Reviews, thoughts and ideas on music, movies and more
If you've read many of my movie reviews on here you've probably seen me use the phrase 'New Hollywood,' meaning a period and style of filmmaking that existed from roughly 1969 to 1980 and typified a change in how American mainstream cinema was made — or so was the intention. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by... Continue Reading →
A few months ago I read Jim Smallman's book I'm Sorry I Love You: A History Of Professional Wrestling, in it he mentioned its existence owed almost everything to another book by another stand up comedian looking at the history of another subculture/entertainment medium, Andrew O'Neill's A History Of Heavy Metal. As a fan of... Continue Reading →
A little while ago I posted a review of Armando Ianucci's satirical movie The Death Of Stalin that continued his run of political comedies from The Thick Of It, In The Loop and Veet by taking the events surrounding the death of the second leader of the USSR and using it highlight the absurdity of... Continue Reading →
I would imagine that to most Mark Kermode is best known as the rather opinionated film critic from BBC Radio 5Live or various late night film intros on Channel 4 and the like back when they used to do such things. I guess for me this would be the case too as a dedicated member... Continue Reading →
As I've previously stated books about pro-wrestling come in all shapes and sizes from masterpieces like Mick Foley's first autobiography to the painfully generic official publications put out by WWE. King Of Strong Style - 1980-2014 though is the first time I've delved into a book entirely focussing on the Japanese wrestling scene, and more... Continue Reading →
A little while back I re-read Irvine Welsh's era defining novel Trainspotting, largely to remind myself of its characters before embarking on its sequel, the far less subtly titled, Porno. As is likely well-known to any who really cares, Porno picks up the lives of the earlier story's characters ten years on with Sick Boy... Continue Reading →
Despite the reputation of both the author, and this book in particular, this was my first time reading anything by Kurt Vonnegut and it is, arguably, his most well-known work, Slaughterhouse-Five. I'll admit that going in I knew very little of it other than it was vaguely science fiction and had an anti-war message so... Continue Reading →
It might come as a surprise to some that there are many, many books on the subject of that most misunderstood and strange of 'sports' (or is it 'entertainments', or is it both), professional wrestling. From autobiographies to detailed histories many have charted aspects and periods of its near century and a half of history,... Continue Reading →
I'll admit that when I got Help by Simon Amstell, I believe as a Christmas present, it had been added to my Amazon wish list on something of a whim after hearing its author on a couple of podcasts, not really talking about the book but just about his life and career and I thought... Continue Reading →
