Author Archives: Lee Russell Wilkes

Does Starz’s Spartacus Sequel Dishonour the Blood and Sand Legacy It’s Built On?

Showrunner Steven S. DeKnight returns to the Roman era with Spartacus: House of Ashur. The show is an alternative history set in the same world, with a minor villainous character from the original show resurrected and rewarded with a gladiator school by his patron. Can the new show live up to the extremes of nudityContinue reading “Does Starz’s Spartacus Sequel Dishonour the Blood and Sand Legacy It’s Built On?”

Swipe Left for Decades of Bad Dating Advice

Dr Andrew King’s coming book describes today’s Tinder-dominated dating scene as an unholy blend of anxiety projection, the distorted politics of self-esteem, and impersonal algorithms. As a result, modern dating is wholly inadequate for solving the age-old problem of mate-selection.  It’s not every day that I ask a man about dating advice, especially not oneContinue reading “Swipe Left for Decades of Bad Dating Advice”

Top Gear Producer’s Memoir Motors Along at a Safe Pace

Top Gear and The Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman gives his perspective on two decades of auto-motive chaos, endless quiche buffets, and a graphic warning about dodgy salad. His memoir is a deceptively simple nostalgic look at a cultural juggernaut that presented as chaos but was actually precision engineering, arriving regularly like a rusty VolvoContinue reading “Top Gear Producer’s Memoir Motors Along at a Safe Pace”

Where the Camera Behind Citizen Kane Still Rolls

Steve Gainer’s Everything Cinematography YouTube, 5 episodes Social media suffers no shortage of lifeless movie channels. Yet, Steve Gainer’s Everything Cinematography is a welcome break from anonymous YouTubers endlessly reshuffling the same old talking points. The canon has long since settled. Refreshingly, Gainer focuses not on the movies but on the cameras and the operatorsContinue reading “Where the Camera Behind Citizen Kane Still Rolls”

Foundation Season Three: The Mule Rises, Dynasties Fall and Colour Palettes Riot

Three seasons, Apple TV+ The third season of Apple’s Isaac Asimov adaptation Foundation settles into cutting-edge filmmaking and beautiful colour design, quickly becoming compelling – if flawed – viewing. Foundation’s premise remains recognisable from Asimov’s books. In the far future, Hari Seldon, a mathematician, hits upon a method of accurately predicting the long-term future andContinue reading “Foundation Season Three: The Mule Rises, Dynasties Fall and Colour Palettes Riot”

Predator: Badlands, or If It Bleeds, We Can Emasculate It

Predator: Badlands is Emasculated Masculinity: The Movie, complete with championing disability, taking down the patriarchy – and a cute Disney animal. At one point in the movie, a creature spits acid at an android and completely melts it away. You know you’re watching a bad movie when you’re envious. Yes, Predator: Badlands is so badContinue reading “Predator: Badlands, or If It Bleeds, We Can Emasculate It”

Alien Resurrection?

8 episodes, Disney+ Alien: Earth sets out to expand the Xenomorph’s universe beyond that of the classic Ridley Scott and James Cameron movies. Reassuringly, the show is no reboot, and the showrunners take us to literal eye-popping new territory. 2024’s awful Alien: Romulus was the series’ greatest hits rehashed for Gen Z and a clearContinue reading “Alien Resurrection?”

Nepalis take a bow for the new revolution

After years of anti-corruption protesting, it took cutting off access to PUBG, TikTok and trans-influencers to move Nepali Gen Zs to revolutionary fervour. A deposed government later, they couldn’t agree who should lead, or even what they stood for. Lee Russell Wilkes draws conclusions from witness testimony. At the start of September, the pro-China NepaliContinue reading “Nepalis take a bow for the new revolution”