We start things off this month with our books section, Imprint, which brings you a blend of new and old this month. There's the latest from Patrick McGrath, Trauma; side-by-side with W Somerset Maugham's The Painted Veil (the film version of which has been in cinemas recently). We also have Steve Toltz's new and notable A Fraction of the Whole; The Cleft by Doris Lessing; Rajiv Chadrasekaran's sobering look at America's Iraq adventure, Imperial Life in the Emerald City and crime drama with Ian Rankin's The Hanging Garden.

Plus you can win a copy of Will Chaffey's Swimming with Crocodiles.

Soundscape chats with hip-hop favourites Resin Dogs; and with Melbourne indie-folk sensations Basic Shape. We have the first line-up announcement for the Splendour in the Grass event; and The Scoop this month brings all the glamour and clamour of the MTV Awards.

Flickers has new reviews of the blockbuster Iron Man; the romantic comedy Made of Honour; and the Australian thriller Cactus and a lot more more. We also chat with Noam Murro about his film, Smart People.

Box delves into the drama of Canal Road (while it lasts), and the all-action Gladiators; plus new DVD reviews for films like American Gangster, Cloverfield, Waitress and plenty more.

Our theatre section, Boards brings you the QTC's take on the Pulitzer Prize winning Rabbit Hole; the MTC's comedy The 39 Steps; the STCSA's post-feminist dramedy The Female of the Species; and Bell Shakespeare's Venus & Adonis.

And Vis a vis looks into new exhibitions from Adam Cullen in Sydney; Gordon Bennett in Brisbane and Kim Hoa Tram in Melbourne.

We hope you enjoy it!

The Blurb team

Hi there Blurbers

Be sure to visit www.theblurb.com.au this week and check out a stack of new reviews and features including Richard Roxburgh talking about his new movie, Romulus My Father.

You could also win a copy of Aphelion, the new novel from Emily Ballou.

New issue online now.

Happy Blurbing

The Queensland Theatre Company gets its 2007 off with a bang by producing Alan Ayckbourn's Private Fears in Public Places.

In Adelaide, we take in another season opener with the State Theatre Company's production of a new local work, This Uncharted Hour.

While in Sydney, Darlinghurst Theatre takes a look at an unconventional relationship with David Mamet's Boston Marriage.

Notes on a Scandal
Director: Richard Eyre
Cast: Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Juno Temple, Andrew Simpson and Bill Nighy
Release: Nationally on 15 February 2007
Rated: MA 15+

New exhibitions

There's an emphasis on photography this month as we find out about some key works in in VIP: very important photographs 1840s–1940s at the National Gallery.

In Brisbane, we check out the world of photojournalism in World Press Photo 2007.

Melbourne's NGV International has scored a coup in securing a one-off exhibition from one of the world's great art institutions in Guggenheim Collection: 1940s to Now.

Perth is hosting an exhibition of work by renowned indigenous artist Paddy Bedford at the Art Gallery of WA. We check it out.

In Sydney, we take a look at an exhibition combining commerce and art in the AGNSW's An Incomplete World.

Oscars nominees 2007
The Blurb runs down who was nominated and who missed out at the 2007 Academy Awards

Who will - and should - win at the 2007 Oscars
The Blurb looks at the prospects of the nominees in the major categories at this year's Oscars

Sundance Film Festival
All the daily news from the 2007 Sundance Film Festival from The Blurb's reporter in Park City

For Your Consideration
Movie review from The Blurb
For Your Consideration
Director: Christopher Guest
Cast: Catherine O'Hara, Harry Shearer, Parker Posey, John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge and Eugene Levy
Release: Nationally on 25 January 2007

Flyboys
Movie review from The Blurb
Flyboys
Director: Tony Bill
Cast: James Franco, Martin Henderson, Jennifer Decker and Jean Reno
Release: 15 February 2007

The Last King of Scotland
Movie review from The Blurb
The Last King of Scotland
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Cast: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson
Release: Nationally on 1 February 2007

Stranger Than Fiction
Movie review from The Blurb
Stranger Than Fiction
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman
Release: Nationally on 1 February 2007

Smokin Aces
Movie review from The Blurb
Smokin' Aces
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta and Alicia Keys

Pan's Labyrinth
Movie review from The Blurb
Pan's Labyrinth
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Ariadna Gil and Alex Angulo
Release: Nationally on 25 January 2007

Breaking and Entering
Movie review from The Blurb
Breaking and Entering
Director: Anthony Minghella
Cast: Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, Robin Wright Penn, Ravi Gafron, Vera Farmiga and Ray Winstone
Release: Nationally on 25 February 2007

Miss Potter
Movie review from The Blurb
Miss Potter
Director: Chris Noonan
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson and Barbara Flynn Release: Nationally on 25 February 2007

Perfume
Movie review from The Blurb
Perfume
Director: Tom Twyker
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman and Rachel Hurd-Wood
Release: Nationally on 1 February 2007

Employee of the Month
Movie review from The Blurb
Employee of the Month
Director: Greg Coolidge
Cast: Jessica Simpson, Dane Cook, Dax Shepard and Efren Ramirez
Release: 8 February , 2007