The Brown Note Movie Review

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) Movie Review

Much like it's unexpectedly entertaining precessor, I enjoyed it more than most critics. Though it misses the faux-Spielberg 80s magic of Afterlife, once it clicks into gear, the second half is the superior.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Movie Review

I've been a big fan of the American iteration of the Godzilla franchise, though after the high water mark of the previous outing, this is arguably the least essential of the lot. Still enjoyable hokum but undeniably shown up by its proximity to the awesome Godzilla Minus One. A much lower stakes and for some reason lower scale outing.

Late Night with the Devil (2024) Film Review

Wildly imaginative and original and actually thrilling, plus a great showcase of a so far unsung actor, that crops up over and over again in hugely memorable bit parts (from Nolan's Batman to Villeneuve's Prisoners) David Dastmalchian. Writer/Director/Editors Colin and Cameron Cairne's 70s chat show horror is NOT a satire but definitely is a horror.

 

 

 

Godzilla Minus One (2023) Movie Review

Only being available to watch on Paramount Plus streaming in Japan, I took a flight to the country and ordered one months subscription, to be able to bring you this review. Is it worth the hype? It certainly is. The writing and development of the human characters wipes the floor with the (often excellent) modern American Godzilla franchise, the cinematography, effects and score are magnificent and the story packs a real wallop.

Jessica Pratt - Here In The Pitch (2024) Album Review

The California singer songwriter broadens the setting of her voice on her lovely new album, sounding less idiosyncratic than in the past, though more of that instrumentation would've been welcome.

Orbital (1991 - The Green Album Reissue 2024) Album Review

The first album by the legendary Hartnoll brothers is bizarrely a group in flux even on their debut. Much more a collection of tracks compared to the immortal run of albums that would follow and a more dated sound. Yet it's still often fascinating and when the material peaks across tracks like Chime and Belfast, they were already a cut above. This 5 CD reissue benefits from remastered sound quality, though is really for completists who want everything from an era nowhere near as interesting as what was coming.

Gone But Forgotten: Basic Instinct (1992) Film Review

In my infrequent series on art denied classic status on release or forgotten from the conversation since. Like almost no one since Sergio Leone, director Paul Verhoeven's work was been critically derided on release, hugely successful with the public and gone through countless upward critical revision since. Whereas Robocop and Total Recall have remained permanently in the public consciousness, Starship Troopers has undergone endless re-appraisal and even Showgirls has become a cult classic, his most controversial film of all has remained curiously quiet, a look back at the impeccably made Neo-noir that cause such a stir on release - a much better film than the trash-controversy elicits and in Sharon Stone, one of the most electric major league debuts in cinema history.

In The Land Of Saints And Sinners (2024)

As one of the world's most renowned PHD experts on Liam Neeson action movies, the modern era has been a truly testing time, with virtually nothing that hasn't been terrible. So with great exhalations I am thrilled to announce, by miles the best Liam actioner since the golden era of The Grey, Cold Pursuit and Run All Night. Imagine The Banshees of Inisherin but gangsters and terrorists and you're virtually there.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Fu##in' Up (2024) Album Review

I don't even know who this man is.

Kim Gordon - The Collective (2024) Album Review

The second solo album by Sonic Youth founder, Kim Gordon, is every bit as avant-garde, abrasive, scouring and brilliant as her first. Though this time around we get some of the best art-house rap beats as a sound-stage, you wish Danny Brown was a collaborator on one of the albums of the year.