Goodfellas

I’m surprising myself by writing this next sentence - Goodfellas wasn’t as violent as I was expecting. That’s not to say that I was disappointed by the extra blood and gore, but deep down I was expecting a little more! The Godfather definitely wins on that front, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of story involved with Goodfellas, it wasn’t just all ganstas and shooting which actually made the whole thing really watchable. I enjoyed the pace and story and felt sympathy for a lot of the characters, which I’m sure can’t be right, given the genre. Really recommended, better than the Godfather and Reservoir Dogs in my book.

The Graduate

This has to have been one of the best films I have seen so far on the list. It is another classic film I had only heard about until I watched it. It has the feel of a film made much later on in time. Dustin Hoffman comes across as a misguided young man in love with the older Mrs Robinson. The storyline to this film was fantastic and kept me really enthralled. I would recommend this film to anyone who loved a great story.

Do The Right Thing

This is a very quirky Spike Lee film. Not only did he direct it, he also takes one of the lead roles. The film is set on a street in Brooklyn, and follows the building tension of residents on one of the hottest days of the year. Tension finally erupts with devastating consequences. Although this film did come across quite funny in places I did see the serious side to it, it aims to confront bigotry in our society and I feel it does this successfully. A really thought-provoking watch.

Casablanca

This was another one of those cult films on the list that I was really looking forward to watching, it really didn’t disappoint. So many memorable quotes and catchphrases kept popping up throughout the film, it was brilliant! Set in Africa in the early days of World War 2 this film portrays a captivating love story. It’s not as cheesy as I thought it might be, which is only a good thing. I’d definitely want to “play it again Sam”. Well recommended!

The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks

                                                                    

I will be brutally honest about this book – in some parts it really did want to make me gag, and I am known for having a strong stomach. The depiction and description of the characters and events in the book really make it a worthwhile read, and for this reason I thoroughly enjoyed it. However those of a weak stomach may not enjoy it as much as I did. I will recommend this, but only to certain people. Also I didn’t really understand the ending!

À Bout De Souffle

From the outset this film had all the great makings of a classic. I was really looking forward to watching a black and white classic, but I soon became bored. Regardless of what language it’s in a film does need to have a story and this film just didn’t captivate me in any way. I was willing to give it a shot but after over an hour of trying to keep up with the mundane storyline I had to turn it off. I will count it against my films I have seen though mainly because I have seen about as much of it as I could physically stand! Although it pains me to say it, I do believe Barbarella was a better film!

Mr. Tickle – Roger Hargreaves

I crept into Waterstone’s to read this book in their kids section. I really had forgotten how much I loved the Mr. Men series, big kids would find them just as enjoyable as little kids. I actually laughed out loud when Mr. Tickle extended his tickley arms and made the policeman laugh. These books are so innocent and great at the same time. Recommended for all ages!

Girlfriend in a Coma – Douglas Coupland

                                                       

I thought it about time that I got my teeth into a book which had been written within the last decade. This book was also quite short which made it quite attractive also! In the novel a girl goes into a coma for quite a number of years, it tracks the effect this had on surrounding friends and boyfriend. She wakes up after 17 years only to forsee events which would happen in the future. I found this story to be really enjoyable, if anything it was too short but what content there was wall enjoyed over about a week.

Citizen Kane

This film was a bit of an epic, made in 1941 it tells the story of one man’s life. I really loved how this film had been shot, it’s very well made and it shows in the final movie. There were a lot of morals to be learnt and I did really enjoy it, the only down side was that it was a touch long. Not sure I’d recommend it though.

Annie Hall

I’ve never really been a Woody Allan fan, he has quite a dry sense of humour which is something I don’t really find all that funny. In this case though the humour did work, and it did enhance the film. I really enjoyed how personal this filmed seemed, and being told through 1st person made it especially enjoyable. Watching one mans trial and tribulations was really interesting and sometimes emotional, I loved how honest this film was. It also seemed very “before it’s time” and I would recommend it, even those not keen on Woody Allan.