Stuff

Movies

Flight. This is a film that my boyfriend and I went to see for Valentine's, and despite how different our taste in films usually is, we both loved this, as did my boss, who is a middle-aged Jewish dentist. I think it has to be said that this is a film for everyone! It is the story of an alcoholic pilot, and if it doesn't tug at your heartstrings then you really are made of stone.

American Psycho. This is a film that I watched years ago and didn't really rate, and then watched again recently and loved. It balances gore with wit, intelligence with obsession, sex with death. It really is amazing, and one to watch if you're interested in unreliable protagonists.

Ratatouille. I usually don't like animated films but this one had me laughing from beginning to end. Who'd have thought a snobby English student would like a film about a talking rat trying to cook?

Books

The Bell Jar. Part fiction, part autobiography, this tells of one writer's descent into depression. Even though it was written in the 1960's, this book still resonates. Next on my list are Plath's journals.

The End of Mr Y. A book about God, physics, coffee, cigarettes, potions, sex and cursed books, this is amazing. It is nothing like anything you have read before, and nothing like anything you will read again. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be a cross between The Secret and The Matrix. 

Brave New World because it's one of those books that makes predictions about the future that we can already see coming true. Written in the 30's, the prophecies in this book are startlingly accurate.

The Handmaid's Tale. I've never considered myself particularly interested in gender politics, but Atwood's gruesome dystopia brings home just how women have been oppressed in days gone by. Seeming like science fiction, this book actually describes nothing that has not taken place in the world we live in today.

The Lollipop Shoes. Joanne Harris is one of my favourite authors, and this sequel to Chocolat is her best work by far. The characterisation is beautiful, and the descriptions so vivid. If you like chocolate, magic and fairy tales, this is one for you.