Our front-row seats for setting the world to rights

In the aftermath of the Oscars, I thought I would update you on the work of the cinema club. As my regular reader knows, this is made up of a group of women who can usually make it once a week for a morning skive to the cinema. We don’t just do films, though.

Our recent outings have seen us: ● Connecting one cinema lover with another on a professional basis. They are now working together regularly, much to their mutual benefit

● Going: “Was it just me or did anyone else not have a clue what that was about?”

● Listening and making helpful suggestions while a couple of members deal with their elderly parents and another copes with business worries

● Complaining among ourselves if there are other people in the cinema at that time of the morning

● Cracking up as we realise we have erroneously been given Silver Screen tickets (only one of our members actually qualifies)

● Listening and crying along with a member navigating her way bravely through turbulent times with a teenage daughter

● Sorting Brexit

● Discussing the sexual assault scandals embroiling Hollywood and sharing our own experiences of workplace harassment

● Eating pre- or post-films but never during

● Going: “Ooh, bit early in the day to have to be watching people up to those kind of shenanigans”

● Banging on about the good old days (OK, just me, after The Post)

● Deciding which of the films up for awards were actually worthy and which definitely weren’t

● Going: “Oh, that one from you know, that thing we saw with whatsisname” with increasing frequency

● Covering our eyes during violent scenes then asking what happened and finding we’d all been covering our eyes

● Sharing important knowledge on the most flattering make of jeans/where to get the best wine at the cheapest cost/what’s worth watching on TV

● Wondering why films seem to be getting longer and longer

We have also watched and discussed some films, of course. The best was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The worst was The Shape Of Water. You’re welcome.

We don’t just do films, though