Finished reading: Big Sky by Kate Atkinson 📚
Bit meh. A few too many characters to get really attached to anyone or their story.
Conclave, 2024 - ★★★★
Didn’t have me quite as gripped as the book did, but a beautiful piece of film making.
Read in 2025: Crudo by Olivia Laing 📚
Read in two sittings which was probably best as I didn’t get in with it. Will stick to Laing’s non-fiction.
Finished reading: Mongrel by Hanako Footman 📚
The story of three women getting to know themselves and each other. Surprising. And challenging. And tender.
Finished reading: Union Jack by Val McDermid 📚
Think I’ve gone as far with Lindsey Gordon as I can for now.
Aftersun, 2022 - ★★★★★
Oof. I’ve not got words for the emotional rollercoaster this film took me on. A fantastic piece of film making.
Finished reading: The Unfolding by A.M. Homes 📚
As ever from A.M. Homes, an engaging and witty story that pulled me in from the first few pages. I needed this to find some flow to my reading again.
Civil War, 2024 - ★★★
One of those films where you get thrown in to a story that’s already started. It’s moving fast and there’s no time to wait for stragglers to catch up. And then just when you might be finding your feet, it’s over... I wonder if that’s how Jessie felt too.
Her, 2013 - ★★★
On reflection I really wish I’d made time to watch this when it came out. The decade and rapid changes in tech probably made me as non-plussed as the people living in this world when they blindly accepted their friends and colleagues falling in love with operating system.
The Substance, 2024 - ★★★
This was a challenge for me, not least because as a feature length ASMR film it triggered all my noise sensitivities. I think I need warnings like the ones you get for flashing lights!
That said, it’s like nothing I’ve seen before and Demi Moore was indeed excellent.
The Brutalist, 2024 - ★★★½
Visually impressive and enjoyable as a modernist architecture geek. The length which was one thing I was unsure about really wasn’t noticeable with the well-timed interval.
The main reason this isn’t getting a higher rating is that I felt no emotional connection to the characters. I feel there was also scope to develop the stories of some of the peripheral characters further especially Gordon and Zsofia.
Finished reading: Babel by R. F Kuang 📚
Thoroughly enjoyable. Some good twists along the way. Got a little pedestrian in the final third though which has tempered my enthusiasm a little.
A Real Pain, 2024 - ★★★★★
I’ve been thinking about what to write about this for a week. And I’ve ended up with this… it’s got just the right amount of everything. I feared before going in it could be overly sentimental, but the script and performances are just spot on.
It’s a lean film with nothing more than it needs. Not trying to give us answers but more questions to ponder.
The Florida Project, 2017 - ★★★★
This took me by surprise a little. Felt very reminiscent of British social realist films like Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant.
Seen lots of reviews talking about seeing things from Moonee’s perspective, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like it was Bobby’s eyes I was looking through.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, 2024 - ★★★★
These days if you can hold my attention for a full 2.5 hours you’re likely to get 4 stars. And if you give me a main character who is someone competent and excessively resentful on top of that, it’s a lock in.
The bookend to my day yesterday, walking home via the Quayside. Spot Venus 🪐
Mad sky this morning on my commute
