Entertainment

Fans of swinging jazz, blues or gospel are in line for a very special treat when highly-acclaimed words-and-music show Café Society Swing hits the Spalding stage later this month.     This feel good show tells the true story of ‘Café Society’, the first racially-desegregated jazz club in New York.   From 1938 to 1949, Café Society played host to ...

The Holbeach Film Company is showing its action thriller Dishonoured on the big screen for one last time.   The aim of the showing is to raise funds to buy additional equipment for its current movie Forever Your Rose.   Dishonoured will be shown on Friday, February 17, at Holbeach Community Centre with the movie starting at around 8pm.   ...

Returning to a cult film some 20 years after its success and delivering a sequel starring the much-loved characters is perhaps as tough as it gets (expectation-wise) in the world of film. But that’s what acclaimed director Danny Boyle chose to do with Trainspotting, a film that is widely recognised as one of the more memorable films of the 1990s. ...

2017 is going to see some momentous occasions in Spalding’s musical history.     Not only is it 50 years since BBQ67 and the second Spalding Beer and Music Festival, but Zebra’s lead guitarist is playing in his last gig on Saturday night at The Granary in Long Sutton.   Phil (Walter Trout) Wright first played with the band 33 years ago and ...

It seems funny to think that Vin Diesel’s first outing as Xander Cage in xXx was 15 long years ago. Billed then as an extreme American take on James Bond, I actually quite enjoyed what was essentially a generic action film that featured a few decent stunts. With Cage announced as “dead” in the 2005 sequel State Of The Union, ...

A top American roots band will be making their debut appearance at the South Holland Centre this month.     Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys play their maiden performance on Sunday, January 29, after two headline slots at the prestigious Celtic Connections Festival.   With roots in the Great Lakes State of Michigan and now based in Nashville, there is ...

An all-star line-up will be featuring in the 60s Spectacular at the South Holland Centre next month – and we have two pairs of tickets to be won.   Live Promotions have put together an electrifying show for the event which takes place on Saturday, February 18.   Topping the bill are the fabulous Merseybeats who are regarded as one ...

When it comes to Ben Affleck-directed films, you’d do well to suggest one that hasn’t been – at least – very good. The Oscar-winning filmmaker’s last two offerings, Argo and the criminally underrated The Town, are both masterpieces in my mind and make me excited for what he might (possibly) do in the director’s seat for The Batman. Affleck’s latest ...

Acclaimed British singer and songwriter Philippa Hanna will be performing in Spalding next month.     The Sheffield-based singer will be bringing her Speed Of Light Acoustic Tour to the Spalding Baptist Church on Thursday, February 16, with doors opening at 7pm.   Her visit is part of a series of performances at church venues across the country following her ...

I’ll be honest with you from the off – I’m both a massive fan of video gaming and the Assassin’s Creed series. I’ve played every mainstream version of the game, which is now easily one of the biggest Triple A franchises on the gaming scene. It’s always stood out as a unique concept that would convert to the big screen, ...

It was hard not to be seduced by the brilliant trailer for Passengers. Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are two of the top actors in the business right now – so putting them in a sci-fi setting was always going to be intriguing for film fans. As it turns out, the Morten Tyldum-directed offering is one of the more difficult ...

Being the first of the all-new Star Wars spinoff films always felt like being quite a big burden for Rogue One to carry from the moment it was announced. It’s the first film in the series not to carry a traditional episode number – and it doesn’t even have the trademark scrolling story at the start (or any Jedi). But ...

It’s very rare that anything positive comes from a plane crash – something painfully highlighted by the recent tragedy in Colombia. However, Sully – the story of the miracle on the Hudson – is one of those rare occasions that a crash (or water landing, as the pilots would insist) managed to create a wave of pride in a post ...

It actually seems like a while since I’ve watched a film set during World War II. One of time’s most harrowing periods has a habit of serving up incredible cinematic moments – and I had high hopes for Allied when the initial trailer dropped. Directed by the legendary Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future) and starring Holywood A-listers Brad Pitt ...

For many cinema-goers, returning to JK Rowling’s wizarding world is probably the highlight of the 2016 calendar. With that kind of hype behind Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, it felt to me like finding critical acclaim was an almost impossible task for four-time Harry Potter director David Yates and the cast. As somebody that didn’t read the books, ...

Those of you that have read my film reviews over the past few years will know that I’m a sucker for a superhero movie. I’m also particularly fond of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the now 14 films that co-exist in the same timeline. Doctor Strange is the first of these films to be a little off my radar, ...

Comedy fans have two chances to catch a fabulous gig by Iranian comedy legend Omid Djalili at the South Holland Centre next month.  The award-winning actor and stand-up superstar’s experience ranges from Hollywood to the West End stage plus a vast array of television, most recently appearing in Sky 1’s successful drama Lucky Man with James Nesbitt. His ‘Schmuck for ...

It occurred to me while watching Arrival that most films involving supposed “aliens” depict them as hostile – and by default I was expecting just a more serious version of Independence Day. To be honest, I couldn’t have been any further off. Don’t get me wrong, I love this genres go-to plot, but Arrival certainly brings something very different to ...

It didn’t receive the greatest critical acclaim, but I thought the 2012 Jack Reacher original was a pretty solid action offering. There was absolutely nothing that we hadn’t seen Jack Bauer, Jason Bourne or James Bond (what is it with action heroes with names beginning with J) do before, but Tom Cruise managed to make the character one that I ...

As somebody that doesn’t read a lot of books, the big screen adaptation of Paula Hawkins hit novel The Girl On The Train only really appeared on my radar a few weeks ago. The trailer grabbed me as this year’s answer to Gone Girl, a thriller with a killer twist that I really enjoyed back in 2015. The Girl On ...