"Rocket Science", directed Jeffrey Blitz

Movie, 2007

American coming-of-age indie, in which a teenager with a stutter is drawn to the star performer and thus debating society in high school, while struggling with his physical affliction, an amusing home life and coming to terms with maturity. An enjoyable film overall. If the pupils in the debating societies seem irritating, that's doubtless the intention. Some well observed, slightly edgy comedy here and there, mixing in with occasional slapstick.. Light, fluffy and diverting, with a good pace and a few serious questions put in for good measure.

"The Two Faces of January", by Patricia Highsmith

Novel, 1964

Gripping psychological thriller looking at attachments, classical and Oedipal conflicts and characters struggling and bringing each other down across Europe. While this novel may possibly have benefited from a tighter ending, and if the classical references are laid on a little thick in places this is, nonetheless, a cracking read. Not in the top bracket for Highsmith, but an excellent romp, with a load of obsessive, guilty and perverse behaviours demonstrated by all three of the main characters.

"Erewhon", by Samuel Butler

Novel, 1872

A curious Victorian muddle of fiction, narrative and philosophy, detailing the topsy-turvey practices in Erewhon, where some counter-intuitive institutions and beliefs are lightly satirised, set within a slight travel and escape story. This is pretty dense stuff for the most part and fairly tricky to get through, with the narrative ploughing on, not giving any real relief to the contemporary reader looking for short sentences, spiky dialogue and the like. Some points of interest and amusement keep things on at least some kind of footing, although overall, by no means a 'must read'.

"Mildred Pierce", directed by Michael Curtiz

Movie, 1945

Story of the eponymous, hard working heroine, a murder and how Pierce, her family, associates and the murder victim all come to find themselves embroiled with each other. If this film starts a little slowly, it really builds its characters and picks up pace and intensity on the way. Pierce is a wonderful character the audience can't help but get behind and root for, while events around her throw up barriers she's adept at overcoming. The determination, and Pierce's flaws and frailties give the film its dynamic and deliver a really effective, beautifully shot twist on the noir genre.

Poster: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12252720

"A Girl Made of Dust", by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi

Novel, 2009

Powerful depiction, from an eight year old girl's point of view, living under the exploding skies of 1980s Lebanon, just outside Beirut. The use of a child's point of view strips the grown up rhetoric of politics, so that what's left is visceral stuff on the one hand, and some wonder, hurt and disappointment at the domestic world of adulthood. The book has a good pace throughout and treats and reflects on humanity rather than a group of victims. The mixture of childish wonder and wanton, deadly violence is powerful and makes for a provocative read. 

"Branded to Kill", directed by Seijun Suzuki

Movie, 1967

At times hypnotic, at times frustrating thriller about an assassin tormented by his carnal and professional desires and ambitions. A film whose surreal structure, flamboyant scenes and stunning imagery work in isolation, although don't make for an entirely satisfactory whole. What the film has in these respects it lacks in warmth and humanity, which isn't helped by a jerky narrative. There's plenty to admire here and some of the beats and motifs are a joy, but the stories and legends around the film are probably more interesting than the film is entertaining.

"The Mask of Dimitrios", by Eric Ambler

Novel, 1939

Spy thriller, whose touch of paranoia and the shadowy role of bankers give it a more contemporary edge - with only a few twists and adjustments, this could be a late 60s Pynchony romp or a story for our own times. Some lovely descriptive touches and an establishment of the world of espionage on some rather sordid activity and a cast of fairly undesirable characters. Nonetheless and despite bogging down towards the end, this is a cracking look at the grime of a Europe trying to work through the early part of the twentieth century.