Flat Track Bullies Redeemed, As Is The Snowflake Generation (For Now) ... Oh And More Films

My reference to the snowflake generation is made in the context of those flat track bullies, better known as the England cricket team. Only a few minutes ago they completed their return to national approval by soundly beating New Zealand so that they are guaranteed a semi-final place, most probably against India, the very side they beat on Sunday to announce their resurrection. Prior to that victory they (most particularly Jonny Bairstow, bless his cotton socks) had reacted in true snowflake manner to the justified criticism that had come their way after two supine defeats. The poor little loves would have it that they were unlucky against Australia and how dare anyone (especially that nasty Michael Vaughan - what would he know about cricket) criticise their game plans. What tosh boys - you were murdered by the Aussies and you copped nothing more than you deserved from the commentariat. May you now blaze a trail of glory to lift the World Cup. The Overgraduate is firmly behind you but fair criticism comes with any trade, so man up.

Operation Finale dramatises the capture and removal to Israel of Adolf Eichmann. It is a worthy film somehow lacking in real drama, but nonetheless notable for Ben Kingsley's calm portrayal of Eichmann - an essay on the general banality of evil and its suave interludes of charisma. An important story but regrettably not an important film. 6.5/10. 

In similar vein another perfectly passable piece of cinema but not a great one. Christopher Robin is what we might deem a nice Sunday afternoon film - that indeed is when the Groupie and I watched it. A downtrodden (by the exigencies of his employment) Christopher Robin is revisited by Pooh (if this makes no sense to you then you are lucky because you still have ahead of you the joy of reading the Winnie the Pooh books - arguably the funniest things in the English language) and an adventure ensues both in and out of the Hundred Acre Wood. By the end a more than passable amount of fun has been had and the eponymous hero has learnt a lesson that he might have learnt much earlier if he had watched Mary Poppins. 7/10.

The sun is shining on our little land today, a fact I celebrated by taking the Precious Jag for a spin while wearing the Precious Oakleys. They do, quite naturally, make one a better driver.