Genuinely testing the parameters of Hanlons Razor, because he is both evil AND stupid, like all of them are.

Exceptional individual, Carrie Fisher. Talented and remarkable in many different directions, and I always wildly appreciate people who, for the right reasons, refuse to take any crap.

There's a lot of it, that's for sure, and it's never dull. Overall, well worth watching and the sort of role Mia Goth, who always brings her own fascinating atmosphere, is very good at.

My first viewing of Hello Dolly! this evening. What a pageant, what a rainbow of life and jollity and wit. And as any sane person who's seen it will already plainly know, @barbrastreisand.bsky.social is absolutely fantastic.

From my distant view in England, the #nokings protests across America are astounding. Let's hope the creosoted criminal and his henchfolk get the message.

Not sure I'd say the best ever, but it's certainly extremely good.

Just looking at her list of credits again. Diane Keaton was everywhere and everywhen, never not in my film-viewing world somewhere, guaranteed to add and enhance and be welcome. Made her fine work look effortless too, which is a good measure of excellence.

Tomorrow apparently. But surely this counts for the whole year so far.

Be a damn shame if she quit acting. She's ever so good at it.

Sounds like total bull to me.

Straight up gem, this is.

@nicholehiltz.bsky.social A heartwarming Happy Birthday to you.

Thanks to the fine work of @mikeflanaganfilm.com, there are many reasons to watch The Life of Chuck. It's charming for one thing, and touching, often funny too. And amongst the clearly superb cast, the fabulous narration of @nickofferman.bsky.social, without which it wouldn't be the same at all.

My attempt to watch Olivier's Richard III, and to concentrate on it properly, is being mangled by my obsession with spotting iambic pentameter. "Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass... Ha, there's some!"

Fabulous film, one of my favourites in fact, but I have to be in the mood to watch it. It's not one just to kill a couple of hours with on a whim.

This is not the most helpful review I ever saw.

It's the birthday of a university friend today. Someone I haven't seen or heard from for over 30 years but who I carry around in my head like a fondly remembered balloon. I like to send good wishes into the ether, just in case. You never know. So happy birthday Jackie. Hope you're well. 🎈🍷

In the 1970s, watching The Wizard of Oz at the local cinema, and when the Wicked Witch melted a voice shouted from the back: "About time too!" Pretty strong stuff for Clitheroe in the 70s.

Looks like I annoyed someone in the other place. Hope it was something I said.

Ten writers by whom I've read more than five books: Stephen King Peter Straub Jonathan Carroll John Irving Kurt Vonnegut Tom Robbins Ray Bradbury James Morrow Thomas H. Cook Jonathan Coe

Lovely moon tonight in Lancashire. Riding the horizon like an escaped orange balloon. Sadly, the camera on my phone is not up to the challenge of proving this, but trust me... It's lovely.🌝

Been watching a lot of Japanese animation recently out of curiosity. Can heartily recommend: The Imaginary When Marnie Was There Grave of the Fireflies (if you don't mind having your heart shattered) Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (quirky but charming) I'm sure I've missed some other fine ones out.

'Vacations.' The word is 'vacations.'

Reading obsolete? I have an enticing multi-thousand backlog of books that says not a chance, pal.

A vase at the National Museum of Scotland that really caught my attention.

Seen in Edinburgh. If the TARDIS were a library.

Another terrific movie seen by chance. The Studio Ponoc animation The Imaginary. What a find. Excellent world-build, wonderful concept, warm and charming, wildly recommended to anyone with a heart and an imagination.

Hill Street Blues Moonlighting Ashes to Ashes Pose The Singing Detective (But clearly that's left out a lot of other gems too.)

Odd how a simple sentence in a book can absolutely whack you in the face. From Rupert Thomson's Air & Fire: "I had so much love in me...and no one wanted it." Left me a bit stricken frankly.

Fabulous as always.

That rare event tonight. A film I enjoyed more than the book: Leave the World Behind. Only the second time ever. Previous one was Never Let Me Go. (Should say I have nothing against the books.)

That nails it pretty well.

I've noticed something about Martin Scorsese. I always expect the films to be more gruelling than they are. The Irishman, Casino, this week Gangs of New York. Sailed through them all relatively effortlessly. Bit like Dickens I suppose, expecting hard work but finding a sort of rhythm instead.

I found Geek Love in an English language bookshop in Berlin in 1991. I'd never heard of it, but one read of the blurb was enough. I had to have it. And it was challenging and outrageous. But it was also quite moving too and an astonishing ride. It did not disappoint.

The Greece series was another fine one from @profaliceroberts.bsky.social. As with the Egypt and Ottoman series before, absolutely riddled with fascinating detail as well as insights into what I already knew a little. Makes my feet a little twitchy for more.

On the three occasions I've read a Charles Dickens novel, I've had to build up to it. But the minute I start, I notice something obvious: the writing style, for all its occasionally labyrinthine qualities, is weirdly addictive.

@amandaknox.com Just watched your interview on our British morning TV. Fascinating and thought-provoking. And a good spur to read your first book, which I have here.

It's fun, standing at the bus-stop, trying to imagine the who, why and where of this.

What are the odds that you read two books at the same time, published thirty years apart, and they both have a character called Margaret Bailey in them? Not so strange it seems, as it happened to me today.

After ruining myself recently with Studio Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies, the last ten minutes of which were heartbreaking, I thought I'd give When Marnie Was There a go. Thankfully, not quite so shattering, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't leave me a little misty at the end.

Happy World Book Day to everyone. Just a normal day for me. Which means a day reading and loving books. 📚💙

Good grief. For such a short poem that has a thousand lines worth of emotional bang. Astonishing.

I've just watched The Hunt For Red October for the first time. Not just a film for me, also the evocative memory of a German video shop on the corner of the Berlin street where I lived in 1991, the poster in the window: Jagd auf Roter Oktober. Beguiling times.

You'd be hard-pressed to describe The Outrun as a slambang, action-packed affair, but thanks to the always frankly astonishing Saoirse Ronan it's riveting. And she makes acting look so effortless, which of course means exceptional skill.

I've just replaced the earphones in my old but trusty MP3 player and have spent this late evening reacquainting myself with some favourite tunes after several months. Yes, months. Pathetic I know. It's been exquisite. Dear God, music is effing amazing.🎶

Dolly Parton is amazing, and this is clearly a wonderful program. Anyone who would think otherwise is frankly a tool.

So many fabulous mentions here, but numbers 1, 7, 15, 22, 25, 41, 56, 62, 70, 76, 78, 81, 92 and 96 stand out. Mostly though, Tatiana Maslany at number 23 in Orphan Black, as good a performance as I ever saw. variety.com/lists/greate...

Why does Monday always feel like you never saw it coming?

Took 150 or so minutes of moments to watch Anatomy of a Murder from 1959. Never seen it before. Bit of an oversight it turns out. Fascinating film, cracked like a whip. And James Stewart was brilliant.