Moving swiftly on.

I haven't got TV in my flat yet and I actually don't miss it that much - lets face it, it is mostly crap reality shows or repeats these days. The cable man is coming on Monday - I tried to resist but the salesman was very persuasive. The 500 (or whatever) channel monstrosity does come free for the 1st 3 months with broadband internet and I do miss News Night. You can't beat Paxman ripping apart some poor hapless politician, especially American republican ones who are used to a far more placid and respectful news media - it is just the look of absolute shock and horror on their faces as he viciously starts laying in to them that gets me. It was actually a new one for me - "Free TV with your internet" - sign of the times I suppose. How could I say no?

Anyway because of the lack of TV I have been watching a lot more films than I would normally which is great. I was going to try keeping the reviews on the blog down to a minimum because everyone does that. But I have just watched the most astonishing film so I had to say something.

It was the "The Man Who Wasn't There" by the Coen brothers. First of all it is beautiful - shot with a soft elegant style that cleverly brings out the contrasts in everyday objects and the features of the characters, clearly taking influence from classics like The Third Man and Dr Strange Love. It has an intricate and cleverly twisted plot that is slowly drawn out with the subtle, underplayed, dark humour that the Coen brothers do so well. There are intelligent, indulgent and funny themes that run perfectly though it - popping up at expected places. Billy Bob Thornton brilliantly plays the quiet, moody, thoughtful barber and the Coen favourite Frances McDormand puts in a usual masterful performance. It's a fucking work of art man.

What is it about? Everything/nothing. Broken lives. How life can seem like an incomprehensible set of events that seem impossible to connect together or control.

The lawyer character puts it best. "Sometimes the closer you look at something the less you understand." Says it all really.

If anything it is a bit too good - a little over whelming, slightly frustrating because there is just too much to get in your head at the same time. I had to lie down for bit afterwards to recover then walked around flat in a bit of daze - my brain slightly over stimulated- too many thoughts about it. A nice cup of tea sorted me though.

Go on watch it. It is brilliant . It will give you headache but it will be worth it.