Few comic characters were ever as fully-formed as Pee Wee Herman. Based on “the most annoying kid in my class at school”, Paul Reubens’ character was a kitsch mash-up of everything that makes children so fascinating and hard to box in. He was capricious, silly, smartass and extremely odd, existing in his own little bubble,Continue reading “Pee Wee V Letterman”
Category Archives: Humour
Thurston Last And Always
In a shock career U- turn, Thursday Moore is forming a Sisters Of Mercy tribute, Thurston Last And Always. This departure comes as a startling move so late in the legendary NY guitarist ‘s career. Swapping his shredding for a drum machine, a la Doktor Avalanche, Moore’s foray into goth rock has been derided byContinue reading “Thurston Last And Always”
Prince- The Lost Tapes
New footage has been unearthed on YouTube of late legend Prince’s producer DJ Wackjob with a recently discovered vault of lost tapes from the Minneapolis icon. Amongst the tapes is a rare gem , Wackjob has dubbed “The Floppy Dicks’ a double album ‘s worth of songs with intriguing titles such as ‘Sorry Babe, ThisContinue reading “Prince- The Lost Tapes”
Piers- The Movie
Interior . Bedroom. Pink castle. Princess Piers yawns, stretches and gleefully gets out of bed, ready to face the day. PIERS: Huzzah. Another scrumptious English morning, ready to be assaulted by a volley of my opinions, masquerading as facts. Princess Piers dresses in two seconds flat, slides down a pole and out into The MagicContinue reading “Piers- The Movie”
Her Master’s Voice: Nina Conti Says Goodbye
The brilliant, gifted ventriloquist Nina Conti may be better known these days for the ritual humiliation of audience members, as she gets people up onstage, slaps weird masks on them and makes them say ridiculous or filthy things, but back in the day, her act was much, much darker: a kind of psychological cleansing thatContinue reading “Her Master’s Voice: Nina Conti Says Goodbye”
What ‘While We’re Young’ Got Right… About Gen Z Narcissists
*Contains spoilers* Who are the real cultural custodians? Generational discourse masquerading as rom-.com , While We’re Young, which was written and directed by Noah Baumbach, is a really intelligent, funny and thoughtful film. Josh and Cornelia (Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) are a middle-aged couple, both working in film, whose marriage is getting moribund. EveryoneContinue reading “What ‘While We’re Young’ Got Right… About Gen Z Narcissists”
Benny and Joon: Raisins
Benny and Joon from 1993 is a flawed but likeable film. Sure, it doesn’t really depict mental health problems in a subtle or realistic way (apart from June’s meltdown on the bus) and it’s all resolved far too easily, but it’s redeemed by beautiful performances from Mary Stuart Masterson as June and Johnny Depp asContinue reading “Benny and Joon: Raisins”
Bof !
(Sultry French voiceover): Bof says, I don’t have to try too hard. Bof says, so I don’t. I don’t try at all. Bof says, who cares? Bof says, I dream in monochrome, not black and white Bof says, your dreams, they disgust me. Bof is la nouvelle parfum. By Isabelle Adjani. Remember her? She doesn’tContinue reading “Bof !”
The Nic Cage Guide To Overacting
Some actors are defined by the subtlety and low-key naturalism they bring to a role. You can relate to a simple shoulder shrug, or see the interior monologue working as their jaw clenches a little, barely discernable. Montgomery Clift said so much with darting eyes; Judi Dench with an acidic quip. Not so for NicolasContinue reading “The Nic Cage Guide To Overacting”
Woody Allen’s Dialogue Problem
Culture war issues aside, there are many reasons to dislike Woody Allen these days. It’s frustrating, as regardless of his less than healthy attitudes to women and certain ethnic groups (what did Armenian people ever do to him? Seriously?) he made some good films from the seventies -nineties, and did great stand-up in the sixties.Continue reading “Woody Allen’s Dialogue Problem”
Hit The North 