December 4, 2012 – SparklyPrettyBriiiight

The great Christmas album rush may have almost petered out but artists the world over are still releasing amazing music that moves, entrances and yes, hopefully sends you into a state of bliss. So here are the latest five songs that have grabbed my attention, slapped on a pair Continue Reading

Building something … ICONIC: First trailer lands for Ironheart

(courtesy First Showing) SNAPSHOTSet after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel’s Ironheart series pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but Continue Reading

We reach the end … or is it the end of the beginning? Thoughts on Andor S2, E10-12

(courtesy YouTube (c) Star Wars/Disney+) One of the enduring strengths of the flawless perfection that has been Andor right throughout its two superlatively good seasons has been its attention to detail when it comes to joining up the dots with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: A Continue Reading

Take a big swing … the heartfelt trailer for Stick

(courtesy First Showing) SNAPSHOT“His comeback is a long shot.” In Stick, Owen Wilson stars as Pryce Cahill, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago. After the collapse of his marriage and getting fired from his job at an Indiana sporting goods store, Pryce hedges his Continue Reading

Eurovision 2025 cultural festival Swiss movie review: The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (Wolkenbruchs wunderliche Reise in die Arme einer Schickse)

(courtesy IMDb) There is one line towards the end of this singularly charming but emotionally meaningful film with which anyone who has ever grown up in an oppressive environment where they cannot be themselves will readily identify. The titular protagonist of The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (Wolkenbruchs wunderliche Reise in Continue Reading

Songs, songs and more songs #122 – Eurovision 2025 cultural festival music review: 5 great Swiss music artists

(via Shutterstock) One of the great gifts of the Eurovision Song Contest is discovering the incredibly talented and richly imaginative music artists that each country possesses. But while we meet a new artist from each country each year, the truth is that beyond that one person or group are a Continue Reading

Eurovision 2025 cultural festival Swiss book review: Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier (translated by Barbara Harshav)

(courtesy Allen & Unwin Australia) The weight of life upon us can often be considerable; but for many people, it is not until a sudden event or change of heart hits them that they become aware of just great a load they are carrying. For some people, of course, it Continue Reading

FESTIVE PREVIEW: Get merry … be jolly … and spread cheer … early trailer for Christmas movie Oh. What. Fun.

(courtesy First Showing) SNAPSHOTClaire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together every holiday season. From perfectly frosted cookies to meticulously wrapped gifts, no one “decks the halls” quite like Claire. But this year, as her grown kids & distracted husband get swept up in Continue Reading

Movie review: Cicadas (Zikaden)

(courtesy IMDb) It’s not often that you emerge from a movie and wonder what on earth the point of it was. Usually even the films you don’t quite love, or outright dislike, have a clearly defined reason for being and you can very easily reconcile with what you liked and Continue Reading

“We need to give the cage a good rattle.” Dept. Q dives into the coldest of cold cases

SNAPSHOTDCI Carl Morck is a brilliant cop but terrible colleague. His razor-sharp sarcasm has made him no friends in Edinburgh police. After a shooting leaves a young pc dead, and his partner paralysed, he finds himself exiled to the basement & sole member of Department Q; a newly formed cold Continue Reading

“We act – or we lose.” The stakes couldn’t be higher as Foundation season 3 debuts its arresting first trailer

(courtesy First Showing (c) AppleTV+) SNAPSHOTBased on the award-winning sci-fi novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilisation amid the fall of the Galactic Empire. The premise of the stories is that, in the waning days of a Continue Reading