Twenty Two

There are many delineations people use in life - before and after graduation, marriage, kids, or a big move to another country for instance. Given how devoid of milestones my life has been so far (something that isn't actually as lamentable as it might sound), and how I can trace quite a few things in my life to the starting of this place, it may not be that surprising that 2004 was a pivot for me (and yes, the creating of a blog being that significant might be as lamentable as it sounds).

I can track friends, country visits, hobbies and consumed media that would never have been if not for this blog. I would be the first to admit that a lot of that stuff probably happened in the first five years or so, but such were their significance that I think it's worth bearing witness to it now. Of course I wouldn't be as droll as to thank this place, but I guess I can be thankful for it.

Film: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

It's rare that such a late entry into a franchise could be considered its best. And yet here we are: after the gimmick laden No Way Home, we have been given as much of a Tom Holland pseudo origin story we can get at this stage. And on top of that, it was actually rather good.

I think the most striking thing about this chapter was how non-Spider-Man it was, even though it was indeed full of Spider-Man. If that doesn't make sense, it's probably because we're not used to a Spider-Man film having any real sort of moral, emotional or character depth. I felt bad for Peter more than a few times here.

But apart from that, it was a good Spider-Man film too, and delivered all the action and superhero antics you'd want from such a premise. All these things make Brand New Day the best of the Holland Spider-Man films for me, so this is of course very much recommended. 

Film: Evil Dead Burn

I've always loved the original Evil Dead trilogy. There's was something magical about the way they balanced hard horror with humour (but perhaps not comedy?) with a dissonance that emphasised both.

I'd say that the modern Evil Dead trilogy manages to walk the same tightrope. What they lack, however, is a quality that leaves them etched in the memory. I was shocked that this was the third in the series, and had to rack my brains to figure out whether or not I had seen the second (I have).

So yes, Burn is a decent romp, scary when it matters and funny elsewhere. It's recommended, but don't expect it to linger once its over. 

Film: The Odyssey

The Odyssey is one of Nolan's best films. But before you start blowing those trumpets, know that I don't consider Nolan a good film maker, so this being amongst his best isn't actually saying much.

All of his annoying trademarks are here, from the overlapping soft cuts between scenes transgressing time and space, to the chopping and mixing up of chronology. Given I don't see any of these tricks as adding to the value of a Nolan film, the overuse of them does more harm than good.

It's probably a testament to Homer that this film is so good though. The story is straightforward and accessible, but with enough nuance to make it interesting. All actors do a fabulous job of spinning the tale, and production is top notch (something I really can't take away from Nolan).

On balance then The Odyssey is a good, even great, film, and yet one that makes me wonder how much of a Nolan fanboy I would become when he finally decides to leave all his gimmicks at home.

Film: Supergirl

After the excellent Superman, I was quite excited to see what else the new DC universe would throw out to us. I guess that makes me a bit of a sucker as just because Kara is related to Kal-El does not mean she makes a good film.

To be honest, I can't remember much of it, but that doesn't mean it was bad, just a bit... bland. Perhaps it was a cash in, maybe it was lazy (probably both), but there just wasn't much here for me to recommend.

Film: Disclosure Day

There is one scene in this movie that "unlocked" it all for me: a swooping shot of a guy trying to avoid police by creeping around and jumping over fences. That such a vanilla sounding scene is one of the most memorable in the film is not harsh criticism - on the contrary, my hot take was "ah yes, this is a Spielberg film, it's so good".

I've spoken about the (admittedly unoriginal) idea that a film is more than just the sum of its parts. That's not a magical statement - just one that describes how a good film needs lots of things working together to really deliver. The great directors know this, but also realise that it's not difficult[1] to do - you just have to be solid.

Disclosure Day has a solid plot, solid acting, and is a solid production. That alone places it above most contemporary releases. It was easy to watch and digest - despite skipping the first act. It may have overstayed its welcome; I would have a preferred a version that ended ten minutes before it actually did. But that wasn't enough to wrack the movie for me.

Definitely recommended. 

[1] Or perhaps I'm confusing natural ease with them making it look so easy?

Film: Masters of the Universe

Fun fact: the 1987 version of this film was one of the first I was taken to the cinema for - you know, back when you could list every film you had ever seen in the cinema. I can't say I recall my feelings about the movie back then, but as an adult I clearly put it in the "disappointing failure" bucket.

This 2026 version is also a bad film. It's made poorly, the story is boring, the acting and action passable. The characters lack any kind of charisma or personality, which I'm yet to decide is the fault of this movie or the source material. The jokes deserve a slow clap for the effort.

And yet such is what it got right, namely the fan-service, is so, so good that, shamefully, I'm almost able to forgive the film for all its other plentiful shortcomings. I say "almost" because the 2+ hours runtime is pretty painful.

I'm hopeful then, that a sequel will not only nail the nostalgia but also sharpen the edges and return the truly great MotU film that we all deserve.

Dropsite News: Disruptive, New Media in the Age of Misinformation

Dropsite news has been one of my go to sources of news information since the war on Iran began. Apart from leaning in the same direction, there's something about the... dispassionate way in which they present facts and stories that really registers. In a world where our collective spider senses tingle so hard when reading the news, Dropsite brings a sense of objectivity and, well, truthfulness that you would struggle to find elsewhere.

Today Ibraaz hosted Jeremy Scahill, Sharif Abdel Kouddous, and Nika Soon-Shiong, all from Dropsite, to present a talk on new media. It was for sure a pitch, but an effective one, a lot reaffirming what fans of the news source already knew. There's value in hearing the story anyway - today brought a sense of passion that can't be found in objective reporting. All three speakers were sharp, articulate and confident - something that is sometimes lost behind a screen.

A note about the space - Ibraaz immediately threw me back to the vibe felt City Circle at Abrar House, except perhaps a little more prestigious and posh. I hope it becomes a regular venue for these type of events. 

I can't remember a time I've been so enthralled by speakers - and in a moment I'm beginning to see as my return to the talk circuit I left over a decade ago, it's a good affirmation that I'm coming back at the right time.

Film: Backrooms

File this under "you'll either love it or hate it". Backrooms probably had an an unfair start in this season of fear films (Hokum and Obsession both being excellent), but even if we put that aside the labouring, meandering pace (more time is spent outside of the Backrooms than inside) and disappointing payoff meant I had to check my watch more times than I would have liked to.

Add to that the (albeit deliberate) lack of resolution and you're left wondering what the point is. One to skip.

Book: We Need to Tax Billionaires, Gabriel Zucman

I'll get straight to the point. This isn't a great book. It might have been a good blog post. What might be mistaken for accessibility is its lack of depth - numbers fly around not meaning much (unless you happen to be an economist already perhaps?). A lot of this might be due to losses in translation.

It's a shame because the message trying to cut through is a pretty simple one. It is also compelling, which is where the real danger lies - unless this argument is made robustly and decisively, it is unlikely to make it to the masses who rely on more alluring sources for their information.

On the other hand, this might just be the fodder needed to generate more messaging to the voting public to make a different choice. I hope the downstream effects are real, because as it stands this book alone won't cut it. 

Film: Obsession

Funny horror is a particularity potent genre. Apart from the obvious, that the dissonance between finding something funny and scary elevates emotion, it has a very unifying effect amongst an audience as you all engage in sync - laughing and cringing together.

That alone doesn't make for a good film though, but luckily Obsession was decent enough. It knows what it is and focuses on getting the basics right - we don't really have a plot per se but instead a series of scenes in the life of a guy with an... interesting problem. Put it this way, structurally the first and third acts are very thin (think minutes long).

A lot of fun, low stakes and very effective, Obsession gets a recommendation from me. 

After the local elections: where next for class politics?

Between Faiza and Leanne we're quite spoilt for choice when it comes to community based political discourse. Today was the former's first post election talk and it's safe to say that it was a little abstract as a result. Yes, it's easy enough to relate anything to the slapping that the Labour Party recently got, but Class Politics is a subject of its own.

Much was learned, and yet I had a feeling that today's talk was more of a catharsis - a sounding board to rant about where we are with respect to class in the UK. Some interesting points were made about class and its relation to the surge in populism, but to my cynical ears we were just dancing around the fact that sometimes people vote in stupid ways.

Otherwise business as usual here.

Film: Mortal Kombat II

Rewatching the first (of the modern rebooted) Mortal Kombat films made me realise it wasn't as good as I remembered it being. The main culprit was the random new character lead - never a good sign when seeking something a bit authentic. Otherwise it kind of just tread water with some (admittedly decent) fan service.

Mortal Kombat II is more of the same, although I did come away from it feeling a bit better about the franchise as a whole. There is less random non-MK stuff and more fan service - and to be honest that's all one would want from such a franchise. The fighting is decent, the jokes chuckling, the plot and characterisation... well non-existent, but you can't have it all.

Will see if I don't also look back at this as a big mistake. For now though it just about squeezes in a recommendation. 

Film: Hokum

Hokum was an above decent horror movie. The scares were good, albeit sometimes cheap. Adam Scotts's Ohm was an annoying and easily-hated spitwad who somewhat redeems himself by the end. The plot (or rather, plots), although not complete, was left open in all the right ways.

It just oozed a confidence and attention to itself that a lot of films, let alone horror films, lack in an age of low attention spans. Even the relatively non-eventful first act was watchable.

Recommended. 

Book: Dark Matter, Blake Crouch

To be honest I'm not sure why this book was on my list. I like to think I have a robust and discerning filter mechanism - mainly because I don't have the time any more to consume all the books that I want to. I guess no system is perfect and thus Dark Matter slipped made it to my reading list.

How bad a book is doesn't typically stem from a single reason. Dark Matter is badly written (both technically and creatively), has bad characters (although I was made to feel very strongly how much of a douchebag Jason was) and characterisation and treats the "multiple worlds" concept with such a lack of care and attention that I was left unusually frustrated. This wasn't just bad scifi, it was bad art, and I firmly place it amongst Twilight and The Hunger Games as one of the most awful books I've read.

The only reason I completed this book was because it was mercifully short. One to skip. 

 

The Labour Party: What Went Wrong?

Rather than being an abstract discussion about the topic at hand, today's event hosted by Faiza Shaheen was was more of a conversation with the investigative journalist Paul Holden, mainly using the case study of the think tank Labour Together as a vehicle to demonstrate some of the less robust processes that have been occurring in the Labour party of the last decade or so.

Most of what was said was in the public domain - or at the very least in Holden's hefty tome. Nevertheless everything discussed was shocking. Nothing discussed was surprising. All the while, the frustration that such concerns are niche was constantly buzzing throughout. We left the event optimistic that that might change.

In a surprise twist, the Q&A was not awful, with some decent (and mercifully short and outward facing) questions prompting some equally insightful answers.

This was my first Faiza event and I look forward to future ones. It's another positive sign that these spaces and discussions are no longer rare and intermittent - whether they become mainstream is of course something to wish for, but the fact that they exist at all should not be taken for granted.

 

Film: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

It's not like Nintendo to fail at these things, and yet here we are. Where the first Mario movie reached a chef's kiss level of finesse, its sequel is an empty shell in comparison. 

It's hard to say what's missing. And it could be that nothing is. The plot is okay, the jokes okay. The fan-service is... well quite fantastic actually and possibly the only reason to watch this movie.

So perhaps the failure is it's own fault, and the movie just doesn't reach the heights that we know such a franchise should - a theory proven once already at least. As it stands we are left with a very plain film that you should probably labour to watch at home.

Film: Undertone

Perhaps I'm getting a bit old, but I'm of the opinion that horror movies need to be more than just a series of (even excellent) scary set pieces. This is as opposed to certain other genres - an action or fighting movie can probably still be entertaining even if the plot is non-existent. But a horror movie needs the background engagement of its audience in order for them to suspend their disbelief. Just being good art or leaving things overly implied or ambiguous harms that.

Undertone was a series of excellent scary set pieces that did very little to progress a plot. It's especially unfortunate, given how novel it otherwise was - using some great sound tricks and the limited cast to really bring out the creepies. This made the lack of any payoff even more jarring, enough to overall cause the movie to fail to reach its potential.

It was a good timepass I guess, but overall undertone is one to watch at home. 

 

Film: Project Hail Mary

The whole book vs adaptation conversation will always be a paradox. A film was never going to be as good as the book it was based on, and yet the book would never have been as good if read after watching the film. As such there is no perfect set up where you can enjoy both to the maximum, and such is the case here.

But it's more than the reasonable expectation that a lot was going to be cut out. The film itself seemed very rushed and pacey - a bit like a 2h40m extended trailer for a better film to come. As such a lot of the ingredients that made the book magic - the charm, the science, the story.

My only hope is that the film pushes more people to the book, so that they can experience the more fuller and rounded story. Whether that experience will be as good as having read the book first, well we'll never know.

Book: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Aainst This, Omar El Akkad

Apart from being wonderfully written, brilliantly concise and amazingly clear, the real value in this book isn't how well it is put together, but as medicine for those who perhaps struggle for articulating the feelings and positions they have over current and recent world affairs. In that sense it's a bit cathartic, a welcome release valve for us to realise that, no, we are not mad nor alone.

It's a short book and I recommend everyone to read it. 

Ilford in Conversation: Women Challenging the Political Status Quo

Tonight's conversation was of particular interest to me having been moved from the host's constituency to the guest's, Faiza Shaheen's. It turns out that this didn't make much of a difference to the latter, but was of benefit to the former... leaving the redrawing of the boundaries largely an academic exercise.

But that detail aside, tonight was less explicitly about women in politics and more about political troublemaking - although given the vicinity of the two impressive figures on stage you can't help but feel that their power may have come from their chromosomes after all.

I think the main takeaway was one of inspiration and hope, reassurance that there are people who think about things and more, take action. Both were soaked in their humility as well as their struggle, and it was nice to hear first hand Faiza's historical position with Labour.

Film: Send Help

I think it's safe to say that I'll never be disappointed by Sam Raimi. That said I'm always surprised to hear that he has a new film coming out, given he's been treating us to such awesomeness since the 70s.

But I digress. Send Help is exactly what you would expect it to be, a not so straightforward bunch of set pieces asking far more than "what would an office power dynamic look like when reversed on a desert island". 

It's that subversion which elevates his films, but also the fact that they're so solid, concise and ridiculous in a good way. They never feel overwrought and end exactly when and how they need to.

Send Help was no different and so it obviously gets a recommendation from me.

Film: Primate

Maybe (definitely) I'm getting a little grumpy in my old age, but any film that has a man in a monkey suit as its main antagonist (while keeping a straight face) is destined to be pretty awful.

And turns out that Primate was pretty ridiculous. Not because of its premise and in fact had it been just another horror with, I dunno, a zombie instead it would have been quite enjoyable. It was the implementation here that failed.

So perhaps if I'm being charitable I'd describe this as a good idea that didn't quite make it. Either way this one might be one to miss. 

Book: Aurora, Kim Stanley Robinson

I've always maintained that there is Science Fiction and there is Science Fiction. Aurora can be firmly placed in the more genuine of the two buckets, appealing not to popular sentiment or in anticipation of a TV deal but setting out to tell a hard story (with hard science) answering hard human questions.

It's this "rough around the edges" feel that makes the book so great - that's not to say it is of low quality, since however abrupt the prose seems the plot, characterisation and narrative are all as polished as it gets. Indeed the real genius in the book is being both authentic while keeping its depth accessible.

Perhaps a bit over long, the story remains gripping throughout. I'm left hopeful that modern robust Science Fiction can be a thing, even if it remains rare. Recommended.

Umrah 2026

I was going to full tilt rant about how each trip to the two holy cities is less pleasant than the last, about how there are too many Muslims there now, and how the whole thing feels like a Disneyland resort what with all the selfies and content being generated.

Except that it turns out I had exactly the same thoughts the last time we visited, down to the Disneyland quip. So much for originality then, but at least the consistency in my feelings lends some robustness to them.

New this trip was us flying Wizz Air, a budget airline. This isn't my first taste of a cheap flight to Saudi - last time I flew there via Pegasus and that long haul flight destroyed me even with the stop in the middle, so the thought of a long haul 6 hour flight was a little scary. Turns out that it's not too bad - the return leg from Madinah was worse than the trip going out but we'd probably do it again in order to keep to a budget - it may even lend itself to a new model where we go for an even shorter amount of time to a single city and instead include a day trip to the other.

Otherwise the trajectory is the same: more people, more problems and more changes. Of note: all of my post-Umrah tawafs were done in outdoor footwear which was a bit of a sad indictment. To the credit of the Saudi authorities they seem to be doing okay managing the crowds, but until they do something extreme like banning smartphones I can't see any kind of reversal in the lack of etiquette shown by the great unwashed.

Ilford in Conversation: Hunger Strikers #Filton24

I've mentioned before how important the Ilford in Conversation talks tend to be - they manage to remain current, honest, and present a depth that is far more than the usual talking points. The guests have been relevant, the audience (largely) sensible and all this with a sense of intimacy that can actually obscure how special and valuable this forum is.

Take tonight's topic for example - yes we may each have some preliminary knowledge into the hunger strikes being held by the Filton 24 but to hear accounts from those closest to them added a dimension you can't get by following social media accounts and reading blogs. I learned plenty over what I already knew, but the real value was in having the story shared.

The evening held no surprises, but that's okay - this particular subject matter wasn't about shock and awe. However if my suspicion about how many such forums have been held covering the topic holds (that they can be counted on one hand), the fact that we were fortunate enough to be present in one is of value enough.

Film: Wicked: For Good

There are a few potential problems with splitting a film that didn't require any splitting into two. Firstly there would always be comparisons - this kind of two parter lends itself to is as close an apples to apples comparison as you can get.

The graver issue is that of structure. When you split a typical three act story into two, then one of the films will end up being of a single act. This can be jarring as without the context it all feels rather flat. And that, my readers, is why Wicked: For Good fell way short and ultimately was a disappointing way to experience the conclusion of a fantastic show.

Everything from the first film stood here - the acting, the production, even the Defying Gravity-less soundtrack were all beyond passing. The whole thing just felt like it was limping across the finish line - not quite because it was an obvious cash grab but just because it didn't offer anything of any depth. It felt rushed, even though both films together weighed in at twice the runtime of the stage show.

All very disappointing really, and it sucks that this is the only way to see how it all plays out. 

Film: The Running Man

Perhaps the mistake I made was watching the original 1987 just yesterday, because even though this new version wasn't bad per se... it did jar a bit. What it gained in sophistication it lost in feeling, charm and simplicity, and ultimately... I really didn't dig it.

I can talk about the decent action, so-so plot and fair acting, and still struggle to get excited. Maybe The Running Man is just a case study in the blandness of modern film? One to watch at home if you ask me. 

Ilford in Conversation: The Rise of the Far Right and the Fight Back

Regardless of what you might think of Ilford or Leanne Mohamad, Ilford in Conversation is starting to become a very decent forum to hear people who have something to say, speak. Tonight we had the journalist Taj Ali to talk about the development of the Far Right phenomena, both in the UK and elsewhere. Where it could have been a very shallow topic ("everyone is racist, amiright?"), Ali gave it a sense of depth and nuance that I'd have struggled to find elsewhere.

The conversation format seems to work well versus the typical speech style. Various perspectives were covered: the historical, the theoretical and the practical aspects of the Far Right. It was also a very human conversation - not quite "we should all hug a racist" but the vibes were there - without compromise.

All in all, another impressive show, accessible and free. It's the kind of altruistic stuff that goes beyond typical politics, and as a result always manages to be refreshing.

Film: Predator: Badlands

There was a period in the late 90s and 00s where, for some reason, film makers were failing to capture the magic that the preceding couple of decades or so gave us. Impressively they managed to both overreach and underperform leaving some pretty forgettable stuff.

Predator makes for a great case study given how long the franchise has been around. Like its peers it suffered through its midlife, but I'm glad to say that Trachtenberg has managed to succeed where his predecessors fell short.

His Predator films (this being the third after the excellent Prey and Killer of Killers) seem to be very much to the point, while adding enough sophistication (both in terms of the action and plot) that a modern rendering demands. I guess its in how easy he makes it look that belies the genius here.

Anyway, Badlands was great and I recommend it (and the previous two if they were missed).