April 1, 2018 – SparklyPrettyBriiiight

Book review: The Gods of Love by Nicola Mostyn

Posted on April 1, 2018June 15, 2019 by aussiemoose

Ah humanity, you are a contrary and wondrously messed-up beast. Ream upon ream is written is written by adventure-hungry mortals seeking a life far bigger and more exciting than the one already possessed, film upon film lifts supposed nothings out of the banal trappings of the everyday only to Continue Reading

Taking things literally: Movie scenes paired with word-perfect songs

Posted on April 1, 2018March 29, 2018 by aussiemoose

There are some amazing soundtracks out there. Meet Joe Black, The Shape of Water, Call Me By Your Name and Mission to Mars are but a few of my favourites, and of course, anything by John Williams, Hans Zimmer or Alexandre Desplat instantly provides the most amazing mood and Continue Reading

Movie review: The Death of Stalin

Posted on April 1, 2018March 30, 2018 by aussiemoose

At first glance, writing a wildly, hilariously satirical film about the death of one of the most brutal dictators of the twentieth history, and likely human history generally, would not seem like a first, best idea. But then you’re not Armando Iannucci, the writer of The Thick of it Continue Reading

Festive holiday short review: The Boy & the Octopus

(courtesy IMDb) SNAPSHOTThe film follows the journey of a child who discovers a curious octopus has attached to his head during a seaside vacation. After returning home, the boy forms a true friendship with the octopus by introducing his new companion to his life on land – harnessing the power Continue Reading

On 12th day of Christmas … I read Christmas at the Little Bookshop by the Sea by Eliza J. Scott

(courtesy Storm Publishing) Whenever you plunge into a festive romcom, you rightly expect that you will feel like you’ve given the warmest and cosiest of hugs. One made of love and redemption and healing and all the trappings of the season from decorations and mulled wine, snowmen and wreaths string Continue Reading

Festive animated feature film review: Santa’s Apprentice

If you watched a fair amount of festive programming, you will be well familiar with the idea that there are not a lot of new ideas under the Christmas storytelling sun. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; we like our festive tropes and cliches held close and to pop up Continue Reading

On 11th day of Christmas … I watched new The Simpsons festive special “Oh C’mon All Ye Faithful”

(courtesy IMDb (c) Disney+) The Simpsons are known for their irreverence and willingness to skewer all the weird and strange and bombastically expressed pomposities of life. But for all the propensity of the 36-season-long, Matt Groening-created show to parody and satirise and push the critical envelope, it has demonstrated over Continue Reading

Festive book review: Finding My Elf by David Valdes

(courtesy Harper Collins Publishers) Life crises, especially those of a more existential variety, are never a loot of fun. All of the things you once took as gospel, the certainties you could count on in a world not exactly sporting them in profusion, are suddenly well and truly up in Continue Reading

On 10th day of Christmas … I listened to Sleigher by Ben Folds

(courtesy YouTube) I am, for all my love of upsetting apple carts and pushing envelopes, especially creatively, quite traditional when it comes to Christmas music. That’s not to say that this reviewer wants choral extravaganzas or hymn-drenched carols, though they can be delightful in a sparing context; no, traditional in Continue Reading

Festive short film review: An Almost Christmas Story

(courtesy IMDb (c) Disney+) SNAPSHOTAn Almost Christmas Story (produced by five-time Academy Award® winner Alfonso Cuarón & directed by David Lowery) is inspired by the true events of a tiny owl rescued from the New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 2020. The short’s trailer reveals Moon, a curious Continue Reading

On 9th day of Christmas … I read The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts

(courtesy Harper Collins Canada) If you’re going t do a festively fun take on a novel as loved and revered as Jane Austen’s Emma, then you need to be up to the task of doing it justice. Thankfully, Sheila Roberts is more than up to the task with her new Continue Reading

Santa Bilby saves the day in a very unusual Aussie Christmas!

(courtesy Scholastic Australia) SNAPSHOTWhen Santa gets stuck delivering Christmas presents, he calls his friend the Easter Bilby to help! Can Bilby deliver all the presents before Christmas morning, or will her wild approach to gift-delivery create all kinds of hilarious Christmas Eve chaos? (courtesy Scholastic Australia) Poor Santa! He’s done Continue Reading

On 8th day of Christmas … I listened to When I Think of Christmas by Amy Grant & Vince Gill

(courtesy Apple Music) For many years, Amy Grant, an artist I have loved and admired back when I was in the church, and one of the few who came with me on my way out of it, was Christmas for me. Her Christmas albums – A Christmas Album (1983), Home Continue Reading