James FrancisWot I Read: 300 Spartans weren’t the best part of the storyMany of us now know about the 300, a story told and retold endlessly — even producing two movies: The 300 Spartans (1962) and 300 (2006)…May 1, 2021May 1, 2021
James FrancisWot I Red: They really loved RubensPeter Paul Rubens was one of the all-time greats of painting, a master of the Baroque style that is infused in pretty much every…Oct 10, 2019Oct 10, 2019
James FrancisWot I Red: Robert McNamara saved more lives than he tookRobert McNamara will go down in history as the Secretary of Defense during most of the Vietnam War. He was part of the Kennedy…Oct 8, 2019Oct 8, 2019
James FrancisWot I Red: How history gets lostWho were the Etruscans? Today this ancient civilisation is barely a footnote in history, but they were very powerful at their peak. In…Oct 8, 2019Oct 8, 2019
James FrancisWot I Red: Love your foreignersWhy did Sparta and Athens fail when Rome didn’t? Perhaps it had to do with how the Romans expanded and controlled their domain.Oct 7, 2019Oct 7, 2019
James FrancisWot I Red: Our booming populationFears of over-population aren’t new. In fact, they used to be much more acute and generally more threatening. There were barely 200…Oct 7, 2019Oct 7, 2019
James FrancisThe Haunting of Hill House: the contender that coulda been champHaunted houses populate a popular horror sub-genre — even the American Horror Story series ventured into a haunted house first. Maybe it’s…Nov 23, 2018Nov 23, 2018
James FrancisBrilliant surreal genius — MOTHER!Darren Aronofsky has a bit of a perspective problem. He apparently is angry that his new movie, Mother!, bombed with mainstream audiences…Jan 15, 2018Jan 15, 2018
James FrancisFun, but dishonest: STAR WARS THE LAST JEDIThe best Star Wars movie made in the thirty years is Rogue One, because it takes the substance of a rich saga and shows the real depth…Jan 13, 2018Jan 13, 2018
James FrancisMiike rambles: BLADE OF THE IMMORTALI always have time for Takashi Miike, even his strange stuff. And he is easily one of the best directors to adapt manga material. On top of…Jan 13, 2018Jan 13, 2018
