It’s taken a while but here are my live musical highlights of 2019.
Blundering through the mud-encrusted trenches by Richard Jones
A look at 1917 (MA 15+)
Director Sam Mendes had a large movie portfolio behind him before his interest in World War 1 was sparked by an ageing family member.
Some years back his paternal grandfather, Alfred Mendes, told him a tale about a young soldier instructed to cross enemy lines, alone, to alert a fellow-British outfit they were about to run into a carefully staged German trap. So Mendes took up the story although instead of a single soldier entrusted with the information he enlists two. Continue reading
Trying to milk the conman narrative by Richard Jones
A look at The Good Liar (MA 15+)
You’d think with mega-stars Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen in the two leading roles a movie focussing on rip-offs and cons would be a sure-fire hit. Well, almost but not quite. It’s a near miss with some intriguing off-shoots. Continue reading
A case of betraying government for her country by Richard Jones
A look at Official Secrets (MA 15+)
Every now and then we go to a movie not expecting all that much, but certainly hoping to be entertained. Such was the case with Official Secrets. Continue reading
Best song list of 2019 by Song List Rat
Cometh the moment cometh the woman.
The sudden cancellation of Tennessee Fender Telecaster goddess Julien Baker at Chevron Gardens for the Perth Festival left Julia Jacklin alone to fill the bill.
My top 12* songs of 2019 by Rick Kane
The wait is over. Rick has put in the work. We get a cool play-list for our next gathering or drive. It’s the trickle down effect in operation. Continue reading
Best movies for 2019 by Richard Jones
We had a bit of a blank stretch through October and November but still managed close to our normal annual tally of 30 movies. And there were a few trips to mainstream cinemas during school holiday periods to keep the granddaughters entertained. Not surprisingly, those films such as Ralph Breaks The Internet, Dumbo and Secret Life Of Pets don’t make this Top Ten list. Continue reading
The 2019 lists by Vin Maskell
Reading
Death Of A Typographer by Nick Gadd
You like fonts? You like murder mysteries? You like 1970s Dutch prog rock? You’ll love Melbourne writer Nick Gadd’s second novel. ‘Clever, witty and very stylish,’ said The Age. Lots of fun. Continue reading
Some observations on 2019 by Nick Gye
When Scott Walker (above) died just over a year after Mark E Smith it seemed as though the stitches that held the universe together in some short of shape had started to fray. I have written about both of them on this website as it happens.
Best of 19’s crime by David Wish-Wilson
This year has been a good one for crime reading, with some favourite new novels out by Adrian McKinty The Chain, Emma Viskic Darkness for Light, Dave Warner River of Salt, Garry Disher Peace and Jock Serong Preservation. For my Christmas reading, I’m looking forward to cracking into Sticking It to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950 to 1980, edited by Andrew Nette & Iain McIntyre, following their earlier pulp collaboration – Girl Gangs, Biker Boys, and Real Cool Cats: Pulp Fiction and Youth Culture, 1950 to 1980. I’ve got a chapter in the new book, but I know I’m going to love the range, research and comment across the whole thing. Continue reading
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