WEIRD.....!

Bonus points if you recognise the music playing in the background!

Just Finished Reading: The Last Crusade – Religion and the Politics of Misdirection by Barbara Victor (FP: 2005) [287pp] 

This, I think, is going to be a difficult book to review. At base it is about the rise of political evangelism in the US from Ronald Regan onwards up to George W Bush (featured on the cover). That's pretty straight forward. Although evangelism has been around in America for quite some time apparently, they only started throwing their potential voting weight around from the late 70's onwards. No doubt, thinking about it, brought on by social changes not only in the States but throughout the western world – the invention of The Pill, the rise of no-fault divorce, the legalisation of abortion, same sex marriage and no doubt, Feminism. If they could influence or, in the best case, control the politicians that made these decisions then they could get their way and create a country, a society, more in line with their beliefs and desires. But this is where I start to struggle... 

Throughout most of my life America has portrayed itself as THE land of the Free where all things are possible and the place where you can make of yourself whatever you want to be. The watchword is FREEDOM without interference from the Government or from anyone else. Yet here we have a significant group (the figure was 80 million in the book though no doubt this has increased in the subsequent 20 years since publication) who will use their political power to RESRICT the freedoms of others to be who they are, marry who they love and worship who they wish (or not). Personally, I've long been an advocate of personal freedoms (although I'm a Socialist, I do have significant Anarchist sympathies) which allows individuals to do – or believe – whatever they want to unless it conflicts with others freedom or harms those around them. If you want to get married, then have at it but if you don't and still want to live with someone else in a consensual sexual relationship then have at that too. It's not harming me (or anyone else) and frankly I don't care. Its zero business of mine. If I found such things objectionable (and I know some people do – my mother for example) then they're just going to have to 'deal' with reality. Essentially what I'm saying is that you should happily live your OWN life and not expect others to follow YOUR rules or hold YOUR beliefs. I certainly don't! 

Anyway... I think the biggest problem I had with the underlying 'philosophy' of those portrayed in the book was the rather bizarre (at least in MY mind) relationship of evangelicals and Israel. Now I'm at least aware of the whole thing about the 2nd Coming of the Messiah and all that but having that as THE justification of supporting Israel is more than a little incomprehensible to me. I suppose that it's because since I didn't grow up in a religious household and have never had a great deal of 'education' in Christianity (or any other religion) outside of academia I just couldn't connect the dots and that's BEFORE we get to the bit where the End of the World is supposedly a GOOD thing (although that does explain why so many Americans don't seem to care very much about the planet they inhabit or the future of our species). 

Finally, the other thing I had a hard time swallowing was just how religious many American politicians are. I certainly knew that SOME were but didn't really appreciate quite how many. Here (in the UK) if the electorate suspected that a politician's decisions were being influenced by religious/faith considerations it would call their political future into question. Politicians can certainly HAVE a personal faith in their own flavour of religious belief but public displays or public pronouncements of such raise questions of suitability for office. Across Europe we are more than familiar with how toxic, and how dangerous, it is when religion and politics mix. We've learnt that particular lesson the HARD way in our various histories and with luck America won't have to learn that lesson for itself. Being a 'Christian nation' might sound like a good idea to some, but when you get down to the details, I doubt if many (and not just the non-Christian/non-religious) would like the results. Whilst this was an interesting read in some ways, I think it was far too outside my 'wheelhouse' to appreciate it enough to fully understand the narrative. I've been feeling a while now that I need to at least start to look at adding to my knowledge of Religion (if not anywhere approaching full understanding), so I'll be sprinkling a few religion/Christianity books into my schedule over the next few years. Wish me luck!  

Happy Birthday: Adam Fredric Duritz (born August 1, 1964) is an American singer, best known as the frontman for the rock band Counting Crows, for which he serves as a founding member and main composer. Since its founding in 1991, Counting Crows has sold over 20 million records, released seven studio albums that have been certified gold or platinum, and been nominated for two Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.

Duritz has recorded solo material of his own and has collaborated with other musical acts. He has also founded two record labels, E Pluribus Unum and Tyrannosaurus Records. His work scoring music for film earned an award from BMI for co-writing the song "Accidentally in Love" for the movie Shrek 2.

Duritz and producer/guitarist David Bryson formed Counting Crows in San Francisco in 1991. When Gary Gersh of Geffen Records heard the band's demo tape, he was "blown away". A bidding war between nine different record labels broke out in February 1992. In April, the band—which, by that time, included other members—"signed a deal with Gersh and Geffen believed to be so lucrative that industry wags dubbed them Accounting Crows".

The band's first album, August and Everything After, charted within the top five of the Billboard 200, and the single "Mr. Jones" (1993) was a number-one hit in Canada. After the band performed as the music guest on Saturday Night Live, "Mr. Jones" jumped 40 spots in the charts. The album has been certified 7× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Six of the band's albums have charted on the Billboard 200 and four have been certified gold or platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Counting Crows was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1994. The band also received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for the song "Accidentally in Love", which was included in the film Shrek 2.

[My Uni friend introduced me to Counting Crows - and Rush... and U2.... and for several years they became my favourite band and I bought (or downloaded) everything they produced. I was lucky enough to see them perform live both at Glastonbury in 2000 - the reason we went - and at Cardiff Arena some years later. LOVE it and still love them.]

Welcome to August, We Made It! I hope that people out there IRL are keeping cool, hydrated and burn free - plus of course are enjoying this summer of Pop Culture here @ SaLT. We're in the final month so hold on to your hats! 

England and Wales on Track for Driest July in 190 Years

Provisional Met Office data shows England and Wales are on course for their driest July since records began in 1836, with rainfall at just 8% of long‑term averages and drought declared across more than half of England and all of Wales.

Rainfall and Records

England: 5.6 mm of rain so far in July 2026 — 8% of the monthly average, less than half the previous record of 13.4 mm set in 1911.

Wales: 7.9 mm — also 8% of average, almost a third of the 1911 record of 22.6 mm.

UK overall: Third‑driest July on record, driest since 1868.

Southern England: Just 1.5 mm (2% of average)

Just Finished Reading: The Last Vampire by Patricia Rosemoor and Marc Paoletti (FP: 2008) [345pp] 

Decades after uncovering 'something' in a cave which killed her father and brother, anthropologist Leah Maguire (and expert in the mystic rituals of the past) is hired as a civilian contract expert to a secret military unit known as Team Ultra. At the centre of the team's lab is a 500-year-old mummified body with an unusual DNA structure. Spliced into other creatures it gave them extraordinary abilities and Team Ultra is the final result of those tests. Gifted with superior speed, increased healing and other more outlandish abilities they are the cutting edge of Special Force black ops. But they are not alone in their interest in the mummified corpse. A local voodoo priestess has discovered its whereabouts and knows exactly what it is – a vampire, the last of its kind. Determined to use its power for her own ends she uses her magical abilities to revive it and enable its escape. Team Ultra has a new mission – find and recapture the vampire before it can bring its kind back! 

In my defence I bought this quite some time ago (probably around the time it was published) and had fixated on the word 'vampire' in the title. The only reason I finished it was that I had already DNF'd two books this year which is my limit. Fortunately, this did have one redeeming quality – it was a FAST read. As to the rest... 

The 'story', and I use the word advisably and in its very broadest sense, was at best questionable from the very beginning. I'm going to give 'SPOILERS' here for which I make zero apology. The 'vampire' was self-made (a new one on me) using alchemy to make himself semi-immortal (he's trying to go all the way but that takes something else which is an element in one of the subplots) so that he can fight and hopefully destroy the Catholic church who essentially allowed his mother to die on their watch 500 years previous to the novels present timeline. Because he's an alchemical vampire none of the standard kill methods work (except sunlight – so naturally they try to take him down at night because of 'reasons') and, weirdly, GOLD – supposedly because it's an 'ethereal' element. So, "liquid gold" bullets... I kid you not! 

I soon discovered that the characters in the book – ALL OF THEM – could readily be divided into two types: those who were passively stupid and those who were actively stupid. If that wasn't enough this travesty of a novel contained multiple instances of one of the things that I particularly hate in fiction – when a character has a vital piece of information and either deliberately withholds it for purely plot reasons (generally in order to get others into difficulty for an action sequence) or is told not to divulge that information to the very people who could solve a problem in order that the unresolved issue can move the plot 'forward' another inch. I COULD go on, but you no doubt get the drift. This was, without much in the way of competition by far the worst book of the year and quite possibly for several years before that. The inevitable love interest between the two main characters read like something written by a teenage girl who has yet to kiss a boy never mind sleep with him. Even if the book was AIMED at a teenage audience (which it might very well have been) they would still be laughing over the way the characters GUSHED over each other. [shudder] So, without a single redeeming feature I would have to classify this as terrible and advise anyone who comes across it to AVOID picking it up. If it's sitting on your shelf presently unread, I'd suggest giving it to charity or possibly lighting fires with it.  

Just Finished Reading: The Last of the Ebb – The Battle of the Aisne, 1918 by Sidney Rogerson (FP: 1937) [169pp]

After being savaged in both of the German offensives on the Western Front in 1918, the author and his division is finally taken out of the line to rest and await replacements. They are, to a man, exhausted and in dire need of some time to recover. Thankfully they have been assigned a quiet sector in the French line. So quite indeed that some of the trenches have become filled with rubbish and the rest are in a poor state of repair. What is worse, seen through the authors keen eyed experience of such things, is that their artillery support unit hasn't moved in months. If the enemy DID launch an attack those guns would be the first thing to go... Within days though everyone started feeling 'antsy'. For one thing the random odd artillery shells from enemy guns had stopped. No patrolling enemy aircraft could be seen in the skies, and no enemy troops were seen in No Man's Land attempting to repair their wire. It wasn't just quiet; it was FAR too quiet. Even the Front's location was worrying. Not only did it cover the most direct route to Paris (THE objective for the German forces since 1914) but the river Aisne was BEHIND them. If any kind of attack developed, they would be forced to cross that river (or be destroyed) whilst under fire – not the kind of operation anyone would wish to undertake. 

Days later the rumours started to spread. Circumstantial evidence seemed to point to an attack coming their way. Whispers of troop build-ups, secondary explosions from random Allied artillery shots and a few prisoners warned that something was brewing. Then, in the very early hours of the morning all HELL was let loose on them. As everyone expected their artillery 'support' was annihilated in the first barrage and within minutes the first enemy stormtroopers appeared in their lines. Shortly a general withdrawal was ordered. Three days later they were still pulling back... 

But if the author and his division were more exhausted than they thought possible so, it appeared, were the enemy. After days of constant attacks, the pauses between assaults started to lengthen. The British even had time to catch a few hours' sleep before falling back again but this time they were falling back into more prepared positions and into the waiting embrace of reinforcements – something the Germans could only dream about. By the 3rd or 4th day the Germans had achieved all of their ambitious objectives and they started digging in, awaiting the inevitable counterattack. Impressed by their progress the German senior staff decided to press on – without artillery support, without reinforcements, without much resupply – against dug in troops at least partially rested who, with growing numbers and growing confidence believed that the enemy had shot his bolt and had nothing further in his arsenal. They were right. It was indeed the last of the ebb. From here on the enemy would only move one way – East and home. 

I've read a bit about the German advances on the Western Front in 1918 post-Russian Revolution. Although the Allies were expected such an eventuality they, and indeed the world, were still shocked at its effectiveness. But and it is a BIG but, the attacks ultimately failed and (quite possibly) might never have had a real possibility of success. Although the nature of the attacks bordered on genius at times still the German forces did not have the deep resources they needed to overcome the combined might of France and Britain (plus the increasing strength of American forces) in 1918. It was a great (and desperate) throw of the dice. It MIGHT have worked and, in the best-case scenario, separated the Allies in the West but I don't really think that Britain would have sued for a separate peace at that point and I doubt very much if the French would have ever done so. 

What was most interesting about this short book is seeing those events from the ground rather than 40,000 feet and with a century+ of hindsight. What was even more interesting was the final section where a German account was given of the same event – and not just from any officer but from the officer who PLANNED the whole thing. His assessment of the attack and of his British opponents was well worth a read and complimented the author's story brilliantly. If you have any interest in the fighting on the Western Front – and especially late in the war – this is definitely worth a read. More to come (soon-ish) on these events and the inevitable follow-up. Recommended.

The Last 10 Books (I added to my Wish List) - July 2026  

It's actually been quite the slow month and, just for a moment, I even thought that I might not add a full 10 new books to my every growing Wish List! I'm even slowing down on BUYING books... What will become of me when I don't have a bazillion books in my house waiting for my attention? Who will think of the children BOOKS? Anyway, here's the last 10 I added: 

Conquest: A History of Roman Britain by Ferdinand Addis 

Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World by Ian Bremmer 

Leyte Gulf: A New History of the World's Largest Sea Battle by Mark Stille 

Midway: The Pacific War’s Most Famous Battle by Mark Stille 

Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare by Katrina Manson 

The People's Emperor: The Unlikely Rise and Spectacular Fall of Napoleon III by Edward Shawcross 

1942: Hitler's Gamble for Victory by Richard Hargreaves 

Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine by Mark Galeotti 

The Cat's Tales: Feline Fairy Tales and Folklore by Charlie Creed 

Cat Tales: A History by Jerry Moore 

Mostly history (as usual) but some geo-politics and a bit about AI so not too bad, oh... and cats. Funnily I hadn't realised that the Napoleon III book was by the same author as my recent Emperor Maxamilian read. I think will be bought the moment it comes out in paperback! 

Happy Birthday: Maxfield Parrish (July 25, 1870 – March 30, 1966) was an American painter and illustrator active in the first half of the 20th century. His works featured distinctive saturated hues and idealized neo-classical imagery. The National Museum of American Illustration deemed his painting Daybreak (1922) to be the most successful art print of the 20th century.

Maxfield Parrish was born in Philadelphia to painter and etcher Stephen Parrish and Elizabeth Bancroft. His given name was Frederick Parrish, but he later adopted Maxfield, his paternal grandmother's maiden name, as his middle, then finally as his professional name. He was raised in a Quaker society.  As a child he began drawing for his own amusement, showed talent, and his parents encouraged him. Between 1884 and 1886, his parents took Parrish to Europe, where he toured England, Italy, and France, was exposed to architecture and the paintings by the old masters, and studied at the Paris school of Dr. Kornemann.

He attended the Haverford School and later studied architecture at Haverford College for two years beginning in 1888. To further his education in art, from 1892 to 1895 he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under artists Robert Vonnoh and Thomas Pollock Anshutz. After graduating from the program, Parrish went to Annisquam, Massachusetts, where he and his father shared a painting studio. A year later, with his father's encouragement, he attended the Drexel Institute of Art, Science & Industry where he studied with Howard Pyle.

Parrish's works continue to influence pop culture. Daybreak is seen in a treehouse in Terrence Malick's 1973 film Badlands. The cover of the 1985 Bloom County cartoon collection Penguin Dreams and Stranger Things comprises elements of Daybreak, The Garden of Allah, and The Lute Players. The poster for The Princess Bride was inspired by Daybreak. In 2001, Parrish was featured in a United States Post Office commemorative stamp series honoring American illustrators, including Parrish.

The 1986 television commercial announcing Nestle's Alpine White chocolate bar, entitled "Sweet Dreams," staged live-action representations of Parrish's Ecstasy, Dinky Bird, and Daybreak.

The Elton John album Caribou has a Parrish-inspired background. The Moody Blues album The Present uses a variation of the Parrish painting Daybreak for its cover. In 1984, Dali's Car, the British New Wave project of Peter Murphy and Mick Karn, used Daybreak as the cover art of their only album, The Waking Hour. The Irish musician Enya has been inspired by the works of Parrish. The cover art of her 1995 album The Memory of Trees is based on his painting The Young King of the Black Isles. A number of her music videos include Parrish imagery, including "Caribbean Blue".

In the 1995 music video "You Are Not Alone", Michael Jackson and his then wife Lisa Marie Presley appear semi-nude in emulation of Daybreak. The Italian singer-songwriter Angelo Branduardi's fourth album La pulce d'acqua of 1977 featured nine inlay full colour print reproductions of painter Mario Convertino's works; one of them is clearly inspired by Parrish's Stars.

The original painting of Daybreak sold in 2006 for US$7.6 million. The National Museum of American Illustration claims the largest body of his work in any collection, with sixty-nine works by Parrish including the 1910 Curtis Publishing Company's 18-panel mural commission. Some of his works are located at the Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, New Hampshire, and a few at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The San Diego Museum of Art organized and toured a collection of his work in 2005.

The American painter Norman Rockwell referred to Parrish as "my idol".

Just Finished Reading: The Last English King by Julian Rathbone (1997) [388pp] 

Europe, 1070. Walt the Wanderer is making his way, slowly and painfully, across Europe to the Holy land to seek atonement. The guilt he is carrying is almost crushing him, the guilt of failure, the guilt of shame and the guilt of survival. When he at last looks across the waves at Constantinople he hears a voice he can understand in a sea of foreigners. Unable to pay the ferryman his new companion Quint offers to pay for both of them. Having nothing to offer in return Walt initially declines until Quint says that he can pay his way by telling the story of his life. After a longer than expected pause Walt agrees and tells a tale of growing up in service to a powerful lord, of learning to fight in single combat and in the shield wall, of becoming an elite Companion and of travelling to Ireland, Wales and to France where he met Duke William, the Bastard. He tells his tale of political manoeuvrers, of broken oaths and of love both found and lost and he tells of battles won and battles lost along with his right hand and of fallen heroes including the last English king - Harold Godwinson. 

I've been looking forward to reading this for some time. As someone who is more than a little obsessed with 1066 'and all that' (actually the title of Part VII of the novel, which made me laugh out loud!) I'm always up for reading anything on the subject be it fiction or non-fiction. Unfortunately, so far, the novelisations around the period have been less than impressive – not so for this very good rendition. Although told mostly in 'flashback' I thought it was an excellent way at looking at the events running up to Hastings and the immediate aftermath of the calamity. Not only is Walt in effect paying for his supper he is also using his narrative to come to terms with what happened (to him, Harold and England) and as a method for dealing with his survivor's guilt plus an unhealthy dose of PTSD. The fact that he is often telling his tale with an audience – up to 5-6 people at some points – with his audience asking questions or countering his narrative with THEIR understanding of the facts – allows for a much more rounded look things. 

I think I was most impressed by the way that the author mixes what we DO know of the events with some very plausible explanations for the mysteries that historians still argue and publish books about – notable the much-discussed oath that Harold was purported to have made to support Duke William's claim to the English throne. The thing that gave me MUCH pause for reflection (and a need to read up far more on the period) were the relationships between some of the main players notably Edward the Confessor. I did have my 'suspicions' in the area of his sexual preferences, but the author really ran with them. What actual credence they have will need some more research on my part! Speaking of sex... there is some scattered throughout the novel and it is moderately explicit at times, although its easily skippable. I think the thing that surprised me more than anything was who was having sex with who and how most of it was at least tolerated or regarded as barely noteworthy. Anglo-Saxon sexual mores are something I know VERY little about so I'll see if I can find out more in my reading. 

Overall, I thought this was at least very good with long moments of excellence. I certainly couldn't fault any of the historical fact (or at least what I know of it) and not a single thing broke me out of the narrative. Harold was obviously the hero throughout and William was portrayed as borderline psychotic which he may very well have been taking into account his early life and his actions post-Hastings and especially after the Northern rebellions. Edward played an interesting role rather different from my expectations (sexual preferences aside) which actually explained quite a bit. The battles of Stamford Bridge and especially Hastings were very well done and dramatic – including the in/famous arrow which did briefly raise an eyebrow to be honest, but I forgave him quickly. Loved it and I'm looking forward to more from this author. HIGHLY recommended especially if you have any interest in Anglo-Saxon England or (more especially) the pivotal Battle of Hastings.

Just Finished Reading: The Last Emperor of Mexico – A Disaster in the New World by Edward Shawcross (FP: 2021) [288pp] 

Many years ago, I remember watching a Western on TV and was confused more than a little when a bunch of American mercenaries ambushed some French cavalry (complete with shiny breastplates and lances) in Mexico. I couldn't help but wonder: what on earth are FRENCH cavalry doing in Mexico? I presumed that they might have been protecting French interests or maybe the French ambassador. Or that they might have been 'on loan' to the Mexican Emperor Maximilian who I presumed was Spanish... I was partially right. The French forces were indeed 'on loan' to the emperor who was, in fact, Austrian. The things you learn. 

I'll freely admit that my 'knowledge' of Mexican history was effectively zero (essentially things gleaned from some of the older westerns) until I finished this intriguing book. I think the biggest surprise was the actual nationality of the emperor himself. It turned out that he was the annoying younger brother of the emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who was 'looking for a role' in the world. Maximilian's name came up in conversation with Napoleon III of France and, after some initial resistance, was thought to be a good fit for the position. Unfortunately, there were just a few problems. Firstly, no one had actually asked the Mexican ruling class what they thought (to say nothing of the people themselves). At that time Mexico was going through a slow-motion Civil War between Conservative and Liberal forces and the imposition of a new Emperor could be political dynamite or, as some hoped, the thing which managed to bring things together. A bigger issue was the Monroe Doctrine of the United States which prohibited any European power from interfering in America's backyard. The idea of an Austrian monarch ruling a neighbouring country and propped up by French forces would not exactly sit well in Washington.  

Fortunately, both problems seemed to have solutions. Firstly, Maximilian was lied to about his support within Mexico and Second, the US became engaged in a Civil War with the breakaway Confederacy. Pre-occupied at home it was expected that if the Confederacy won then the Monroe problem would go away and if the Union won (eventually) they would be weakened and presented with a fait accompli. As you might imagine these were far from solid foundations for a new regime. 

The saddest thing about the whole fiasco is that Maximilian had the very best of intentions regarding his new country. The problem (along with everything else mentioned above) was that Max was both incredibly naive and focused on ALL of the wrong things – for example detailed court protocol rather than boring finances. Maximilian expected that his very presence would be enough to stabilise the country and that the people would love him BECAUSE his was their emperor. Despite being clear that it was going to be a disaster from the outset it was actually mesmerising to watch an entire country turn into a train wreck month by month over a few short years. I only had the smallest of hints that any of this had happened, and the details regularly blew my mind. Quite fascinating and a must read for anyone with even the vaguest interest in Mexican/American history. 

['The Last' Project has (finally) started...! More to come.] 

The Last 10 Movies – July 2026 edition.   

Well, this is another SUPER long pause between movie watching. A part of that is that I'm re-watching Babylon 5 (series 1) between films and that (as I tend to watch movies late at night when I'm starting to tire) it can take 3-4 sessions to watch a single film. Oddly I can watch a 2-hour podcast in a single sitting which must mean something.... Anyway, the last 10 movies I watched were... [NEW movies – to me! - are in BOLD.] 

The Bridge at Remagen (1969) 

Classic 60's WW2 war film with a Vietnam 'vibe' as US troops are tasked to capture or destroy the last bridge over the Rhein. Interestingly both sides are shown sympathetically and both sides have fanatics. 

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (2010)  

I've been hearing about this movie for years and finally got the chance to see it. I can see why it's become such a cult classic, and I did enjoy it (mostly) but I'm still in 2+ minds on whether or not it was any good. 

The Vikings (1958) 

One of my all-time favourite movies growing up as Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis fight over a beautiful English woman during an invasion of England. The end fight and castle attack is especially good. 

Sink the Bismarck (1960) 

Totally classic British war movie that did exactly what it says on the tin. After reading more about the actual events I was even more impressed by its accuracy. Pretty good model work too (for its time).  

Upgrade (2018) 

Very silly Sci-Fi Cyberpunk horror/thriller about a paraplegic with an AI chip seeking revenge for the 'accident' that put him in a wheelchair and killed his wife. Had some moments, but few and far between. 

American Ultra (2015) 

Jesse Eisenberg is a failed CIA experiment who believes he's just a stoner working in a 7/11 until his masters decide to tie up loose ends – including him and his girlfriend. MUCH silly violence ensues. Silly, but mostly fun. 

Ice Station Zebra (1968) 

One of the better Alistair Maclean adaptations where a team of Americans (and some foreign spies) travel to the North Pole to recover a Soviet spy satellite. Most of the film takes place on a nuclear submarine and is very tense. Some great scenes and pretty good acting. I think its aged quite well. 

Zulu (1964) 

One of my all-time favourite movies. LOVE it to bits. Rather inaccurate (but not completely fanciful) account of the action at Roakes Drift in 1879 where around 150 British soldiers faced over 4,000 Zulu warriors. Tense and dramatic stuff and starring Micael Caine in his first major role. 

Nobody (2021) 

Yet another silly violent film when an ex-CIA type 'operator' who just wants a quiet life gets involved with the Russian mafia and has to 'take care of business' the only way he knows how: with LOTS of bangs, LOTS of guns and LOTS of blood including his own. 

Project Hail Mary (2026) 

Yet another adaptation of an Andy Weir SF novel. After enjoying The Martian so much I was really looking forward to this. That's probably one reason why I was a little disappointed by it. It's a LONG movie which honestly felt a bit flat. I also felt that the humour sprinkled throughout too often seemed out of place as if they (author or director) didn't really know just how serious they wanted to be. My favourite bits were any scene that involved Sandra Hüller who played the East German lead scientist. I thought she was brilliant. 

Hopefully my NEXT 10 movies list will arrive before Christmas. [crosses fingers]

Happy Birthday: Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress and singer. Her work includes both film and television, and her accolades include two Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for three Golden Globe Awards. In 2025, Time included her in their selection of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Bell began her acting career starring in stage productions, while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She made her Broadway stage debut as Becky Thatcher in the comedy musical The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001) and appeared in a Broadway revival of The Crucible (2002). She then appeared in the action film Spartan and received praise for her performance in the television drama film Gracie's Choice (both 2004).

Bell had her breakout performance as the title character in the television series Veronica Mars (2004–2007), a role she reprised in the 2014 spin-off film and the 2019 revival. She also starred as Elle Bishop in the superhero drama series Heroes (2007–2008), voiced the titular narrator in the teen drama series Gossip Girl (2007–2012) and its 2021 standalone sequel, and starred in the Showtime comedy series House of Lies (2012–2016). She received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her leading roles in the NBC comedy series The Good Place (2016–2020) and the Netflix romantic comedy series Nobody Wants This (2024); the latter also earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series.

During her time on Veronica Mars, Bell starred in the television musical film Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) and the horror film Pulse (2006). She has since appeared in a number of comedy films, including Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), When in Rome (2010), You Again (2010), Burlesque (2010), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), Stuck in Love (2012), The Lifeguard (2013), The Boss (2016), Bad Moms (2016), A Bad Moms Christmas (2017), How to Be a Latin Lover (2017), CHiPs (2017), Like Father (2018), Queenpins (2021), The People We Hate at the Wedding (2022), and Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023). She received further recognition for voicing Princess Anna in the Disney animated films Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019). She is also the voice of Amy Rose in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

In 2006 and again in 2013, Bell was selected "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" on PETA's yearly poll. She was placed 68 on Maxim's 2005 "Hot 100" list, 11 in Maxim's 2006 "Hot 100" list, and 46 in Maxim's 2007 "Hot 100" list in which she was stated to have "single-handedly saved The CW from becoming the worst network ever". In 2006, Maxim also placed Bell at the top of the "Fall TV's Criminally Sexy Investigators" List. In 2008, she was ranked 59 on AskMen's Top 99 Women of 2008 List. Reflecting on her admitted popularity with "geeks", Bell was voted the fourth-sexiest woman on TV by the staff at Wizard magazine.