I Don't Want To Sleep Alone

Raine and I went to see "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone" (Hei yan quan) at The Dukes last night. It's getting a blogspot headline because it's well worth seeing. It's a very surreal, and clever, Malaysian film, by the director Ming-liang Tsai. We'd never seen anything of his before, but I think we're going to try and get hold of some of his back catalogue. As a guide, if you like the films of the more popular Ki-duk Kim you may well like this. There is very little dialogue, it's an exercise in people watching, though the story is complex - it's kind of Ki-duk Kim if he did magical realism.

We went for an after film drink and chat in the converted Church around the corner from the cinema. It's one of our favourite watering holes. I tried new Guinness (yes, new Guinness, by the makers of Guinness): Red Guinness. Who'd have thought Guinness would ever come up with a new drink! It's very interesting - straight away I said it tasted like caramel, not overwhelmingly so, but just enough of a hint. Guinness describe it as smoother and sweeter, with a hint of caramel. For all you beer drinkers out there it's worth a go...in fact, even if you're not a beer drinker try a half pint - Raine liked it, and she hates beer. There are lots of gimicky ales about, with added synthetic flavours; Guinness has done well here because they've simply modified the original recipe by adding lightly roasted barley, which means a new flavour, but the retention of an organic taste.