Darrell vs The World

There's not much in the cinemas at this time of year that interests me a lot, maybe because I'm becoming a bit of a snob. The Oscar cycle means that most studio features by big name directors are held back until the end of the calendar year, which leaves a bit of a drought of great studio films mid-year, with some notable exceptions (foreign and indie films included). But here are the five films I'm most highly anticipating: 5. The Ides of March - directed by and starring George Clooney, who showed he is a very capable director with Good Night, and Good Luck , as an aspiring Democratic presidential candidate - sounds a bit West Wingish. Coming late 2011. 4. J.Edgar - this biopic is in the very capable hands of the legendary Clint Eastwood, and will star DiCaprio outside of his familiar Scorcese territory. Late 2011. 3. Moneyball - a comedy-drama about a baseball miracle story, written by Aaron Sorkin of West Wing and Social Network fame, and starring Brad Pitt, Philip ...

I've been a big Ben Folds fan for a couple of years now - I've got pretty much everything he's recorded, even the obscure stuff. Which is why last night's concert at Canberra's Royal Theatre was so satisfying: Folds doesn't build his set around his big radio hits - in fact, Brick and Rockin' the Suburbs, perhaps his two most mainstream hits, were nowhere to be heard, not even in the encore. It was a night for the fans, who know and appreciate his clever and cheeky while poetic lyrics and his powerful piano solos. He paused before Effington to explain the Lydian mode; he reminded us that he was about to play a song in F -"that's one flat, everyone." His unique nerdy style went down great with his audience, young nerdy guys and their young nerdy girlfriends, and young nerdier guys who are so nerdy they don't even have girlfriends (like yours truly). It was an intimate concert - he got up and took requests, sending his band offstage to re...