Earlier this week was the Golden Globe awards ceremony, the warm-up to the BAFTA and Oscar ceremonies. World leaders probably don’t have time to watch televised award ceremonies and probably even less time to watch movies. But it is interesting to speculate which of the current crop of new releases might grab their attention.

I am sure British leader David Cameron would like to lose himself in the box set edition of one of last night’s winners, Downton Abbey. The tale of an English aristocratic family whose fortunes change as the certainties of the Edwardian era are upturned by the ravages of World War One and the consequent clamour for social justice. But in this fictionalised world the hard edges of class war are smoothed over by a benign sense of noblesse oblige whereby the lower orders are indulged by the kindly benevolence of their lords and masters. It is all very heart-warming. Unless you are a peasant. Or a pheasant, come to think about it. [Read more…]