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”
Tag Archives: Satire
Alan Partridge Is A Prophet
I realise that it’s officially silly season, and that Andy Warhol beat Alan Partridge to the curve with his assertion that “in the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes”, but it seems that the fictional broadcasting dickhead also came up with some prophetic words. Okay, sure, his most recent TV series, ‘How AreContinue reading “Alan Partridge Is A Prophet”
Film Review: Nope (2022)
When siblings O J and Emerald (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) inherit their father’s horse wrangling business following his tragic death, they are also forced to confront bizarre, ectoplasmic alien entities coming from the clouds, threatening earth’s very existence. What to do? Film it, or it didn’t happen, and put it on ‘Oprah’. They are,Continue reading “Film Review: Nope (2022)”
Film Review: The Favourite
Ooh, Yorgos Lanthimos and your batshit, genre -defying film oeuvre. Part Peter Greenaway, part Blackadder, The Favourite is another bonkers example of why his work resonates with so many people. Olivia Coleman is Queen Anne, the bratty, capricious monarch whose devotion only extends as far as her collection of rabbits. People mostly deserve contempt, andContinue reading “Film Review: The Favourite”
Three Film Satires For the Second Trump Administration
President Donald J Trump’s second swing into politics has already seen deportations, trade wars and a complete lack of remorse for a plane and helicopter crash that could have been prevented. Then there is the farcical inauguration itself, with more than a tilt towards oligarchy: tech billionaires placed front and centre, right in front ofContinue reading “Three Film Satires For the Second Trump Administration”
Despot: The New Cologne
GRUFF VOICEOVER: What do you get for the man who has… everything? More of the same, of course. With top notes of masculine pepper, hamburger grease, piss and lies, Despot is the cologne for the president -elect who’s going places. Prison, hopefully. Despot, the new cologne, for tomorrow ‘s asshole… today. In 250ml and 500ml.Continue reading “Despot: The New Cologne”
Film Review: Kneecap
What’s the craic? Directed by Rich Peppiatt, this fictionalised account of the West Belfast hip-hop trio, has not been without controversy from, unsurprisingly, certain sectors of the British press. However, the band deny they’re pro – IRA, and define their film as a satire, a provocation mocking every Irish trope ever committed to film, particularlyContinue reading “Film Review: Kneecap”
Book Preview: Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium
Long before Alan Cumming made ill-advised dance theatre pieces about Robert Burns, he was, alongside Forbes Masson. the cheeky double act Victor and Barry, two plucky aspiring thespians from the mean streets of Kelvinside. Who can forget such timeless musical theatre gems as ‘Marks and Spencer ‘ or ‘Kelvinside Men’? Luckily for us. we canContinue reading “Book Preview: Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium”
Overlooked Classics: Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust could be the darkest animation ever shown on TV. Forget cats called Fritz, Cartman and co or even Quagmire on the vastly overrated Family Guy, this was brutal. Created by the truly warped minds of Harry Thompson and Shaun Pye, characters such as the Meat Safe Murderer, Pretentious Hipsters and Paedophile Finder GeneralContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Monkey Dust”
Film Review: Josie and The Pussycats (2001)
Before Barbie and the Lego movie franchise, there was Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont’s Josie and The Pussycats, a sleek little subversion of tween fandom, spending power and the evils of capitalism The lowdown: Du Jour are a “wicked” US boy band, pitched somewhere between N’Sync and Backstreet Boys. Every kid in America loves them,Continue reading “Film Review: Josie and The Pussycats (2001)”