn away leaving Solomon alone in the landscape. There were other scenes which would have benefited from a tighter editing.


The performances however were however memorable. Chewetel Echiofor puts in the performance of his career so far as his emotions run from the joy of life with his 'free' family, to the depths as he realises that he should have assisted Patsey in her wish to die with dignity.
Patsey is played with tremendous empathy by the newcomer Lupita Nyong'o who has been rightfully identified as a 'best newcomer' at awards cermonies.
Micheal Fassbender portryal of  the hard drinking, violent, and  power crazed plantation owner Edwin Epps, is a triumph, as is Sarah Paulson as Mistress Epps. Paulson shines a more stark and honest light onto the 'southern belle'. So often shown in films from the 1950's and 60's as polite refined and cultured ladies who 'civilize' their oft brutal plantation owner husbands.
Mistress Epps is brutalised by her husbands predilections, this leads her character to bristle with malevolence towards slave girl Patsey and others.... you would not want to get on the wrong side of either of the Epp's.
Other supporting character roles ably support the story, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch and Alfre Woodard exhibit great presence on the big screen. Brad Pitt's character is required to enable the end of Solomon's story, however unusually for Pitt he doesn't seem to find the mood of the film, he appears somehow too knowing and on the 'outside' of the drama.
Even with its shortcomings which include probably being 20-30 minutes too long (134 minutes!).... and the over use of lingering shots, I can forgive McQueen and the cast... the story is powerful and did leave a lasting impression on this cinema-goer.
I would give 12 Years a Slave 9 out of 10.