On this week's Pop Screen Graham and I ostensibly take a look at this excellent, sobering satire from Peter Watkins but, as is our want, it becomes a tangent-filled edition that takes in everything from my dislike of both Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' writing and the voice over in The Hateful Eight, to some of our favourite comedies and the situation in Ukraine. Plus a shout out to my old English teacher.
Now available on YouTube too.
Brought me up short this. I watch a lot of British movies from the 1980s, and though I've always been aware that very little has really changed, this is the first time I have watched a film from this period and realised that the present day is now just as bad. The film outlines its state of affairs straight out of the traps; 5 million unemployed, a contentious government bill set to rob people of their civil liberties (banning strikes),…
If crap from Mike Myers and Ricky Gervais is the best Netflix can offer right now, is it any wonder they're recording losses?
There are some good things about The Pentaverate. It's relatively short and easy enough to binge, some of its satire and its underlying message strikes a chord and it all looks pretty good (though Myers taking on multiple roles creates some weird blocking and stop and start scenes that ought to flow naturally), but on the whole…
St Helens Disability Advice and Welfare Network, St Helens Jobcentre, Ashton-In-Makerfield Jobcentre, Huyton Jobcentre, Apex Charitable Trust, Shaw Trust St Helens, Starting Point St Helens.
Just some of the places I've worked at that involve helping people into work, getting people 'job ready' or dealing with people's benefit claims.
Jobseekers allowance, Incapacity benefit, Employment and Support allowance, Carers allowance.
Just some of the benefits I've claimed since (and between) those jobs.
I've ran jobclubs, CV making courses and jobmatch programmes,…
40 minutes.
18 killings.
3 lines of dialogue.
No structure, seemingly.
No rhyme or reason, seemingly.
Just the elephant in the room.
A brutal uncompromising look at Sectarian assassination that dramatises genuine events and forces you to consider the Troubles in a way that acres of news coverage cannot. Just what is your gut reaction at the end of it? Does the endless cadence of footfall and gunfire go some way to desensitise you or does it make you realise…
