Cineworld: run by robots who just don’t care

23 Dec 2011: Just got back from a showing of “Sherlock Holmes” (which was rather good, by the way) at Cambridge Cineworld. The talking point of the evening, however, was not the main movie, but a trailer shown beforehand for a quite dreadful-looking movie called “The Sitter”. The problem was that the trailer was in no way suitable for an audience containing 12 year olds, with more use of bad language in two minutes than would be allowed in an entire 12A movie, and some sexual references which were uncomfortable even for the adults in the audience. Now, if people want to make and watch movies like that, then fine, but the (presumably mistaken) showing of this trailer demonstrated why the cinema multiplex [...]

My Top Ten Movies of 2011

14 Dec 2011: A fairly populist list as ever, but I’ve never been one for art house movies (not to be confused with the fabulous Arts Picturehouse) and I’ve certainly never been one to get all beard-strokingly pretentious about cinema. While researching this list, I found at least half a dozen movies which might have been contenders if only I’d got around to watching them. Oh well. These would make a great weekend’s viewing anyway. 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 2. Attack the Block 3. Senna 4. Source Code 5. One Day 6. The Adjustment Bureau 7. Thor 8. Paul 9. Cave of Forgotten Dreams 10. The Kings Speech

Brit Floyd, Cambridge Corn Exchange, April 2011

19 Apr 2011: So the big question is probably "are Brit Floyd as good as The Australian Pink Floyd Show?" and on this showing, I'd have to say yes.

The Unthanks, Cambridge Junction 2, April 2011

3 Apr 2011: Whatever the size of venue, few bands I've ever seen have this much of a hold over their audience and just sound so great.

TV Comedy Spin-off Books From The Eighties!

13 Mar 2011: I just came across all of these in my loft, and it just made me think: why isn't there a market for this sort of spin-off any more?

Spamalot: my favourite scene

27 Feb 2011: Went to see Spamalot! in Cambridge last week. Very good for a touring production. Here's my favourite bit of dialogue. Very Pythonesque.

Album of the Year so far

8 Feb 2011: "Factors To A Happy Marriage" is Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa Gravis' tenth album in eighteen years. Four Stars.

My Favourite Gadgets of 2010

15 Dec 2010: I thought I might struggle to fill this list. But inevitably that wasn't the case. And of course the iPad heads the list.

My Favourite Online Videos of 2010

14 Dec 2010: There's been enough great stuff on YouTube this year for it to merit a list of its own.

My Favourite Websites of 2010

13 Dec 2010: The websites and online services which have meant most to me this year, either for entertainment or for usefulness, or just for being really good.

My Favourite TV Programmes of 2010 (Part 2)

12 Dec 2010: From series winding up like Ashes to Ashes and Lost, to new successes like Downton Abbey, with some old favourites thrown in.

My Favourite Blogs of 2010 (Part 3)

11 Dec 2010: Here's a list of favourite blogs vaguely to do with my current gainful employment, namely industrial marketing, web design and SEO.

My Favourite Live Performances of 2010

10 Dec 2010: See the four acts which make up this year's list, along with some YouTube videos which capture a little of the atmosphere.

My Favourite Radio Programmes of 2010

9 Dec 2010: A bunch of superb radio programmes which proved the enduring power of the medium in 2010. For me, anyway.

My Favourite Movies of 2010

8 Dec 2010: It was a reasonable year for movies - no, come to think of it, a good year. Here are my nine favourites, with their trailers.