Movie review - "People we meet on Vacation" (2026) **

 Disappointing. Really good idea - When Harry Met Sally only vacation - has some pretty pictures andlocation work, but sinks on the lack of chemistry between stars Tom Blyth and Emily Bader. They struggle to convey why they are friends, what they see in each other, any sort of attraction. It just doesn't work.

Gwyneth Paltrow Top Ten

 1) Shakespeare in Love (1998) - still a good movie

2) Seven (1995) - very sweet in a movie that needed sweetness

3) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - really solid

4) Sliding Doors (1998) - a film about a girl who gets a haircut but very good 

5) Bounce (2000) - a forgotten film but she's very good

6) Glee (2010-11) - her stint on this was funny

7)  The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) - peak decent Miramax

8) Emma (1998) - not as good as Alicia Silvertone but likeable

9) Iron Man (2008) - not much of a role but one of these films should be on this list

10) Shallow Hal (2001) - I liked her in this, honest! 

Play review - "Natural Affection" by William Inge (1963)

 Inge's second flop, following on from A Loss of Roses. It's about a troubled teen who stays with his monther and her lover. She's a dreamer who can't resist dick, the boy is senstive, all that stuff.

It's a jolt to read Inge in a city (Chicago). Audiences reacted poorly in part because of that but also the sex and violence - the kid turns into a murderer at the end of a random woman. The work compels interest but you are aware it would need careful direction. 

Book review - "How to Survive a Killer Musical: Agony and Ecstasy on the Road to Broadway" by Douglas J. Cohen

 The story of writing and producing a musical based on William Goldman's No Way to Treat a Lady 0 I was unaware this existed, as in the musical, although I'm a Goldman fan. It has had several productions around the world and made some coin.

The book is kind of interesting - no big epic dramas, not really, a lot of trudge and hard work, some personality clashes. Cohen's always pushing sh*t uphill basically. The work is always being tinkered with.

Goldman plays a decent part in the book - he asks for a big fat cut of the money, though he does ease off later on to help out. And he makes a creative contribution. People like Sondheim and Frank Rich offer thoughts. 

A welcome addition to Broadway books because it does feel more realistic. It's mostly about a lot of hard work and medium success rather than a huge flop or a huge bomb. 

Book review - "The Man with the Getaway Face" by Richard Stark (1963)

 The second Parker has him get plastic surgery, then go off to commit one of his heists but the second half turns into a saga about who killed his plastic surgeon. Interesting concepts of honour. The loyal chauffeur is an interesting character too.

TV review - "Stranger Things - Season 5" (2025) ***

 As good a job as you could expect considering all the balls they had to juggle and characters to service. Some of the acting is variable but the weaker ones are protected well and there's some stand out youngsters like Maya Hawke. Impressive effects. Lotsa money. Bad haircuts. Be interesting to see which of the cast will kick on and who won't.

Movie review - "The Best of Friends" (1981)

 Famous Aussie flop though the set up is excellent: two best friends of 20 years hook up one night and she gets pregnant and it changes things.

The script was highly regarded but has flaws. It needed to spend more time setting up the friendship of the two - like When Harry Met Sally began with the two friends meeting. A little montage or some set up scenes would've worked wonders. Establish their ground rules, set up how it works, etc As it is they root 15 minutes in which is too early.

Graeme Blundell is ideally cast as they guy but Angela Punch McGregor  is hideously miscast in a role that needed Jackie Weaver or anyone skilled with comedy - Pamela Stephenson, Kate Fitzpatrick, Robyn Nevin. 

Another problem is the second half of the film dispenses with the central concept - can friends make it as a couple - and becomes about the difficulty of a woman dating a Catholic.