Our May Love List
This is the best of what we've watched, read and listened in May 2022. Save this post when you're next looking for something to fill your spare time.
WATCHING
Top Gun - Maverick - at the movies - We've waited a long time for this sequel. Thirty-six years to be exact. And I can tell you, that it's SO worth the wait. It's everything loyal/obsessed fans of the original could hope for - romance, a sporty beach scene, a mix of nostalgia and modern day, and, oh, fighter pilot action. See this on a big screen.
How to Please a Woman - I loved this heart-warming Australian movie and you might be surprised to know my husband did too. I can't tell you how good it is to see 50-something women acting in roles of 50-something women. Glorious. This movie is funny, full of so many of your favourite Aussie actors and paints a positive picture for women in the absolute prime of their life. Watch the trailer HERE.
The Staircase - Binge - Colin Firth and Toni Collette, but not has you've ever known them, star in this drama based on a real-life US story of a man accused of killing his wife. I've kept off Google because I'm here for the "did he do it?" suspense of this production and the series is still dropping.
Conversations with Friends - Prime - Sally Rooney's style of writing isn't for everyone. There's nothing fast pace about it. It's about imperfect everyday characters. Conversations with Friends is based on Sally's debut novel. It wasn't my fave at the time of reading but the TV series really grew on me. The concepts of relationship fluidity and infidelity will jar with many and sometimes you just want to give each of the characters a shake, yet, still we kept on dipping into it every night. I really miss Frances and hope she's doing ok.
READING
Queen Menopause - Alison Daddo - I'm firmly and happily on the other side of menopause now. I say happy because the peri-menopausal years were a cocktail of shite. The view from over here is so much better. Reading books like this one from the girl we all loved seeing on the cover of the mags we bought in the '80s and early '90s helps to affirm that these post-menopausal years really can be fabulous.
The Way From Here - Jane Cockram - I loved getting lost in this story that spanned three generations and took us on a journey from the Australian outback, to London, Devon and an island off the coast of France. Part drama, part mystery, this exploration of family and secrets is both page-turning and poignant.
LISTENING TO
Harry's House - Harry Styles' new album has been on repeat. It may cause me to spontaneously dance at any moment but, hey, if you can't embarrass your teenager, am I really doing my job?
How I Built This - this is a great podcast series full stop but Guy Raz' interview with beauty company Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai is a must listen for anyone who's ever started a business. It's realistic, honest and a reminder that often we only hear business stories that appear to be overnight successes. Spoiler alert: they're never overnight successes.
Eating Disorders in Midlife - Don't Give a Fifty hosts Mel and Trish sat down with Millie Thomas, an eating disorder recovery coach to talk about an (unsurprising to me) emerging trend of disordered eating in midlife women. We're a generation brought up on diet culture. This was a fascinating and thoughtful chat.
The Teacher's Trial - if you listened to every minute of The Teacher's Pet podcast, you'll do the same with this one, a weekly recap of the trial of Chris Dawson, who was accused of the murder of his wife Lynette Dawson, who was last seen in 1982.