Kate Bush's 1982 album 'The Dreaming' contains a hypnotic set of songs, infinitely listenable while at the same time challenging and thrilling in its musical adventurism. Highly recommended.

Jack Hazan's 'A bigger Splash' is a feast for the eye, a part fictional part documentary film about the artist David Hockney and his close circle of friends and lovers. It is a contemplative film, and its atmosphere closely matches Hockney's paintings, which are displayed throughout. If you're looking for a fast paced action packed film this certainly is not it. Recommended, especially for lovers of art.

Antonia Bird's 'Priest' is a small film of rare emotional power, dealing with issues of ageism, sexuality and religious hypocrisy. The aftershock this movie made is still felt today in its censored DVD release, unfortunately the only DVD version on the market at this time. Watching it again after all these years still had a deep impact on me, but I couldn't help but feel cheated out of the seven minutes now missing from the film. An example: the original film contained no frontal male nudity, yet for this DVD release a scene in which Linus Roache's bum was shown had to be edited out in order to save it from the dreaded NC-17 rating. None of the edited material could have been deemed obscene, and I doubt that the kind of people who would object to those scenes would care to watch a film such as this anyway. Hopefully the BBC, who produced the film, will release the DVD in its entirety one day, but despite these changes to the film, its power and message remains undiminished.

It needs to be said that if you have not seen BuckleRoos (the film this documentary is based on) before you view this documentary, your first viewing experience might be a little... distracting! The film is very frank when it comes to the subject matter dealt with, and nudity and outrageousness abound. It however has great replay value, in that as the initial distraction of voyeurism subsides, you really grow to admire and appreciate the personalities who make up the cast of the film. They are human beings doing something very human, although some of them seem surer of why they do what they do than others. I am unsure if I would ever like to own BuckleRoos on DVD, although I would be less sceptical going into it than I would if I bought any random pornographic film, unsure of the conditions and intentions that went into making it. This documentary might be more rewarding in that there is an emphasis on the erotic, rather than something made to provide instant gratification.

Madonna's 'American Life' didn't have a particularly welcome reception by the critics when it first came out, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I put the record on. After giving it numerous spins, however, I can safely say that it is one of most moving albums in the Madonna catalogue. If it is flawed in any way, for its moments of awkwardness or whatever, it seems that the whole is only strengthened by this fact. As masterful as albums like 'Like a Prayer' may be, they contain little barbed wire which actually tears at you and forces you to listen twice, as this record does. A moving, honest and vital record in the Madonalogue - dare I say essential?

'Little Earthquakes' showcases Tori Amos at her most direct and passionate. Many of the songs deal with reclaiming her Soul and voice, as demonstrated on 'Silent All These Years' and 'Me And A Gun', and it is not inconceivable that such songs were written as therapy after the well known incident of violence which was perpetrated against her person and spirit. The CD contains some of her least cryptic lyrics, and is therefore a good introduction to her music, although the recordings which followed were always intriguing and well worth owning.

'Pink Narcissus' is an erotic film of great beauty and artistry. I was first made aware of it by reviews which likened James Bidgood's only film to the works of Kenneth Anger, Jean Genet and Andy Warhol. Nothing, however, could prepare me for the actual viewing of the film.

The central character, played by Bobby Kendall, has constructed a fantasy world of extreme beauty he escapes to on a regular basis. The beauty of this world is of such a nature that the viewer is sucked into it and hypnotized, and consequently the introduction of what goes on outside of his window is truly shocking, with beggars and 'ordinary' citizens appearing almost deformed and monstrous in their lack of refinement.

Despite some of the reviews I've read, I thought there was more than enough of Kendall's physique on display, although in a film such as this it quickly becomes apparent that less is definitely more. A film such as this activates certain parts of the brain made dormant by our demanding culture with its fast-food mentality, and I really didn't want to leave the gem encrusted tunnel I had been surrounded by for 70 minutes after watching it.

There are so many more aspects to this film to discuss. The sets Bidgood designed are truly spectacular, and it's hard to believe that most of it, including the outdoor scenes, were all shot in his 'tiny' apartment. At the end of 'Pink Narcissus' I was saddened that the film was credited to Anonymous, and I couldn't help but wonder what the result would have been if Bidgood had released and edited it himself.

Definitely recommended.

Brilliant understated humor. Despite being a very funny movie, there is also a message of hope to all underdogs out there. A classic, can't wait to own it on DVD.

To me, this is a much stronger documentary film than 'Bowling for Columbine', at once moving, provocative, disturbing and above all very human. For those willing to first see “Fahrenheit 9/11” before judging it, it promises to be a rewarding experience, whatever your political persuasions, and I could imagine that it would serve to strengthen your convictions, to whichever side you might lean (but will hopefully also enlighten). I first saw this movie when it was released on the big screen, but didn't feel able to be completely comprehend it, maybe because I was younger then, and certainly because, at that stage, there was so much going on in US politics before the election, in which George W. Bush again stood in line for the presidency. Well, we all know how that turned out, and after all of the time that has passed since 9/11 this serves as a startling refresher of memory. Well worth owning on DVD.

This is the first CD by Alanis Morissette I've bought. I've always loved the song 'Thank you', and I find the demo version of 'Uninvited' a great bonus to have. Track two still needs to grow on me, though. I might go for some of her full albums next...