The thing with us Brits is that we kind of break down at the sight of a snowflake. We hate the sun because Britain’s supposed to be a rainy country. We hate the rain because it’s, y’know, rain. And we never know how to deal with snow because it’s not a traditionally British thing.

Every year around February-March, we might get a quick flutter of snow that barely rises to an inch off the ground. Within an hour, the snow has melted and we’re left with a horrible grey mush. Those of us who live/have lived in the valleys will know what it’s like to experience the white stuff for long enough to throw a snowball or two and make a few snow angels in the ground. But, even then, by the time the evening comes round, the gritters have been out and the majority of snow has gone.

Yesterday saw some majorly heavy snow for Wales. I live in a coastal town so that kind of weather is something that usually bypasses us which is why it wasn’t at all surprising that I woke up the street with a resounding “WHOA!” at 7.30am when I opened the front door.

The view outside my front door.

You couldn’t see where the pavements ended and the roads began. The town seemed to have shut down … It was like everyone had decided to just give up and not even attempt to enter the outside world.

For the first time in my life I walked through snow that engulfed my feet. And loved it. Why not make the most of it, I say? I had the urge to just drop everything and start making snowmen.

Unfortunately I had to get to work … which I was actually late for because I rely on public transport and we can always count on them to join in the hysteria and panic that snow brings.

Waiting an hour and 20 minutes at the train station for a ride to work.

View from the train station: The mountains in the background have never looked more beautiful.

Snowy views from the train.

~*~*~

Ending the post by changing the subject here: I watched The Wolfman for the first time the other day. It was good. Not absolutely fantastically wonderful but not completely terrible like quite a few people I know said it would be. I enjoyed it. I’d probably watch it again though I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to see it on the big screen.

The thing with werewolves is that they kind of scare the hell out of me. They’re the supernatural creature that terrifies me the most. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that, unlike a vampire who seduces you slowly and drains your life before you even realise what’s happened, once a werewolf has you in it’s sight, there is no escape. All humanity that creature ever held has disappeared and you are dead.

Benicio Del Toro as the Wolfman. Hubba hubba, that man looks wicked fine in late 19th century attire. And there’s something so dark and wild about his eyes that both terrifies and excites me at the same time. Somehow I found him more intimidating as Lawrence Talbot rather than the Wolfman himself. Maybe it’s because every time I clap eyes on him I can’t help but be reminded what a tall, sexy, beast of a man he is. If men from Puerto Rico look this good, honey, you better handcuff me to the desk because that one way ticket is mine.

In all serious though, Del Toro’s performance was as expected – intense, brooding, and just overall fabulous to watch. It’s not surprising that they call him the Puerto Rican Marlon Brando. He has such a way with how he presents himself on screen. He oozes talent.

Emily Blunt as Gwen Conliffe, Talbot’s love interest, was wonderful as always. I love Emily Blunt. Ever since I saw her in The Devil Wears Prada and The Jane Austen Book Club I’ve been a fan. The only problem I have with her is that she really ought to smile more onscreen. She always looks so sad. Granted, she is playing a character who’s beloved has recently died but, god, when she looks unhappy, she looks really unhappy.

Anthony Hopkins’ part was … Mmm. I don’t know. His accent was something I couldn’t really make out. Half the time it sounded just like his own, the other half he sounded Irish. I couldn’t figure it out. His lines were way too cheesy and his character, overall, was way too corny. Not well thought out at all.

The transformation scene: Um, okay, so I’m not a fan of CGI. I actually found the transformation scene from the original Wolfman starring Lon Chaney Jr. more entertaining. Eventually you kind of get used to the sight of it and run with it though.

I’m also glad they kept a classic moment from the original Wolfman film and had the creature creeping around the woods on his hind legs rather than just go full-out werewolf. This increased the creepy factor because it gave us more of a sense that this thing was a beast,  a monster. Not just some wild animal.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed it, as I said. It wasn’t the best film in the world but it certainly wasn’t the worst. It was good. Watch it. Give it a try.

Note: My apologies for the cruddy quality of this so-called ‘review’. I’m writing it while under the influence of a few glasses of Bailey’s. I realise I have work in the morning and then my cousin’s wedding straight after but, hey, it’s Black Friday and I’m celebrating it in my own way.

Speaking of Benicio, his next project’s one I’m going to be on the look out for. He’s set to direct one of the segments to a new movie called 7 Days in Havana, a film about contemporary Cuba which will be made up of a number of shorts all shot in Spanish.

So far it’s drawing a lot of comparison to the films Paris, Je T’aime and New York, I Love You.

This is the information released about the project, scheduled to start filming in early 2011:

The ambitious project, which involves six other directors, will be made up of a number of shorts with the characters appearing across each other’s stories.

Co-producer Didar Domehri said: “7 Days records tourists’ visions of Havana and portraits of its day-to-day life.”

Del Toro’s segment is concerned with a semi-fictionalised account of an American’s first 24 hours on holiday in Havana.