Reviews archive

The Blue Book of Nebo book cover

The Blue Book of Nebo

Written on 3 Sep, 2024

I stumbled across the (abridged) BBC audio version of The Blue Book of Nebo late one evening. When the last episode came, I didn’t want to leave their little Welsh home perched at the end of the world.

The Blue Book of Nebo

The Lies of the Land cover

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 Lies of the Land

The Price of Football logo

The Hand of Pod

Written on 3 Jan, 2024

Football? It doesn’t have to be complicated.

The Price of Football

Frankenstein's monster from the Revised Edition, 1831

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.

Frankenstein

A bunch of amateurs poster

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…

A bunch of amateurs

Star Wars poster

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.

Star Wars

Can you speak venusian? book cover

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.

Can You Speak Venusian?

Cinema poster for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

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.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Alistair Sims as Scrooge

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.

Blackadder's Christmas Carol

Airplane II poster

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.

Airplane II

Thor Love and Thunder poster

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.

Thor: Love and Thunder

The Long Mars book cover

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?

The Long Mars

The end of everything book cover

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.

The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)

The Long Good Friday film poster

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.

The Long Good Friday

Eaten by Lions film poster

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.

Eaten by Lions

Location presenters.

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.

Location, Location, Location

My Little Pony

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.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Rogue One Poster

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.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The Dirt Motley Crüe

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

Planes, Trains and Automobiles poster

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.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles