Some actors exude a sense of decency, even when they are playing deeply flawed people. Sam Neill was that kind of actor. Born into a British military family in Omagh in the west of Northern Ireland in 1947, he was very much seen as an Antipodean acting great - having moved to New Zealand with his family moved when he was seven. With roots on his father's side in Northern Ireland and an English mother, there was a definite Anglo Irish sensibility to him that audiences really responded to. Neill was wonderfully self-deprecating, modest, generous and supportive of other actors and performers. He was also, as many people have observed following his passing, a versatile and daring screen actor who was as comfortable in indie movies as he was in big budget TV dramas or major Hollywood blockbusters. Originally christened Nigel John Dermot Neill, his father Dermot was a New Zealander who served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers - a career which brought the family to Omagh. His mother Priscill...
THE AMERICAN EXPERIMENT 250 years is still relatively young in terms of the lifespan of any nation. But today, cities, towns and villages across the United States will turn out to celebrate its anniversary and revel in the sights and sounds of the Fourth of July. US President Donald Trump is planning a speech in Washington DC's National Mall during a celebration event that will culminate with a massive fireworks display. A heatwave has put paid to the President's plan for "Freedom 250" concert performances, while another musical celebration saw a number of acts pull out due to concerns over the political nature of the event. The jury is also out on the Great American State Fair that the Trump administration has organised. At a time when the US is coping with possibly the most controversial President in its history, the 250th anniversary is a good time to reflect on the vision of The Founding Fathers and whether it still endures. Enter Netflix, then, with the five p...