Comedy, Niki Boyle

Dylan Moran discusses RockNess, stand-up and his next film, Calvary

The Irish comic headlines the comedy stage at RockNess 2013

You’re one of the headliners in the RockNess comedy tent this year – are you much of a festival-goer? I have been over the years – I mean I’ve been to loads of them but it’s generally because I’m on, you know? You can’t really generalise about them…

A guide to cheap deals for students in Glasgow and Edinburgh

A quick guide on where to go for cheap films, music, travel, tech and more

We all know money can be tight as a student, so Niki Boyle and Suzanne Neilson do their homework and find you the cheapest tickets, greatest deals and biggest bargains CHEAP FILM The upsurge in movie piracy has led to a cinema industry eager to…

The History of Future Folk

Charming but slight sci-fi music comedy in the vein of Flight of the Conchords

Cosmic-folk twosome Future Folk started life on the underground New York music scene, playing acoustic guitar-and-banjo tunes with sci-fi lyrics to crowds of bemused punters. The gentle whimsy and a focus on music rather than jokes puts their foot…

Hogmanay 2012: Glasgow and Edinburgh events round-up

A round up of the best New Year events outside of Edinburgh’s official Hogmanay celebrations

In Glasgow, there’s a whole programme of events on Hogmanay Day (George Square, 31 Dec), featuring kids’ storytelling, highland dancing and traditional/ceilidh music. There’ll also be a touch of trad at the Ashton Lane Street Party (31 Dec), courtesy of…

Ross Noble stars in killer clown comedy-horror Stitches - interview

The comedian discusses gory prosthetics, gruesome effects and Edwina Currie

Actors often complain about how long they have to spend in the make-up chair – how was that for you on the Stitches set? Oh, that does my head in! It absolutely does my head in! When people go, ‘Oh, god knows, I had to sit there and have prosthetic…

5 Things - Masks

We select our five favourite mask wearers, including MF Doom, Daft Punk, Zorro and Rubberbandits

Phantom of the Opera An interesting choice of shape – surely it takes more effort to buy a whole mask and cut a bit out? Is your cheek that attractive?

Blancanieves

1920s set silent take on the Snow White story, with seven bullfighting dwarves

It’s going to be difficult to get through a review of Blancanieves without mentioning The Artist, so let’s get it out of the way now. Both films are European, black and white, reduced format silent films in romanticised 20th century period settings.

Spring Breakers

Harmony Korine's ludicrously bad drama about four girls gone wild on spring break

Incoherent, brash and self-consciously 'arthouse' in execution, Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers is an intriguing cinematic spectacle: an awful film that seems aware – nay, aggressively boastful – of its own awfulness. It follows a quartet of…

Stitches

Poorly handled killer clown comedy-horror starring Ross Noble

Teenager Tom (Tommy Knight) is an uptight, nervous wreck. After a traumatic experience at a childhood birthday party, at which a scuzzy kids’ entertainer named Stitches (Ross Noble) was accidentally killed, he’s grown up to be a pill-popping neurotic…

Hot 100 2012: 29-20

Chvrches, Cora Bissett and Grant Morrison among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Hot 100 2012: 59-50

Billy Connolly, Optimo and Kevin Bridges among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Hot 100 2012: 89-80

Daniel Sloss, Canongate and Julie Fowlis among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Grassroots

Eminently dislikeable political comedy starring Jason Biggs

There’s a lot of things going for Grassroots. It’s a political comedy timed for release when US election fervour is at its peak; it focuses on the same type of community-led campaigning that won Barack Obama his first term; it has the feelgood status of…

Keith Lemon: The Film

Atrocious feature-length character comedy from Leigh Francis

Keef Lemon (his real name’s Leigh Francis, innit?) is ‘avin’ this dream where he’s shaggin’ Kelly Brook (bang tidy!) right but then he wakes up and realises it was just a dream an’ he’s actually in that London to sell his invention, the SecuriPole…

John Dies at the End

Self-conciously bizarre cult comedy offering from director Don Coscarelli

Penned by Senior Editor at Cracked.com David Wong (real name Jason Pargin), the 2009 novel John Dies at the End was a comedy-horror tornado of cultural references, paranormality and winking self-awareness. Cult filmmaker Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, Bubba…

Spring culture preview 2013

Nick Evans: Solar Eyes Evans' forthcoming solo show features a new set of his striking amorphic white plaster sculptures. The most ambitious is a large architectural complex which mimics the geometry of an Aztec temple. Evans' fascination with motifs…

Hot 100 2012: 10-2

John Tiffany, Andy Murray and Luke Fowler among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Hot 100 2012: 49-40

FOUND, Paul Brannigan and Kerry Hudson among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Hot 100 2012: 69-60

Rachel Sermanni, Limmy and Peter Capaldi among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors in 2012

The Hot 100 is our list of Scotland’s 100 hottest individuals and groups who’ve made a splash this year, from comic book writers to comedians, artists to actors. If they've contributed to Scotland's cultural landscape in 2012, you'll find them here.

Starbuck

Likeable but flawed comedy drama about a prolific sperm donor

David Wozniak (Patrick Huard) is a loser. He works – barely – at his dad’s butcher shop; he neglects his girlfriend Valerie (Julie LeBreton); he’s borrowed money from gangsters to start his own domestic pot farm, and is unable to pay it back. On top of…

Comedian Scott Capurro on Blanchett, Bowie and Barbara Streisand

First record you ever bought Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack. Last extravagant purchase you made Green loafers from Paul Smith. First film you saw that really moved you Sounder (1972). Last lie you told Life begins at 50. First movie you…

A Few Best Men

Risible UK/Australian comedy rife with missed opportunities

David (the improbably named Xavier Samuel) returns to London following a backpacking jaunt down under. It’s only temporary though – while abroad he met the love of his life, Mia (Laura Brent), and impulsively proposed to her. He’s come back to ask his…

Luke Benson - Backseat Hero

Deadpan delivery and thin material get lost in the void

Bravely diverging from the ‘genial Geordie’ archetype, Luke Benson (aka Skywalker aka The Bensonator) has a deadpan, monotone delivery that fits well with his tales of urban discontent and gangly outsiderness (he’s 6’ 7”). Unfortunately this nuance is…

Al Pitcher - Tiny Triumphs

A funny if unchallenging appreciation of life’s little amusements

Most people are too busy to stop and appreciate life’s small absurdities, but not Al Pitcher. He spends his days taking photos of things that amuse him, then presents a slideshow of his results at that evening’s performance. It’s a performance style…

Going Green the Wong Way

Joyous but ultimately pointless one-woman eco-show

Joyous but ultimately pointless one-woman eco-show Displaced San Franciscan Katrina Wong is a dedicated environmentalist: her school-age performance poetry about the rape of Mother Earth gave way to her first job canvassing for conservationist…