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"I wondered if sometimes the difference between a psychopath in Broadmoor and a psychopath on Wall Street was the luck of being born into a stable, rich family.” Jon Ronson is an investigative journalist who shot to fame when his first book 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' became not only a best-seller, but also a major Hollywood film starring George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey. Quite the cast. Here he turns his microscope to what it means to be conside

If you're anything like me, you probably haven't given much thought to how the food actually gets to your plate when ordering in a restaurant. You sit down, you eat, you drink, you soak in the atmosphere, you pay and you leave - either satisfied or not. What doesn't occur is the absolute miracle that has taken place behind those swinging doors for this experience to even take place at all.  Anthony Bourdain's 'Kitchen Confidential' came out in the year 2000 to widespread acc

While the world is familiar with Robert Downey Jr, his father is perhaps lesser known. This is both a shame and also the inevitable result of a career which was devoted almost entirely to subversion. Robert Downey Sr was one of the more bizarre filmmakers in history, who developed an absurdist style all of his own and this film explores not only the career of the man but, more importantly, his relationship with his now mega-famous son. 

Ever since her 2010 debut, Janelle Monae has continually pushed the boundaries to what is considered modern soul music. Until his death in 2016, none other than Prince himself took her on as a protégé. Stamps of approval don't come much larger. Personally, I happened to catch her performance at Glastonbury 2024 and was, dare I say, blown away. Did it help that she got her nipple out? Who's to say. However, it was an excellent reminder of her immense skills and I immediately

By 1977, William Friedkin was firmly established in the upper echelons of Hollywood. His two hits, 'The French Connection' (1971) and, most famously, 'The Exorcist' (1973) were both heralded as classics. The latter, of course, being one of the most famous films of all time. Then he wandered off to spend the next few years in five countries on three continents making his next film. The result was 'Sorcerer'.  Allow me for a moment to go on a diatribe about film consumption in

"As long as American life was something to be escaped from, the cartel would always be assured a bottomless pool of new customers."  My introduction to this book was back in 2014, when director Paul Thomas Anderson released the film version. Billed as one of the great modern auteurs adapting one of the most lauded writers in America, the film proved to be pretty loathesome, in my humble and unsolicited opinion. The plot seemed convoluted to the point of being complete nonsen

If you were to rank modern directors, most people would have David Fincher near the top of their list. He is a master, capable of matching style to story while still keeping all the distinctive features that let you know it's a Fincher film. In 2007, he released 'Zodiac' which tells the story of the still unsolved case of the Zodiac killer, who terrorised the San Francisco / Bay Area in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  As with all of Fincher's work, it is exquisitely put tog

You may or may not of heard of Bobbito Garcia and DJ Stretch Armstrong, but if you were in New York City, or in any way involved in Hip Hop in the early 1990s their names were two of the most important in the game. During this time, their radio show was probably the single most vital showcase in the industry. Such was the prestige around it that an appearance on this platform alone could make or break your career. Almost every single one of your favorite artists came throug