Watching - September 2026

Deadpool 2 (2018)

More violent fun. Although the meta-ness is always funny (the asides to camera, etc) I found myself wishing there was a little less of it, as it does actually detract from the immersive-ness to an extent. But maybe that's the point - although I think it's a bit more of a way to take the piss out of itself before anyone else does. Also, incredibly, there was a PG rated version of this - I mean, how? - which, brilliantly, starred an adult Fred Savage reprising his role in The Princess Bride. I don't think the full thing is available to watch anywhere but you can see Fred's scenes here - well worth it!

The Princess Bride (1987)

Well, I had to watch this now! Slap bang in the middle of one of the greatest directorial streaks in history (Rob Reiner's first seven films - just amazing), a wonderful film full of memorable moments.

Onward (2020)

Not usually cited as a Pixar classic but a solid entry in the canon, no question. I hadn't seen it since we originally watched it and I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and mundanity. The moral at the end was a little less "smack you round the head" than usual, too (obviously that's a relative statement, it's still a Pixar film).

Toy Story (1995)

I hadn't seen this in ages! The animation definitely shows its age but the story is great, the voices are brilliant and the whole thing just very well put together. Good fun to watch again.

Airplane (1980)

There's a great oral history of Airplane that suggests that one of the reasons it stands up so well is that it's a funny script but played straight, by actors rather than comedians (or certainly not actors known for comedy). There are a couple of gags that are very much of their time (the jive talking would almost certainly not make the cut these days), but the scenes that age least well are those with Stephen Stucker, a comedian who was allowed to improvise his lines - they seem to be from a different film.

Le Mans '66 (2019)

I've watched this several times now and it's still a great story, told well. And the racing scenes are brilliantly filmed.

Toy Story 2 (1999)

I remember watching this in the old Odeon in Edinburgh (now sadly no more) with my brother-in-law. It really grabbed us - two grown (albeit still quite young) men - and it still does, getting on for thirty years later (ugh, really??). The section where Jessie explains her backstory via Sarah McLachlan's beautiful "When She Loved Me" is genuinely one of the most moving few minutes of any film, animated or not.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Another superb sequel, full of laugh-out-loud comedy as well as touching moments, and a brilliant new character in Ken. Those Pixar people definitely knew how to make a film!

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Only the second time I've seen this but it's a worthy part of the Toy Story series and an enjoyable story, even if there are elements now that feel a little over-familiar. You can't fault the animation though, which is incredible.

9 to 5 (1980)

The surface trappings of a wacky screwball comedy are all in place, and some of the sillier flights of fancy could convince you that this is just a lightweight period piece from the early 80s. But it's obviously making serious points about women's rights in a deliberately light way, and those points are still valid (and needed) today, sadly. That doesn't stop the film being good fun to watch though.

Still Working 9 to 5 (2022)

I found this documentary online straight after watching the previous film. It's a part "making of" and part setting the film in its social context. I was surprised to learn that 9 to 5 was very specifically created out of the women's movement and groups that Jane Fonda was a part of, rather than just being a reaction to it. It was also interesting to learn that the three main roles were cast before a script was even written - unusual then and now. But the main point of the documentary was to highlight what a lightning rod for discussion the film was, and can still be, through its main incarnations - and how disappointing it is to find that the discussion is still needed.

Great Expectations (1998)

There are some good scenes and memorable cinematography in this, and Gwyneth Paltrow is perhaps perfectly cast as Estella. But overall this is a fudged retelling of the Dickens classic, with the ending in particular feeling a bit sudden, like someone couldn't be bothered (although in fairness, my vague memory of the novel is that it ends a bit like this too.)

Sneakers (1992)

We had this years - decades! - ago on VHS and I'm pleased to discover that it's just as entertaining as I remember. Not sure why Ben Kingsley was needed doing an American accent, but other than that, everyone is very good. What's really striking now though is how, even though this is pre-internet, it anticipates some of the concerns of the next few decades.

L.A. Story (1991)

Uneven but charming.

Reading - September 2026

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre (2009)

Should be required reading for everyone. If you haven't read it before, do it now.

Airplane! by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker (original shooting script, 1979)

Nothing unfamiliar here, which given that it's the shooting script, shouldn't surprise. What fascinates me again though is the difference between seeing it on the page and getting it onto screen.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off by John Hughes (original shooting script, 1985)

On the other hand, this script is quite a bit different from what ends on screen. An interesting insight into how something was originally conceived.

Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1934)

I think this might be the first full-length Jeeves & Wooster novel I've read, and the pacing feels odd compared to the collections of short stories. The language is absolutely wonderful though, a completely original creation from Wodehouse that nevertheless feels totally natural.

I Think You'll Find It's a Bit More Complicated Than That by Ben Goldacre 2014)

As a collection of pieces from various places (mostly The Guardian) between about 2003 and 2011, all containing the same entertaining take-downs and debunking familiar from the Bad Science book. Some are very short - too short, really - which leaves me wanting more. Great for dipping into every now and then, less so for a sit-down read.

Watching - August 2026

Rush (2013)

I think I first heard that this film was being made two years before it was released, and at the time I didn't know who Chris Hemsworth was (not having got on board with the MCU thing at that point). I don't remember seeing the F1 races in the mid-70s but it can't have been much later that I was reading everything I could about them, and this was the era I knew about. So the prospect of the film was very tantalising, and I was not disappointed, neither am I still. This is a great film, with layers and enough detail to bear rewatching. Last time I watched this I said that Niki Lauda was the real legend (and he is) but I'll go further this time and observe that this is actually Lauda's film, something reinforced when I watched the extras and the screenwriter, Peter Morgan, said that Lauda was an acquaintance.

Memento (2000)

This is where the Christopher Nolan reputation really started, I think. I'm not a Nolan fan but it's hard not to respect the fact that he makes intelligent films and is successful at it, in a market where that largely seems to have been forgone. I think his films tend to flatter the audience - you think, "oh, I get it, blimey, I'm clever, aren't I?" - but that doesn't mean that they aren't good. I remember seeing this for the first time, with no fore-knowledge, and finding it intriguing. This time round, it's still great seeing how the pieces all mesh into each other. I then watched the DVD extra of all the scenes in chronological order, and it's a pretty decent film that way round too.

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The title makes no sense, the plot is somewhat sketchy in places, yeah it's transparently Point Break with cars - but it's hard to deny the fun factor.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Comfort viewing!

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Family choice for pizza night - which everyone else had seen before, apart from me, and was enthusiastically recommending. Having watched it, I'm not sure why. The plot follows a very predictable path and the whole thing is set in an environment that I don't find remotely interesting or worth caring about. Some might argue that the film is ridiculing the fashion world (and Vogue and Anna Wintour in particular), but, obviously, it's intentionally glamourising it - the toxic boss, the abused assistant, and the obsession with surface sheen (the film made Wintour an icon when it should have made her an outcast, if this is how she really behaves). And equally obviously, that's what people love - the sequel isn't set in a newsroom, is it? I'm not sure why this offends me more than, say, the glamourisation of illegal street racing in The Fast and The Furious. I think it's probably because while F&F is clearly - to most intelligent adults - just fantasy, this is supposed to be aspirational.

The Odyssey (2026)

I've described editorial immunity syndrome before (although I've just invented the name!): it's when an artist is sufficiently successful that they can't be told to abridge their works, and it rarely results in better art. Christopher Nolan is now clearly suffering from this, unfortunately. The Odyssey is an over-blown, over-sold, over-long, over-loud mess. I can't speak about the film's fidelity to the original story and themes (although Emily Wilson, the author of a recently translation that Nolan claims to have been inspired by, is entertainingly scathing). What I can say is that, once you get past the impressive staging and cinematography, what's left is a few set pieces but nothing to really engage the emotions. If Nolan was less interested in deafening us and showing off his directorial skills in fight and storm scenes, perhaps we'd get a more interesting film.

Deadpool (2016)

Wince-inducingly graphic at times (although actually not as much as an episode of House I watched recently) but never less than very funny. The fourth-wall-breaking could be a little less prevalent and the jumping around the timeline obscures a fairly simple plot, but it's still hugely entertaining.

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

The first film was not exactly high art, but this makes no sense at all. Terrible.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Unlike the second F&F installment, which comes across as having been written by 14 year olds, this does at least seem to have been produced by adults - albeit for 14 year olds. There are details that are fudged, but in general it's a much better film. And finally we get Vin Diesel back!

Reading - August 2026

Rush (screenplay) by Peter Morgan (2011)

Once again, reading an earlier version of a script makes for an interesting exercise in spotting the differences and speculating on why they occur. And also, I'm so impressed that someone can read this and then come up with the film.

The Life She Could Have Lived by Laura Pearson (2025)

"One Day meets Sliding Doors" says the blurb, and it's so obviously how it's structured that I wonder if that's how it was commissioned. But where both inspirations have a clear narrative arc, this splits into two and from there, they might as well be separate, slightly dull novels. I suppose the contrast is supposed to the feature here (and every now and then the main character ponders to herself what might have been if she'd made the other choice, just to emphasise this for readers slow on the uptake), but neither story line really goes anywhere interesting. What the book as a whole really lacks is some kind of resolution. The stories don't come back together in any way and the contrast between them doesn't really make a point that I can work out. And then the novel just stops. I was, unfortunately, left with a strong sense of "is that it?", because I'd only really kept reading to find out what it was all leading to.

Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder (2005)

An amusingly enthusiastic and enthusiastically amusing take on the "rules" of screenwriting. The irony here has to be that, even though Snyder had some success in selling scripts, the only films made from them were complete duds. One person said of Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot that "a flatworm could write a better script". The person? Sylvester Stallone - the film's star. Ouch. So why has the book been so successful, having spawned several sequels (ironic for a book subtitled "The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need" ...)? Probably because it boils what is obviously an art down to a formula, thus saving you the trouble of thinking. Still, as a watcher of films rather than a student or wannabe writer, I found it interesting, and it's a nice short read. But do yourself a favour and read William Goldman's classic (and much better) Adventures in the Screen Trade first, if you haven't already, and remember what he said: "Nobody knows anything".

Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman (1983)

Well, I followed my own advice and revisited this classic. I've read it several times and recommended it many, many more - in fact, I'm on my third copy, as previously lent editions didn't come back (grrr). Yes, it's now over forty years old, and it's possible many of Goldman's observations don't hold any more - but I suspect they do. He was already bemoaning the onset of "pre-sold IP" (the whole MCU, anyone?), and his description of how stars have to be "protected" at all costs rings true. It's all wrapped up in such hugely entertaining prose that you don't even realise how much you're learning. Everyone with even a passing interest in film should read this (this means you, Piers!)

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k by Mark Manson (2016)

I very much enjoyed this: a self-help book that is blunt, truthful and doesn't sugar coat things in empty platitudes. Manson manages to convey some thought-provoking concepts in simple (and profanity-strewn) language. What particularly resonated was the idea that we should focus our values on things we can control, not things we can't, and that we are not responsible for other people's actions - but we are responsible for our responses, both in terms of what we do and in terms of how we feel about it. I also like the chapter titled "You Are Not Special" - this is something I often say to myself and to others. It's not a criticism, but a reflection of reality; "specialness" is a  misguided belief behind a lot of ugly entitled behaviour. I think I'd need to read the book again to properly think through the concepts, none of which are overly complex, but do need proper consideration.

A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown (2024)

Another scrapbook biography from the author of One Two Three Four, and suffering from exactly the same problems. Judging by the quotes on the back cover, writers find the approach an exciting novelty. Sadly, as a reading experience the novelty is lost and it's just hard going, because there's no sense of continuity, just 112 disparate sketches. In fairness, it's better suited to Queen Elizabeth than The Beatles, since she was always a cypher, and I certainly learned some interesting bits and pieces. But it's too long and too disjointed.

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (1971)

Superb storytelling.

Watching - July 2026

Project Hail Mary (2026)

Somehow what Andy Weir makes vaguely plausible in the novel seems ridiculously unlikely on screen. And the sentimentality at times just made me roll my eyes. But it was an entertaining, if somewhat predictable, watch.

Eternity (2025)

A mildly touching but slightly unfocussed romcom about a woman who has to choose which of her two husbands to spend eternity in the afterlife with. What's not really highlighted is that clearly the vast majority of people in this afterlife don't get that choice at all, and seem all right about it. Still, the film's message seems to be that a long life building memories and maintaining a relationship counts for more than the intensity of young love. Which is nice.

Kylie (2026)

An odd mix of carefully curated history and genuinely touching moments which, even at three hours, feels like a whistle-stop tour through her career.

Wimbledon (2004)

It seemed like the right season to watch this (again ...), and then straight after I watched it yet another time, only this time with the director's commentary. What struck me this time is the extraordinary array of big names in what is a pretty obscure (and under-rated, imo), twenty year old British romcom: not just the two main stars, but leading lights of British acting talent - Celia Imrie, Robert Lindsay, Bernard Hill, Eleanor Bron, a young James McAvoy (particularly hilarious) - and fairly heavyweight international names like Sam Neill and Jon Favreau. Have I mentioned how much I love this film?

Good Omens (season 1, 2019)

Michael Sheen and David Tenant are a dream pairing and the staging is so elaborate and well done, but I can't feel there's something slightly missing. Given that I've read Neil Gaiman books and found them underwhelming (and too long), I suspect what's missing is some of Terry Pratchett's unique authorial voice. Still, a visual feast and very enjoyable.

Top Hat (1936)

Somewhat slighter than I remember from when I last watched it - years ago - but you can't fault the dance numbers.

Ted Lasso (season 2, 2021)

I can understand programme makers being pleased to be free from the constraints of network television, but there's something to be said for them. In this second season, the characters are great and you really do care about them, but we seem to be edging away from comedy into soap opera - albeit a superior one with some excellent jokes - and the episodes are getting longer. It's still really good and involving, but I might find some other things to watch before I get round to season three.

Reading - July 2026

Seasons in the Sun by Dominic Sandbrook (2012)

Another fantastic piece of recent history from Dominic Sandbrook.

The Boy Next Door by Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees (2001)

I came across Come Together, this real-life couple's first book together, when I was working in Edinburgh and frequenting bookshops rather more than was healthy for my bank balance. I really enjoyed it, so I bought this next book, read it at the time and then forgot about it for, blimey, twenty-five years. But it's a really sweet book about first love and if the ending is a little over-dramatic and unlikely, well that's fine, because it's fiction.

Death in the Dressing Room by Simon Brett (2025)

I first read Simon Brett's Charles Paris murder mysteries when I was in my teens and enjoyed the mix of theatrical setting and whodunnit. But even though the characters are different and there are plenty of nods to the modern world, this just seems a bit tired. I can't fault the author's productivity over the last five decades but if I hadn't known otherwise, I would have judged this to be a first novel by a novice writer. Not worth the time, sadly.

The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1923)

A superlative collection of stories, albeit perhaps a tiny bit repetitive. But you can forgive that when the writing is so endlessly entertaining.

You & Me and You & Me and You & Me by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees (2026)

A sweet time-travelling romcom about rediscovering love and valuing what you have. I like the idea - I'm a sucker for a time loop or travelling plot - and I enjoyed the story very much, but the message is a bit predictable. What if an alternative reality that you change to is actually better?

Seasons in the Sun

Britain, 1974-1979

Dominic Sandbrook (2013)

Like all the previous volumes in this hugely impressive series of books, this contains as much material as might be considered reasonable for four normal books, and trying to maintain some sense of overall theme is too much for my poor brain, particularly given that I started it in February.

Still, I can try: the late 70s saw global circumstances and short-sighted decisions by successive UK governments combine to produce a toxic mixture that really came to a head in the late 70s. Harold Wilson comes across as an ineffective populist who exemplifies the idea (thank you Douglas Adams!) that anyone capable of getting themselves elected should on no account be allowed to hold power. In contrast, Sandbrook has a lot of time for James Callaghan who, he says, was a good Prime Minister dealt a bad hand by the two previous PMs (Heath and Wilson).

What both men had in common was that they were pragmatists, despite belonging to what was still, at the time, a notionally socialist party. The ideologues on both sides sound like hopeless fantasists, as always; Tony Benn in particular, despite being extensively quoted throughout the book (presumably because he was in the cabinet for so long and left comprehensive diaries), was clearly a head-in-the-clouds romantic who ignored any evidence that disagreed with his precious socialist principles and did quite a lot of damage as a result. Also featured at length is Bernard Donoughue, who has similarly released several books about his time near the centre of government.

The use of relatively few visible sources in the book (although clearly many more were used overall) diminishes the conclusions slightly, I feel, as does the almost complete concentration on politics. Without the leavening of chapters on more social history, Seasons in the Sun becomes heavier than it needs to be.

Still, a masterful piece of work and a wonderful read. I do wish he'd chosen a different title though - every time I saw it on my shelf I started humming that flipping Terry Jacks song!