In fact there has been so much doom and gloom and manipulative wokery being spread over the past few years that many of us have taken a conscious decision to engage less with popular culture.
But a new James Bond film is one of the few things still guaranteed to grab our attention.
Bond films are always eagerly awaited, but No Time To Die, which had its world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday night, has taken things to another level.
Advance ticket sales have already hit levels not seen since before the pandemic, with the Odeon chain selling 175,000 seats nationwide by close of play on Monday and Cineworld announcing its highest prebooking rates since 2019.
In part the excitement is due to the fact that this film, Daniel Craig’s swansong as Bond, has been dangling tantalisingly in front of us for nearly two years.
There could hardly be a better way to celebrate our collective emergence from the pandemic and a resumption of normal life than joining the throngs in packed cinemas up and down the land.
But it is more than that. The Bond story – or “franchise” to use the ugly film industry term – has become a fully-fledged part of what makes Britain a global cultural superpower.
The release of No Time To Die is not just manna from heaven for the struggling UK cinema sector, but also for the industry worldwide.
This story is from the September 30, 2021 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 30, 2021 edition of Daily Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Farage: Disgraceful Shutdown Of Right Wing Summit Proof Brexit Was Correct
Nigel Farage says he is "more convinced of Brexit than ever" after police shut down a Right-wing summit in Brussels while he was on stage.
DANCE TO STEP ON IT
Appleby's filly to confirm Guineas billing in Nell Gynn
Superdry's administration warning if rescue plan fails
SUPERDRY will fall into administration unless shareholders back a three-year, multi-million pound turnaround plan for the struggling fashion chain, chief executive Julian Dunkerton warns
Police instructor used bolt cutters to remove female trainees' earrings
A POLICE instructor made three trainees place their heads on a table while he used bolt cutters to remove their earrings, a disciplinary hearing was told.
Third of children in care live in North
Blackpool heads list for social Inequality
'Baby died strapped to beanbag at a nursery'
Nurse on trial for smothering’ nine-month-old Genevieve
'VICTORY FOR ALL SCHOOLS' AS PRAYER RITUAL BAN IS BACKED
A MUSLIM pupil has lost her High Court challenge against a ban on prayer rituals with the judge's ruling welcomed as a \"victory for all schools'
PM wins smoking ban vote...with Labour help
RISHI Sunak passed his flagship smoking ban last night with the backing of Labour after a huge Tory revolt, including from a Cabinet Minister.
'Now is a moment for calm heads to prevail. Escalation would be in no one's interest'
RISHI Sunak has told Benjamin Netanyahu it is \"a moment for calm heads to prevail\" in Israel's response to Iran's missile and drone attack.
Israeli airstrike 'eliminates' top Hezbollah military chief as Middle East tensions rise
ISRAEL last night claimed that its forces had killed a senior Hezbollah commander in a targeted airstrike in Lebanon.