FROM HERO TO [NET] ZERO ...

Ah, the noble quest from hero to net zero, or as I might more poetically put it, from Prometheus unbound to Prometheus in chains, shackled not by the wrath of Zeus, but by the well-intentioned, yet somewhat misguided, zeal of the modern environmentalist. Let us journey through this landscape, where every step towards sustainability is met with the kind of resistance that would make Sisyphus think twice about his rock.

In this land of ours, Britain, the debate over net zero emissions has grown hotter than the earth is supposed to become if we don't achieve it. On one side, we have the MPs, fresh from their parliamentary backbenches, now champions of the cause, rallying like gladiators in Rome's Colosseum, each eager to prove their mettle. On the other, a group equally fervent, decrying this move as a march towards economic destruction, a kind of self-flagellation for the industrial sins of our fathers. 

The Bank of England, that venerable institution, now finds itself in a duel with inflation, brandishing interest rates like a fencing foil. But in this bout, the combatant faces not just one adversary but a hydra-headed beast of rising costs and slowing growth. Governor Bailey, with the poise of a man who's seen too many economic storms, suggests that the tightening of policy is as necessary as it is unpopular, much like a diet for an overweight economy.

Meanwhile, the spectre of energy prices soaring has driven some desperate families to voluntarily disconnect from their energy suppliers. Here we are, in a world where people choose darkness to avoid daylight robbery. It's a scenario Kafka might have penned, had he been concerned with utility bills rather than existential dread.

The green movement, like a relentless tide, has not waned despite debunking of climate change myths. It has, instead, swelled, buoyed by subsidies and the fervour of activist groups. Politicians, who once might have wavered, now stand firm, perhaps because, as Upton Sinclair noted, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." The irony here is as thick as London fog.

As for policy, we're seeing a revival of 1970s energy conservation tactics, which, in their draconian simplicity, seem almost quaint. Reduced speed limits, car-free Sundays, and odd-even license plate days for city access – all measures that sound like they've been lifted from a wartime rationing pamphlet rather than modern policy.

In this dance of policy-making, Canada offers a curious historical counterpoint. Once, under the stewardship of Pierre Trudeau, the nation embraced its oil resources with a vigour that would make OPEC blush, building pipelines with a speed that would impress even the most impatient of modern climate activists. 

Now, we look to India, the 'poorest super-emitter', charting its path to net zero with a pragmatism born of necessity. Theirs is a journey not just of environmental stewardship but of survival, ensuring that the path to sustainability does not leave millions in the dark or without the means to cool themselves during increasingly frequent heat waves.

So here we stand, at this crossroads of ambition and reality, where the road to net zero is paved with good intentions, political posturing, and the eternal human struggle between progress and preservation. It's a narrative that would make even Homer nod in recognition, though perhaps with a wry smile at the modern twist on ancient themes.

THE RANTING BRUMMIE REVIEWS: "THE BATMAN" (2022)

Worries about yet another Batman reboot coming into the fray so soon after Ben Affleck's portrayal in the DC Extended Universe, should be alleviated very quickly, as director Matt Reeves version of the caped crusader done by the way of 'Saw' and 'Seven' takes hold early on and refuses too let go on its way to a well earned three hour runtime that is full of surprises, atmosphere, historical nods and high artistry.

Those expecting a film similar to Christopher Nolan's duly praised Dark Knight trilogy may find themselves disappointed. Reeves is clearly taking Robert Pattinson's portrayal of the vigilante seeking Bruce Wayne in a different direction, here caught up in a mysterious game run by the devious Riddler who is targeting high end Gotham figures in a series of grizzly murders. 

While Reeve's film does share some similar DNA to Nolan's version of Batman (serious in tone and dark in more ways than one) this is a far less action oriented ride that relishes in the small moments as much as it does when its scattered collection of action does make its way to the forefront.

Taking its inspiration from various crime/thrillers found throughout feature film history and undoubtedly featuring a narrative taken from Batman's famed detective oriented tales such as 'The Long Halloween', 'The Killing Joke' and 'Year One', 'The Batman' thankfully skips past bothering with yet another origin story. 

Here, we find Pattinson's bruised and battered crusader of justice two years into his crime fighting life as his become a creature of the night struggling to balance being the billionaire heir his known for and the hero no one understands and by moving past these steps Reeves is allowed to fully focus on the story at hand that allows his creativity as a director and his loaded casts talents to shine.

A director whose failed to put a foot wrong since his 2008 breakthrough with 'Cloverfield' with horror remake 'Let Me In' and then had continued success with 'Dawn of / War for the Planet of the Apes', Reeves, with valuable help from 'Dune' cinematographer Greig Fraser and one of composer Michael Giacchino's best scores in years embeds every frame with sylistic grit and darkness. 

'The Batman' always has something to take in or be wowed by and the film is easily up there with one of the most impressively put together comic book films and blockbusters in general of the modern era, even if its more slow paced nature and untypical narrative may not be what certain viewers are after from this long-standing property.

Also helping out the film's cause in a big way is the work of all main players found within Reeve's rain-soaked affair. The likes of Jeffrey Wright as everyone's favourite policeman Lieutenant James Gordon, John Turturro as crime matriarch Carmine Falcone, the unrecognizable Colin Farrell as the very un-Danny DeVito Oz/The Penguin and Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman all put in good work that well compliments the one-two double punch of Pattinson's tormented Bruce Wayne, and Paul Dano's skin-crawling take on The Riddler. The contrast of such two polar opposites give us something as memorable and close to greatness as we never thought ever likely get to Christian Bale's and Heath Ledger's double act in 'The Dark Knight'.

A divisive choice early on, Pattinson proves a worthy owner of the cape and cowl  with his noteworthy work over the last few years proving to be no fluke and Edward Cullen a mere sparkling dream of yesterday. Pattinson is both imposing and vulnerable here, a hard mix to get right but one he nails in all instances and while not hogging huge screen time in the overall scheme of things. 

Dano's work as the film's main foe here is menacing, unnerving and glorious to behold with Eli Sunday being transported to the modern era sans his Bible and replaced with wide rimmed specs hidden under a hideous mask. While it's a hard task to be considered as dastardly great as Ledger was in his Oscar winning role as Batman's arch rival, Dano does a job that can be considered right up there in the same league as he gives 'The Batman' an unwieldy edge not often found in such fare.

There's no question this serious and moody take on Batman's world will be compared often to 'The Dark Knight' with many arguments sure to ensue, if you were to ask me here and now what I think, I would say its unlikely anything will ever reach the heights of Nolan's beloved game changer but this Batman comes mightily close which is some form of mighty feed indeed.

A very different type of Hollywood blockbuster that also sees Batman taken in a new and exciting direction when it comes to feature films, The Batman is an artistic and considered epic that sets in motion a tale that can't be continued soon enough.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10

(BRIEF) THOUGHTS ON THE UKRAINE CRISIS

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive, and nowhere is the pattern more complex than in the Eastern reaches of Europe where Ukraine, for all its valiant efforts, finds itself ensnared by the bear-like grip of Russia. The crisis, you see, isn't just about territory or power; it's about the very soul of a nation, or so the poets might say if they weren't all busy tweeting about it.

Let's address this tableau with the precision of a watchmaker, shall we? On one side, we have Ukraine, a nation with the misfortune of sharing a border with a neighbour whose appetite for annexation matches only its hunger for historical revisionism. On the other, there's Russia, led by a man whose face seems to have been chiselled from the very stone of the Kremlin, unwavering in his belief that the past should dictate the present.

The conflict in Ukraine, if one can call it merely a conflict without understating the sheer tragedy of the situation, is like watching a chess match where one player has decided the rules no longer apply. Here's where the West steps in, with NATO and the EU, waving their metaphorical flags of democracy like they're at some international parade. But one must wonder, are these gestures of support more akin to a pat on the back or a true embrace?

Russia's actions are a throwback to a time when the map was redrawn not with pens but with the might of armies. Yet, this isn't the 19th century; we have social media now, where every Ukrainian's tweet or post becomes a digital battle cry against the old guard's iron fist. It's a new kind of warfare where information might just be as lethal as any missile.

The sanctions, ah, the sanctions. The West's favourite weapon, wielded with the enthusiasm of a Victorian schoolmaster. They hit Russia where it hurts, or so we're told, but one must ponder if they're more like a slap on the wrist when what's needed is perhaps a more profound shake-up. Russia, with its gas pipelines stretching across the continent like tentacles, has more than a few aces up its sleeve, or should I say, deep in the earth.

And then there's the human cost, the true horror in all this. Civilians, caught in a geopolitical tug-of-war, their lives and futures hanging in the balance. It's not just about borders but about people, the very essence of what we're fighting for, or at least, what we should be fighting for.

So, what's to be done? Diplomacy, of course, that ballet of words where each step is calculated to avoid the dance of war. But as history has shown us, diplomacy without force is like a book without words, and force without diplomacy is a blunt instrument in a world that cries out for subtlety.

In conclusion, the Ukrainian crisis is a vivid reminder that the past isn't just prologue; it's an ongoing narrative, one where the ending is yet to be written. And as we watch this drama unfold, one hopes that wisdom prevails, for in this age of instant communication and global interdependence, the world can ill afford to remain stuck in the old scripts of conquest and dominion.