Film Review: Killers of the Flower Moon

This review was first published in edited form on rebelnews.ie on the 13th November 2023

The stunning new film from veteran director Martin Scorsese tells some of the story of the horrific murders within the Osage Nation in Oklahoma between 1918-31. These little-known events are often left out of the story of Native American history but show the intersections of colonialism and racism that have characterised the experience of Native Americans since the arrival of Europeans.

The Osage people were originally from the Ohio area but had been forced west to Kansas by the arrival of the Europeans and subsequent wars. Like many other tribes, the Osage were then displaced by the US government to Oklahoma, then known as Indian Territory, in the 19^th century. Indian Territory was seen as empty and barren, with little arable land, it was considered worthless with little settlement at the time by those of European descent. The Osage were able to purchase an area of land, that became what is now Osage County, the largest county in modern Oklahoma.

In the early 20^th century oil was discovered in Osage County and with the Osage people retaining ownership of the land many of them became hugely wealthy. Early on the film includes a montage of scenes showing Osage people enjoying their new found wealth with luxurious homes, fancy clothing and new modern inventions such as cars and airplanes in an important counter narrative to the usual Hollywood depiction of Native Americans as primitive or noble savages. This is despite federal law that meant that their money was governed by white administrators. But this wealth also attracted a dark side as people moved in to try and grab some of that wealth for themselves. While many found work providing goods and services to the Osage, others resorted to manipulation, corruption and murder resulting in a series of murders and unexplained deaths of Osage people. While the film focuses on the murders of members of the Kyle family, it is thought that the number of murders during this period could have been well over a hundred.

The Kyle family become particularly wealthy thanks to the oil, and their wealth draws the attention of the rich and powerful William Hale, a local white rancher, played in the film by Robert DeNiro. Hale is hugely popular and influential in the area due to his philanthropy and friendly relations with the Osage people. When his nephew Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio returns from Europe where he served in the American army during World War I, Hale has plans for Ernest to work his way into the lives of the Kyle family. Starting out as a taxi driver, Ernest quickly meets Mollie Kyle, played by Native American actress Lily Gladstone, who becomes his main passenger. Under orders from his uncle, Ernest tries to engage Mollie in conversation, eventually breaking through her quiet, dignified exterior. The film details their growing relationship which eventually leads to marriage. Even as their relationship is developing though, Mollie is forced to deal with a number of deaths of close family members.

The most shocking scenes of the film show the gruesome aftermaths of the murders of Mollies sisters Anna and Rita. With her parents and siblings all dead, Mollie is now the sole owner of her family’s land rights, which upon her death would thus transfer to Ernest.

With no investigation from the local sheriffs who are seemingly in cahoots with the murderers, Mollie and Osage leaders attempt to gain help from federal agencies in Washington. Despite the mounting evidence of murders, they are initially ignored as federal government has little interest in what happens to Native Americans in rural Oklahoma. Finally agents from the Bureau of Investigation (BOI, forerunner of the FBI) are sent to Osage County to investigate. Much of the second half of the film details the BOI investigation which is slowed by intransigence and obstructions by Hale, Burkhart and their accomplices.

With Ernest and William eventually arrested the film eventually turns to their trial which takes some twists and turns, including a strong cameo from Brendan Fraser as Hale’s lawyer.

The film then ends with Scorsese making an appearance on screen to make clear his view on the case. It is a touch very reminiscent of Spike Lee in his more righteous films.

The film while presenting a really shocking story is very well made as you would expect from Martin Scorsese. Robert DeNiro is remarkably restrained as William Hale, giving his best performance in decades. Leonardo DiCaprio, employing a permanent scowl goes a bit over the top at times especially towards the end. Lily Gladstone gives a revelatory performance as Mollie, quiet and dignified but full of righteous anger and despair as she realises her family is being killed off. The film also features a large cast of Osage people in various roles and the film was filmed in Osage County in Oklahoma.

The film is to be commended for showing a little-known disgraceful part of American history but it is very subtle in showing these murders as a part of a wider American story. Early in the film there is a brief reference to the Tulsa massacre, a contemporary event that saw the destruction of a wealthy black neighbourhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma by white racists. Little connection is made to the wider history of Native Americans, instead giving a microcosm and almost encouraging its audience to go out and find out more.

The film works very hard to elicit audience sympathy for Ernest Burkhart, only to pull the rug on that sympathy late in the film as the true extent of his involvement in the murders is slowly revealed. There has been some criticism that the film centres Burkhart and Hale as its main characters and not the Osage people. Indeed, during production the script underwent changes, following consultations with the Osage community, in order to strengthen the part of the Osage in the film. Scorsese though, who has always revelled in making films centred on villains, is probably not the right director to make a film centred on the Osage people despite his obvious sympathy for them.

The other main criticism has focused on the film’s length, at three and a half hours long, it is one of the longest cinematic releases in recent years. English film critic Mark Kermode argues that the film feels as if it was designed for online streaming where its length wouldn’t be an issue. Having been partly funded and produced by Apple, that is certainly a possibility. However, the film is so detailed that it didn’t feel too long with in particular, the numerous scenes of Osage life and culture providing important context.

Overall, Killers of the Flower Moon is a powerful depiction of a terrible event in American history that points obliquely towards the broader history of colonialism, racism and capitalist greed in the Americas.

Film Review of Civil War

Civil War is a terrifying vision of America, that is big on spectacle but ultimately struggles for meaning.

The film is set in an undefined near future, during a civil war with three regional factions fighting against the federal government of the USA. Texas and California have joined together as the Western Forces, under a flag featuring two stars instead of the usual 50, the Florida Alliance consists of much of the southeast while the north west forms the New Peoples Army. The rest of the states, known as the loyalist states, remain under the nominal control of the federal government and the president in Washington DC.

The prelude to the film shows the president preparing to give a speech on the progress of the war. As he prepares his lines full of bravado to declare the government is winning the war, the viewer is reminded of Donald Trump in his manner, even if in this scene he is a (presumably unintentionally) doppelganger for Keir Starmer!

The film centres on a small group of journalists and photographers led by a jaded veteran war photojournalist Lee Smith, played by Kirsten Dunst. At a protest which turns violent, in New York, she meets a young aspiring photojournalist who idolises her. The two join with a Reuters journalist and a ageing New York Times journalist to drive the dangerous route to Washington DC. They are determined to get a massive scoop by meeting and interviewing the president before Washington falls, although they doubt if he is even still alive.

While New York had seemed vaguely normal, as they travel southwards we soon see the destruction the war has caused. They cannot travel directly to Washington DC but must take a circuitous route to Charlottesville on the other side of the city, where the Western forces are amassing ahead of a major assault on the capital. Highways are blocked by burnt out cars, whole towns are bombed out and abandoned, people are living in refugee camps, helped by international aid groups. 

The group have a number of encounters with opposition militia and government forces, often in the midst of fighting, although not always clear who is who in the fight. The group witness war crimes being committed by both sides as opposition forces shoot captured government soldiers, while a particularly horrific scene shows government militia men throwing civilians they have killed into a mass grave. Jesse Plemons has a memorable uncredited cameo as a racist militia man demanding to know where the journalists are from.

A jarring incident occurs when the group encounter a small town where everything seems to be functioning normally and a bemused shop assistant tells them the townspeople are ignoring what is happening in the rest of the country. While in another incident they encounter two soldiers and a sniper shooting at each other even though they don't know which side they are on.

The film shows the brutality of war and in close and often horrifying detail but the film struggles to give real depth or meaning to it. The viewer is given no real reasoning for how or why the war started. While, as I said earlier, the president has some echoes of Trump, it is not enough to say that a Trump presidency will inevitably lead to civil war. As we know, it didn't. And while that can be a liberal interpretation of the film, it is equally possible to say that the president is vague enough that he could be any American president. At a time when, under a Biden presidency, police brutality is being utilised against peaceful protesters across the USA, it is not enough to say that a Trump presidency would, unlike other presidents, lead to fascism.

The film also conveniently ignores that journalists are often deliberately targeted in conflict, as we have seen notably recently in Palestine and Gaza where countless journalists have been murdered by Israel. Having the journalists targeted would have made for a very different film, but the sometimes cosy relationship between journalists and army as depicted in the film feels unrealistic.

Ultimately, the film works as a spectacle, with some gripping action and tense scenes of danger. It is a terrifying vision of what is possible, but don't look for any insight into how or why it could be possible.

2023-24 Premier League Predictions

 With the usual caveat that a lot can still change with nearly three weeks left in the transfer window, here is my prediction for the season ahead:

1.     Arsenal

2.     Man City

3.     Man United

4.     Liverpool

5.     Newcastle

6.     Chelsea

7.     Brighton

8.     Aston Villa

9.     Tottenham

10. West Ham

11. Bournemouth

12. Fulham

13. Nottingham Forest

14. Brentford

15. Crystal Palace

16. Burnley

17. Sheffield United

18. Everton

19. Luton

20. Wolves

After just missing out on the title last season, the coming season feels like now or never for Arsenal. With Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle all in varying stages of a rebuild, the title looks to be between Arsenal and City. Arsenal have had a strong summer transfer window with three excellent signings so far in Rice, Havertz and Timber, with Raya on the way. The squad looks very strong with depth in all areas, if they can regain their form of the first two thirds of last season, they will take some stopping.

Manchester City could suffer a hangover after winning the treble last season, only the second time an English team has done it. Guardiola will be determined not to let standards slip but some loss of motivation is possible. Gundogan’s departure is a big loss for the team and Kovacic, while a decent player, isn’t exactly a like for like replacement. Without the goals of Gundogan and Mahrez from midfield, the team will be even more reliant on Haaland, any injury to him could be disastrous.

Manchester United recovered impressively after a disastrous start last season, albeit helped by poor form of others. But in his second season, and with more of his signings having joined this summer, manager Erik Ten Hag will be expecting serious progress from his team which should see them closer to the top two. The squad probably still isn’t quite strong enough to properly challenge for the title though.

On paper, Liverpool should have one of the strongest attacks in the premiership with real strength in depth across the forward line. They have serious problems in the rest of the team though. With six midfielders gone this summer and only two brought in so far, manager Jurgen Klopp will have to come up with some tactical solution for the opening games. Expect midfielders to arrive by the end of the window but they will need time to bed in. A new right-back and centre-back would also help with their undermanned defence. Get these transfers right and they could challenge for the title, but more likely they will need more time and a 2024-25 title bid is more realistic.

Newcastle will hope to continue with the huge progress made over the last 18 months. Summer signings have been underwhelming though. Sandro Tonali has been the big one but Italians often don’t travel well and I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned into another Aquilani, the much-vaunted Liverpool signing of 2009 who made minimal impact before disappearing back to Italy. Harvey Barnes is a good signing but I can’t help but feel he isn’t any better than Saint-Maximin who he replaces while they have massively overpaid for the unproven young full-back Tino Livramento. They will be solid again but probably not quite enough to stay in the top four.

Chelsea have made a couple of interesting signings in Christophe Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson who both have huge potential although Nkunku will miss the start of the season through injury. The squad has been left woefully unbalanced by all the departures this summer though. Plenty of defenders, but just one goalkeeper, just two midfielders and no natural number nine up front leaves glaring holes in the squad that will have to be filled for them to achieve any success this season. Pochettino could be a good appointment as manager, but he will need time to mold a team after such an overhaul of the squad. And time is rarely given to Chelsea managers. There is still enough talent in the squad to challenge for European places, but anything more than that would be a big surprise at this stage.

Outside of the top six, Brighton and Aston Villa should be the best of the rest. An excellent season for Brighton has seen various players linked with moves to bigger clubs but so far only MacAllister has left. And they have made a number of interesting signings. If they can hold onto manager Roberto DiZerbi, expect another good season and a decent run in their first season in European competition.

Some commentators have been talking up Aston Villa as top four contenders. Their form in the second half of last season would support that but I can’t see them maintaining that level of performance. Their squad is still smaller than the teams above them and could be stretched by playing European football. And they will be heavily reliant on Ollie Watkins up front as there is a lack of obvious goal sources in the rest of the squad.

With top scorer Harry Kane surely on his way to Bayern Munich and long-time captain Hugo Lloris also leaving this season will be one of big change for Tottenham. New manager Ange Postecoglou has a big task to keep them competitive. With no obvious replacement for Kane (and certainly not within their price range) they will have to find ways to spread goals more around the team. A lot of that responsibility will fall on Son Heung Min and Richarlison who will both need drastic upturns in form after a disastrous season last time out.

West Ham could finish anywhere between eighth and eighteenth. They are the only club who at the time of writing haven’t made a single signing while they have sold their captain and midfield heartbeat Declan Rice. With their main striker Scamacca also departing and now speculation about playmaker Lucas Paqueta they have found the transfer window difficult, and not helped by rumoured unrest between management, the board and the new technical director. They are expected to sign James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez to replace Rice and Harry Maguire to play in defence. They are all solid signings but not on the level of Rice, and without further investment expect a season of stagnation at best.

Below them, any of the ten teams could conceivably face relegation. Bournemouth and Fulham have been relatively quiet in the transfer window but should have enough to stay in mid-table obscurity. It will be interesting to see if new Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola can succesfully follow in the footsteps of Arteta, Emery and Lopetegui all of whom hail from the tiny Basque province of Gipuzkoa.

Manager Steve Cooper is probably relieved that Nottingham Forest have had a quiet summer after the chaos of last years transfer window. With a more settled squad they should finish safely in mid-table.

Brentford and Crystal Palace are likely to take a step back this season in the absence of their star player. Brentford will be without leading striker Ivan Toney at least until January following his suspension for illegal betting and they will miss his goals and leadership greatly. They will be hoping to muddle along until his return but it could be a struggle. Meanwhile it’s the end of an era at Crystal Palace as Wilfried Zaha finally left to try his hand at European football. As usual they lack firepower but at least under Roy Hodgson they will be hard to beat. Questions remain over them long term though as Hodgson is surely just a stop-gap.

The remaining five teams is where the real relegation battle will happen. Burnley impressed in winning the Championship last season but the premiership is a big step up. There will be no lack of enthusiasm but there is a lack of top-flight experience which could prove costly. Their downfall when being relegated in 2022 was a lack of firepower and they don’t seem to have addressed this in the intervening year. Manager Vincent Kompany won many plaudits last season but his previous top division experience with Anderlecht wasn’t successful and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him struggle at this level. There should just about be enough quality in the squad to survive but it will be a long, difficult season.

The other two promoted teams look very weak. Sheffield United have lost their two best players this summer and with financial troubles, spending on new players has been modest. Financial troubles could ensure managerial stability though as they can’t necessarily afford to replace Paul Heckingbottom. That could be the difference for them in helping them stay up.

Sean Dyche at Everton and new Wolves manager Gary O’Neil are widely tipped to be the managers most in danger of losing their jobs despite their records in keeping Everton and Bournemouth up last season. They haven’t been helped by disastrous transfer windows. Everton’s only signings have been veteran Ashley Young and loanee Arnaut Danjuma. Young will likely only be a squad player while Danjuma wasn’t a success in his loan spell at Spurs last season. Meanwhile they desperately need to strengthen the core of the team, a centre back, a central midfielder and most particularly a striker are all needed. Financial woes are also holding them back and fans annoyance with the board could turn into all out conflict if the season starts badly.

Wolves’ summer has been an unmitigated disaster. They have sold off a whole raft of first team players including their captain and their longest serving players leaving the team short of not just numbers but experience and knowhow. Wolves’ have said they had to do it to comply with financial fair play but it is hard to see how such a limited and callow squad have any chance of staying up. Manager Julen Lopetegui, after months of speculation finally had enough and left this week leaving new man O’Neil to pick up the pieces. O’Neil did an admirable job in keeping Bournemouth up last season but this task looks impossible.

Last but not least, Luton Town will finally play their first premier league season after just missing out by being relegated in 1992. With a young and inexperienced squad, and without the financial resources to compete, they are widely tipped to go straight back down. They will make a fight of it, but the lack of quality will tell in the end.

Review of I'm A Virgo

I'm A Virgo is the new absurdist comedy mini-series by writer, creator and director Boots Riley. His previous screen work, the brilliant 2018 film Sorry to Bother You, was one of my favourite films of recent years. So I was looking forward to I'm A Virgo and it didn't disappoint.

The series uses the story of a 13 foot tall young man, Cootie, first exploring the world around him and running up against inequalities that challenge his previously rose-tinted view of the world. That summation though doesn't do justice to a series that manages to combine elements of fantasy and sci-fi with superheroes, mixes of dazzling and crude animations and hard hitting anti-capitalist propaganda. Combine all these with a brilliant soundtrack from Boots Riley's group The Coup as well as tracks from an array of big names from Kendrick Lamar to Thin Lizzy. Some will find the anti-capitalist message preachy, and certainly it isn't subtle but given the crises of our time it is timely. And while the plot is thin enough, there is enough surreal comedy and great characters to keep it watchable.

2022-23 Season Premiership Predictions

Heres my predictions for the upcoming season. Obviously a lot can depend on what happens in the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window. But as it stands.

1.      Liverpool

2.      Manchester City

3.      Tottenham

4.      Chelsea

5.     Arsenal

6.     West Ham

7.     Manchester United

8.     Newcastle

9.     Aston Villa

10. Leicester

11. Crystal Palace

12. Brighton

13. Everton

14. Wolves

15. Leeds

16. Brentford

17. Nottingham Forest

18. Fulham

19. Southampton

20. Bournemouth

 

The title race will be another closely fought race but this time Liverpool will just come out on top. The race is likely to boil down to which team adjusts quicker to their new striker. Neither team have played with a target man number 9 for a number of years and will both require some tactical adjustment to get the best out of their new striker. The adjustment should be easier for Liverpool, while a greater spread of goals in their attack should help them. Without Jesus and Sterling, it is hard to see where the goals will come from for City if Haaland gets injured or struggles to adapt to the premiership straight away. Liverpool have Salah, Jota and Firmino to share the goal load with Nunez and that could be the difference. 

Below them are four teams going through somewhat of a rebuild, all too far off challenging for the title but with serious hopes of achieving top four and all-important champions league football.

Spurs, with Conte in charge will take some stopping. They have recruited well in the transfer window with Richarlison finally providing some cover for Kane while strengthening throughout the team. Big question will be whether, now with Conte in charge, they finally have the mentality to seriously challenge for trophies. The league looks out of reach but they could do well in the cups.

Chelsea have had to rebuild their defence which is still ongoing at time of writing. How they do this season will depend on how the last few weeks of the transfer window play out, they continue to be linked with various big names. They will be there or thereabouts although after the failed Lukaku experiment, they could still be short in attack.

Arsenal look to have missed their big opportunity of making the top four last season while Tottenham struggled. They have recruited well in the transfer window and are still expected to make 1-2 more signings. Likely to just miss out on top four, winning the Europa League would be a very achievable alternative way into the champions league though.

Manchester United are going through a big rebuild after the disasters of the Solskjaer and Rangnick period. Erik Ten Hag looks like a very capable replacement but the squad remains bloated with underperforming and average players. So far in signing Martinez, Malacia and Eriksen, United seemed to have signed players Ten Hag likes, rather than players they need. They now have five left backs but no decent out and out striker for example. If Ronaldo leaves, there will be a gaping hole in attack which Martial and Rashford don’t look good enough to fill. A lot of work for United to do and they won’t get back into the top four this season.

Indeed, they could even be beaten to sixth by West Ham who have made some decent additions to an already strong team. Unlucky to miss out on top six last time around, they are capable of doing that this season, while the greater squad depth should help them go far in the Europa conference league as well.

Newcastle and Aston Villa are fast improving and should finish comfortably in the top 10 having done good transfer business this summer. The next step for them then in 2023-24 will be to challenge for Europe.

Leicester are stagnant, last season was a real struggle with injuries and loss of form. No signings this summer, plus potential outgoings of key players suggest that their days of challenging the top four are over for now.

Crystal Palace and Brighton should consolidate their mid-table positions and continue to impress with their style of play under rising managers Vieira and Potter respectively. Its likely to only be a matter of time before someone bigger comes along to poach them though.

Everton should join them in mid-table after their disastrous 2021-22 season. Richarlison is a big loss, but Tarkowski should make a big difference to their shaky defence.

The remaining seven teams are likely to be in a dogfight to avoid relegation. Wolves should be strong enough to be safe, but the lack of attacking firepower is a big worry especially with the injury to Jimenez.

Brentford and Leeds have both recruited well but have lost key players in the transfer window. Second season syndrome to strike Brentford and they could easily be relegated. Leeds should have enough to stay up, especially as they have addressed their lack of squad depth.

Southampton have signed a number of overpriced youngsters, but after a disastrous run of form towards the end of last season I think their time in the premiership could be coming to an end. They are another team lacking goals in attack while their defence can be very shaky. Its hard to judge how the new players will do but it’s a lot of pressure on them.

Of the newly promoted teams, Bournemouth look relegation certainties. The team looks significantly weaker than the one relegated in 2020 and they have been very quiet in the transfer window.

Nottingham Forest by contrast have been very busy in the window, but all the new players will take time to gel as a team. If they can come together quickly, then their quality could see them safe.

Fulham will depend on how well they can utilise Mitrovic in the premier league. He struggled the last time in the premiership but the team seems better equipped to get the best out of him this time and he has undoubted quality.

2021-22 English Premiership Season Preview

 

Manchester City still look like the strongest team despite the loss of Aguero, who didn’t play much last season anyway due to injury. The signing of Jack Grealish for an English record transfer fee was a statement signing even if it isn’t exactly clear where he will fit in the team, and who will lose out. Further outgoings are possible, with Bernardo Silva likely to be sacrificed to make way for Grealish and provide extra funds towards the signing of a striker. City have made no secret of trying to sign Harry Kane but whether they sign him or not is likely to depend on whether Tottenham can find a suitable replacement in time. With or without Kane, City are favourites to win the league. Ultimately their season will be judged on whether they can finally deliver the holy grail, the Champions League trophy. Given the travails of other major clubs around Europe, they will certainly be among, if not the favourites. But even while focusing on Europe, the squad is strong enough to challenge on all fronts.

 

Their strongest challenge on both fronts is likely to come from Chelsea. Buoyant after winning the Champions League, they will be determined to challenge for the league title after four relatively barren seasons domestically by their standards. The expected signing of Romelu Lukaku will address their problem area up front. They could still do with a centre back though as Thiago Silva isn’t getting any younger while Christensen and Zouma don’t totally convince at the highest level. The rest of the squad is incredibly strong though and arguably has the most strength in depth of any in the premier league. Now they need to back up that quality with a sustained title challenge.

 

Liverpool should bounce back after a difficult season with the return from injuries of key defenders Virgil VanDijk and Joe Gomez while they will be hoping for less injuries to their midfield as well. If they can keep everyone fit, they should be able to challenge for the title again. One question mark remains over their midfield where they haven’t replaced Georginio Wijnaldum after his departure to PSG. Liverpool tend to do their business on the quiet though, so the lack of rumour or speculation about possible signings doesn’t mean they aren’t close to finally signing the midfielder they need. They could also do with more cover for star forwards Salah and Mane as they are likely to miss up to six weeks mid-season for the African Cup of Nations.

They have signed one player so far this summer in defender Ibrahima Konate, but it’s difficult to see where he will fit into the team and he is likely to be a squad player for now.

 

Manchester United have made two excellent signings in winger Jadon Sancho and centre back Raphael Varane who should provide more ammunition in attack and tighten up the defence respectively. Whether that will be enough for the title challenge the club craves remains to be seen. On paper they have top quality players all over the pitch. But presuming Sancho and Fernandes are automatic choices, who will play alongside them out of Rashford, Greenwood, Martial and Cavani, and how does the manager keep the others happy. The squad is bloated with too many players not playing and some including Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo and Daniel James, will need to be cleared out.

Question marks still remain over manager Solskjaer’s tactical nous at key moments. When the pressure was on in the Europa League final, Solskjaer did nothing and the team sleepwalked to a shootout defeat. This is a massive season for Solskjaer, given the money spent on this team, unless there is a real title challenge and progress in the Champions League, surely his time will be up.

 

Another manager under pressure to show signs of progress will be Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. Consecutive eighth place finishes are not good enough for a club of Arsenal’s size. A limp Europa League exit to Villarreal didn’t help especially when the team clearly put all their focus on that competition in the second half of last season. Talk of a massive overhaul of the squad with significant investment hasn’t materialized this summer with plenty of rumour and speculation only yielding centre-back Ben White, left-back Nuno Tavares and midfielder Albert Lokonga so far. White looks like a decent signing albeit overpriced, but central defence was not a priority this summer given the existing strength in depth there and a decent defensive record last season. Tavares and Lokonga meanwhile look to be back-up players with long-term potential. The team still desperately needs a playmaker and goalkeeper though. And the right-back position needs to be sorted, they have three decent options there but Arteta didn’t settle on one of them last season while there is still speculation they could bring in someone new and sell Bellerin. This was symptomatic of the manager’s problems more broadly where Arteta was prone to frequent rotation and he desperately needs to settle on a first choice eleven. Arteta’s other big challenge will be getting key striker Aubameyang back to form after a poor season, a new playmaker should help with that. 

Arsenal could benefit from not having the distraction of European football meaning less games and less need to rotate players. The African Cup of Nations will have an impact though with four first-teamers likely to be called up for the tournament including Aubameyang and key midfielder Thomas Partey. They could be away for up to six weeks during a crucial period of the season. Other teams will be affected as well but Arsenal will be one of the hardest hit.

 

Leicester City have quietly gone about their transfer business this summer adding much needed strength in depth with striker Patson Daka, midfielder Boubakary Soumare and left-back Ryan Bertrand. Given the injuries to Fofana and Evans, they still need a centre back while Maddison will have to be replaced if he leaves. Leicester should remain in or around the top six again this season but manager Brendan Rodgers will need to do something differently to prevent the end of season collapse that cost them champions league football in the last two seasons. Making use of the increased strength in depth will help prevent tiredness creeping in towards the end of the season.

 

After months of speculation, Tottenham finally settled on a new manager in Nuno Espirito Santo, who left Wolves at the end of last season. He was clearly far from Spurs’ first choice and the long search for manager has affected their transfer business and preparations for the new season. The big news this summer though is over whether main man, striker Harry Kane will leave. He has made no secret of his desire to leave while Man City have made it very clear they want to sign him. Tottenham owner Daniel Levy is a tough negotiator and holds all the cards given Kane is under long term contract. The likelihood is that Kane will go this summer but the transfer could go to the wire. Tottenham won’t want a repeat of 2013 though when they sold Gareth Bale and the money was wasted on poor signings. With or without Kane, the team is short of a few players if they want to challenge for the title. Even if they keep Kane, they will still need a striker as back up while they also need a centre back and another central midfielder would help. The pressure will also be on Nuno to move away from the more conservative tactics that characterised his spell at Wolves.

 

In contrast to Spurs’ scrambling for a manager, Everton moved decisively to replace the departed Ancelotti with Rafa Benitez. Despite the fans misgivings over his previous connections to rivals Liverpool, Benitez has a proven track record and should be a good appointment for the club. Their transfer business so far has been uninspiring, wingers Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray are not the bigger names Everton had been getting used to in recent seasons. But it suggests a more direct tactical approach with focus on providing service to the striker. They’re still a bit short to challenge the big six but should among the best of the rest even without Richarlison for the first few games after his busy summer playing at the Copa America and the Olympics.

 

The big news at Aston Villa is the sale of their playmaker and talisman Jack Grealish to Man City for a record fee. Grealish will be difficult to replace but Villa are going about it the right way. They have used the money to make three excellent signings in striker Danny Ings, playmaker Emi Buendia and winger Leon Bailey and still have money left over. Not enough to challenge the top six but should do well and could make a go of it in the cups.

 

West Ham had an excellent season last time around but its hard to see that being repeated without a couple more signings. They definitely need a striker, but a central midfielder and centre back wouldn’t go amiss either. Under reliable manager David Moyes, the hammers will be steady but not spectacular.

 

Leeds should have enough quality to avoid any second-season syndrome but without the investment needed to really push on another quiet mid-table finish is the likely outcome. Given their long years out of the premiership, fans will be perfectly happy with that.

 

Crystal Palace will be hoping for a safe, uneventful mid-table finish, the kind they generally had under manager Roy Hodgson. With Hodgson now retired the pressure will be on new manager Patrick Vieira. While he had plenty of playing experience in the premiership this is his first managerial job in England and his previous job at Nice went sour after a good start. Signings so far have been good, and they have begun the process of bringing youth to what has been an older team. A decent striker would really help though. Wilfried Zaha, subject of speculation for years, looks set to stay this summer though which will be a boost. Crystal Palace are the third team who will be most impacted by the African Cup with Zaha, along with midfielders Kouyate and Schlupp and striker Ayew all expected to be called up. Their absence could go a long way to deciding whether Palace enjoy mid-table safety or a fraught relegation battle but over the course of the whole season they should be safe.

 

Wolves decided manager Nuno had taken them as far as he could and replaced him with another Portuguese in Bruno Lage. Lage, formerly of Benfica is new to England but the number of Portuguese players at the club should at least help with any culture shock. They have been quiet on the transfer front but at least that means they have held onto key players. Young forward Francisco Trincao who arrived on loan from Barcelona is very highly rated and will provide much needed support for striker Raul Jimenez returning after serious head injury last season. Too often last season, Wolves were dour and uninspiring to watch (not helped by Jimenez’s absence) and Lage will be expected to address that. Likely to be a season of transition culminating in a mid-table finish.

 

Newcastle have had a quiet summer with no signings yet although Joe Willock is expected to join after his successful loan spell last season. It won’t be pretty to watch but they should just have enough to avoid a relegation battle.

 

Brighton will be delighted with the £50m they received for Ben White, a huge fee for a player with just one season of top division experience. And despite his departure, they are still well covered in defence while having money to improve their whole team. They have been linked with a number of strikers who could make a big difference, Brighton tend to play decent football but goals have been a problem. If they sign the right striker expect them to move away from the relegation battle and into safe mid-table obscurity.

 

The sale of Danny Ings is a big loss for Southampton. Adam Armstrong had an excellent season with Blackburn in the championship but there will be huge pressure on him to make the step up and replace Ings’ goals. The experience and reliability of Ryan Bertrand will be a big loss after his departure as well especially with what is otherwise a young and callow team. The way the team collapsed after a strong start last season doesn’t bode well for them either. Expect them to struggle this season and relegation is a definite possibility.

 

Usually at least one more established premiership team gets relegated in a season and that is likely to be between Southampton and Burnley this season. Burnley have had a quiet summer, just signing centre back Nathan Collins and back up goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to add depth to an already strong defence. Burnley will grind out the results as usual but this season it might not be enough.

 

The three promoted teams have been busy in the transfer window. Of them, championship winners Norwich look the best equipped to stay up. They have lost star playmaker Emi Buendia but have made good signings in winger Milot Rashica and striker Josh Sargent while they will be stronger for the experience they had in their last premiership season.

 

Watford have improved the age profile of their team since their last season in the premiership with a number of younger players coming into the team. They have reverted to signing more experienced players again this summer though. The manager Xisco Munoz’s lack of experience could be a factor though especially as he has only managed winning teams. How he responds to managing in a league where they will lose most of their games will play a big part in how they do this season.

 

Brentford who were promoted through the play-offs will be a bit of an unknown quantity. Unlike regular yo-yo teams Norwich and Watford, Brentford haven’t been in the top division in over 70 years. Known for playing good football and a strong bond with their local community it is good to see them at this level. The premiership is a big step up in quality though for a group of players with no experience of this level and they will struggle.

Final Prediction:

1. Manchester City
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Manchester United
5. Arsenal
6. Leicester City
7. Aston Villa
8. Tottenham
9. Everton
10. West Ham
11. Leeds
12. Crystal Palace
13. Wolves
14. Brighton
15. Newcastle
16. Norwich
17. Burnley
18. Southampton
19. Watford
20. Brentford

'Bobby Sands: 66 Days' is revisionist propaganda

A documentary detailing the hunger strike by IRA member Bobby Sands in 1981 which led to his death. The film centres around the writings of Sands himself while he was on the hunger strike at the Maze Prison. Around that, we have a number of historians, former IRA members and politicians giving their views, interspersed with archive footage of scenes from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The dominant interviewee in the film is the Irish journalist Fintan O'Toole. He espouses, at great length, the idea that Bobby Sands was an artist, who in dying, was making the ultimate sacrifice for his art. O'Toole completely separates Sands actions from the political context of the time.
Sands was in prison for a second time for IRA activities. He had joined the IRA in 1971, having grown up in a time of violence, discrimination and oppression of catholic people in the 6 counties. This is the context behind Bobby Sands' actions but it is barely mentioned.

The violence perpetrated by loyalists and the British army, against nationalists is never mentioned in this film. Only violence by the IRA is mentioned. The film even mentions the upsurge in violence in 1972, without mentioning the biggest reason for it, Bloody Sunday which occurred in January of that year.

And therein lies the biggest problem with this film. It is determined to present a very one-sided picture of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where the IRA were the sole aggressors and everyone else, including the British were victims. At the same time, Bobby Sands is separated from the historical context by the constant positing of him as some kind of artist.
The film disrespects Bobby Sands and all the hunger strikers by removing their actions from the political context of the time.

And while some of the animated sequences are well done, the editing is poor. Scenes are juxtaposed together which jar against each other. Thus the film doesn't flow very well and can be hard to watch, while certain scenes are unnecessarily repeated.

Ultimately, the film is revisionist propaganda, serving a particular political line. Decontextualising the hunger strikes from other events in Northern Ireland does not do the story of Bobby Sands justice.