The original Cars of 2006 was Pixar animation's least fulfilling film with a laboured story and a look that never let you forget you were watching a cartoon.

Jazz and metal are linked by the fact that when they are played at their best they are both adventurous, fiery forms of music.

On her debut album, gutsy but dainty Wellington singer-songwriter Janina explores her life lessons through her three loves - classical music, rock 'n' roll and clever writing.

Whoever thought there was promise in this story idea should have baled out at script stage and saved a million dollars or so.

Jools and Lynda Topp's Pakuranga Bowling Club alter egos almost brought the Civic's roof down.

Their dalliances with Josh Homme as producer on third and previous album Humbug might have set out to prove the Arctic Monkeys didn't want to be limited to writing toe-tapping tunes about life down the chip shop.

It's surprising, given Jon Toogood has been making a rock 'n' roll racket for more than 20 years now, that he's never ventured out on his skinny little lonesome.

Heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship.

The Girl In The Polka-dot Dress could be described as a "road novel", since most of the action takes place on the freeways of America as Harold Grasse drives his newly bought, second-hand camper from Maryland to California in the 1960s.

Two middle-aged ladies are central to Alan Bennett's reflective pair of comedies in Smut.

When Michael King died in a road accident in 2004 at the age of 58, New Zealand lost one of its most admired writers and this collection, edited by his novelist daughter Rachael King, reminds us how he earned his reputation.

Tanya Moir's first novel is an example of historical fiction that brings to life a moment in time in a way that is graceful and thoughtful.

When anyone precious dies, most people attempt to keep their memory alive. This can be done by using their name a lot. Valuing the things they once touched. Or even wore.

Inkinen puts his stamp on contrasting NZSO offerings.

Beethoven was a man of volatile emotions, a personality trait that, a few years ago, was attributed to lead poisoning. More recently, such theories have been quashed, but there is no denying that Ludwig was an irascible chap.

It's 30 years since this Australian pub rock-meets-synth rock band changed their name from Flowers to Icehouse.

Ed Helms, the uptight guy from The Hangover films, gets further typecast in this smutty, sweet indie comedy.

This knockabout British comedy has good intentions: to confront the horrors of Arab-Israeli relations by laughing at them.

This earnest but rather stilted historical drama is the first production by The American Film Company, founded in 2008 by internet stockbroking billionaire (and Chicago Cubs owner) Joe Ricketts.

After a weightless galaxy-soaring opener, hip-hop dance three-piece Kidz in Space throw their debut album a few hard punches, and raise burning questions over how to define them - heavy pop, strobe-lit hip-hop, Kiwi-Brit rap?

The previous album by this Auckland-based four-piece, Cross Your Heart, announced a heartland country-rock band in the Warratahs' lineage, but one given a slightly more alt.country twist.

"Art," intones Misha, one of this movie's two main characters, "is way of seeing; it is both gift and curse."

Russell Baillie reviews the highly anticipated Green Lantern movie directed by Kiwi Martin Campbell and starring Ryan Reynolds.

If the 2009 debut from London's Durham clan was the soundtrack to a very cool 1950s' school dance, then follow up Smoking in Heaven is a more rollicking and reckless knees-up for grown-ups.