Volcano Jungle 9 Music

Really funky stuff. Woke up with some of the songs in my head which is always great

The Lost City Nee Brothers 7 Movie

Old fashioned temple romp. Enjoyably predictable but fun to watch

Dream Sequence Kristoffer Borgli 8 Movie

A wacky journey that was simultaneously comical, uncomfortable and touching. A great movie to start the year with

Tenet Christopher Nolan 6 Movie

Technically impressive, but plot wise incomprehensible to me. I guess that fault is with me? But part of that must be worn by the execution of this script

Wonka Paul King 6 Movie

I feel like they threw a lot of money at this but the cynic in me could just not enjoy it. The casting was off, the songs poor and the VFX lumpy. Not my type of movie

Of An Age Goran Stolevski 8 Movie

A predictable but very enjoyable depiction of first love. The early 2000s time capsule and the subsequent meet up in the 2010s were very relatable and subsequently resonated very strongly with me

Chicken Run: Rise of the Nugget Sam Fell 6 Movie

Strangely edgy children’s movie that was foolish enough to take on chicken nuggets given it’s the most popular meal amongst kids. Can see why this didn’t get a cinema release

Blue Beetle Angel Manuel Soto 6 Movie

True it was better than a marvel movie, but I find this genre so tedious. Annoying characters and predictable outcomes

Nope Jordan Peele 6 Movie

Intriguing premise, but annoying and inconsistent characters. The stoic central character was particularly annoying. A lot of loose ends that are unnecessarily left untied

Kenny’s Kristina Noicos, Tom Noicos 10 Food

Okay the hot chip competition has been won. These guys are the winners and what’s great is they’re all round nice people too…These chips are the best chips you will ever have. They are perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside. There is no starchy hardness. No limp sadness. Just perfectly […]

Saltburn Emerald Fennell 7 Movie

A predictable but artfully quirky and well produced movie. It felt icky to have the manipulative central protagonist win which was the main detraction for me

Landscape With Invisible Hand Cory Finley 5 Movie

A rambling movie that didn’t really seem to have a clear direction, function or message

Hereditary Ari Aster 8 Movie

An intriguing and well constructed movie about family grief. I think art house horror is actually pretty easy to tolerate and I get now why it’s so popular

Bully Larry Clark 8 Movie

Beautiful photography, with a 2000s time capsule sound track. Acting was a little irregular as too the actual editing and construction of the film. However, still intriguing and enjoyable

The Rush (Are You Coming) Tour Måneskin 9 Show

Very professional, fun and high energy concert. I felt very old by the end of the night with all the strobing

Something To Give Each Other Troye Sivan 6 Music

A very accomplished and confident album with 2000s pop call backs. However I just couldn’t get into it despite repeated listens

Jonny The Drums 9 Music

I have been absolutely flogging this album. Very personal themes but still that great retro pop vibe. Sad boppers

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Cal Brunker 7 Movie

Very cute movie. Sharp and to the point

Five Nights At Freddy’s Emma Tammi 3 Movie

Confounding and badly written movie. Not sure who the intended audience is; too violent for kids, too lame for adults. I felt sorry for the actors

All Of Us Strangers Andrew Haigh 7 Movie

Very well made gay drama that is actually very close to being a horror movie

Revanchist Evian Christ 8 Music

Retro trance vibes with amazing cover artwork by David Rudnick. WOW

Sunflower Gabriel Carrubba 8 Movie

Surprisingly well put together movie that had audiences sobbing by the end

Robot Dreams Pablo Berger 8 Movie

Charming, original and touching movie about a friendship between a dog and robot. Did not end the way I would have liked, but any movie that can make me teary is good

May December Todd Haynes 3 Movie

Poorly constructed melodrama that serves more as an industry in-joke than anything enjoyable

Poor Things Yorgos Lanthimos 8 Movie

Absurd and rich production full of intricate details. However, this makes me hanker for the details from the original novel

Talk To Me Daniel & Michael Philippou 9 Movie

Pitch perfect and thoughtful horror movie that I am proud to know was made and filmed in Adelaide

Rúin Dervla McTiernan 6 Book

A dreary but well written book. I can appreciate why others would like it, but I guess I really do not like the detective genre Published: 2018 Completed: 13/10/2023 Pages: 380 Rúin is an intriguing detective story that links two apparent suicides that occurred more than 20 years apart. It is compelling and well written, […]

Wildflower Michael D’adamo, Western Australia 6 Food

There can be no doubt that there was superb skill in the execution of each dish, however in the 6 course tasting menu I found the texture of each dish too similar to each other. The beetroot, the marron, the fish were too similar – that is, something soft, on a bed of some type […]

Funny Games Michael Haneke 4 Movie

An extremely long two hours of relentless and inescapable sadism. Well made, but unpleasant to watch

You Won’t Be Alone Goran Stolevski 9 Movie

Beautiful and enchanting film about a young shapeshifting witch and her journey to understand humans about being raised in isolation. Lovely score, incredible cinematography and understated but pitch perfect acting

All Fun And Games Ari Costa, Eren Celeboglu 4 Movie

Very average, and at time unintentionally cheesy horror movie about a cursed knife made from human bone

Hit Parade Róisin Murphy 4 Music

It always feels like too much hard work to get into a Róisin Murphy album. Bad memories of her gig

The Marriage Portrait Maggie O'Farrell 9 Book

Throughly enjoyable historical drama about the murder of a young duchess. Perfect amount of creative to descriptive prose

The Rosie Project Graeme Simsion 6 Book

This was a very easy and light hearted read about Don Tillman, a university academic with autism and his efforts to find a partner via an exhaustive and awkward questionnaire. Along the way he meets Rosie Jarman, who, despite being completely incompatible in theory, inspires Don to change and ultimately fall in love with her. […]

Zardoz John Boorman 6 Movie

Visually interesting and daring but suffers from old school pacing issues. Not really sure what I watched and I fell asleep part way through

Ken Park Larry Clark 6 Movie

A cruel and rambling movie that is senselessly sexually explicit

Gag Order Kesha 8 Music

An eclectic album that is unexpected for me from a former pop star. Despite their bluntness, some lyrical gems that are like life maxims

Heartstopper Season 2 Alice Oseman 2 Television

I am officially too old for this type of gay media. It is way way too chaste – they can’t even say the word “sex” – and the preoccupation with labels and coming out and know your identity is exhausting and tiresome

Tourist Tourist 3 Show

I really struggled with this ambient gig, and actually fell asleep during the support act and wanted to go to sleep during the main event

Kids Larry Clark 8 Movie

Horrible but beautifully shot film. Very artificial and adult fantasy of teen sexuality but the visuals were so 90s/2000s the nostalgia got to me. Super cool

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 James Gunn 9 Movie

Amazing special effects – all the animal sequences were truely incredible and really made you sympathise with the characters

The Flash Andy Muschietti 6 Movie

Strangely bad special effects, hampered by some weird casting and wardrobe choices. Funny, but way too long

Smash Pet Shop Boys 7 Music

So many incredible singles that tug at nostalgia. The last third is possibly a little weak but doesn’t detract from the incredible career of this band

That Feels Good! Jessie Ware 8 Music

I didn’t like this album to begin with despite academically knowing it was very well made. However, the disco was infectious and I woke up with some of these tunes playing in my head. So funky

Paranoïa, Angels, True Love Christine and the Queens 9 Music

Rambling, but strangely compelling. Really enjoyed the drumming on some of these tracks. Catchy and alternative. Another incredible trans artist

Feed the Beast Kim Petras 4 Music

Strangely boring? Might be better listened to on headphones but not super excited about giving it repeat listens

Robots Ant Hines, Casper Christensen 6 Movie

Light, easy watching comedy drama about two awful people who use robots doubles of themselves to get out of boring jobs and relationships

Sus Dog Clark 9 Music

Crystalline and ethereal contrasting with blunt and heavy. Beautiful. Hope to see him play live one day

The Beekeeper of Aleppo Christie Lefteri 9 Book

Powerful depiction of the refugee experience but at its core, a story about a couple’s relationship under incredible strain and their journey to reconnect after shared trauma Published: 2019 Completed: 02/07/2023 Pages: 378 It’s been a really long time since I have read a book that has moved me like this has. The final pages […]

Infinity Pool Brandon Cronenberg 9 Movie

Great production design and interesting premise that is explored in an appropriately art house manner. Knew I was going to like this movie from the moment the titles screen came up with its highly graphic treatment