Many years ago I regularly blogged about the media that I consumed, principally films, but also books and video games and so on. There was a point when this occasioned comment in my then parish – and by comment I mean criticism – so I stopped doing it (writing about it, not consuming the media!). However, much water has passed under the bridge since that time, I am different and my situation is different, so I want to get back into the habit of making notes on the media I consume, all as part of the process of living more mindfully. So this is what I have consumed since Christmas…

Books
Following a tip-off at a blog I follow here (and yes I watched that Netflix film just before Christmas) I purchased John Birmingham’s End of Days trilogy. I really liked this, a good story with believable characters that was well paced and laugh-out-loud funny at times. So I’d happily recommend it. The one qualm I have is a qualm that applies to a lot of dystopian fiction, which is that the collapse is presented as sudden and all-encompassing, whereas I tend to see the collapse as proceeding in a more ‘rolling down the staircase’ mode, ie a drop, then stasis, then another drop (the first was 2008, the second was 2020, there will be another along soon).
As part of my research into Islam (for my series on the public-facing blog) I read Jayne Senior’s ‘Broken and Betrayed’. Senior was a youth worker in Rotherham and the principal whistle-blower about the systematic abuse taking place there. This was a really good and easy read (although I skimmed some of the darker details) and you find out much more about her as a person. You also end up despising the bureaucracy that let the abuse continue for so long. There is a lot in common with the Post Office scandal that is receiving attention at the moment; at some point I may write something substantial on that aspect, using McGilchrist’s hemisphere’s to unpack what went wrong (I use the phrase ‘left hemisphere capture’ to describe it). In any case, if you want to understand what happened in Rotherham, this is strongly recommended. I’m delighted that she was honoured for her work.

Film
Saltburn – four out of five (film ratings explained here). This was a highly polished turd; I don’t think I have disliked a film quite so much in a very long time. The thing is, in so many ways it was an extremely good film – visually stunning, excellent acting – but it lacked integrity in two really important senses, a) it was incoherent as a plot and b) it had no moral centre. I think you can get away with one of those, but not with both. I’m glad I’ve seen it – I can take part in the conversation – but I shall not be watching it again. I do love Rosamund Pike though!
Chariots of Fire – watched with my eldest as he hadn’t seen it, and it must have been at least 20 years since I had last seen it. A real palate-cleanser after Saltburn. Just superb. 5/5

Also:
When on my own I am rewatching the new Dr Who, and have reached the end of season 4 (oh Donna!). Midnight was an excellent bottle-episode that could be used to teach Girardian anthropology! And River Song… sigh.

Also: have been slowly replaying the Dragon Age sequence, in preparation for the release of Dreadwolf. I still think the way demons are presented in DA is the most theologically sound that I’ve come across!
Also: I think I’m addicted to Civ 6 – but I won’t mention that much 🙂