The Death of Robin Hood, Practical Magic 2 and Resident Evil

 

The violent opening of The Death of Robin Hood is replaced by something far quieter and ruminative. Hugh Jackman plays the elderly outlaw who cannot outrun his past. Almost dead from his latest fight. He's taken to recover at a priory on a remote island, looking to me like a version of Lindisfarne (Holy Island), including the castle. It was actually filmed at The Rock of Cashel in the Republic of Ireland. "The mediaeval fortress complex rising from the Tiperary plain." (See moviewalks.com which has all the locations). Here it is a fictionalised retreat where Jody Comer is Sister Brigid, the prioress. She is the one who nurses him back to some sort of health. Jody Comer is absolutely brilliant and my favourite performance of the year so far. Also very good was Faith Delaney as Little Margaret. I loved her jumper; it looked so modern but old. The stitching around the slit and the neck.

Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, I was never bored, but unfortunately, quite a lot of the dialogue is inaudible, and this time the music is not to blame. I thought that Hugh Jackman was fine despite others having criticised his accent. He was hamstrung by being elderly and tired. Mark Kermode said it was "an easy movie to admire", and Simon Mayo thought Jodie Comer brought "a sense of peace". She was very good. Sophia Satchell-Baeza, in her review in Sight and Sound Magazine, talks about this "sombre mediaeval drama" and "the futility of revenge and the nature of legend". 

How disappointing was Practical Magic 2? It's almost thirty years since the original movie, and you would have thought they could have come up with a better story after all this time. I agreed with Mark Kermode that everything was there for the film to be a success. Three good writers, top director Sussane Bier (The Night Manager and lots of others), great locations (see below), a good soundtrack including Stevie Nicks, and the two big stars from the previous film. Sanbdra Bullock especially puts her heart and soul into the part, and Nicole Kidman compliments her perfectly. So what went wrong? The story and the script were pathetic. There were fine older actresses in Sockard Channing and Dianne Wiest and also the children of Sandra Bullock's character.  

The production felt cheap, and the UK setting seemed to be something straight out of Midsummer Murders. Hambledon stands in for Thornfield. The Royal Standard of England in Beaconsfield was the inn where they stayed (it has been popular for all sorts of movies; I don't know why), Langlebury Mansion in Hertfordshire, Black Park Country Park (my first parkrun), the Wormsley Estate, The Royal Chelsea Hospital, the Victorian flats of Cromwell Buildings and a finale at Old Wardour Castle near Salisbury. 

Now I know it might have been difficult to come up with something to match the earlier success, but this was not it. It has been called "a slapdash sequel", and "the script should not be this bad". I think I finally lost faith less than halfway through when arriving at the airport; Nicole struggles with two huge suitcases, and Sandra has a shoulder bag. A stupid joke that repeats time and again. "A real shame, as in this mess there is a positive female-driven narrative." 

A courier takes on one last job, but he has no idea what is in the case; he assumed maybe a heart or a kidney for a sick child? No! Austin Abrams as Bryan is perfect as the everyman hero stupidly ignoring the advice for snow chains for his car. The film plays out in real time as we follow his journey, one trial after another. So typical of the video game on which the franchise was originally based. I liked the fact that in the first half he tries so hard to do the right thing given the extraneous circumstances of injury and death. At times this is just a one-man show, almost a silent movie with added profanities. 

However, as a fifteen-rated movie, it avoids, just about, the realistic horrors of an eighteen. What we do see are obvious fantasy reconstructions of any gore that is on show. There are some lowly "jump scares", but I never had to look away once. It is not a zombie movie. There are constructions that are beyond belief. In fact, I almost felt embarrassed when on occasion I laughed out loud. When Bryan is struggling to fix a firearm and it goes off. He is pretty useless, but just like we would be in the circumstances. It's that sort of film. 

Writer and director Zach Credder (Weapons and Barbarian) has made a roller coaster of a movie; his creation of the monsters is something I have never seen before. It has that visual weirdness and humour that sets it apart. Mark Kermode, in his online review, outlined the series of Resident Evil movies starting with the original by Paul Thomas Anderson. Then all those sequels, re-boots and even one failed Netflix series. (See my reviews from 2010 and 2012). Mark says the film had "a gleeful attitude to body mutation", it was "an absolute romp" and "I really enjoyed it". Me too.

Bye, the way. I love the posters for these film reviews. 

The Garden in September

 

The first photo and those below are a little misleading, as the lawn looks fine after the rain of the last few weeks, and the bedding border is quite colourful with the Antirynums. 

But the main border has hardly any colour at this time of year.

The Echinachea and Verbena on the left of the side patio have been hanging on, but the flowers are just over. 

It's the roses that have been so great through the drought. I resisted giving them any water as advised, and they have bloomed all summer. There are lots of buds on the rose "Blue for You," but as yet they are resisting opening for their third flowering this year. But the others keep on blooming.

However, the most impressive plant has been the hydrangea macrophila that has flowered consistently all summer. As I said before, it's hidden away, but that might be why it's been so good.

My Village Walk

I have a regular circular walk that takes me from Weston Turville to Halton for about four miles. I walk from the house so I don't have to take the car. I can choose whether to go clockwise or anticlockwise. At the weekend it was the former, so I started off through the outskirts of the village, starting at the junction of Baker's Walk and Brookside. 

If I look behind me, Brookside is the road into a housing development where the TV series Inspector Morse was once filmed. The episode is called Death Is My Neighbour.

But I have turned right, and on the corner the first house on the left is Sannie Cottage.

On the left is the first of four tracks that lead to Wendovewr Brook.

Then almost immediately on the right is Bates Lane which is where Brookside then becomes Church Lane, and the oldest part of the village of Weston Turville.

And the second of the four paths to Wendover Brook.

I rarely go down this path, but this is how it looks if I did.

There are a number of old cottages along Church Lane. This is The Old Cottage on the right that has recently been re-thatched. 

Next is Rose Cottage, also on the right.

And then Apple-by-Millbank on the left.

Next door is a terrace of four cottages with Folly Cottage in the middle.

At the end of these cottages on the left, is the penultimate of the four paths to Wendover Brook.

Opposite on the right is The Chequers Inn. The tables outside are popular in the summer.

Further along on the left is The Forge.

And Pennant Cottage on the right.

Opposite is the fourth and last path to Wendover Brook.

Church Lane is a very quiet road, pretty much perfect, with no kerbs and the oldest part of the village, with those thatched cottages and older houses. The road is parallel but well away from the busier Main Street, which is the main route through the village. Church Lane is only just wide enough for cars to pass each other. There are not many of these around. There is a nice footpath on the right, and on the left are an odd house and countryside behind.

Such as the next one behind a flint wall. It's called Scott House.

Further along, just after School Lane on the right, there is now a bench on a patch of grass and a map and historical information of the village. It has the title Weston Turville 2000 and has maps of the Millennium Trail and the parish. These are surrounded by photos of cottages, the church, and shops.

Opposite is the old Church Room, now part of a house called The Studio.

The last house on the right is Cadel House, presently unoccupied. 

This is where I turn left onto Church Walk. On the corner is the vicarage. 

Down Church Walk, heading for the church itself.

If I look to the right, there are fields and the Chiltern Hills in the background.

Just down the lane there is a turning on the right and a track down to Church Farm. The notice on the left is for teas on Saturdays and Sundays.

I ignore the turning and go straight on to where Church Walk crosses Wendover Brook. (See post 18th February 2024).

Just a few yards and on the left, as in the photo below, is the field that belongs to the Manor House (the entrance is the next photo), where one-time occupant Noel Edmunds used to park his helicopter.

At the end of Church Walk is the parish church of St Mary the Virgin.

A nice public footpath through the churchyard leads to fields. I'm only fifteen minutes into my walk.

At the end of the churchyard is a gate into a large field and the Chiltern Hills in the distance. I love this view.

The path through the middle of the field has great views of hills ahead.

I then reach a gate into a much larger field that has just been ploughed. 

Through the gate and a long path runs along the side of a hedge to the left. Part of Wendover Woods is in the distance.

To the right are some great views of the Chiltern Hills. On the left is the end of Wendover Woods, then Beacon Hill with those two trees at the top. Then Whiteleaf Hill and, in the very far distance, the top of The Ridgeway beyond Princes Risborough.

Note in the photo above, the ploughed field had left a wide area next to the path. But this had disappeared by the time I took the photo below.

Down the path and in the distance is Aylesbury County Hall.

At the end of the field is the gate to the canal path of the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

On this particular route I turn left. If I turned right, there is a long towpath alongside the canal to Wendover. Note the improvement of the path below courtesy of funding from HS2. It's about two thirds of a mile down to Halton. 

The canal is on the right, and there are nice views over fields on the left. The hills in the background stretch from Wingrave to Aston Abbotts and then Weedon.

The canal is overgrown in parts, so there is no sign it will be revived as a waterway. So the old towpath is now a perfect route even at the muddiest time of the winter. Now it's great for the wildlife, and there are ducks along the way.

At the end of the path is a gate to the road at Halton Lane.

On the left corner is Canal Cottage.

Then immediately, having turned right, there is a bridge over the canal. The towpath continues towards Marsworth and the Grand Union Canal.

But I come out onto Halton Lane, and on the other side of the road is Ivy Cottage.

Here on one corner is a wild flower border.

I am in the village of Halton, and across the road is the Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels. I usually go straight past, but I decided to take a look for a change. This used to be on one of my very long walks to Wendover Woods.

Here there is a well-kept graveyard for the RAF.

Just past the church, I turn right onto a one-way public road through Halton Tennis Centre.

Past the tennis courts is a large open area that used to be RAF Halton Cricket Club. Now only an area of grass, it is used for the occasional function parking. And, I guess, in reserve if ever needed by the military. 

It is actually a beautiful location, quiet and surrounded by trees with the Chiltern Hills in the distance. All that remains of its use for cricket are these dilapidated nets and some concrete bases for a catching cradle.

I come out at a road called Halton Village that then becomes Chestnut Avenue after a few yards. No guessing what the trees are. I turn right along the footpath heading for the canal. 

Further down the road there are RAF officer houses on both sides.

Then the bridge over the canal.

Again, the towpath on the left leads to Wendover and on the right to Halton. But I don't cross the canal. Instead, I take a wooded path off the road.

Only a short walk and I'm back on the same road in Halton. 

I cross the road and take the signposted path to Weston Turville Reservoir.

This long path has Wendover Brook on the left all the way to the reservoir.

To the left are fields and later the slope of the Chilterns once again.

Near the end of the path and on the right, the reservoir is seen through the hedge 

I'm at the top of the steps that lead down to the water. With the hills in the background, another superb setting. The yachts are out at the weekend. There is a path all the way round the reservoir, so I use the alternative route that goes past the yacht club when the one I'm on is too muddy.

I 

On Friday, the swans and cygnets were out on the bank.

Just before the gate is Wendover Brook again, only a trickle after the dry spell.

Through the gate, I come out onto Worlds End Lane.

Only a short distance to a signpost and the path to the allotments.

At the end of the short grassy path above is a stile, and beyond a small field where there often cows who have made their way through a gap from the lower field on the right.

At the end of this field is another style to the allotments. This is a signposted public right of way.

At the end of the track through the allotments I rejoin Church Lane.

And I'm nearly home. The photos were taken over two days, one sunny and the other cloudy. I never tire of this walk; there are so many different parts. And I can go one of two ways. Always a decision when I start off.