Late, late reviews
Welcome to late, late reviews. The home of stuff I’ve watched, read, or listened to, well behind everyone else.
Don’t come here for reviews of the latest things as you probably won’t find it.
Here lies the truth
Written on 1 Feb, 2024
Finding a book by self declared Private Eye ‘hack’ Adam Macqueen in the town library found me digging out my card and walking out with it tucked snuggly under my arm.
The Hand of Pod
Written on 3 Jan, 2024
Football? It doesn’t have to be complicated.
The learned monster
Written on 18 Dec, 2023
I listened at night, headphones on and lights off. The aural landscape pulling me into Victor Frankenstein’s world deeper than any screen version could.
Rank amateurs
Written on 16 Jul, 2023
The tale of the Bradford Film Club is full of camaraderie, pathos, and Yorkshire humour. The situation looks bleak for the club, and then Covid arrives…
See the galaxy from your living room
Written on 22 May, 2023
What makes something recognisably ‘Star Wars’? In the early 80s there were many attempts to copy the Star Wars formula but none could successfully capture what made tales from a galaxy far, far away so enticing.
The polite Venusian
Written on 12 Mar, 2023
As a teenager, I picked up ‘Can you speak Venusian?’ from the hotel library and enjoyed it so much I took it home with me.
Spider in Boots
Written on 25 Feb, 2023
We took a Saturday morning cinema trip to see Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. It’s fun, with some musings on life, death, and having a purpose.
Winter tales
Written on 15 Dec, 2022
There are many ways to tell the Ebenezer Scrooge’s story, from traditional, to modern, to pastiche, to Muppet. And whilst I like some of them, there are two versions which stand on the shoulders of all others.
Where other jokes have gone before
Written on 29 Oct, 2022
Upon watching Airplane II it quickly became apparent that memories are not always reliable and the past is often rose-tinted.
Hello everybody peeps
Written on 16 Oct, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder has its moments. Not amongst them is the channeling of Stavros by Russell Crowe for his Zeus performance.
Middle Earth
Written on 7 Aug, 2022
I like Terry Pratchett, so why have I taken 10+ years to get through three books of The Long Earth series?
We're all dead in the end
Written on 15 Apr, 2022
We’re all dead in the end. That’s true of humans and universes alike. For us people, most don’t know when or how the end will come but universes are (possibly) more predictable.
One bloody Friday
Written on 28 Mar, 2021
With 40 years hindsight it’s surprising to see how much The Long Good Friday got right about London’s regeneration, and tragic to see how the idea of London as the European capital has disappeared post-Brexit.
Eaten by lions
Written on 19 Jul, 2020
We often decide before searching a film needs to be a) under 100 minutes and b) easy-watching. Last night comedy Eaten by Lions met both criteria and being a British film set in Blackpool sealed the deal.
A town-like palace
Written on 5 Jul, 2020
I’m a little old to be radical now, but in me is still an echo of the university-educated working class boy. I remember being fired up by the radical Channel 4 and that’s why Location, Location, Location irks me.
Our little pony
Written on 17 May, 2020
Up near the top of my ‘don’t watch’ list was 80s phenomenon My Little Pony. Imagine then, my heart’s reaction the day my girl picked ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ as her go-to Netflix binge-watching marathon programme.
A story of two battles
Written on 14 May, 2020
Watching films in bitesize chunks (which is often the case with things the rest of the family don’t want to watch) has one benefit: Sometimes I’m watching a bit I really like just when I’m in the mood for it.
A Crüe too Mötley
Written on 11 May, 2020
They bitch, they fight, they do horrible things to others, and all without ever showing honest remorse or regret.
The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
Being more Del
Written on 7 May, 2020
It’s been many years between my viewing of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. As I get older I find myself wanting to be more Del.