Edinburgh: October.

My second month in Edinburgh has been a busy one. It started off with a lovely visit from my parents and youngest brother who helped me to celebrate my 22nd Birthday in a new city. My beloved other half also made a surprise appearance which was very unexpected and highly emotional. Two glorious days were spent exploring Edinburgh as I forced everybody to walk from one side of the city to the other. The weekend ended with a trip to the Filmhouse to see Sunshine on Leith – see my rather cruel review here. I finally feel like I’m getting a grip of the city and have grown familiar with my stunning surroundings. My part time job, along with my studies have kept me running around each and everyday for the last month. It is appearing to be very tricky to balance my work and my studies. Although there are times when this has been difficult and disheartening I am remaining positive. My studies are continuing to inspire and stimulate me and I have already found a new passion and respect for film-makers I knew nearly nothing about. From John Cassavetes to Jan Ŝvankmajer, my MSc is proving to be as varied and challenging as I had hoped. The students I am studying with are interesting and great fun. This month has also consisted of some great socialising with them. Recently, I finally got round to hitting some of the tourist spots. This included climbing the Scott Monument, which proved to be breathtaking.

I don’t want to drift too far into a diary format and so I should turn my focus to the cinema experiences of Edinburgh. This month my cinema highlight has been seeing the new cut of The Wicker Man at the Filmhouse; it’s always nice to return to a film you adore this much. I was surprised at just how great this film was on the big screen. It reaffirmed my belief that everything is worth seeing in the cinema where possible, it’s an all-round greater experience than watching a television screen. For once my Halloween evening was not spent watching horror films. Spending it on my own allowed me to catch up on some other films I had rented from my University; including the astounding Downfall. Along with this masterpiece, my other film highlights of October have included A Woman Under the Influence, Captain Phillips and Conspirators of Pleasure. Sunshine on Leith was undoubtedly the low point. I also thoroughly enjoyed Woody Allen’s Alice. That’s right, despite my busy schedule, there is always time to sit down with a cup of tea and watch a new Woody Allen film. It is only four weeks until I head home for the Christmas break and as my studies grow more intense I am certain it will feel like no time at all until I am packing for my return back to Preston. This year is already flying past. I’m two months in already. I can hardly believe it.

 

Thanks for reading and let’s all keep supporting our beloved film industry.