Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Lives of Others. Inland Empire. The Fountain. Apocalypto. The Last King of Scotland. Volta – Björk. Boxer – The National. In Rainbows – Radiohead. Untrue – Burial. Fear of a Blank Planet – Porcupine Tree.

All the Presidents’ Men. On the evening of the 17th June 1972, police are called to investigate a possible burglary at the national Democratic National Committee headquarters within the Watergate complex in Washington, DC. New Washington Post journalist, Bob Woodward, is assigned to this seemingly minor story but, after discovering that the five men arrestedContinue reading “The Cinema of 1976.”

All the President’s Men. The Outlaw Josey Wales. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Dersu Uzala. The Scar. Station to Station – David Bowie. 2112 – Rush. Spirit – Earth, Wind & Fire. Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder. Oxygène – Jean Michel Jarre.

January: Poland becomes the first country in Eastern Europe to begin abolishing its state socialist economy, also withdrawing from the Warsaw Pact Glasgow begins its year as European Capital of Culture, the first of the British Isles The first internet companies catering to commercial users, PSINet and EUNet, begin selling internet access to commercial customersContinue reading “The News of 1990.”

Bossanova. Following a short hiatus after the release of 1989’s Doolittle, Pixies return with their third album in as many years, Bossanova. As the old mantra goes, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, and Pixies combine elements of what made their first two records successful to produce what is, unsurprisingly, yet another masterpiece. MyContinue reading “The Sound of 1990.”

Bad Taste. Kaihoro, New Zealand. Barry, Frank, Ozzy and Derek are investigating the disappearance of the town’s population, the former getting chased by an axe-wielding loony for his troubles; though a number of gunshots to the head takes care of that. While Frank and Ozzy drive to the rendezvous, Derek tortures a captured alien psychopathContinue reading “The Cinema of 1990.”

Cinema Paradiso. Bad Taste. Ghost. Dreams. Driving Miss Daisy. Fear of a Black Planet – Public Enemy. Bossanova – Pixies. Repeater – Fugazi. Nowhere – Ride. Canción Animal – Soda Stereo.

Skeleton Tree. Feels like a long time since I last listened to a Nick Cave album; possibly the precursor to Skeleton Tree, 2013’s Push the Sky Away. Though the albums are similar in the use of drum machines and synthesisers, they differ dramatically on the theme front. Cave’s poetic, grief-laden lyrics deal with loss, ultimatelyContinue reading “The Sound of 2016.”

January: Saudi Arabia and several other countries end diplomatic relations with Iran following the execution of religious leader Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr Joaquin Guzmán, the world’s most powerful drug trafficker, is recaptured following his escape from a maximum security prison in Mexico 30 people are killed and 56 injured in terrorist attacks in Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoContinue reading “The News of 2016.”

High-Rise. Dr Robert Laing occupies a dilapidated apartment in an apocalyptic high-rise tower block on the outskirts of London, gladly eating a dog to survive. Three months earlier, Laing was a new resident in the chic, state-of-the-art brainchild of architect and penthouse occupant, Anthony Royal. Other than the business people coming and going to theirContinue reading “The Cinema of 2016.”