childhood innocence vs adult dysfunction

The film title "What Maisie knew" is truly accurate - we see the world from the perspective of 7 year old Maisie. The impressive New York apartment is punctuated by parental arguments, as we realise her aging rock star mother Susanna (played by Julianne Moore) has little in common with her art dealing dad Beale (played by Steve Coogan). They are both obsessed by their own careers, and while they proclaim love, buy presents and hug Maisie lots, they are incapable of the regular routines associated with parenthood.

So the scene is set, after the divorce, for her father to marry her nanny, the lovely Scottish Margo; and her mother to marry the young suave bartender, Lincoln. Of course, they both have time for Maisie and while she learns to love them, she sees a repitition of adult dysfunction in both marriages! More arguments, self-obsession and lots of waiting for absent parents to pick her up. The acting is superb, great music and screen shots and while the ultimate message is somewhat predictable, it really is a warm and insightful film... should be obligatory before any discussions of divorce!

magic and mystery of Chagall

I have always been totally entranced by Chagall; every picture tells a story...and that is why we drove 180 miles to the Tate at Liverpool and back to see this exhibition of his early work in Paris. He is a totally talented romantic who loves colour, shapes and form. He captures his love for Bella in lapis lazuli blue and then sends her flying in a purple orbit in another painting. He experimented with cubism, constructivism, surrealism and ended up just painting what he wanted and what was important to him. His paintings are alive with colour, emotion, memories and meaning. What more is there to enjoy and appreciate...

loved The Pitmen Painters

I had heard about the great reviews in London, and that was enough to convince me to check out the group at the Playhouse in Oxford. It was based on a book and true story about the Ashington group of painters in 1934. They were a group of miners who decided they wanted to learn about art. All dressed up and ready to learn from the best, but they did not realise how they had no real base 'knowledge' of art to learn from, so it seems they really had to paint to learn about what was art. A great turning of tables. There were plenty of north vs south sentiments and there were times, when the accents were so broad, that I really had to concentrate hard. The class stuff was also there, with the expectation that only the upper class can really fully appreciate art. So sad that the talented working class artist could not take the opportunity offered to him by a rich patron, as he feared he would lose his connection to his mates and meaning, and perhaps also the source of his creativity....But in the end it was a great discovery of the role of art in our society, more than just an academic endeavour, perhaps even more like a way to experience life...o so wonderful and true at its core!

enjoyed escaping reality with Frances Ha

two fun girls, great friends, but perhaps Frances was dreaming about something more than she could achieve...what's wrong with that, you ask? it takes a little while to find out! Meanwhile Sophie had got on with life,but does it really matter in the end...so long as you have fun along the way...and the New York girls yearn for Europe, or is it just somewhere different from where they are?