All guns blazing
Tom Cruise is back, reprising the role that made him a heartthrob and all-action hero. And the ageless star doesn't disappoint.
It’s generally reckoned that the first summer blockbuster to take cinemas by storm was back in 1976, when Jaws hit the screens. Of course, there were big releases before that, but most experts trace the phenomenon back to Spielberg’s taut nailbiter film. So, it will be interesting to see which blockbuster is the big hit this time round.
The contenders include Jurassic World: Dominion, Elvis, Bullet Train, Lightyear – and the latest offering from the evergreen Tom Cruise.
MAIN ATTRACTION: Tom Cruise is at his best in the sequel to the film that helped to make him.
To be blunt, Top Gun – Maverick is quite simply superb. It’s heart-thumping, fuel-injected cinematic gold that delivers on practically every level. Released almost four decades after the original, it’s amazing to think these characters of the 1980s can inspire new generations who didn’t grow up singing Berlin’s anthemic title track at every opportunity.
But the real secret of the success of this film is simple: it never forgets you are there to see electrifying aerial scenes and gravity-defying stunts. And you do. And there’s plenty of them.
HEAD TURNER: Jennifer Connelly is the woman who catches Tom's eye in Top Gun – Maverick.
The plot itself – as if you cared – has echoes of The Dambusters and, to nit-pick, halfway in you can see where the plot is going and how everything is going to end. The plain truth is I didn’t care as I was enjoying the ride so much.
With so much to look forward to this year, the other contenders are going to have to go a long way to match this terrific film.
MOVING UP IN THE WORLD: Val Kilmer has become an Admiral in the years since the first film.
After so long, it really is incredible the sequel is this good. So, book your tickets as soon as you can and make sure you watch the ageless Cruise and his co-stars on the biggest screen possible – with the loudest sound system you can find.
It really will take your breath away!
Andy Godfrey is a founding member of the Mark Kermode Appreciation Society
It's time to celebr-eat!
We may all delight at the prospect of tucking into cuisine inspired by our foreign cousins, but when Brits are in a truly celebratory mood there’s nothing like good old fashioned traditional nosh to whet our appetites – and it doesn’t get any better than a roast dinner.
With a week to go before the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, our friends at online retailer, Foodhub, have conducted research into the UK’s go-to foods to enjoy when celebrating special occasions. They discovered:
- Almost a third of Brits (32%) crowned the roast dinner as their meal of choice for a celebration
- A fifth of us (20%) love to tuck into a pizza
- And just 17% of Brits will pick up the phone and order a Chinese meal
MAJESTIC: we will all raise a glass to the Queen's reign, and 1-in-3 Brits will tuck into a roast.
“It is great to see the nation intends to keep it traditional when celebrating the Platinum Jubilee this year,” commented Foodhub’s Emma Stockman.
And the country’s favourite meal doesn’t have to be just for a special occasion. Over a quarter (26%) of Brits enjoy consuming their favourite dish once a week – with more than 1 in 10 males treating themselves several times a week!
Saturdays are when most people sit down and celebr-eat, with over a fifth of participants (22%) naming it the best day to enjoy their favourite dish.
SECOND BEST: most of us love a crafty slice of the crusty stuff, but it's not our favourite food.
“Food is the perfect accompaniment to any social event or even a night curled up on the sofa," adds Ms Stockman. "We know that over a third of the UK likes to be sitting and talking with friends and family when enjoying their favourite meal.”
Personally speaking, I think she has got it spot on! But if you are planning to go to a carvery as part of your Jubilee celebrations, it might be worth thinking again. If Foodhub's research is to be believed, you might find a table hard to come by.
The UK’s top meals
Traditional roast dinner (32%)
Pizza (20%)
Chinese (17%)
Indian (15%)
Fish and chips (13%)
CHOP, CHOP: Chinese food is popular, but a long way from being top dog among Brits.
Tony Yorke is Deputy Editor of Sorted
The weight is over
It seems gaining a few inches of flab is all part of becoming a new father. But help is at hand, providing you follow some simple self-help steps.
New dad musings: week two
There comes a moment in all our lives when we get the wake-up call we need to make a change. Mine came while doing ‘skin-to-skin’ with baby Thea. Lying on my chest a few minutes before her scheduled feed, she took one look at my less than defined chest – and puckered her lips ready for her feed.
It was a beautiful moment – one confirming it is time for me to lose some weight!
And I am not the only one. Dad bods are real. According to many sobering studies, the average weight gain for a new dad is over a stone in a year. Alas, I think I am on track to achieve that in a month!
In a bid to halt the spread, I sat down with Mark Ames, a fellow Sorted columnist and ex-Royal Marine turned personal trainer, to get the tips and tricks I need so I can buck the trend. Here are his key tips:
Be kind to yourself
If you do put on weight or your fitness levels dip in this season, don’t give yourself a hard time. It is common and there is a good reason for it. You sleep less, you have less time to exercise, and preparing healthy meals every day is hard to do. As a society, we quite often think we must have the perfect body to have any worth. That’s nonsense. Being a present dad who loves their wife and child(ren) is really important. That said, to be an amazing dad (and husband), you need to be as healthy and well as you can be. So, make that your priority.
Use your new motivation
When your new baby arrives, a powerful desire to protect and love them overwhelms you. Embrace it, it’s here to stay. Here’s the thing about protecting your child. You need to be healthy, strong and energised to do so. Your child will also want you to play with them, adventure with them and take on the world with them. Visualise the father you want to be and write it all down. Then every time you get tempted to eat that big bar of chocolate, ask yourself whether it will get you closer to, or further away, from the dad you want to be?
Embrace ‘exercise snacking’
In the early days, you will have to think again about those two-hour gym sessions, four times every week. But fear not. Instead of condensing your training into one, long session, you can split it into ‘micro-workouts’ at convenient times throughout the day (e.g. when your baby is sleeping or feeding). They can last for 1-10 minutes. Studies into their effectiveness have found they are effective in improving weight, strength and fitness.
Magic food's winning formula
When you Google ‘healthy eating’ you’ll see about many different diets that all claim to be the best. Don’t get wrapped up in this nonsense. Losing weight is generally very simple: you need to burn more calories than you eat. As a general rule, aim for around 2,000 calories per day and keep active. And eat healthy foods (as much as possible) and drink two litres of water per day. You can keep track of how you’re doing by downloading a free app like MyFitnessPal. If you do cook, try and batch cook a few meals in one go. It will help you eat healthily on those days your baby takes over.
Sleep like a baby
Make sure you snooze when your baby sleeps. In the first year, your usual eight-hour stint may not be possible. That is particularly true in the first weeks of parenthood. So, take every opportunity you can to catch up. Sleep will help your body and mind to recover and help your hormones to balance optimally for weight loss and health.
There we have it. If you do all of these things consistently you will be that healthy dad you want to be.
That’s a relief, as I want Thea to look at me and see Batman – not Fatman!
Chris Kerr is a Sorted columnist and a senior executive in the UK legal industry.
Tip of the week
Don’t feel like you need to have all the answers. Babies bring unique needs/problems that we will never have faced before. Connect with experienced fathers, call your midwife team if you have any concerns (no matter how small they seem) – and read some great books on babies.
A film that’s got it all
Sorted film critic, Andy Godfrey, reviews Father Stu – starring Mark Whalberg and Mel Gibson – a true story about the compelling life of Stuart Long.
Father Stu is a remarkable film that tells an incredible story. It’s a true account of an atheist ex-boxer, an alcoholic and would-be actor who ended up becoming a priest and firm believer in God and in Jesus – before facing a traumatic life-and-death battle with a muscle-wasting disease.
Stuart Long went to Hollywood to make his fortune. Instead, he met a woman called Carmen and fell in love. The trouble with that is Carmen is a devoted catholic. To stand any chance of winning her heart, Stu has to become one as well!
LIFE'S TOUGH: the early part of the film records Stuart Long's fortunes in the boxing ring.
So unfolds a gripping story.
Initially acting and pretending to be a believer (which even includes getting baptised), cinemagoers watch on as Stu becomes a genuine convert after he is involved in a motorcycling accident, which leaves him in a coma.
A LIFE TRANSFORMED: the real Stuart Long, when he was in training to become a priest.
He is a changed man when he awakens.
While out cold, he claims to have met the virgin Mary and, on reawakening, he commits his life to God and sets about training for the priesthood.
MAKING HIS MARK: Hollywood A-lister Whalberg plays the title role in Father Stu.
Hollywood A-lister, Mark Whalberg, is excellent as Long, the film’s central character who is the initially cynical sceptic. He is ably supported by an excellent cast including Mel Gibson, who plays his father.
While this may be a niche film, it is most definitely worth seeing and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Rarely have I seen something that so clearly and simply explains the Christian faith. It’s a wonderful tale that tells Stuart Long’s life story extremely faithfully.
SUPPORTING ROLE: Oscar-winner, Mel Gibson, plays Stuart Long's father.
Accompanying the strong acting and script is a great rockabilly soundtrack, which follows Stu throughout his journey. So, go see it – and don’t forget to read our exclusive interview with Mark Whalberg in the latest edition of Sorted magazine.
Andy Godfrey is a founding member of the Mark Kermode Appreciation Society
Lest we forget…
Five years after 23 people lost their lives, Sorted’s Val Fraser shares her personal memories about the Manchester Arena tragedy and reflects on an act of terrorism that shook the world.
In 2017, I was assigned to a journalism gig in Manchester. A colleague and I were briefed to create multimedia coverage which would tell the stories around two Suffragan Bishops’ walkabouts. “My” Bishop was the Rt Rev Mark Ashcroft.
Meetings were scheduled. Itineraries were mapped out. Tea and biscuits were stock-piled. It all promised to be very jolly. But then, just before the first stop on our 12-day tour, tragedy struck at the heart of Manchester, sending shock waves across the world.
LENDING SUPPORT: Bishop Mark talks to police officers who are on the beat near Media City.
On 22 May, at around 10.30 pm, as concert-goers were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert by American singer, Ariana Grande, a suicide bomber detonated a homemade bomb. The act killed 23 people and injured more than a thousand others, many of whom were children.
It was the deadliest terrorist attack and the first suicide bombing in the UK since the 2005 London bombings. Emergency services worked incredibly hard. The whole nation seemed to be on edge, prompting fraught discussions in high places.
LENDING AN EAR: The Bishop talks to people shocked and alarmed by the bombing.
The walkabout, or ‘pilgrimage’, had been prepared well in advance as part of a Church of England initiative called Thy Kingdom Come. In the aftermath of the bombing, it was deemed more important than ever that a comforting Christian presence should be visible, so the decision was made to go ahead as planned. Not really sure what to expect, I loaded up my gear and prepared to follow Bishop Mark around various Manchester locations.
I zoomed, clicked, filmed and tweeted as he received warm, well-planned welcomes at schools, hospitals and churches. But in between these vicar-friendly venues, Bishop Mark took to the streets. He walked through shopping centres, busy markets, parks and towns. He rode trains and buses. And it was here, off-plan, with no script, in unchartered waters as it were, that he engaged with total strangers. It’s my observation that a man with clearly recognisable Christian markers such as a clergy collar, a large shepherd’s crook and a massive cross and chain, was able to elicit an interesting variety of reactions in public spaces.
REMEMBERING THE FALLEN: A message speaks loudly for those who perished.
Watching these encounters up close, it quickly became apparent to me the bombing had caused the public’s mood to shift quite significantly. Many people were reeling from the shock. There seemed to be a heightened awareness that humans are capable of unbelievably horrible acts. Andy Burnham, the city’s mayor, described the act as “evil”. I for one felt he’d summed it up accurately.
Knowing that it was possible for any one of us to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, was deeply disturbing. This disturbance seemed to generate some degree of openness towards God, towards goodness, towards hoping for things to be better than this.
DEEPLY MOVED: Bishop Mark reads some of the tributes left for those who died.
And it was in this atmosphere that Bishop Mark was able to pause and pray with, for, and over people. Some requested a blessing. There were lots of these essentially private moments, when I switched the camera off, retreated to a suitable distance and gave him the space to minister to some confused and fearful folks. I think he just wanted to meet with people and offer them some hope.
As well as being kind, Bishop Mark is also very fast on his feet. On one leg of our journey, he somehow managed to give me the slip. I was hot on his heels, following the trail when he seemed to double back and disappear into a rabbit warren of hospital corridors. I started to panic, thinking I was going to miss the ‘Bishop visits hospital’ story. But when our paths crossed again I learned he’d been praying in the chapel. In that sanctuary, he met with hospital chaplains. They told him about the doctors and nurses who had cared for patients that were seriously injured in the bombing. And I was glad not to have been there.
MAKING SENSE OF THINGS: The Bishop talks to school children about the tragedy.
In truth, I was glad that those moments had been just between them and God. I was glad that I missed that particular story because I don’t think it was ever mine to tell.
Val Fraser is a regular Sorted columnist and a Manchester-based freelance journalist
Why babies are grenades
Chronicling life as a new father to his beautiful firstborn child – daughter Thea – Chris Kerr's goal is to provide all men experiencing fatherhood for the first time with some invaluable tips and tricks as they are learned – the hard way.
New Dad musings: week one
When I was at primary school, a Second World War veteran with absolutely no child-friendly filter came into our history class and gave us a blood and guts account of his time while fighting in France.
Recalling his first day of war he said: “A grenade exploded right in front of my eyes and totally obliterated a bakery and a dress shop. Oh, and it literally made a Nazi’s head explode”.
Just as half the class started crying, the veteran looked at us and like Aristotle in his prime added: “To this day I wonder how something so small could make such a big impact on the world.”
I had the same thought as I held Thea, my beautiful daughter, for the first time last week.
This tiny baby arrived and instantly changed my world beyond any recognition of what it once was. Unlike the unfortunate German soldier, my world changed for the better and it wasn’t my head that exploded, it was my heart.
All dads know the feeling. As we hold our baby for the first time, we get overwhelmed by feelings of love and an acute sense of responsibility that weighs heavily on our shoulders. It’s the kind of responsibility that changes a man from someone who sees speed limit signs as a target to hit, to a man who drives his wife and baby home from the hospital at 10 mph in a 20 mph zone!
Responsibility is like that. It changes us and it can be hard to carry.
PROUD FATHER: Chris starts to get to know the apple of his eye.
Certainly, our modern society would make you believe that responsibility is a bad thing. People value their own individual rights over their responsibilities towards others. Anything that gets in the way of their freedom to do what they like, when they like, is unacceptable. That’s hard going for new dads (and mums) who can’t even sleep when they want to!
You will have seen these ‘rights over responsibility’ attitudes play out in the extreme during the pandemic – I can think of shop workers being yelled at (daily) for mandating face masks in stores, for example. In those cases, people thought their right not to be slightly inconvenienced was more important than the need to protect the people who were getting seriously ill from Covid-19. Such an attitude is immature, and dare I say, weak and selfish. It is also an attitude that is having a devastating impact on kids now more than any other time in history. As many as 20% of UK kids have an absent dad. That figure rises to 25% in the US. I am sure most of those men are good people but they made a terrible decision – they chose a responsibility-free life over raising a healthy, happy child.
Here’s the thing though. Great men, like you, run towards responsibility and embrace it with open arms. They choose the difficult but right thing to do, over the easier but wrong option. They roll up their sleeves, change nappies, sing (terribly) to their kid in public spaces, feed their kids at 4 am and proudly wear the black rings under their eyes like a badge of honour. They, like former President of the USA Harry Truman, put a plaque on their desk that says: “The Buck Stops Here”.
That’s the great irony of the rights over responsibilities way of life. Those who subscribe to it think that it will make them happy and free. It does – until it doesn’t. The truth is, we cannot live a meaningful, joy-filled life without taking on responsibility, and all the pain and sacrifice that comes with it. There is no greater reflection of that than being a Father.
HAPPY COUPLE: Chris and wife, Alicia, enjoy taking baby Thea for a stroll.
Post Script: Whilst I don’t normally use my columns to make personal announcements, please indulge me this time! I was with my wife, Alicia, during her labour and the birth of her child and I just want to thank her from the bottom of my heart. It wasn’t an easy labour, but I was amazed by her strength, determination and kind heart even in those circumstances. Thea is blessed to have such a wonderful mum.
Tip of the week...
Take paternity leave if you can. You will never get these first weeks with your new baby back. You can also pick up some of the slack for your wife who needs to recover – so make sure you cook all the meals, keep the house clean, and do as many baby chores as you can. You won’t regret it.
Chris Kerr is a Sorted columnist and a senior executive working in the legal profession.
A comedy of errors
The church that rocks
People who attend Methodist churches aren’t usually associated with living life on the wild side. But that all changed during the height of the Covid pandemic when one minister used heavy metal music to reach out to his online congregation.
Such was the impact, the story has now become the subject of a three-part video series.
Available on social media platforms Facebook and YouTube during the lockdown, the service was created by Methodist minister, James Morley. Dubbed Metal Compline, it consisted of liturgy and music – heavy rock style!
A NORMAL SUNDAY: a typical Methodist congregation gathers for its weekly service.
The electronic evening service was made available to his own flock, and other people who needed to find peace and reassurance. One key supporter was Barrie Morley, a resident of the Methodist Ministers’ Housing Society (MMHS), which provides housing for retiring Methodist church staff. Barrie, who is also an ordained minister, also happens to be James’s father.
“During the first big lockdown, I thought, ‘What would a heavy metal compline look like?’” said James, who looks after three churches in Derbyshire.
James shares the story of his innovative style of church service – with Barrie also contributing – in the latest edition of Roof ‘n’ Roots, which is distributed to MMHS residents across the UK. Their interview has also been made into a video series.
FATHER AND SON: James and Barrie discuss spiritual matters – and heavy metal.
“It did draw folk,” said Barrie, “particularly when there was no physical ‘being together’. It was very important.”
The first part of the video series Dad, Lad And Distorted Guitars can now be viewed on the MMHS website. Click here to gain access.
The Methodist Ministers’ Housing Society is a national charity providing rented houses and flats at special rates for retiring Methodist presbyters and deacons of limited means, who meet established criteria. It also supplies housing for their widowed partners, and for ministers retiring on health grounds.
Is Lottery win a curse?
Overnight someone in the UK has just become £184 million richer after winning the EuroMillions jackpot.
Reaction to the announcement has been overwhelmingly positive, with the media largely calling it a “joyous moment” and a “life-changing experience” for the “lucky winner”.
And as the presenters on Times Radio announced: “That’s more wealth than Harry Kane and Paul Pogba combined.”
For those of you who are not football devotees, Messrs Kane and Pogba are among the most highly paid players in the English Premier League. It’s funny how footballers have now become the barometers of material success!
Forgive me, but I can’t think of anything worse than winning riches beyond my wildest dreams. For me, I think it would definitely be a defining moment in my life – for all the wrong reasons.
WORTH A FORTUNE: Kane and Pogba earn mega money in the Premier League.
Wealth brings with it an incredible amount of pressure. And the more cash and possessions you have, the greater the weight that's bearing down.
It is bad enough being wealthy, and being used to such status. Why? Because the responsibility of managing such riches never leaves you. And while you may not change one iota, others around you change. I have seen it happen to the wealthy people I know, and they are much poorer because of the experience. They admit it is so, but are powerless to do anything about it.
Two things define the wealthy individuals I know above everything else: their bank balances and their loneliness. There is perhaps a third factor – ruined relationships with their nearest and dearest. For, only one of the six people I know who live the life of a millionaire, has managed to protect their marriage.
I fear for anyone who suddenly comes into a lot of money, particularly when they are not used to the greedy, judgmental and intolerant world they are now entering.
The vast majority of us don’t realise how lucky we are to be blessed with anonymity. It means we can do anything we like – and get away with most things.
ROAD TO RUIN: Callie Rogers won the lottery aged just 16. She says it wrecked her life.
When you have great wealth, you live in a goldfish bowl. Whether it is intentional, or not, everyone around is looking into your life. They analyse, scrutinise, make comment and pass judgment. You become a commodity. Your life is changed forever. So, too, is that of your wife, or partner, and all close family members.
Is it really worth it?
Judging by the comments of people who have won large amounts in the past, it would appear not. For while they can afford almost anything, the one thing most of them hanker above everything else is a “return to normality”.
Sadly, that’s the one thing money has never been able to buy.
Tony Yorke is the deputy editor of Sorted
Merson on a mission
Full disclosure: I'm not into football – but I accept that 'the beautiful game' is a burning passion for many of my friends.
It's clear to me, apart from the sheer entertainment value, allegiance to a team gives them a sense of belonging, an outlet for emotions, and an exciting highlight. I am, however, into walking. So it was with great interest that I settled in front of the telly the other evening to watch A walk through my life with ex-England and Arsenal footballer, Paul Merson.
Merson enjoyed an illustrious football career, and now finds himself a resident pundit on Sky Sport's popular Saturday afternoon show. Capped 21 times by his country – and a member of the squad that contested the 1992 UEFA European Championship and 1998 FIFA World Cup – he has openly and honestly talked about his mental health struggles and addiction issues.
PARTY ANIMALS: As players, Merson (left) and Paul Gascoigne lived life to the full.
The programme (which can be viewed by clicking here) is an extended version of the original BBC Four series Winter Walks where a well-known personality meanders for five or six miles through beautiful landscape alone while carrying a 360° camera on a selfie-stick.
Unscripted dialogue, straight to the camera, gives a surprising sense of closeness as if you are walking alongside the narrator. The simplicity of the format is pure genius. Close-up scenes are punctuated by stunning drone footage. Production values are off the chart. It's worth watching on the biggest telly you can find!
Merson, a Londoner who still lives in the capital, says he has never walked alone through the open countryside before. This appears to be his first real encounter with nature on a grand scale. Perhaps that's why, as a grown man of 54, he experiences it with the intense awe and wonder of a child. He becomes freshly awake and aware. The silence, the solitude, and the sense of space seem to wash over him like a refreshing balm. As he walks alone, and “sits with his feelings” away from the “hustle and bustle”, revelations about his life unexpectedly bubble to the surface and spill out.
UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL: Merson and England didn't quite live up to expectations at the World Cup.
Deeper thinking generates surprising new thoughts about his family relationships, his career as a footballer, and his 30-year battle with addictions.
Alone in “the middle of nowhere” he pauses to process some of these, often harrowing, realisations. There are touching moments of deep gratitude, alongside crushing regrets at having not expressed this adequately to the people he loves most in all the world. His narration is raw, succinct and bold. He pauses to pray for a few moments in a church. It is a heartfelt cry directed toward God.
The day's walk ends with long views over Yorkshire God's own country – as it's known to those who come from the White Rose county.
ADDICTION AFFLICTION: Merson has revealed he was an alcoholic while playing for Arsenal.
From a well-placed bench, Merson enjoys a well-earned rest. There have been both physical and emotional efforts throughout his journey. He reflects on the experience with astonishing openness. I'm no theologian, but to me, the whole of Merson's informal narration has a richly honest prayer-like quality. He's speaking his own personal truths out loud, bringing them into the light as it were. In so doing, he begins accepting how things have been, how things currently are, then declaring and avowing his clear intentions to be a better man. That old-fashioned churchy-word 'confession' gets a bad press but this troubled soul found peace through the simple act of prayer and pacing ancient pathways.
Val Fraser is a Sorted columnist and a freelance journalist based in northwest England