TV/MOVIE and BOOK suggestions, please!

[aimeekitty]

TV AND MOVIE SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
hook me up with some suggestions for your favorite. Doesn't matter whether it's Chinese or Korean or Japanese or whatever. (must have subtitles)

Also open to BBC and Bollywood suggestions. <3

Prefer romantic or action stuff, don't mind drama as long as it's not drama for drama-sake. If everyone dies at the end, it better have been a really good trip to get to that point. Extra points for pretty costumes, total adorableness or tragic heroes.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS PLEASE!
I'd like to read some more fiction lately. Maybe recommend your favorite sci/fi, fantasy or fairy-tale book? Young Adult stuff is fair game, too. I used to read Star Wars books back in highschool and liked some of them... (but haven't read any for years...) and I've enjoyed the New!Who! Audio books I've listened to so far. I also like stuff like Robin Mckinley's retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I love the book of Howl's Moving Castle. I love Jane Austen and I love The Count of Monte Cristo. I love Sherlock Holmes. I'm enjoying reading Ella Enchanted right now. I liked Dune, but not the sequels... I didn't really care for the Sookie Stackhouse books or Laurel K. Hamilton's stuff. Don't really like the Pern books either.
I tend to enjoy stuff with really strong character development and I particularly like uplifting stories of coming of age, or a character who has a very strong character arc (ie like Kirk going from a kid in the middle of nowhere to being a StarFleet captain.)

EDIT: feel free to keep making recs, I'm going to make a list. <3
For my Dragoncon books, I'm going to start with Stardust and finish up Ella Enchanted since that's what they had at the library. I put holds though on several books you guys rec'd

Please see previous post for Dragoncon schedule.

Comments

[ashbet]

I'm kind of useless for TV recommendations, but I can offer up some books!

Terri Windling, "The Wood Wife"
Emma Bull, "War for the Oaks"
Mark Helprin, "Winter's Tale" (strange book but gorgeous use of language, and it's surpassingly romantic -- one of my all-time favorites!)

I'm a big fan of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series (first two books have been released as an anthology, "Cordelia's Honor") . . . seems like hard sci-fi at first, but it is ALL about the character development. And she writes movingly about love and sacrifice and honor, while keeping some things tongue-in-cheek and injecting warmth and humor into the difficult situations she puts her characters through. I seriously cannot recommend this enough. It WILL make you cry sometimes, though!

-- A <3

[calalillith.livejournal.com]

*glomps Ashbet*

I **LOVE** The Wood Wife! <3 ..will have to look at the others you mention!

I recommend Kushiel's Dart -- Jacqueline Carey is *incredible.* The Kusheline trilogies are set in a fantasy world that references 'real world' history, but not in the usual way fantasy touches on history. Wonderful, wonderful books. Cannot summon the brain power to wax eloquently about them.

[merrycalliope.livejournal.com]

Russian Ark! Russian+subtitles, filmed entirely in The Hermitage Museum in a single take and full of the most gorgeous costumes imaginable. It's swoony-delish!

[merrycalliope.livejournal.com]

As far as books you might like Gloriana by Michael Moorcock and The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. :)

[binsybaby.livejournal.com]

Ooo I'll be keeping an eye on this entry 'cause I've been looking for the same stuff lately! Mostly cute romance movies
Ever since I saw and loved LOVELY COMPLEX the movie I've been wondering if other countries harbored adorable movies as well

[lberghol.livejournal.com]

You already mentioned you've read Howl's Moving Castle, but I'm going to go ahead and reccomend anything by Dianne Wynne Jones as AWESOME SAUCE..I've recently been catching up on some titles of hers that I missed the first time around (including the sequel to Howl: "The House of Many Ways")

My favorites of hers would have to be the Dalemark Quartet, and the Chrestomanci series. You might enjoy Deep Secret as an avid Con goer ;)

Some other series I've really enjoyed in the past have been The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix, and despite the fact that it is HUGE and BIG and slow to start, I really ended up enjoying Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.....

I've been trying to get back into reading myself so I've had books on the brain lately ;)

[singingraisin.livejournal.com]

Yes! I will second Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. It took me a while to finish, but it's fun. It's kind of Austen-y alternate history fantasy... I've never read anything else like it.

[desertrosecout.livejournal.com]

I don't watch a lot of movies or tv, I am usually too busy. But...my favorite author/series is Sherrilyn Kenyon - Dark Hunter series....I absolutely love them and always look forward to the next one :o) Susan

[singingraisin.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you've seen Lost in Austen yet, but that one's great. For being essentially a Mary Sue about the P&P miniseries, it's really delightful. Let me know if you'd want some company to watch this, because I would not mind seeing it again.

For books, I adore Neil Gaiman's short story collections (Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things) and recently read The Graveyard Book which made for very good "bedtime" sort of reading. I also recently started on the Inkheart books, the first of which anyway is pretty good, and will make you want to read more, as it's loaded with references. I doubt it, but if you've never read The Princess Bride, that's one of my favorite books. And I'm not sure if you've read all of Jane Austen, but Northanger Abbey is a pretty easy read and is just a very fun book.

Beyond that... I'll let you know if I think of anything. (I'm on the hunt for stuff reminiscent of Count of Monte Cristo which I also really loved.)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

I watched Lost in Austen (I think at your rec, actually!) It was cute, but I didn't really care for it that much. I can't explain it! haha.. :">

I've actually never READ the Princess Bride, that's probably a good choice!

Do you like the Inkheart one??

If you find ANYTHING along the vien of Monte Cristo, obviously I'm all over that. I tried some of Dumas' other books, and they're ok, but Cristo is my favorite.

[icepearls.livejournal.com]

BBC's Coupling!

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

You know, everyone recommends this to me, but I watched like the first 3 episodes and didn't really like it!

[starlollie.livejournal.com]

TV= Merlin, Ledgend of the seeker, I assume you watch The Tudors.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

Haven't watched the Tudors yet!

[claidissa.livejournal.com]

Haha, I have no idea if you know about any of these or all of them.

TV:
How I Met Your Mother. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_I_met_your_mother)
Pushing Daisies. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushing_daisies)
Spaced (BBC) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaced)
Casanova (BBC) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casanova_(2005_TV_serial)) (Written by RTD, starring David Tennant!)

Movies:
Paprika (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0851578/)
Memento (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209144/)
Memoirs of a Geisha (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397535/)

Books:
Sabriel by Garth Nix (http://books.google.com/books?id=ugSPY6Gi_Y4C&dq=Sabriel&source=gbs_navlinks_s)
Stardust by Neil Gaiman (http://books.google.com/books?id=DI23qrE63OEC&dq=Stardust&source=gbs_navlinks_s)
Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones (http://books.google.com/books?id=Z8qDw1M478oC&dq=Castle+in+the+Air&source=gbs_navlinks_s) (the Howl's Moving Castle sequel)
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (http://books.google.com/books?id=SatOPgAACAAJ&dq=Good+Omens&ei=QEOcStzGEpi-lASuyuSBAQ)

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

Loved:
Casanova
Momento
Memoirs of a Geisha (though the book is better than the movie... the movie is a bit inaccurate, but I still like it.)

Read Castle in the Air but didn't like it nearly as much as Howl for some reason! :\

I liked the Stardust movie, it didn't wow my socks though. Should I read the book?

Paprika's on my "watch the next time I have time to really pay attention" list, because I love all the films by that guy.

GoodReads

[jadewik.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for books to read, you can always get people to sign up for a GoodReads account-- where you can put books on a "read" list and a "to read" list... and see what your friends are reading. They also have book give-aways. I really enjoy the site.... they also allow you to rate books... so you can friend people and then see what your friends read and how well they liked it. It's really a fun site.

http://www.goodreads.com

As for books I'd recommend....
*Vampirates by Justin Somper (YA, Unfinished Series)
*Illusion by Paula Volsky (Fantasy-- French Revolution-esque, long, but good)
*Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn (Fantasy-- cute, happy ending... one of my all-time favourites)
*A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (Fantasy, Unfinished Series... long, but good... but unfinished)
*Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella (Fiction-- cute, predictable, but fun read)

[fanbot.livejournal.com]

I have recently enjoyed 3 books by Joey W. Hill. The books have a strong destiny romance thread. They are full of well written "adult" action as well. "The Vampire Queen's Servant" "Mark of the Vampire Queen" and "Mermaid's Kiss." "Mermaid's Kiss" has a great tragic hero.

Have you read Jim Butcher's Dresden Files? I adore this series. 11 books and going strong. I work in a book store and 99% of the folks I've turned on to it love it. (There is always that 1 ya know?) There's action, humor, magic, intrigue, angels, vampires, pixies... everything!
"Storm Front" is the first.

[roxyk630.livejournal.com]

The Bartameus Trilogy (Amulet of the Samarkand-YA but good stuff!).
Um... I'm a huge Austen Fan. Emma's been good so far, tho P&P is a personal fave.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Anything Agatha Christie (cuz she's AWESOME).

Shows/Movies.
It's COMPLETELY silly... if you can find it... Tampopo
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092048/

In this humorous paean to the joys of food, the main story is about trucker Goro who rides into town like a modern Shane to help Tampopo set up the perfect fast-food noodle restaurant. Woven into this main story are a number of smaller stories about the importance of food, ranging from a gangster who mixes hot sex with food to an old lady terrorizing a shopkeeper by compulsive squeezing of his wares. (courtesy of IMDB).

There's this great scene with hobo's singing about food and ... yeah. It's TOTALLY random and silly... but it's cute and good.
And it'll make you want to eat Ramen.

[gab.livejournal.com]

My favorite TV series has to be Detective Conan/Case Closed. The first season of Veronica Mars is also stellar. Arrested Development is really funny.

Books... I loved the first Emily the Strange novel, though. I just finished Treasure Island and that was also awesome. :) Have you read Goose Girl or Princess Academy by Shannon Hale? Really good YA fantasy there. Ender's Game is my favorite sci fi book... uhhmmm... yeah!

[jadewik.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Those are good books too. Goose Girl is, I thought, really good-- it's an adaptation of the Brother's Grimm fairy tale. I didn't really like Princess Academy as well as I liked Goose Girl, but it was still a fun read.

[feisty-fantasy.livejournal.com]

merlin is pretty good :) being repeated on bbc3 at the moment in the uk :) x

[taperkat.livejournal.com]

Sci Fi - The Seafort Saga by David Feintuch. They're somewhat difficult to find in a normal store - he's been dead + they're out of print, but they are, by far, my favorite sci fi series. EVER.

for interesting Star Trek books, Uhura's Song is by far and away the best I ever read. Easy to find used. :o)

[shipperamy.livejournal.com]

YES, Uhura's Song is amaaaaazing. ^_^ Janet Kagan's original fiction is good too; I really liked Mirabile, and Hellspark is in my "to read" pile.

[asatira.livejournal.com]

I recently re-read The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. The premise behind it a different look at the fairy changling by looking at the human child that is stolen away and the changling that takes his place. It is a very personal story that looks at the two boys' lives, and that makes for a nice change in a fantasy novel. It's also very low key in the magic, which is kind of the point. May be worth a look.

[iamchubbybunny.livejournal.com]

Pride & Prejudice and Zombies.

haven't actually read it msyelf yet, but hear it's awesome haha... Theyre also coming out with Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters later in Sept... must get my hands on that.

I'm really behind the times, but the Golden Compass books were really great- just read those a few months ago.

The Eragon series is actually alright- the first book being the weakest, but I just finished the third and i really enjoyed it :0 I am a dragon nerd.

Also, as a kid, I really enjoyed Anne McCaffrey's Dragon books. SUPER NERD. A good start for that is the Harper's Trilogy. It starts with a book called "Dragonsinger". It's so... formula. But there are tiny dragons so who gives a crap haha.

Uhmm... what else.... I want recommendations for stuff, too Lol... I will continue reading this post!

[singingraisin.livejournal.com]

I will give you my P&P&Z if you really want to read it, but I thought it was absolute garbage. The only good thing about that book is the title and cover and idea of it. All the rest made me very sad, and I'm a little disgusted with myself for actually finishing it.

But yeah! Yours if you want it!


(Golden Compass books were neat, though!... nice coming-of-age story underneath the controversial religious stuff.)

[kirakira-sora.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend Shadow of the Wind. Its a great coming of age story set in pre-civil war Spain.

[penwiper337.livejournal.com]

I'm going to second the recommendations for Bujold's Vorkosigan Series and pretty much anything Diana Wynne Jones. Try 'Deep Secret' - not only is it a very good standalone, but it's set at a sci-fi convention. :)

Megan Whalen Turner's Eugenides series (The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia), set in a sort of Ancient Crete type world. The first book is all lighthearted, then she rips your heart out with the second one and proceeds to stomp on it here and there with the third - but they aren't depressing! Eugenides is brilliant, insane, tragic, and strongly in need of slapping in equal measure, and golly I love him. And Turner is brilliant at tippy, unpredictable, have-to-reread-immediately plots.

If you love Jane Austen, have you tried Georgette Heyer's regencies? Absolutely delish - there's a reason why she's only second after Austen in all the book lists. You might start with "The Talisman Ring", which is loaded with adventure and wit, or perhaps "Cotillion" for something a bit more society-oriented.

I also love Martha Wells, who writes absolutely delicious characters and vivid worlds. "The Element of Fire" (Elizabethen-ish) or "Death of the Necromancer" (Victorianish - what steampunk would be if it were magic-based) are two of my favorites.

Movies - "The Court Jester", starring Danny Kay, Basil Rathbone, and a very young Angela Lansbury. It's definitely spoofing "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and is hysterically funny, full of great songs, and has drop dead gorgeous costumes.

Television - I really love "Robin of Sherwood", an 80s British tv show. Spoils all other renditions of the legend for me. Okay, it suffers a bit from 80s hair and goes a bit silly-mystic at times, but the characterizations are wonderfully vivid and they gave historical authenticity a really good try.

BBC-wise, there is also the Jeeves and Wooster series, featuring Steven Fry and a young Hugh Laurie in this misadventures of a 1920s man-about-town and his brilliant gentleman's gentleman. Incredibly funny stuff, and the 20s atmosphere is delightful.

[febbik.livejournal.com]

I've really been enjoying the BBC series Life on Mars. It's a cop drama where the main character gets hit by a car and wakes up back in the 70s, so it's got this surreal element of whether he's insane or in a coma or actually back in time. And it's got John Simm, who played The Master in Doctor Who.

[umister.livejournal.com]

I can not recommend Devdas enough, it's the movie I've been posting all the Bollywood dances from.

[keita-yuki.livejournal.com]

movies - Raise the Red Lantern. Its drama... but a good chinease emperor and betrayl drama :D

Books, Kate Elliott Crown of the stars (7 book series)
Mercedys Lackey Valdemar saga (at least 26-30 books long)

[regeener.livejournal.com]

I'm really into Garth Nix's Sabriel series (Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen and Across the Wall. Fantasy/sci-f YA fiction). Really good strong female characters and lots of action. Sabriel is the first and it's a little hard to get into at first but it's really good.

[miss-jane.livejournal.com]

I know you're into Asian culture, so I would suggest "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck. Have you read it? If not, it's a wonderful story. It's set in turn of the century (think world war 1) China.

Awesome book.

[chartreusekitty.livejournal.com]

Oof, these are all dramas, but gorgeous. Did you see "Hero" with Jet Li? I think it's subtitled, but can't remember. Yes, it's an everyone dies, but it's beautiful and has some really great plot devices. There is amazing use of color to set the mood and aid the story lines. I would also recommend "The Curse of the Golden Flower". Yummy, yummy costumes, and superb acting, if a bit confusing in the grand Chinese epic way. Some of the costumes were featured in the Oscars exhibit at FITM a couple of years ago. One more that I loved was "House of Flying Daggers". Also stunningly beautiful and heart wrenching.

[aimeekitty.livejournal.com]

Hero is one of my favorite movies, actually. I bought it soley from seeing one scene (the scene with the leaves) on someone's tv in a dealers room. So gorgeous.
Loved House of Flying Daggers, too.
If you liked those, you might want to look for "Ichi". Not sure if it's been brought over yet, but it has a similar feeling. It's about a female blind swordsman.