Sir Anthony Hopkins gives both a powerful and an understated performance of a surprisingly humble man who is moved by empathy and compassion to just do something to help in a world that is turning to madness some twenty years after the end of World War One
movies
Catch-22: Novel versus Television Series
In essence the novel, Catch-22, is a satire based on the simple principle that war is absurd in every respect. The protagonist, John Yossarion, aka Yo-Yo, spends his whole time trying not be killed, and arguing with his colleagues and friends that everyone is out to kill him, a fact that they do not have a problem with because in war that is exactly what happens.
I want you to call me Loretta!
Recently, John Cleese was asked to cut the Stan/ Loretta sketch from the proposed stage version of the movie on the grounds that some people found it offensive; he has stated that the sketch will remain
Outside the Wire (2021)
This futurist war film is set in a Ukraine torn apart by pro-Russian separatists and local resistance groups in 2036
The Batman (2012)
After the glitz and glamour of the Dark Knight, The Batman returns to the shadows, where he truly belongs, and seems all the more interesting for doing so.
This Gun For Hire (1942)
Perhaps the most interesting observation about this film is that it lacks an obvious hero.
The Best Bedroom Scene in a Movie!
There is no attempt to suggest that Homer's life is going to be anything but difficult, Wyler just emphasises that with love and friendship any disabled person can have a life that is still worth living.
Fact over Fiction Again
It is not a question of race; it is a question of accuracy in a genre where accuracy should matter.
Fake History is as bad as Fake News
I have written previously about my concern that history is being misrepresented in popular media, first in Is Racism in Historical Dramas being quietly Erased? and then in Why Race in a Historical Context is Important. The arrival of Bridgerton on Netflix has not put my mind at ease. The television series departs from the novels by … Continue reading Fake History is as bad as Fake News
Avatar (2009) Revisited
I like science fiction and, as with so many other enthusiasts, I was excited by the prospect of watching James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ when it was first released. After seeing it, however, I was haunted by a persistent feeling of déjà vu. The story goes like this: an ex-soldier is recruited by a private firm to … Continue reading Avatar (2009) Revisited
Peter C Whitaker 