King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
I toyed with a few comments to share about King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and the main one that I kept coming back to was that it is a frustrating movie.
Frustrating as there is a great film in there trying to get out, but ultimately it just comes in as barely a good one.
There’s nothing wrong with the cast, the story is all there, and the effects are well executed, but for some reason it is exceptionally disjointed.
Scenes simply don’t appear to flow into each other.
They all work as stand alone pieces, but together it is as if gears are clumsily being changed with everyone wincing as they grind.
As the end credits roll it is apparent why the film hasn’t exactly done the business in the US as it is doubtful that there will be many who have sat through it that then went on to recommend it to others.
To focus on a few positives though, as said, there is nothing wrong with the performances put in by the cast.
Charlie Hunnam is a solid lead, and it was a nice touch to see him reunited with his Queer as Folk co-star Aidan Gillen with them both appearing to relish their scenes together.
Hunnam could be quite the leading man, but this is not the vehicle that will get him there.
And of course Jude Law doesn’t put a foot wrong as Vortigern, the power hungry evil uncle of Arthur, but who realistically expected him to as he could play this sort of character with his eyes closed and both hands tied behind his back?
Eric Bana plays a small part as Uther Pendragon, a bit more than a cameo, but not a lot more to be frank.
Similar to Jude Law no one would consider that he would call his part in, and he doesn’t.
The supporting cast all do a very fine job, but the lack of anything meaty for the women to get their teeth into is something that will no doubt be picked up on.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the cameo from David Beckham, but mentioning it is all that it is worth.
The dialogue at times is quite snappy and will raise a wry smile, but over all Guy Ritchie had better start thinking about his next move as Hollywood isn’t that forgiving.
He could do with a hit sooner rather than later, but then again maybe he went into King Arthur thinking that and this is what we got.
He did come back from Swept Away, and here’s hoping he can do it again, but the drawing board looks as if it has to be revisited because this one misses as many times as it hits.
The Howlin Wolf.
The Howlin Wolf, situated on Bath Street in Glasgow, has been my go to recommendation for anyone who asks about eating out options in the city for a number of months now.
With the name Howlin Wolf it will be no surprise to anyone that it's a blues bar, but putting the blues theme aside for a moment and focussing on the food, it’s a fact that anyone venturing in will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of what they have on their menu.
What is on offer may not immediately stand out when perusing the menu, as most meals listed are the usual suspects for bars, but it is the little twists and the quality that elevate what they are providing from the standard to the exceptional.
A good example is their fish and chips.
Nothing too exciting about that I hear you say, but the batter is perfection, the fish light, and I have no idea how they do it but Howlin Wolf have raised the making of mushy peas to an art form.
Who would have thought that creamy mushy peas could be a palette stunner?
And yet it is.
Similarly their range of burgers could be considered to be similar to what is on offer throughout the city, - especially as there is currently what appears to be a quirky burger bar on every corner - but quietly and confidently Howlin Wolf could give any of them a run for their money, and then leave them trailing.
If the point had to be summed up then it would be that the kitchen deals in providing additional little touches that separate them from their peers.
Everything is that little bit different from what is expected, but it is these unexpected addition that allows them to stand out from the competition.
Even better is that they aren’t looking to charge you separately for every little thing between the bun so what it says on the menu is what you pay and there are no additional charges awaiting when the bill comes.
Everyone loves that don’t they?
That sneaky little extra pound fifty for a slice of gherkin?
Well have no fear as that’s not what Howlin Wolf are all about.
Instead they are your friendly neighbourhood bar that plays cool music and incidentally also punches way above its weight when it comes to the food they are dishing up.
A definite must visit in our opinion, and they staff are pretty cool too.
Seek it out. You will not be disappointed.
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