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.