Watership Down: exploring political freedom in the form of a foundation myth
Martin Rosen, John Hubley, “Watership Down” (1978) A vivid and beautifully presented tale, this British film portrays what might be a foundation myth of an imaginary…
British Films
Murder on the Orient Express (dir. Sidney Lumet): a pedestrian treatment of a murder mystery
Sidney Lumet, “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974) Initially beginning as a lavish drama set in an exotic 1930s Istanbul, Sidney Lumet’s “Murder on the Orient…
The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill: a real health emergency smeared with a fantasy plot and intrigue
John Blair, “The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill” (2021) Covering the incident in which Russian political / anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny collapsed in pain on a passenger…
British Films, North American Films
The World Is Not Enough: this film is just not enough
Michael Apted, “The World Is Not Enough” (1999) Sent to protect a wealthy oil heiress after her father is killed by explosives in money delivered to…
British Films, North American Films
Tomorrow Never Dies: satire on the power and influence of media trapped in a formula that never dies
Roger Spottiswoode, “Tomorrow Never Dies” (1997) The second of four films that Irish actor Pierce Brosnan starred in as British wonder spy James Bond for EON…
British Films, North American Films
Live and Let Die: as it says, live and let this film die
Guy Hamilton, “Live and Let Die” (1973) Cashing in on the blaxploitation film genre that was popular in the early 1970s, this instalment in the James…
You Only Live Twice: tired and formulaic film shouldn’t have lived even once
Lewis Gilbert, “You Only Live Twice” (1967) By the time this, the fifth film in the James Bond spy movie franchise, came along for the blockbuster…
British Films, North American Films
Goldfinger: enjoyable escapist spy-thriller fantasy of its time
Guy Hamilton, “Goldfinger” (1964) Third in the series of James Bond spy film series, “Goldfinger” remains the standard to which all other films in the series…
A litany of blunders and oversights in “Deepwater Horizon: Ten Mistakes”
Jess Reid, “Deepwater Horizon: Ten Mistakes” (2021) An investigation into the causes of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico near the…
On the Need for a Programme (A Communist Manifesto: The Classic for Today): a vision and path for capitalist societies towards Communism
Paul Cockshott, “On the Need for a Programme (A Communist Manifesto: The Classic for Today)” (25 June 2021) In response to a request, UK computer scientist…