(no subject)

We watched The Prestige last night. It was quite enjoyable.

I was going to go through the plot here (behind a cut-tag, of course) to try and work out in detail what was bothering me about it, but on reflection there's no need. Like the tricks that are the subject of the film, it doesn't need to work: in fact, in some ways the point is that it doesn't actually work. It just has to seem to work while it's happening, and it does. It's only afterwards that you think "hang on..." and start looking for the trick. Better just to shout "bravo!" and be content to be fooled.

And the sf concept is beautifully executed (though, as is traditional in a story by one of the lit'ry sf crowd, it can't ever be seen to be of any possible use, which always irritates me) and made my hair stand on end.

Bravo.

Two hour power cut

...hit just as it was getting dark. Just our block, so we could see that it wasn't the Daleks invading or the last dribble of fossil fuel running down the drain. It was a good thing Jan wasn't halfway down the stairs though. We ate our Chinese takeaway by torch and candlelight and went up to bed to wait it out.

Back now, obviously. Praise be to the power people for fixing it quickly.