Archive for May, 2026
Was the universe made for us?
May 28th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
At one level, the question may seem arrogant, even preposterous. After all, for much of our existence on Earth, we humans thought of ourselves as a pretty big deal. Then along came science and taught us how utterly insignificant we are. We aren’t the centre of the universe. We aren’t special. We are just a […]
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A review of the 1991 classic film “The Silence Of The Lambs”
May 25th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
When this film was first released, it shocked audiences and, to this day, it is still chilling to watch. An adaptation of the bestselling novel by Thomas Harris, it portrays the efforts of new FBI recruit Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to track down an elusive serial killer with the unlikely aid of imprisoned serial killer […]
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A review of the 1954 classic film”A Star Is Born”
May 25th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
This story has been told four time in films but this is the classic version of the musical. A male star whose career has peaked acts as mentor to a rising female star whose success soon outshines his. In this case, it is film star Norman Maine (James Mason) who befriends singer, dancer and actor […]
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A review of the latest episode of the “Star Wars” saga:”The Mandalorian And Grogu”
May 24th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
I’ve been a “Star Wars” fan since we release of what we now call “A New Hope” in 1977, so I wasn’t going to miss this 12th contribution to the cinematic canon. However, if (like me) you haven’t been following the development of the franchise on Disney+ streaming TV series, you might welcome a bit […]
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A review of the 1953 classic film “From Here To Eternity”
May 20th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
Based on a best-selling novel by James Jones, a 950-page work of the same title, this film is a gritty account of life on a US army base in Hawaii in 1941, just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Although very much toned down from the scandalous book, this cinematic adaptation was still […]
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A review of “Kokuho”, the most successful Japanese film ever
May 19th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
Since the early 17th century, Japanese culture has featured a form of theatre known as kabuki which mixes dramatic performance with traditional dance. Although the original version was performed by a female troupe, the art form soon developed into its present all-male form after women were banned from performing in kabuki theatre and the men who perform the […]
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A review of the 1971 classic film “Get Carter”
May 19th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
This gangster thriller did reasonably well on its release but, over the years, it developed a cult following and it is now regarded as one of the best British films ever made. Michael Caine is Jack Carter, the hard man in a London organised crime gang who returns to his Northern hometown of Newcastle to […]
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Political predictions are a perilous activity – but …
May 14th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
On a turbulent day in Labour Party politics, as a lifelong member I boldly offer what I think would be the best and the worst outcomes. My dream scenario: – Prime Minister Andy Burnham – Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner – Chancellor Ed Miliband My nightmare scenario: Keir Starmer stands for the leadership and, because […]
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A review of the novel “The Rose Field” by Philip Pullman
May 14th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
Published in 2025, this is the third part of the trilogy “The Book Of Dust”, following the original trilogy of “His Dark Materials”. The interval between publication of the first and second novels in the “Dust” trilogy was only two years, but the wait between the second and third novels was an uncomfortable six years. […]
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A review of the 1967 French classic film “Belle de Jour”
May 14th, 2026 by Roger Darlington
It took a long time for the 1928 French novel of the same name by Joseph Kessel to be made into a film and, when the French language adaptation was produced, it came from Luis Bruñuel, a Spanish filmmaker known for his surrealist work. But then this unusual story is told in a dream-like fashion […]
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