Documentary Review: Becoming Frida Kahlo

We all know Frida Kahlo: survivor of polio, and a terrible bus crash; flowers in her hair and autobiographical art, married to Communist and prolific artist Diego Rivera, twenty years her senior. These are merely outlines, bare sketches. Louise Lockwood’s exhaustive three part BBC documentary films fill in the colours. There are details from her great-nieceContinue reading “Documentary Review: Becoming Frida Kahlo”

Why The Traitors Works

Warning: spoilers ahead… Farewell then, to the unmissable second series of The Traitors UK. Presented by everyone’s favourite glam auntie type, Claudia Winkleman, it’s the BBC’s biggest cash cow in years, and with good reason. It’s great fun, and very smart. Essentially, a game like Mafia or Cluedo, but framed as a reality show withContinue reading “Why The Traitors Works”

Film Review: Love, Lizzo

Until the recent allegations against her, I had a lot of admiration for Lizzo. Born Melissa Jefferson in Detroit, she went from niche hip hop artist to global superstar in a decade: not bad for a big, Black woman who sings, raps, twerks and is a classically trained flautist with her own clothing brand andContinue reading “Film Review: Love, Lizzo”

Five Times Top Of The Pops Was Worth Watching

I’m positively fossil aged, but back in the day, we had these nebulous concepts called “the charts”. This was when record companies received notification of which musical artists were selling the most singles. The Top 40 was thus reflected on a terminally naff TV show on the BBC, usually with teenagers grinning dementedly, dancing inContinue reading “Five Times Top Of The Pops Was Worth Watching”

TV Review: Louis Theroux Interviews… Pete Doherty

“You’re looking at a sick man”, grins Pete Doherty, troubled co- founder of English indie band The Libertines. And it’s hard to disagree. His struggles with addiction have been legend in the UK, often overshadowing his music career. The British tabloids went wild during the band’s late nineties heyday, documenting heroin use, his relationship withContinue reading “TV Review: Louis Theroux Interviews… Pete Doherty”