I am at heart an optimistic kind of guy. While I keep a watchful eye on the unpredictable vicissitudes of reality which have a habit of upending even the most Pollyanna-esque of apple carts, and acknowledge that all the Tony Robbins’ positivity in the world won’t protect me from Continue Reading
Movie review: “Life of Pi”
Life of Pi is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. Visually, and narratively, even musically, it is a wonder and a delight for the senses, a triumph for director Ang Lee who took a novel largely regarded as “unfilmable” – I am not sure by Continue Reading
“This is Jinsy” : all the quirk you could ask for
I am not sure which slow boat this series fell off on its way to the Antipodes but This is Jinsy, a comically absurd British sitcom whose pilot aired on 1 March 2010, has finally reached Australia via ABC 2 [an observant reader has noted it screened on UKTV Continue Reading
TV review: “The Snowmen” (Dr Who Christmas special 2012)
The first thing that must be said is that yes I am well aware this was a Christmas special and that yes, ideally reviewing it somewhere around, you know, Christmas would have been a jolly good idea. But surrounded as I was by noisy (though adorable) nieces and nephews, Continue Reading
Movie review: “Les Miserables”
In a world where suffering accosts us around just about every corner, Les Miserables is a reminder that hope is possible, though it must be tenaciously clung to, in even the most dire of circumstances. The graphic realism of Academy-Award winning director Tom Hooper’s impressive screen adaptation of the hit Continue Reading
The 5 big pop culture moments I can’t wait for in 2013
It’s a tricky thing predicting the future. H G Wells and Isaac Asimov, and reputedly even Nostradamus and The Bible have all taken a crack at it to varying degrees of success – and who exactly predicted we’d have flying cars by now? Yup that totally didn’t happen – Continue Reading
I have a bookworm for a pet: my 5 favourite books of 2012
I have loved reading books since I was a small child. It was not uncommon for me to get through 70-80 books a year at school, and yes I even got certificates in front of the whole school assembly (which frankly wasn’t the aim of the exercise but it Continue Reading
High on popcorn and candy: my 5 favourite movies of 2012
I am made of popcorn … and choc-top ice creams … and yes, big bags of brightly-coloured lollies (candy) … At least that’s the way it feels given how much I spend at the local cinema, especially towards the end of the year and over the Christmas break, taking Continue Reading
All hail the “Idiot box”: my top 5 favourite TV shows of 2012
I know. You’re thinking to yourself how on earth did I choose just five – five I tell you! Just five – TV shows to be deemed the favourites in a year where you couldn’t move for high quality sitcoms and dramas? How did I have the guts to Continue Reading
“Thunderbirds” fall silent: goodbye Gerry Anderson
Sad news today that Gerry Anderson, 83, legendary creator of Thunderbirds, died in his sleep overnight in the UK, after suffering from dementia for the last couple of years. Using a process called “Supermarionation”, he was also responsible for groundbreaking shows like Captain Scarlett and Joe 90, as well Continue Reading