Sunday Rundown: That’s What She Read

books, films, rundown

Sunday Rundown

What have you been reading this week?

It’s been a busy week and a busy weekend. Not much time for reading, which is becoming a bit of a theme lately. I’m sure I’ll turn it around soon. Although, I’m not too bothered as this year wasn’t supposed to be about quantity but about getting through my TBR. I’ve been reading longer books so my numbers are obviously going to go down a bit. February won’t be my best month ever but I’ve managed to cross a few off my list. Some of them have been there for a while.

Film Review – Strange World (2022)

films, reviews

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Do you remember how Disney finally released an animated film with an openly gay character? You might not because there was basically no marketing campaign for it. Did Strange World purposefully get buried? Did they do it so they could prove that nobody wants “wokeness” in their family films? Probably. The film was quickly labelled a box office bomb and had one of the lowest Disney openings in recent years. I didn’t really know anything about the film when I came to watch it this week because I barely knew it existed. I honestly don’t remember seeing anything about this film and I don’t understand why. I mean, it boasts a cast including the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid and Lucy Lui. You’d think they’d want to make more noise about it. So, were they really hiding it because of the LGBTQ+ representation or is the film just not that good?

Sunday Rundown: That’s What She Read

books, films, rundown

Sunday Rundown

What have you been reading this week?

I think this week has been better than the last few but I’m weirdly tired. I’ve booked put in some holiday at work but it’s not until Easter, so I have a bit of a wait. Wondering if I should cave and just take some time off in March too. I’d love to just not worry about getting up every day and get through some more of my TBR. I haven’t done as well as I’d have liked this week with reading. After finishing my last read in 2 days, I’ve gone back to being pretty slow and distracted. It’s the tiredness. My plan is to go to sleep at reasonable times next week. Of course, I’m saying this as I start writing this post at 23:27 on Saturday night. I’m never going to change.

Film Review – Bank of Dave (2023)

films, reviews

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Yet again, I’m writing a review of a film I wasn’t expecting to watch this week. I was supposed to be watching Wakanda Forever but didn’t give myself enough time. So, I ended up going for this. I was probably going to watch it anyway though. Mostly because of Rory Kinnear. He’s one of our greatest stage actors but I’ve never seen him in a film role worthy of his talent. It doesn’t help that I refuse to watch Men because I think he’d creep me out too much. I don’t want it to put me off him. I didn’t really think that Bank of Dave would be the role he was looking for but I figured it would be a feel-good story. Something that I needed after a busy and stressful week.

Sunday Rundown: That’s What She Read

books, films, rundown

Sunday Rundown

What have you been reading this week?

February looks set to be another interesting month. It’s already messing with my head timewise. It’s only the 5th but it feels like it’s been this month forever. How is that possible? Reading-wise, it’s been a slow start. I’m hoping to gain momentum but my last read really didn’t inspire me to pick up something else. I’m hoping it will get better and I’m going to listen to another audiobook this week. I didn’t really get a chance to last week because of what I was working on.

Film Review – Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

films, reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I had great plans to see this when it was out in the cinema but it was around the time when I still wasn’t ready to go back to the cinema. Covid memories were still in my head so I missed it. When it came to Prime, I was ready to watch it but, yet again, it didn’t happen. Last week I had decided it was finally time but then I went and watched the live-action Pinocchio. After that went terribly, this felt like my reward. I don’t know what I really expected from this film but it certainly wasn’t that I’d come out of it with a bit of a thing for Data from The Goonies. Not something I considered for my 2023 bingo card but here we are. But, unexpected crushes aside, was this film worth the wait?

Sunday Rundown: That’s What She Read

books, films, rundown

Sunday Rundown

What have you been reading this week?

We’re not even one month into the year and already I’m kind of over it. Okay, not the year as a whole but certainly work. It’s going to be another 12 months of the same old thing. Thankfully, everything else seems to be going okay and I’m mostly enjoying myself. My reading is getting better and I’ve been pretty happy with the books I’ve read. Maybe I’m still a bit slow and my monthly total won’t be great. I’m not worried. I’ll get better and this year isn’t meant to be about quantity but quality. I’ve managed to cross some books off my TBR and that feels good.

Film Review – Pinocchio (2022)

films, reviews

Rating: 2 out of 5.

In my review of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, I criticised the 2022 Disney version. I haven’t actually watched it. I felt bad enough about it that I actually did this week. I’d originally been planning to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once. I guess that can wait for another week. Instead, I’ll watch Tom Hanks talking to a CGI wooden boy. Even though I know there’s no way that it’ll be as good as del Toro’s version. How could it be?

Sunday Rundown: That’s What She Read

books, films, rundown

Sunday Rundown

What have you been reading this week?

This has been a weird week. I feel like it’s both flown by and dragged on. I can’t believe that last weekend was only last weekend. If this is giving us an idea of how the year is going to go then 2023 is going to be interesting in a temporal sense. Whatever is going on with the timeline, I have managed to finish a few books this week. I started the week behind schedule for my reading goal but now I’m ahead. I just need to get back into the groove.

Film Review – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)

films, reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The Netflix film debate is a weird thing. Not only is it ridiculous that certain people seem to be gatekeeping cinema but it refuses to accept that the way people consume media has changed. Why should it matter whether people watch films on a massive screen with a bunch of strangers or at home with their loved ones? Yes, I agree that going to the cinema is a joy but I’m also well aware that I haven’t really been to the cinema much since Covid. We also have to question why, if streaming services are ruining the film industry, so many famous directors are releasing films on it? Martin Scorsese, Bong Joon-ho and now Guillermo del Toro are just a few of the great filmmakers who are now Netflix official. If films should only be watched at a cinema then why are they so willing to take their money?