Balloons, confetti, inflatable pink robot and psychedelic light show aren’t things you normally associate with the good old respectable Hamer Hall, but for a couple of hours it got transformed into a kids’ party for adults and fun was had by all.
(500) Days of Summer – Film Review

I missed out on this unconventional romantic comedy when it was first released ten years ago, so when I was in a mood for something light last week I thought I’d give it a go. Though it has some issues and its penchant for indie quirk and twee soundtrack are at times mildly grating, in the end it’s a charmer.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – Book Review

I’ve already watched the mostly excellent HBO adaptation with Amy Adams before reading Gillian Flynn’s debut novel, but having read her other books I think I’d have had a fair idea of what to expect anyway. As her musical namesake Gillian Welch sings, You know some girls are bright as the morning / And some have a dark turn of mind.
Under The Skin – Film Review

I can’t say if I “enjoyed” this artsy and perplexing sci-fi film in a conventional sense, but I always appreciate a unique movie and Under The Skin is certainly an original experience unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Secrets & Lies – Film Review

Some movies hover on your “to see” list for ages until you kinda forget about them. I meant to check out this affecting British family drama, written and directed by Mike Leigh, ever since watching the 1997 Academy Awards.
Quote of the Day – Power
“Power doesn’t always corrupt. What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals. When you have enough power to do what you always wanted to do, then you see what the guy always wanted to do.”
Robert A. Caro
Two Cats – A Drabble
A drabble is a short work of fiction of precisely one hundred words in length. I was inspired to write this one by observing the psychological warfare between cats.
They met every day.
The tabby cat appeared first, and took her place atop the old weathered table in the middle of the veranda. There she lay like a queen, her white paws tucked in, secure in her high ground advantage. The ginger cat came later and settled on the floor, never more than two metres away from the table.
They never played, never fought, never acknowledged each other’s existence in any way. Their relationship was a study in pretend indifference. A waste of time, to our human mind, but who were we to judge that inscrutable mystery, the cat.
A Simple Favour – Film Review
This strange hodge-podge of comedy and thriller from director Paul Feig can’t decide whether it wants to poke light-hearted fun at the recent thrillers like Gone Girl, or actually be the next Gone Girl. But it’s heaps of fun regardless.
Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie – Book Review

One of the best things about my Agatha Christie challenge has been learning all sorts of trivia about the books I’ve loved for many many years. I never realised that Dead Man’s Folly was actually written around a real, specific location, namely Greenway House in South Devon. Once the beloved holiday home of Agatha Christie, the estate is now apparently open to the visitors, and if I’m ever in that part of the UK I’ll be sure to look it up.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty – Book Review

