Month: February 2025

Poem

Poem: Tragedy of peace

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Poem: Tragedy of peace

Seasons are changing—winter of peace fades.
Spring seems to bring the rebirth of war.

Worst case, a summer of conflict looms.
Yet the song of war has been a long time coming.
We have been sleeping through the long peace.

Each crisis, each event, piling up like leaves on the road.
Snoozing the alarm every time—
now it cannot be silenced.

The theatre of war is already here.
Acts of sabotage and murder,
neighbours turning hostile.

We ignore escalation, like a spring storm creeping in.
Doing the bare minimum,
hoping recycling plastic is enough,
or that providing ammo is enough.

One nation invades another—
for some, war is already here.
Like spring, the storm of war arrives.

A fiery storm that could reduce everything to chaos.
Soon, it could pull everyone into the war.

For many, they have escaped the heavy rain
Only when the winds grow stronger
and the flooding begins
do we start to ask questions.

A flood of lies—
Not an invasion, they say. They started it.
Rewriting history, erasing the lives of the lost.
Fighting these lies is necessary—
the truth is, it was an invasion.

The winds of war carry not just destruction,
but the death of truth.

For others, the war becomes a distant memory,
like spring in the dead of winter.

A winter of lies,
snow covering the truth.

The gears of war have rusted, and rebuilding will take time—
but time is what we lack.

Instead, we wound down,
cut the trees, and called it job done.

Now the forest is bare—empty.
No longer green, but run down.
What replaces it is not peace, but decay.

The coming storm is far more dangerous,
and it comes for us all.

The price of peace is the ability to defend,
but also the will to fight for what you believe in.

Cost of peace is high, but cost of war far higher and burns a hole in generations. Must be ready to fight, otherwise what is the point?

You cannot change the world we live in,
but that does not mean we are powerless.

If you wish for people to fight,
you must give them something to fight for.

Give them a reason to uphold the order.

My fear is we lack that.

A positive reward is required,
a vision for what comes after.

Now is not the time for retreat.
Now is the time to stand together,
united against this threat.

Inaction will lead to ruin and destruction spreading.

It is always painful when friends turn to foes,
but nothing lasts forever.

Freedom of speech is not freedom to offend.
Decrying freedom whilst removing others’ freedom is an insult to justice.
Those who failed to prevent this should go into the jaws of war first.
Broad shoulders should bear the weight of this failure—
to plan, to control, to own their mistakes.

The burden of this fight should be for all to bear.
The poor and weak fight for your freedom—
you should willingly give up your gold to pay for it.
We sacrifice our lives for your selfishness.
The least you could do is pay your respects and dues.
Otherwise, give up your privilege
for someone who will treat it with more care.

The future of another lies in our hands.
Stand firm, fight with them.
Surrender our own sovereignty and security.
Journal, Movies

James Bond Amazon gets control

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James Bond Amazon gets control

I have written about James Bond in the past. Briefly wrote about the ownership. Small paragraph that worth revisiting.

The Broccoli family has diligently safeguarded control over the Bond franchise. Danjaq holds the copyright for the film series. The first twenty Bond movies are co-owned by Danjaq and MGM, while the remainder belong to Danjaq, MGM, and Columbia Pictures (a Sony subsidiary). Eon Productions, owned by the Broccoli family, meticulously oversees all Bond projects. Their level of control rivals J.K. Rowling’s veto power over the Harry Potter franchise.

Danjaq is owned and managed by Broccoli family, Eon Productions is also owned and operated by Broccoli. Franchise is creative direction and production is owned by this family. Why is that important? Well because we just got news that is changing.

Amazon MGM has gained control over creative control and production. Amazon MGM, Wilson, and Broccoli have come to an agreement. A new joint venture to house the property rights. All three remain co-owners, but creative control goes to Amazon. Ending 60 years of control for Wilson and Broccoli family. Both have retired from producing films. What does this mean for Eon productions? I have no idea. Looks like Sony has sold to Amazon. I can’t find anything on that just a guess.

So what does this mean?

Well, two producers protecting Bond legacy are gone. Made it clear they want theatre releases, not just prime only. Long stalemate after last release in 2021. Last year it was reported nothing was happening. It was an open secret that Broccoli and Amazon did not agree. For whatever reason, they have handled control over to Amazon. Giving up the fight but not the pay day if it works out. Bond brand could now appear anywhere, for years it was protected and guarded. Now a big tech company with a studio has full control. I’m worried yes.

It fine, I have my memories of bond and what it means to me. If they screw this up, I won’t watch it or buy anything. They have big shoes to fill.

Comic book movies

Captain America 4 is okay?

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Captain America 4 is okay?

Captain America 4 is finally out. Sam Wilson, formerly the Falcon, officially takes up the mantle of Captain America (Cap), continuing the story set up in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier—which I have not watched. From my understanding, that series already covered Sam taking on the role of Captain America, which means this film can’t rely on that storyline. This highlights the limitations of combining TV series and movies within the MCU.

So, what’s my mindset going in? My expectations are low. I’m not anticipating a major narrative push or an outstanding story—just an okay or decent movie at best. That sounds fair to me: an average film that introduces us to Captain Falcon. We’ve already had a political thriller with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so this film needs to take a fresh approach. The question is: will they take risks, or will they play it safe? I’m not convinced they’ll do anything bold.

The original trilogy was a personal story about Steve Rogers. Here, the main character feels more like a supporting character rather than a lead. Sam’s nickname among comic book fans is Captain Falcon or Cap Falcon, but he can’t seem to shake off the feeling of being a side character. Why? He’s not the first character we see, he’s not part of the story for a while, and everybody else around him feels more important. What we get is a film that ties up loose ends, bringing together two main storylines into a very watchable but ultimately just “good” movie. It reminds me of Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)—a solid 6 out of 10. It sets up plot points for the future if some writer wants to use them.

Avoiding Spoilers: My Review

This movie feels like it exists to tie up loose ends, explaining past events while attempting to push the story forward. It feels like a sequel to both The Incredible Hulk (2008) and The Winter Soldier (2014), maintaining a similar tone. However, it ends up doing both badly. The problem is that Wilson still feels like a supporting character. He performs unbelievable feats while trying to remain grounded, yet the film fails to maintain that grounded feel. MCU power levels are well above him, meaning these feats require explanations. This creates an issue: the stakes feel low when everything looks easy. While there are moments where that’s not the case, they don’t really change much.

One saving grace is Harrison Ford’s character. His storyline is well-written, to the point where he honestly feels like the main character. Meanwhile, Sam feels like he’s supporting Ford’s character rather than leading his own film. The movie ultimately feels like two separate films mashed together—a remnant of Marvel’s shift in quality during the Disney+ era. It’s a fine movie that somehow works, but it should have been a Hulk movie with Wilson getting his own standalone story. It’s fast-paced and to the point, but it just feels a bit underwhelming. Calling it a political thriller is a bit of an insult, really.

At one point, it feels like the movie has ended—only for it to keep going, giving us another ending. The big twist at the end feels rushed. You could have split the movie into two and had a better result. The action is fine but nothing groundbreaking, and it doesn’t quite suit Falcon, who feels forgotten in terms of character development. If Marvel keeps producing movies of this quality, it’s going to damage the brand. Maybe we’ve already reached that point. Personally, I would have scrapped the movie, written it off, and taken a long, hard look at the direction of the franchise. Leading up to this movie, we had plenty of reports about the production woes it faced.

Production Issues

This film had a rocky production. Writing began in 2021 following the Disney+ series, but the project faced multiple delays. Originally slated for release in May 2024, the movie was pushed back to February 2025 due to production setbacks. Filming began in March 2023 but was disrupted by the Writers’ Strike in May, which lasted until November. Despite the strike, filming continued, though additional rewrites took place after it ended. Early test screenings were poorly received, resulting in further rewrites and reshoots. These reshoots occurred from January to June 2024—and again from May to November 2024—causing even more delays. Deadpool & Wolverine started filming later yet was still released first in 2024.

I’m not sure what to think. Actors and directors claim reshoots are common practice, but one thing is clear: this movie’s production was anything but smooth. Writer strikes often lead to weaker films, which raises concerns. Then again, I don’t know the ins and outs of Hollywood, so maybe this level of reshooting is normal. Based on the timeline, it seems like a third of the movie was redone. Given Marvel’s struggles in the Disney+ era, this is a middle-of-the-pack film. Whatever the case, reshoots did have an impact here. Yet, it remains a watchable film because of them. Impressive. I’ve been pretty critical and negative so far, so how would I have done it?

My Version of This Movie

The biggest problem I have is that I never watched The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Falcon is the new Captain America but not officially. The government doesn’t want him around. He’s a normal guy with wings, but they aren’t high-tech. Everything he does is a challenge. His acrobatics are how he overwhelms people—not by using strength. An outsider that the president turns to. He arrives at the White House, where the president greets him. No longer representing America, Sam is a reluctant hero. The president isn’t happy about Sam taking the shield. They don’t get along at all. The meeting goes poorly, and Sam settles down to being a social worker. He’s called back to investigate an unfolding mystery—the only person the president trusts. Sam is trying to find out where Nick Fury is, who the next Avengers could be, and why somebody is trying to destabilise America. He doesn’t trust the people around him, and they are clearly hiding something. Someone is trying to create a new world order, removing Ross from the White House and causing trouble.

Sam enlists a retired Bucky Barnes to help, along with some old friends. What follows is a political thriller with Sam and the Winter Soldier at the forefront. Sam learns to lead and become his own man, while Bucky helps him grow, acting as a mentor and friend. They discover that “X” is behind the plot to destroy the White House. After learning to work within his limits, Sam emerges as the leader people need. Bucky is sidelined and does not get any credit due to his public image. Two teams are formed: the Thunderbolts and a newly restarted special Falcon forces program. Nick Fury finally appears, warning Sam that something isn’t right—heroes are disappearing, leaving only the new generation behind. Everything they need to fight off threats, like super-soldier research, has gone. Sam sets off with a wanted Nick Fury, both going underground. Bucky fully embraces his Winter Soldier persona again under the command of Thunderbolt Ross. Ross is portrayed as a morally grey character, with Nick Fury providing a counterbalance. Turns out the person behind it all is Ross, who wants new metals and resources for himself, viewing himself—not Fury—as the best hope to defend the Earth.

Closing Thoughts

What we have here is a movie that plays it safe. It feels like an earlier Marvel film, hinting at a future team-up but without an overarching narrative linking everything together. Once again, it echoes the earlier days of the MCU. A couple of solid movies have come from Phases 4 and 5, and this one slots nicely into the middle. It’s not the worst, and it’s watchable. In my opinion, The Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hold the worst spots. Captain Falcon gets a solid 6 out of 10 for me. My review is pretty negative, but it’s not a bad movie, so I can’t rate it like one. The negativity comes from the high points of the MCU being so good—yet this seems to forget the lessons of what came before. You can skip this one and just stream it on Disney+. The trailers haven’t helped either—why reveal the big twist in them?

Journal

Market complacency – Rubicon crossed in America

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Market complacency – Rubicon crossed in America

In my view, the financial market’s complacency has me deeply worried. The focus has been on Trump tariffs. This is the second time Trump has attacked the machinery of government. He tried to freeze existing spending by executive order.  Quickly backtracked on that after 48 hours. You can read more here, here and here. Days later, Elon Musk’s minions have taken control of US treasury computer systems. Read more here, here and here. Taking over control of the machinery of the US government to control spending. Congress may have passed spending laws, but Musk can refuse to send the money. Unelected officials with no security clearance got control over America’s bank account. It amounts to a 21st-century coup. Purging officials who resist, who he does not agree with. Which was both efforts to control the purse is illegal and unconstitutional. Yet the market reaction is this is fine. 

Thought experiment: what would the global reaction be if this was another country? Outrage and punishment. Investors would be leaving on mass. The money would be flying out the doors. A bank run would most likely happen. This is beyond the imagination. It is not hard to see how the lack of pushback leads to Trump continuing, perhaps expanding his actions. Of course, even if this is temporary, the rubicon has been crossed. Passed the point of no return on a couple of norms. Elected officials should be worried. The most extreme outcome is the withholding of funds for support. Trump wants a constitutional change, no dollar until you support it.  What happens if the other side uses these powers? White House can bully whoever to do its bidding. They have been bypassed, willingly given up power. 

Struggling to understand the muted market reaction. Worst still Trump said he going to do this. Yet nobody believed him. Now he done it people have just shrugged. Coup de grace has happened yet nobody reacted. Only four groups that can stop Trump now. His cabinet can depose him. Congress and senate with supreme court are meant to act. Yet they are unlikely. Given the political risk and uncertainty surely that enough for markets to move?  Money men something Trump claims to focus on are not moving. That is puzzling.

Read more here