Tim Soutphommasane continues his reign of error with this new book, Reclaiming Patriotism: nation building for Australian progressives, writes Guy Rundle.
Reviews 
Guy Rundle: Friday book review: Reclaiming Patriotism
Film review: Paranormal Activity — no frills fear
Paranormal Activity is a no frills camcorder-shot thriller that cost around US$11,000 to make. So far it’s pocketed more than US$100 million, with much more business to come. But is it any good? Luke Buckmaster checks it out.
Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue: the reviews are in…
The most highly-anticipated book of the year, Going Rogue by former Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin is about to hit shelves, and the critics have weighed in. Is it scandalous? Insightful? Coherent? The WSJ wraps the coverage.
Film review: 2012 — die-hard disaster porn
The plot may be clunky and the science very sketchy, but in strictly visual terms, 2012 is simply the most spectacular disaster picture ever made, says Luke Buckmaster. Full-blown cinematic sadism.
Film review: A Christmas Carol
Luke Buckmaster looks at the latest retelling of Dickins’ classic A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey (aided by a thick sheen of CGI profiling): one of the best big-screen versions yet, and easily one of the best-looking features of the year.
Guy Rundle: The long, plodding March of Patriots
Guy Rundle reviews Paul Kelly’s new book, The March of Patriots: the literary equivalent of cleaning out the garage on a grey Saturday afternoon.
Film review: This Is It
The documentary of Michael Jackson’s concert-that-never-was, This Is It might be smashing box office records around the world, but the film’s lack of commentary, insight and context will make it a struggle for most to sit through, says Luke Buckmaster. One for the fans.
Film review: Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story
Capitalism: A Love Story is not Michael Moore’s best film, says Luke Buckmaster, but it’s a solid addition to his body of work, and a vintage Moore exposé that fits his battlin’-for-the-small-guys shtick like a glove.
Michael Jackson’s This Is It: the reviews are in…
With the release of the much (over?) hyped doco of Michael Jackson’s final concert, This Is It, MTV has a roundup of some of the world’s most critical reviews. Is it a Thriller, or just plain Bad?
The Kindle in Australia: the good, the bad and the crippling
Stubborn Mule is one the Australians who snapped up a Kindle as soon as it became available on our shores. It may be a whizz-bang bit of tech, but there are some pretty significant limitations placed on the Aussie version. So is it worth it?
Album review: Martha Wainwright’s Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, A Paris
Martha Wainwright’s new live album sees the folk chanteuse breathe new life into a collection of (mostly obscure) Edith Piaf songs, says Tim Dunlop.
Film review: Into the Shadows
Luke Buckmaster reviews Into the Shadows: a dense and compelling documentary about the beleaguered state of the Australian film industry. Required viewing for those interested in the business side of Australian cinema.
Guy Rundle: Review: Noel Pearson’s Radical Hope
Noel Pearson’s new essay could have given been a compelling argument for a new education approach. Instead, he indulged himself in a new airing of old obsessions.
John Safran’s Race Relations pulls it off. Just.
Former ABC religion reporter Peter Kirkwood reviews John Safran’s controversial new show, Race Relations: Safran may be the ” “holy fool” of secular culture, but he gets away with it.
Film review: The Box
Luke Buckmaster reviews the latest flick from director Richard Kelly (Donny Darko), The Box: an experience simultaneously compelling, befuddling, audacious and frustratingly disjointed.
Film review: Astro Boy: new-fangled retro fun
Astro Boy defies the unbelievably low standards set by the cinematic forays of his retro toon colleagues in this new-fangled big screen reboot, says Luke Buckmaster.
Film review: The Final Destination
Luke Buckmaster reviews new 3D horror/slasher flick, The Final Destination: a diabolically fun no-brainer that makes for fast, lean and mean trashy entertainment.
Where the Wild Things Are: what the critics say
Film critics reactions to the highly anticipated film adaption of classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are have been mixed. Luke Buckmaster wraps the reactions.
Film review: Julie and Julia
New Meryl Streep-fronted flick Julie and Julia centres around two unprepossessing chefs who write about cooking. There’s potential for a tasty dish, says Luke Buckmaster, but the film is under-cooked, lacks flavour, and has lacklustre ingredients.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s Friday Book Review: The Land of Green Plums
Big Les Murray has been dudded again after the Nobel Prize for Literature went to Romanian-born German language poet Herta Mueller, writes Guy Rundle.
Film review: Mao’s Last Dancer
Luke Buckmaster reviews Bruce Beresford’s new flick Mao’s Last Dancer: an uplifting biopic that left him feeling so lazy, he went to the gym for a workout afterwards.
The 100 worst movies of the last 10 years
Another decade is almost over, and Rotten Tomatoes is looking back at the films that really stunk up the silver screen throughout the naughties, based on critics’ reviews.
Up and away in Pixar’s beautiful new film
Like the best all-ages animation, Up mingles serious concepts into whimsical situations. It’s consistently entertaining from first frame to last but it’s also worthy of cinema studies-style analysis, says Luke Buckmaster.
New Yorker, the fashion edition
With New York fashion week happening RIGHT NOW, Lee Tran Lam digests the New Yorker’s annual style issue. Particularly notable, a “sassifying” interior decorator with a penchant for “muchness”.
“Who’s Jude?” Kids review The Beatles
The Beatles: you know they’re the most important band in the history of modern pop music — but most kids today have never heard of them. So what do the High School Music generation reckon when hearing the Fab Four for the first time?
