FILM REVIEW: Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy starring Renee Zellweger, Leo Woodall & Chiwetel Ejiofor

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

The return of Bridget Jones in this 1st film in the series for more than 8 years is like the reappearance of an old friend and, while we were expecting the laughs it conjured, we had quite no idea just how moved by it we would be.

  • Read on for reasons including how we we couldn’t help but think how surprisingly charming, life-affirming and sparkling this was
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Seagull starring Cate Blanchett, Emma Corrin & Tanya Reynolds at the Barbican Centre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHEN? Friday 28 February 2025, runs through 5 April 2025 RUNTIME: 180 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Zachary Hart (The Constituent, Old Vic) plays the besotted Simon Medvedenko, arrives onstage on a quad bike with a guitar and performs Billy Bragg‘s The Milkman Of Human Kindness and we’re already in floods of tears because, like Chekhov’s gun, we know what’s to come.

  • Read on for reasons including how Blanchett’s Arkadina is extraordinarily monstrous without unbalancing this production
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SONG OF THE MONTH: Abracadabra by Lady Gaga (March 2025)

WORTH A LOOK? *****

Mother Monster’s best single since Born This Way in 2011 finds her experimenting with industrial house and sampling/giving songwriting credits to Siouxsie and The Banshees as she tees up new album Mayhem.

  • Read on for reasons including how we haven’t been this excited in years for a new Gaga album
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FILM REVIEW: A Real Pain starring Kieran Culkin & Jesse Eisenberg

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2 RUNTIME: 90 minutes

Culkin won a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe and is nominated for an Oscar in the same category while his co-star Jesse Eisenberg who wrote and directed this quiet gem of a movie receives a similar Best Original Screenplay nod.

  • Read on for reasons including how this elegant film is both brief and hard-hitting
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FILM REVIEW: Queer starring Daniel Craig & Drew Starkey

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

It’s been quite the year for director Luca Guadagnino who helmed 2 of the hottest films of 2024 with this following tennis love match Challengers.

  • Read on for reasons including how former Bond Craig has succeeded in shaking off the baggage associated with that iconic role with this slow burn hit
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THEATRE REVIEW: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof starring Daisy Edgar Jones at the Almeida Theatre

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHEN?: Friday 27 December 2024, runs through 1 February 2025 RUNTIME: 180 minutes (including 2 intervals)

There’s a ghost at the piano in Rebecca Frecknall’s (A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida) take on Tennessee Williams’ favourite of all his acclaimed plays who may be Skipper, whose love dared speak its name to ageing football jock Brick, but was rebuffed.

  • Read on for reasons including how Frecknall’s treatment of the material emphasises Maggie’s agency and, stylistically, it’s an absolute triumph
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AWARDS: Winners of the 2024 monstas are …

monstagigz readers have been voting throughout October, November and December for their favourite pop, theatre, TV, film and podcasts of 2024 from our shortlists. Read on for details of our 2024 10th annual monstas winners …

  • Read on for reasons including the winners of our 17 monstas for the best theatre, pop, TV, film and podcasts of 2024
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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Wicked (Part 1) by cast including Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande (December 2024)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

Tracklist: No One Mourns the Wicked; Dear Old Shiz; The Wizard And I; What Is This Feeling?; Something Bad; Dancing Through Life; Popular; I’m Not That Girl; One Short Day; A Sentimental Man; Defying Gravity

Splitting the theatrical musical of Wicked into 2 movies was a controversial but genius decision.

  • Read on for reasons including how this soundtrack album surpasses expectations
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actor of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best TV/Film Actress of 2024

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.

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