Watching - March 2026

The Adam Project (2022)

Saw this on Netflix and was tempted to watch it again. Perfectly reasonable entertainment, if a slightly uneasy mix of action and sentimentality. But Ryan Reynolds is always fun to watch.

Definitely Maybe (2008)

One of my recent favourites and a nice example of how Reynolds - yes, him again - can do sarcastic for sure, but also tender and sincere, in a way that Glen Powell probably really wishes he could. Watching again, I do think the ending is somewhat tacked on but it's still moving. Up until then the film seems surprisingly realistic (for a romcom, anyway) but the final act is pure fantasy. Also another shout-out for Caroline Siede's spot-on review ...

You've Got Mail (1999)

... which then led me to this, via her review in the same series. It's a sweet film, with lots to enjoy, but despite Tom Hanks being superb at many things, including in this film, I just can't quite see him as a love interest in a romcom. This hasn't stopped me watching it many times!

Cars 2 (2011)

I'm not quite sure how I alighted on this as a Sunday afternoon watch, but it fitted perfectly. There are lots of clever little touches throughout the film and the entertainment never stops. So if it's a bit silly in places then who cares?

Taskmaster (season 14, 2022)

A very entertaining season - it's just as much of a joy to see Dara Ó Briain ace a task because he's approached it very intelligently as it is to see John Kearns bumble around.

Agatha Christie's Marple (season 1, 2004)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has a lot to answer for: Sherlock Holmes set the template for fictional detectives so completely that as a result, all others seem doomed to mimic him - particularly on TV and film. Agatha Christie deliberately set out to subvert this with Poirot and Marple and while that might work on the page, directors are still so eager to fit the Holmes mould that they have poor Miss Marple charging around all over the place and even identifying a discarded fag end as French at one point - quintessentially Holmes-ian but all wrong here. The plot changes are mostly a bit pointless and Geraldine McEwan is entirely too knowing and active for Miss Marple (and the overdone "twinkle in her eye" looks like she needs medical attention). But the four episodes here are all good clean fun and it's enjoyable spotting the array of Britain's finest actors.

The Fall Guy (2024)

Managing to be both tongue-in-cheek and over the top is a neat trick if you can pull it off and this pleasingly meta film-in-a-film-about-film mostly manages it while being suitably entertaining.

Agatha Christie's Poirot (season 1, 1989)

This classic David Suchet series is, I suppose, an institution. It ran for an incredible thirteen series and seventy episodes over almost 25 years. This first series starts in a fairly unassuming way, with short episodes of varying quality. However, the characterisation is much better than with Marple and from what I remember, closer to the source material. Diverting for lunchtime viewing, but I might skip forward to some of the more well-known books.

The Wedding Singer (1998)

To describe Adam Sandler as wooden at points during this film is an understatement, but for some reason it's only during more emotional scenes, as he's fine in lighter hearted moments. The story itself is easy-going with plenty of gentle and affectionate humour, and thankfully lacking in real silliness (unlike, say, 50 First Dates) and features some excellent supporting performances. But most of all it's saved by the luminous Drew Barrymore, who is endlessly watchable.

Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995)

I was listening to "Summer in the City" (by The Lovin' Spoonful) and it reminded me of the opening of this classic. Silly but fun.