Curtis Hanson ‘s adaptation of the Michael Chabon’s novel is just glorious. It’s wise, charming and bittersweet, and Marilyn Monroe ‘s small black coat becomes a metaphor for nostalgia, the souring of the American Dream, and a multitude of missed chances. Michael Douglas is Grady Tripp, a stoner professor of creative writing at a university,Continue reading “Overlooked Classic: Wonder Boys (2000)”
Category Archives: Film
Vintage Film Review: Funny Face
Before ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ , another film looked at an intelligent young lady willing to sell her soul to capitalism: Funny Face. Despite its feel -good posturing, there lies a deeply problematic film. Stanley Donen was considered a Hollywood great, a director of great elan with the wit to back it up. This film,Continue reading “Vintage Film Review: Funny Face”
Film Review : Billy Idol Should Be Dead
When I was a kid, Billy Idol epitomised the naughty boy we all fancied. He was always a bit cheeky, but we knew that. What we didn’t know was that he was also a heroin addict. Jonas Akerlund’s documentary about the former William Broad, who grew up in Bromley and reinvented himself as “punk” singerContinue reading “Film Review : Billy Idol Should Be Dead”
Archive: The Angst of Corky St Clair
June 29, 2018 • Spoilt Victorian Child Misunderstood… Corky dans le bain de bubbles Pity poor, misunderstood, Corky St Clair, the genius, the doyen that is the off-off Broadway, musical theatre maverick in the making. His tears are but pearls of sadness, for he is a man of grand schemes, and big, proscenium arch- shaped dreams. NoContinue reading “Archive: The Angst of Corky St Clair”
Archive Review: John Waters at Glasgay
Arts:Blog The Real Dirt–John Waters Posted by Across the Arts on November 18, 2014, at 12.36pm Lorna Irvine reports from the icon’s performance ‘This Filthy World Vol 2’, recently seen at the O2 Academy in Glasgow. Photos: Greg Gorman For the perfect finale to the Glasgay! festival, there could be only one. Bounding onto the stage inContinue reading “Archive Review: John Waters at Glasgay”
Five Of The Best: Marilyn Monroe Songs
Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100 years old yesterday… Imagine! A whole century of MM.I think she’d have been a brilliant old lady, laughing at how far she’d come. Sadly, she passed away at thirty six. Her legacy remains though, she’s still adored to this day: a reminder of the real triple threat performers ofContinue reading “Five Of The Best: Marilyn Monroe Songs”
Film Review : Becoming Madonna
Madonna has always been resolutely Madonna, bitch. From 2024, this documentary directed by Michael Ogden follows her early career trajectory like a tracking pigeon. It’s extremely insightful, like a scrapbook bursting to life, full of interviews with those who knew her back in the day, like late brother Christopher who became one of her backingContinue reading “Film Review : Becoming Madonna”
Big Bogan Energy!
There’s something really heartening about the term bogan being used as a positive, finally. For too long, Australian and Kiwi working-class people, as with “chavs” in England and “neds” in Scotland, have been characterised as uncouth, stupid and a menace to society at large. Stereotypes persisted, of drinking, vandalism, prison tattoos and mullets, and notContinue reading “Big Bogan Energy!”
Vintage Film Review: How To Marry A Millionaire (1953)
On the surface, the classic 1953 Hollywood comedy How To Marry A Millionaire directed by Jean Negulesco, is the usual sexist nonsense, very much of its time, focusing as the title suggests on three models each of whose sole purpose in life is to be an attractive gold digger, dedicating all their time to seekingContinue reading “Vintage Film Review: How To Marry A Millionaire (1953)”
Overrated Crap: The Piano 💩
What nonsense Jane Campion’s drama The Piano is. A steaming pile of horse shit, masquerading as meditation on love, the transcendental nature of music, and disability. An elective mute, Ada, portrayed by Holly Hunter, moves to New Zealand with her young child Flora, and emotes using only her piano. That’s it. That’s the entire film.Continue reading “Overrated Crap: The Piano 💩”
Hit The North 