October 16, 2026 – SparklyPrettyBriiiight

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Catch-up movie review: Avatar: Fire and Ash aka Avatar 3

(courtesy IMP Awards) Reviewing a major Hollywood release almost a year after its initial release might seem like an oddly delayed thing to do in our hyper immediate world where the zeitgeist is super focused on something one day and curiously uninterested the next. Truth be told, the delay in Continue Reading

Christmas preview: Bob’s Burgers and the biggest holiday snow fort of all time

(courtesy IMDb (c) 20th Television) SNAPSHOTIn “On the Fort Day of Christmas”, a record-breaking Christmas snowstorm means one thing to the Belcher kids — a record-breaking Christmas snow fort. (courtesy Animation Magazine) I fear with Bob’s Burgers that the TV horse has bolted. For me, at least. Kicking off in Continue Reading

New releases October book review: Taipei Story by Rebecca F. Kuang

(courtesy The Borough Press) Finding your place in the world is no easy thing. It’s a seemingly impossible task made all the more complex and challenging when you are under a huge amount of pressure, external or self-imposed, or sometimes if you are truly unlucky, both, to be a particular Continue Reading

Happy Hell-o-ween: Family Guy Halloween special 2026 review

(courtesy IMDb (c) Hulu/Disney+) Who of us hasn’t at some time declared that their life is hell? Yep, I see your raised hands – all of us in fact have uttered those words at some point; it’s a common lament, one that thankfully with no fire, little brimstone and no Continue Reading

Believe again: Thoughts on Ted Lasso season 4

(courtesy IMP Awards) Revivals are, in the land of TV and streaming at least, often bittersweet affairs. On one hand, it is a joy and delight with an added dose of a fizzy sense of euphoric reunion to be back with characters you know and love and were sorrowfully ripped Continue Reading

Reviving a family culinary legacy: Awkwafina: The Unlikely Cook

(courtesy AppleTV) SNAPSHOTThe eight-episode series follows Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina, on a cross-country culinary road trip as she attempts to revive her family’s beloved Chinese restaurant. Her family ran Lum’s, the iconic Cantonese restaurant in Flushing, New York. Nora inherited the family legacy. The cooking skills? Those still need work. Continue Reading

New releases October book review: The Newer World by Sebastian Barry

(courtesy Allen & Unwin) Whether we’re reading a weight tome on a certain long ago civilisation or epoch, or while hearing historian hold forth on their particular area of specialisation, it’s easy to think of history as a series of unassailable truths assembled carefully to present an unquestioningly factual take Continue Reading

Once more into the majestic oceanic depths: Blue Planet III drops mesmerisingly enticing trailer

(courtesy IMDb (c) BBC) SNAPSHOTBlue Planet III is a forthcoming British nature documentary series co-produced by the BBC Natural History Unit, ZDF, France Télévisions, and Skai TV in partnership with The Open University. [With David Attenborough returning as narrator] Blue Planet III will have six hour-long episodes, with filming taking Continue Reading

Halloween movie review: Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Soggy Bottom

(courtesy IMP Awards) In a bid to sell this movie to my full-on horror loving friend – turns out I didn’t have to sell it too hard; who doesn’t love some Aardman whimsy as it turns out – I told him it was Halloween-adjacent, embracing the season quite clearly but Continue Reading