‘Raw-dogging' a flight? I can't think of anything worse
Stupidly selecting a seat right near the noisy galley and a crew of flight attendants who chatted all night, my only compensation for lack of sleep was the movie marathon.
I'd missed most of the Oscar contenders this year, so it was a treat to lie back and immerse myself in the best of filmmaking, even if the screen and sound weren't optimum.
The silver lining for me on every flight, particularly on those airlines with a good selection of movies, including art-house and international productions, is the entertainment.
If there's anything to look forward to on a long flight (apart from the destination at the end of it) it's the chance to hunker down and tune in to films I've missed during the year.
It's not really the way directors want us to see their work, but if I like a movie, I rewatch it afterwards on a larger screen.
Often, I've loved a film on the plane, only to really dislike it when on the ground – there's evidence flying heightens your emotions, skewing normal judgment.
I judge the length of flights by how many movies (and some TV series) I can squeeze in. The trip to Johannesburg from Sydney looked like it might be a five or six-movie flight.
I'd also brought along a thick book to read, Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz, who wrote Foyle's War for TV. (If you're looking for a brilliant writer, he's highly recommended, and there are eight of his crime novels to enjoy.)

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Busey told TMZ in 2022: "None of that happened. "There were a partner, a camera lady, and me and two girls. It took less than 10 seconds, and then they left. Then, they made up this story that I assaulted them sexually - but I did not." It is not the first time that the Oscar-nominated actor has fallen foul of the law as he faced drug charges in 1995 following a near-fatal cocaine overdose. The star - who suffered permanent brain damage in a 1988 motorcycle accident - has previously been arrested on charges of spousal abuse and was also accused of sexual assault by a female employee when he took part in Celebrity Apprentice in 2011. Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988." Gary Busey has pleaded guilty to groping a woman at a New Jersey horror film convention. The 81-year-old actor admitted that he deliberately touched a woman inappropriately whilst posing with fans as he pleaded guilty to criminal sexual misconduct at a virtual court appearance on Thursday. The incident occurred at the Monster-Mania Con in August 2022 as Busey was accused of groping several women who filed reports with the police. The star was charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree, one count of attempting criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one disorderly count of harassment. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop the remaining charges against Busey who faces between one to five years of probation and fines. He has also agreed not to contact the victim. 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Busey's son Luke previously recalled how the motorcycle accident completely changed his father's personality after he underwent brain surgery to recover from his serious injuries. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "At 17, I had to teach him with my mom to talk, to eat, to feed himself. To walk again. To write. That was very difficult for me at that age. The post-accident version of him turned his personality up to 11. I feel like I lost my dad on December 4, 1988."


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Actor Gary Busey pleads guilty to groping woman
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