I am curious to know what forum members think about Sinners . I am really surprised that it has beaten the all time record of Oscar nominations.
Hi @BonnyinBrighton and thank you for the recommendation. I’ve just finished watching The Small Prophets and what an enjoyable watch it was! I’m thoroughly looking forward to the next series now! 
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And well worth joining the fb group where people discuss all the nuanced mysterious references to music/detectorists/cultural stuff. I’m now watching a second time to spot the things I missed.
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I’ve watched a film called “Sirāt “ it’s filmed in Morocco. It is shockingly powerful about a diverse group of people making a difficult journey together. It brings home to me the plight of so many refugees in these turbulent times ; two dogs included.
A tough watch but highly recommended .
Hi @toml I recently watched EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert too and loved it! Absolutely brilliant.
Just watched an Iraqi film - The President’s Cake. Set in the 1990s, the story of a 9 year old who has to bake a birthday cake for Saddam Hussein. That set the stage for a tale of challenge and resilience.
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I have watched it, too. But I am afraid it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s really tough to watch. I think it’s very good and photography and sound are high quality. The message is also thought provoking but it requires a high dose of endurance and metaphorical analysis.
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I am currently watching The Mentalist on Netflix. I remember watching the series the first time around many years ago and enjoyed it so I thought I’d watch it again now!
The show follows former “psychic” Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), who is a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Jane uses his highly developed observational skills to “read” people’s minds and to solve murder cases.
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I joined that FB group after seeing your suggestion here and am watching it a second time. I’ve learnt some stuff but also been amused by a lot of the hidden meanings suggested by some people. Series 2 will be eagerly awaited!
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Yes after the initial frenzy of hidden meanings there’s fewer and fewer new revelations so I’ve stopped reading the comments…. until series 2
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I went to see Peaky Blinders The Immortal Man at the cinema the other day and it was brilliant!!
If you are a Peaky Blinders fan then I highly recommend this. It’s due out on Netflix in the UK on March 20th and it’s already available to watch in the US.
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I’ve just finished reading” Ensayo de la Ciguera” by Jose Saramago. “Essay on Blindness”. Like “ The Day of the Triffids” by John Wyndham, it considers the effect of widespread blindness that results suddenly as, as in this case, an unexplained epidemic. I’m reading it with my Spanish book club. The author is Portuguese but subsequently lived in Lanzarote. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998. The topic is a tough one but it’s dealt with in a life-affirming way. Just as with the Covid pandemic it brings out the best and the worst in all of us. There is a film made of this book called “Blindness” starring Julianne Moore. U tube has great material too: summaries of the book’s chapters, interviews with the author and audio of the book in Spanish. I use this audio to help me learn the language and of course it’s very helpful for people who are blind. I love audio books as I’m deaf and can turn up the volume. It’s also possible to adjust the speed of delivery too! The book has been translated into 20 + languages so it’s an opportunity to brush up a language you don’t use too much!
As a footnote there’s a dog in the story that forms a close bond with the heroine played by Julianne Moore. This made the whole experience right up my street!
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I am currently enjoying watching Scarpetta on Amazon Prime Video. This crime drama stars Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis and is based on the book series of the same name by Patricia Cornwell.
The show follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a brilliant forensic pathologist and follows her return as Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner, where she uses advanced technology to investigate grisly murders, and specifically a new serial killer case that mirrors an unsolved mystery from her early career 28 years ago.
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I’m afraid he’s dead but he was living in Lanzarote when he died in 2010 and his house is a museum now.
Oh thanks for the update! @Newpetlover Another reason to visit Lanzarote.
I’ve discovered his writing rather late in life but I’m now reading Memorial of the Convent. It’s set in the time of the Inquisition and the Portuguese King orders the building of the very impressive convent at Mafra expecting that it will secure him an heir to the throne. This book is considered one of his best too.
Don’t think there’s a film made of this but I recommend visiting Mafra, Portugal. The towering building dwarfs the town spectacularly.
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You might be interested in this National Geographic article about his connection with Lanzarote I am sure it will give you (and everyone) lots of reasons to visit Lanzarote. I will add a practical one: the island is quite small and you can easily drive anywhere and back for sightseeing. There’s a car rental company exclusive to Canary Island that is best value I have ever found with full coverage insurance.
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Thanks so much. I raved about the book and writer so much my wife has now read it so that looks like a great holiday planned!
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Strange that the US gets access on Netflix before the UK 
I loved the series and a couple of years ago went to see Ballet Rambert’s production of Peaky Blinders …. It was amazing. Well worth going to see if it comes your way
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Thank you @fyfie I will keep a lookout for it.
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We just watched Flow this weekend with our cat sprawled on top of us. Loved it!
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