Watching - May 2024

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (season 2, 2014-2015)

It's a bit too easy to just carry on watching these conveniently bite-sized episodes (20 minutes each) rather than get on with something worthwhile, but it's still good quality. I thought the first few episodes were a little flat but the season soon picked up. Of course I love the Jake/Amy story arc, but I'm less keen on the sudden twist at the very end, which seemed a little unnecessary.

Groundhog Day (1993)

Felt like watching this again for some reason. Of course it's a classic, but the final redemption scenes are ludicrously improbable when you actually think about the timeline involved, even in the context of a universe that has a time loop in it.

From Russia With Love (1963)

Dated - or is "of its time" a better phrase? Disjointed and slow by modern standards, it nevertheless entertained me enough to keep me watching. I can't remember why I chose it though!

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 - Grand Final (2024)

I've watched this every year for as long as I can remember, and not in an ironic, "so bad it's good way", or in a kitsch, "let's all have a Eurovision party" way either, just because I'm interested and it's entertaining. Every year there's something to laugh with, marvel at, possibly even learn from. All the kids watch with us when they're around too (and which they were this year), which is nice . Unfortunately, it's a rare year when there's a song I'd listen to again, but hey, we can't have everything! 2024 gave us some great staging (Portugal and Switzerland stick in the memory), inexplicable voting results (Switzerland again, I can't understand why it was so universally rated by the juries), passable music (I quite enjoyed the UK entry) and, yes, utterly bonkers moments (thank you, Finland) - basically, business as usual. And, as usual, it ended with something of an anti-climax: the winner clear from quite early on, but it was not clear why. Oh well. Back next year!

The King's Speech (2010)

A classy, well-made, simple but moving drama about a friendship. Of course some aspects are simplified or, well, just made up for the sake of a story arc but it doesn't spoil the story for me at all. Lovely stuff and rightly rewarded in the Oscars.

Big Hero 6 (2015)

Z was watching this the other day so I thought I would like to see it again. Nothing complicated but a decent story and fun to watch. Nice cameo from Stan Lee in the end credits scene, which I'm not sure I'd seen before!

Baymax! (2022)

The end credits of Big Hero 6 seem to be leading to a sequel, but so far this series of six shorts is the only one. Entertaining but, well, short!