The last king,but not the last of the rain

The Last King of Scotland (2006) is an interesting film which I tried very much to enjoy; unfortunately I liked bits of it but not all. Forest Whitaker's supposed tour de force performance of the despot Idi Amin left me rather cold but I did did enjoy James McAvoy as fay,hedonistic and flawed Dr Nickolas Garrigan, Amin's personal medic and right hand man. The film, shot in a faded grainy all so familiar documentary type way has a strange hew to the cinematography as if the colours in it are all bleeding; This works very well with the 1976 African setting. The story Chronicles McAvoy's friendship with the dictator, and his all- so- slow realisation that things are not right with the world in Uganda, and although some off it was based an "real events", the twists and turns of it all doesn't quite hold up and when you stop believing in a film, you stop enjoying it.

Whitiaker looks on course for the Academy award for best actor but I would like Peter O'Toole to grab it for old times sake for Venus (2006).

Speaking of the Oscars, I was excited to see the nominations today! especially nominations for best actress

Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)

Hummm. historically when the brits are all up against an American the yank gets it! and for once I would like Streep to win ! ( mind you I have a feeling Cruz will nab it)

Rain is bloody back tonight, which is a real pisser, at least I managed to get most of the gardening done! did squeeze in a long chat with Mike too this afternoon, which was nice