Category Archives: Blog

Ice Road – film review 2021

Posted on December 18, 2025 by garylongden

Enjoyable Hokum starring Liam Neeson set in Manitoba Canada There are plenty of ice road jeopardy moments- will they go through the ice or won’t they? Of course there are truck and snow mobile chases. This is ice road truckers … Continue reading →

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Downton Abbey- the Grand Finale, Film review

Posted on December 18, 2025 by garylongden

The final instalment of the film trilogy. Languid, and with a fin de siècle air. Writer Julian Fellowes is now almost 76 years old himself. There is an inescapable sense that he is writing not simply about Downton Abbey but … Continue reading →

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Gary’s Oscars- my theatrical Midlands best of 2025

Posted on December 12, 2025 by garylongden

We are so fortunate in the Midlands to have such a diverse range of theatres. I have been equally fortunate to see so many good productions over the year As is traditional ,as the year draws to a close, I … Continue reading →

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Nuremberg – Film review

Posted on November 27, 2025 by garylongden

*****  Essentially a big budget double hander between Russel Crowe as Goering and  the psychiatrist detailed to profile him. Crowe is magnificent as Goering and physically  almost unrecognisable. – The  film which is visually Hollywood glossy at times, interspersed with … Continue reading →

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The Choral- Film review ( 2025)

Posted on November 24, 2025 by garylongden

A fey Alan Bennett penned homage to being British in a very British Film: Amusing, touching and well-crafted. I left feeling sad, elated, enriched and uplifted.  Some reviews have been lukewarm- ignore them. This is superb , poignant ,  a … Continue reading →

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Henry Normal/ Jan Brierton- Buxton Pavilion Arts centre, 20/11/25

Posted on November 21, 2025 by garylongden

– Buxton is colloquially described as a place where winter arrives early and summer arrives late. On a freezing November Thursday evening an audience arriving in coats and scarves were testimony to the fact that winter had arrived. However it … Continue reading →

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La Palma- Netflix mini series

Posted on November 11, 2025 by garylongden

**** An oddity , a big budget Norwegian disaster movie which isn’t a Noire. Four episodes, and under four hours it is tightly scripted, pacy and with enough twists and turns to overcome the fact that we all know that … Continue reading →

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Deliver me From Nowhere- Springsteen Biopic film review

Posted on November 4, 2025 by garylongden

If you like Springsteen you will like this film, if you don’t, you wont. It certainly lacks the crossover appeal of Dylan’s “Complete Unknown”. I have been a fan since Born to Run, fifty years. Essentially this is the story … Continue reading →

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Pin Ups- David Bowie, album review

Posted on November 4, 2025 by garylongden

I bought this on release, and loved it. I still do. – As stand alone interpretations of songs it is hit and miss, as an insight into  what influenced Bowie it is essential and invaluable. – Contemporaneously two factors were … Continue reading →

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Morecambe Poetry Festival 2025

Posted on September 27, 2025 by garylongden

I have attended numerous music festivals, and some Mind Body Spirit festivals , but never a Poetry festival of over a days’ duration. I decided that Morecambe was the perfect opportunity to redress that omission. What follows is not a … Continue reading →

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