The Name's Bond
James Bond has been in the spying business for such a long time that he really ought to be up for a long-service award. But the…
Asylum of the Daleks
"Make them remember you." The Doctor’s advice to Amy and Rory as they faced the Parliament of the Daleks (episode 1: 'Asylum of the…
Transformational Suffering and The Karate Kid
How can we be transformed through suffering? Surprisingly, the eighties cult film The Karate Kid offers some insights. If you're unfamiliar…
'Prometheus' Raises Big Questions
Some thoughts about the film Prometheus and the human search for meaning.
The Hunger Games
According to the Romans, ‘bread and circuses’ were the key to keeping a population content. As long as their immediate physical…
A Vogue for Vincent
Vincent Van Gogh is now a solid fixture in our cultural vocabulary. I need only mention sunflowers or a bandaged ear to conjure up his life…
War Horse
How do you begin to tell stories about a war which claimed more than fifteen million lives? For children's author Michael Morpurgo, the…
Sherlock Holmes
A review of the recent Sherlock Holmes films and BBC TV series.
We Need To Talk About Kevin
The colour red suffuses We Need to Talk About Kevin. Red paint is smeared across walls and car window screens, red jam oozes out of…