Category Archives: 2025

The Film Surprise Of 2025

Yet again, I’m in the minority, it seems. Most sequels, albeit with a few exceptions, are not very successful. The recent Todd Phillips ‘ Joker sequel and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice weren’t blazing triumphs, although I liked the former very much, as I felt it explored the nature of celebrity earned through notoriety very well, and IContinue reading “The Film Surprise Of 2025”

The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’

People often misunderstand Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film It’s A Wonderful Life. Released in 1946, it didn’t do very well initially in the United States. People found it too dark. Nowadays, many people find it too sentimental. I think both of these appraisals are a little wide of the mark. It’s both dark and sentimental,Continue reading “The Gentle Subversion of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’”

Film Review: Bjork -Cornucopia Live

On massive screens behind Bjork and her fellow musicians, flora and fauna burst into kaleidoscopic life in Technicolour. Birdsong and insects provide looped natural percussion, reflecting the singular artist’s twin obsessions: the natural world and technology in symbiosis. Bjork herself, in trademark masks and sculptural costumes, is almost a secondary character amid the visual overwhelm.Continue reading “Film Review: Bjork -Cornucopia Live”

Farewell, Our Scottish Goddess

Pam Hogg has passed away. England had Dame Viv Westwood, Alexander McQueen was half Scots and half English, but Pamela was a true Scottish fashion goddess. It’s extremely sad news. Hogg was a true icon, a trailblazer of style. She has a lasting iconoclastic legacy and unique sensibility, v punk rock and sexy. She reinventedContinue reading “Farewell, Our Scottish Goddess”

Thirty Swans A- Dancing

Photo: Hugo Glendenning When Matthew Bourne first premiered his ground-breaking Swan Lake, there were walkouts and little girls crying. Where were the girls in tutus? Why was there a gay storyline? Where were Odile and Odette? Pearls were clutched. It’s thirty years later, and happily Bourne’s iconoclastic and singular vision has not only endured, butContinue reading “Thirty Swans A- Dancing”

TV Review: Girlbands Forever

Following on from last year’s Boybands Forever documentary, produced by Louis Theroux and Nancy Strang, comes the sister companion Girlbands Forever. And it’s equally as fascinating, yet pretty flawed. Suga(babes) and Spice (Girls) is all very nice, but of course, as with the previous three part series, the reality was anything but. As before, ex-bandContinue reading “TV Review: Girlbands Forever”

Not Gilding The Lily

Ever since its unexpected release around Halloween, West End Girl by Lily Allen has had people talking. Inevitable comparisons to Beyonce’s Lemonade have been made, but for me it’s more akin to Joni Mitchell ‘s Blue or Bjork’s Vulnicura. It hurts, and it seems apposite to close the year with this album as a contrastContinue reading “Not Gilding The Lily”

Album Review: Constant Smiles- Moonflowers

Constant Smiles mine the gentle end of indie folk pop. Their warm sound is like the days of the late eighties, on the cusp of grunge, when we ordered albums by mail order and plaid shirts and vintage style was becoming fashionable. ‘Harriman,’ with lead vocals from drummer Nora Knight, evokes Yo La Tengo whenContinue reading “Album Review: Constant Smiles- Moonflowers”