I did go into this film with a real sense of misgiving, I just didn’t want to watch. That’s what Marvel has done to me, the far-reaching universe has overwhelmed. Having said that, I should have had some faith, because this current phase we’re in (third?) has been pretty good. Ant-Man was funny, Deadpool hilarious, Guardians of the Galaxy a real treat. So I should have had more faith.

I’ve shied away from Tess Gerritsen books to date after finding one of them just a bit too graphic for my tastes at the time. However, I was curious to read the book that was tied up in controversy with the film of the same name, and also with the film Life.

I’m fond of The Shires because it takes a brave duo to try and take on the might of country music from the UK, and they’re doing pretty well and gaining respect for it. The songs are what you’d expect from a country album, my only real complaint is that there’s a disconnect between songs that celebrate being from the UK, and then others that talk about ‘dimes’ and ‘state lines’. Doesn’t quite stack up.

I didn’t get on with this album at all, I was expecting it all to be a bit random which it was, and I didn’t mind the sheer randomness of it all but it needed to be backed up with some good songs. I didn’t enjoy the construction of the songs really, and that made it a bit of a slog to get through.

At this stage in the Rhyme and Sachs series, we’re used to the pattern of horrifying crimes being solved by Rhyme and his incredible attention to forensic detail. What’s fascinating to me is how Jeffrey Deaver tries, in each book, to set up a new and different situation to throw a spanner in the works. This time, we have Rhyme retired from the NYPD and Sachs particularly grumpy about the whole situation.

I mean, look. This is Bumper doing time travel. So of course I heart it to pieces. Rom com, time travel, laughs, loves, Back to the Future references, it’s almost perfect.

I really enjoyed this album. At first glance, I thought I only knew one of the songs but more of them were familiar than I had anticipated. The songs are well put together and with the dulcet tones of Kelly Jones to ease the way, it’s just a really nice, solid listen.

I haven’t really even thought about Franz Ferdinand for years so it was nice to hear them again - it’s all very similar to how they used to be, perhaps progressing to a slightly more adult and adventurous sound, but for the most part just solid guitars and that recognisable voice. Good stuff, but never going to be a particular favourite.

This was a refreshing take on the spy genre films, firstly because of the awesome setting - eighties music over a shot of grim eighties cars in a soon-to-be-reunited Germany? That’s already fascinating. But also because the unique take on the spy character that Charlize portrayed - firstly being half the size of most of her assailants, she had to use ingenuity and a lot of the props around her as weapons, which added to the drama. And then also because she so clearly showed injuries. Starting a film in an ice bath with so many bruises is like the complete opposite of James Bond.

Recently, I discovered that NOW TV had six series of Gladiators available to watch on demand. I’m such a huge fan of Gladiators (bigger than I even realised, as a couple of episodes in, the theme tune made me a bit weepy!) and although I’ve seen clips and odd episodes over the last decade or so, this is potentially the first time I’ve been able to watch a concentrated batch of Gladiator goodness.

I love Apple’s activity badges, I’ve talked about them a few times here already. I find them incredibly motivating, particularly with the recent upgrades that have made the programme more personalised and more responsive to your performance. Rather than your standard “get your move goal every day of the month”, you now have specific calorie, kilometre, or time goals measured in absolutes or averages, with a new and different challenge each month.

I think I was expecting a bit more from this album, given how epic Annie Lennox is, but even so, this is full of great songs. I’m not sure it’s as memorable as I thought it would be, but still totally enjoyable to listen to.

I was surprised how much I liked this one. It’s stacked full of great rhythms and hooks, which you can tell came from the great mind of Pharrell more than anyone else. Some of the more mushy interludes aren’t my favourite but I do like the down to earth natural feeling of it all.

Soon, Film Watch will reach its ninth birthday, having catalogued over 800 films so far and still going strong. More than anything, for me, it’s a handy reminder of what’s been viewed and an easy way to settle arguments between Mr C and myself about a) whether we have watched a film before and b) what we thought of it. The actual live blogging of the film is less important to me after the event, but is hugely important to ensure I’m paying attention as the film goes by.

U2 made an appearance at the Grammy’s last night, playing in the apparent freezing cold grounds of New York’s Statue of Liberty. Now, I’ll be honest, Adam Clayton isn’t exactly one of my bass heroes, but I’m rapidly rethinking that after seeing his instrument of choice for this performance. I’m still not clear on how one plays guitar with gloves on - fingerless or not. But I don’t blame them, it looks flipping freezing out there.

My obsession with Johnny Cash is growing, so this is his second album and I loved it, naturally. It’s similar to the first - lots of short snappy songs, great train-like guitars and fab beats. There were more backing vocals than before, I felt, which gave it a different ambience, but it still worked for me.

This is just Craig David through and through, exactly what you’d expect from the guy and pretty much what his sound has always been (perhaps a little more grown up than before). The only oddity is his song with Bastille, which is great, but sort of sounds different to the rest of the piece.

I was keen to read this as I enjoyed the previous two books by JJ, but if I’m honest, this one didn’t quite live up to its predecessors. It’s a similar concept, in which characters get up to a number of different mischievous adventures either through their own plotting and planning, or simply through being in the wrong/right place at the wrong/right time.

This is everything that we wanted from Rough Night - girls hanging out, ribbing each other, getting to know each other again, and improving each other along the way. It had plenty of story and drama, and I liked that it wasn’t always obvious what was going to happen, and overall it was just a really well made film.

The next instalment in Lincoln Rhyme’s saga, and you can sort of feel the formulaic nature of this one from the very beginning. The same selection of characters are in place, doing roughly the same things, chasing after the same sort of criminals - usually crimes within crimes - and with the same sort of twists and turns.

So much to love about this film. Firstly, it’s an important story that needs to be told. I like to think I’m finance-savvy but I didn’t really know what went into the global financial meltdown, so this was fabulous education. Secondly, it does a great job of explaining. Okay, I lost the plot a little bit towards the end, but getting famous cameos in to explain the complicated stuff is a brilliant device.

I was a bit nervous about this, thinking it was going to be quite hard, heavy music but it wasn’t. Hard rock, maybe, but no screaming and shouting, so all good. It’s not an album that had huge standout songs, although Pour Some Sugar on Me is fun, of course. But otherwise it’s just some really good, solid rock.

Mixed feelings about this album, really. The two are exceptionally talented and their songs and harmonies are really clear and good and strong. The trouble is, the style of music is, for me, better suited to background listening, which is fine, except I find the close harmonies quite distracting (in a good way), so can’t just let it wash over me. I’m not really sure where this album fits for me, but that’s not to say it isn’t a good one.

Lovely little film this one. It’s a gentle walk through a cute story - not hard-hitting, not tough, not even that emotional. It’s just a nice little gem of a story that gives you something to think about in terms of how much your home can mean to you, and what you would do to stay in it.

David Jason is a much-loved figure on British TV screens, but I realised as I started reading this that I really don’t know much about him. It’s fascinating to read about his earlier life - from tentatively messing around in youth drama clubs, to deciding to give acting a shot as a career. I’m also impressed with how quickly it all came together for him, although of course the few pages of a book can’t really cover all the ups and downs there no doubt were along the way.

I love Dawn French enormously. She recently released a new book/diary, wherein she shares her thoughts and feelings and lists and photos throughout the year, and you do the same. It’s an interactive sort of book, where there are plenty of spaces for you to add your own notes and doodles, over and above the actual space for diary entries. I love Dawn French so much that I have done two things I wouldn’t normally do: bought a physical book, and then written in it.

Oof, loved it! How have I not seen this before? So many elements add up to making this a Christine-favourite film. Jan de Bont of Speed fame. Written by the amazing Michael Crichton. Incredible cast (that we spent the entire time going ’that’s the one from this film… but younger.’) and most of all a great story.

We had low expectations coming into this one, having watched a dull film beforehand, and it being quite such an indy low-budget option. However, it was far better than I would have expected and entertained throughout.

This was a bizarre twenty minutes to sit through. Another all-star cast, but so many famous names can’t make up for the fact that it was really boring, dull dialogue, not a lot happened, and the only amusing moments were from Robert Di Niro being a gross old man again. Avoid.

It’s interesting, because the more famous the actors were, the less interesting their characters were. Ben Affleck was non-existent, Bradley Cooper a nightmare, even Scarlett Johansson didn’t really sell her character to me. On the flip side, I loved Ginnifer Goodwin’s kooky portrayal, and her story with I’m a Mac would have been more interesting if told all by itself!

We needed this film after a couple of bad ones. Actually, that’s not fair, but what this film delivered was exactly what we expected and that was what we needed. The concept is great - hitman needs a bodyguard. The partnership works really well, that love/hate thing, and Reynolds and Jackson are both brilliant and also play well against each other.

This was a bit of a weird one for Mr C to pick, but actually, I really loved it. The famous songs, Tease Me and Twist & Shout, obviously are fab, but I enjoyed all of it. Lovely, chilled reggae vibes and lots of Chaka Demus saying, hey Mr Pliers, my turn. Such fun.

I was expecting quite a lot from this debut album from Camila, and in the end I think I’ve ended up a bit disappointed. It’s a really strong debut, lots of good songs and I like the pop vibe tinged with the latin edge, but it’s very short and I’m not sure it’s going to end up as a top five.

Ordinarily, you wouldn’t find me in the reptile house of any theme park or zoo. I’m not that keen on zoos anymore, and dude, there are snakes in there. However, our visit to Drayton Manor was on one of the coldest days of the year, and snakes do at least have the right idea when it comes to sleeping somewhere warm. I was snapping pictures here and there, still testing out the reaches of this iPhone 8 Plus camera – a huge improvement on my last.

Oof, what a supreme disappointment, especially when the first one was so good. This, was just a mess. The story was overly long, many of the plot points unrealistic (whereas the first film at least felt like it was based in reality). It was too graphic, there was a lack of taste and decency throughout, and it felt like it veered too far into parody of Bond, rather than an homage too.

I’ve been meaning to write about Les Mills for a while now and have a lot to say, but for now, I wanted to give a quick shout out to the new, free workout they’ve released featuring Nina Dobrev. They built up to it for a few weeks, with a new challenge each week such as completing as many burpees or lunges as you can in a minute. I didn’t participate in these challenges and now I wish I had because I would have been a bit more prepared for the awesomeness of this workout.

I quite enjoyed the first book set on the south coast of France, wherein a small group of expats make their way through adventures involving drama, relationships, money, crime, and much more. The second is more of the same, although it has to be said the cast of characters has expanded considerably in this one.

The thing about Duran Duran, and I think I found this when I listened to Rio as well, is that I really enjoy the music. Yay, Duran Duran, great songs, great voice, fun to listen to. But if you asked me anything about this album now, just a few days later, I couldn’t tell you. Ordinary World is fantastic, the rest mostly forgettable. But it’s so good when you’re in it! Weird.

Great album this one, I loved it. Having only heard Bad at Love before, I wasn’t totally sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed the concept and the way the album worked together. It kicks off with a bit of Shakespeare and winds through love and hate and many great songs.

This is another of those films that is really, very bad. Entertaining and fun to watch but not a good film at all. And considering the cast, it was a wasted opportunity really. It should have been funnier, should have had a stronger, less predictable story, should have been better.

We’re a week into 2018, and if you made New Year’s Resolutions you will either be celebrating one week down, 51 more to go, or you will be disappointed that you’ve let them slide already. Either way, I thought it was a good time to share the tips that motivate me to stick to habits. New habits are hard, they don’t always stick, I’m not perfect, and that’s why this reminder is as much for me as guidance for anyone else. These aren’t new or revolutionary, they’re just the key five things that will help you continue (or restart) the journey to getting your goals.

Another great adventure story from Ken Follett, this time taking place at various points across the globe - most notably in Afghanistan - as spies and secret agents from both sides wage war against each other. Caught up in the middle is Jane, a smart but trusting woman who finds herself mistreated and mishandled but ultimately capable of looking after herself.

I’ve never been a coffee drinker. I’ve enjoyed the smell, but never liked the taste. For a long time, I just never had coffee, but I must admit to occasionally being pressured to find something to drink in a coffee shop and opting for the sweetest, most caramel-enhanced, beverage the menu has to offer. I have a feeling that’s all about to change, as the festive period brought with it a new Tassimo into our house. Two days in, two Costa coffee lattes later, and I’m converted. Who knew coffee could actually taste nice?

The underlying story here is an interesting one but there’s quite a lot going on that takes a while to get used to. The main focus is on Kaz, who is released from prison and has to try exceptionally hard to stay out of trouble thanks to her extended family. Around here, there are villains and heroes, undercover cops, a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top of the department plus lots of characters with their own issues.

I’ve been waiting to listen to this just so I can quote The Wedding Singer legitimately, but I’m glad I finally got round to it. This is a slightly happier sound for the band, and I really enjoyed it. It was quite distracting how much the songs and particularly the lead singer reminded me of The Killers, but hey, The Cure came first!

Stormzy burst onto my radar over the last few weeks, and so I had to start the year with the album everyone is raving about. I enjoyed it, although found it to be quite eccentric, a lot of different pieces thrown together. Still, there are some real highlights, and of course, Blinded By Your Grace is a wonder.

It’s this time of year that people start talking about making resolutions. I’m guilty of it too, and I always have those thoughts rolling around my head for New Year: eat less, move more, write more, do more, be better. This year I was all ready to get specific again, and then I realised, it’s not about those measurable goals. Sure, I have plenty of things I want to achieve in 2018 but the overarching thing that I, and the world, needs is not a list of my boring plans.

This annual tradition has had its ups and downs. Initially, Mr C enjoyed the process of selecting his top five songs and films of the year gone by. Then he started agonising over the choices and gradually began to hate this time of year. But I care not! It’s a tradition and we’re doing it for 2017 just like all the years gone by. This time, to appease him and because we really weren’t inspired by cinema so much, I’ve said just songs, not films.

This was a really interesting film. With Edgar Wright behind the helm, you know you’re in for something very stylish and well-crafted, and it was that. The story was good, characters interesting, and the scenes were a lot of fun to go along with.

My overriding feeling on reading this book is melancholy - from the wintry setting and the isolation felt by almost all of the characters. Even though it’s a small and tight-knit community, there seems to be a distance between all of them which only goes to add to the mystery of who can possibly have committed the murder.