I’m not a night owl. I can’t even remember the last time I stayed out after midnight, but last night I didn’t get home until one in the morning. Why? I’ll tell you!

(Night owl - A “night owl” is a person who likes to stay up late at night. The opposite is an “early bird” - someone who is active early in the morning.)

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to get a free ticket to a film festival event in downtown Toronto. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that they were showing a Hans Zimmer concert film called Hans Zimmer and Friends: Diamond in the Desert and I was quite interested in seeing it!

If you haven’t heard of Hans Zimmer, he’s a very famous composer who is best known for his movie soundtracks. If you’ve ever watched blockbuster movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Dune, Gladiator, Inception, Interstellar, The Lion King and many more, then you’ve certainly heard his music! 

(Blockbuster movies - A “blockbuster (movie)” is one which is “a large-budget, commercially successful film, often with a high profile cast and extensive marketing, intended to appeal to a wide audience.” The word “blockbuster” can be used with or without the word “movie/film” after it.)

Earlier this year, I saw the Toronto Symphony Orchestra perform Zimmer’s soundtracks, and it’s fair to say that I’m a big fan of his work! So, off I went last night to the film festival to watch Hans Zimmer again. 

(It’s fair to say - This phrase introduces a statement that is considered reasonable and unlikely to cause any disagreement. It’s like saying “Based on the evidence, this is a reasonable conclusion.” You can place a “that” noun clause after it, as in “It’s fair to say that Hans Zimmer is one of the best movie soundtrack composers of all time.”)

The screening was supposed to take place outside, in the historic Distillery District, but it had rained in the evening and the outdoor area was soaking wet, so the event was moved to a nearby theatre. I arrived at 8:45 p.m., and the show was set to begin at 9:15, but I was in for a surprise! My ticket gave me access to free samples from several vendors (such as Ferrero Rocher chocolates, Birra Moretti beer, Lavazza coffee, and a few other Italian brands that were being promoted), so by the time I had collected all of the samples and hurried over to the theatre, the show was already beginning! 

(Soaking wet - The word “soaking” means “very or thoroughly wet.” Although it may seem redundant, it is often used together with the word “wet.” A similar word is “drenched.”)

Unfortunately, alcohol was not permitted in the theatre, so I had to stand outside and finish my beer sample (along with several other people), but it turned out that there were many advertisements and acknowledgements before the film, so I didn’t miss anything important.

(Acknowledgements - An “acknowledgement” can refer to an expression of appreciation or gratitude for something. Before the movie, the event’s hosts acknowledged their sponsors by thanking them for making the event possible.)

As for the movie itself - WOW! It was super cool! I’ve never seen such an amazing concert, and I only wish that I had been able to see the live performance. Even though the film ran until well after midnight (way past my usual bedtime!), I stayed to watch it because it was so good! 

(To run - When talking about the duration of a movie, we can say that it “runs” (meaning “lasts” or “cotinues”) for a certain amount of time. This is called the “runtime.” The movie I watched has a “runtime” of 158 minutes, meaning that it “runs” for 2 hours and 38 minutes. If something goes past its expected runtime, it “runs late.”)

After watching the movie, I had enough energy to walk home (about 40 minutes) and I wanted to enjoy the rainy evening and see Toronto at night. It was surprisingly peaceful and quiet aside from the sound of the street cleaners who work at night. I didn’t get home until around one in the morning, and then I had to wake up at 6:30 a.m., but I think it was worth it. Once in a while, it’s nice to stay out late and feel alive!