I've added a couple lists to the blog over on the left. The first is a running list of the books I've read this year (only 3 so far) and the other is the movies I've seen this year.
I'd suggest the mysteries only to someone who is quite interested in Edwardian England or, more specifically, mysteries set in that period. Ngaio Marsh's books would probably be of particular interest to folks who are fond of Dorothy Sayers. The early books are a bit weaker, and the lady doth protest too much about not copying Lord Peter Wimsey, but Rory Alleyn develops into his own character eventually.
Of the movies, the second movie was decidedly less good than the first. A Canterbury Tale is too maudlin generally and specifically suffers from a very weak ending. In the Mood for Love is a very good romance film set in Hong Kong in the 1960's. The main characters live next door to each other and discover independently that their respective spouses (I hate that word) are having an affair together. After they both realize that the other knows of the infidelity, they strike up a friendship and find a mutual attraction, but are determined not to betray as they have been betrayed.
On the whole, they are successful, but it's not a picture-perfect platonic, courtly romance from some medieval French poem. They're not perfect people and things don't turn out perfectly for anyone, really. I strongly suggest not watching the DVD deleted scenes. They were deleted for a reason and they would spoiled the film for me entirely if they had been left in.
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