Auto Italia at Brooklands Museum

After seeing an advert for this event and needing something to do on the May Day Bank Holiday Saturday we booked tickets and hit the M25 towards the Museum at the historic Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit.

We saw several Italian supercars on the motorway and then we joined a long queue of them going into the circuit.

I do think that Brooklands Museum didnt realise how popular this event would be and the traffic jams were quite long at times heading into the facility. This does seem to be a problem of sorts when advertising on Facebook, other events we have visited have suffered the same problems.

Once into the museum, which was easy once we got past the entrance for exhibitors, we were parked in the car parks used by the local offices and from there had a short walk to the museum entrance.

The museum used as much of the free space as possible to display cars and we had the treat of lines of cars ranged along the historic banking. Cars were posed under the planes including the Concorde as well as in front of the garages and museum buildings.

There was everything from Fiat 500's through to Ferrari's and Lambourghini's. Motorbikes were also represented and the museum also displayed a few of their own vehicles. The museum buildings were also open for visitors and there were plenty of food stalls open to keep us happy.

There were demonstrations by many cars on the Mercedes World track plus the Silver Arrows put on their usual display on the skid pan something they are very good.

Here are a few pictures from the day.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2

One of the most highly anticipated films of 2017 these are my thoughts on it.

The first Guardians film was a massive hit and deservedly so, a wonderful mix of great plot, good actors and eye popping special effects. It told the story of Peter Quill and how he came to meet the other Guardians and form their family.

Part 2 answers one question left by the first film, who is Peters Dad? I wont spoil it by telling you, go see the film to find out.

The film was very good, highly entertaining, wonderfully acted and adds to the Guardians family as well as creating another baddie and posing yet more questions.

There are a few suprises including one familiar face briefly on screen plus perhaps a big build up to the next Avengers film that we know the Guardians will be part of.

So I would say go and see the film, after all any film that starts with an ELO tune cannot be bad, oh and stay put until the end of the credits as there are 5, yes 5 credit scenes.

Supercars at Berkley Square

The plan for today was to get some kitchen cupboards off the wall so the wife could start decorating the kitchen then I was going to lay some track in the garden and do some more tidying up. Then the daughter suggested we go into London with her to see the supercar meet at Berkley Square, This is what we did and with the absolutely gorgeous weather is was a good decision.

 Afterwards we had a walk down to the Mall before catching the train home.

All in all a good day out. Now watching the highlights of the Grand Prix.

Ghost in the Shell

Lots of people have been waiting for this film although the enthusiasm waned somewhat when it was announced that Scarlet Johansson would play Major and not a Japanese actress.
Has this affected the quality of the film? Well, no it hasnt. Its a great Sci-Fi thriller with loads of good action, a Blade-Runner esque backdrop and more than a nod to films such as Deus Ex Machina and The Fifth Element.

The plot is that Major (Johansson) is saved from death by putting her brain into a robotic body after which she joins an anti-terrorist squad where her unique abilities are used to protect people. As the story goes on she finds that she has been lied to about her past and she fights to find the truth aided by her team especially Batou played by Pilou Asbaek.

Its a feast for the eyes and supprisingly short compared with many of the other films of this type around at the moment but it tells the tale well and completely and does leave the door wide open for a second film.

It's a film that really needs to be seen in the cinema, so what are you waiting for?

Beauty and the Beast

So this, the second musical I have seen this year, turned out to be a quite good film. The story is one we all know so the film maker's have not tried to hide the beast and his castle's inhabitants too much. This really is a live action version of the old Disney animated film and does not suffer for that at all.

The musical numbers are very good and the dancing reminds me of such films as Oliver which is in no way a bad thing.

The Beasts make up is really good and he is suitably scary as much as Belle is beautiful.

Dan Stevens is a great Beast and provides a completely believable character,

Luke Evans and Josh Gad as Gaston and LeFou are a great double act with Josh gaining the upper hand as far as entertainment is concerned. If I have one criticism of the characters its that Gaston really needs to chew the scenery and he really doesnt.

Finally there is Emma Watson who plays the educated heroine wonderfully. She is a real English rose and beautiful in the role of the Princess that the castles inhabitants believe she is.

The animation of the castles inhabitants, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs Pots and Chips to name the main ones, is superb and you actually believe they are real.

A great film that will no doubt lead to loads of young lady's wanting huge yellow ball gowns for their parties.

Go see it you will not be disappointed.