Saying that something “feel like Christmas” is at once profoundly and definitively true, and yet gloriously and warmly intangible too. Such is the season which all but dominates the final two months of the year, and realistically longer if you count the eagerness of retailers to make the most of Continue Reading
Animation
Family Guy Christmas special 2024: “Gift of the White Guy” review
(courtesy IMDb) SNAPSHOTPeter must recover Lois’ Christmas brooch after gifting it away in a White Elephant exchange. Stewie changes his attitude upon learning he’s on Santa’s ‘Naughty List’. (courtesy Variety) The first thing out of the prettily wrapped Christmas present box is that Family’s Guy’s 25th anniversary festive special, “Gift Continue Reading
Movie review: Moana 2
(courtesy IMP Awards) It was always going to be a tricky thing to follow up a massive success like Moana. Hailed as a near-perfect piece of feature animation by many, and introducing a titular hero who saved her people while growing as a person with animation as beautiful an oil Continue Reading
On 1st day of Christmas … I decorated my tree with 15 new pop culture ornaments incl. Home Alone, Schroeder (Peanuts) +Scooby-Doo!, Monsters Inc., Sonic the Hedgehog + The Golden Girls
(via Shutterstock) It will be pretty obvious if you have even so much as glanced at my blog, that I love pop culture everything. I spend my days, when I am not forced to work to pay for everything pop culture-oriented, watching movies, streaming shows, listening to music, reading books Continue Reading
Festive comic review: The Flintstones: Christmas in Bedrock (with Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm)
Published in 1965, The Flintstones: Christmas in Bedrock is a fun-filled romp through a good old-fashioned Santa-is-in-peril-only-YOU-can-save-Christmas storyline. In this case, the “YOU” is good old Fred Flintstone who, after a trip out into the forest to get a Christmas tree – forgot the axe? Don’t worry! Bamm-Bamm has a Continue Reading
Shaun the Sheep goes charitably festive: The Knit Before Christmas support Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day
(courtesy Aardman) SNAPSHOTAs the woolliest day of the year approaches on Thursday 12th December, our favourite Mossy Bottom Farm residents can be seen preparing for the big day. With snow falling, festive tunes playing and Christmas decorations at the ready, Timmy’s excitement grows, and the barn calendar shows the woolliest day Continue Reading
Birthday movie review: Spellbound
(courtesy IMP Awards) We all want a happy ever after. But what about if that happy ever after doesn’t quite work as you think it will; what do you do then, when expectations are dashed, even if it’s in a good but different way? That’s the great dilemma facing Princess Continue Reading
Fun animation movie trailers x 4: Elio, The Bad Guys 2, Night of the Zoopocalypse + Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Please stop thinking animated films are just for kids. Yes, they are a perfect way to entertain, amuse and inform children and thank goodness for them during school holidays, long car trips and inordinate waits anywhere. But these gems of cinema also beautifully entertain adults too, and not just the Continue Reading
Festive preview: The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland
(courtesy IMDb) SNAPSHOTIn the film, St Nick (voiced by Gerard Butler) receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts. He and his dedicated team of reindeer set off to Wonderland, where they’re greeted by the mean and miserable Queen of Hearts, who hates all things Christmas… Continue Reading
We laughed and laughed and … Star Trek: Lower Decks S5, E1-3, Shrinking S2, E3-5 and Frasier S2, E7-8 + further thoughts on E6 (reviews)
(courtesy IMP Awards) STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS S5, E1-3 How marvellous is this animated Star Trek show? It’s cleverly written, managing to adroitly balance sparklingly full characterisation, imaginative plots and balancing affectionate parody of the franchise with some serious sci-fi cred. The only downer in this whole heady mix of Continue Reading