The Superbowl: we watch the commercials

Word will have reached across the Atlantic by now of the winner of the 2012 Superbowl, with, despite the game being an American national sport, the New York Giants being proclaimed world champions. This result may be meaningless to many - the easier fluff to engage with is the commercials and of course the half-time act - and was this year brought to us in fine theatrical style by Madonna. As ever with Madonna, the consensus is polarised. She is like the coriander of music, people get volatile over their disdain for her or insist that she is a legend. Whatever your view, both she and an M&M last night declared they were sexy and they know it: My impression, 3 hours in, loaded on Carlsberg and having made a minimal dent in a wagon wheel pizza, was that the ads were underwhelming. I can sleep more soundly tonight knowing … There’s more

Movie Review: Man on a Ledge

It’s difficult to articulate the mood you need to be in to enjoy ‘Man on a Ledge’. You must certainly be in a forgiving mood, or at least one where you have no intention of interrogating a plot that is on quicksand within minutes. Plenty of reviews may take the time to try to put some semblance of order on what goes on; in the spirit of efficiency, it can be summarised by saying the plot has all the sense of a box of kittens. Sam Worthington, as per the instructive title of the movie, sets about to stand on a ledge. A high one. Every strive you might make to analyse the plot beyond this should be a cautionary one.

Pics: Launch of the Song of the Year Category @ The Meteor Choice Music Prize

The inaugural Irish Song of the Year Category for this year’s Meteor Choice Music Prize was launched in style last Thursday night with acoustic performances from four of the nominees - The Kanyu Tree, This Club, Cashier No. 9 and Lisa Hannigan - in the cosy surrounds of the upstairs bar in Doheny & Nesbitt on Baggot Street. 10 songs in all have been shortlisted and are listed after the jump:

CLOSED: Competition: Win tickets to see Fred Cooke’s “Tilted” show in Whelan’s

Fred Cooke brings his new show, ‘Tilted’, to Whelans on February 10th. After his sell-out success in 2011 including a run in Edinburgh, Fred returns with a brand new show to tickle your funny bones once again! Rapidly become a unique stand-up delivering a style of comedy that simply cannot be imitated, Fred is also such a generous guy that he has given us a set of tickets to give away to what we can assure is going to be one of the top shows of the year! To be in with a chance to win all you have to do is say ‘yes please!’ in the comments below. Competition closes at 5pm Thursday 9th February and we’ll notify the winner. If you want to better your chances by entertaining the inhabitants of Culch Towers, come up with the best and of course the funniest caption for the photograph below, but it’s not … There’s more