SNAPSHOT: Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command Tell Continue Reading
Movie review: “Pacific Rim”
While Gulliermo del Toro’s monster masterpiece, Pacific Rim, is hardly a work of Shakespearian splendour, it is also not the braindead blockbuster monstrosity that many purported it to be. Granted it has all the trappings of the latter – cardboard-cutout characters, an overly-earnest seriously-intoned opening narration replete with cliches Continue Reading
A round of “Applause” for Lady Gaga’s new single (+ album)
She has been uncharacteristically quite of late – a combination of lull between albums and time out for major hip surgery – with her only major appearance the singing of the US national anthem at a New York pride rally on 28 June this year, but all that is Continue Reading
Pixar set to turn its animation “Inside Out”
SNAPSHOT “Pixar takes audiences on incredible journeys into extraordinary worlds: from the darkest depths of the ocean to the top of the tepui mountains in South America; from the fictional metropolis of Monstropolis to a futuristic fantasy of outer space. From director Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.) and producer Continue Reading
It ain’t easy or cheap being Superman [infographic]
It ain’t being green says Kermit and nor is it easy or cheap to be one of the major cultural touchstones of the American landscape. Not only is there angst-ridden emotional toll – though Superman has never seemed as psychologically tormented as Batman or Spiderman (and yes I know I Continue Reading
Now this is music #11: 5 awesome songs – Kill Paris, Cape Lion, Janelle Monáe, Ralph Myerz, Goldroom
I am not a man of half measures. If I decide to take something on, it must be done as fully and completely as possible, or I don’t see the point in bothering at all. While this gung ho, take-no-prisoners does get lots done, it can also mean I Continue Reading
Comic-Con movie trailer-and-poster-palooza: Riddick, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Elysium, X-Men Days of Future Past, Zero Theorem
Comic-con, which has just wrapped in San Diego (18 – 21 July), is greatly loved by Hollywood. Amid some soul-searching that the annual pop culture extravaganza has sold its soul to commercial interests, lots of Hollywood studios were on hand to show their upcoming movie fares including of course Continue Reading
Speed-ing towards the movies Gravity and 47 Ronin
Let me say upfront that I make no apologies whatsoever for the Speed reference in the headline. It is after all, the movie that first drew Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves together – the less said about Speed 2 the better thank you – and one of my favourite Continue Reading
Falling Skies: Review of “Strange Brew” (S3, E8)
Today, paraphrasing the narrative of Jesus’ birth like nobody’s business, I bring you tidings of great joy. For unto us today is born, or rather re-born, Falling Skies‘ storytelling mojo! Granted they did use a well worn narrative trope to regain their joie de vivre – the hero trapped Continue Reading
Movie review: “The Heat”
Paul Feig, director of The Heat, 2011’s Bridesmaids, and cult TV show Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000) is a man propelled by a laudable mission – to increase the representation of strong, funny women in Hollywood films. But it’s not just some warm and fuzzy notion of joining the pop Continue Reading