A day off from the usual blog posts. I am in London with its tier 4 lockdown. I know there are many people out there who cannot see the people that they want to see and it is especially hard on those that live alone or those who cannot see new grandchildren, like my brother Mike. I still haven’t seen my grand nephew Odin and I hope in 2021 I will be able to pick up the adorable boy for the first time.
If you want some entertainment to enjoy here are some suggestions from what I have enjoyed in the last year (this what I watched or read in 2020, not released in the year).
On TV the best thing I saw was the Korean series Crashing Landing On You – it almost defies description being a thriller/romance/comedy/political commentary. Unbelievably good.
In a year where the MeToo movement has gained power my other series are led by women. Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You is an emotional journey of a woman who is drugged and raped. Billie Piper’s lead in I hate Suzie is violated in a different way. Both are harrowing but compelling.
Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess and Awkwafina is Nora From Queens are both comedies and totally worth your time. Though, thinking about it, The Duchess is serious at times as well.
Mrs America is the story of the women’s movement in the USA in the 1970s and the Republican fight back against the equal rights amendment. An absolutely stellar cast, including Cate Blanchett and Sarah Poulson.
I saw all of The Good Place this year. An ensemble cast led by Kristen Bell (who is not only a great actress but a superb human being). A twenty minute sitcom about moral philosophy? It is nigh on perfect.
Films…..
Misbehaviour is the story of the protest against Miss World with Gemma Arterton, but it is not a “heavy” film. Birds of Prey shows Margot Robbie’s talent for comedy and is a different spin on superheroes.
I finally saw Winter’s Bone – the film that showed Jennifer Lawrence was not only going to be a star but also the great actress of her generation. It shows that thriller’s do not need to be unremitting action movies.
Sorry We Missed You is Ken Loach’s film about our delivery culture, especially apposite in Lockdown. Not a happy watch.
The Card is an Alec Guinness film from 1952 about a self-made man in the early 20th century. Guinness is brilliant and the story shows the hypocrisy that haunts society to this day.
Most of my favourite books of the year are not light and happy reading. Caroline Criado Perez’s Invisible Women about unconscious bias is eye opening. Ian Dunt’s How To Be A Liberal is brilliant but depressing in the face of the nationalists and the alt-right.
For sports fans Derek Pringle’s book on the 80s cricket, Pushing the Boundary, and Sean Payton’s inspirational Home Team, about coaching the New Orleans Saints to a Superbowl after hurricane Katrina are must reads.
The only fiction book I would recommend that I read is Stephen King’s The Outsider. Much, much better than the TV series that was made – if you like King this is a great book.
If you want to laugh then the comedians Subhah Agarwal, Fern Brady and Fizaa Dosani are all incredibly talented and will one day be headlining those pay per view specials. Hopefully they will tour the UK after the pandemic.
That was mostly a depressing list, so if you something more Christmassy then The Box of Delights is so Christmas it is dangerous. A beautiful children’s TV story from the 80s based on a novel from the 1930s. The special effects are cheap but that is not the point.
Blackadder’s Christmas Carol is an antidote to all the saccharine retellings of the Scrooge story.
Last Christmas is the best of the Doctor Who Christmas specials that are set at Christmas.
The Vicar of Dibley’s Christmas special where Geraldine has to eat four dinners always make me laugh.
Wherever you are use modern technology to talk to your loved ones and stay safe.
Ring out the Solstice Bells😊
Five Miles Out 