Reading - December 2023

One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night by Christopher Brookmyre (1999)

I have several other books on the go (which partially explains the non-appearance of a November reading blog post and the shortness of this one) but today I just fancied something escapist and known. This is perfect. If darkly comic thrillers sounds like your thing, read this.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (2012)

I realise I'm not exactly the target audience of another YA novel about meeting the boy of your dreams at the age of 17 but nevertheless this didn't quite live up to the promise of the film for me. Whereas the film manages to inject a kind of magical unreality (hyper-reality? I'm no film student), this is a bit mundane and earth-bound by comparison. Cute though, and nice and short.

Watching - December 2023

Much Ado About Christmas (2021)

The only parallels between Much Ado About Nothing and this Hallmark holiday pot-boiler are the names of four of the characters, as I can see no plot similarities at all. Fairly mundane but cute enough.

Christmas at the Holly Day Inn (2023)

The Guardian's review describes this as a "British micro-budget" Christmas movie, and it's hard to disagree when you see the minimal sets and lack of any other actors in most scenes. It hits all the requisite plot points without ever really engaging the emotions, and although the leads try hard, I found it hard to suspend any kind of disbelief enough to be swept up in it. I used to enjoy a naff Christmas romance film but I swear they are getting worse. I might have to find something else to occupy December weekends.

Hired Gun (2017)

An interesting, varied but ultimately slightly patchy insight into session musicians: the men and occasionally women who play alongside your favourite bands and often make the music what it is. With a bit of a focus on the more rock end of the music spectrum, this gets full marks for including the less glamorous aspects of the job: dealing with egotistical stars, worrying about the prospect of instant unemployment and all for what seems like fairly minimal remuneration. Entertaining (Steve Lukather's story about him and Jay Graydon writing "Turn Your Love Around" is hilarious - but then Luke is always good value), but a bit repetitive and marks deducted for the unnecessary but presumably contractually obliged "look at me!" jams at various points.

Land of the Rising Sound (2019)

A documentary about Roland, primarily its synthesizers and drum machines, since its inception. Despite the cultural impact of the music enabled by Roland's innovations - there's whole swathes of modern music that wouldn't exist without machines like the TR-808 or the TB-303 - this is still pretty niche stuff, so it's great that someone's been able to make a quality documentary and put it on YouTube.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Came across this on the telly and had to watch it. Still fantastic at almost 25 years old.

An Honest Liar (2014)

I'm not quite sure if James Randi was actually as famous as he liked to portray himself, but a man is probably allowed to tell his own story his own way. What I can't fault is his mission to debunk paranormal and parascience claims (his famous million dollar challenge never had to pay out, and let's be honest, was never at risk), but there's a certain poignancy about the fact that he was fighting a losing battle, as people want to believe. Nevertheless, an interesting film about an interesting character.

Dig! (2004)

I've been meaning to watch this for ages, as it's a classic rock documentary, having even been acquired by The Museum of Modern Art. But I'm left wondering what the fuss was about. The basic problem is that the superlatives thrown around about the music and in particular about Anton Newcombe, the leader of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, are completely at odds with the mediocre, shambolic reality of the songs played in the film. Newcombe is obviously charismatic enough to take people with him, but that doesn't translate outside of a personal sphere and certainly not into this edit, where he just comes across as a typical junkie arsehole with a god complex. The Dandy Warhols come out better: they've obviously been prepared to work at their music, even if it's derivative to the point of parody. In much the same vein as The Decline of Western Civilisation, one to tick off the list but not of much interest otherwise.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

I am once again indebted to the wonderful Caroline Siede for her review, which made me want to revisit what had been filed away in my brain as an adaptation inferior to the iconic BBC series. It turns out I was wrong: this is hugely enjoyable and in many respects better, not least with the casting, which was always one of my main gripes with the series. Here, they've got it right: the Bennett sisters all actually look their ages rather than attempting to play down. Being a two hour film, it is necessarily compressed and I felt in particular that a sense of Elizabeth's change in feelings towards Darcy was too quick, but it still hit all the right spots. Keira Knightley is very good, Darcy and Bingley are engagingly awkward and human, the staging is fantastic and the feeling of unbridled romanticism is all its own. Perhaps that's not quite true to the novel but I loved it anyway, sentimental old git that I am. Now go and read that review, it's very insightful.

Sharing Christmas (2017)

Another Hallmark Christmas, er, special. The slenderness of the plot is not enough to support the occasional emotional outburst (the guy quits his job to help our heroine - on the basis of a couple of days acquaintance and the fact that he likes her shop? Umm ...) Absolutely the equivalent of a decent Silhouette romance, this is utterly predictable but sweet nonsense anyway (and, in fairness, easily the best of these type of films I've seen this year).

Broadcasting Christmas (2016)

The main attraction of yet another CCR (crappy Christmas romcom - I'm going for new terminology here) is the presence of Melissa Joan Hart (who also produces) and Dean Cain, which indicates a decent budget and possibly a better overall film. It's unfair (and, yes, a bit shallow) to compare the leads here to their mid-90s heyday but it took me a while to adjust to the way they look now (hey, we're all getting older). Once I got past that, this was a typical but well-made Hallmark Christmas romance: cute, sentimental and inoffensive. (side note: directed by one Peter Sullivan, who was also responsible for Sharing Christmas and, it turns out, is something of a specialist in this field.)

Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution (2023)

House music was essentially disco, and all current dance music is descended from house; disco is the bedrock of most modern pop music. This isn't news - I remember reading all about this in the brilliant Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (1999), and if they'd made this documentary in the early 2000s then they might have got to interview a bunch more people. Nevertheless, an interesting overview for anyone who thinks disco was just a weird 70s thing.

Porridge (Series 1) (1974)

I caught a bit of this on telly in passing and went back to iPlayer to watch it from the beginning. It's a classic of course, showing its age in some of the language and attitudes (it is fifty years old, after all), but sharply written and, best of all, superbly played by Ronnie Barker. A nice little trip down memory lane.

The Rewrite (2014)

Slight but sweet and watchable Hugh Grant vehicle that, ironically, is basically just a retread of Music and Lyrics from seven years earlier, and from the same writer/director as well, Marc Lawrence. Grant is as convincing as always (no, I really mean that, I think he's a superb actor), this time as a washed-up screenwriter forced to take a teaching job at a small US university to pay the bills and gradually coming to realise that he enjoys teaching and is good at it. I could have done without the subplot about an affair between Grant and a much younger woman, as it seemed inconsistent with the rest of the film and more like a middle-aged man's fantasy (er, OK, possibly this middle-aged man's fantasy occasionally too - but still out of place here). I did like that there wasn't any big emotional ending but a nicely downplayed reconciliation between Grant and Marisa Tomei (excellent as usual), and overall the film was well-paced and had some lovely moments.  

Two Weeks Notice (2002)

The previous film led me on to this, apparently the first of Hugh Grant's collaborations with Marc Lawrence, and which I had been meaning to watch for a while anyway. Hugh Grant is very, well, Hugh Grant - I mean, even more than usual. There are gestures and inflections straight out of Four Weddings or Love, Actually and that annoyed me slightly, but Sandra Bullock is very good, and the relationship between them works well. However, points deducted for featuring orange arsehole Donald Trump (I almost stopped watching right then, on principle) and even more for using the appalling Counting Crows cover of "Big Yellow Taxi" not just once, but twice (side note: I was immensely amused to discover, after I wrote that previous sentence, that the track is widely considered to be one of the worst cover versions of anything, ever)

About Time (2013)

There are so many things I can find fault with in this film, even leaving aside the usual Richard Curtis irritations. Firstly, the dialog is unforgivably clunky in (many) places; secondly, I am fully prepared to accept that Domhnall Gleeson may be very good in many productions, but this is not one of them; and having taken the trouble to set up a universe with time travel, the film then fails to be self-consistent or even particularly interested in the concept except as an occasional gag or way of solving plot holes. But despite all this, for some reason the film stays with me. Partly this is the appeal of being able to go back in time and fix things, and partly because film's message is a nice one (even if Curtis thinks we're too stupid to work it for ourselves and insists, in one of the  film's more face-palmingly clunky moments, on having Gleeson spell it out for us). But mostly it's because there are some scenes that I find genuinely touching, regardless of how much Richard Curtis pushes the sentimentality button (and let's be honest, he doesn't so much push it as repeatedly smash it down with a sledgehammer - subtle it ain't). Ultimately worth it for those bits. And Rachel McAdams is very good.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Third time of watching in about four months! It's really sweet and the two lead actors (Kathryn Newton and Kyle Allen) give nicely nuanced performances. Plus, since it's an Amazon original, it's not available on DVD as far as I can tell, otherwise I'd buy it, so I watched it while I have free Prime.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982)

I'm not quite sure what I expected from such a legendary film - one I'd somehow managed to avoid seeing or even knowing much about - but a gothic, noir-ish, dystopian vision that barely shows its forty years wasn't it, for some reason. It's obvious why it's been so influential. However, for something based on a Philip K. Dick novel, the plot is surprisingly straightforward. It's a long time since I read the original story but Dick always included elements questioning the nature of reality, whereas I felt that if this was represented in the film, it was too subtle for me. I'm really pleased I watched it though. Next: Blade Runner 2049! (handily available on Prime right now)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Well, I said that Blade Runner doesn't look dated, and it doesn't - but then again, it clearly isn't as modern as this. The pacing, the cinematography, the soundtrack (and probably a dozen other tiny things that I would be able to identify if I were more a student of cinema) are all clearly more up-to-date. The story is more complex, which is nice, but much less plausible, which is annoying. And it's too long - the same story could have been told in 20% less time, or you could have had slightly fewer twists, turns and set pieces - the latter, in particular, is one of the big differences between this and the original, I think. But it was a very enjoyable watch anyway.

Now You See Me (2013)

Flashy, entertaining but empty heist movie. It meets most of the criteria laid out by Mark Kermode in his Secrets of Cinema in most respects - the overly-complex plot, too many people etc - but missed on one crucial factor, to my mind: it doesn't explain how it's done. As such, the film is free to metaphorically wave its hands and say, "magic" without having to worry about plausibility. The twist at the end was cute but, again, ridiculously implausible. And of course the love interest has fallen in love with the master criminal at the end and so doesn't reveal his secret.

Love at First Sight (2023)

I'm trying to remember if there's a book I've preferred over the film, if I saw the film first, or vice versa. I can't think of any - presumably because if it captures your attention enough the first time round, whichever medium that is, that's what stays with you. And so it is with this. I read the book about a week ago and was a bit disappointed: where is the magic and emotion so present here in the film? So I rewatched this and was charmed all over again. Just a lovely, sweet, romance, if that's your thing. (Again, if this were available on DVD, I'd buy it but, being a Netflix production, presumably it will be quite a few years before that happens, if at all.)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

I'm no Marvel geek (understatement) so how much this plays into the deep lore of Spider-Man, I have no idea. But the whole idea of slightly different Spider-people across different universes is great fun and the visuals are really impressive. Watched as part of a double-bill with Z!

Watching - November 2023

The Christmas Ball (2021)

Maybe it's too early to be watching crappy Hallmark Christmas films, and perhaps they start the season with the really poor ones - you know, for the saddoes who can't wait until December at least. But whatever, this was really quite bad. The only amusement was in laughing at the outdoor locations that are supposedly "England" but are clearly eastern European (like a lot of these films, it was produced in Serbia), and spotting when the heroine's accent slipped from "American" to the actress's actual native Irish. Passed the time but only just. I still love these kind of films for a weekend afternoon though (and I have to put yet another link to the wonderful Caroline Siede, who completely nailed the appeal)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

With the advent of the new Netflix animated series, I was minded to watch the original film again, and what a joy it is. Haven't seen the animation yet.

Watching - October 2023

Goldfinger (1964)

Strange to think that once this was state-of-the-art film making - it all looks so pedestrian now, and dated in a way that the book isn't.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Obviously a metaphor for, er, something, and couldn't be more YA if it tried (the magical reality music etc) ... but somehow it still strikes a note for me. Clearly enough to watch again very soon after the first time, anyway. Some nice choices of tracks too.

Last Action Hero (1993)

Fourteen years before Enchanted, Arnold Schwarzenegger played a film character who finds himself in the real world, with all the opportunity for confusion and comedy that entails. Apparently a flop when it came out, this is now a bit of a cult classic and it's easy to see why: it rolls along nicely, there's plenty of action and laughs, and fun spotting all the references to movie tropes and clichés along the way.

Definitely, Maybe (2008)

Felt like watching a sweet film again. The format - father tells his daughter how he met her mother - is sweet and if the ending isn't quite expected, well maybe that's a good thing. I like the way it acknowledges that perhaps the "love of your life" is more a factor of time and place than "destiny" - and that this is both fine and reality. (While I was looking for more information about the film, I came across Caroline Siede's review, which says this and more, much better than I can.)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

It turns out that the review I mentioned above is actually part of a whole series, When Romance Met Comedy, which is fantastic reading. So much so, that her article on this film persuaded me to watch it again. Mitsake! Although there are lots of good lines and scenes, it suffers badly in two respects: firstly, the central two characters don't meet until right at the end, so we don't get to see them actually make a relationship (You've Got Mail is much better in this respect); and secondly, Meg Ryan is ridiculously stalker-y and way to cutesy. Not as good as its reputation.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

I was reading Caroline Siede's article on You've Got Mail and was reminded that it was based on this James Stewart film, which I'd not seen before. It's a lovely, witty and very watchable classic, with some great performances. It's also fun to spot the snippets and references lifted by Nora Ephron for her remake. Certain moments are underplayed, compared with how I think they'd probably be done in a more modern film, and it's also fascinating that it keeps the same setting as the original play - Budapest - despite that having no relevance to the plot whatsoever. That wouldn't happen now!

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Another black and white classic, and an odd kind of love triangle - or possibly a rectangle or pentangle. Lots of great lines and wonderfully stylised acting. Cary Grant and James Stewart are great (the latter's acting drunk is a delight), but Ruth Hussey as a cynical photographer who is (not so) secretly in love with Stewart is my favourite - her look of vulnerability at the end when she thinks the man she loves might be lost is very moving (she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance). The final scene turnaround is a bit too quick and pat for me, but I'm glad to have seen it.

You've Got Mail (1999)

Although I'd seen this recently, I started it again to listen to the directory's commentary. Unfortunately it turns out I don't have that, so I carried on watched it to spot references to The Shop Around the Corner ... and then just because it's a nice story. I don't actually quite believe in the Tom Hanks character as someone the Meg Ryan character could fall for, but this is almost certainly a sign that I've watched it too many times and am starting to over-analyse. Still a sweet film.

Set It Up (2018)

Very colour-by-numbers romcom from Netflix. Passed the time.

Love at First Sight (2023)

On the other hand, this is more like it - not perfect, as you can kind of see the joins between each act. But the two leads are great (Haley Lu Richardson in particular capturing a slightly gawky, girl-next-door appeal that I thought worked really well) and if the film perhaps tries a bit hard to set a dreamy, slightly unreal atmosphere - well, it works for soppy old me. Original book now ordered from the library!

Ghosts (Series 5) (2023)

The last series of Ghosts, apart from a Christmas Special in a couple of months, and it will be much missed in our house, where it's been a reliable family favourite. A great central concept, brilliant characters and consistently amusing plots. What more do you need?

Reading - October 2023

Goldfinger by Ian Fleming (1959)

I'm feeling a bit under the weather with a cold the kids brought home, and so as usual I reach for something unchallenging but entertaining. I haven't read this in ages but it's all still very familiar. The plot is short, to the point and quick-paced - and yes, dated, but what do you expect? Incidentally, everyone remembers Pussy Galore from the film, but in the book she is almost completely superfluous, for some reason.

Another Planet by Tracey Thorn (2019)

A somewhat navel-gazing but thoughtful examination of the trials and tribulations of coming from the suburbs - in this case specifically, Brookmans Park, just north of London. She describes a growing process that is very familiar to me, and very different from today's experience I suspect, despite the suburbs being little changed in essence. I enjoyed reading it but it feels a little lightweight and does seem a little like an extended magazine article (which it kind of is).

All My Love by Miranda Dickinson (2023)

Many - most? - romance novels have an unrealistically compressed timescale. I'm sure there are real-life couples that meet, court and commit within a few days or weeks but I suspect they are in the minority - but not in books, where a few days or weeks fit nicely into the requisite number of chapters. All My Love manages to extend the timeline to a much more convincing few months without being as long as Ulysses - and yet, despite being a normal book length, I felt like it was going on too long. Because the central couple are immediately, obviously right for each other (I mean, even beyond the usual "it's a romance novel, of course they'll end up together" reason) but don't realise it until the very end, the whole story feels like it's dragging its heels. Perhaps that's why most romance novels are the way they are - that, and the whole "swept off my feet" trope. Anyway, I enjoyed the book despite this, the characters are all well-painted and I was willing them to get together.

The Man With the Golden Gun by Ian Fleming (1965)

Another very straightforward plot that never falters or lets up. A classic for a reason.

Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks: The Essential Alan Coren by Alan Coren (2008)

My dad subscribed to Punch for many years and so I have a nostalgic fondness for Alan Coren's weekly columns in the magazine. Reading them here, without cartoons surrounding them and a leavening of other articles, is a bit odd, and definitely hard to do much of in one sitting. That era's columns are the best to me - earlier and later ones don't really hit the mark in the same way. But it's nice to have this book as a companion to the earlier The Best of Alan Coren and the various Pick of Punch annuals I also own.

The Nanny State Made Me by Stuart Maconie (2020)

I agree with pretty much every single word in this book. The "nanny state" doesn't exist and never did; the idea that large portions of the population were molly-coddled by the state is a reactionary, Daily Wail fantasy. The whole point of a state is to look after its people. Running public services for private profit is the exact opposite of this. We have plentiful proof that private enterprise and the "free" market is not more effective or efficient - quite the opposite in many cases. This is an easy read - Stuart is good company - but nevertheless ends up making me feel incredibly frustrated at the self-serving idiocy of successive Conservative governments. That said, they do keep getting voted in, which, if you agree with de Maistre's famous quote that "Every nation gets the government it deserves", means we did this to ourselves. Perhaps the fundamental problem is that everyone is in favour of better public services but no-one is in favour of paying for them.

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang (2021)

The third book in Helen Hoang's Kiss Quotient series of books featuring autistic central characters finding love. I like the way she's managed to mix some of (what I assume to be) the reality of life with autism with romance. It feels like the heroine learns to stand up for herself very suddenly and perhaps the hero is a bit too perfect, but the book is a satisfying read and I enjoyed it just as much as the previous two.

Listen Out Loud by Ron Weisner with Alan Goldsher (2014)

Oddly, despite Weisner's credentials as a record company exec and manager (not everyone could get Gladys Knight to write a forward, I suspect), he doesn't have a Wikipedia page. This makes me wonder if actually he's a bit more of a minor player than he would lead us to believe. But the stories are great and ring true. Very entertaining.

Lunarbaboon Vol. 1 by by Chris Grady (2014)

I found the PDF of this on a disk (I have it as I put money in the original Kickstarter) so I spent 15 minutes re-reading it. Some wonderfully sweet cartoons.

The Diamond Queen by Andrew Marr (2011, 2022)

I'm no flag-waving monarchist but I've always quite liked the idea of royalty. Yes, it's notionally an affront to the idea of a meritocracy but, as Marr points out, such a thing doesn't exist anywhere (and in my opinion is a juvenile fantasy anyway). Removing the monarchy wouldn't solve this or even address it at all, but would unnecessarily upend a lot of existing British culture. As such, I'm in favour of the status quo. This book is a nicely balanced and reasonably succinct history and analysis of Queen Elizabeth II and her place in British culture and society, and quietly makes the case that perhaps the Queen and her family, despite past and recent fusses, are worth keeping. Interesting reading.

Rock and Roll Busker by Graham Forbes (2013)

The third in a trilogy of books partly about Forbes' life and partly about what it's like to be a jobbing professional musician in rock. Very entertaining in places - you can't but help admire his dedication to the rock 'n' roll cause - but dragged a little. I'll still probably try and find his other books though.

Watching - September 2023

Palm Springs (2021)

Another Amazon Prime free trial, so another chance to watch this excellent time loop film (which for some reason I can't find on DVD, at least not in a UK edition).

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

Very probably as a result of the previous film, Prime recommended me this - another time loop film! This is a YA romcom (yes, I should probably grow up sometime), gentle on both the rom and com, but in a nice way. Sticks to the conventions of the time loop genre - the two main characters learn something and once they do, they get out, in the this case, together. Very sweet.

The Rainmaker (1998)

Having just thoroughly enjoyed the book, I wanted it to continue, so decided to watch the film. It is, of course, necessarily compressed and although in a couple of places this makes no sense (what is Kelly doing in the jewellery shop in the middle of the night?), mostly it works. Unfortunately, the area where it works least is what is meant to be the culmination of the whole plot, the court scenes. In the book these work fantastically well, but in the film they have a lot less power because of all the previous cuts. As a result, the film is only a partial success for me.

The Sound of 007 (2022)

Made as an accompaniment to No Time To Die (big spoilers in the last fifteen minutes), this is nevertheless a very interesting and pretty complete look at the whole of Bond music, from Monty Norman's original theme (as far as I can tell, he hummed it to John Barry, who then did the rest - for 25 years!) to Billy Eilish's latest song. Very interesting and fascinating to see snippets of Hans Zimmer at work, but needed more Johnny Marr (obviously).

Casino Royale (2006)

While watching the previous documentary, I realised that although I was aware of (and in fact, own) the Daniel Craig Bond films, I hadn't actually watched them. So since I had some time off work, it seemed like a nice way to spend a couple of afternoons - y'know, watching people be injured, maimed, blown up and generally killed, that kinda thing. Casino Royale makes complete sense as a franchise reboot: a somewhat updated but otherwise pretty faithful retelling of the first novel. Hits all the right notes, apart from the last big action scene, which I thought was not in character with the book but is obviously needed for a Bond film.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Received wisdom is that Quantum of Solace was a bit too overdone compared to Casino Royale, but I found it perfectly watchable. It was a bit of a shame that Agent Fields - a deliberate throwback to old-style Bond girls, just eye candy and canon-fodder - was killed off early, as more could have been done with the character, and the whole "it's been ten minutes, let's go to another country!" thing is a bit over-the-top. But you can't argue with the set pieces and quality of filming, and I enjoyed it.

Skyfall (2012)

Daniel Craig's Bond seems to have got old very quickly, given that only two films ago he had just been given his "00" license, and now he's weary and wanting to retire! And if we're griping, the whole super-technology-3D-virus thing is a bit silly and put me off a bit. Otherwise though, a great romp with a revealing - albeit perhaps slightly tacked-on - look into Bond's backstory for the ending. I didn't realise that Judi Dench dies at the end though, that surprised me!

Reading - September 2023

Parliament of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke (1992)

OK, so this book is over 30 years old, but what it describes are eternal truths. And yes, it's about the US government, but what it tells us applies to all governments. And it does so very amusingly. An absolute classic for anyone who wants to know about these things, and anyone who refuses to take it too seriously.

Jury of His Peers by Debbie Macomber (1986)

An old, old Silhouette romance, repackaged to look more now but showing its age in many ways, most notably by having the woman flip-flopping between extreme emotions, often within the space of consecutive paragraphs, and the man being all stoic and then almost forcing himself on her. Not a great read these days. Only one thing puzzles me though: if this was published in 1986, why is the guy consulting "GPS on his phone"?

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (1905)

I first came across this novel as a teenager, in the Reader's Digest condensed edition - which is in fact how I read  it this time too, exactly the same copy. That first time, I remember being completely surprised by the revelation of the Scarlet Pimpernel's true identity, whereas now I can see that it's telegraphed with flashing lights, so that doesn't say much about my ability to work out plot in advance (although nothing has really changed in this respect). I have no idea what has been edited out, but as it stands now it is a short, entertaining read.

The Rainmaker by John Grisham (1995)

I've read this many times - and I always enjoy it, the court scenes in particular - but it never really struck me before how critical this is of law education and practice. Law students are mostly portrayed as greedy and snobbish; lawyers themselves are those, plus amoral. The system is geared towards those who can afford to play the game. There's a side-swipe against the ridiculous health care system in the US. For all the engrossing plot, it's pretty damning.

The God Desire by David Baddiel (2023)

A brief but engaging discussion of a number of thoughts around the non-existence of God. It's not going to change anyone's mind, but then no book like this will. Of more interest to me personally are Baddiel's observations on the experience of being both (culturally) Jewish and an atheist, but these are more on the subject of what purpose religion serves in society and less about whether God exists. For what it's worth, I agree with Baddiel: obviously God doesn't exist, and anyone who thinks otherwise is just engaging in wishful thinking.

Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson (1990)

As good a primer and introduction to the story of English as the casual reader needs, in particular along with its sequel, Made In America. Very readable, amusing - laugh-out-loud funny in places - and learned without being overbearing (and, unlike Bryson's later books, about the right length). Brilliant.

A Question of Us by Mary Jayne Barker (2019)

A funny, sweet, bawdy at times and very English romcom about friends who slowly realise their feelings for each other. The characters and their bants were very convincing, although possibly a bit laddish. Ultimately though, the two main characters were engaging and you just wanted them to get together ... and the inevitable last-minute roadblock wasn't too annoying or frustrating.

Watching - August 2023

The Crow Road (1996)

An old favourite and an acclaimed adaptation, apparently. I think it's great (and the book is one of my all-time favourites) but I do wonder what I'd make of its multi-layered, flashback-in-flashback structure if I wasn't already very familiar with the plot. Nevertheless, a great watch.

Cheers (Season 1, 1982-1983)

This reminds me of working in Halifax, about twenty years ago, when I filled the dull evenings by watching the first few series. Obviously it was already dated then and now it really does show its age, but the writing is sharp, the lines mostly funny and I can forgive the occasional wobbly camera angles. A classic for a reason.

Wham! (2023)

I don't know whether this is correct, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was commissioned off the back of the (surprising?) success of Andrew Ridgeley's autobiography from 2019. It's essentially a filming of that, with lots of footage and plenty of archive interviews from George Michael himself, making it perhaps a bit more balanced. The story's the same though: childhood friends become massive stars and the normal one retires to live a normal life. I still have a lot of respect for Andrew Ridgeley for doing that. A really fun trip down memory lane for me.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Watched with the boys. Very very silly.

Reading - August 2023

The Theory of Everything Else by Dan Schreiber (2022)

An amusing and enjoyable book that nevertheless feels like a lot of largely disconnected "facts" (some more loosely affiliated with the truth than others) that have been assembled into an approximate theme, given an introduction and conclusion and published as a book. The flavour of No Such Thing as a Fish is, unsurprisingly, ever-present and while this is no bad thing, the book is definitely more one to dip into than read cover to cover.

Between the Stops by Sandi Toksvig (2019)

At first I found this a little fragmented, jumping from thought to thought. But soon themes and a pattern emerged, and I ended up really enjoying this charming tapestry of musings, life lessons, anecdotes and autobiographical snippets.

Her Billionaires by Julia Kent (2013)

Every now and then I am partial to a romance novel, but this wasn't quite what I expected. Threesomes - one woman and two men - must be enough of a common fantasy to make this "A NEW YORK TIMES and USA Today BESTSELLING BOOK!" (it says here) but it doesn't do much for me, and although there's a fairly predictable plot, it's barely enough to move the action between sex scenes. Really, this is erotica rather than romance. Kind of fun but I wouldn't bother again. Much like a threesome. (Just kidding!)

Whatever Makes You Happy (aka Otherhood) by William Sutcliffe (2008)

I picked this because I've read some of William Sutcliffe's previous books and he's sort of a friend of a friend (although I've never met him). And it's probably just coincidence that I started reading this novel about three mothers and their relationships with their adult sons, on the day that I took my mum to the hospital for a check up. The three story lines are mostly separate and the couple of times they cross, there's no plot related reason they need to, so essentially this is three separate stories on a theme - all good and very readable.

The Double Life of Daisy Hemmings by Joanna Nadin (2022)

An intensely readable - I finished it in a couple of days - nicely plotted, slightly melodramatic but very satisfying story about ambition and aspiration and wanting and having and obsession. The central twist was obvious to even me (and I am so dense about these things) but perhaps it's supposed to be, and the interest is in seeing how we get there. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. I picked this somewhat at random but I'm really pleased I did.

The Crow Road by Iain Banks (1992)

Reading this again after watching the TV adaptation, I'm struck by how much more rounded the book is than many of Iain Banks' other novels (I'm not including Iain M. Banks here). Rather than going for the shock value and novelty of his earlier books, this is just a superb story that ranges across multiple generations, captivates your attention and resolves superbly. Just fantastic.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (2023)

A sweet romance in three parts that starts a bit slowly. There's too much material in the initial meet-up section, which seems more interested in showing off the research done into the main character's background in a "late night live comedy show" (i.e. SNL in all but name), and as a result suffers from a pacing problem: we all know something's going to happen, just get on with it! Thankfully the pace picks up in the second and third section, and, once it does, it's superior but fairly standard romantic fiction. Luckily, I enjoy that, and I charged through the rest of the book in one sitting.

Fling by Joseph Murray (2023)

Amusing romcom, in which the central couple end up inadvertently having an online affair with each other. Confusion abounds, but it all works out and they end up realising how much they still love one another. Seems tailor-made to be made into a film. 

Reading - July 2023

The Full English by Stuart Maconie (2023)

Another travelogue from young master Maconie, this time following in the footsteps of J.B. Priestley and his famous (it says here, I'd never heard of it) book from almost 100 years ago, English Journey. It's entertaining and informed by a similar spirit to Priestley of wishing to shine a light into corners of the country that perhaps need it most. Maconie is scathing about the current Tory government - rightly so, they're a complete shower - and if the political opinions are surprising in a ostensibly light-hearted travel book, they don't jar (but then I share them).

The Rough Guide To The Titanic by Greg Ward (2012)

This is a bit embarrassing - my (at least) sixth time of reading this. I'm still not quite sure why; it's not that I find anything to do with Titanic fascinating, and this the only book I have about it. It's just interesting enough to warrant revisiting every couple of years. This book is probably pretty definitive, so there's not much else I'd need to read. What struck me this time is the description of how badly the reporters and amateur radio operators of the day behaved - basically, the same as today, if you consider amateur radio enthusiasts the equivalent of people on Twitter/Facebook these days.

Country of the Blind by Christopher Brookmyre (1997)

Just a really satisfying plot, with all the bad guys locked up and the good guys victorious - all in a bracing noir-ish style, with some nice side-helpings of political commentary. Absolutely bears multiple re-reads (I'm probably close to double figures by now).

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan (2012)

Occasionally I enjoy a bit of angsty YA and I really enjoyed Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. This uses exactly the same format of alternating viewpoints - written by each author? - and if it doesn't quite capture the same feeling of being seduced by life as much as by that special one, then it's not for want of trying. Dash and Lily are both 16 going on 32, unfeasibly articulate but realistically self-conscious, and nice people to spend time with. Preditable but sweet and obviously crying out for being filmed - although possibly not a four hour Netflix series.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig (2017)

I found this quite compelling but not particularly enjoyable to read, for some reason. So I finished it, because I wanted to know how it ended. The story of a man who has a mysterious medical condition that means he lives for hundreds of years, this feels like a metaphor for something, or maybe it's just a way to explore the human condition, in common with other Matt Haig books. It's similar in that way to Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife and, similarly, it tells us that love is the real truth and meaning to life. (side note: in a news item about a forthcoming TV adaptation of this book, it's rather bizarrely described as a "high-stakes superhero thriller" - which it absolutely is not. Another classic case of an individual plot being shoe-horned into an unimaginative Hollywood template, I fear)

Watching - July 2023

Gods of Tennis (BBC, 2023)

Three hour long specials about the tennis stars of the 70s and 80s, which is slap bang in the era that I started watching Wimbledon (for ages the only tennis on telly anyway). Enjoyable for both the chance to revisit some classic moments and hearing them put into context all these years later. Refreshingly for documentaries this long, they don't feel like they were padded to fit the time. Now, if we can lose the unnecessarily melodramatic voice-over, we might be getting somewhere ...

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Been meaning to rewatch this for ages, preferably with B but he hasn't shown much interest and so I went ahead anyway. Funny and well-plotted, and possibly the perfect 90s Britpop movie - all swaggering new lad mockneys and an ace soundtrack.

Le Mans '66 (2019)

You can't beat a good film about motor racing and this is superbly made. Christian Bale and Matt Damon both inhabit their characters superbly, the action sequences are fantastic and it doesn't cut too many corners round the truth to be distracting. Great fun.

Point Break (1991)

Watched with Z over fish & chips, while everyone else was out. It's a real boys' film, all male bonding and macho posturing - which makes it a bit more surprising that it was directed by a woman. 

Rush (2013)

More classic cars! I grew up reading about this era of Formula 1 but I don't think I ever watched it - and in any case, there's no way it would have looked this good on 70s TV. So it's kind of nostalgic and fresh at the same time. There's no getting away from it though: James Hunt might be the hero of the film, portrayed as a naturally talented genius - but Niki Lauda was the better driver and the real legend here.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Movie time with the family! (apart from B)

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

If you leave aside the central issue of how the fluffing flip did he get that painting into that briefcase?? this is a very effective and well-made drama. Always been one of my favourites.

L.A. Story (1991)

An old favourite that I must have watched dozens of times on video, this now seems a little uneven. At its core, it's a romcom with a hint of the fantastical, and some of the best scenes have no comedy at all, just a beautiful, romantic, almost lyricism. And then there's the slapstick - but then, it is a Steve Martin film.

Reading - June 2023

Moreover ... by Miles Kington

Funny, in a somewhat dated way (it is over forty years old), but since I can remember those times well, I can relate to the cultural context. In some ways, it's all rather charmingly nostalgic - at least, I think so, since it reminds me of reading my Dad's Punch magazines when I was a kid.

Abbey Road by David Hepworth (2022)

David Hepworth has developed a very distinctive style of writing, honed over years of writing music reviews and articles. It's very recognisable, but doesn't lend itself so well to fact-based subjects, and as a result this doesn't come across as a definitive history of the famous studios. Maybe that wasn't the intention. What we do get is essentially a series of snapshots, arranged chronologically across the decades, each written to about the length of a magazine article (clearly the length he is most comfortable with - see most of his previous books), all containing lovely little snippets of details and a certain amount of opinion. As we get closer to the present day, there's more opinion, with a definite undercurrent of longing for the good old days, which perhaps is understandable, and anyway never veers too close to grumpy old man territory. Overall, as easily readable and entertaining as always, but perhaps feeling a little more disposable than expected.

Falling Hard by Stacy Finz (2017)

Another very sweet instalment in the Nugget series, with almost too-good-to-be-true hero, some entertaining secondary characters and an odd, out of place coda that isn't very believable.

Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr (2021)

I read this after watching Carr on The Diary of a CEO. Billed as "The hilarious guide to changing your life", this gives a little more of a glimpse of Jimmy Carr the person, as opposed to the comedian - a constructed persona, as Carr himself acknowledges. It's not an autobiography but he gives snippets of his life as he talks about his advice. As ever, it's one person's view that what worked for them could work for you - which, in fairness, it might. He doesn't pretend there's an easy route to any kind of success, and is refreshingly honest about the sheer amount of hard work it took him to achieve what he did. His definition of "success" seems a bit fluid though; he sometimes advises you concentrate on finding happiness and then later claims that one is only "judged" based on results, not intent. True, but who's judging and why does that matter to success? Anyway, enjoyable, insightful and, yes, funny. Terrible title though.

Watching - June 2023

That Pedal Show: The Noel Gallagher Guitars & Gear Interview (2023)

That Pedal Show is a YouTube channel about guitars, amps and (obviously) pedals. They release an episode every week and I watch most of them. This was a bit different: a nearly two hour chat with Noel Gallagher, filmed at his London studio and featuring some of his famous - iconic? - guitars (most of which he seems to have been given by Johnny Marr) and sounds. Very entertaining and watchable, and an object lesson in not needing the best equipment or technique to make history.

Knives Out (2019)

Saturday evening viewing with the family. Entertaining enough the second time round, a few slightly implausible plot twists but generally well received.

The Diary of a CEO: Jimmy Carr (2023)

I found this while browsing BBC's iPlayer (what a 2000's name!) for interesting things. Apparently this is a long-running podcast, but this is the first episode filmed and broadcast by the BBC. Essentially, it's a long form interview and like most of these things, Carr is promoting his book (it sounds like this was recorded about a year ago), but it's interesting anyway: away from jokes and game shows Carr is interesting and thoughtful and Steven Bartlett is an effective interviewer (although it probably helps that he has an interviewee who is very keen to talk). I might try a few more of these, both on iPlayer and the podcast itself on Spotify, although I'm a little sceptical about Bartlett's actual credentials as a CEO or entrepeneur; he seems like a very good salesman though!

Watching - May 2023

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Exuberant and fun take on the Shakespeare comedy. I've seen it so many times that some bits do irritate me, but Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh are really good together and it mostly makes up for it. Special mention for me also goes to Michael Keaton, who I think is funny. Too many of the other casting choices are ... odd. But it doesn't spoil the fun.

Soul (2020)

Bought recently to pad out an Amazon order, but I think this is a bargain for a few quid - it's a really good film.

Free Guy (2021)

A bit silly in places but I'm a complete sucker for the ending

You've Got Mail (1998)

Casting around for some easy watching one Sunday, I noticed this and enjoyed it, yet again. I really should watch the original, The Shop Around the Corner, some time. This is sweet but a little forced, and too obviously trying to be a re-run of ...

When Harry Met Sally ... (1989)

Obviously an all-out classic, and unusually for me, one almost entirely without scenes that I now find annoying (which is what normally happens for me when I've seen something too many times) - a sure sign of its quality. (Also today I just found out about When Harry Met Sally 2.)

Reading - May 2023

Heating Up by Stacy Finz (2016)

As formulas go, it's a good one. The characters are mostly believable and sympathetic. Nice bedtime reading.

Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids? by Nige Tassell (2022)

Another "where are they now?" book, like Exit Stage Left from the same year. Despite never having heard the original NME tape (I was a Melody Maker reader, and at the time I was mainly listening to pop), this was an interesting tour of life on the edges of the music industry. A surprising number of those interviewed are still involved in music somehow.

Forrest Gump by Winston Groom (1986)

Having watched this a couple of months ago, I thought it would be interested to read the source novel - in fact, re-read, as I bought this book when I was working the US, so over 20 years ago. It strikes me now as very dated in some respects, and it's kind of hard to see how they got to the film from the original story. It certainly couldn't have been filmed as-is - it's supposed to be comic, I suppose, but mostly it's just ridiculous. Still, a quick read on a Sunday.

Riding High by Stacy Finz (2016)

Another bedtime read, a little less satisfying than previous Nugget outings, and the slight tensions resolve very easily - I mean, we knew they would anyway (who wants unhappy endings? Only weirdos, that's who) but it could have been done a little more believably. Anyway, nice enough.

Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich (2002)

Apparently not as much of a non-fiction book as you might expect from a book ostensibly telling a true story, but very entertaining nevertheless and based on enough fact to make it interesting. Read because I watched 21 last month, which is even less based on truth.

Watching - April 2023

Moonage Daydream (2022)

A sort of life story, but of David Bowie's creative life rather than anything else - if, indeed, there was much else. It's impressionistic and only approximately chronological, and the only real way to experience it is to kind of surrender to the wash of sound and vision rather that attempt to make sense of it - something I think Bowie would have appreciated and at which I am sure the director was aiming. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near engaging enough for this to happen. It felt to me like the intro montage that you get before the proper film starts - except it lasted over 2 hours and there was no proper film. Interesting in places and I kind of see what the director was going for, but not for me. Inevitably the most featured work is his 70s albums - there's little from the 80s, almost nothing from after that and, astonishingly and appallingly, no mention of the epochal Tin Machine whatsoever.

The Guard (2011)

More Irish clichés than you can shake a pint of Guinness at, but Brendan Gleeson is brilliant and the plot is nice and simple. The ending is implausible but overall, good fun.

Airplane! (1980)

Dated and politically incorrect - which is probably was at the time - but hilarious. So rammed full of jokes that there are always new ones to spot. Watched with B & Z, and happy to introduce them to a classic.

Casual Sex? (1988)

An odd film, which shows its roots in theatre, and now notable primarily for featuring the utterly divine Lea Thompson. (I don't know why but it's disappointing to read that the other star, Victoria Jackson, has since become a raving right wing Christian fundamentalist nutjob.) Nevertheless, there's plenty to enjoy here, even the heavy-handed, tacked-on ending which looks like it was a complete after-thought.

Can You Keep A Secret? (2019)

When I first read Sophie Kinsella's book I thought it was ideal material for a film. Well, give me a job, Hollywood, because blow me down if a mere 14 years later they didn't go and do just that. Inevitably transplanted to America and missing some of the charm I remember from the book, but sweet enough and enjoyable on a Sunday afternoon when I wanted something unchallenging.

21 (2008)

Based loosely on a book (Bringing Down The House - there's also an interesting article in Wired) that is itself apparently loosely based on the truth, this is nevertheless a somewhat formulaic but enjoyable thriller about MIT students beating the odds at Las Vegas - real fantasy, wish-fulfilment stuff. I don't know the details but I suspect the real thing is firstly, a lot more complicated ("counting cards" sounds simple but I don't think it is in practice) and secondly, a lot more interesting when not shoved into a Hollywood template.

Deadpool (2016)

Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool is possibly one of the best casting decisions ever. And the film plays up to both the character and the actor's persona brilliantly (there's a whole sub-genre of amusing Ryan Reynolds clips on Youtube). The film is so relentlessly entertaining - in many sick ways - that it's kind of easy to overlook that it's a very simple plot. But that's OK. (Watched with Z, who hadn't seen it before)

Reading - April 2023

Take A Chance On Me by Jennifer Dawson (2014)

The Winner Takes It All by Jennifer Dawson (2014)

What originally drew me to these books were the ABBA songs as titles. Other than that, the basic premise is fairly standard: another idyllic US small town where people can find real life and love after the artificiality of the big city - so far, so formulaic. The formula is stretched too far though with the alpha-male characters. It's one thing to be swept away by passion and another to force your passion on someone else. Maybe it's appealing to the millions who lapped up 50 Shades (which I haven't read, incidentally), but the willing submission of the female characters made me uncomfortable. The books are well-written and the characters believable - mostly - but I won't be reading any more.

Finding Hope by Stacy Finz (2015)

Working my way through the "Nugget" series again reminds me of how well-balanced they are: a superb mix of plot, romance, sex and characterisation - in particular, many of the secondary characters are really well drawn and fill the story out very well.

One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time by Craig Brown (2020)

This is an odd book, and one I found hard to get through. It consists of one hundred and fifty short vignettes, in broadly chronological order, about different aspects of The Beatles, from trivia, fan accounts, and curiosities to interviews and fan conventions. There's no real thread and overall the sense is of a rather scattershot approach that feels like it was assembled piecemeal. I'm not sure I understand the universal acclaim for it.

Second Chances by Stacy Finz (2015)

A little less well-paced than the previous two installments in this series, and I found myself getting frustrated by how self-absorbed the main hero was. Probably realistic actually, but annoying. I enjoyed it though.

Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre (2013)

I've not read this for over two years, which when you consider that up until then I'd pretty much read it once a year since I got it, is something. So, on the (counts) eighth reading, is it still good? Yes, it is. One of my favourites.

Starting Over by Stacy Finz (2015)

Getting Lucky by Stacy Finz (2015)

If there's a sign I've not been well, it's that I'm ploughing through easy-reading romance novels. Nice stories that resolve well and don't require too much brain power, but are engaging enough to keep my attention, and not make me feel like my time has been wasted. Both of these books are similar in structure and pattern but different enough to feel like it's not a formula.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2018)

Re-reading this nearly five years later (and where has that time gone?) because it stuck with me and although I remembered less about it than I thought, it was still as enjoyable as I recalled. Just as nice the second time round.

Borrowing Trouble by Stacy Finz (2016)

More cute fun in Nugget, this time with a soupçon of thriller and suspense. Again, I'm enjoying the fact that there are secondary characters with nicely developed stories too (and of course those end happily too).

Reading - March 2023

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

Very readable and lots of fun, with loads of very plausible-sounding details. If some of the plot works out because some, let's say, "other parties" have amazing talents, then that's just story-telling and doesn't spoil the plot for me. Very enjoyable.

London Review of Books (Volume 45 Number 5 / 2 March 2023)

For my birthday, B very thoughtfully bought me a subscription to the London Review of Books, which I had heard of but never read. I wasn't sure what to expect - I mean, book reviews, duh, but a whole magazine of them? Actually, it turns out that essentially the LRB is, firstly, more of a newspaper in format (approximately tabloid size) and secondly, well, about everything - unsurprisingly, really, since books are also about everything. But the LRB isn't really reviewing books; rather, it has long essays on subjects broadly suggested by whichever books are chosen, which might not even be particularly recent. Those subjects are all rather self-consciously "serious": art, poetry, politics, history, culture. As a result, despite not being particularly long, there's a lot to take in. Possibly, the intention isn't that you read it all anyway, but just choose the subjects in which you're interested. I think when I was younger, I would have read everything: the intellectual slant and, disputably, pretentiousness of the pieces would have appealed to my view of myself, as much as anything else. But now I'm older, I have a clearer idea of what I am interested in, and more to the point, what I am willing to spend time on (hint: not poetry), and so I am happier to pick and choose. (As an aside, I am very interested to learn that not only is there an LRB bookshop but an LRB cake shop. Cake is a subject I am willing to spend time on. This is definitely getting a visit next time I am in London.)

The House on Main Street by Shirlee McCoy (2013)

Sweet, escapist romantic fiction set in small town US. Reminds me of Stacy Finz's "Nugget" series, albeit a bit less racy - but then, I suspect that there are a lot of these kind of series around!

Going Home by Stacy Finz (2014)

So I went straight onto the first book in the "Nugget" series. This is my second time of reading this and, if anything, I enjoyed it more the second time round. Lots of interesting characters, plenty of story and plot as well as the obviously central romance, and all-in-all, very believable. It also highlights the differences between this and the previous book - this is much more complete and engrossing.

Watching - March 2023

Top Gun (1986)

Despite having watched Top Gun Maverick a couple of times now since it came out, I haven't seen this in ages. Other than being a master class in taking sunglasses off in a meaningful way, it is showing its age, but it's still entertaining and a bit of a nostalgia-fest for those of us who remember it at the time. And doesn't Tom Cruise look young? (only 20 at the time, incredibly)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Hugely entertaining, watched because I was at a loose end and because I'd just watched Top Gun.

50 First Dates (2004)

C and I watched this when it came out, at the Showcase in Nottingham and I've loved it ever since. Of course it helps that it has Drew Barrymore in it, but it's a sweet story (as long as you don't think too much about it), there's plenty of laughs and the ending is quite touching (and beautifully soundtracked by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's version of "Over the Rainbow") - and did I mention it has Drew Barrymore in it? Anyway, I like it.

The Wedding Singer (1996)

Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler again, and on the evidence of this it's hard to understand why Sandler became a star, as his acting is often awful (although sometimes it rises to adequate). On the other hand, there's no difficulty in understanding why Drew is so popular - she just lights up the screen and carries the film, despite being only 23 when this was released.

Watching - February 2023

Roxanne (1987)

The outfits and the music absolutely scream "80s" but the story is pretty timeless. I think this might have been the first Steve Martin film I saw. He's great in it but the obvious age difference between him and Daryl Hannah always bothered me. It doesn't stop it being a sweet film though.

Life on Mars (Series 1) (2006)

I first came across Life on Mars accidentally, via a free DVD in a newspaper or something. I didn't watch it on TV as it wasn't (and still isn't) really my usual sort of thing and anyway, with three very young kids I didn't have the time. But then I needed something to watch during the night while I was trying to get Z to sleep (at least, I assume it was him - I remember a very young baby!) so I tried it and was hooked. To start with, I think it was the re-creation of 70s Britain, an era I lived through but only sort of remember (I would have been about the same age as Sam Tyler, 4 or 5) that I found so evocative, and the juxtaposition of that with modern day sensibilities. But the action scenes are fun, and each episode is a kind of whodunnit which is fun too.

Life on Mars (Series 2) (2007)

More of the same - but when the original series was this good, why mess with it? Some of the characters become a little one-dimensional - Gene Hunt is always pissed off (magnificently so, but still), Ray Carling is always a sexist thug - and you start wondering whether any of the minor characters actually do anything at all other than sit around smoking, but overall it's still a great world to be in. Slowly developing through this series though is the idea, left more ambiguous in the first series, that Sam is in some sort of limbo world, from which he can only escape by betraying the people he's become friends with. Eventually this comes to a satisfying (albeit slightly unsettling, when you really think about it) conclusion. 

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

I'm struck again how Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc is so much more like Poirot than Kenneth Branagh's actual Poirot. The film is a bit silly and over-the-top but hugely entertaining.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Unlike Pretty in Pink, this wasn't a disappointment when watching it again after all these years decades. It's an unusual film to be so well known, it seems to me: it feels like a play, with a lot of character study and little plot. But it's perfectly judged to appeal to teenagers.

Down With Love (2003)

Here's an odd film that wants to be an update of 50s/60s romcoms like Pillow Talk (from which it swipes most of its plot structure) while at the same time being a pastiche (or more generously, a tribute) of that style. As a result, it ends up being a bit too pleased with its own cleverness to convince and too contrived to fully entertain. The casting is a bit off too: Renée Zellweger spends too much time posing and Ewan McGregor isn't sleazy enough. Not really worth the time, if I'm honest.

Judy (2019)

I didn't mean to watch two Renée Zellweger films in a row but this doesn't really deserve comparison with the previous one. Without being a complete biopic of Judy Garland's life but by just zooming in on a couple of months late in her life, with occasional flashbacks to her early life as a child star, it manages to convey a sense of how exploited her life was, and how her only remaining solace is performing; not because that's what she loves but because it's all she's been left with. Zellweger is a revelation - almost unrecognisable as Garland and brilliantly capturing her mannerisms. The end is borderline mawkish but it worked for me. Very good.

Wednesday (2022)

We watched this series over the course of several weeks as a family. It's emo AF but entertaining and enough to keep me interested. Overall, it's not really my thing, but nice to share with the kids. What it did highlight was the very different ways we watch. K & Z are constantly chatting, taking the mickey out of things, looking at their phones, and yet still manage to follow what's going on. They'd have happily watched all eight episodes in one or two sittings. I, on the other hand, could only manage one episode at a time and I found that hard to take in because those flippin' kids would not stop talking! I'm feeling old.

Reading - February 2023

The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett (1999)

Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, particularly the later ones, often leave me feeling that I've missed something that I'm not quite intelligent enough to grasp. Perhaps that's the point in this case, since we experience most of the story through Samuel Vimes' perspective, who also has that feeling. Nevertheless, this is masterly storytelling, teeming with ideas and sweeping you along. Great stuff.

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (1941)

Classic Christie, classic Poirot. A surprise twist that made sense once explained, but I never work out these things in advance - even though, in this case, I've read it before! Easy reading for bedtimes.

Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes by Rob Wilkins (2022)

Terry Pratchett was a phenomenon. I'm no publishing expert but I can't think of another writer with such quality and quantity, and his books are stuffed full of ideas in almost careless abundance. It might be a bit of a cliché but lesser authors would have reserved whole books for just one or two of the kind of ideas that Pratchett seemed to have by the dozen. Rob Wilkins was Pratchett's PA for over twenty years and clearly regards his late boss with awe and love. Yet despite all of these things and despite being written by an obviously partial observer, Pratchett comes across as, well, a bit of an arse. I've said before that if someone is described as "blunt", "direct" or "not suffering fools gladly" then what you're actually hearing about is just rudeness, dressed up to try and excuse it. Perhaps he was charming enough in person to get away with it, but it honestly doesn't sound like it. It doesn't exactly disappoint me because it has no bearing on the books, which I will still really enjoy, but I don't accept the reasoning that says this kind of behaviour is okay because "artistry" or "specialness" or something. Anyway, notwithstanding all this, the biography itself is interesting and very moving towards the end as it describes Pratchett's slow - and then not so slow - descent into dementia. Worth a read.

Watching - January 2023

Meet Cute (2022)

I chose this on Amazon Prime (thanks for the free subscription guys) because it was a time-travelling romantic comedy and I kind of like those. There's an obvious comparison with (and heavy debt to) Groundhog Day, but little of the development or, frankly, comedy. Sheila (the time traveller) just seems to make the same mistakes again and again, and get fed up with them. I was waiting for some sort of twist with Gary (the other character) revealing that he's also a time traveller, but that doesn't happen (not exactly anyway). They finally sort themselves out but we don't see what happens after - which is annoying, because logically speaking, going by the rules explained in the film, the time loop should completely unwind again, so actually it might not end up happily.

Trading Places (1983)

I can't quite believe this is forty years old! A bit broad-brush in places (and of course just racist and sexist in others - there's a warning before the film in case anyone should feel like being offended) but still basically very funny. Ripe for a remake?

Palm Springs (2020)

Yet another time-loop concept (turns out there's loads), with plenty of familiar concepts but a more modern take and some nice new ideas. It's a romcom, so we know it's going to end happily, but it's a good story and there's plenty of laugh out loud moments. Recommended (although not if you're squeamish or easily offended).

Fisherman's Friends (2020)

Only "based on the true life story" of Fisherman's Friends in the loosest sense, as presumably the real story was considered too dull. Instead what we get is an odd mix of fact and fiction, which feels like the industry standard number of dramatic elements (love interest, a death, dramatic break up etc) has been added to tick the right boxes. In fairness, it mostly does: the result is an enjoyably light drama that has some of the same feel as the classic Local Hero, and made an ideal Sunday afternoon film.

Naked (2017)

Perhaps I went a bit too deep into the list of time loop films. This is predictable stuff and has the usual dénouement: man learns about himself and how to love, and makes lots of new friends along the way. But they've only known him an hour or two, so what are they all doing in the final scene? Very average.

Local Hero (1983)

I thought Fisherman's Friends reminded me of this film, but after watching it again I realise that this is by far the superior film. It has a beautiful sense of place and a lovely whimsical tone. Great stuff.

Reading - January 2023

The Great British Dream Factory by Dominic Sandbrook (2015)

In a way, this reminds me of some of Bill Bryson's later books, overly crammed with information because the author can't bear to leave a single fascinating titbit out. As a result, despite being constantly interesting, the whole thing started to become a bit of a chore to read - I felt like I was full of facts and stuffed with statistics, to the detriment of the overall theme of the book. Britain has produced a wide variety of popular culture that has had a huge impact worldwide, and perhaps only a book this dense could do it justice. Nevertheless, well worth reading and I am pleased I persevered.

Syrup by Maxx Barry (1999)

I really enjoyed this the first time I read it (almost ten years ago!), enough to want to buy a copy and read it again. This time round I notice the satire elements more clearly, for some reason. Still a nice easy read and a satisfying end. It's also been adapted into a film, which I didn't know. I notice that Max Barry (only one "x" these days) has written several other books but I was never tempted to look for them, for some reason. Time to rectify that!

The Biggest Ever Tim Vine Joke Book by Tim Vine (2010)

Hard to argue with the quantity of one-liners here, and there are some gems, but they really need Tim Vine's delivery to make them work.

The Private Eye Annual 2022 edited by Ian Hislop (er, 2022)

I subscribed to Private Eye for a couple of years a long time ago. I stopped because it was basically the same magazine every time. That's because the subjects it satirises don't change: political incompetence, corporate greed, public pretentiousness - these are all human traits that need to be highlighted but will always be with us. I feel like it's important that someone points these things out but reading it week after week was kind of numbing as well as depressing, and their default view of "The government is wrong again! What are they doing?" is too predictable. The annual is a nicely compressed summary of the year and avoids some of these problems by being short. It's a bit hit and miss, but when it hits, it's very on-target.

 The Political Animal by Jeremy Paxman (2002)

Twenty years old yet still very accurate - if anything, more so. The UK's political system has ossified and so now politicians are stuck in modes of behaviour that everyone realises and acknowledges are ludicrous: from the public who are bored of the play acting, via the journalists who still shoot down anyone who doesn't follow the rules, to the hapless politicians themselves, caught in a game that they belatedly realise isn't worth playing. Those who make it through to the highest positions are truly very odd people. Boris Johnson (the oddest, most narcistic of them all) gets some mentions, proving that he never changed and yet still managed to become Prime Minister.