Your guide to cool stuff this week

Oscar fever

The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards will be announced at lunchtime (Irish time) on January 23, honouring the finest cinema offerings of the past 12 months. While Scorsese, Bradley Cooper and Barbie are all likely to be recognised, there should be plenty of Irish interest too. The Irish produced drama, Poor Things, is expected to feature heavily, while the likes of Cillian Murphy, Andrew Scott, Barry Keoghan and Paul Mescal will all be checking their phones as the big moment draws near. The 96th Oscars will be handed out on Sunday, March 10.

The ‘Rachel’

Classics are definitely worth revisiting and this is a clear case of a welcome reboot. In a dazzling display at the 2024 Golden Globes, Jennifer Aniston not only graced the red carpet but also turned heads with a stunning homage to her iconic ’90s hairstyle, famously known as ‘ The Rachel’. And as it was in the days of Friends, we predict this will be a much requested ‘do at hair salons this year.

Last chance to see…

Don’t miss your chance to visit the biggest Andy Warhol exhibition in Ireland before it closes at the end of the month. Andy Warhol Three Times Out at the Hugh Lane Gallery on Dublin’s Parnell Square has attracted almost 90,000 people since it opened, one of the Hugh Lane’s largest ever attendances. Get yourself along before it closes on Sunday, January 28 to check out the 250 works from one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, including those iconic soup can paintings and silver pillows room. Tickets can be bought at the Hugh Lane Gallery or at hughlane.ie

Tom Odell

One of the most exciting young singersongwriters in the world, Tom Odell releases his sixth album, Black Friday, this week. The single of the same name propelled Odell into the top 100 most streamed artists in the world, racking up two million streams in its first day alone, and more than 60 million streams to date. The singer-songwriter will be touring the new album in the coming months, including a highly anticipated gig at Dublin’s 3Arena in June.

Big screen bounty

Last week’s news that the Mandalorian, one of the better Star Wars spin-off TV shows of recent years, will be adapted for the big screen ( The Mandalorian & Grogu) had many speculating if the great Pedro Pascal would reprise his role as the man behind the helmet in the Jon Favreauhelmed feature. And if he is, how would we know? Well, there is that voice.