Films– An Introduction

Right...

The Plan:

As silly as it was for Kate to accept this challenge, I must admit she's plodding along with frightful abandon for everything non-literary. I therefore realized my need to start getting on with plotting her downfall.

Although I could have taken today to take the lead with ease, I found the more sporting alternative to be a planning session (also, I was and am a bit ill today and not up to acquiring any films just now). I spent a good chunk of time (prior to blowing chunks) researching which DVD rental service had the majority of my titles available for the best price. I concluded that the online video rental retailing giant, Lovefilm to be the best option.

I am going for the unlimited one disk rental at a time option, which should give me access to the online Lovefilm player. While it's unclear as to how many titles will be available with this method, it seems to be a good way to start.

If Kate continues to pull ahead, I'll have to up the anti a bit, and move up to the 4 disks at a time option!

I also plan to supplement rentals with charity shop DVDs, and indeed VHS cassettes, where available.

Labeling:

Kate and I both began with a list of 100 items we were to watch of which we had both already seen/read quite a bit of. Because I have seen 57 of my list items (an item being either a single film or a series), I will begin my list on number 58 and end on number 100.

A Note to a Very Special Lady:

You're so going down.

Book 6: The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster

Started: Thursday 8th July, about 9pm, after a fairly fruitless evening.
Finished: Friday 9th July, about 8pm, after a slightly less fruitless day.
Review: I really enjoyed this one! Basically the book is a long series of hilarious puns, with a very simple journey-style typical children's fantasy plot (and, yes, the protagonist, Milo, does end up changed by his experiences). Sample quote: "You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work in people's bonnets."
Time: 23 hours I guess. Breaks for a trip to a bar, chatting to Noah, sleeping, a trip to the library and several hours helping to plan for holiday club. I enjoyed this book rather more than the previous few. But I have to say, Noah, that this game would be much more fun if you started playing it too!

Book 5: Are you there God? It's me, Margaret, by Judy Blume

Read: Thursday 8th July, in the evening, after finishing the last day of my PGCE course, going paddling in my trousers and getting soaking wet, and having noodles for tea.
Review: I have to confess I almost found this book slightly uncomfortable! It's all about a girl who's desperate to, um, start growing up. The bits about her conversations with God are interesting though, as are her impressions of what religion is and the difficulty she finds in actually fitting God into all this religion stuff.
Time: I didn't really check - something between one and two hours, I guess.

Book 4: Ordinary Jack, by Helen Cresswell

Read: Wednesday 7th July, on the train from King's Cross to York and then York to Scarborough.
Review: The first in what I think is a series of about ten(!) books about the Bagthorpe Family. Jack, alone in not being a genius of some description, feels some desire to raise his credibility in the eyes of his siblings. Aided by his Uncle Parker, he embarks on a confusing campaign to develop some Strings to his Bow. A mildly amusing, lighthearted tale of some slightly strange goings-on in a slightly strange family.
Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes. I took a break to change trains at York. To be honest, by the end of this one, I was beginning to feel a little bit sick of reading. In fact I have been unable, in the two hours since finishing, to eagerly snatch up the next book in the Challenge pile. I will, I am sure, be recovered by tomorrow, but I'm feeling the need to do something else for a short time...

Book 3: The Tulip Touch, by Anne Fine

Started: Tuesday 6th July, in the evening, whilst Noah does his baptism class at MBC.
Finished: On the Northern Line between Leicester Square and Waterloo, as part of my journey back to Scarborough. Maybe it's the effect of the book, but I put my slightly depressed feeling down to the fact that I have just had to leave Noah :(
Review: A tale about the unsettling experience of becoming friends (is it 'friends'?) with a deeply troubled child. What exactly is Tulip heading towards? What does happen to her at home? And can Natalie do anything about it? Quite a serious reflection on how much difference our actions can have on the lives of others.
Time: Read over 18 hours. Breaks for chips and mushy peas on the roundabout with Noah's small group; intermittent moments of basketball; hanging out in the hammock in the dark quiet of Noah's back garden; sleep and breakfast and wandering in Godalming; and farewell hot chocolate (Noah had chai). He even bought me some cake! Isn't that nice?

Book 2: Point Blanc, by Anthony Horowitz

Started: Monday 5th July, on the train from Scarborough to Godalming.
Finished: Tuesday 6th July, at MBC whilst Noah does his baptism class. I was pretty happy and excited at this point because I had just found out that I got the job in Harpenden! I'm really going to be a Reception teacher in September.
Review: Another school story? Or James Bond for a slightly younger audience? I enjoyed this book more than the first, although I felt that the beginning was more engaging  than the end. Amusing in some places, and with some interesting clues to draw the reader in, this is a tale of Alex Rider, 14-year-old MI6 agent. In this adventure Alex is called on to stay at the mysterious Point Blanc academy, ostensibly a finishing school for the troubled sons of the world's elite. But why are there so many guards with guns? What is up on the mysterious second floor? And why are all the pupils so sinisterly... similar?
Time: Read over 28 hours and 45 minutes, with a long break for hula hoop purchasing, Wagamama's visiting, Robin Hood watching, sleeping, driving to Harpenden, being interviewed, seeing Noah's new church and driving back to Milford.

Book 1: First Term at Malory Towers, by Enid Blyton

Read: Monday 5th July, on the train between Scarborough and Godalming.
I had just had my final PGCE tutorial, and was on the way down south to visit Noah - and for a job interview in Harpenden.
Review: School story about Darrell Rivers, a friendly, open, honest girl with an occasional bad temper, and her relationships with the other girls in first form during her first term at boarding school. Overtly heartwarming; quite twee; very definitely Enid Blyton!
Time: 1:50 (breaks only to change trains)