Through the Wall
Looking for Love...
The Worst of TV
Let’s face it, 2016 has been an awful year. To be honest, this section could easily just be ‘The News’. But, the shitiness of reality does not excuse the shitiness of art. So, let’s examine some of the attrocities commited in the name of ‘entertainment’ on the small screen this year.
The Best of TV
But, let’s avoid ending on a sour note. Despite everything, 2016 has been a remarkably good year for television. In fact, so much so that narrowing this down to just five was quite the challenge. So, in case you missed them, here are the highest highs of the year’s offerings.
Crowning Glory | The Crown
The Crown takes a rare look at the formative years of Queen Elizabeth, and chronicles the royal family’s escapades through the 20th century. Does it stack up well? Or is is just aimless royalty-porn?
The Unknown Girl ties everything up in the end
The Dardenne brothers tie together multiple plot lines like a beautiful bow on a Christmas present
The sound and the fury of Spike Lee
Chi-Raq marks a return to form for Spike Lee, and its breathless anger is urgently needed in these troubled times.
The Grand Tour
Despite its flaws, The Grand Tour is an amicable successor to the Top Gear of old
The disquieting strangeness of Blue Velvet
David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, being reissued for the 30th anniversary this month, introduced the world to the themes that would run through the director’s work for the next three decades. A stunning world of glamour and grime, Blue Velvet is a masterpiece.
Moana
Moana, the latest offering from Disney, eschews the traditional princess story, in favour of a sunny escape from the miseries of 2016
Invasion!
The real fun is in seeing the different characters interact
Documentary Corner | Citizenfour
Ben Collier reviews a film that will send chills down your spine
Working Girls | The Girlfriend Experience
The Girlfriend Experience is an intriguing look at the widely acknowledged problem to student finance and how far people have to go to pay it off. So, does this TV drama do justice to it’s weighty topic?