Veronika Wild

Had a lovely lazy day yesterday, watching Soderbergh's Contagion, while everyone else went to Questacon. This traces the path of a pandemic, a suitably depressing topic for the post Christmas period. It has some big stars, but not a predictable happy ending. I like that. It makes it more realistic. Catch a bit of it here: Contagion Trailer  by teasertrailer We also watched the seasonally appropriate What would Jesus Buy? with the Reverend Billy of the Church of Life After Shopping, by Morgan Spurlock, creator of Supersize Me and several short episodes of what's wrong with life in America. The one about what it's like to live on the basic wage was particularly moving, although as articulate, college -educated white people wielding a movie camera, the ease with which they landed low wage jobs may not be typical. Still, I don't think that catching a urinary tract infection in an unheated apartment was fake, nor were their extortionate hospital bills. Freedom in Ame...

 It was a struggle but well worth it. Finally saw Melancholia. Here's how: Son uploaded the film to my laptop. The small screen was much better and I was able to pause it and have breaks. I also drank ginger tea which is good in cases of motion sickness too. If  you are in a cinema and have the same problem with cyber sickness, try sitting as far back as you can. Although the younger members of the family found the film a bit too slow as a disaster movie,  I liked the slow wind up and really appreciated the interesting cast, the strange light, the original script and the  non -Hollywood ending. I have become quite addicted to Lars Von Trier having watched his  series The Killing. It's too bad that so many of his other major films have the same problem. Will struggle on. On toys, there have been a couple of interesting articles and posts. A friend sent me this link on Facebook to point out that Lego is going pink and trying to attract the other 50% of consume...