Book Talk: I've Been Reading...

Happy reads.

 

Seriously, there's something about feel good books that are just... well so feel good.  When everything around seems full of doom and gloom and the world around you is undertaking massive changes it's nice to have something to escape to and give yourself a pause from it all.

 

For me it's books.  Whether it's crime or thrillers or chick lit galore, books give me a place where the noise in my head can suddenly be quiet and all that surrounds me is the story.

 

Even better if they are feel good reads.  Warm, fuzzy stories that leave you with warm fuzzy feelings.  And isn't that something that we all need right now.

I know what you're thinking.  

 

Gardening books are feel good reads?  Really???  Odd as it sounds for me they are.  Some people like looking at cookbooks.  Me, I like looking at gardening books.  All three of these reads just give me a positive vibe and help motivate me to tackle the nightmare that is my garden.  So far it seems to be working as my garden is finally starting to take shape and I've actually got some vegetables planted.

Then there's the lighter side of YA.  Feel good reads that you can get through in a day.  Quirky and fun they often touch of real life issues such as body image, love and the pressure to succeed in a completely relatable way.  And of course they have cute covers too.

 

Always an important if often over-looked factor.

And of course chick lit.  

 

My go to read for all the warm feels.  Even ones that touch on lost and heartbreak of the worse kind.  Which sound depressing but surprisingly isn't. 

Romance, naturally, will also make an appearance.  Frenemies, Mr Darcy's, opposites attract, it's all there in it's glorious gooeyness and swoony feels abound.

Of course a lot of chick lit isn't solely about romance but often instead about day-to-day real life struggles and learning to love yourself.

And how awesome is that.

The Viewing Files: English Guys Acting All Swoony

I'm just going to call this the swoony feels post.  There's romance and betrayals and secrets and hidden looks and dewey eyed close-ups and most importantly heroic men acting all sexy and manly.

Excuse me while I just fall into a puddle on the floor.

 

The Lady and the Highwayman

Starring: Hugh Grant

Original release: 1988

Synopsis: A damsel in distress and a ton of lace.

All dewy eyed soft focus closeups and Hugh Grant with a truly awful haircut. 

A Hazard of Hearts

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter

Original release: 1987

Synopsis: This never happened to Jane Austen

 

Romantic heroes, damsels in distress, dastardly devils and chaste romance galore... well it is Barbara Cartland after all.

 

On a side note: Marcus Gilbert made a rather good romantic hero. 

A Ghost in Monte Carlo

Starring: Marcus Gilbert... again

Original release: 1990

Synopsis: Something about romance

Revenge, betrayal and dastardly going ons, yep it's Barbara Cartland... again with more weak willed damsels, manly hero's and soft dewy eyed closeups.

Guilty pleasure viewing.

Impromptu

Starring: Hugh Grant, Julian Sands, Mandy Patinkin and Judy Davis

Original release: 1991

Synopsis: George Sand falls in love with Chopin whose horrified at the idea.

 

Artistic types being all bitchy and it's all just glorious fun.

A Room With a View

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter and Julian Sands

Original release: 1985

Synopsis: A visit to Italy changes the course of a young woman's life.

 

Italian scenery, a lovely English manor house... and yet sadly the story itself doesn't quite work for me.

 

It's almost like it's trying too hard to be romantic and as a result you really don't get into the whole thing despite the efforts of the cast. Beautiful to look at but no real feeling behind it.

Maurice

Starring: Guys with floppy hair

Original release: 1987

Synopsis: A young man struggles with his sexuality and love

 

More than just a love story but also a beautiful, heartbreaking and hopeful tale of oppression and fear and how it can shape who we are and the decisions we make.

 

Just beautiful.

Dangerous Beauty

Starring: Rufus Sewell

Original release: 1998

Synopsis: A courtesan's tale.

 

I'm just a swoony puddle after watching this.

 

Rufus Sewell can do no wrong AND it features a strong, confident woman who plays the game by her rules.

 

Love.

Howard's End

Starring: Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham-Carter and Anthony Hopkins.

Original release: 1992

Synopsis: When a woman inherits a house from a friend and problems ensue

 

 

I'm here for the house and nothing else.  Which is probably just as well as the movie is actually kind of boring.

The Winslow Boy

Starring: Nigel Hawthorne and Jeremy Northam.

Original release: 1999

Synopsis: A father fights for justice.

 

All stiff upper lip and hidden glances it's basically a romance story set in the world of a legal battle for family honor and justice.

 

Loved it. 

 

Jeremy Northam in particular is superb especially in his scenes with Catherine which are filled with a sexy undercurrent with every line he delivers to her.  

 

I seriously needed a sequel to this.

Lady Jane

Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes and Patrick Stewart.

Original release: 1986

Synopsis: The rise and fall of Lady Jane Grey.

 

Like so many of these films it's not entirely accurate but do we really mind when it looks this good and features Helena BC amazing eyebrows, Cary being all dreamy and swoony and Patrick Stewart as the boorish father.

The Viewing Files: Space the Final Frontier...

I once won a competition based on all my Star Trek knowledge.  Sad but true.  What can I say except I'm a sci-fi nerd and Star Trek was mine show when I was a kid.  So it's no wonder that I've watched the movies.  Or that I know the words to that Star Trekkin song...

 

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Starring: You know who

Original release: 1979

Synopsis: Star Trekkin across the universe...

 

A possible interesting story bogged down by way too many long shots which are meant to inspire awe but which kind of make you wish they would just hurry up and get on with it.

Both the soundtrack and the special effects are pretty good but beyond that there's not much else going on.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Starring: Them again and that dude from Fantasy Island

Original release: 1982

Synopsis: Boldly going forward...

 

So much better than the 1st film even if some of the actors are looking a little too old to be believable as space heroes.

William Shatner plays the humor and stoicism surprisingly well while Ricardo M is just having so much fun playing Khan, a villain who doesn't know when to give up.   The action and tension is pretty spot on too. 

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Starring:

Original release: 1982

Synopsis: There's Klingons on the starboard bow...

 

Falls somewhere between 1 and 2. Entertaining enough but also very predictable.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Starring:

Original release: 1986

Synopsis: Whales... in space

 

The Star Trek crew do comedy... and though it might have been mildly funny in the 80s now it just seems all a little bit silly and cringe worthy.

The story itself is in some ways like a rewrite of the 1st movie only this time there's time travel and whales. Hard to say which is better to be honest.

Star Trek: Generations

Starring:

Original release: 1994

Synopsis: They killed Kirk

 

A farewell to Kirk.  Might have been better to have done it as part of the The Next Generation TV series but as a film it kind of works.

Star Trek: First Contact

Starring: The Next Generation

Original release: 1996

Synopsis: Earth, the Borg and time travel

Now this is my kind of sci-fi. Action tension, conflict and drama all wrapped up in a Borg bow. Stewart and Spiner shine in their roles - Picard tortured by what the Borg did to him in the past and Data in his quest to be more human.

Excellent viewing all round.

Star Trek: Insurrection

Starring:

Original release: 1998

Synopsis: Shoot to kill...

 

Okay. So it's not First Contact. But overall it's still a entertaining movie and that's more than can be said for a lot of other sci-fi movies.

Star Trek: Nemesis

Starring: Tom Hardy when he was younger

Original release:2002

Synopsis: Romulans being bad

 

Not even the crew of the Enterprise can save this one.

Star Trek

Starring: Well it's not the original actors that's for sure

Original release: 2009

Synopsis: It's life Jim but not as we know it...

 

I kind of wish that they had just made new characters etc. rather than go down the route of alternative reality which seems such a cop out.

Still in the end it kinds of works even if some of the characters seem different to how they were portrayed in other movies.

Star Trek: Into the Darkness

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch being sexy bad

Original release: 2013

Synopsis: He's back... again.

 

If you pretend you have never seen the original TV series or movies then this movie is actually okay.  BC makes a pretty good villain and the story moves along quite well.

Pretending is probably for the best.

Star Trek: Beyond

Starring:

Original release: 2016

Synopsis: Somehow there's a motorbike.  On an alien planet...

 

Further adventures in the alt reality universe.  Entertaining and actiony enough that you don't really care anymore about the differences between this and the original crew

Book Talk: I've Been Reading...

... all the crime. 

Like seriously.  This has been a good year for crime and thrillers.  I've discovered so many new/old authors and suddenly I'm devouring everything they have written, which of course means that I'm now madly waiting for their next releases.

 

Along with new discoveries, two of my favourite authors - Angela Marsons and Michael Wood - just keep churning out great books year after year, and this year was no exception.  Not bad for detective series that are into double digits.

Two thrillers particularly stand out, and will probably be in my favourite books of the year post... once I post it.  The Passengers and Last One to the Party were seriously good and ones I would recommend if you're into slightly futuristic thrillers or end of the world pandemics.

 

Outside of crime and thrillers chick lit and YA were once again had as my feel good reads and just look at all the pretty covers.  Not only great to read but nice to look at too.  What more can you ask for.

The Viewing Files: Aliens Are Among Us

I love a good sci-fi.  Especially ones with cool gadgets and aliens.  Preferably ones that don't want to eat me (always a plus).  Throw in a sexy space captain or a geeky but sexy scientist (even better - both) and I'm a happy camper.

 

Alien

Starring: Sigourney Weaver

Original release: 1979

Synopsis: A girl and her cat... oh and a really nasty alien.

 

A story where the cat knew what was happening way before anyone else and who never got murdered by said Alien unlike everyone else except his owner The Mad Cat Lady who actually did pay some attention (Thank God cause who was gonna fed him if she wasn't around).  Even better it ended with the two of them taking a really long nap.  The end.

Aliens

Starring: Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn.

Original release: 1986

Synopsis: See below

The Mad Cat Lady returns only this time she leaves the cat behind (rude much) and replaces him with a little girl (even ruder) and a flirty marine (well who can blame her it has been 57 years after all and he is kinda cute and nice).  

As usual everyone else dies (sad) because they refuse to listen to Mad Cat Lady and the trio take a nap as they fly back home to be reunited with the cat but only after they've taken out all the aliens.  

The End.  Again

The Matrix

Starring: Keanu Reeves

Original release: 1999

Synopsis: Reality may not be what you think it is 

Dark, moody and twisty and so so good.

About the only thing that ruined it was the romance angle which I could've done without.

Still really good though.

The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions

Starring: Keanu Reeves

Original release: 2003

Synopsis: I have no idea 

You really should just watch the first movie and forget about the rest.  Something I wished I had done...

Battleship

Starring: A really annoying guy

Original release: 2012

Synopsis: This is no ET.

 

I ended up hoping that the aliens would win.

Tomorrowland

Starring: George Clooney (what was he thinking)

Original release: 2015

Synopsis: You really don't want to know 

I can't even remember what it was really all about it was so bad.  Except that it became preachy as anything.  I almost wish I could've asked for my money back.

The Arrival

Starring: Charlie Sheen (before his brain was fried) and Lindsay Crouse

Original release: 1996

Synopsis:  Aliens being bad

It's entertaining, moves along at a good pace, has some pretty cool special effects and even a message without being preachy about it.

Lindsay C is seriously underused which is a pity but Charlie S actually manages to do okay, mostly because for once he's not acting like a frat boy.

Contact

Starring: Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey

Original release: 1997

Synopsis:  Aliens are calling us

Matthew M is kinda hot, science is cool (I so should have been an astronomer) and the religious bits just ruined it for me.

Good-ish.  But could have been a lot better.

Avatar

Starring: People I've forgotten

Original release: 2009

Synopsis: Marines being bad

There's blue people and they're kind of annoying which makes the whole story just all kinds of blah.

So not the sci-fi for me.

Arrival

Starring: Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner

Original release: 2016

Synopsis: The fate of the Earth rests on a linguist who has to find out if the aliens come in peace or not.

I really should like this more.  Language and some of the science and the aliens - it's all just there and I really like those parts but somehow it just doesn't quite do it for me.

The whole experiencing the present and the future as one was nuts (though interesting concept).

Maybe I just like my science a little simpler.

Stargate

Starring: Kurt Russell and James Spader

Original release: 1994

Synopsis:  An archaeologist is hired to break a unique code.

B film it may be but man what a B film it is.  Everything about this movie is perfection from stunning visuals to action scenes to some serious drama with just the right touch of geeky humour.

Kurt Russell fills his serious man action role well but it's Spader for me all the way who is the perfect sexy, awkward geek.

Love times 100.

The Viewing Files: The 80s Version

A post for my friend Michelle who like me remembers the 80s and all the bad fashion choices and hairstyles.  Seriously.  What were we thinking?

Still some of the movies are pretty cool.  So that's always a plus.

 

The Karate Kid

Starring: The guys from Cobra Kai and Elizabeth Shue.

Original release: 1984

Synopsis:  A victim of bullying learns marital arts.

I totally watched this for Mr Miyagi whose the absolute best and for slight swoony feels courtesy of Johnny aka William Z.

 

A sweet story that surprisingly holds up after all these years but man some of those 80s fashions really were the worse.

Tuff Turf

Starring: James Spader and Ironman

Original release: 1985

Synopsis:  A new boy in town runs foul of a local gang.

2 stars just because of James Spader who is swoony worthy sexy in this and Robert D who gives us a hint of what he could be.

The rest of the movie is just a really bad 80s rip off combo of every 50's teen rebel without a cause movie with music and not in a good way.  Not helped in any way at all by having Kim Richards as the love interest, who looks like she's a 12 year old playing at being an 18 year old.

Turner and Hooch

Starring: Tom Hanks

Original release: 1989

Synopsis:  A cop takes care of a dog after the dog's owner is killed.

It's a terribly good bad movie thanks to Hooch who pretty much steals every scene and Hanks goofy charm.

Stripes

Starring: Bill Murray and Harold Ramis

Original release: 1981

Synopsis:  A slacker joins the army.

Kind of what you'd expect for an 80s comedy - kind of funny, kind of silly, with plot holes galore.

An Officer and a Gentleman

Starring: Richard Gere

Original release: 1982

Synopsis:  Being a naval pilot requires you to wear a white uniform and have good dry cleaning.

Not as good as it thinks it is and not as bad as it could have been.  Very 80s and filled with a ton of cliches, some of which manage to work in it's favour.

RG and that ending is pretty much what saves it.

The Breakfast Club

Starring: A ton of 80s teen film stars

Original release: 1985

Synopsis:  So much talking.

 

A bunch of teens spend their Saturday detention talking and talking and talking..

Yep it's the boring movie you never wanted and characters who are pretty much just annoying and cliche. Allison is the only one remotely interesting but who gets totally ruined by the end of the movie.

Sixteen Candles

Starring: Molly Ringwald and a guy who quit acting to become a carpenter.

Original release: 1984

Synopsis:  A wedding, a crush and a birthday.

It's hard to still kind of like this due to some very cringe worthy scenes and questionable acts.

The romance itself is cute and works really well as do the two leads but the rest definitely needs to be redone. Maybe someone somewhere could remake this for today's audience?

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt and a cute guy.

Original release: 1985

Synopsis:  Dancing competitions 80s style.

It's the 80s at their best and worse and yet despite the bad fashion choices, the cheesy music and story line it somehow works. Thanks to great chemistry and portrayal of friendship between the 2 girls as well the 2 guys bromance which is just as good.

On a side note Lee Montgomery really should have been in a hell of lot more 80s movies.

Can't Buy Me Love

Starring: Patrick Dempsey aka Doctor McDreamy from that show.

Original release: 1987

Synopsis:  A popular girl reluctantly helps a nerdy classmate

The ending is what sells this.     That and Patrick D has a kind of goofy charm that works well in this story about geeky teen who wants to be part of the popular crowd. And we all know how well that's going to turn out..

Adventures in Babysitting

Starring: Elizabeth Shue and Penelope Ann Miller

Original release: 1987

Synopsis: A babysitter and her charges have an unexpected night in the city.

I want that pink sweater... and Brenda's glasses.

All the stars for the opening sequence, Elizabeth Shue and Penelope Ann Miller (who sadly is only in it briefly).