Sunday Lunch 15th Dec 24

[@iluv2b]

Many thanks for another great Sunday Lunch. For all the reasons you mention, I was very impressed with Black Doves. Simply on the basis for being a refreshing change, for being devoid of 'woke', and focusing on telling a great tale, it deserved a fair viewing, yet it also managed to be so addictively stylish. I also very much like Taron Egerton, and in particular, the Kingsman films, the latter having kicked in a door to an aspect of the genre that none of us knew we needed. I know exactly what you mean about how poorly Carry On compares to Die Hard; everything hung together in the latter, and never once do I watch it without being sold on the idea that John McClane, helped considerably by a savvy cop, saves the day with aplomb. In this film, however, everything about Ethan spoke to him just blundering his way through, all without a semblance of convincing narrative to support the idea of him outwitting Bateman's far more adept character. Dexter was sublime in its day, definitely another 'door kicker' for a genre. However, both in terms of prequels and current stories, it needs to stop, as much for its own sake as ours. The problem with the prequel is that a large part of the exposition for the character's code, of his tuition by his father, together with the arising of his 'dark passenger', has already been well-enough established throughout the main series. Worse still, the creditable ending to the Dexter story in the present is now to be overturned, undoubtedly for the purpose of re-treading old tropes. Dexter actually died quite nobly in the snow; best let him rest there. Thanks again and all the best for now. Paul