366 Notes to 2013: 1st February 2012

page 32 of 366

the second month of the year. month of purification, but to most, month of love. the highlight of this month would be Valentine's Day. many would be waiting to celebrate it. the first day of this month was OK. no work for me. didn't go to work. i made it a chance to stay at home and rest.

just watched the film Howards End starring Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, and Helena Bonham-Carter. it was a nice, feel-good film. Merchant-Ivory films like this with Hopkins and Thompson were always lovely.

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson

 i read the book by E.M. Forster, which is a great book tackling an interesting subject. the film has many excellent performances from the two characters (as always) and the characters of Bonham-Carter, Vanessa Redgrave, Samuel West, and so on. it also has lovely setting, costume, and cinematography. but the subject it conveyed was more important and reflected what is familiar to many: the poor, the rich, privileges, inequality. There's much talk, the film's a bit slow paced. But those were what made this film a delight to watch. Perfect for an anglophile like me.

the cinephiliac moment for me was Henry's (Hopkins) awkward marriage proposal to Margaret (Thompson).