A few weeks back I was lucky enough to attend a preview screening for the sequel to Kingsman to write a review for Scenestr magazine. I’ve been aware of Matthew Vaughan as a filmmaker with Layer Cake and Stardust neither of which entertained me as much as I hoped they would. God bless you Ms Miller for wearing that get up in one scene though.
Karen took me along to a free preview screening at the old Regent Cinemas though the first year we were dating. It was for the film Kick-Ass and suddenly Vaughan was a director I was really interested in following. Kingsman: The Secret Service had a similar energy and it has been interesting to see if Vaughan for the first time actually directing a sequel to one of his success stories would do.
Preview screenings can vary in expense. Uncharacteristically the line was backed up across the foyer and moving slowly towards a red carpet disappearing under a black curtain entrance. When we got through Karen and I found out why. At the end of the line was one bartender pouring champagne into a glass or a shot of whisky into a tumbler for every guest. Out of the kitchen came a young man serving sliders on a tray which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were like mini-cheeseburgers the way you imagine they should taste. Perfection. The line was so long he came out again with sliders of chicken and coleslaw. I turned to Karen and mentioned that if I could get another cheeseburger one I wouldn’t need dinner and I’d be a happy man. As we just got past the doors the waiter came out and went past us. Karen called out my name to alert me to the sliders that I was happy to let go. The waiter sensing this came back and I got my wish. Having a wife comes in handy. 🙂 When I got to the bar I was surprised to see they weren’t just pouring Johnny Walker Black but actually Johnny Walker Green Label which I’d never had before. It was an easy decision and I have to say it went down smooth.
As always with these things I feel very lucky to be able to attend at all let alone write about the film. I went home and started writing late into the evening to meet my deadline. It will come as no surprise to most of you that a film you truly love or hate are the easy ones to write about. The films that are a mixed bag are the tough ones and I’m not particularly proud of my review for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. You can read here http://scenestr.com.au/movies-and-tv/kingsman-the-golden-circle-review-20170921 and let me know what you think.
Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. With over twenty years of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They also publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. The magazine is focussed mostly on music gigs, festivals, stand-up comics, fashion and interviews with local and international bands. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts.
-Lloyd Marken
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