I finally have some entertainment to talk about, so let’s go…

Books

I wait to post until I have at least two books that I’ve loved because I know that is what most of you come here for. I don’t want to recommend things that are “fine,” because who has time for fine? Well, I finally LOVED something.

Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir  

If you read and loved The Martian by Weir, you will also love this. If you only saw the movie and loved it (a rare example of the movie being ((almost)) as good as the book), you will love this. The movie version of this book is coming out in March, starring Ryan Gosling; perfect casting, btw. Basically, a man wakes up in space and has no idea who he is or why he is there. He slowly remembers; the sun is dimming and he, a junior high school science teacher, is on a mission to save Earth. Just a heads up, this is a thick book. I often have an issue with long books; they need editing. (All The Colors of the Dark – good book, way too long.) Not a problem for me here, I did not want it to end.

Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid  

While we are in space, let’s hang out a bit. I really enjoyed this one, too. Joan is a college physics professor who becomes one of the first women to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program in the 80s. I tend to mostly like Reid’s books, but this is one of my favorites. It explores relationships, identity, a little discrimination thrown in and it’s got humor.

On the lighter side, I really liked Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez and It’s A Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. Both entertaining and well-written.

TV

I’m having a little problem with TV lately. Most of the new shows coming out are dark; in tone, in color, all the definitions. I don’t really want that right now. Another issue I’m having was addressed in a NY Times article in April 2024, titled “The Comfortable Problem of Mid TV.” The shows aren’t bad per se; they have great casts, they are made by people who know what they are doing so they look great, but they’re just kinda meh. Often, they are both dark and meh – I don’t have time for that. If I’m watching eight episodes or more of something, I want to really enjoy it or have been really moved.

Here are some that I have loved:

The Pitt – HBO Max  

15 episodes; each one is an hour in a day of the longest shift ever at a Pittsburgh ER, beginning at 7 am. I’m not gonna lie, we almost didn’t make it past episode one. It’s a lot. Persevere – you can do it! So worth it. The Pitt deserved every Emmy it got this year. Season Two is slated for January so you have time to prepare.

The Diplomat – Netflix

Season Three was a rollercoaster! The acting/cast is great, the plot is bananas but fun and the writing is smart, though you definitely need to suspend some disbelief. That’s ok, it’s worth it!

Also worthy to continue watching; Hacks, Severence (see previous post), The Bear, and Nobody Wants This.

Documentaries

If you’ve flown Delta and checked out their entertainment options, you may have seen Music Box: Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary. I’m not sure what streaming service it’s on, but it’s likely somewhere. It was fun and you learn what qualifies as Yacht Rock and what doesn’t, plus you get to hear a lot of great music with backstories, which is always fun.

Billy Joel: And So It Goes is on HBO Max. It’s a two-part, six-hour doc but it doesn’t feel that long. I was not aware of how brilliant a songwriter/musician he is/was. The doc covers his childhood, alcohol struggles, multiple marriages and band/label issues. Even if you think you only like him a little, by the end, you’ll like him more and you will definitely be entertained. You’ll certainly appreciate him.

Movies

My cousin wrote, directed, produced and starred in a movie called Re-Election. It’s primarily about a guy who never got over losing his high school senior class presidential election, but it covers the polarization of politics, father-son relationships, measuring oneself to others, and gender-neutral bathrooms among other current issues/topics.  It is rated PG and would be good family viewing if you are looking to watch a movie together over the holidays. Click here to read more. It should be available for streaming in December.

Touring

We just saw Nate Bargatze on his Big Dumb Eyes comedy tour. It was a great show, but he’s never been funnier than in this skit from SNL a couple years ago where he plays George Washington. The second one was funny too, as was the birth of TV version from his hosting stint at the Emmy’s, but the original, here, is the best.

Wishing you all a happy, safe and yummy Thanksgiving!!