Monthly Amusements: March 2017

March has been quite a good month in terms of finding entertainment that I enjoy. Between TV shows and movies to watch, music to listen to, and books to read I have managed to stumble on some pretty great finds. As always, the following items do not have to be released or published in March 2017. As long as I discovered them sometime in the past month, they can be included on this list. So here is my final rundown of my favorite things from the world of entertainment in March 2017.

Movie: Inception

Go ahead, criticize me all you want for not seeing Inception sooner. This has just been one of those movies that I had been meaning to watch for literally years, but only got around to viewing it a few weeks ago. Between the brilliant directing of Christopher Nolan, the brilliant composing of Hans Zimmer, and the fact that this is my brother's all-time favorite movie, I know I should have seen it waayyy sooner. But the bottom line is that I did finally watch Inception, and it far exceeded my expectations. A lot of people are scared off by the complexity of this film, but that's exactly what makes Inception so good. Seven years since its release, this movie still outperforms most motion pictures in terms of its originality, directing, soundtrack, acting, and just about every other aspect.
My Rating: ★★★★★

TV Show: The Fall

My feelings about the British crime drama The Fall are extremely mixed, to say the least. This TV show is riveting in a way that I can't really explain. There's a lot about this series that I don't like: it features a very slow-moving plot and an array of odd and unlikable main characters, although the actors all do a stand-up job of portraying their respective parts. But where this show does deliver is with its dark, eerie atmospheric quality. I found myself quite inexplicably drawn to this show, and despite its faults The Fall made for a captivating show to watch.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Book: A Man Called Ove

I recently read and wrote a review (read it here) for Fredrik Backman's novel A Man Called Ove. It ended up being my favorite book that I read this month, despite having a few minor faults that I further elaborate on in my review. I ultimately concluded that this book offers quite a lot though, featuring both an original story and a great protagonist. If you haven't read it already, I would definitely recommend checking it out.
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Music: Interstellar Soundtrack

Really all I can say about the soundtrack to the motion picture Interstellar is to stop what you're doing and go listen to it right now. I mentioned above how much I love Hans Zimmer as a composer, and his brilliance is glaringly apparent on the Interstellar soundtrack. The music forms such an integral part of the film, but is also just as powerful when listened to on its own. I particularly love the tracks S.T.A.Y and Mountains, the latter of which displays an incredible example of how to build intensity in music. Whether you've seen Interstellar or not, this soundtrack is certainly one you don't want to miss out on.
My Rating: ★★★★★