Top 10 Good Movies We Watched in 2024 (by James M)

Happy New Year, people. 2024 is just about over, and this year, my parents and I watched some really fun movies, and some of which I didn't think about seeing at one point. Over the many, many movies I watched this year, I will name just ten films that were undoubtedly great IMO. Let's start...











10. Eye In The Sky

Released in 2015, this film stars Alan Rickman prior to his death, and revolves around taking out a terrorist. On the day we watched it, we planned on seeing INSIDE OUT 2, but it turned out the film wasn't free to watch on Disney Plus yet. Time to improvise. So, mom picked out this movie, and I initially got cold feet because it was R-rated until I recalled that I'd seen R-rated movies before and it had been a while since we all saw an R-Rated movie. We watched it and, well, it was really good, teaches you a lot about how things work out behind the scenes when it comes to taking out terrorists.












9. Jojo Rabbit

We got this for Christmas in 2023, and this was the first movie we saw in 2024. Set during the Second World War, the movie follows a boy who looks up to Adolf Hitler, until he finds a Jewish person hiding in the house. As someone who loves World War II movies and movies involving Nazis, this one was quite good, and I am considering rewatching the film in the future. Takkia Wattiti is one funny actor, and his rendition of Adolf Hitler was... wow.












8. Aladdin (1992)

"TEN THOUSAND YEEAAAARRRS can give ya such a crick in the neck!"

I never saw this movie as a kid, even though I saw scenes from it here and there. But, we saw it, and, wow, I see why so many people love it. This is one of Disney's best movies to date, and Robin Williams sold it as Genie. You gotta love animated films, especially when it can go absolutely off the walls in a good way. We will see the live-action remake down the road, and I do want to see the sequels this film produced.












7. Batman: Mask of The Phantasm

One of DC's most valued characters and one of the most beloved comic book superheroes for decades, Batman, next to Spider-Man, has become one of my favorites and, as I am keen to watch superhero films, it was obvious I would watch this at some point. I saw it twice this year, once with my dad, and again with my mom. This is without a doubt a good, and gripping Batman movie, with Kevin Conroy voicing the Dark Knight as the story takes a look at Bruce Wayne's motivations. People are not wrong to say it is the best Batman film ever, and Mark Hamil steals the show as The Joker. I will write up a review of this at some point.












6. Frankenstein (1931)

A classic monster movie and one of the greats. We watched this on Halloween, and it felt right to watch it at the end of October, after watching scary movies for weeks (including the original Beetlejuice movie). The story of Doctor Frankenstein and his monster is well-known, and, for its time, the movie is still incredible to this very day. We all enjoyed it, and I would not mind watching the sequels and the remake and I'd be glad to read the book down the line. Truly, an unforgettable horror movie.











5. Invaders From Mars (1953) 

Another film we watched in October. My dad suggested it, and, well, you can't say no. This one was intense, and dad observed that it left me on the edge of my seat at one point. For a film from the 50s, this is an insane sci-fi classic with a crazy ending. The special effects are not too bad, and the aliens are scary as heck. Jimmy Hunt, the lead actor in this film, will never be forgotten by us modern day movie watchers. Bring on the 80s remake.










4. Oppenheimer (2023)

"We knew the world would not be the same. Some people cried, most people were silent..."

We got this film for Christmas along with Jojo Rabbit, and, past the anniversary of Japan's surrender, we watched it. I'm telling you, this is a long movie, but it is pretty good. Cillian Murphy was an interesting pick to play Dr. Oppenheimer, even though OPPENHEIMER can be hard to follow as it bounces all over the place and gets a little weird at times. And yet, it still tells the story of Robert J. Oppenheimer's affairs and efforts to make the bomb. However, mom prefers 1989's FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY over this, but OPPENHEIMER is worth the eventual rewatch. OPPENHEIMER does its best to be historically accurate, despite certain issues coming up, and the acting is pretty decent.











3. Forrest Gump

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

A classic film for the ages. Starring Tom Hanks, FORREST GUMP follows the title character as he talks about his life, which sees him fight in the Vietnam War at one point, and Gump is one of the funniest characters ever. FORREST GUMP is a humorous story, but one full of kindness, and may have valuable life lessons you won't forget. The end of this film, well, it is touching. FORREST GUMP is a must-watch, especially for those who have not seen this one yet.











2. Ultraman Rising

Ultraman. Who can forget it? I remember watching the original Ultraman show as a kid, and, given my love of animation, we could not resist watching this movie. ULTRAMAN RISING tells the tale of a baseball player who becomes a monster-fighting superhero and looks after a baby kaiju. Sure, we've seen someone looking after a baby monster before, but this one is just endearing. ULTRAMAN RISING is a tale of heroism and fatherhood. You gotta feel bad for that baby kaiju, and this is one superhero/monster movie worth a rewatch.


-Honorable Mentions-











Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Damn good movie, that's all I can say. C'mon, you can't resist an alternate history World War II movie, especially when Brad Pitt is in it and Adolf Hitler gets killed off at the end.











Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

I love the TMNT franchise, having seen the OG movies, the 2007 animated film, most of RoTMNT, Turtles Forever, and the Michael Bay movies while reading some TMNT comics and playing a TMNT game or two. Mom and I loved this, and you can't go wrong with a film like RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.











Full Metal Jacket

This was crazy as heck, and still enjoyable. It shows boot camp training and, of course, the madness of Vietnam. R. Lee Ermy made for a crazy cool drill sergeant character, and I almost feel bad for him when he got killed by "Private Pyle". I handled this like a champ, and it is a fun war movie. When you see this, you are not in a world of crap.











1. Godzilla Minus One (2023)

We all know the story of Godzilla. In 1954, 9 years after the end of World War II, America tests the H-Bomb in the Pacific, leading to a huge radioactive dinosaur ravaging Tokyo. However, this film changes up the status quo by having Godzilla attack Japan shortly after the conclusion of the war. It starts in 1945, in the closing weeks of WWII, and Godzilla's big attack happens two years later. Focusing on a would-be kamikaze pilot, GODZILLA MINUS ONE is an incredible movie and was the one that ensured the Big G got an Oscar after seven decades. I would love to watch this again, because, next to GODZILLA 1954 and GODZILLA FINAL WARS, this is one of the most important Godzilla films ever.


"Hey, wait a minute! How about you cover one more film?"

I was just thinking, and if I am being honest, GODZILLA MINUS ONE isn't the only movie that is one of my favorite films I got to see in 2024. Sharing the number one spot, we have...











Deadpool (2016)

Okay, the story here is interesting. After mom and I saw the trailer for TERMINATOR DARK FATE in 2019, I got curious about Deadpool, and we saw the trailer for that movie. After seeing what it had to offer, mom objected. And, for a long time, I was against seeing R-rated comic book films like this, but eventually, I decided to watch this movie with my dad. Oh, I am here to tell you now, this R-rated comic book movie was worth watching. Ryan Reynolds is my favorite actor, and he played Wade Wilson so well. Full of action, humor, and good moments, I am happy I saw Deadpool. And this one is more than just an over-the-top bloody action film, it is a comedy at heart, with so many comedic beat. I will be seeing the sequel in 2025 along with the third movie.

Happy New Year!

2024 Books Completed.

Courtesy of @becauseallthebooks


2024 Books Completed  


Alan Dean Foster- Life Forms (reread) ****

Amanda Quick - When She Dreams #6 Burning Cove ***

Andy Weir - Project Hail Mary:  *****

Arthur C. Clarke - Rendezvous with Rama (reread) ****

Ashley Poston - Seven Year Slip - e, ****

Ashley Poston - The Dead Romantics ****

Ben Aaronovitch - Broken Homes #4 Rivers of London ****

Ben Aaronovitch - Foxglove Summer #5 Rivers of London ***

Ben Aaronovitch - Moon over Soho #2 Rivers of London ****

Ben Aaronovitch - Whispers Underground #3 Rivers of London ****

Blake Crouch - Dark Matter ****

Bonnie Garmus - Lessons in Chemistry ****

Brendan Slocumb - Violin Conspiracy ****

C.J. Archer - The Librarian of Crooked Lane #1 Glass Library - ****

Campbell Walker - Your Head is a Houseboat - Nonfiction ****

Caroline Peckham - Zodiak Academy #1: The Awakening - ***

Cassandra Clare - Lady Midnight: Dark Artifices ****

Cassandra Clare - Lord of Shadows: #2 Dark Artifices   ***

Charles De Lint - The Mystery of Grace (reread) ****

Christopher Paolini - Murtagh #5 Inheritance Cycle ****

David Brin - Earth (reread) ****

Dean Koontz - Elsewhere - ****

Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas #1 (reread) ****

Debra Webb - Deeper than the Dead - e, ***

Derek Paul - A Machine Divine ****

Diana Setterfield - Once Upon A River ****

Dylan Newton - How Sweet it is - e, ****

Elizabeth Bear - Machine #2 White Space ****

Elizabeth Hunter - The Scribe #1 Irin Chronicles (reread) ****

Elizabeth Hunter - The Secret #3 Irin Chronicles ****

Elizabeth Hunter - The Singer #2 Irin Chronicles ****

Emily Henry - Funny Story ****

Emily St. John Mandel - Sea of Tranquility   **

Ernest Cline - Armada ****

Evie Woods - The Lost Bookshop ****

Faith Hunter - Rift in the Soul #4 Soul wood ****

Gwendolyn Brooks - People of the Book (reread) ****

Haruki Murakami - Kafka on the Shore (reread) ****

Haruki Murakami - Sputnik Sweetheart *****

Iain Pears - Giotti's Hand #5 Jonathan Argyll *** 

Isak Dinesen- Out of Africa ***

J.D. Robb - Random in Death #58 In Death ****

J.D. Robb Passion in Death #59 In death *** 

J.T. Ellison - Lie to Me *****

Jason Pargin - I'm Starting to Worry About This Big Black Box of Doom:  *****

Jenna Black - Dark Descendant (reread) ***

Jenny Colgan - Cafe by the Sea #1 Mure ****

Jenny Colgan - The Bookshop on the Corner ****

Jessica Strawser - The Last Caretaker **

Jim Butcher - Aeronauts Windlass #1 Cinder Spires ****

Joanna Quinn - The Whalebone Theatre   *****

John Grisham - The Racketeer -  ****

John Grisham - Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer ****

John Scalzi - Old Man's War ****

Julia Quinn - Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (reread) ****

Justin Cronin - The Ferryman  *****

Karen Rose - Count to Ten  ****

Kate Clayborne - Love Lettering -  e, *****

Kay Hooper - Curse of Salem: #20 Bishop/Special crimes  ****

Kelly Barnhill - When Woman Were Dragons - ****

Leslie Wolfe - The Surgeon  **

Lyssa Kay Adams - Undercover Bromance ***

Mariana Zapata  - From Lukov with Love - e, ***

Marie Brennan - Tropic of Serpents #2 Lady Trent  *****

Mark Helprin - In Sunlight and In Shadow  ****

Mark Pryor - The Book Artist #8 Hugo Marston  ****

Mimi Matthews - The Belle of Belgrave Square  ****

Nalini Singh - Archangel's Lineage #16 Guild Hunter *****

Nalini Singh - Primal Mirror #8 psy-changeling trinity, *****

Namrata Patel - Candid Life of Meena Dave  *****

Naomi Novik - His Majesty's Dragon #1 Temeraire  *****

Nina Sankovitch - Tolstoy and the Purple Chair  (reread) *****

Noa Walker - You, Me, and the Colors of Life - e, ****

Nora Roberts - Mind Games *****

Nora Roberts - The Mirror #2 Lost Brides    *****

Nora Roberts / J.D. Robb - Remember When / Big Jack #17.5 In death ****

Paola Peritti - The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree  ****

Patricia Briggs - Winter Lost Mercedes Thompson adventure, *****

Patricia Briggs Alpha and Omega series (reread) 1 - 4

Patricia Briggs Mercedes Thompson (reread)  1 - 14)

Peng Shepherd - The Cartographers ***

R.F. Kuang - Babel: An Arcane History *****

Rebecca Yarros -  Iron Flame #2 Empryean - *****

Rebecca Yarros - Fourth Wing #1 Empryean - *****

Rebecca Yarros - The Things We leave Unfinished - e, ****

Ruth Ware - The It Girl ****

Samantha Shannon - The Bone Season #1 ****

Samantha Shannon - The Pale Dreamer novella ****

Sara Nisha Adams - The Reading List ****

Sarah Addison Allen - Other Birds  ***

Sarah Hall- How to Paint a Dead Man  **

Satoshi Yagisawa’s - Days at the Morisaki Bookshop  ***

Sharon Bolton - Now You See Me #1 Lacey Flint  ****

Steve Berry - Charlemagne's Pursuit #4 Cotton Malone  ****

Sulari Gentill - The Woman in the Library  ****

Sylvia Cathrall -A Letter to the Lumious Deep - e, ****

T.A. Barron  - The Ancient One (reread) ****

Talia Hibbert  - Get a Life, Chloe Brown - e, ***

Toni McGee Causey - Bobby Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day (reread)   ***

Trisha Das - Never Meant to Stay  ****

V. E. Schwab - Darker Shade of Magic ****

Venus Prime V: Breaking Strain - Paul Preuss ****

Willa Cather - Death Comes for the Archbishop: reread (reread) ****


2024 Reading Wrap Up


 

My 2024 Reading Year

In 2024 I surprised myself by reading more physical books than ebooks. The past couple of years, I read 50% or more in ebooks so I'm proud of myself for sticking with the books on my shelves. I thought I was making headway in clearing some books out, except they kept having babies, so guess I'll have to start over again for 2025.  LOL!

I read 104 books of which 82 were paperback or hard back and the rest were ebooks. Huzzah.  Out of those, I read 37 new to me authors, and 19 rereads and the rest were books by known authors.

Out of all of them, 18 were Five Stars  - They were stellar reads.  The writing was compelling, the world building was outstanding and the story flowed. I couldn't put them down. They evoked an emotional response and made me feel my feelings. Or they were unique.  If it was a series opener, it made want to read the whole series.  If it was a new to me author, it made me want read more of their stories. I have to say I would reread them again in the future. 

Some of my five star reads I couldn't stop thinking about:

R.F. Kuang's Babel - because once I started reading, I could not put it down. The etymology discussions, how the characters related to the world around them, how the characters grew in knowledge, the choices they made, some good, some bad, the heart wrenching decisions. All of it combined to create a story that made me think and how it related to today's world and why people do the things they do. 

Justin Cronin's The Ferryman -  because it was so complex. It left me breathless, especially with the twists and turns. Real life or a dystopian world, the future or the past, a dream or reality, upper class versus the working class, fantasy or deceit, lies or truths.  

J.T. Ellison's Lie to Me - When I finally dove into the story, it lead to me reading every spare minute. Fast paced, psychological thriller and would have never guessed who caused Sutton's and Ethan's marriage to implode. They were both to blame, yet there was someone else hiding in the shadows pulling all their strings. It was a thrill ride of a story with so many twists and turns, it made me dizzy.

Rebecca Yarros's Empyrean series - Fourth Wing with dragons and gut wrenching bad good guys and bad guys. The cadets have to master a parapet to join or fall to their deaths.  Each challenge becomes a matter of life or death, no in between.  In Iron Flame, the cadets to go war and have to deal with deception and challenges and the story is full of twists and turns.  

Naomi Novik's first book in her Temeraire series - His Majesty's Dragon, all about Captain Laurance who reluctantly bonded with the dragon Temeraire during the Napoleonic war and grew to love and trust him above all else.  I went on to read the second book and will definitely read the rest of this series. 

Nalini Singh's Archangel's Lineage, the sixteenth Guild Hunter urban fantasy/romance in which Raphael and Elana and the rest of the angels have to fight to save the world on brink of destruction due to ancestors, plus Elena dealing with family issues was an emotional coaster ride. 

Nora Roberts Mind Games which was unique, clever, gut wrenching, scary, and heart warming all in one.

Diana Setterfield's Once Upon a River,mystery with magical realism elements totally captured me with the different characters. The story slowly bloomed and just when I thought I had the answer, it changed.  Very well done!

Kate Clayborn's Love Lettering was so unique, I decided I needed to read it again and purchased the paperback so I could annotate.  

Jason Pargin's I'm starting to Worry About this Big Black Box of Doom was a crazy thrill ride from California to Washington DC, with him vs her conversations, adulthood, and relationships, how the internet can shape your thinking, plus all the mayhem that occurs when the conspiracy theorists on the internet follow your journey. And through it all, what was in that box? The answer was a surprise.  Enjoyed it from beginning to end. 

I made the mistake of reading Joanna Quinn's The Whalebone Theatre at bedtime and there was so much of this story that captured me. The forgotten child Cristabel, the heir apparent Digby, the privileged parents, the elite friends, and how they all handled life up to, during, and after wartime. Beautifully written.  I need to read it again with annotations and marginalia to remember all the good, bad, and the ugly. 

And Patricia Brigg's Winter Lost which inspired me to reread the whole dang series over again as soon as I finished it. 

Four Stars: 61 -  The writing, world building, and characters were excellent. Enjoyed the story. Would read this series or author again. Willing to give it a second read.  Many, many well done stories. 

Three Stars: 18 - It was average, a good story, but...  Generally nitpicks about the characters actions and how ridiculous or immature they were. 

Two Stars: 5 -  I read the whole thing but had morally grey characters without any redeeming qualities, or something about the story turned me off, or it failed to live up to my expectations.   

I read three in a row which was  an interesting turn of events. I had looked forward to reading Mark Helprin's In Sunlight and In Shadow since I thoroughly enjoyed The Winter's Tale and Soldier of the Great War, but was disappointed by the story line. A historical romance novel set just after WWII in New York city in which the lead character decides vigilante justice against the mob was the best way go and it ends up all wrong.  

Helprin's novel set a theme for the next two books my husband bought for me which went down the same path and he got to hear all about how mad the characters made me. 

Jessica Strawser's The Last Caretaker  started out with good intentions then went down the wrong path in dealing with domestic violence, vigilante justice and solving problems without the authorities. 

And Leslie Wolfe's The Surgeon when a cardiac patient died under mysterious circumstances and the lead characters were involved in abuse, adultery, blackmail, and decided vigilante justice without the police was the best solution. 

Oh my word! 

My books covered a wide range of genres, emotions and subjects from dragons, dystopian oxford, psychological thrillers, magical realism, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy and science fiction and took me around the world from Japan to Europe to the United Kingdom to the United States. From grief, racism, and disability to love and family and life, the stories ran the gamut. 

I didn't avoid the cathartic reads, the ones that hit you in all the feels. In the past, I avoided them like the plague. But now, sometimes you just need to have a good cry or have a good mad.  They're a great excuse for feeling your feelings and if you dive in, let the words wash over you and pull you into the characters lives and emotions, when you come out the other side, not only have you learned something, you feel better.  

All in all, I had a great reading year. And since I usually keep the good stories, now that I've learned to annotate and talk to the author, the characters, or myself in the margins, next year should be interesting. 



2024 A to Z and Back Again books completed

 

I cheated a little on my A to Z and Back Again for x as long as long as it was contained within the spelling of the title.


A to Z and Back Again


A) Armada by Ernest Cline
B) Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
C) Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel
D) Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
E) Elsewhere by Dean Koontz
F) Fourth Wing #1 Empryean by Rebecca Yarros
G) Giotti’s Hand #5 Jonathan Argyll by Iain Pears
H) His Majesty’s Dragon #1 Temeraire by Naomi Novik
I) Iron Flame #2 Empryean by Rebecca Yarros
J ) Man’s War by John Scalzi
K) Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
L) Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison
M) Moon over Soho #2 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
N) Now You See Me #1 Lacey Flint by Sharon Bolton
O) Once Upon A River by Diana Setterfield
P) The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree by Paola Peritti
Q) The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
R) The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
S) Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
T) Talia Hibbert Get a Life by Chloe Brown
U) Whispers Underground #3 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
V) Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
W) Lost Bookshop by Evie Wood
X) Foxglove Summer #5 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Y) You, Me, and the Colors of Life by Noa Walker
Z) Zodiak- Academy #1: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham


Z) From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Y) Your Head is a Houseboat by Campbell Walker
X) I’m Starting to Worry About This Big Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin
W) The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
V) Venus Prime V: Breaking Strain by Paul Preuss
U) Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
T) Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
S) Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
R) The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Q) Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
P) Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
O) Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
N) Never Meant to Stay by Trisha Das
M) Machine #2 White Space by Elizabeth Bear
L) Life Forms by Alan Dean Foster
K) Odd Thomas #1 by Dean Koontz
J) Cafe by the Sea #1 Mure by Jenny Colgan
I) The It Girl by Ruth Ware
H) In Sunlight and In Shadow by Mark Helprin
G) Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
F) Funny Story by Emily Henry
E) Earth by David Brin
D) Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
C) Love Lettering by Kate Clayborne
B) Broken Homes #4 Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
A) Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen


December Reading Log

 



December 1:  I’m dipping my toes into multiple books right now and all of them are different so don’t get them mixed up. When I get tired of reading one, move on to the other.

Steve Berry’s Emperor’s Tomb

Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore

Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa

Louise DeSalvo’s Art of Slow Writing

Emily Henry’s Funny Story.

My book buying binge is out of control and have added multiple books to my TBR. Thank you Amazon for extending Black Friday for a whole week. *facepalm*    Now it’s time to start Christmas shopping.

Saturday Night Movie: How to Train Your Dragon.


December 2:  All the packages from my black friday splurges have started rolling in and hubby asks did you do some christmas shopping?

Um, yeah sure. Hee hee

December 3:  Finished reread of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.  Understand a bit more, however feel the Same as when read it the first time.  Much to ponder, but it still left me in a state of confusion. Feel like that maybe if read Kafka’s metamorphosis I may understand but probably not.  Big book hangover.

December 8:  I recently added A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote to my stacks. Ann Patchett, author and owner of Parnassus books says she’s never been able to read the book aloud to a group of people without crying. I also added another holiday tale – Comfort and Joy: A Christmas fable by Kristen Hannah.

Plus I am reading Kingdom of Copper, part of the Daevabad series by our December author of the month, S. A. Chakraborty.  Be sure to check her out.

Besides Kingdom of Copper, I’m still in middle of Steve Berry’s Emperor’s Tomb.  Was reading it at breakfast but started to get gory so have to read when not eating.

Finally got back into reading my ebooks so on tap is Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn.

“Meg Mackworth’s hand-lettering skill has made her famous as the Planner of Park Slope, designing beautiful custom journals for New York City’s elite. She has another skill too: reading signs that other people miss. Like the time she sat across from Reid Sutherland and his gorgeous fiancée, and knew their upcoming marriage was doomed to fail. Weaving a secret word into their wedding program was a little unprofessional, but she was sure no one else would spot it. She hadn’t counted on sharp-eyed, pattern-obsessed Reid . . .

A year later, Reid has tracked Meg down to find out—before he leaves New York for good—how she knew that his meticulously planned future was about to implode. But with a looming deadline, a fractured friendship, and a bad case of creative block, Meg doesn’t have time for Reid’s questions—unless he can help her find her missing inspiration. As they gradually open up to each other about their lives, work, and regrets, both try to ignore the fact that their unlikely connection is growing deeper. But the signs are there—irresistible, indisputable, urging Meg to heed the messages Reid is sending her, before it’s too late . . .”

Also have several non fiction books going at the moment: Louise DeSalvo’s The Art of Slow writing as well as The Twelve Week Year, and Danny Gregory’s memoir Everyday Matters.

Saturday Night Movie: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.


December 15: Will be reading the Kingdom of Copper for the next week or so with Steve Berry’s Emperor’s Tomb  waiting in the wings.  Making some headway in Louise DeSalvo’s Art of Slow Writing in which the current chapter details the art of slow reading. *grin*

Saturday Night Movie: Alien: Romulus.


December 17:  Adding Canticle to my bedtime reading pile. It’s been years since i read it so need to see how I feel about it now.  Currently rereading Brook’s  People of the Book at bedtime.  

Finished 2025's Bingo for 52 Books. 


December 21:  I’ve been counting down the days to Christmas with our advent calendars as well as anticipating the annual book flood Jólabókaflóð. However, I started a little early and our shelves and stockings are filling up. But nevertheless, we’ll spend Christmas Eve curled up on our cozy couch reading until the thought of Santa coming down the chimney drives us to our beds. Winter also officially started on Saturday, the 21st, which means plenty of cold weather books to keep us company.

Somebody reminded me the other day, it isn’t the quantity of books we read that’s important, but the quality. 

I’m still enjoying Kingdom of Copper in S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad Trilogy plus reading Geraldine Brook’s People of the Book at bedtime. I loved these type of stories

“The story traces the harrowing journey of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah, a beautifully illuminated Hebrew manuscript created in fifteenth-century Spain.

When it falls to Australian rare book expert Hanna Heath to conserve this priceless work, the tiny artifacts she discovers in its ancient binding—a butterfly wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, a white hair—only begin to unlock the book’s deep mysteries and unexpectedly plunges Hanna into the intrigues of fine art forgers and ultra-nationalist fanatics.”

Started listening to Patricia Brigg’s Moon Called with a dramatized cast which has been really fun.  Found I can listen and concentrate better with a book I’ve already read than a brand new one.

Will post wrap up and answers to questions later in the week after I finish my current reads.

Saturday Night Movie: Watched Red One with James.

Completed the spelling challenge for 52 books for 2025 which is dragon bookology.  Hurrah!


December 27:  I needed something more uplifting than The Kingdom of Copper and Emporer’s Tomb, so dove into Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons, as well as Murakami’s What I talk about When I talk about Running.  Refreshing.

I think my last book of the year will be Gwendolyn Brooks People of the Book so I’ll get started on my wrap up list….

Or maybe not.

Interruption # 53893  in which I have to help John set up his new cell phone.  Later.


Watchmen (1986) comic review -by James M

 









For decades, superheroes have been beloved by the public in pop culture. And yet, one rarely asks the question; "What if superheroes were real?"

There have been a handful of stories that answer the question, and one of them was published by the company that produced the likes of Superman and Batman. In 1986, with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, DC Comics produced WATCHMEN, a story set in an alternate world where costumed superheroes were thriving before being outlawed with only one individual having superpowers. This one is real dark and gritty, and risqué, so, if anyone wants to read it, be warned, you may be diving into mature territory.

So, allow me to summarize Watchmen's story.

In the late 1930s, costumed heroes rose up to fight crime and protect the innocent, inspired by comic book superheroes, leading to the formation of superhero groups such as the Minutemen and, later, the Watchmen. Years later, the government has outlawed superheroes, with a few individuals like Doctor Manhattan and The Comedian still working for the government while a mysterious man named Rorschach strikes out on his own against the scum of the world. In 1985, the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union is reaching its peak as The Comedian is murdered, setting in motion a mysterious plot that will forever change a world on the brink of nuclear war.

I discovered this comic after discovering the existence of the 2009 Zack Snyder film a couple years back (and after being informed of it by an old friend on Twitter). And, having watched the motion comic version on YouTube and, after reading it for myself on READ COMICS ONLINE while watching videos on it and finding information about this story across different websites, I will say, Watchmen is one heck of a story.

Well before this comic was written, superhero comics, and comics in general, were mostly for kids. However, the game changed in the 1980s with the likes of Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: The Killing Joke being published, along with Watchmen. Times had changed, comics weren't just for younger audiences anymore. Watchmen examines the superhero genre, and offers a look into a world where superheroes are real, offering an alternate universe where events played out differently. In fact, while America lost the Vietnam War in our world, in Watchmen, we won the war. And yet, the existence of superheroes in this alternate world doesn't advert the Cold War period between the US and the Soviet Union.

Written by Alan Moore, WATCHMEN has some colorful artwork and engaging dialogue, but do not let the gorgeous coloring fool you, especially as this comic was not intended for younger readers. At best, Watchmen is aimed at ages 17 and up. And yet, if you like alternate history and want to see a world where superheroes are real, this one is basically for you. To be honest, I would give WATCHMEN a 4.5 out of 5 stars, and perhaps we should be fortunate superheroes don't exist in our world.

Thank you for joining me today, people, and take care of yourselves. Merry Christmas.

Inglorious Basterds (2009) movie review

 









World War II was the darkest of conflicts in human history, lasting for six years, and it saw the most horrific acts ever committed in human history. We know how it ended, and what the cost was. And we know what the name Adolf Hitler means, just as we know what Nazism truly is. And yet, in the following decades, the global film industry has produced many incredible movies set during the war. Saving Private Ryan, The Longest Day, The Monuments Men, and Der Untergang.

However, one special movie deserves to be covered, and that is 2009's Inglorious Basterds by Quinten Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Christopher Waltz, Daniel Bruhl (of later MCU fame) and Michael Fassbender and guest-starring Mike Myers. The story follows a pair of Jewish Allied commandos on a mission in Europe as they take on the Nazis, and begin making plans to take out Adolf Hitler and his inner circle when circumstances fall into place.

Despite being intense, with many grizzly scenes, Inglorious Basterds is a fun action flick with wonderful writing and good special effects. The start of the film was a highlight for me, especially as it draws you in. I want to focus on that for a bit, especially as it starts on a farm in the countryside of Nazi-occupied France, and the film's main villain, SS colonel Hans Landa, visits the French farmer Perrier in his search for a hiding Jewish family. 

In just the first ten to fifteen minutes, you are drawn into the film, especially with Landa and Perrier's conversation. The highlight of the scene is when they start talking in English after speaking in French, but you can't deny how suspenseful the opening is. Perrier gives away the Jews that Landa is hunting are hiding beneath the floor, and Landa pretends to leave as he brings in his men. Obviously, the Nazis shoot through the floor, but what really cements this as the best opening scene for an R-rated movie is that... we don't see any blood in that moment.

Yes, there is blood at various points in the movie, but the opening only shows the soldiers shoot through the floor, with no blood flying everywhere. Mr. Tarantino is undoubtedly a visionary, and his style has to be respected. Even fifteen years after its release, Inglorious Basterds deserves a world of respect. Adolf Hitler does makes an appearance in the movie, played by German actor Martin Wukke. The movie depicts Hitler wearing a cape for a time in the movie, which is pretty funny, and he has gone on to become an online meme within the world of Hitler-related memes. Really, Hitler's first scene sees him banging his fist on the table and screaming "no" about four times in German. 

Oh, and he gets shot and killed in a theater at the end of the movie, just like Abraham Lincoln in our world. Inglorious Basterds is an alternate history WW2 film, folks.

My dad and I watched it on YouTube months ago, and it was a fun experience to see it. Inglorious Basterds is a must-see for anyone who likes watching crazy World War II movies, and if you're into alternate history in general. My score for the movie is a 9.8/10, and I was fortunate to see this one. Have fun out there, people.

-James M