Think Happy Thoughts

Today's weather was a bit mild, with a chance of showers.

Breakfast: Vita brits, museli and a banana.

Work was a bit dull.

Lunch: roast pork and tomato sandwich that while nice, left a bad taste in my mouth. Was it the cold meat? Probably.

Movies: Just been to see "Babel" and I'm a little wrecked. It's a great film, no doubt. And it will probably win the Best Picture at next month's Oscars. Its an unbelievably overwhelming film. It's sad, it's depressing and in the end, just a little hopeful.

And, man, it drags you on an emotional roller-coaster - but it never manipulates you, it never tells you how you should feel about these characters - it simply tells their stories. There is so much raw energy to the film - the scene where Richard (Brad Pitt) and Susan (Cate Blanchett) embrace as she pees is remarkable.

All of the cast are spot on - I don't think I've ever been more impressed by Brad Pitt. Both Adriana Barraza (Amelia) and Rinko Kikuchi (Chieko) deserve their Oscar nominations.

The music is wonderfully evocative and well chosen and underlines a number of dialogue-free scenes. The nightclub scene with Chieko is a particular highlight as we cut back and forth between her deaf-mute POV and the "outside world".

The director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu creates a number of haunting moments during the course of the film. In addition, to the aforementioned nightclub scene, the moment of the two boys pretending to fly in the wind is particularly moving, considering the tragic events that are yet to unfold in this time shifting saga. And the final shot of the father embracing his naked daughter as the camera pulls back from their apartment balcony into the city is less about the CG gee-whiz aspect and more about the reconciled emotions of the characters.

It is wonderful to see that three of my favorite films of the past year all come from Mexican filmmakers - Babel, Children Of Men and Pan's Labyrinth. All are technically accomplished, all are independent productions and all have a deep appreciation for the foibles of man.

Dinner: Subway Chicken Fillet.