The British seaside lies at the centre of an eternal paradox. For those of us toiling away in the big city, rushing off to enjoy sun, sand and seagulls seems an attractive proposition.  Yet, if you grow up by the sea, especially when you hit your teenage years, you cannot wait to run away and [...]

Anyone who has ever had a problem with rats in their home will tell you that it can be a pretty terrifying experience. Many nights spent lying awake in the dark (if you are brave enough to switch the light off that is) listening to scuttling, scratching and gnawing from an unseen invader.  Horrible! So [...]

“I killed my dog. My best friend’s dying of cancer. I’m ****ed,” says angry alcoholic Joseph (Peter Mullan) in ‘Tyrannosaur.’ His words perceptively sum up the grim mood of a film in which the opening moments see Joseph‘s poor canine chum kicked into the next world by his owner. Not the dogs fault; he is [...]

I have not got a bad word to say about Tom Hardy, one of our most promising and talented young actors. He changes not just his persona but also his physical form to suit his roles. Hardy was amazing as the fruit loop convict in ‘Bronson’ and practically stole the show, acting wise at least, [...]

  When you think of the 1970s which images pop into your head?  Glittery disco balls or flared trousers and tank tops, perhaps? There is a flipside to such rose-tinted recollections as the Seventies were also a time of drab brown interiors, too-tight suits and poorly chosen hair-cuts. All these latter items pop up in [...]

The  Underage Festival is back for it’s 5th year this summer and will be held at Victoria Park on Friday 5th August. Exclusively a festival for 13-17 year olds, it prides itself in showcasing up and coming new talent. This years line-up includes  Baio (Vampire Weekend), Janelle Monae, Bombay Bicycle club, CocknBullKid, Ms Dynamite, Roll [...]

Hackney Hive has nothing to do with the all star line up claims.   http://www.hackneyhive.co.uk/index/2011/05/festival-of-yoruba-arts-2011-includes-celeb-line-up/

  ‘Larry Crowne’ sees two of mainstream cinema’s biggest stars come together for only the second time in their careers. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts could easily lay claim to the be the King and Queen of Hollywood, given their long standing box-office appeal and success rate when choosing  hit vehicles for their talents.  The [...]

Several weeks back, whilst waiting to get some money out of the cash-point at the Dalston Junction crossroads, I noticed a dead seagull on the road. It’s a bit rare to see these agile, corpulent birds as victims of city traffic, it must have been kamikaze-diving for some fast food remnants on the road. In [...]

‘The Messenger’ has taken some time to reach our shores. The film was released in the United States in 2009 and Woody Harrelson’s role in it saw him pick up a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2010 Oscars.  Perhaps the delay is due to the fact that ‘The Messenger’ is not an easy sale. [...]