Philip McTaggart at a shrine to his son. Photograph: Guardian The Listening Post (World Service) describes itself as inviting “close, unhurried listening to the stories of individuals”. You might think that lots of radio does this, but it’s only when you hear the intense, bespoke production – by Alan Hall at Falling Tree – that [...]

Plastic fantastic … Woody and friends celebrate Toy Story 3′s romp to the top of the box-office charts. Photograph: Allstar/Samuel Goldwin Films/Sportsphoto Ltd The winner Toy Story 3 Production year: 2010 Country: USA Cert (UK): U Runtime: 108 mins Directors: Lee Unkrich Cast: Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton, Ned Beatty, Tim Allen, Timothy Dalton, Tom Hanks [...]

The Big Four (plus a few roadies). Photograph: Dariusz Kawka ‘It speaks to the core essence of the human psyche, bro,” says Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, explaining thrash metal’s enduring appeal. “It’s true. There’s a beat and an energy that speaks to you no matter what cultural background, what age, what demographic. If you hear it [...]