SNAPSHOT Once an acclaimed thespian, Simon Axler (Al Pacino) has fallen from grace — literally. After swan-diving into the orchestra pit in the middle of a performance, he slides into an intense depression, and quite possibly dementia, leading to a spell in a psychiatric facility. Upon his release he Continue Reading
Movie review: Locke
Bored children kicking the seats of harried parents before them might disagree but a lot can happen in one car journey. It is certainly the case for Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy), the protagonist of Steven Knight’s tautly-delivered drama Locke, a building project manager of nine years experience, who finds Continue Reading
Falling Skies: Space Oddity/Shoot the Moon (S4, E1/E12 finale review)
* THERE BE SPOILERS … AND ESPHENI … AND VOLM … AND ??? AHEAD * Watching the double episode finale of Falling Skies felt, in all the best possible ways, like watching a twisted Hallmark movie of the week where estranged family members finally see eye to eye and Continue Reading
Weekend pop art: Make-up artist pays best possible lip service to cartoon charcters
Laura Jenkinson, a supremely creative, über-talented make up artist from London, is a woman after my own heart. Inspired to use her lips as a canvas for all sorts of animated characters, the beauty blogger, after a suggestion from a friend, started with the Minions from the Despicable Me franchise, before going to (‘toon) Continue Reading
For the love of Mooch and Earl: Happy 20th Anniversary MUTTS!
MOOCH: “Earl, can you tell me a shtory?” EARL: “Okay. Once upon a time …” MOOCH: “Uh … I’ve heard that one.” So shhh-stop me if you’ve heard this one … A mostly non-anthropomorphic cat and dog (they can talk but largely act like animals), let’s call them Mooch and Continue Reading
My 5 favourite Bill Murray films in honour of his special day at #TIFF
Bill Murray is many things. A veteran comic of 1980s comedy classics like Caddyshack, Stripes and Ghostbusters (1984), and a Saturday Night Live alum (he joined it in its second season in 1977, staying for three seasons in total, becoming romantically involved in his time there with fellow cast Continue Reading
Extra! Extra! John Oliver and Cookie Monster spread the news about Words are Here, There and Everywhere
WORDS. They’re everywhere! Why there’s even quite a few in this blog post. Yes really! Words, in fact, are so wonderful, so useful and so important that Sesame Workshop, the non profit educational organisation behind Sesame Street, and Mashable have joined forces to produce a delightful news broadcast parody featuring Continue Reading
Here comes the Fall … TV! 6 returning shows I can’t wait to see again
Fetch me some smelling salts! A large barrel of Skittles and vats of Coke! A large pair of foam hands which to slap myself awake! In fact anything that will keep me alert and attentive and concentrating on the endless of hours of TV available to me, and countless others, Continue Reading
Movie review: The Hundred Foot Journey
If the Brothers Grimm were alive today, it is highly likely they would look kindly upon The Hundred Foot Journey, the latest film from Lasse Hallström, based on the best-selling book of the same name by Richard C. Morais. Like all good fairytales, which disguise a sting in the tail and good Continue Reading
Rip’d from the pages of my childhood: Winnie the Pooh
For all his talk of being “a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me”, Winnie the Pooh was actually the best sort of friend to have around when you were growing up (and honestly long into adulthood too). After all, apart from an enduring love of Continue Reading