books/tv/movies

[topaz119]

books
I haven’t been reading a lot since D’s stroke—just not a lot of brain power and my commute is very fractured atm, so I’m moving verrrry slowly through books I would ordinarily zoom through in a week of trains. But I did read Daisy Jones and The Six, which was fun, but ultimately sent me off to find the Fleetwood Mac Behind the Music (a two-parter, b/c they really were that much of a crazy mess, and I say that as someone who listened to Rumours on repeat for a solid year.)

I also got my hands on Evvie Drake Starts Over, for which my tip for max enjoyment is to mentally cast Anna Kendrick as Evvie and Chris Evans as Dean and just go with it. I also thought I was going to have to yell about certain aspects of Evvie’s marriage being glossed over by the characters, but thankfully that got addressed.

The prequel to Practical Magic (about the aunts, and presumably the mom) auto-downloaded from the library last night so I should probably get into that soon.

tv
I’ve been randomly going through my Netflix queue, with little rhyme or reason, so I’m halfway through John Favreau’s Chef (the series, not the movie, but hey, I’m here for Roy and John cooking through random restaurants and chefs and food people.) It’s not as soothing (or as gorgeous) as Samin Nosrat's Salt Fat Acid Heat, but it’s good for decompressing after work.

I think I finally hit my limit on Once Upon a Time, though I’m still ff-ing to the Hook/Swan parts (I dunno, it’s a thing, lately.) Also, like I mentioned before, I zoomed through the first season of Hell On Wheels, and am now in a bit of a holding pattern b/c I’m not sure how you bring your characters back after you shove them off that metaphorical cliff, and boy, was there a cliff-shoving.

In network tv news, I’ve caught a bit of Cobie Smulders’ Stumptown and like it well-enough (when the inevitable love triangle hits, I’m Team!MichaelEaly’s character all.the.way. I mean, the best friend is fine, but yeah, no, ME is fiiiiiiiiine.) #2Son & I are hoarding S4 of The Good Place until his break when we will nom it all in one glorious rush. I may check out the Nancy Drew adaptation, just because people are whinging about how dark it is and it Is Not For Them, kids these days, and whyyyyMillenialswhyyyy, which just punches all my contrarian buttons.

movies
I rewatched Practical Magic, basically to drool over the house (and a little over Aidan Quinn’s gorgeous eyes) and how I wiiiish that had been a better overall movie. The house is still amazing & I do love the aunts & their wardrobes. Actually, I love the sisters, too; I just wish for a better, more even tone.

I also snagged Master of Dark Shadows from the library, and while it is nominally about Dan Curtis, the creator and exec producer (who went on to produce The Winds of War / War and Remembrance mini series, who knew?) it spends a lot of time on Dark Shadows itself, and very lovingly. And it loves the fans, too, which is always nice.

What’s up with y’all?

Comments

[turps]

I should do that with The Good Place as each time I watch a new ep I need the next one immediately, and yet have to wait. Probably because I was late to the show so binge-watched the first two seasons.

I'm tempted by Nancy Drew, too. I may have to get my download on.

[topaz119]

I almost don't want to watch this last season of The Good Place, in that weird way of not wanting it to be over, you know? As long as it's still sitting on my DVR, it's not done yet.

[jenab]

I'm home sick today and way behind on new TV.

I did finish reading Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, which I really enjoyed. It felt like reading fan fic in the best way.

I finally saw It: Chapter Two which I liked a lot.

[topaz119]

I did finish RW&RB, but I never really got into it. I think that was mostly b/c I had it right when D was in the hospital and my brain was running in 7 million different directions and I just couldn't find my groove with new material.

I hope you're feeling better!

[musesfool]

ut I did read Daisy Jones and The Six, which was fun, but ultimately sent me off to find the Fleetwood Mac Behind the Music

Ha, yes. I had them on repeat for a while after I finished reading it.

The prequel to Practical Magic (about the aunts, and presumably the mom) auto-downloaded from the library last night so I should probably get into that soon.

I'll be interested to see what you think of it.

I too love the movie but wish it had been slightly ...different.

I also got my hands on Evvie Drake Starts Over, for which my tip for max enjoyment is to mentally cast Anna Kendrick as Evvie and Chris Evans as Dean and just go with it.

I will have to remember that when I finally read it!

[topaz119]

It was like going down a checklist with Daisy Jones: ephemeral, charismatic girl singer, check; practical female keyboard player, check; egotistical guitar/bass player, check; messy relationships, check, check, check. Ah, the 70s, such a mess.

I'm hoping my brain is up for the PM prequel; I've been defaulting to fic a lot lately because it's soothing.

I also really liked Evvie Drake for how easily LH wrote sports and pop culture into the story, which is probably not all that surprising given her background, but sometimes you get that feeling that while the author may know their stuff, they're not quite sure the reader is going to be into it, so they ... overexplain or just use that kind of setting as a gloss? This isn't like that; it's kind of like how even though Friday Night Lights really wasn't about football, if you knew football, you knew they were making everything right there, too. Hopefully, I'm making sense.

[musesfool]

it's kind of like how even though Friday Night Lights really wasn't about football, if you knew football, you knew they were making everything right there, too. Hopefully, I'm making sense.

I know what you mean, yeah. That kind of confidence in what they know and what they're writing, even in the background details.

[sperrywink]

I'm watching Prodigal Son and FBI and trying to read non-fanfic stuff, but haven't yet, not really.

I'm looking forward to Midway when it comes out in November.

[topaz119]

I'm reading a lot of fic; it's very soothing to my jangled brain.

I'm ready to dive into yet another Little Women remake, Christmas Day, wheee. (Especially with that just-released Timothee/Saoirse photoshoot.)