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Comedy often has a short shelf life. What is funny today, might not be funny 10 years down the line, depending on the context. It’s also subjective. You and your friend might not find the same thing funny. Having said that, there are some classics that will tickle your funny bone no matter what. You might roll your eyes at the incredulity but it will lighten your mood. Here, we recommend five of our favorites that you can choose from this weekend, when the unpredictable weather doesn’t allow you to do anything else.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective is a 1994 American comedy film starring Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura, an animal detective who is tasked with finding the abducted dolphin mascot of the Miami Dolphins football team. It’s a cult classic that made Carrey a Hollywood star. It’s silly and awkward at times but a laugh riot nonetheless. There are many visual gags and funny one-liners. Since there is also suspense in the plot, the movie grips you from start to finish. Carry is not everyone’s cup of tea. His brand of comedy might be a bit over the top for some people but we think no one should give Ace Ventura a miss. 

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

A swinging hipster from the 60s, Mike Myers (Powers) puts himself in a deep freeze for 30 years to pursue his archenemy, Dr Evil (Mike Myers). He is thawed out in the 90s when Dr Evil reappears and plans to drill a missile to the center of the earth and destroy the world.

We have to admit that this comedy of the 90s might not be entertaining for today’s generation but Austin Powers will provide you with the escapism you need. He takes comedy to another level with his expressions and body language.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

There are a total of three films in this franchise but we recommend the one that came out in 2002 featuring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett in the lead. It’s a light-hearted comedy that stands the test of time as so many of the family issues shown in the movie are as relevant today as they were back then. Everyone in the Portokalos family is worried about Toula (Vardalos). She is 30 and unmarried. Then she falls in love with Ian Miller (Corbett), a teacher who is handsome but not Greek. He is also a vegetarian. Toula’s family doesn’t want her to marry this man and chaos ensues. 

Home Alone

Eight-year-old Kevin is accidentally left behind when his family leaves for France. At first, he’s happy to be in charge of the house. But then thieves try to break into his home and he has to put up a fight like no other. The result is a tense but hilarious drama that you will be glued to till the end. Again, there are a few films in the franchise as ‘Home Alone’ is a series of American Christmas family comedy films originally created by John Hughes. We suggest you start at the beginning with the one that came out in 1990. The novelty will wear off after a couple of films as each one features an isolated child left to defend himself but the first one is guaranteed to make you laugh while cheering for Kevin. 

Mr Bean’s Holiday

We remember watching Mr Bean as children and his silly antics always made us laugh. We confess it still does. In ‘My Bean’s Holiday’ the hapless Mr Bean is on a vacation on the French Riviera. There, as everything that could possibly go wrong always does when Mr Bean is around, he becomes ensnared in an accidental kidnapping because of a case of mistaken identity. Mr Bean separates a father and son and then travels with the son in search of his father. Rowan Atkinson, as Mr Bean, is phenomenal. He is what makes the character so hilarious.

In ‘Maybe Next Time’ by novelist and screenwriter Cesca Major, we meet Emma Jacobs. She is a literary agent. She loves her job which is basically reading books and discovering new authors. She has a loving husband, Dan, and two wonderful children, Poppy and Miles. But she’s always rushed—her phone pings all the time, she has meetings to attend, and books to get published. She loves her family but she, like most of us, has unknowingly placed them at the bottom of her priority list. She and Dan had a deal, which was to write a letter to each other on their anniversary. Emma always forgets. She has, even though she will never admit it, taken her family for granted.

Then one day everything changes and her family and life will never be the same again. But she finds herself stuck in a time loop. The same day keeps repeating itself but the outcome is unchanged. If she can fix her mistakes, will she be able to rewrite the future? The metaphysical aspect of the story makes you contemplate life and how you are living it. As Emma tries to do things differently to change the course of her life, she starts noticing how focusing on unnecessary things was complicating her life for no reason. Knowing what she knows about how the day will end, she is forced to slow down and take pleasure in all the little things, and value those she loves.

I have a shelf dedicated to my favorite books. It has books like ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl, ‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman, ‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller, and ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens among several others. These are books that I will recommend to everyone I meet, think about with love and longing, and absolutely refuse to lend when someone invariably asks for them. I don’t want to part with them. Not now. Not ever.

Maybe Next Time went right on this shelf after I finished it. Come to think about it, it could easily be in my top five all-time favorites. I must admit I didn’t like the cover art. Plus it was a love story and I’m not much into that genre. However, it was a Reese’s Book Club pick and I tend to like books that the club chooses. So, despite the glaring orange title on a light yellow and blue backdrop (all clashing horribly), I got the book. As shallow as it sounds, I believe these things matter. I’ve often not bought books I’ve been wanting to read because it didn’t feel right—something about the pages or the cover would be off.

But this time I’m glad I didn’t because Maybe Next Time is so good. The writing is smooth and you breeze through the story. The storyline keeps you hooked. You are always wondering what Emma will do next. It makes you think about life and, as cliché as it sounds, teaches you the value of the present moment. Nothing but the present is guaranteed, and the book, for me, hammered in that point like no other story has ever done. The movie adaptation is in the works and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. I’m sure it will be a tearjerker though, just like the book.

Four and a half stars

Fiction

Maybe Next Time

Cesca Major

Published: 2023

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 376, Paperback

2024 is a year of rereads. Four months into the year and I’ve reread more books than I have read new releases. There’s something comforting about escaping into a familiar world, one which you know will not disappoint you. ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman is a book that never lets you down. There are various versions of the book and the one I picked up this time is a recently published edition that has an extra short story on one of the characters in the book. I just love it when an author decides to give you more background on a story you love.

Neverwhere tells the story of Richard Mayhew who lives in London. He doesn’t have the most fascinating life but he’s doing okay. Then, one day, on his way to meet his high-flying, overly ambitious girlfriend’s boss, he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on the street. This act of kindness turns his world upside down—and quite literally so.

He lands up in London Below where there are angels and murderers. It looks and seems like London but there’s something dark and sinister about it. There are beasts and Earls who hold court in a tube train. And Richard finds himself thrust in the heart of danger. There are two thugs who want to kill him. He must find a way to escape this place and make it back home before it’s too late. But how does he do that when he doesn’t have anyone to help him? And the only girl who might be able to fix his life seems to be on a mission to avenge her family’s murder, that too without a clue about who murdered her family in the first place.

The setup is flawless. The execution is great. You will not be bored for a second. The world of London Below that Gaiman creates in Neverwhere is magical. It transforms a real city into an entirely new world. You meet rats that can talk, and people-lookalike who eat frogs and bite off human heads. It’s a dangerous world but one that is full of possibilities. Anything can happen in London Below and your life would forever be altered in London Above. Reading Neverwhere feels a little like sitting on a rollercoaster without any safety guard.

Neverwhere was actually written for television but the book is much better. In the introduction to the text, Gaiman says the Neverwhere on screen wasn’t the one he had in his head. Every scene or line that was cut eventually found its way into the book so there’s a lot more here than on the tv adaptation. It’s the full experience. And trust me on this one, the book gets better with each reread as there’s just so much to unpack in the story.

2024, until now, has been a strange year, especially where my reading life is concerned. To say I haven’t had much luck with books would be an understatement. I have been giving up on books far more than completing them. Every book seems to hold a lot of promise but my attention falters midway and I find myself unable to keep up with the story. That is perhaps the reason why I’m gravitating towards books I’ve read and loved in the past.

There is a shelf in my study that is dedicated to books that I hold dear, titles that I’m unwilling to lend because I know I’ll be devastated if I don’t get them back or if they are returned in a bad condition. These books are guaranteed to make me happy, even when there’s a lot going on at home and work. I’ll forget my worries, albeit temporarily, and be transported into a world filled with fun, cheer, and hope. Though there are over two dozen books in that particular shelf, here I’m recommending eight favorites, hoping they will bring you comfort and joy when you need it the most.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

I read this one as a child and have reread it several times over the years. It’s a lovely book about hope and the power of books. Matilda is a special child, with special powers. But her parents and brother aren’t nice to her. So, she finds solace in books. Sadly, school, with a horrendous headteacher, isn’t very different from home. She is treated badly at both places. But Miss Jenny, her homeroom teacher, comes to her rescue and together they try to change each other’s fate.

‘Matilda’ is laugh-out-loud funny. It has me giggling every time I read it. The protagonist is a fearless character who will make you believe that anything is possible if you put your heart and soul in it. The movie adaptation, available on Netflix, is equally great and does justice to a great story. There’s also a wonderful musical that was released recently that is quite good.

The House on the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune

Linus Baker is a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. He’s given a curious and highly classified assignment—to travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside. There’s a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must put aside his fears and determine whether they’re likely to bring about the end of days. It’s here that he meets the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus. He’s the caretaker of the orphanage and will do anything to keep it safe.

‘The House on the Cerulean Sea’ is an enchanting story about a found family and the power of love. It’s also a celebration of queer relationships that has you cheering for the main characters. I loved every word Klune has written. It’s absolutely mesmerizing.

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed is the author of the bestselling book ‘Wild’ that was an Oprah Winfrey book club pick and adapted into a movie by Reese Witherspoon. Before the furor, Strayed was an agony aunt, answering random questions in her column ‘Dear Sugar’ on a website. The column is now discontinued but all published segments have been compiled into a book. ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ is a collection of questions by readers and answers by Strayed that is filled with wit and wisdom. To a woman whose husband cheated on her, Strayed says, “A terrible thing happened to you but you mustn’t let your life be defined by it.” The book is filled with nuggets like these that will force you to dust yourself off and begin anew. Every page has something to offer. It’s a lovely book. Strayed’s words will fill you with hope and leave you inspired.

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

I love reading books about books and ‘The Little Paris Bookshop’ by Nina George is one of my all-time favorites. The story follows Monsieur Jean Perdu who owns the ‘Literary Apothecary’, a book barge on the Seine in Paris. He prescribes books to his customers depending on their needs. It’s almost as if he’s looking into their souls and choosing books that will make them feel better. But he is unable to mend his own broken heart after his true love left him. At the start of the book, we see Perdu living a mundane half-life, not daring to open himself up to the world. However, hope arrives in the form of Catherine who forces him to confront his past, and more importantly love again. The novel takes you into a world of books and love that’s hard to escape. Better yet, it’s a great story that takes your mind off things.  

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Here’s another great book on the power of books. I’d recommend ‘The Reading List’ to anyone who wants to read a heartwarming tale of how books can change your life. The story is partly inspired by the author’s grandfather, who found a connection with his granddaughter through books. Set in Wembley in London, The Reading List is the story of two individuals—80-year-old Mukesh Patel, a widower, and 17-year-old Aleisha, who works part-time at the local library. The book is peppered with references to other books. I’ve read some of them and the rest are on my reading list. Mukesh and Aleisha remind us of the fact that as humans we crave connection and that it can provide some much-need comfort in the worst of times.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

‘The Night Circus’ is such a vibe. Morgenstern’s writing makes the story unravel before your eyes. I read The Night Circus a few years after it came out and was bummed that I hadn’t read it sooner. All the hype surrounding it had initially put me off but after having read it, I realized the hype was justified. The story, about a traveling circus, follows Celia and Marco, both powerful magicians, who are in competition with each other. But they fall in love and things take a different turn.

The story is told in alternating timelines and there’s a non-linear structure to it. With any other writer, this could have made things messy but Morgenstern wields her magic and makes a fairytale come alive. The setting is beautiful and changes throughout the book, keeping you hooked. You will enjoy getting to know the characters. The book will take up so much mental space that you won’t have any for anything else, which is a great thing when you are feeling bogged down.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is Gail Honeyman’s debut novel. It was published in 2017 and won the Costa Debut Novel Award that year. The story is about Eleanor Oliphant, a social misfit with a traumatic past. She becomes enamored with a singer and lives her life believing she is destined to be with him. Everything she does is guided by that strong belief. The premise might sound bleak but it isn’t so at all. It’s a heart-wrenching tragedy with some funny moments that will have you contemplating on the fragility of life.

It’s a book about emotional recovery that fills you with hope. Eleanor is an oddball but you start to care about her. Honeyman reveals things about Eleanor little by little, a trick that lends the story an element of mystery and keeps readers hooked as well.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

‘Red, White & Royal Blue’, Casey McQuiston’s debut novel, follows a rivalry-turned-romance trope between the Prince of Wales and the First Son of the United States. As far as queer stories go, this is a really honest and fun story. It’s an exploration of sexuality like no other. The writing is honest and optimistic. There’s a lot of humor and some really wonderful moments as well. The characters are endearing. There is a lot of discussion about the characters’ aspirations, their concerns for their countries as well as all that they want to do to help the LGBTIQA+ community.

Red, White & Royal Blue is essentially a love story but it’s also a celebration of identity. If you haven’t read a queer love story, this could be a good place to start. The make-believe world is as real as it can be. I must admit that the story has a slow start but you won’t want to put it down once it picks up.