The best film I saw this year was called "X + Y". It was a British film about an autistic boy who was mathematically gifted. A truly beautiful film, it held me enthralled throughout.

Also loved "Pride" and "Holding the Man". The latter was based on a true story about a gay couple who first met in high school.

The standout was the Series Sense 8, but don't worry, you would not get what the show is about!!! Now on there is a challenge if ever there was one!!!!

I didn't 'get it' first time viewed but the sound and scenery are magnificent.  It is a mind bending series but it's not for everyone.  I call it 'modern' Hollywood PC.  Just turn your eyes away from the you know what scenes if you track it down and parts of it offend you.  At the end of episode 4 all main characters sing the song 'What's going on" and it ends with one actor asking,'What's going on?' As even they don't know!!!!  Eventually the pieces start to fall together ... I think?

Luther returned but only for two episodes.  It's a great series but spoilt by BBC's lack of commitment to the show.  And where is Alice?

Hannibal, wow, what intense dialogue .... But it was a bit gory!  If you don't like, 'I am having a friend for dinner' then the show is not for you.  I don't like unnecessary gore either but the power of Hannibal dragged me into the series.

Backstrom, wow, you need to watch 2 or three episodes to get into the brilliance of the character.  The star is a cross between Cracker and Columbo.  He is the worst and most obnoxious ever detective in every sense but brilliant at the same time!

Of course Game of Thones must get a mention but the story is simply TOO big and you can't get enough of each plot.  And frankly it could do without the raunchy sex scenes which I find over the top!

A standout movie was The Imitation Game.  I give the movie 15/10 for entertainment but 2/10 for truthfulness.  The movie is 'based' upon a true story ..... It's simply unfortunate that 90% of the movie is a total fabrication.  Apart from the most obvious historical facts then rest is Hollywood deception!!!

Birdman funny???  I actually thought it was sad. Watching an aging person's mental health going down hill funny???  OK, I missed the point of that movie.

Currently watching a good documentary series on Netflix called "Making a Murderer".  Intriguing!

My favourite film would be 'The Dressmaker' - very entertaining and clever plus great acting, what a long way Australian films have come!

Favourite book is harder to answer, I have read so many of interest – auto or biographies do particularly interest me and a couple which come to mind are 'Toots' about a Nth QLD female truckie who had so many varied skills from trucking to dressmaking but above all the capacity for care for others and also 'Life B'long Ali Drummond' pearl diver extraordinaire from the Torres Strait by his granddaughter Samantha Faulkner. Both took me to new worlds and were really about ordinary people who lived fascinating lives so different to my own.

Well guess I am just not as adventurous as some of you, my favourite movie for the  year

was Les Mis - not often I see am vie 3 times but loved  every minute of this one.

Also  The War Room another excellent movie.

MANY favourite movies of the year, but one that comes to mind first is "The Equalizer" with Denzel Washington and another while tying this is "Fury" with Brad Pitt. Best stop typing now or I'll no doubt bore you to tears. Happy viewing and Happy New Year.

For movies this year, enjoyed "The Martian" and a good book I got into is "Rogue Lawyer" by one of my favourite writers "John Grisham". Here's a synopsis, being lazy today, I copied this from the internet:

Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver, who’s also his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddy. He lives alone in a small but extremely safe penthouse apartment, and his primary piece of furniture is a vintage pool table. He drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun.
 
Sebastian defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult, who is accused of molesting and murdering two little girls; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house.  Why these clients? Because he believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial, even if he, Sebastian, has to cheat to secure one. He hates injustice, doesn’t like insurance companies, banks, or big corporations; he distrusts all levels of government and laughs at the justice system’s notions of ethical behavior.

I read a wonderful series of books by Joy Dettman, they were called the woody creek series and i started with Book 1 Pearl in a cage through to Book 6 the Tying of Threads. I could not put the book downand hungrily look for the next one till I had finished and was disappointed that it was over.  What a wonderful writer she is and the series was set in Australia starting in 1940's from memory but not missing one piece of world news incorporated within the books, very nostalgic and will need tissues beside you.

Yes have to agree with reggie, Joy Dettman writes a good story. I wanted more of woody creek.

Reading my funniest book of the year , Bill Brysons' latest " The Road to Little Dribbling "

Dont see JOY it's shite...

Welcome back Pete.  I am not certain what the lesson was but I hope you learned something.  Yawn!!!

Haven't been anywhere , me old mate , just decided to take a break from the dopes that think they can impose their silly left wing views on here.. 

Anyway Australia and the positive ones move on and enjoy life ., 

I must tell Cats Foxy Abby Sandi Radi Densi Phyll peter Viv big val Twilsy and shaggers about Georgie my little baby who has now turned 20 she was only 14 when I first came On here .. 

Anyway she is doing Law and International relations at ANU and is just starting third year . 

1 she has been invited to join the Honours programme ??????

2 She has been invited by the govt to join a team representing Australia to the UN in March 2016... 

Cant say I fully understand but yippeee proud Dad ...

PETE,    how great for GEORGIE,    you must be so proud,    its great when our young get ahead . like that,   makes you think,   ;must have done something right;     congratulations,   

Yep very proud dad Cats , shame I can't come on here as myself strange to be banned because I posted a post from the moderator warning me over something so trivial that I have forgotten what it was ... 

I think it was for critising the staff journalists over total incorrect postings and calling them lefties .. Oh well not to worry .. 

See gerry still complaining about everybody and Mussitate still on his hate campaign about anything from the U.S. 

There are a few who don't seem to enjoy life or have any humour in their lives . 

But yes cats and Shaggers very proud of both girls . Can't believe that Georgie in third year has been put on an honours track for law and that she is going to UN to represent Australia .. 

Sophie has just come sixth out of 170'in Horse trials at Bega ... 

Will still pop in from time to time to put the individuals point of view against the prevailing PC view on here ... 

Amazing how the crookedness of the union Leaders is being ignored as they ripped of ordinary workers for so much . 

See you soon ...