Guardian columnist Charlie Brooker writes in his regular Monday column today about the state of British film making…. and gives unqualified advice to the government about how to support it.
He rightly argues the usual points about the problems about producing films in this country and getting them seen:
“….The problem with British films isn’t a failure of ambition- it’s a challenge of getting the damn things seen in a world filled with chain multiplexes with monolithic distributors…”
The infamous HS2 high-speed rail line was finally given the go-ahead this week, but not without the usual howls of protests from people who oppose it in its entirety.
The first phase of the line, between London and Birmingham, is due to be completed in 2026, after which it will be split up with connections to Manchester and Leeds, eventually leading to Edinburgh and London, cutting journey times.
But will it make any real difference to the country’s stop-start rail policy? I think there will be a lot more twists and turns before this project becomes a reality.
Oh dear. It’s been over the media this week. It seems that the Labour party is in disarray yet again, over two really small incidents.
At a time when the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government has been criticised over their plans to reduce the national deficit, never underestimate the ability of many in the opposition party to shoot themselves in the foot.
A new biopic on the life so far of former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady, was released in the UK today.
Meryl Streep steps into the role of playing one of the most well-known, and indeed controversial figures of world politics. More than twenty years after she left office, her influence in the way Britain is governed remains unaltered to this day.
The issue I and many people have with biopics is that they should have waited until Thatcher had died before making the film, as it would have made it far more interesting. At present, filmgoers will have to see it in its current form. To be honest, I’ve been more unhappy with the relentless publicity on this over the last few months, particularly over Streep’s portrayal of Thatcher.
To all those who are criticising the film, including of course, current PM David Cameron, I say, “Shut the hell up….and get a life!”
Two men who were part of a gang who stabbed to death black teenager Stephen Lawrence in South London in 1993 have been jailed.
Gary Dobson will go down for over 15 years, while co-accused David Norris will serve over 14 years for their part in a racially-motivated attack.
Although this may give some closure for the Lawrence family, this has not been a triumph for British justice. It should not have taken eighteen years to reach this verdict. Critics had accused investigators at the time of alleged institutional racism and gross incompetence from the start. The situation wasn’t helped by the media’s reporting of the case. Several national newspapers had allegedly identified Dobson and Norris alongside three others without producing any shred of evidence.
In order for public faith to be restored, our criminal justice system needs root and branch reform. What is needed, particularly after this high-profile case, is the political will from Parliament.
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