
Tag: review
Top Gun: Maverick – Film Review

Despite my usual cynicism about sequels and nostalgia, I thoroughly enjoyed this exhilarating and refreshingly old-fashioned blockbuster that improves on the original and, despite all odds, doesn’t feel like a shameless cash grab.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie – Book Review

A fun collection of crimes solved by the one and only Hercule Poirot, with a bonus Miss Marple short story. I was slightly disappointed that only one of the stories is actually set at Christmas.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami – Book Review

I meant to read Murakami for ages and ages, so I finally got started with this novel that propelled the Japanese writer into literary superstardom.
Lifeboat – Film Review

A lesser-known Hitchcock movie about survivors of a German U-boat attack during World War II, this tense survival thriller, set almost entirely aboard a tiny lifeboat, definitely deserves more love and attention.
MSO: The Music of John Williams @ Hamer Hall

I was already plenty pumped to hear the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra play John Williams’ greatest hits, but this special celebration of the 90th birthday of the film score maestro turned out to be even more magical.
Upheaval by Jared Diamond – Book Review

How do nations cope with crisis and change? In this brilliant book, the author, historian and geographer Jared Diamond examines how six modern countries have dealt with a crisis, and looks at the crises currently unfolding in contemporary Japan, his home country the USA, and the world at large. Read more
The Exorcist – Film Review

By today’s desensitised standards, this horror classic – often cited as the Scariest Movie of All Time – is kinda dated, kinda slow and not that terribly scary. But its most notorious scenes and moments still have a power to disturb.
Petite Maman – Film Review

In this era of overlong and overstuffed movies, it’s nice to see a very simple story told well in under two hours, like this tender, sensitive and gentle modern fairytale from the French filmmaker CĂ©line Sciamma.
The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie – Book Review
