Lately I've been...the entertainment edit

Howdy!

This is a mammoth 'what I've been watching/reading' post.

TV

Lately I've been hanging out with Walter White and Ragnar Lothbrok. While our Sky tv was off we watched all series of Breaking Bad and both series of Vikings. One of the shows was easier on the eye than the other. Guess which?!

Ragnar and Rollo. Swoon. Source.

Both shows were incredibly addictive from the first episodes. Before watching Breaking Bad I couldn't see why EVERYONE was talking about it. I totally get it now! If you haven't watched it I heartily recommend it. It's dark, funny, and is packed full of great characters. Aside from Walt, the slimy lawyer Saul is my favourite.

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Vikings is bloody, sexy, and full of strong characters - even the women. If you're sick to the back teeth of the women in Game of Thrones being used ornamentally or as rape fodder, Vikings will be a breath of fresh air. The women, particularly Lagertha, kick arse. She doesn't take shit from anyone, including her husband.

Lagertha. Source.

I've been watching Game of Thrones on an app on my phone while our Sky was on the blink, and just recently we've started watching a series called Almost Human, which is a futuristic show starring Karl Urban. We're really enjoying it.

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The dialogue between Karl Urban and Michael Ealy (who plays an android) is quite humorous, but it looks like there'll be no series 2 as Fox haven't chosen to renew it. Bugger. It'll go to the great tv graveyard in the sky along with other cancelled series I liked, such as Terra Nova. I'm still pouting over than one. Hopefully another network will pick up Almost Human, I mean fergodssake it's a JJ Abrams thing! Sorry, I geeked out there.

Films we've seen recently:

Hercules (Kellan Lutz one.) Pretty crap - script, acting, cgi - all pants.
Pompeii - Kit Harington's abs = good. Kiefer Sutherland's accent = baaaaaad.
Non Stop - loved it. Big fan of Mr Neeson.

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After Earth - so so.
The Monuments Men - good. Anything with Mr Damon in it is good by me. His smile does things to my vagina. Bonus points for George Clooney, and it was part filmed half an hour away from me. (Why did I not know this at the time?! Apparently the cast were holed up & hanging out in the nearby Pontins holiday camp with all the holiday makers at Camber Sands. The beach scenes you see are Camber Sands and another scene was filmed in Rye Harbour, right opposite my favourite chippy.)
Jack Reacher Shadow Recruit - good. Chris Pine's face pleases me and I like action/thrillers best of all genres. Keira Knightley's character is slightly annoying - is it just me or is she playing the same role (Keira Knightly, lulz) in every film she's in?

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Some films we watched a bit further back
Lone Survivor - I wasn't expecting it to affect me the way it did, but I found myself hollowed out at the end of the film. It touched me in ways I still can't articulate. I haven't seen a film as affecting since Saving Private Ryan. I immediately purchased the book.
Captain Phillips - One of the best films I've seen, ever. It's totally gripping throughout, but there's a piece of acting by Tom Hanks right before the credits which is so powerful and so well done myself and hubby were in floods of tears.

Books

Catching the wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort - funny, outrageous and a little incredible, although the author is so far up himself it's unreal.
Beyond Evil by Nathan Yates  - a sickening read about the evil ways of Ian Huntley.
The murder of Billy Jo (Jenkins) by Sion Jenkins - a very confusing read, told by her adoptive father. I still have no clue whodunnit. If I was expecting answers, I didn't get them. If anything it muddied the waters. I read it because I live in the town where she was murdered and it's always been a big case in the UK.
Rod the autobiography - loved it! I have a real soft spot for Rod Stewart and he writes really well.

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Lone Survivor - I was desperate for the true story behind the film, and it was well written and made me cry in several places. The only sticking point is the 'America is the best nation in the world' stuff - it grated on me by the end of the book. I'd absolutely recommend reading it if you can get past the overcooked patriotism. I think as us Brits are so chuffing humble the whole 'Merica!!!!! thing is hard for us to get our noggins around.
A Captain's Duty by Richard Phillips - I bought this after watching the film Captain Phillips and loving it. It was a really well written book and after reading it, I can totally see why Tom Hanks was the perfect choice to play this humble, decent and brave man. Total dude, and a fantastic book.
We will survive by Gloria Gaynor  - I bought this because I love the song. It's a bit of fluff where people credit their strength to listening to 'I Will Survive'. I like the song more than the book. The stories are very short and could've done with fleshing out a bit, I felt.
Tom Jones From the Valleys to Vegas by Gwen Russell - This book annoyed me so much. It was written by a fan, and as such it's a bit sycophantic in places. It also contradicts itself often, which boils my piss as a reader. Tom Jones has been a bit of a selfish arse in his treatment towards his wife and I found the writer's fanaticism under the circumstances a bit gross.

I'm currently reading this and loving it.


What have you been watching/ reading recently? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Thanks for reading!

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