Sara Mason has seen it all. Done it all. Been to school, with Carrie Fisher! Seen the most exotic, deadly, and dark of places and bounced back, readied, for more. Her one woman shows are hilarious and bittersweet recollections of true stories, compiled, over a lifetime of varied adventure. She lives in France but visits London on occasion and writes and rehearses from a lovely place in Montpellier.
Sara kindly sat down with me and brainstormed some recent movie choices/recommendations.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK: ‘I admire what Cruise did with this film. He ages, in character, but stays vital. Full of life and curiosity. The action is great; and I saw it in proper 4D/4K/whatever they call it. Optimal viewing experience. A real pleasure.’
BLACK PANTHER: ‘I am not usually a comic book movie type. But this one was fabulous. Really epic and sumptuous and moving stuff. Unlike its sequel, which is just horrid, because they failed to just pause and recalibrate or even recast the lead after his sad death. I can see why they played it the way they did but ironically that just made it more distasteful, less respectful and too meta’.
NO TIME TO DIE: ‘I like James Bond. Timothy Dalton had a birthday recently. Lovely man. Handsome. RADA graduate, too. Just like me! So, yes, I watched Daniel Craig’s last one. Loved the bits in Italy. Did not quite care for the ending, though. And I don’t think I am alone in that? No doubt the next 007 is a woman?’
JEAN DE FLORETTE/MANON DES SOURCES: ‘This is cheating a bit. But it has to be seen as a double bill saga. Like THE GODFATHER 1 and 2? Saga. Epic. Beautiful to look at. Emmanuelle Beart is wonderful. Such a shame she had needless work done to herself of late, imho. She’s a natural beauty and did not require augmentation in older age’.
THANKS, SARA! A new ally. A real find. x
