Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: a spirited return to Tim Burton’s gothic playground

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-anticipated sequel to his 1988 cult classic, lands with all the macabre flair you’d expect from the director. While the film doesn’t quite capture the lightning-in-a-bottle energy of the original, it’s still a gleefully twisted ride that manages to stay true to its roots while offering up some fresh, if… Continue reading Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: a spirited return to Tim Burton’s gothic playground

Starve Acre: a brooding dive into folk-horror with atmospheric weight, but lacking in scares

In Starve Acre, director Daniel Kokotajlo delivers a haunting, slow-burning folk horror adaptation of Andrew Michael Hurley’s novel. Set in 1970s Yorkshire, the film stars Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark as a grieving couple whose lives unravel as they encounter ancient, malevolent forces lurking beneath their home. Despite its strong performances and eerie atmosphere, Starve… Continue reading Starve Acre: a brooding dive into folk-horror with atmospheric weight, but lacking in scares

Take off your headphones, get out of your head

I didn’t put in my headphones or listen to any music for a week. This is what happened. If you are of my generation (Gen Z), then you have probably been a chronic music listener for as long as you can remember. Since I got my first pair of headphones in my early teens, I have… Continue reading Take off your headphones, get out of your head

What’s the point of art?

One of the great paradoxes of human endeavour is why so much time and effort is spent on creating things and indulging in behaviour with no obvious survival value – behaviour otherwise known as art. Attempting to shed light on this issue is problematic because first we must define precisely what art is. We can… Continue reading What’s the point of art?

As governments crack down on fast fashion’s harms, could Shein lose its shine?

Fast-fashion brand Shein expressed interest last year in listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). But, having met some opposition from US politicians, including Republican Florida senator Marco Rubio, it has now reportedly turned its attention to London. While this would be a boost for the London Stock Exchange (LSE), which has lost several organisations… Continue reading As governments crack down on fast fashion’s harms, could Shein lose its shine?

What 70 years of AI on film can tell us about the human relationship with artificial intelligence

In 2024, AI is making headlines daily. We may be aware of the science, but how do we imagine AI and our relationship to it both now and in the future? Fortunately, film may provide us with some insights. Probably the best-known AI in film is HAL 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). HAL is an… Continue reading What 70 years of AI on film can tell us about the human relationship with artificial intelligence

Hard Graft: a groundbreaking exhibition exploring labour, health and hidden histories

Ernest C Withers, I Am a Man: Sanitation Workers Strike, Memphis, Tennessee, March 28th 1968, 1968. Silver gelatin print © Dr. Ernest C. Withers, Sr. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division / Withers Family Trust

Launching in September 2024, the major free exhibition, Hard Graft: Work, Health and Rights, curated by Cindy Sissokho – recently acclaimed for her work on this year’s French pavilion at the Venice Biennale – will shed light on the often overlooked and undervalued experiences of labour, by highlighting the people whose health and rights are… Continue reading Hard Graft: a groundbreaking exhibition exploring labour, health and hidden histories

Fast fashion: why your online returns may end up in landfill – and what can be done about it

Fashion has a notorious environmental footprint, accounting for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output. This is exacerbated by a fast fashion business model which encourages the frequent purchase of low-priced and non-durable items. Around 30% of online purchases are subsequently returned, much of which goes to landfill. In 2020, an estimated 2.6 million tonnes of returns were disposed of… Continue reading Fast fashion: why your online returns may end up in landfill – and what can be done about it

Daniel Craig to star in ‘Othello’ set during Iraq War; production may begin next year

Daniel Craig’s next cinematic venture appears to be his long-gestating passion project, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello set against the backdrop of the Iraq War. This modern reimagining of the classic play has been in the works for several years, with Craig and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli tirelessly seeking funding and finalizing production details. Craig… Continue reading Daniel Craig to star in ‘Othello’ set during Iraq War; production may begin next year

‘John Wick 5’ set to begin production in 2025 with Keanu Reeves returning

Despite the presumed fate of John Wick in the explosive finale of John Wick: Chapter 4, the indomitable assassin is set to return. Lionsgate has officially confirmed that production on John Wick 5 will commence in 2025, with Keanu Reeves reprising his iconic role. Given the enormous success of John Wick: Chapter 4, which raked… Continue reading ‘John Wick 5’ set to begin production in 2025 with Keanu Reeves returning