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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THEATRE REVIEW: Brace Brace starring Phil Dunster & Anjana Vasan at the Royal Court

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Saturday 2 November and runs through 9 November 2024 RUNTIME: 70 minutes (without interval)

Dunster (pictured right above) is arguably best known for playing Mancunian striker with a heart Jamie Tartt in Apple’s brilliant comedy Ted Lasso and here shows his versatility as an unsympathetic newlywed who freezes during a plane hijack.

  • Read on for reasons including how this is worth a look for its strong cast bringing more to an implausible script than it merits
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FILM REVIEW: Wicked Little Letters starring Olivia Colman & Jessie Buckley

By Neil Durham

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

WHEN?: Tuesday 20 February 2024, UK release Friday 23 February RUNTIME: 100 minutes

Wicked Little Letters is based on a true story from 1920s England of neighbours Edith Swan and Rose Gooding in the seaside town of Littlehampton when a series of obscene letters begin to target Edith and others, with suspicion falling upon Rose.

  • Read on for reasons including how the quality of the laugh-out-loud trailer is maintained throughout the film
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AWARDS LONGLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film and Podcasts of 2022 so far (part 2 of 2)

You, dear reader, are given the chance to vote in 16 categories from late November this year to tell us your favourite theatre, music, TV, film and podcast of 2022.

  • Read on for reasons including 8 of 16 categories of our Best Theatre, Music, TV, Film and Podcasts of 2022 so far
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TV REVIEW: 6 reasons why you should watch Heartstopper on Netflix

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

Author Alice Oseman’s web comic Heartstopper may have seemed unlikely source material for 2022’s best show of the year so far but below are 6 reasons with clips about why you should catch it on Netflix now.

  • Read on for reasons including Olivia Colman, Fisayo Akinade and a heartwarming first love story
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for January 2022 starring Moulin Rouge

  1. Moulin Rouge at the Piccadilly Theatre

This musical version of the 2001 film won 10 Tonys in 2020 and opened in London in 2021 although Covid delayed its press night and, as we write, it is still in previews with a 1st official night pushed back to 9 January 2022. We hope to visit the jukebox musical ahead of its revised press night and check out our site for a review. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including A Number at the Old Vic, new Years & Years album and Taboo reunion
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for January 2021 starring It’s A Sin

  1. New Russell T. Davies drama It’s A Sin

Years and Years‘ lead singer Olly Alexander stars in T.Davies’ latest 5-parter looking at gay life in London in the 80s. We loved co-star Omari Douglas in Wise Children at the Old Vic in 2018. T. Davies is of course the author behind the generation-defining Queer As Folk. A Channel 4 air date has now been confirmed for 22/1/21.

  • Read on for reasons including the return of the West End, Eurovision finals season and Drag Race UK season 2
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TV REVIEW: The Crown starring Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter, Erin Doherty, Emma Corrin & Gillian Anderson

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHERE?: Netflix from 15/11/20

There can be few women more associated with the 80s than Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher – they are so iconic that it was always going to be difficult to know how one of the most popular series on TV would cope with their arrival.

  • Read on for reasons including how Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson do in the Diana and Margaret roles

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best TV/Film Actress of 2019

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2019? Over the next week we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 14 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2019.

  • Read on for nominees for the monsta for best TV/film actress of the year. 2018 winner: Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born

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Q&A: Josh O’Connor at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival

WHERE? BFI & Radio Times Television Festival

WHEN? 13/4/19 The Durrells airs on ITV at 8pm on Sundays, finishing 12/5/19

Josh O’Connor plays Prince Charles in the next series of Netflix’s The Crown and if he met the royal he would want to compare ear stories.

  • Read on for reasons including what happened when O’Connor auditioned for the film version of Les Miserables

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