Heretiks

This film is also called The Covenant and it is hard to find reviews due to there being other films with this name.

I liked it. But, I doubt I will ever watch it again. It is slow, it builds up to what is to happen, creating an air of mystery, but when the horror starts, the limits of the budget on special effects is obvious. But those limited do not detract from the enjoyment of the film.

With the film being about a nun, it will be compared to others, an example being Immaculate, and if I had to pick, most days, I would pick the other film. But the reason I say most days is that this is almost as good. 

I am glad I watched it, and it has given me ideas for the role playing games I am in charge of. 

How Brexit brought the EU together

Technically, the title of this post is misleading.  The EU has differences and has had some big problems, notably with Hungary.  BUT, many eurosceptic parties in EU nations have changed their mind on leaving the EU after seeing how the UK imposed economic sanctions on itself by leaving it.  

Basically, Brexit has been such a nightmare, that other nations have decided they are better in the EU rather than going it alone like we have in the UK.  

Christmas is over

Christmas is over.  My mother came up with my brother and his partner.  My wife had been cooking like a demon but sadly, things were not as ready as we would like when they arrived. My mother tried to help, but her mobility is not ideal and I had to get her to rest.  But she spent time speaking to me and also spent time with the children.

It was great seeing my brother again, his partner is amazing and she brought an incredible bottle of wine. In fact, I look forwards to them coming again. Anyway, time to relax now...

Byzantium

This is an interesting take on vampire films.  Much better than the Twilight series, but if you are someone who likes sparkly vampires, do not watch this.  The film is slow, but engaging, filmed well, it is has similarities, but is not close to an arthouse film in the way it is put together.  There is violence and gore, but it is not really a horror film, and if that is what you are seeking, again, do not watch it.  

I am glad I have watched it, but I doubt that I will be called back to this.  If you are interested in a slightly different take on the vampire genre, this is a film to watch. 

M3GAN

I really liked this film.  In fact, I liked it more than Childs Play, which has a lot of similarities.  Yes, the film is predictable, but it is put together well, the story knitting together with few of the plot holes as seen in Childs Play.  

While I am not sure that I would watch this again, I would have loved to have seen this on the big screen (there is no need to watch it there however) and it is a film I would highly recommend to others who like horror.  Childs Play had more laughs, but this was a better film by far.  

Why I think the oldest profession should be legal

Sex work has been in the news again thanks to the exploits of Lily Phillips. Two other Only Fans content creators, Bonnie Blue and Annie Knight have also featured due to similar activities. Essentially, while not being paid by the men they are having sex with, they are having sex for money.  

Which brings up the issue of if prostitution should be legal. Let me get this clear, I do not want any woman (or man) to have no choice but to resort to working as a prostitute, but like it or not, for some women, this is how they survive. What I want is a system to support sex workers, so that they can get the help and support to work in a safe manner, but more importantly, the help and support to get out of the trade if needed. Making sex work legal may also help to reduce sex trafficking as sex workers would be given rights.

Like it or not, there are websites for men to be sugar daddies and many men seek ‘love’ abroad in a way that many consider to be transactional for too many women. 

In a nation where pensioners are having funds for heating taken away, legalisation and regulation of sex work may actually help the economy.

So much for finishing second

First of all the family.  All appears to be well(ish) though the kids are feeling a bit of stress due to different reasons.  With my daughter, it appears to be because her friends have come back from university and she feels that she has wasted her time this year.  But, she is earning money and is to use it to travel next year.

Second, football.  Thanks to two draws, we are drifting away from the league leaders Liverpool and also from second place Chelski.  I have had a discussion at work about which team I would prefer to win if Arsenal are not able to win the title (again).  I would prefer Liverpool to do so.  A colleague at work differs, but we have several Chelski fans who would be unbearable for a season if they won the title!

Puberty blockers to be banned based on medical advice

"Puberty blockers for under-18s with gender dysphoria will be banned indefinitely across the UK except for use in clinical trials, Labour has announced. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said that after receiving advice from medical experts, he would make existing emergency measures banning the sale and supply of puberty blockers indefinite."

What is interesting is that many on both sides of the debate have taken this the wrong way.  Those who feel that Puberty Blockers should be given, even in the absence of decent trials into them when it comes to those under 18 transitioning, feel it is part of the culture war, and those who are against them see it as a victory against woke values.

What it is, is a ban, unless participants are in a clinical trial, which will be continued until evidence is found that any risks are outweighed by the benefits.  It is sad that thanks to the hostility by many on both sides of this divide, that an actual debate cannot take place.  

Personally, I wish that the conversations on this were not as toxic as they are.  Until then, we will have to wait for evidence to come forwards to show the risk/benefit ratio of this treatment for those under the age of eighteen. 

The NHS and US healthcare

Recently, thanks to an assassination/murder, the issues about US healthcare have been in the news again.  Before 2010, I could boast that the NHS was so much better than the US system.  Thanks to fourteen years of the Conservative's running it into the ground, I cannot be as proud of it as I would like.  But, it still is more equitable than the US system and you do not see people trying to assassinate Wes Streeting over it. 

Obama had wanted to make things much better, but US politics diluted the reforms that he wanted.  One thing that would have worked was the mandate to obtain insurance, but that was removed and the US healthcare system did not improve the way it was meant to.  The mandate was actually the idea of Hilary Clinton, but it made so much sense, Obama changed his mind on it and took it on with his proposed plan.  It has worked in many nations to ensure that insurance coverage is universal and affordable.  But since the GOP got rid of the mandate, costs have risen as hospitals have to pay for the increasing numbers of Americans who are not covered by insurance. 

So when the United Healthcare CEO is murdered over the issues with US healthcare, he is not at fault for the system.  The fault with the system lies with the politicians who ruined Obamacare. 

As seen in The Rainmaker and the series, Breaking Bad, there are advantages to universal healthcare which the US misses out on... 

Immaculate

My son had wanted to watch this in the cinema and was annoyed that I would not take him, someone under the age of eighteen, to watch this, a film for those over the age.  After watching this at home, I would have been okay to watch it in there, though of course, not with him as it would not be legal to do so.  

The film starts well and I think it builds up to the final quite well.  I cannot compare it to the films it will be compared to without giving away the plot, but it was quite good and I could not watch the final scene, which is a reflection of how good a film it was.  The Guardian rated it four out of five, and I would have to agree with that.  I am not sure that I will watch it again though. 

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Hmmm...  I would have to say that this was bad, but at times good.  Basically, if you want to watch a fantasy film with guns, then watch this. Apparently it was Paramount's fourth highest-grossing film of 2013, and that is the power of marketing, and the cast.   

I am very glad that I did not pay money to watch it.  Overall, it was a bad film.  If you are a fan of fantasy, I would still say it is worth watching, but only just.  But, I am not the target audience, I think that it is aimed at teenage boys, notably with the occasional nudity and the guns.  It has some good bits with how they presented evil, but overall, this film was a fail in my eyes.  In fact, I would argue that the best bit about it is the trailer. 

Am I going to watch this again?  No.  Never.