Reporting from Bet Chat HQ, Northern Ireland…
It’s the *checks calendar for the fifth time today* 23rd of January, meaning there’s still a little over a week of it to go and, *checks news* there’s a massive storm due tomorrow…
You don’t need to have been on the Strongbow Dark Fruits last night, like poor Andrea here, to be feeling rough.
But hey, we’re optimists here at the Bet Chat, so let’s focus on the positives…
It’s not that long until February and, once we get there, we’re only a few weeks away from the Cheltenham Festival and, who knows, maybe even some better weather.
Some non-betting recommendations
For most of us, January’s main goal is to hunker down and put ourselves in a good place for the rest of the year…
Stay in as much as you can manage, save some money (perfect for said Cheltenham Festival) and, if you’re really strong willed/a bit mad, maybe even cut out the booze.
As such, today I thought I’d stray from the usual words of betting wisdom, and instead provide you with some worthy cinematic distractions that you may not have seen before and that will hopefully help to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Here goes…
Babylon (2022): Given it’s a film starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, there was surprisingly little fanfare when it was released. Partly as a consequence of that, and partly due to its three-hour running time, I didn’t watch it until a couple of weeks ago. Turns out, I was missing out. It kept me entertained for the full 189 minutes, and Robbie gives, in my opinion, her best performance yet.
Anora (2024): Another phenomenal performance from a female lead in a mad cap but, ultimately, moving tale. An excellent watch.
Smile (2022) and Smile 2 (2024): I love a good horror but they tend to be rarer than hens’ teeth. These are both not just good, but very good horrors. They’re also up there with the scariest I’ve seen.
The Substance (2024): Far and away my favourite film of last year. Incredible to look at, genuine depth, and a brilliantly over the top final act.
Threads (1984): Despite being released over 40 years ago, I watched it for the first time last Friday. Quite possibly the bleakest film I’ve ever watched. On the one hand, not a great accompaniment to the January blues; on the other, it’s a 10/10 for making you realise that life could definitely be worse.
So, that’s my pick of what I’ve been watching recently, but have you got any recommendations of films that can get me through the next week or two? Send them in to clients@thebetchat.com or comment on our socials.
Happy watching!
