Ruth

Mr Blandings - such a funny film. I think that was what The Money Pit (with Tom Hanks) was based on.

I don't tend to re-read many books, but I always find Adriana Trigiani to be a good 'comfort' read. Her books are perfect for curling up with on the sofa, with a slice of cake!

Devi and Karen - if you like this book half as much as I did, you will love it . I have to second Chaliepud's and Frankie's thoughts on this One of my very favourites! Glad you liked it I am STILL reading The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. A busy few weeks have slowed down my reading, and the book requires concentration, so can't fly through it - but I have not been bored by it at all. Usually, if a book takes a long time for me to read, I can't wait to get to the end and move onto something else, but I haven't felt that way about this book.

Well, I'm a sucker for old movies. Favourite actors (in no order): Clark Gable William Holden Gene Kelly Audrey Hepburn Robert Mitchum Paul Newman Current actors I like: Jeff Bridges Dominic West

Heaven Knows, Mr Allison, with Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr. Watched this at the weekend, and can I say - I ADORED it! I'd never seen it before - it reminded me of The African Queen (which is one of my top 5 favourite films ever). I just thought Heaven Knows, Mr Allison was lovely - very funny and very sweet

I liked X Files as well. Agree that the first few seasons were the best, and it wasn't the same after Mulder was no longer full time, but I quite liked Robert Patrick

The Richard Castle books were released as a tie-in to the tv show 'Castle' weren't they? (for anyone who doesn't watch this, it's a show about a thriller writer called Richard Castle, who tails a female detective, and she becomes the inspiration for his new series of books about a detective called Nikki Heat.) I love the show. When I first heard about the books, I admit I thought they would be rubbish - just a quick way to cash in on the show. But I have since read lots of reviews of them, and they have been very positive. Might give them a try Another author I tried once and would never try again is Ali Smith. I hated her book The Accidental, and will never read another of hers.

I am STILL reading The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. It's so dense with information that I find I can't read huge chunks in one go, otherwise I don't absorb what I'm reading. BUT I am really really enjoying this book, and usually when I've been reading a book for longer than about a week, I start itching to finish it, so that I can start something else. I haven't felt that way about this book though - it makes for fascinating reading, and I would definitely recommend it, based on the first half of it (which is all I've read so far).

Over a wonderfully lazy bank holiday weekend, I watched four films: The Forgotten, with Julianne Moore and Dominic West. Having read reviews of this, it seems a lot of people hated it - but I really enjoyed it. Starts out as a psychological drama, and takes a sharp turn into sci-fi territory. Held my attention throughout, and there were a couple of genuine jump out of your seat moments. Plus any day that involves the gorgeous Dominic West is like a day with extra sunshine Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, with another of my favourite actors - William Holden. He plays opposite Jennifer Jones. Holden is an American journalist in Hong Kong in 1949, and the all-American Jones plays a mixed race (British/Chinese) doctor. They fall in love, but face opposition to their romance, and the difficulties of his job threatens their relationship. William Holden was a very under-rated actor. Jennifer Jones was a very over-rated one. She was also extremely hrd to work with, according to several different accounts (but she was married to a famous and powerful Hollywood director, so got away wih a lot of her behaviour). Still a good film though. Romeo + Juliet. *Sigh* I wish I hadn't watched this. I've seen it before a few times, and loved it, but not having seen it for some years, I thought I would revisit it, and it kind of spoiled my previous enjoyment, because it all seemed a bit style over substance. Leonardo DiCaprio is a gifted actor, but I actually thought that he and Juliet were the weak(er) links in a good cast. John Leguizamo stole the show, as he is wont to do. Pete Postlethwaite was excellent (of course), and the ONLY cast member to speak in the imabic penatmeter which Shakespeare wrote the play in. Still, lots of enjoyable moments, despite not loking it nearly as much as I had done in the past. It Should Happen To You! Jack Lemmon's debut film He stars opposite Judy Holliday, who is great. The film is weirdly prophetic, being about the fact that it is possible to 'buy' celebrity, even if you have no talent or anything to offer. This is a romantic comedy, and very very enjoyable.

I'm too embarrassed to even tell you how many are on my tbr (it's in four figures, although only just )

I'm making slow but steady progress wtih The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir. It's fascinating and very readable, but so densely packed with information that I have to read it quite slowly.

I hope I haven't put you off - in fairness, I did read it a long time ago, and my tastes do change. If I was reading it for the first time now, I might like it more!

Well, I'm sold:) I've actually had this on my tbr for ages (I think I may have said in another thread), but I'm really looking forward to it. Now I think of it, I don't think I've ever ever read a bad review of this book. Brilliant review Ben I first read TKAM when I was 14, and it's one of the very few books which I have re-read several times. I never get bored of it. Such a fabulous, moving and still relevant book.

I will also look for your review with interest, but for different reasons (sorry to say it, but I detested that book )

Adventures in a TV Nation, by Michael Moore In 1994, Michael Moore (subsequently best known for Fahrenheit 911, Bowling for Columbine, and being a general pain in the butt to the Republican Party) produced, with others, a television show called TV Nation. The idea behind the show was to raise awareness of injustice and corruption in America, and to do so in a humorous style. Less than 20 episodes were made (although Moore went on to do another similar show called The Awful Truth), but durng its short run, it was highly acclaimed. This books covers just some of the pieces which the show did - including Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken, the CEO challenge (can the highly paid CEO’s of various companies, actually do the lesser paid jobs which their employees do?), and finding work for former KGB operatives (to name just a few). The book, like the TV show, is all done in Moore’s familiar irreverent style, and does set out to achieve it’s aim, in that it provides laughs, but also deals with serious subjects. It also shows the compromises that had to be made in order to get certain segments on air, and the sometimes dangerous situations that Moore and his crew found themselves in. (There were actually some segments that never made it to air, or were severely edited before they were shown.) I do tend to agree with Michael Moore on many issues, but don’t always agree with the way he reports them, as his reporting can be heavily biased and edited to make things look the way he wants them to watch. Nevertheless, he highlights the hypocrisy of the media and the people that run it, as well as certain politicians, and he manages to make serious issues watchable and interesting to read about. Overall, this is an easy and enjoyable read, and I would recommend it. It’s also worth mentioning that you do not need to have seen any episodes of TV Nation – or indeed any other of Moore’s work – to fully enjoy this book.

Will do I have read Alison Weir before, and find her to be very readable (extra-important in non-fiction, I think)

Finished Adventures in a TV Nation, by Michael Moore. Really enjoyed it. Have now started The Six Wives of Henry VIII, by Alison Weir, which looks to be an interesting read

I watched Here Comes Mr Jordan yesterday. Lovely film about a man who is sent to heaven before his time, and has to go back to earth in another man's body. (It has been remade twice, as Heaven Can Wait, with Warren Beatty, and Down To Earth, with Chris Rock.) Lovely film with Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains, and Edward Everett Horton.

I'm very much looking forward to reading this one, after reading your thoughts on it Whenever I hear of this book, it always makes me think of the film Sleepers - it was the book that helped one of the boys get through his incarceration.

Yes!! Picnic is a terrific film. I love him in Sunset Boulevard as well. And The Bridge on the River Kwai, of course Re James Dean - although he only made three films, what fabulous films they were! It's good that he has remained in the public consciousness for so long, over 50 years since his death.

I love Paul Newman too I remember being sad when he died - not only was he a generous and talented actor, but he was a good man as well. I enjoyed The Towering Inferno with Newman and McQueen (they did not get on well in real life apparently). It also starred two more of my favourites - William Holden - an under-rated and excellent actor - and Fred Astaire. The tragedy with James Dean is that he had so much potential, which is clear from the roles he played. And he never got to fulfill that potential. Oneof his co-stars in Giant, was Rock Hudson, who also died in tragic circumstances

^^^Oh, it's brilliant. I mean, I'm biased because I (really really) like Toby Stephens. But I lent my copy to a couple of friends, and both really liked it. Mira Sorvina plays Daisy. I think a lot of people found Mia Farrow's Daisy annoying in the Robert Redford film. But I always thought that Daisy was supposed to be an annoying character anyway. Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan seem like excellent choices for Nick and Daisy, in this new version

That's good to hear, as I have this one on my to-be-read list Read a bit more at lunchtime, and it is very interesting and amusing so far. I like Michael Moore, although I think in recent years he has started to believe his own hype. He does bring matters to people's attention though, and is determined to raise awareness of injustice. I recommend Stupid White Men, by Moore, as well - interesting book

Yes, I like James Dean, especially in Giant. Actually I think I was born in the wrong era for film stars. All my favourites (apart from Jeff Bridges) are no longer with us.

My husband and I started watching this recently (after finishing all available episodes of Psych), and are about 4 episodes into season 2. So far, we love it