Dani’s journey to the screen is anything but traditional. From her early love of music to her career in the criminal justice system, Dani has brought all of those life experiences into her acting. Now starring as Wendy Wysong in The Runarounds, she reflects on the role, her musical roots, memorable on-set moments, and what it’s…
Category: Crime
INNOCENCE, MERCY, AND THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: THOUGHTS ON “JUST MERCY”
“Our system has taken more away from this innocent man than the power to give back. We can change this world for the better. If we can look at ourselves closely and honestly. “I believe that we will see we all need justice, we all need mercy and perhaps we all need some measure of…
The Thursday Murder Club: A Cozy, Star-Studded Mystery That Delivers
Chris Columbus has done an excellent job with this murder mystery film. He has a special place in my heart already, as he directed the first two Harry Potter movies, which defined a big part of my childhood. That nostalgic affection probably made me even more excited to see his take on Richard Osman’s beloved novel. This…
THE TRUTH ABOUT JUSSIE SMOLLETT: A CONFUSING DOCUMENTARY THAT MISSES THE MARK
The Truth About Jussie Smollett sets out to re-examine one of the strangest celebrity scandals of the last decade. In 2019, Smollett, best known for his role on the TV series Empire (which I’d honestly never heard of before watching this), reported that he was the victim of a brutal hate crime in Chicago. According to his account,…
UNDER THE BRIDGE: A CRIME DRAMA THAT CUTS DEEPER THAN THE MYSTERY
I normally enjoy crime dramas based on true events, but Under the Bridge left me unsettled in ways I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just the horror of the crime itself it was the fact that these kids, who committed something monstrous, also felt like products of broken homes and fractured identities. The series doesn’t excuse their actions,…
THE HUNT FOR SHANNON MATTHEW’S – LIES, MEDIA AND A MISSING CHILD
On 19th February 2008, Karen Matthews called the police to say her nine-year-old daughter Shannon hadn’t come home from school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. What followed was West Yorkshire Police’s biggest investigation since the Yorkshire Ripper. A massive £3.2 million search unfolded, lasting 24 days and gripping the nation. This new two-part documentary, The Hunt for…
FROM SCREEN TO STAGE AND BACK AGAIN: WHY THEATRE IS LOSING ITS RISK-TAKING EDGE
I’m walking past the theatre district the other night, and I swear I thought I’d taken a wrong turn into an earlier age. Back to the Future in giant neon. Down the street The Lion King (again). Around the corner The Devil Wears Prada and right there in the middle? A whole pack of spotted dogs 101 Dalmatians and…
RUSHED, UNFOCUSED, AND MISSING LOUISE: A REVIEW OF BODY IN THE BIN
I don’t understand why British true crime documentaries lag so far behind their American counterparts. The storytelling always feels rushed, and you never really get to know the victim as a person. In this case, we don’t even get an explanation of how Louise Kam met her killers. Was it planned, random, casual? Did she…
I DON’T JUST LISTEN TO PODCASTS, I WATCH THEM. HERE’S WHY …
I’m not the kind of person who can just pop one on Spotify while I’m on the train or a plane and zone out. I like to watch podcasts and actually take them in properly. I would still 100% classify that as entertainment. It’s just a different kind of experience when you’re watching the full conversation unfold,…
ANNIKA Review: A Fourth-Wall Crime Drama That Deserves More Praise
I think the critics have got this one wrong. The second season of Annika just landed on BBC iPlayer this week, and honestly, it’s perfectly watchable, more than that, it’s gripping, clever, and completely unique in how it’s told. What makes Annika a brilliant crime drama is its format. DI Annika Strandhed (played by Nicola Walker) breaks the fourth…










