The Jungle Book (2016)

Many an evening growing up was spent watching the 1967 Disney animation of the same name. There was magic in the creatures cavorting across the screen and the songs were unforgettable. It was with some trepidation then that I watched the 2016 reboot, however I could not have been more pleased. Plot-wise, there are similarities with [...]

Making the Jack Skellington Mask

We were invited to a Halloween party this past weekend and, as soon as I heard there would be fancy dress, I couldn't resist trying to make my own mask. Given that my last laughable attempt at a mask was Felix Morton from The Dream Machine, I knew I would need some professional help. Ultimate Paper [...]

#WeekendCoffeeShare: The Elephant in the Room

I don't think my family read the blog but this is now common knowledge to immediate family anyway. I'm sharing it because as a society we don't talk about these things nearly enough. I don't intend embarrassment or shame, and there really shouldn't be any. Either way, whoever reads this, please tread softly out of respect for [...]

Project Ghibli #8: Grave of the Fireflies

Original Release: 16th April 1988 Director(s): Isao Takahata Producer(s): Toru Hara Screenwriter(s): Isao Takahata Alternative Title(s): Apologies, we're late again with this entry. In truth though, neither of us could stomach watching this one over the weekend. Released as a double feature with the next film in our series, the two couldn't be more different. Grave of the Fireflies is [...]

The Guest Cat – Takashi Hiraide (2014)

The Guest Cat is another book I fondled in a bookshop not long ago. I didn't buy it at the time, but the premise intrigued me and I discovered we actually own a copy when I went looking for another short read from those on our poor overburdened shelves. We're introduced to a mild-mannered husband and [...]

Project Ghibli #7: Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Original Release: 02nd August 1986 Director(s): Hayao Miyazaki Producer(s): Isao Takahata Screenwriter(s): Hayao Miyazaki Alternative Title(s): The success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind afforded Director Hayao Miyazaki and Producer Toshio Suzuki, with some additional financial backing, to strike out on their own with the formation of Studio Ghibli in June 1985. Suzuki was Editor of Animage [...]

South Coast 100km Ultra Challenge

At the end of August I completed another Action Challenge Ultra Challenge: the South Coast Challenge between Eastbourne and Arundel. This was another 100km walk and my second this year. I was actually quite nervous going in as I really hadn't done any training like I had for London2Cambridge or London2Brighton. In all honesty I [...]

A visit to Eshott Hall, Northumberland

Today, exactly one year ago, my good friend Emma married her dashing husband Stuart at Eshott Hall, Northumberland. We had a wonderful time celebrating with the newlyweds and it seems like the last year has gone by in the blink of an eye. It's a bittersweet memory as we returned home to find Marmalade missing, [...]

Project Ghibli #6: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Original Release: 11th March 1984 Director(s): Hayao Miyazaki Producer(s): Isao Takahata Screenwriter(s): Hayao Miyazaki Alternative Title(s): We've had a busy couple of weeks, but time to pick up where we left off with the next instalment in our series. We're entering more recognisable territory here with Nausicaä being affectionately considered the beginning of Studio Ghibli, despite being released before its official founding [...]

Grief is the Thing with Feathers – Max Porter (2015)

I picked up this book yesterday and so begins the first of hopefully several bookish reviews on this blog. I haven't read a thing for ages and I have a growing stack of books Lizzie wants me to read, but when I saw this book it just called out to me. I demolished it in [...]