Reading - January 2026

The Shawshank Redemption by Frank Darabont (~1993)

It always surprises me how quick it is to read a script compared to the impact it has on the screen. Since I'm very familiar with the film, it's easy to visualise it as I read, but taking something from words on a page to a film isn't something I can imagine. Perhaps, as an experiment, I need to find a script before I watch the film.

The Islander: My Life in Music and Beyond by Chris Blackwell with Paul Morley (2022)

Chris Blackwell is a legend in the music industry, as the founder, chief exec and all round spiritual centre of Island records for decades. Oddly, Wikipedia just lists his occupation as "record producer", which is correct but includes less than 10% of what he did at Island, let alone afterwards. This autobiography covers it all nicely, in a dry, matter-of-fact way that initially seemed a bit boring. But as the chapters passed and the litany of his achievements and genre-defining artists build up, it becomes more and more impressive. Also, a nicely short book, which these things should be.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World by Edgar Wright & Michael Bacall (2010)

I don't know why so many film scripts are freely available on the web but it's great to be able to read them. This was great fun.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020)

There's plenty of wisdom here that goes deeper than the easy headline of "love the life you have rather than the one you don't", wrapped up in a story that's easy to read and easy to feel inspired by. It's obvious why it's been so popular.

Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day (2011)

A historical romance with a setting that seems like the author watched a single episode of a period drama for research and then guessed the rest. Points for featuring an independent woman in that day and age; minus more points for making her a simpering mess when the right man comes along. Passed the time but otherwise of little merit.

Watching - January 2026

Ocean's Eleven (2002)

Watched with Z. As enjoyable and ludicrous as ever.

The Two Popes (2019)

To say I find organised religion distasteful is an understatement, and that goes tenfold for Catholicism. But that's not really what this film is about, I don't think. Notwithstanding the setting, it's a story of friendship, and a rather sweet one at that. Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins (playing, respectively, an Argentinian and a German ... I suppose that needs Welsh actors, right?) are very good, as you'd expect.

Conclave (2024)

Blimey, you wait ages for a film about the election of a new pope and then two come along! (in this blog, that is). Obviously these look very similar (although I assume the Sistine Chapel was recreated separately for each film) but the focus is very different. It seems to me that the message here is more about the Catholic church, and I don't think it comes out particularly well. The film itself is very good, albeit a little slow and too long, and I think the twist at the end is a touch unnecessary - but that said, if it had ended just with the election of a new pope, perhaps that would have been a bit dull.

Bowie: The Final Act (2025)

Given the title, this documentary had more in it about Bowie's 70s work than I expected, and quite a lot less about his post-superstar, post-80s output. Then there was a sudden jump to Blackstar in the final part. So although it was interesting, and had a good range of interviewees from the essential (Tony Visconti, Earl Slick, Reeves Gabrels) to the inessential (any writer from the inkies), it felt a bit like a good thirty minute programme about Blackstar had been padded with a load of extras.

Taskmaster (season 7, 2018)

There's several moments in this series when I feel really sorry for Alex Horne, as he's put in some very demeaning situations - but then I guess he can always say no, and it is (usually) very funny. As is the whole series.

Ocean's Eleven (1960)

I was looking forward to seeing what I think it's supposed to be a classic Rat Pack movie, but I was disappointed. It's badly dated: slow paced, wooden and possessing what would now be considered unacceptable attitudes. As an ensemble piece, it only works because of the star power of the actors, but nearly sixty years later it doesn't even have that (I found it hard to follow at times because I couldn't really tell who was who). And if Julia Roberts is under-used in the remake, then Angie Dickenson is only decoration in this, because there's no reason for her character to exist that I can see.

Sliding Doors (1998)

I think this is a great film (I've seen it many times) but I was surprised to find that it wasn't particularly well received on its release. Roger Ebert's review said that neither individual story was very interesting, but I think that (unusually for him) he misses the point: the interest is in the contrast between the stories, stemming from such a minor difference. Gwyneth Paltrow - pre-weird pseudo-science promotion career - is very good, the accent is spot on and of course she's gorgeous. But the funniest moments in the film are unquestionably from Douglas McFerran as Russell, Gerry's pub mate, whose joy at Gerry's self-inflicted misfortunes is hilarious.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

I really wanted to introduce this classic to the kids but I couldn't ever pin them down to a date. So I eventually gave up and watched it by myself for the first time in ages. Obviously it's fantastic, but this time around I was particularly struck by how good the music is: low-key but wonderfully scene-setting. Other than that, what's to say about a masterpiece? A majestic, slow burn of a film.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Wait, this is nearly four years old?

The Greatest Hits (2024)

Time travel as metaphor, more effective that some (yes, About Time, I'm looking at you). The main character is literally taken back to her tragic past when she hears certain music and can't escape this until she lets go of her past. It also has the most curated, hipster friendly soundtrack I've ever come across, which is great, but it carries too much of the film and the story is too slight. Sweet, but not quite as affecting as it wants to be - and could do with more humour (which, in fairness, About Time manages well ... mostly).

Taskmaster (season 10, 2020)

The first Taskmaster to be affected by covid restrictions, and it clearly caught them out a bit (as it did everyone, of course), as some of the tasks are a bit mundane. But Johnny Vegas is a reliable clown and, as ever, there's enough amusement and occasional laugh-out-loud moments to make it worth watching.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

It's great to see local boy made good Colin Firth all impeccable in a suit and then in a full-on action scene. There's a couple of elements that don't bear too much thinking about, and which seem a bit out of place in what's generally an action comedy. But the overall sense of excess carries it through.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

More over the top silliness. Highlight: Elton John saying "I'm gonna fuck you up" before doing some karate style moves on a heavy.

The Proposal (2009)

I think I originally watched this for Ryan Reynolds, but this time it is Sandra Bullock that impresses me most. She's so great at physical comedy but there's a great subtlety too. At the end when Andrew (Reynolds) proposes to her, there's a lovely little moment when she says "I'm scared" that is sweet and moving. A cute film (as long as we're ignoring the fact that the two of them fall in love over the course of just three days ...)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

We used to own this on VHS and we must have watched it a lot, because despite having not seen it now for many, many years, I am still very familiar with all of it. The animation sadly shows its age but that doesn't stop it being funny and very inventive. My favourite bit is Betty Boop, still in black and white, serving Eddie in the club.

Taskmaster (season 11, 2021)

I've taken to watching an episode of Taskmaster while I eat lunch every day, which is a nice way to take a break from my otherwise incredibly hectic life. It's amusing but undemanding entertainment that requires minimal emotional investment but nevertheless doesn't feel like a complete waste of time. I particularly enjoyed Mike Wozniak during this series - I don't know if his persona is natural or adopted but he was very entertaining.

Ocean's 8 (2018)

It's sufficiently rare to find a mainstream film that isn't just female led, but only really features men as incidental characters (there are only two with more than a couple of lines) that it kind of distracts from the fact that the whole film is just a complete, beat-for-beat retread of Ocean's 11. Still, that was a good film and so is this, in the same slightly ridiculous way. Sandra Bullock and Rihanna (who I didn't even recognise) are very good, but for some reason Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham-Carter can't seem to settle on their accents.