JANUARY REVIEWS

What I have been Reading

I Tina by Tina Turner - I had read her other autobiography when it came out many years ago so wasn't sure what to expect here, but it was also a great read. It skims over the early years, which makes sense, but it gives you a good sense of placement. The later years are well covered, including meeting her new love and her myriad of illnesses. She is still sassy but also very zen and calmer than you would expect. 

How to be Champion: my autobiography by Sarah Millican - this was a lot of fun, I really love Sarah Millican, her honesty and humour. The book goes over her earlier life and her entrance into comedy which is fascinating. She also includes self help and self love within, which adds some extra to the book. 

Best Foot Forward by Adam Hills - I loved this a lot. I don't mind Adam Hills but I wouldn't call myself a fan. He seems like a really nice guy, and this comes across in the book. But he is also honest, and he has overcome a lot and tells this in a straight forward manner. This is a great read, I cannot recommend highly enough. It is funny, and makes you think.

My Girls: A lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd Fisher – a really great insight into the lives of the Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds as told by Todd Fisher, son and brother. It’s their history (and his) as seen through his eyes. It’s a great read, with loads of interesting stories and ultimately a very sad ending.

I can't remember the title but the cover is blue: Stories from the other side of the bookshop counter by Elias Greig - this kind of annoyed me, it seemed to mostly include irritating stories about things that irritated or annoyed the author and made fun of the customers. There were some positive stories, but not many. I get that the irritating ones do come across amusing, and they need to be there, just a better balance I think.

Quarterly Essay: Net Loss: the Inner Life in the Digital Age – Sebastian Smee – fascinating essay on our inner thoughts and how they differ after exposure to digital devices. How we can juggle both, can we juggle both, can we be still and think and retain our inner self and inner life…if indeed we ever had one.

101 Marvellous movies you may have missed by David Stratton – great 2 pages essays on films that may have flown under your radar. A lot of great Australian films, some new, some old. A lot I had seen, a lot I hadn’t, and I now have a little list to work through.

Midnight in Siberia by David Greene - I listened to this on talking book and absolutely loved it. Read by Green, this was pure joy and endlessly informative and fascinating. I have such a romanticised view of Russia and an endless fascination, which is why I loved this so much. Greene is an American correspondent for NPR who has lived in Russia for a few years. The Book is the background to his work, about the interesting small towns he visited and the every day (and not every day) people he meets. The people are wonderful, kooky, crazy, beautiful, and just spellbinding. He spends a lot of time in trains which is a great place to meet people, and everyone he meets has a powerful story. It made me laugh and weep, it was what being apart of this world is really about, learning about our neighbours, good and bad, and realising we are all the same deep down.

Affairs of the art: love, loss and power in the art world by Katrina Strickland - I love reading about art and the behind the scenes stuff. Strickland always writes these kind of  books. This one is about what happens to art and the artist after they have died and it examines a lot of legacies handled by loved ones, the good and the not so good. A fascinating look into Australian art and the modern greats.

Whiteley on Trial by Gabriella Coslovich - Art theft is a favourite genre of mine and this was a difference take on that genre. It is about the Whiteley fakes and the trial that went on regarding them. I loved the stories and the trial outtakes, especially when Wendy was on the stand (oh my) but ultimately the book was too detailed and too lingering and long, it needed some serious editing and it just got too dry, which is crazy when it should have been such a delicious story. 

Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon - ultimately a coffee table book of beauty, but supposedly all about how down to earth Reese is. However, it just reeked of privilege and made me feel a little irritated. I must also say I have never really been much of a fan, but I am always open to change, this did not happen. Don't but this, but go to your local library and borrow it instead!

Missed Connections: love, lost and found by Sophie Blackall - Missed Connections is a website with stories of missed love. That interesting girl or guy someone saw on the bus or subway, but nothing happened. An exchange on a street, the kid you loved in kindi, someone you once knew and so on. Sophie has taken her favourite stories and illustrated them, and it is just beautiful and whimsical and lovely.

What I Have Been Watching

The Americans S2/3/4/5/6 - yeah, I really, really got into this series. LOVED it, as things heighten in series 3-4 you are literally on the edge of your seat. The tension is found. And what is great about this show is the leads are actually the badies, KGB spies, and yet you are rooting for them not to be found. The acting is brilliant, Keri Russell specifically is so great as the cold as the cold war mother. She is brutal. And Noah Emmerich as Stan, the clueless, FBI agent next door. His performance, especially in the final season, is so layered and nuanced, I love it. Of course the final season was wonderful, the season prior felt like padding, but this tied it all up and gave a really satisfying ending. Also the soundtrack throughout the entire season, was as spectacular as the show. If you haven't seen this, you simply must!

Better Call Saul S4 - S4 follows on the sad death of Jimmy's brother Chuck (played beautifully by Michael McKean) and I for one will really miss him. Jimmy is playing it cool but struggling with the loss of that complex relationship. He is still on probation and is working at getting things reinstated. Kim is trying to help him, but he is being challenging. The series ends with him of probation and deciding to practice under the name of Saul Goodman. It was compelling and funny and great as always.

The Looming Tower - interesting series leading up to the 9/11 and the hunt for Bin Laden. Fictional based on fact, this had me sucked right in. The always great Jeff Daniels plays the head of 1-49 the counter-terrorism unit. He is a very interesting character. You think you know the story, the lead up will change everything!

Family Law S3 - I cannot love this lovely Australian show enough. In the vein of Please Like Me (another favourite) it follows the Asian Law family with their sassy outspoken mother, and her colourful kids. But the main character is Ben, a young Asian who thinks he is possibly gay - he so is - and his challenge at what to do with it. S3 ups the ante with Ben deciding to come out, and it is the most delightful season to date. It make you cry through a proud smile. I love seeing diversity on the television and am such a fan of the real Ben Law (easily an Australian National Treasure) who wrote the series based on his own family. And his mother is a scene stealer, what a fabulous woman!

Will and Grace S10.1 - this feels as good, if not better than, the original series. They are en pointe, funny, political, and endearing, as they always have been.

Roseanne - I actually enjoyed this redo better than I thought. I am keen to see it continue without Roseanne, cause to me the real stars of the show were always Laurie Metcalfe, John Goodman, and Sara Gilbert. 

Younger S5 - this is a fun show, set in a NY publishing house, and there is romance, drama, fun loads of literary in-jokes. I love their 'version' of George RR Martin, very funny indeed!

The Orville S1 - I struggled with this, I thought it would be a funny pisstake of Star Trek. But it is more a homage and takes itself a bit too seriously. Which I found odd as the actual Star Trek never took itself seriously. I am sticking with it, cause there are bits I love and find amusing, but it was nowhere as good as I wanted!

Brooklyn 99 S5 - this is such a fun show, laugh out loud funny and we need more of that in this world. Now I have seen this season, I have finally caught up. Love this really amazing cast, they are all funny in their own right but Andre Braugher and Chelsea Peretti are my faves, as Holt and Gina.

Call my Agent - this was a great French comedy series based around a PR agency that represents some of the great French actors. Each episode revolves around an actual French actor playing a version of themselves. And it is marvelous, plus you get a great regular cast of those working in the agency. I really loved this!

Little Women - this is possibly the best interpretation of the beloved children's book that I have seen. Maya Hawke (daughter of Uma and Ethan) plays our beloved Jo just perfectly. Ever other character is cast well, especially Amy, who is annoying but is meant to win you over by the end of the book...she does, perfectly. The detail was better than I had seen, so much so, there were scenes i could not remember, I must re-read the book!!!

Aussie Pickers - pretty much the exact same format as American Pickers, and that is perfectly fine. The dudes are likeable and they head off to visit odd collectors and hoarders around Australia and see what antiques they can find.

America's Got Talent - I am not a fan of reality shows at all, but I am a sucker for a music show, thought AGT is more than music. This is the best of the best and they have 10 previous winners, runners up, should have beens each week and only 2 get through, so it is brutal. So many of these people competing have become stars in their own right. Almost every performance each week is perfect. I'm sucked right in.

Great British Bake Off - ok this is my other reality show guilty pleasure. I only started watching this as my husband, Noel Fielding, is one of the hosts, and as always a delight. But I really have gotten involved with the competitors, most of whom seem rather lovely, and they are baking, oh man, it makes me hungry!

Retro Rage - as always during Jan, Rage replays old Countdowns and other shows, and it is nice to take a musical walk down memory lane!

Blackkklansman - finally got to see this masterpiece. I am a huge Spike Lee fan and the premise of this film, FBI infiltrating the KK, had me sucked in from the get go. And it delivered, based on a true story this is one of those when truth is stranger than fiction moments. Excellent casting with John David Washington (son of Denzil and a chop off the old block!) is the rookie cop who decides to infiltrate the clan, but then realises he cannot do the actual work, and his partner, the always fabulous Adam Driver, in to do his work. It is actually very funny and very black funny in parts, but packs the punch we all need at the right moments. Ultimately the film is heart breaking, mostly as you can see that we have come so far but really not at all. This is one of the best films I have seen in a long long time.

The Death of Stalin is written by Armando Iannucci so you know it is going to be sharp and that it was. It was also dark and of course funny. It is 1953 in Moscow and Stalin drops dead, and the shuffling behind the scenes begins with who it best to replace him. Great ensemble cast, this does drag at times, but it mostly great.

Skyscraper -  a blockbuster film about a fire in the tallest and supposedly safest building in the world. Of course The Rock’s family is caught within and he comes to save the day. Quite ridiculous but the height/fire stuff raised my anxiety a tad lol!

Crazy rich asians - what fun, love all these crazy and not so crazy characters. I had a blast watching this would be romance between a rich and a not so rich couple.

The Wife -  This was better than I thought it would be. Close is wonderful in this and deserves all the praise she is getting as the wife of a Pulitzer prize winning author, who she may have helped more than people realise.

Tullyb -  this was a melodramatic film about a mother, Charlize Theron, with post traumatic stress after the birth of her third child. It's difficult to discuss this without giving away plot points, but watch carefully, there is some clever manipulation there. Ultimately I felt let down by that part of the story.

Book club - look this was a sweet film, but with superb actors such as Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Diane Keaton, and Mary Steenburgen, I thought something with a bit more depth (actually some depth, any depth would have been good). Definitely a leave your brain at home kinda film, which is fine, it just could have been better. I wanted more!

Christopher Robin - sweet kids film with Ewan McGregor as the lead acting with real looking animated animals, pooh, tiger etc. Kids will love this, but also great for big kids. Moral, don't lose your sense of childlike wonder and fun.

Sweet Country – An aboriginal stockman kills a white man and goes on the run. A posse is formed to catch him to be tried for murder. Compelling Australian story with great cast of actors.

Three for the Show – musical starring Jack Lemmon and Betty Grable. Marty (Lemmon) is reported killed in action and his wife Julie (Grable) remarries. But when Marty turns up alive a complex and amusing dilemma occurs and Julie must choose between 2 husbands! Basic story but excellent song and dance numbers, especially I’ve got a crush on you with Grable and Lemmon in fine form.

Le Redoubtable is a fictional French film based on the time around the release of Jean-Luc Goddard’s flawed film, La Chinoise, that he made with his then girlfriend, Anne Wiazemsky. It follows them as a couple, and the film’s reception and Goddard’s reaction to the experiences.

C’est La Vie is a hilarious French farce about a huge and amazing wedding reception in a 17^th century chateau, and the wedding planner in charge of it all. Everything seemingly goes wrong and he’s constantly on the warpath with his huge group of workers. Will the wedding come off ok or will it be a disaster. This was loads of fun and the wedding itself something to behold, including some of the most romantic and hilarious gestures.

Dr Knock (Omar Sy) is a doctor – or is he!?! – who arrives at a small French village in hope of making his fortune when he finds people rarely get sick. So he manages to convince them they are not as well as they think. This French comedy only works sure to the charisma and brilliance of Sy.

Westwood - doco about the fabulous Vivienne Westwood. She is followed around and is also shows her famous history. I loved it, and I have always loved her, but Vivienne herself felt the film was crap and you can tell from some of the interviews...ouch, which just makes it all the more interesting to watch!

What I Have Been Listening To

Go farther in lightness by Gang of Youths – older album by my ‘new discovery’ LOVE, upbeat and uplifting with a hit of U2 within.

Dylan and early Elton - been collecting a lot of vinyl from these guys, the Dylan stuff ranges the decades but the Elton is mostly 70s. Love it all.

Katie Melua - been listening to her greatest hits, she has such a great voice. Really enjoyable.

Sings for the King - Glenn Campbell - This is quite an interesting album, remastered from recordings way back when Glenn used to sing songs in the style of Elvis. This was specifically for ELvis to listen to so as to decide the next song he would sing and back when Glenn was a gun for hire session muso. It is remarkable how close to Elvis these songs sound. Worth a listen.