Scene on Screen - my favourite films

I miss the days when Saturday afternoon meant being in front of the telly with my mum watching a good musical on BBC2.

And my top three?

Singin' in the Rain

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Calamity Jane

Was it just me or did others wonder whether the characters actually danced down the street singing and that's perfectly acceptable in 'musical land'?  Or was it supposed to be like opera in that the words were being sung?

Oh, Just me then!

PS  Can't miss out the Sound of Music, especially for my niece who forces me to sing it every time we get in the car.  So sweet to hear an eight-year-old trying to get her tongue round 'A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

What are your favourites?

Scene on Screen - the Notebook

My daughters have been trying to get me to watch this film for ages, but after being told by my friend that her husband 'cried like a baby!', I thought I should give in and give it a go.

I know that probably everyone has seen this by now, but for those few who haven't .... don't delay, rent it today.

You won't regret it .... and yes, I blubbed and blubbed!

www.foxandhounds-eastknoyle.co.uk

Scene on Screen - My favourite cinema, Plaza Dorchester

 Where can you enjoy the latest film for £2.50 in the CINEMA whilst sipping a glass of wine!?   At the Plaza Dorchester.

I do hope that the arrival of the Odeon complex in this lovely market town doesn't spell the end of this great independent movie house.

For less than the price of DVD rental, you can see the latest releases in the comfort of the theatre.  Great chairs, with loads of leg room and the option to enjoy a glass of wine or cup of coffee whilst you view.

And not only that, they show live opera, theatre and ballet too.  The Bolshoi, Shakespeare from the Globe or something from Glyndebourne.  Maybe we're not so provincial after all.

If you have a great independent cinema, please support it and let us know about it too.

Boutique and Unique - shops and the arts - Quay Arts, Isle of Wight

We've been lucky enough to supply the Quay Arts Craft Shop with some of our hats and having just sent off another order, I thought I'd check out the centre as it is so much more than just the shop.

This converted 19th-century brewery warehouse complex overlooks the river Medina.  A light, generous space with three galleries, theatre, shop and cafe/bar, as well as artists' workshops and studios, it's a great place to get the measure of the island's and other regional craft makers, whose work is available to buy in the shop.  Items include ceramics, glass, textiles, metalwork, wood, jewellery and of course knitted hats!

Their theatre is named after Anthony Minghella, the Island-born Oscar-winning director and offers theatre, comedy, music, dance, kids and literature with a cinema that shows the best in world and classic film.

I must book a weekend away and pop over to check it out for myself.

Scene on Screen - Mental starring Toni Collette

If you like something a bit different and you enjoyed Muriel's Wedding, you'll love the latest offering from director PJ Hogan.

He's teamed up again with Toni Collette for the film Mental which also features some other great actors including Anthony LaPaglia, Liev Schreiber, Caroline Goodall, Rebecca Gibney and Kerry Fox who all turn in stellar performances.

It's what you'd expect from Hogan (he's not the Crocodile Dundee Hogan by the way!) - visual humour and laugh out loud moments, but with a strong story line that has a great moral tying it all together. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll possibly cringe a couple of times but it's a great film and we don't think you'll feel a couple of hours have been wasted if you sit down to watch it.

We try to feature indie films, so apologies if anything we include has been a massive hit that we missed.

Scene on Screen - check out your local library

I know that libraries are not a secret, but perhaps not so well known is the fantastic service available in most libraries for renting the latest DVDs for what, as far as I know, is the cheapest rental around.  And the service, at least in my county, beats the likes of any online rental service I've encountered hands down.

As well as being able to browse what's on offer at your local branch, you can go online and reserve them.  If they don't have it in my branch, I can request it from another Dorset branch and they will send it across to mine where I can pick it up within 7 days. And I can return it to my local branch too.  No travel, no hassle.

And so, with a little forward planning, I've often got my weekend's viewing sorted and ready to collect on Saturday.  I don't know how much yours charge, but mine are 50p a day.  

And my most adventurous rental?  The Killing Series 1.  20 hour long episodes over one weekend.  Nearly killed me.  But well worth it.