January 9, 2026 – SparklyPrettyBriiiight

(courtesy IMP Awards) When it comes to sitcom royalty, you would have to consider Michael Schur, who has had a hand in creating and delivering standouts of the genre such as Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place, as occupying the top of a very hilarious heap. He Continue Reading

The short and the short of it: A lonely robot selflessly looks after others in Sunspark

(courtesy official Sunspark site) SNAPSHOTIn a post-human wasteland, a robot scavenger unexpectedly finds the broken body of another robot while looking for spare parts. After failing to fully revive her, he must decide how much of himself he’s willing to give in order to bring her back to life. Sunspark Continue Reading

Back on the job: Thoughts on Man on the Inside S2

From villain to zodiac hero: how Zootopia 2’s snake character has made the film a global hit (curated article)

(courtesy IMP Awards) Yanyan HongPhD in Media and Film Studies, University of AdelaidePublished: The Conversation Nine years after their first adventure, Zootopia’s “dream team” are back. This time, perky optimistic rabbit cop Judy Hopps and charming fox Nick Wilde must to solve a reptilian mystery. Zootopia 2 has won the Continue Reading

Book review: Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain

(courtesy Simon & Schuster) If the festive season is all about love and renewal, then novels set in summer are all about the capacity of a time of sunshine, outdoors activity and time with friends and family in relaxed setting to recharge the soul and give you a brand new Continue Reading

Ready to move on? So, after lots of grief and forgiveness, is Shrinking S3

SNAPSHOTShrinking follows a grieving therapist named Jimmy (played by Jason Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his own training & ethics, he makes huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives… including his own. Shrinking is a streaming series created and written Continue Reading

It’s a big city but the English capital comes alive in Sir David Attenborough documentary Wild London

(courtesy BBC) SNAPSHOTAfter a life spent travelling the globe, the world’s most famous naturalist turns his attention closer to home to explore the wildlife of England’s iconic capital. Having lived in London for 75 years, Sir David has an intimate knowledge of the city’s natural history, and there’s no better Continue Reading

New Year’s Eve book review: New York, New Year, New You by Rachael Bloome

(courtesy Secret Garden Press) The idea that you can reinvent yourself if you just find the right inciting incident is a seductive one. It defies the idea that who we are at any one point in time is the only person we will ever be, and encourages us to dream Continue Reading

Songs, songs and more NYE songs 2025: Hurts, Aubrey Logan & David Ricard, Blair Davie, Ben Rector + Sia

(via Shutterstock) Gotta be honest – I’m a Christmas guy and once that day is done and dusted, I tend to lose interest in gthe other big event on the calendar, New Year’s Eve. I used to be more excited by it but as the years have gone by, I’ve Continue Reading

Popcorn and wine and a comfy seat in the dark: My top 25 films of 2025

(via Shutterstock) Due to an unrelenting level of stress, which it seems only books could address in any meaningful fashion – they are the only medium which has ever allowed me to properly switch off and escape and forget the world around me; these days, they are the only one Continue Reading

Fire up the playlists and let the music fly free: My top 25 songs of 2025 + my 8 fave clips of the year

(via Shutterstock) It’s been a weird year for me and music. I still listened to lots and lots and LOTS of it, it was still the soundtrack to all my commutes and occasional exercise outings and even short trips to the shops, and it remained the focal centre of the Continue Reading