The last few weeks of this year will be remembered for a long time.
Investigations into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia have uncovered a web of deceit and secrets that have reached the top corridors of power, as the Prime Minister’s Office has been implicated in the heinous crime.
Arrests have been made, people have been arraigned, and long court sittings have started to be held in order to uncover the truth.
The situation is possibly the most serious that the country has had to face, and there is no doubt that the effects will continue to be felt in the New Year, and possibly beyond that.
Christmas will be different this time, as it is to be expected that discussion at tables and parties will mostly be about the goings-on in the country, the coming resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the election for his replacement and how the country could emerge from the current crisis.
The cinema world has a list of films whose title may easily be linked to the fast developments that have taken place.
With no disrespect to anyone and without belittling the serious situation we are all going through, these could be a few of them.
“Darkest Hour” (2017, Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill) – it is one of the worst chapters for Malta, certainly the worst for Joseph Muscat.
For him, “The Fall” (a 2006 fantasy movie) is appropriate too.
“Best friend’s betrayal” (a 2019 movie on friendship) is easily ascribed to what Muscat said about his (former?) friend Keith Schembri.
“48 hrs” (1982, Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy) is what we’ve heard so much about these last few weeks, with suspects connected to the murder held by police until they were either released (on police bail or set free) or arraigned.
“The man who knew too much” (a 1956 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock) could be the story of middleman Melvin Theuma, who has been granted immunity to expose all he knows. There’s “Middle Man” (a 2016 film) as well.
“A few good men” (a 1992 film with Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore) – there are certainly too few of them in Castille.
“House of secrets” (several films by that name) could also be dedicated to the OPM.
“The Untouchables” (Brian de Palma’s 1987 masterpiece) – need we explain?
“Absolute power” (a 1997 political thriller starring Clint Eastwood) is what people holding positions of authority think they have, until they are discovered to have abused that power.
“Extraordinary measures” (a 2010 movie with Harrison Ford and Keri Russell) is what we need in this country today to start a new chapter.
“See no evil, hear no evil” (1989, Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder as actors) is what Labour supporters turning up to give their farewell to Joseph Muscat are experiencing.
“Welcome to Acapulco” (released this year) has nothing to do with Germany, as it is based in Mexico. But you know what we mean.
“And justice for all” (a 1979 courtroom drama starring Al Pacino) is what protesters have rightly so been calling for in the past weeks.
And they are telling Muscat to “Get Out” (a 2017 horror movie) too.
“How it ends” (a 2018 film) is what we all would like to see.
“Time will tell” (a 2017 film) is a phrase we’re hearing so many times these days.
So let’s hope there will be “The Cleanse” (a 2018 film).
We are all waiting for “The Verdict” (1982 film with Paul Newman as the protagonist) and “Truth” (a 2016 film with Robert Redford).