The Pub and the Movie

After my great yoga class I make it in good time to the Aussie Pub on West Pender for the Anzac Day footy match between Essendon and Collingwood. I actually arrive early and the buzz is not yet there, but that's fine as I've decided just to eat and then take in the movie, after all, I couldn't keep pace with a table of youngsters drinking beer.

The Anzac Menu at Moose's

Aussie Rory in specs, German Richard with cap, and Irish Dugal, in hoodie, discussing the merits of Aussie Rules

The Pub/Restaurant is below ground, 'Down Under', geddit?I eat an 'Aussie' Caesar Salad, wanting to be safe, and it is, but boring as well. It's obviously not there for its cuisine, this Aussie establishment.

The table is soon filled with a German and Irish friend of young Rory, who is the waiter who told me about the pub. They are very nice boys, and Rory is very keen and proud to educate them about Anzac Day and its significance which is very patriotic of him. As the footy game is not starting till nine o'clock I'm afraid as  much as I would  have enjoyed it, my stamina is not up to it. I take my leave with Rory keen that I return after the movie to catch the second half. I'll have to disappoint him unfortunately.

Well the movie, 'Spider' at the Cinematheque! I knew it would be dark, but not as black as it was. Redeemed by Miranda Richardson's triple excellent performance (she plays three roles) and superb young Bradley Moore as the young Spider, with Ralph Fiennes as the older mentally disturbed Spider, the movie is full of allegories and is quite depressing sometimes. From a Gothic English novel, Cronenberg  translates it to film well, but it's often unclear as to what he is aiming for. It's an interesting example of Cronenberg's adventurous work, but it's often hard work.