Books

Man Dead

2026-09-15 bakern Leave a comment

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh (1934)

This is her first novel and it features Detective Roderick Alleyn.

The plot concerns a murder committed during a detective game of murder at a weekend party in a country house.

There is some good prose writing here, clear and concise with the book coming in at 50,000 words.

A classic style, heavily influenced by Agatha Christie. Only let down by a rather convoluted murder method.

As The Illustrated London News, reviewed:

“A Man Lay Dead,” by Ngaio Marsh, imports a real murder into the “murder” game. The reconstruction of the crime is ridiculous; sliding down the banisters should have been left to the nursery. The hue-and-cry is good enough, and the author has spared no effort to keep his trailers off the scent as long as possible.

Movies

Mackintosh

2026-09-14 bakern Leave a comment

The Mackintosh Man (1973)

Based on “The Freedom Trap”

Despite it’s stars, Paul Newman and James Mason, and director John Huston nothing could save this film.

Although based on the novel, scriptwriter Walter Hill wrote 90% of the first half, various people wrote the rest. So the explosive ending in the book is replaced with a brief chat and some killings.

The only ‘action’ scene of note is a car chase with obvious back screen projection.

A real dissapointment.

Books

Free Traps

2026-09-13 bakern Leave a comment

The Freedom Trap by Desmond Bagley (1971)

Joseph Rearden is a better-than-average crook with a jail conviction on his record. In London, he is hired by a man known only as Mackintosh, assisted by his secretary Mrs Smith, to steal a consignment of diamonds. The theft is successful but Reardon is almost immediately arrested.

So begins another of Bagley’s best. With its convoluted plot, you never know where it’s going. It could have been the basis for a James Bond film.

In 1973, it was made into a film entitled The Mackintosh Man, starring Paul Newman.

Movies

Apocaloptimist

2026-09-12 bakern Leave a comment

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

2026 American documentary film directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell.

Told through the perspective of filmmaker Daniel Roher as he prepares to become a father, the film investigates the existential threats and potential promises of artificial intelligence. Roher conducts interviews with leading experts in the field to understand the world his child will inherit, balancing anxiety with “apocaloptimism”.

Interviewees

An extensive look at the AI landscape. The main thing missing is the financial ramifications of this bubble bursting. But for that, see Ed Zitron.

Events

Peter Bromhead

2026-09-11 bakern Leave a comment

Peter Bromhead MNZM
(31 May 1933 – 4 Sept 2026)
New Zealand commercial interior designer, cartoonist and illustrator.

Television

Colin 3

2026-09-10 bakern Leave a comment

Colin from Accounts – Series 3

Series one chronicled and unlikely encounter and dating of this married in real life pair. Series two was the story of the breakdown of the relationship. Now the final series shows them getting back together again.

The success is due not just to the main characters, but a lot of very weird Australians that get in the way of the pair.

Hopefully they will go on to do more comedy projects.

Television

Still Running

2026-09-09 bakern Leave a comment

Unknown at the time of reading the book, but the In the BBC broadcast a three-part series based on book in 1979.

The only actor I recognised was George Sewell.

It was made by BBC Scotland and largely filmed on location in Iceland. It closely follows the book but omits a number of scenes.

It does show its age and shows once again that the book is better than the adaption.

Books

Blind Run

2026-09-08 bakern Leave a comment

Running Blind by Desmond Bagley (1970)

Ex-MI-6 spy Alan Stewart is coerced by his former masters into undertaking a very simple final mission: to deliver a small parcel to a man in Iceland. The mission should be simple for Stewart, as he happens to be fluent in Icelandic and has an Icelandic girlfriend.

This is pure spy vs spy stuff. An one of Bagleys best books. As usual, in first person and with possibly an unreliable narrator. There is a lot to discover about the characters over the story. But true to form, Bagley bring everything together for an explosice ending.

Movies

MandaGrogu

2026-09-07 bakern Leave a comment

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

2026 film directed by Jon Favreau, who co-wrote the film with Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor.

It is a continuation of The Mandalorian (2019–2023). Pedro Pascal stars again as Din Djarin / The Mandalorian with Sigourney Weaver.

The film, which is set following the fall of the Galactic Empire, Djarin and his apprentice Grogu are enlisted by the New Republic to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information on a target.

Just the same as the TV series, but with more action and CGI monsters. The character is verging on the Superman trope of never being killed. But it does deliver for the fans.

Movies

Year Man

2026-09-05 bakern Leave a comment

Man of the Year is a 2006 American comedy-drama thriller written and directed by Barry Levinson, produced by James G. Robinson and starring Robin Williams.

The film also features Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Lewis Black and Jeff Goldblum. Williams portrays Tom Dobbs, the host of a humorous political talk show. After an offhand remark, four million people are prompted to e-mail their support, so he decides to campaign for President.

On Rotten Tomatoes the website’s consensus is: “Weakened by second-half attempts at thriller and romance, this presidential comedy also fails to hit any sharp political notes, resulting in a confused and unsatisfying mess.”

I would generally agree. Robin Williams is up to his usual comedy standards, but the third act takes an easy turn. It could have been much better.

Watching in 2026, it’s interesting to see the parallels with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The comedian that did become a leader and rose to the challenge.