Reading - December 2025

State of Emergency: Britain, 1970-1974 by Dominic Sandbrook (2010)

It's taken me four months to finish this (and I've read 26 other books during that period); like Sandbrook's previous books in this series, it's fascinating, entertaining and sometimes saddening, but it's not meant as criticism to say that it's also hard work - there's a lot to take in. This instalment is the first one that covers events within my living memory (just), which is what I was most interested in when I started these books. Again, what stands out is the sensation of history repeating itself: for example, change the word "permissiveness" to "political correctness" or "woke" and chapter 11 here could be describing the same reactionary bullshit from the 90s or today. And so unfortunately, one is left with a depressing feeling that no-one learns anything - there are as many people interested igniting fires for personal gain, now, as there were fifty years ago.

Questionable Content by Jeph Jacques (2025)

I discovered Questionable Content in 2022 and have been reading it ever since. There's a comic every weekday, but because each is a four (or so) panel comic telling a tiny part of an overall story, an elapsed year in comics amounts to maybe a couple of weeks in the QC universe. It also makes it a smidge hard to remember what the hell's going on. So I re-read all this year's comics. It's a sweet, amusing and gentle soap opera that has amazingly been going for over twenty years.

Bedlam by Christopher Brookmyre (2013)

Probably my ninth or tenth time of reading what is (clearly) one of my favourite books and at this point, if I'm honest with myself, I'm probably skimming it in places. But I love it and its world, and it's good to go back to something familiar.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

Bedlam and this go together in my mind, being based on very similar concepts. Although I've read this fewer times, it's probably the better book and I'm a bit embarrassed by my first review of it, which was somewhat dismissive. Safe to say that now I think it's brilliant and hugely enjoyable.

Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace (2025)

In her acknowledgements (yes, I really do read them), Hannah Grace says thank you to her readers, for giving her "a chance to try something new". Which is ironic because unlike her previous novels, which were something new (to me at least, possibly because I'm not a teenage girl), this is essentially a completely standard Silhouette romance (or a Hallmark Christmas film, if that's your reference - same thing, basically), albeit slightly longer than their guidelines would allow. That's not to say it's not a good one: I enjoyed it a lot and although the requisite last minute falling out between our heroine and hero felt a little out of proportion, the whole festive season in small-town America is done well.

Watching - December 2025

Taskmaster (season 5, 2018)

Dependably amusing and enjoyable.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

I'd never heard of Mister Roger's Neighborhood until very recently, which is odd given how much US culture gets at least some airing over here. And it's a shame, because although this film is a sweet and affecting story, it relies heavily on being able to evoke the special childhood nostalgia of a beloved TV programme, and without it I feel there's a missing dimension. I can't see Fred Rogers because I don't know him; all I can see is Tom Hanks, dressed like my grandpa and sounding a bit like Forrest Gump sometimes but mostly being a bit weird, really. The film would have been better with a less well-known face, although I suspect without Hanks it wouldn't have been made at all.

Larry Crowne (2011)

You'd think a romcom starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts would be a big hit, or at least better known, but this is neither - nor, really much of a romcom. Sweet enough, but a bit pointless and somewhat implausible. The truest sounding part of the film is, sadly, the beginning, where a middle-aged rank-and-file employee is fired for, basically, being too old, and given some bullshit management crap about why.

Love Always, Santa (2016)

One of the better Hallmark Christmas films I've seen, this wasn't as good as I remembered but just about bore a second viewing and helped pass a quiet afternoon.

Anyone But You (2023)

I can't believe it took me a whole thirty minutes before I realised this was based on Much Ado About Nothing, despite the main characters being called Bea and Ben. In the end it was the random quotes scattered around the set (for example, as a mural or as a book title, a cute touch) that tipped me off. However, I think it could have done with following the original plot a bit better, because although there are plenty of laugh out loud moments, it didn't quite hang together right - there wasn't a clear reason why these two should end up together. Unfortunately I also don't quite buy Glen Powell as a romantic lead: he does sardonic and smug brilliantly but can't quite pull off sincere. Still, enjoyable stuff, and a long way from being the worst film I've watched this month so far.

Palm Springs (2020)

Watching this on Prime again while I have it! Such a great film.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)

And the other thing I always watch on Prime! Still lovely.

The Beatles Anthology (1995/2025)

I remember this series coming out in the nineties, along with the new Beatles tracks "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" (which I thought were disappointing and too obviously produced by Jeff Lynne). So I'm staggered to learn that more time has passed between then and now - 30 years - than had passed at the time between The Beatles breaking up and the original broadcast. Put it another way: when the original series was shown, I was about the same age as George Harrison was when The Beatles broke up (26, incredibly); now, I'm roughly the same age as Ringo Starr was when Anthology was released. I grew up with The Beatles' music in a way that I think is unlikely to have happened for any subsequent generations and in my experience, today's twenty-somethings don't consider them anything special, if they've even heard the music (although I once put this to Mark Lewisohn, Beatles historian extraordinaire, who strongly disagreed, so make of that what you will). So while this freshened up release on Disney+ is a fascinating, vital look into a different world, not just of mind-blowing fame but of other times, it's not going to really be of interest to anyone much younger than me, I suspect. Still, there's clearly enough old farts to make it worth releasing all over again and this old fart enjoyed it.

The Martian (2015)

Just re-read the book, just got Disney+ for the holidays, so a natural choice. A really good film with great visuals and drama.

Strictly Come Dancing (season 23, 2025)

I'm not sure I would have persevered with Strictly if I was watching by myself, but I enjoy the fact that it's a joint watch (mostly just with C these days, of course). So cue the usual selection of people I've never heard of and won't remember past the new year - put into unfortunate perspective this time around by the astonishing array of stellar celebrity fire-power assembled for Traitors earlier in the year. And cue being surprised at who goes out and who ends up being quite good actually. Passes the time nicely enough.

Ready Player One (2018)

I've just started re-reading the book and wanted a more immediate immersion into the world, which this film provides superbly, even if the story is somewhat (albeit necessarily) changed. A great film, huge fun, and the animated CGI sequences still blow my mind (there's a great in-depth article on how they did it - the detail and effort involved is just as incredible as the final result).

Taskmaster (season 6, 2018)

As usual, some great moments, and watching on Netflix without adverts makes each episode feel much shorter. Liza Tarbuck was the surprise to me from this season - all I really know her for is the Radio 2 show she does, which is a bit boring, but she was very funny.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)

I like the Knives Out films (even though it takes me about half an hour to adjust to Daniel Craig's accent every time), but this is nearly an hour too long and the actual solution too complicated and too reliant on motives that don't really stand up (although in fairness, no different from the classic era whodunnits, including the several Agatha Christie novels cheekily mentioned at one point). Not sure that the slightly heavy-handed side-swipes at organised religion and politics really belong here either, even though I agree with them. Still, an entertaining enough watch with the kids, but of course easily surpassed by the first of what I hope will be a new series, Forks Out.

Zootropolis (2016)

Watched - as last time - accompanied by family and pizza, albeit this time with a couple of extra friends of kids. Everyone enjoyed it very much. I hope the sequel will be just as good.

Die Hard (1988)

Having just watched this for the first time in decades - just as gripping as I remember - I can now definitely say that this is not a Christmas film, just a film that happens to be (inconsequentially) set at Christmas. And now that's all settled. You're welcome.

12 Dates of Christmas (2011)

Cute Christmas film that served as an alternative to the well-worn usuals (although I have seen it before anyway). And I do like a time loop plot.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

In which Emma Thompson plays ... Emma Thompson, just like she always does. In this she's no different from many male film stars, from Clint Eastwood to Tom Cruise (and, you could argue, Tom Hanks, although I would disagree - he's very good here). The problem is, it's a character I've seen too many times and the fact that you could transplant her acting - flicks, ticks, looks and all - from something like Love Actually into this (or vice versa) takes away from the impact of the film, for me. Still, despite this, I enjoyed the story, even though it's not historically particularly accurate, neither with respect to the actual relationship between Travers and Disney, nor with the sometimes glaringly obvious modern day phrases. And although I almost gave up about half way through, I was moved at the end.

Not Another Happy Ending (2013)

Small budget Scottish romcom, and the small budget shows, sadly - mostly with the patchy plot. But Karen Gillan is good and it was a passable watch.

Bugsy Malone (1976)

First time seeing this in ages and the first thing that strikes me is, just how good is Jodie Foster? Thirteen years old, and already head and shoulders above everyone else in the film. But that said, the whole thing is fun and engaging, and the occasional wooden performance actually adds to the charm. But for me, it's the songs that are the real star. Great stuff (and fun to introduce it to K too).

High School Musical (2006)

Easy fun viewing for New Year's Eve. The contrast with Bugsy Malone is interesting, because this is also mostly starring kids - only this time, they're mostly 17 and 18, and what a difference it makes in acting ability. A firm family favourite in our house, not even spoiled by having K do the entire performance, from memory, next to me on the sofa.