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!

Reading - June 2026

Choosing You by Stacy Finz (2021)

Predictable but nice. The little US town of Nugget, where this series is set (this is the 11th book!) is unrealistically wholesome and basically an escapist fantasy, but that's what we want anyway and everyone ends up happy.

The Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll (1989)

I bought this, the early classic of computer espionage and hacking, over thirty years ago and haven't read it in at least twenty (definitely not since 2009), but the details remain in my mind. It's fascinating to learn about the early internet, from several years before I first came across it and at least 10-15 years before it became common ground.

Holding On by Stacy Finz (2021)

So finally I've reached the end of the Nugget series. There's nothing in this to indicate that it's the last one, just another sweet, wholesome romance set in small town America. Very readable and enjoyable.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver (2024)

Superior romantic fiction - well constructed, well told and thoroughly readable. The only slightly sour note is that while the MFC is gaining her independence and learning to speak up for herself, she lets herself be a submissive male fantasy plaything in the bedroom. Nothing wrong with that if that's your thing but it seems inconsistent with the character and with the theme of the story. Still, I'm pleased to note that there are three other books - so far - in this series.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris (2025)

An entertaining and compelling examination of the ethics of murder, framed within the concept of someone who can somehow transfer life force from one person to another at will. If some of the characters seem a bit light - particularly the boyfriend - then it only detracts slightly.

The Partner by John Grisham (1997)

I find Grisham highly readable - you really want to know how it will all play out - but this is a lesser entry in the canon, which explains why I haven't read it in over twenty years. And the cheap shot twist at the end makes no sense - a twist has to make sense in hindsight, even if you didn't see it coming.

Clueless by Amy Heckerling (draft script, 1994)

Reading early version of scripts is interesting, seeing what stays in and what gets cut. There's almost always fewer words in the film, because you can do so much more on screen without them. But this is pretty close to the final thing.

Nemesis by Agatha Christie (1971)

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (1976)

At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie (1965)

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (1930)

For some bizarre reason, the twelve Miss Marple novels in three omnibus volumes are not in anything even close to chronological order. So here, in Volume 3, we have the last three stories, albeit not in order themselves, and then the first. Why? Anyway, they're all very good and if the eventual motive for murder seems perhaps a little light, the point is the puzzle and, as always, they're well set up and designed. Light reading for a hot day (I read three of them in one day).

Let The Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura (2024)

A perfectly pleasant romance, set at the 2024 Olympic Games and featuring Black characters, which was nice as it made a change to get their cultural background but made no real difference to the story.

Death on Ice by R. O. Thorp (2024)

A locked room murder mystery with a slightly improbable set of characters and plot, but engaging and a good read.

Watching - June 2026

Tom Scott: England (season/"part" 1, 2026)

Tom Scott, having taken a break from YouTube after ten years of constant activity, returned this year with what is, to all intents and purposes, a broadcast quality documentary series (presumably self-financed and independently produced) covering all the counties in England. The episodes are short, very varied in subject matter and, assuming you like Tom Scott, interesting. Luckily, I do like him. "Season 1" contains the first ten episodes on Nebula, which I signed up to for this. I'm not sure I'm finding anything on Nebula I couldn't find on YouTube, but it wasn't expensive.

Taskmaster (season 18, 2024)

As always, plenty of laughs to be had. It's so impressive that they've kept the standard this high for so many seasons.

Scrubs (season 1, 2001)

Where it all started! In preparation for watching the return of Scrubs, I thought I'd have a quick cruise through all eight seasons (we're not counting season 9), but as usual I'd forgotten how long a season of US sitcoms actually is. Still very funny, sometimes very moving and sometimes a little over-reaching.

F1: The Movie (2025)

Watching this again reminds me of, firstly, how implausible the whole thing is, and secondly, what an amazing publicity coup by the F1 organisation the film is.

Boomerang (1992)

I can't find where now, but I read somewhere that this was both an underrated romcom and an underrated Eddie Murphy film. Marcus (Murphy's character) is a womanizer who doesn't understand why the girls he loves and leaves get upset when he walks away, only to get all possessive and clingy when he comes across Jacqueline (Robin Givens), who treats him the same. Luckily, sweet Angela (Halle Berry) is there to show him what real love is. There's mileage in the idea but the way it's played is slightly clumsy (you can't tell me a player wouldn't realise he's being played, and the role reversal is too pat), and there seems to be a slice missing from the film near the end, where Marcus and Angela fall in love. But Murphy is as watchable as always while being pleasingly more subtle than usual, and a mainstream comedy film populated almost entirely by black characters is still a rare thing.

Ted Lasso (season 1, 2020)

I knew little about this other than it was supposed to be good, but there it was on my free Apple TV subscription, so I gave it a go. When I saw that the credits mentioned Bill Lawrence, creator of Scrubs, I knew I was in for a good time, and so it proved. There's plenty of laughs of course, but plenty of pathos too. What pleases me most is how English the whole thing is - albeit slightly cleaned up, of course - in a way that surprises me in a US sitcom that is, presumably, primarily intended for a US audience.

Ready Player One (2018)

When this was released in cinemas, B & I went to see on the biggest screen in Southampton, in glorious 3D. It looked amazing and I felt sad that, even though I bought it on DVD as soon as I could, I wouldn't see it quite so spectacularly again. Well, I was wrong! B spotted that it was being shown as part of a Spielberg season at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo - the biggest screen in the country! So B, Z and I went along and enjoyed it all over again. The screen really is spectacular and so immersive, and the film really works on the big screen. Great fun.

Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson (2021)

Mark Ronson has got to be one of the coolest people on the planet and obviously his contact list is unparalleled, but this was a bit of miss for me. I suppose it's possible that's because I already know most of the information being presented here, so although it's interesting to see some things, most of it's labouring the point for me. Might be worth it if you like music but have never wondered about some of the mechanics of making it before.

Minority Report (2002)

Yet another Philip K. Dick novella transplanted onto the screen and slightly bowdlerised as a result, this is nevertheless a satisfying techno-thriller with an enjoyable frosting of "what is reality anyway" (although not too much because that would get in the way).