Recs, of a sort
It's been a while, is everyone all right? Healthy, happy... in a post-Halloween sugar-stupor?

Firstly, I read a story yesterday that is utter madness and so completely enjoyable, it defies description. It's H/D and the last offering for the The Big Harry/Draco Career Fair, a really clever fest that puts Harry and Draco in unusual (for them) occupations. If you like to read well-written hilarity that touches on politics and the ridiculousness of bureaucracies, as well as delightful banter of a very British-y nature, then this is the fic for you. Seriously, it's soooo much fun! Little Red Courgette * giggles* You'll love it, I swear. Absolutely nothing squicky... unless you're adversely affected by vegetable puns.

Movies wot I saw:

Recently, we watched a movie that I loved, well, several to be precise, but one in particular I loved a lot. It's called: 'August Rush'. It's not a brand new movie, and I remembered thinking it would be good when it was playing on the big screens, but I never got around to it, so when it came on one of our cable channels, we took the opportunity. I'm thrilled that we did. The movie wasn't what I expected. In fact, it ended up being so much better than I'd imagined. The story is told in a sort of non-linear fashion, but it's not at all confusing. It starts with a little boy (Freddie Highmore, who is wonderful and adorable in all that he does) named Evan who can hear music in everything around him. He's not exactly popular with the other kids at the orphanage, being different. The other story line is a cellist (Keri Russell) and a guitar player/lead singer for an Irish band (Jonathan Rhys Meyers - who is delicious), a pair of moon-crossed, and as one might guess, ill-fated lovers. Anything I put here will hardly do the movie justice: Evan runs away from the orphanage and gets involved with a Fagan type character (played by Robin Williams), who gives him the name August Rush and the lovers are torn apart by the cellist's controlling father. Evan's adventure is the bulk of the movie, which is touching and hopeful and filled to bursting with beautiful music, including Jonathan Rhys Meyers singing Moondance to Keri Russell on a rooftop. Highly Highly HIGHLY recommend this movie. *sighs*

Another movie I've seen recently, one that is as different from 'August Rush' as possible, is called "rocknrolla'. If you like Guy Ritchie films with their obligatory guns and quirky plots where the good guys are amiable criminals and the dialogue is fast with a range of sometimes unintelligible accents and Gerard Butler is a sexy sexy beast (well he is, there's no denying it), then you'll really enjoy this one. A movie which comes complete with a Pulp Fiction-esque dance scene involving Thandie Newton. I didn't expect to, but I actually loved it. Helped, no doubt, by the fact that the narrator and main protagonist, Archie, is played by Mark Strong (Septimus [Mmmmmmm!] of 'Stardust', another delightful movie), who is one of my very favorite actors. It's probably not for everyone, but certainly for many of you, and I found it highly entertaining. There's even supposed to be a sequel.

There've been a couple more movie viewings, but those two stood out. I can also recommend 'Wolverine', which I think might be the best of the X-Men movies to date, and a film called 'Eagle Eye' with Shia Labeouf, who's growing up quite nicely, I think. Both unexpectedly enjoyable.

Which makes me wonder if I'm setting my expectations too low, when I'm so constantly surprised. *shrugs* Dunno, but better to be pleasantly surprised than let down, I guess. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised too.