Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Lobsters & Movies


We called to order, a lobster dinner. Our tiny flat won't be able to take the group. One couple generously provided their dining room and expansive kitchen (equipped with fancy industrial gadgets and toys) for this much-anticipated get-together.

I suppose this is our way of celebrating Mid-Autuman Festival, but without walking about with lanterns or eating mooncakes with good tea. We did ask, but no one's exactly keen on that. So we kept the 'celebrations' our style.

There was an intense debate and in the end, everyone passed on the Alaskan crabs. There were freshly specially flown Maine lobsters, one for each guest, and an extra tail. Not proud of the fact that we probably decimated a pod. Damn, they were tasty. We have separate preferences on how we'd like to ingest the crustacean, and the final result- the lobsters were spectacularly done to our specifications. To freshen the tastebuds, there were nibbles of brussels sprouts, artichoke hearts, witlof, pasta and coleslaw. Strangely, chilled yuzu sorbet went well to round up the white meat.

Bottles of the gorgeous Cristal Brut 2004 accompanied the fine meal. A beautiful complement. I took only 2 glasses and declined more. Still on a casual alcohol ban for the now. After dinner, we settled into the couches for good old movie night. We had earlier declared not have anything cerebral! Something light! Again, by unanimous choice, 2 movies were picked- 'Cold Souls' and 'Hanna'.

'Cold Souls' has every potential to go down as a crap B-grade movie. Extracting souls, and having mules transport these souls?! Com'mon now. However, Sophie Barthes did a really good job with it. It's emotive, just a little reflective and seriously funny. Playing himself, Paul Giamatti is absolutely endearing.

We couldn't wait to watch 'Hanna'! It's absolutely wicked. Nothing new with the storyline. It doesn't pretend to be a deeply reflective movie. The slow parts are thankfully not too frequent. It gives me all the gore and action as promised. I love it!!! Never mind the startling fact that a teenage girl is a trained killer. Suspend all ethical and humane notions please. None of us missed the symbolism of the deer at the start and at the end.

It's good to have the evening with the friends. We reminisce, we remember. But we never forget that we live in the now for no regrets. There're many ways of saying it. So many have said it, but nothing like how it's said, flatly- "Carpe diem."

4 comments:

Dawn said...

I love Giamatti! I'd watch practically anything he is in. Cold Souls was pretty good :) Have you seen Barney's Version?

imp said...

Dawn: no I haven't! Let me go check it out. I assume it's on iTunes right?

Dawn said...

I watched it on the plane - but I would guess so!

imp said...

dawn: shall scroll through iTunes to check!