🎬 Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot: Fifty Shades Darker (2017) continues the pᴀssionate, complex relationship between Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). After their tumultuous breakup in the first film, Anastasia is now working at a publishing house, trying to move on from Christian’s overwhelming presence in her life. However, Christian is determined to win her back and insists that they can make their unconventional relationship work, but under his own terms. As their romance reignites, they must confront darker elements from Christian’s past, including lingering ex-lovers, dangerous secrets, and his deep-seated emotional struggles. As the couple navigates trust, boundaries, and the challenges of their intense connection, they face a new set of challenges that threaten to tear them apart.

Review:
Fifty Shades Darker (2017) is a continuation of the steamy romance that became a global phenomenon, and while it improves slightly on the first film in terms of plot development and emotional depth, it still falls short of being a truly compelling drama.

The chemistry between Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia and Jamie Dornan’s Christian Grey remains the core of the film, and the actors continue to deliver performances that are more emotionally layered than in the first movie. While some of the dialogue may still be a bit stilted and cringeworthy at times, the characters themselves have more moments of vulnerability and growth, which makes them feel more rounded and less one-dimensional.

The plot focuses more on Christian’s troubled past and his emotional baggage, which adds a layer of complexity to his character, but the film still struggles with finding a balance between the intense, erotic moments and the deeper emotional aspects of the relationship. There are several steamy sequences, and while they are visually engaging, they tend to overshadow the emotional weight of the story. For viewers looking for a deeper connection between the characters, these moments can sometimes feel repeтιтive and overly indulgent.

The movie does attempt to build on the trust and understanding that grows between Anastasia and Christian. The central conflict revolves around Anastasia’s desire for independence and Christian’s need for control. The power dynamics in their relationship are explored further, but ultimately, Fifty Shades Darker feels like a more polished but still superficial exploration of these themes. The tension between their desires, their pasts, and their future together provides the necessary drama, but it can feel a bit predictable.

Visually, the film is a step up from its predecessor. The cinematography is sleek and polished, and the luxurious locations and lavish sets add to the fantasy element of the story. The soundtrack also plays a significant role, with a mixture of pop hits and sultry tracks that underscore the sensual mood of the film.

As for the supporting characters, they don’t add much to the story but serve as filler for the plot. Kim Basinger, who plays Christian’s former lover, Elena, adds a bit of drama and tension to the narrative, but her character is somewhat underdeveloped. Similarly, the character of Anastasia’s boss, Jack Hyde, introduces some conflict, but he too remains more of a plot device than a fully fleshed-out antagonist.

Verdict:
Fifty Shades Darker (2017) will appeal to fans of the series who are invested in the relationship between Anastasia and Christian. It’s an improvement in terms of emotional depth and character development compared to the first film, but it still falters in delivering a truly satisfying exploration of its themes. The romantic and erotic moments will keep fans entertained, but the film struggles with pacing and depth. While not a groundbreaking romance, Fifty Shades Darker provides enough tension and steamy drama to keep viewers hooked if they are already on board with the characters and their complex relationship.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0

November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.