The Great Wall, which hurtles us back in time to the Song Dynasty where monsters are more of a threat than mountain bandits , is nothing if not spectacular. Steeped in immense, Lord of the Rings-epic battle scenes, emotionally-intense exchanges borne of imminent threat and death, and suffused with redemption, hope Continue Reading
John Oliver returns … but not sitting on the Iron Throne … or as Larry David or …
SNAPSHOT Presenting a satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events, as well as addressing broader issues, the Emmy-winning show is the only weekly news-oriented comedy series to be presented on Sunday night. (synopsis via Coming Soon) Does he helm the biggest show on HBO? Ah Continue Reading
Colony: “Panopticon” (S2, E4 review)
*SPOILERS AHEAD* There is a crushing moment towards the end of “Panopticon” when one of the key secondary characters, Jennifer (Kathleen Rose Perkins), the partner of Will Bowman (Josh Holloway) realises that there is nothing left for her in the brutal new alien-dominated order she has so strenuously tried Continue Reading
Tom Hardy reads a bedtime story, and yes, You Must Bring a Hat
One of things I always loved as a child was having my mum or dad read me a bedtime story. It was a wonderful way to end the day – lots of one-on-one time with my parents, another delightful story in which I could lose myself (and the origin no Continue Reading
Move review: Hidden Figures
Tales of unsung heroes generally follow a well-worn path, particularly when they’re about a pivotal event in history with which most people would assume they are comprehensively familiar. Such as the Space Race between Cold War rivals the USSR and the USA which saw the two superpowers engaged in Continue Reading
There’s a new letter on Sesame Street … or is there?
Let’s face it – you get to a certain point in life and you feel like you’ve seen it all. The good old “there’s nothing new under the sun”, a phrase drawn from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, that laments the unsurprising monotonous feel of life begins Continue Reading
Book review: Who’s Afraid Too? by Maria Lewis
*SOME MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD* In general, sequels do not get much loving, be they movies, TV shows or books. It makes sense – the novelty has worn off, it’s been there, done that and gone and got the whole T-shirt factory, the very idea of the world has lost its initial Continue Reading
Update stage left! Snagglepuss reimagined as a gay southern gothic playwright
Nothing stays the same forever, including it seems some of Hanna-Barbera’s most beloved characters who have been thoroughly and impressively re-imagined by DC Comics in the last year or so. In that spirit of reinvention, one that reflects a more grim aesthetic than the knockabout fun of the 1960s Continue Reading
Now this is music #82: The xx, Contessa, SOFI TUKKER, Matoma & Becky Hill, Half Waif
Life is a complicating thing. Depending on events or circumstances, we are either happily content, in pain, in love, unsure of what’s next or a mixture of all or none. Regardless of where life might have deposited you and what you’re dealing with, these five artists are proof that Continue Reading
Celebrate diversity: Eurovision gets ready for this year’s epic event
The Eurovision Song Contest began in 1956 as a means of cementing new bonds of European togetherness, forged in the ashes of World War Two, using music and song to draw people together in peaceful intent. While you could argue that things haven’t always been peaceful in ensuing years, Continue Reading