Alan & Jono's Watching/Reading List: October 2024
Added 2024-10-30 15:00:08 +0000 UTCAlan:
Hello Heroes!
It’s been a warm October up in the mountains, so I haven’t been all cozy-time very much. But I have been reading and watching a fair amount.
What I’m reading!
Hornblower and The Hotspur by C.S. Forester. Just plowing through more adventures of Horatio Hornblower and his tortured, hyper-British self.
Hornblower and The Atropos by C.S. Forester. Honestly, the scene where he’s in charge of Lord Nelson’s funeral barge, and it’s sinking while they’re rowing up the Thames… classic. Exactly the type of hyper-specific, broadly appealing comedy I live for. I’d love to adapt these into TV (I know, they did already, but they never made it to this story) and direct this episode.
Beat to Quarters by C.S. Forester. Called The Happy Return everywhere that’s not America. And honestly… we got it right. There’s a lot more beating to quarters in this book than there is happy returning. Plus it’s a more evocative title. America did something right for once!
Making the Cut at PIXAR by Bill Kinder and Bobbie O’Steen. I’m learning even more things about how to make movies as well as PIXAR makes them. The secret is absolutely stupefying amounts of effort over years, just on one project. Turns out, if you have smart people, working really hard to perfect every single part of a story for 4-6 years, you can make a good movie, a lot of the time.
What I’m watching!
The Good Place. I haven’t rewatched this (one of my favorite TV shows of all time) since it finished airing in 2020. And you know what? It’s a titanic achievement of comedy, storytelling, characterization, and TV making craft. Seriously. I’m so infuriated by how good this show is. I don’t know if I want to punch Michael Schur or kiss him on the mouth. Probably whichever one is less ethically dangerous/likely to get me sued.
What I’m playing!
Nothing this month. I need to make more time for the finer things in life. Like a sick 360 no-scope.
Watch Movies! (And television, and read books, and play video games)
Jono:
Hey everyone! How has spooky season been treating you? I took a break from therapy books to read Gaston Leroux's original novel of The Phantom of Opera (1910), which I enjoyed immensely as a major fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, which came much later.
This month I caught a bunch of movies in theaters for our Cinema Therapy Reviews YouTube channel including Joker 2, Piece by Piece, and Venom: The Last Dance. Of course I'm watching a lot for prep for our main channel as well.
But for my own enjoyment, I've been watching as much Halloween stuff as I can, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ghostbusters, Signs, Goosebumps, and of course, The Phantom of the Opera (2004).
What about you all? What are you doing to get in the spirit of things?
Comments
It may have already been suggested and would take some time to get through the whole thing, but covering different aspects of Vinland Saga at some point would make for a ton of good content.
Bob
2024-11-13 18:44:46 +0000 UTCWe will! Patrons voted for it as our next show to react to. :)
Cinema Therapy
2024-11-12 14:24:48 +0000 UTCOh PLEASE do an episode (or five) on the Good Place. Such a great show
Laura Shepherd
2024-11-11 17:53:15 +0000 UTCI just finished reading "The AfterGrief: Finding Your Way Along the Long Arc of Loss" by Hope Edelman. It's a great book on understanding grief when you and others feel "you should be over it by now," and how to better process that. I haven't experienced tremendous grief at this point in my life, but it helps me better understand what other people may be going through and how I can be a better friend to them.
William Wallace
2024-11-09 21:16:15 +0000 UTCMusic : A Friend recommended Jorge Rivera-Herrans EPIC, "a loose musical adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey." (epicthemusical.com) it's good music and a fun take on the story. Video : an 'Over the Garden Wall' stop animation was released to celebrate it's 10 year anniversary. It is good and it is three minutes to view. https://youtu.be/KkPqr2lx7t8?si=2GQZeeBl2KuWLwdw Game : 'Have a nice Death' you play the Grim Reaper as they work to reclaim control of the corporate underworld. The vibes fit October/Halloween well and It has good 2-D animation.
AmbushDeer
2024-11-06 20:07:20 +0000 UTCI've been following your YouTube channel for a few months and today I finally decided to join you on Patreon! Really excited about it. Best time of year to get cozy and do all sorts of things related to movies, books, etc. I usually have a yearly tradition of reading a murder mystery book in October. However, this year I've moved from Berlin, Germany to Cardiff, Wales, and didn't find time to find a good book. I am reading two books this season. To get somewhat familiar with the Welsh vibes I started with Welsh Fairy Tales, Myths, and Legends by Claire Fayers. Earlier this year I visited Oxford and found the 'A very short introduction' collection by Oxford press, so I'm reading Film Music - A very short introduction, by Kathryn Kalinak. And I absolutely LOVE The Phantom of the Opera!
Alejandra Solís
2024-11-03 11:52:26 +0000 UTCThat’s how I felt with The Hunchback of Notre Dame 😅🫣
Lynettra
2024-11-02 15:36:34 +0000 UTCThe Phantom in the book is far more dark and tortured than portrayed in the Broadway show or 2004 movies. Those HEAVILY romanticized his character. The OG (hardy har) is far more murderous and manipulative, especially toward Christine. There's a whole chapter where Christine tells her side of the story, and I had to put the book aside for a while. It hit too many memories that I wasn't ready for 😅. So yeah, if you want dark, this is the book for you! Haha.
SaucyJTD
2024-11-02 14:44:19 +0000 UTCGoodness, I might need to read the Phantom of the Opera. I love dark stories. Also, just finished a season of Junior Baking Show on Netflix and it was EVERYTHING!!!
Lynettra
2024-11-02 14:40:02 +0000 UTCI do this every day too! The peace in it! Morning walks among the rustling leaves above and below.
Lynettra
2024-11-02 14:33:01 +0000 UTCI’m watching a lot of my fav Halloween movies as well as some new horrors that have been recommended but may not be appropriate to mention here. 🫣The classics have graced my screen tho: The Addams Family & The Addams Family Values - both real ppl and animated; The Craft, Practical Magic, Scream and Young Frankenstein (pronounced fronk-in-STEEN!)😂 I’m reading “The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard”: just finished “3:10 to Yuma” and am currently on “The Hard Way”. I am about to jump into “You Like It Darker” by Stephen King. Of course…I would wait till Halloween is over to self-induce nightmares.😅
Lynettra
2024-11-02 14:26:46 +0000 UTCWow! I watched too many Halloween type movies to enumerate here, but we love the Underworld and Blade series. We always watch the 1979 version of Dracula with Frank Langela on Halloween night. He played the part on Broadway before doing the movie. My college acting mentor saw the play and said when Frank Langela made his first entrance there was an audible gasp from all the women in the audience. It’s a sexy version of the story. As for reading the two highlights were The Lost Bookstore and The Story Collector by Evie Woods and I finally read Lessons in Chemistry. I love the series. The book is equally as good.
Lucinda Sage-Midgorden
2024-11-01 21:51:46 +0000 UTCWe saw it in theaters for our new channel! Have you seen it? https://youtu.be/y8h9F2e0mHw
Cinema Therapy
2024-11-01 21:24:31 +0000 UTCYes, our Patrons voted for it as our next show to react to!
Cinema Therapy
2024-11-01 21:24:09 +0000 UTCgood place rewatch for the video I presume..? exciting
simdoodles
2024-11-01 20:52:51 +0000 UTCDoes that mean we'll be getting a Venom episode? 👀🖤
Sasha
2024-11-01 19:00:51 +0000 UTCThat is a GREAT watch list!
Cinema Therapy
2024-10-31 19:33:24 +0000 UTCI love that tradition! What a lovely way to celebrate. Haven't started Agatha All Along yet, but hearing good things. Might have to start... And haven't started the new season of Only Murders in the Building, but love the previous seasons!!
Cinema Therapy
2024-10-31 19:32:50 +0000 UTCHalloween is not really a thing where I’m from so other than lightning candles on graves and remembering our lost loved ones this weekend (which is the tradition we have instead) there’s no getting in to the spirit. Which suits me well as can’t handle scary stuff 😂 Reading: I’m a third into A Little Life. Fantastic writing, but a hard read emotionally. Enjoying it though. Watching: I watched Never Let me Go and decided to add the book (Kazuo Ishiguro) to my TBR. I’ve also been watching Agatha All Along (wait, does that count as getting into spirit?! Maybe I accidentally did hahaha) and Only Murders in the Building. Love the main trio in that one 🥹
Sara Wagiström
2024-10-30 22:09:09 +0000 UTCReading: I’m Enough by Tenten Hosokawa and Hiroko Mizushima. It’s a fascinating take on Interpersonal Therapy. Watching: Agatha All Along, Hocus Pocus 2, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Lord of the Rings, Frozen 2, Addams Family Values, Twitches, and the 2011 performance of Phantom of the Opera. Yes, I’m aware I have a strange Autumn watch list.
Lauren Hubers
2024-10-30 20:56:48 +0000 UTCI'm slowly getting through the latest season of Evil. It's taking a while because the hubster is so-not-into it so I'm using my precious alone time to watch. Himself and I just finished Umbrella Academy, which has an ending that I really appreciated despite my friends moaning on how it was a let down. We also just binged Good With Wood, which is the GBBO with woodworking instead of cakes. I've finished reading Weapon of Light, a text on tantra yoga rather than a fun fantasy/sci fi so there are no exciting chase scenes. I'm currently working my way through Eight Winds in the Heavens, a text on Taoist health practices. Maybe someday I'll read a book just for funsies...
BJ
2024-10-30 19:41:04 +0000 UTCHoly Forking Shirtballs! This IS the Good Place :-)
BJ
2024-10-30 19:31:25 +0000 UTCIf you like the Hornblower novels, you might also like the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, also set during the Napoleonic Wars. There's a movie adaptation "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany as lead actors. Saw the movie when it came out, read the novel the movie was based on and ended up reading the entire series in 3 months.
Leen
2024-10-30 18:52:15 +0000 UTCGreat British Baking Show!!! Yes! I got hooked on the show during COVID, and watch every season now. I love how cooperative the "competitors" are with each other. It's so heartwarming.
SaucyJTD
2024-10-30 18:15:31 +0000 UTCI have been stuck on Martha Wells this month, reading her entire Raksura series and starting on the Ile-Rien books! Started watching High Potential and the new Matlock, both of which are incredible!! Also watching K-drama with my best friend (True Beauty) and my husband (Strong Woman Do-Bong Soon), which is always a wonderful reminder that Korean TV is DIFFERENT in the best possible way! And of course, The Great British Baking Show!
Lydia Hartzler
2024-10-30 17:01:30 +0000 UTCI would it's totally worth it!
KrissyArtist
2024-10-30 15:59:38 +0000 UTCI'm debating doing a Supernatural marathon tomorrow! Such a great show.
SaucyJTD
2024-10-30 15:59:05 +0000 UTCI love the philosophical aspect of it and its use in the comedy. Became a favorite of mine when I saw it a couple years ago!
Andrew Feistner
2024-10-30 15:55:53 +0000 UTCThat sounds wildly peaceful 🍂
SaucyJTD
2024-10-30 15:55:41 +0000 UTCI’ve been reading Odyssey by Justin Camp, The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy & Kathy Keller, and The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. Lately been playing Black Ops 6 as it just released, the campaign is really good so far; just got Super Mario Party Jamboree and it’s really fun; Lollipop Chainsaw RePop is sadly disappointing, it’s the “Call of Duty is the same every year but less” of remasters but still fun gameplay; hoping to play some Monster Hunter Wilds for the beta this week; and did a run of Alien: Fate of the Nostromo board game which was simple and fun. Been seeing a few things in theaters like Joker 2, which was terrible; Venom: The Last Dance, too fun to care that it’s bad; Exhibiting Forgiveness, which was fantastic and would be a great CT episode; Your Monster, very fun horror rom-com and another good CT episode candidate; and tonight seeing Scream in a theater(!) for the first time at a local, seen it many times at home but now as it’s meant to be seen!
Andrew Feistner
2024-10-30 15:54:44 +0000 UTCHubs and I just finished an 8 episode Korean drama called The 8 Show on Netflix. It's a similar vibe to Squid Game in a LOT of ways, but worth a watch on its own. They really utilize changing the aspect ratio for specific scenes, which is cool.
Smidge
2024-10-30 15:54:37 +0000 UTCAlan, have you consider watching the Hornblower TV series once you've finished, it stars many of the UK's finest actors (David Warner, Paul McGann, Barbara Flynn to name a few). I'm not a massive fan of War focussing drama's but people I know who do, say they are great. In terms of my latest reads, Finished Legends and Lattes which was a nice cosy read, and currently in the middle of watching the second series of Wreck, a nice queer horror mystery drama on the BBC, which I'm enjoying, not a massive fan of horror, but it's just enough that It's not too much fore me.
ImperiatrixMatt
2024-10-30 15:53:57 +0000 UTCTaking in the quiet grey day and listening to the leaves blow down the street 🍂
Melissa
2024-10-30 15:38:12 +0000 UTCWhat I am Watching The Lost Boys one of my favorite Halloween movies, all of the Halloweentowns, Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, and Corpse Bride. TV show wise I am currently rewatching Supernatural (my comfort show) such a great show to get into the spooky season. I am currently not reading anything at the moment but plan on reading soon. Gaming wise I haven't really been playing anything. I am waiting for news on the release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta (MGS3 remake). The original is one of my favorite games of all time and I am excited for it to come out. Happy Halloween everyone and see you all next month!!!
KrissyArtist
2024-10-30 15:12:38 +0000 UTCMy current show now is Agatha All Along and I really think it’s a lot better than I thought it was gonna be. Episode 7 imo was just one of the best episodes of any show I had seen in ages. Add with a magnificent performance from the fantastic Patti LuPone.
Castiel Destler
2024-10-30 15:09:27 +0000 UTCMade my day right here. "I have stomachache"
Kris Kennedy
2024-10-30 15:09:10 +0000 UTCGood news! Patrons voted for it as our next show to react to on the channel! We'll do lots of episodes, like we did for Avatar.
Cinema Therapy
2024-10-30 15:08:17 +0000 UTCI'd love a good place video at some point. There's so much to dive into. Spoilers Honestly, even as a religious person, the perfect afterlife to me is still the good place
Kris Kennedy
2024-10-30 15:06:42 +0000 UTCWatching: 24, season 8! I'm so close to being done with the series, and I'm going to be sad when it's done 😭. For movies, I took the time to see Piece by Piece in theaters, and LOVED it. Then, since this is the season for spookiness, I rewatched the follow horror/Halloween movies: Nightmare Before Christmas (five times... don't judge me), Arsenic and Old Lace, Van Helsing, Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil, and Practical Magic. I also watched Psycho and Halloween (2018) for the first time, and watched as much of Woman of the Hour as I could last night. Psycho and Halloween (2018) were both fantastic, and Anna Kendrick did an amazing job for her directorial debut. It's a hard movie to watch, but so worth it. I also gave into my weakness for my love of baking shows and watched the most recent Halloween Baking Show (I watch it literally every year) and The Great British Baking Show. Reading: "Secure Love" by Julie Menanno and "Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux. The Phantom of the Opera book is DARK. Like, holy HELL dark. I won't lie, it has hit some traumatic memories for me, but that's okay. I've been working through that part of my trauma, so it's actually helpful in a way. Happy Halloween everyone!
SaucyJTD
2024-10-30 15:06:28 +0000 UTC
