Sixty-Six (2006)

How did I miss this? It was lovely!! A real wonderful family feel good movie! I recommend it to anyone trying to think of something to watch the day after Four Weddings and a Funeral or something, it’s the same nice sort of gentle British comedy. Great cast!

Scenes from a Poisoner's Life by Nigel Williams

Last week I went to the Oxfam bookshop, my friend Lotte told me she had been reading a lot more since her fiance started doing strange shifts and waking her up at odd hours to leave the house, I bought a book too so she would not think I was an uncultured fool.
I bought this book by Nigel Williams. I knew it would be easy to read as I enjoy his radio series HR (now on it's fourth series on BBC radio 4, Friday mornings) but books being easy to read has not been the problem for me lately. A lot of books I've started have been easy to read and lots of them good (some of them shite of course) I couldn't continue reading Giles Coren's book How to Eat Out after I got food poisoning (again), it just wasn't something I was desperate to pick up while still feeling iffy... Jamaica Inn I read half of because of a job I thought I might get but it was so dreadfully familiar to reading my own self-indulgent drivel that I started to think I might be Daphne Du Maurier reincarnated, doomed to write tosh forever. And then there are other books I've started and read usually more than half of then just forgotten about. I can't bring myself to blame 30 Rock. I definitely needed to watch five series in a row with no break for reading, sleeping, eating or working.
Anyway, I read Nigel's book and maybe it's just because of modern life that I found the concept of 12 short self-contained stories connected by the months of the year brilliant- you know, perhaps my attention span is horrendous and I need bite-sized literature. Or maybe it was just that he writes these shorts so well. It was like listening to the radio.
Or maybe it was just exactly what that three word review said on the the back; "Modern Wodehouse suburbanized." Am I that much of an arse that I can only read Wodehouse or his modern day equivalents? I think perhaps I am. Well, who cares. I went to the Arthritis Research bookshop and got another of Nigel's to take on my holiday tomorrow and I'm jolly well I'm looking forward to reading it.

Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

Did you know this film won an Oscar? Best Make-up of course, making John Lithgow so damn attractive! No, it was for Harry's make-up, John Lithgow is naturally beautiful.
Lauren came round last night and we watched this classic. The last time I watched it was also with Lauren, on my birthday about five years ago, I don't know if I was drunk or just tired five years ago but I hardly remembered any of it! It was ok but the best part was waiting for scenes which you could chop out and edit into a romance between Lithgow and Harry- there were a lot. And editing in sound-clips of passion from 3rd Rock from the Sun I'm sure it would work beautifully.

Candleshoe (1977)

As if it wasn't obvious Jodie Foster wasn't uber-gay right from the beginning! In this Disney film angry little American tomboy Jodie decides to go in with Leo McKern to scam an old British lady out of a fortune by pretending to be her long lost granddaughter- whether she actually is or not is never revealed.
Jodie gets the riches in the end of course, she has to solve a bunch of clues to get them too, that's an old Disney style adventure for you... but she learns that family and friends and being British are more important, with the help of some loveable orphans (older boy, rival girl, cute cockney boy and token asian kid) and David Niven.
I love David Niven. Shouldn't I be watching The Bishop's Wife like right now?! My fave actors of old are himself and Anton Walbrook, the warm charm of Niv and the intensity of theatrical Walbrook, tha's what I love.
In Candleshoe Dave, as the butler, has to disguise the fact that there is no more money and cuts costs by disguising himself as the gardener, the chauffeur and the only visitor who ever comes to the house, a handsome old colonel. What ridiculous crap! Loved it!

Father of the Bride (1992) and Father of the Bride part two (1995)

and Father of the Bride Part Three (tbc 2010) in which George Banks' youngest child Megan takes her elderly parents on a trip to Switzerland.

Nah, just kidding. That's a bit of black humour for you.

These films are schmaltzy and definitely not the highlights of Steve Martin's comedy career, but they are heartfelt family entertainment. Do people make comedies now that you can watch with children that aren't animated or full of toilet humor? I must now point out I have nothing against either of these genres, I just noticed today while watching these films that they seem to be in a genre of the past.

Anyhoo, I haven't watched these films for about seven years, I used to watch all of Steve Martin and Martin Short's movies religiously, they cracked me up. I think it's universally acknowledged that it is Martin Short's performance that makes these films well, not better than the Spencer Tracy originals, but certainly worth a watch. But watching them again I found all the jokes I remembered, all the best jokes, were Steve Martin's and I just found Martin Short embarrassing!

I never thought I would grow out of him, but there you go, there must be a time in one's life when you realise Martin Short is not funny, he's just annoying! Poor Marty, I'm being too harsh. And I'm lying because I think Martin Short is great! Just not in this, the film that people actually remember him for! Highlights for me of Martin Short's career are Pure Luck, Merlin and Get Over It. Pure Luck (1991) is a cringeworthy genius of a film in which Martin Short plays the world's unluckiest man teamed with Danny Glover a long suffering detective on the hunt for a missing person who just happens to be the unluckiest woman in the world. I like him in Merlin (1998) because all though he is playing the unnecessary comedy role I actually think he shows amazing range! It is probably his only true "acting" role. And Get Over It (2001) was a great comedic performance; a desperate self-deluded drama teacher in another one of those high school movies- when I watch Glee (Channel 4 -sundays?) I can't help but think they'd all have a much better time if Martin Short was running it. I also enjoy Three Amigos! and I love A Simple Wish! Ok, Martin Short's career overview over.

As I was saying Father of the Bride. Steve Martin nails "typical dad". His reactions, moods, ridiculous dream-land plans, breakdowns and madness was all my dad, all my mum's dad, just spot-on. There are some brilliantly funny lines, my favourite always being: "Yeah, you in the blue tux." And those of you who find it too sentimental can bugger off back to your emotionally crippled lives, I hope my dad does think of me like that, well, I know he does.