Happy New Year!

Another year down, and certainly 2022 has had its share of challenges.

Sadly, Putin’s senseless and barbaric attacks on Ukraine show no signs of abating, the climate disasters continue, and Covid continues to rear its ugly head.

And here in WA, our Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions continues with its wretched “controlled burns” that so often rage out of control, devastating our forest landscape and ecosystems.

It seems the bureaucrats we taxpayers pay to oversee and protect our fragile landscape are a law unto themselves and their repeated mistakes continue to recklessly incinerate our forests and wildlife.

But all that aside, we’re ever-more grateful we live in such a relatively safe and prosperous part of the planet. Here’s to us!

For our first Starfish of 2023, we’re spreading some festive joy, with film reviews – including Ros’s five star critque of The Banshees of Inisherin, a delicous coconut apple ginger cake recipe from Claire Saffitz and movie giveways.

We have five double passes to give readers to Spielberg’s autobiographical movie, The Fabelmans.

And we have five in-season double passes to give away to Emily, starring Emma Mackey and directed by Frances O’Connor.

It’s “shot with breathtaking beauty,” according to The Film Stage. And it’s “first film that feels like the work of an accomplished master,” raves The Playlist. The film starts on January 12.

Happy New Year!