Demob Happy

The fantastic Mr Fox As probably Paul Theroux’s best-known fiction work I’ve long wanted to read ‘Mosquito Coast’, and not just because I am a fan of his grumpy brand of travel writing. A 1980s feature film adaptation – starring Harrison Ford and River Phoenix – left a indelible mark on me, perhaps because, as [...]

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“Can you hear me? Stay calm. Everything will be all right.” 9/10 Bar a few exceptions (Bladerunner being the obvious one) I find the notion of the director’s cut a highly suspicious enterprise, especially from a director whose post-70s output has been so poor. I also hate the extraneous use of CGI effects, which I [...]

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The best summation of Murakami’s talents? 8/10 ‘Dance Dance Dance‘ is probably the ideal place for any Murakami novice to start as it is a compelling summation of the author’s singular moods and preoccupations. It combines some of the themes of grief, loss and memory of novels like ‘Norweigan Wood‘, but less oppressively so, and [...]

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