It’s the news channel, or a news channel, Buzzfeed, reporting on a leaked government report: showing three models of Britain’s economic growth, post-Brexit.
Growth that slows, in various degrees, depending on the deal we get.
Apart from any bespoke deal we manage to get.
Which obvious. We can’t guess how a bespoke deal will affect the UK … until it’s done.
Right now?
I’m thinking …
Well, lots of things: including the idea that going back to bed is a good idea.
But, frankly?
I voted remain.
I’m no economist, but I had a vague idea we’d be better off as part of a group doing some good ol’ left wing, collective bargaining.
If these models are accurate?
If they turn out to be accurate predictions of our country’s growth outside the Union?
I’m thinking this news reinforces my reasons for voting remain: slow growth means less chances for my nephew, as he grows up.
Both were: as is — possibly — checking out Black Mirror, or the vintage Space: 1999.
The possibility of a movie? As Bladerunner 2049 seems to be out and about?
Tempting … but pricey, and intimidatingly long, at two hours and forty-nine minutes.
Complaining about Sainsbury’s milk bottles?
Definitely an option.
The handles on the the two and four pint bottles are canted to the left: as the picture will show you.
Which is possibly leaving you saying “Big deal: it’s only going to slightly to pour milk from those bottles, if you’re left handed. Most of us are right-handed.”
Exactly.
Most of us are.
I’m willing to bet you are.
I’m not.
I’m a left-hander, happy to be so …
But always annoyed by design — like the design — that ignores ten percent of the planet.
~≈§≈~
But I’m going sideways, here, aren’t I … ?
Yes: because I was telling you about what I was going to watch.
I’m returning to a series whose hero, Elliot, is a hacker with a mission, associative identity disorder†, an alter ego based on his father …
OK, it’ll be cheap enough to replace, if I can’t find it.
I’m just wondering where I put the one I had …
~≈§≈~
On other fronts?
I notice President Trump’s been interviewed: by Piers Morgan.
And stated he’d’ve taken a ‘tougher stance’ on negotiating the Brexit deal.
Personal feelings about Brexit aside — I voted Remain, thank you — I think I’m vaguely offended.
A US President, taking a position — an interfering and very public position — on a sovereign UK matter? Especially on one that more conservative-leaning* people in the UK — the UK equivalent of some of Trump’s own US base — see Brexit as a matter of the UK’s independence from foreign interference?
Is something I, as a proud Briton, find deeply offensive.
I had a GP’s appointment, yesterday: mostly to get the result of some blood tests.
Those are fine …
No, let me rephrase that.
The results on the thyroid activity showed I needed to increase the dosage of Levothyroxine, the medication that helps me deal with my under active thyroid.
The others results … ? For the diabetes and a few other bits?
Were thankfully clear.
However … ?
Well …
Let’s face facts, as a result discussion that followed? My GP’s decided to refer me to both a local chest unit, to deal with chest pains …
And for bariatric surgery, as I’m having serious trouble, losing weight.
It was, and is, innovative: a fantasy series that sees a boy wizard being trained, set in an archipelago based on her native Pacific North-west, where the major transport were horse, feet or boats, whose main characters were non-white? As different from the Eurocentric works of other fantasy authors as you could get!
She did SF, as well: which I know I’ve yet to explore, but certainly keen to.
Phew!
On top of this?
Ye gods … but LeGuin did gob-smackingly gorgeous prose.
I can only hope some of mine turns out like hers …
Oooohhhhh, but a cuppa’s a good thing, first thing in the morning … !
Yes, I know me, drinking some tea, possibly isn’t something you want to see, first thing in the morning.
But … ?
Well, I’m blowed if I know what’s happening.
But having a clip of video seems — seems — to have a positive effect on the amount of visitors.
Thanking you if you’re reading as a result!
~≈§≈~
One other thing … ?
I’ve got the radio on, at the mo.
And … ? Radio Four’s news bulletin has just announced that — despite putting its prices up, at the tail end of last year —Netflix has managed to increase its subscribers.
Good for them.
Frankly?
I think it’s show us the way technology has changed our world.
Frankly?
Original, award winning, content? Few, if any adverts?
Streaming is the new aerial, I think.
The fact it’s let me watch a new episode* of Star Trek, broadcast purely online? When, twenty years ago, it would’ve had to go via a regular channel?
Something I’d fancied seeing, as two previous Aronovsky films — π and Black Swan — had mildly impressed me.
And?
Strange … ?
~≈§≈~
mother! is set in a house in an isolated glade: owned by an unnamed poet — only referred to as Him, played by Javier Bardem — that’s been burnt down by a fire.
And being reconstructed by his equally unnamed wife — referred to as mother, and played by Jennifer Lawrence — who’s throughly enjoying the quiet life.
Until one day … ?
Their lives are interrupted by uninvited guests.
A dying, equalling unnamed, doctor — ‘Man’, played by Ed Harris — and his wife, ‘Woman,’ Michelle Pfeiffer.
Which is where …
Things …
Get …
Disjointed …
And mother’s life is irreparably changed …
~≈§≈~
Now …
Strange … ?
Strange is the word.
Or one word, certainly.
The other one I’d use?
Is ‘dream-like.’
Aronovsky has written and directed mother! so that it comes across with the disjointedness of a waking dream, with jumps from one line to another, Him disappearing from one door to come in at another, and discussions and conversations taking different directions: seemingly at random, and seemingly with no apparent cause.
mother get’s abruptly pregnant, for example: immediately after after a tastefully rough bedroom scene.
Him writing a poem which never, seemingly, leaves the house … only for his publisher to phone to say how much she liked it.
Leaving mother very confused: as this is seconds after she’s given her opinion of it.
Confusing?
Well made?
The answer’s got to be yes: to both questions.
~≈§≈~
Now …
You’re possibly saying “Paul, what did you think of mother! … ?”
Oh, that’s a tough one.
Frankly?
That really is tough …
Right now, I don’t know that I could tell you I liked it.
It is very well made: with — possibly — a lot of depth, meaning, and philosophy there, if you chose to look for it.
But I think it’s a film I found mildly confusing.
Not that I mind confusing, occasionally. I’m a fan of 1960s version of The Prisoner, which some will tell you is incredibly confusing.
And of Denis Potter’s The Singing Detective: which some will tell you is just as confusing.
Both of which? Both of which I found straight-forward, compared to mother!: even though both The Prisoner and mother! — in their final scenes — loop back around to their respective starts, after convoluted finales.
Personally?
mother!’s only getting two stars from me.
It’s a well crafted movie: and one that is, with its dreamlike logic, worth watching at least once.
Especially if you’re stuck on one section: desperately trying, with all your might, to get past a bit that’s rapidly filling up with water. Entirely digital, in-game, water.
Whilst a countdown goes off, threatening music plays …
Before your little blue avatar drowns.
Digitally, obviously.
~≈§≈~
At any rate, and all frustration aside?
All frustration aside, I actually fancied siting in with something to watch.
Granted, I’ve still got a pile of TV box-sets I want to watch.
But I also was more tempted by a film: either rented from iTunes.
Or something from Netflix.
As you might possibly have guessed?
I went with something from Netflix.
And?
I’m thinking Bright is pleasantly surprising.
~≈§≈~
Set in an alternative present, Bright shows us an alternative Los Angeles: where humans, orcs and elves live side by side.
Rather unhappily: elves are in posh gated communities, and orcs, humans, and everyone else … ?
Lives in whatever ghetto they can afford.
Much like the grizzled LAPD officer, Daryl Ward (Will Smith): a man much annoyed …
After his new partner, rookie Nik Jakoby (Joel Edgerton) manages to get him, Ward, shot.
When Ward goes back on duty, after recovering?
Is when Ward and Jakoby’s problems really starts.
The pair get called to what turns out to be a safe house for an extremist group called the Shield of Light.
One with lots of several dead bodies, two magically cremated bodies, a slowly dying elf assassin, embedded in a wall.
And a live elf girl called Tikka: a lone elf girl who seemingly speaks only Elvish …
And whose only possessions are the clothes on her back, and a a nuclear weapon that grants wishes.
A wand …
~≈§≈~
Now, “Pleasantly surprising, Paul?”, I hear you ask.
Yes, actually.
I don’t know quote what I was expecting, from Bright.
Something comedic, along the lines of Fresh Prince, or his performance in Independence Day: and something I know Smith is more than capable of.
What I got … ?
Was a cop drama: with a surprising amount of grit, and plausibility.
Yes, there’s humour: any film that features an odd couple — and quite an odd couple — will have it’s comedic elements.
But?
I’ve read near enough everything the late, Sit Terry Pratcheet wrote, during his life.
Something I remember him saying, in more than a Few of the novels, was that the Discworld was a ‘world, and mirror of worlds.’
Yes, everything was back-to-front.
But, yes: that helps us to see the real-world better.
Bright is another such mirror.
Yes, it’s tells us there’s heroes.
But, yes: it also tells us there’s reasons we need heroes.
It tells us people are people, whatever we happen to look like.
And that sometimes?
All the magic we need is a friend, whoever they are.
Yes, Bright is grittily dark.
Yes, it’s back-to-front.
But, yes and surprisingly, despite reminding us of our worlds corruption, graft and racism?
It’s very watchable … !
Bright ★★★☆
* It, and the original Sonic the Hedgehog, are both available on the fourth — and later — generations of Apple TV.
I have to admit, I’ve been following the news, recently.
And taken a certain amount of interest in the case of John Warboys, the Taxi Rapist.
He’s been approved for release by the Parole Board: something that’s triggered arguments, and a review.
Something that’s proven controversial: as the man was convicted for several quite quite serious rapes and sexual assaults, often involving drug gin his victim, first.
I’m very aware of those crimes’ gravity: and agree he should have stayed inside for longer.
However, his release has been approved: by an independent parole organisation.
I’m ALSO aware that there’s other women who wish to see him tried for assaulting them. And heartily encourage to do so.
Personally?
I feel he has served his time on the cases.
However, popular opinion tells us he should be inside.
I’m not to to disagree, there.
I am instead, going to say this.
There are many women who has they wish to see him charged for raping them: and have good evidence to back this up.
Good.
He’s served his time.
However, as more women accuse him of raping them?
Get the evidence together, get — this will be the hard bit — twelve unbiased jurors …
And put him on trial.
~≈§≈~
Just as a quick thing?
Just as a quick point, I’ve recently picked up a webcam: whose microphone works well enough …
Depending on which USB port the thing’s plugged into!
Saying that?
I’ve actually recorded myself reading out the questions.
When you consider I’ve never used iMovie to string video clips together: JUST editing down the .mov files — the slideshows you’d’ve already seen if you’ve followed me for a while — down to a manageable size.
