To release two albums at the same time is nothing for prolific Japanese experimental noise rock trio Boris, whose sound moves from thrashy punk through to psychedelia and ambient drones.

As a musician, DJ, and owner of record label Hyperdub, Kode 9 (real name Steve Goodman) from Glasgow was one of the pioneers of the dubstep scene in the early 2000s.

For an hour, this debut feature is just a mercilessly cheesy old folks' love story. But then it turns preposterous and, in doing so, displays something suspiciously close to contempt for its audience.

Oscar Wilde's 1895 classic comedy of manners is so well-known that it risks sounding like a dictionary of quotations.

Commonplace books are literary scrapbooks - "salads of many herbs" as one compiler put it. They are eclectic, idiosyncratic repositories of bits and pieces that have taken a person's fancy.

Edna O'Brien turned 80 last year. The energy and immediacy of these 11 stories makes that hard to believe.

The Cure played their first show in the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday night as the centre-piece of Vivid Live

Silo Theatre's ambitious season opening is an all-too-rare opportunity to see the work of an African-American playwright on the Auckland stage.

The opening of Jane Harris' second novel gives little indication of how dark it will become.

It's always been her defence. She was born this way. Born as an egg flanked by male strippers. A raw piece of meat.

Death casts a long, dark shadow across the fourth feature by the Mexican-born director of Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel.

That wimpy kid hasn't toughened up yet but he's back for another round of pre-teen embarrassments, reports Michele Manelis.

Alexandria in the 4th century is the setting for Oscar-winning director Alejandro Amenabar's latest drama.

What a great read. Frances Walsh's book is a fascinating work of New Zealand social history written with wit, intelligence and a refreshing lack of condescension towards the ideas and attitudes of the last century.

It is shorter, slightly less dependent on special effects, comes with vampire mermaids, and a story that can almost be explained. Almost.

Chipper British synth pop might be a common description of new releases these days but Friendly Fires continue to keep it fresh on their second record.

This young rapper and production whiz has an ego the size of Kanye West's - and he's still only 20.

This award-winning Australian folk-rock-blues outfit is much tougher than their fragile name suggests.

Taking a sharp look at humanity's foibles.