Now that's a resurrection movie...
Saw Dawn of the Dead tonight. Loved it. Loved the music, loved the cameos and visual nods to the original (but missed the return of the WGON 'copter! I'll have to see it again). Loved the big plot holes. Great opening. Great credits (beg. and end). What's not so hot? A few too many characters. Some bad long-shot CGI. And that ain't Milwaukee. I might bring the old boardgame to gaming on Thursday.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Get thee behind me, Mel...
In trying to encapsulate my thoughts on Passion of the Christ, the work of three very talented people immediately came to mind.
The first two are Tony Hendra and Sean Kelly, who summarized Gibson's fetish in a fake hymn from their book Not the Bible:
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love your blood so red,
I love the bloody corpuscles streaming from your head;
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love thy crimson tide,
I love the bloody Roman spear that got stuck in your side;
O rare and bloody Jesus, I love thy hands that bled,
I love the nails that pierced them, O Jesus, red and dead;
I'd love to drink the blood O Lord, that drips from off thy feet,
And wash my hands and brush my teeth; O Lord would that be sweet!
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love thy blood so red;
I loved you when you were alive, but I love you better dead!
The other is cartoonist and local genius Lynda Barry, who back in 1986 drew Marlys trying to save a failed home-ec project (Tangy Breakfast Squares) with presentation: "You watch. No one give anything less than a B-minus to the shape of the cross." This, to me, sums up the "Christian" reaction to TPotC, as well as most contemporary Christian pop culture offerings: support X because it shares a viewpoint, not because it's any damn good.
And The Passion isn't. I suppose it's "powerful," in the same sort of way a kick in the groin is powerful. But there's just nothing to recommend. I suppose if there's a saving grace, it's that the Passion-going audience might now stop being wusses about subtitles long enough to check out Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew, a film with some actual spirituality in it, if not behind it.
In trying to encapsulate my thoughts on Passion of the Christ, the work of three very talented people immediately came to mind.
The first two are Tony Hendra and Sean Kelly, who summarized Gibson's fetish in a fake hymn from their book Not the Bible:
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love your blood so red,
I love the bloody corpuscles streaming from your head;
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love thy crimson tide,
I love the bloody Roman spear that got stuck in your side;
O rare and bloody Jesus, I love thy hands that bled,
I love the nails that pierced them, O Jesus, red and dead;
I'd love to drink the blood O Lord, that drips from off thy feet,
And wash my hands and brush my teeth; O Lord would that be sweet!
O bloody bloody Jesus, I love thy blood so red;
I loved you when you were alive, but I love you better dead!
The other is cartoonist and local genius Lynda Barry, who back in 1986 drew Marlys trying to save a failed home-ec project (Tangy Breakfast Squares) with presentation: "You watch. No one give anything less than a B-minus to the shape of the cross." This, to me, sums up the "Christian" reaction to TPotC, as well as most contemporary Christian pop culture offerings: support X because it shares a viewpoint, not because it's any damn good.
And The Passion isn't. I suppose it's "powerful," in the same sort of way a kick in the groin is powerful. But there's just nothing to recommend. I suppose if there's a saving grace, it's that the Passion-going audience might now stop being wusses about subtitles long enough to check out Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew, a film with some actual spirituality in it, if not behind it.
Monday, March 22, 2004
Hey, y'know, I still haven't been gone as long as this guy, who is still apparently stoked about BU basketball's chances in the NCAA tournament. Oh, wait...
After several weeks of 12-to-15-hour workdays, the light is finally appearing at the end of the tunnel. Just in time for me to take a breath...before diving into TRASH questions. Oh joy.
After several weeks of 12-to-15-hour workdays, the light is finally appearing at the end of the tunnel. Just in time for me to take a breath...before diving into TRASH questions. Oh joy.
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Underwhelmed
What? That was it?
This year's Oscars were a model of ruthless efficiency...and utter lifelessness (full disclosure: my two favorite Oscarcasts were the two most derided shows: the Letterman one, and the 2002 show with all the film clips that ended up being the longest one ever). I wonder to what extent the Super Bowl fiasco cast a pall on the proceedings. They just didn't do much for me this year, though the fact that I didn't do any sort of Oscar pool this year may have lessened my interest.
Best dressed: Diane Lane, Scarlett Johansson. Charlize Theron would have made the grade if not for her Oompa-Loompa tan.
Worst dressed: Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh.
probably the most common pool upsets: losses by Bill Murray and Destino.
So what the hell was that thing Sting was playing, and how long does one have to crank it before the Jack pops out?
Congratulations Errol Morris! Even if Fog of War was a make-up award, nice to see Errol win, and especially nice to see him acknowledge that it was About Damn Time he got some attention from the Documentary group.
It wasn't my favorite, but I can't begrudge ROTK any of its awards except Best Song. "Into the West" was the weakest of the five. Running close to it was "A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow", which was slight and in a disappointing film, but it gets the edge for actually being part of its film, and not just aural wallpaper under the credits.
Too bad about Twilight Samurai losing Best Foreign Film. It's outstanding; keep an eye out for it this year.
Crystal: he was okay...better'n Whoopi, who should be kept 50 miles away from the Kodak Theatre at all times, but still, I say the best way to cut show length (and it does not need to be cut) is to eliminate the host altogether.
What? That was it?
This year's Oscars were a model of ruthless efficiency...and utter lifelessness (full disclosure: my two favorite Oscarcasts were the two most derided shows: the Letterman one, and the 2002 show with all the film clips that ended up being the longest one ever). I wonder to what extent the Super Bowl fiasco cast a pall on the proceedings. They just didn't do much for me this year, though the fact that I didn't do any sort of Oscar pool this year may have lessened my interest.
Best dressed: Diane Lane, Scarlett Johansson. Charlize Theron would have made the grade if not for her Oompa-Loompa tan.
Worst dressed: Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh.
probably the most common pool upsets: losses by Bill Murray and Destino.
So what the hell was that thing Sting was playing, and how long does one have to crank it before the Jack pops out?
Congratulations Errol Morris! Even if Fog of War was a make-up award, nice to see Errol win, and especially nice to see him acknowledge that it was About Damn Time he got some attention from the Documentary group.
It wasn't my favorite, but I can't begrudge ROTK any of its awards except Best Song. "Into the West" was the weakest of the five. Running close to it was "A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow", which was slight and in a disappointing film, but it gets the edge for actually being part of its film, and not just aural wallpaper under the credits.
Too bad about Twilight Samurai losing Best Foreign Film. It's outstanding; keep an eye out for it this year.
Crystal: he was okay...better'n Whoopi, who should be kept 50 miles away from the Kodak Theatre at all times, but still, I say the best way to cut show length (and it does not need to be cut) is to eliminate the host altogether.
Monday, February 23, 2004
Hey Ralphie boy...
Hey, Nader's running again. Time for more whining about how voters like me cost Gore the presidency. Whatever. Actually it's interesting how the most vitriolic Nader hate this time around is not coming from the Democrats. Or the Greens, who should feel particularly betrayed.
The perspective of the now-jaded 2000 Nader supporter is wrapped up pretty well here, but I have some additional thoughts.
I didn't vote for Gore in 2000 because Gore didn't earn it. He could have earned it. He could have picked a runningmate who wasn't an elephant in donkey's clothing. He could have renounced his wife's PMRC foolishness from the 80s. He could have done something other than rolling over and accepting the misrepresentations the wingnuts got past about him.
And now in 2004 it's Nader who hasn't earned it. Sure, in the long, long run he's probably done more for the public good than any other single candidate in '04--and that includes all the many times he got it wrong. But politics has a certain amount of "what have you done for me lately," and that's where Ralph has fallen off. Bush II has provided so many ripe opportunities for Nader to position himself as the Loyal Opposition: Enron, Patriot Act, Plame, Halliburton, now this stupid marriage amendment...Jesus Haploid Christ! Proverbial grist for the proverbial mill. And what's the biggest scandal Nader's attacked since November 2000?
This.
I'm not terribly thrilled about Kerry being the Democratic frontrunner, but he doesn't have Al's Tipperstink. And based on the way he tore into people ostensibly on the same team, I at least have hope he'll give as good as he gets after the conventions.
Hey, Nader's running again. Time for more whining about how voters like me cost Gore the presidency. Whatever. Actually it's interesting how the most vitriolic Nader hate this time around is not coming from the Democrats. Or the Greens, who should feel particularly betrayed.
The perspective of the now-jaded 2000 Nader supporter is wrapped up pretty well here, but I have some additional thoughts.
I didn't vote for Gore in 2000 because Gore didn't earn it. He could have earned it. He could have picked a runningmate who wasn't an elephant in donkey's clothing. He could have renounced his wife's PMRC foolishness from the 80s. He could have done something other than rolling over and accepting the misrepresentations the wingnuts got past about him.
And now in 2004 it's Nader who hasn't earned it. Sure, in the long, long run he's probably done more for the public good than any other single candidate in '04--and that includes all the many times he got it wrong. But politics has a certain amount of "what have you done for me lately," and that's where Ralph has fallen off. Bush II has provided so many ripe opportunities for Nader to position himself as the Loyal Opposition: Enron, Patriot Act, Plame, Halliburton, now this stupid marriage amendment...Jesus Haploid Christ! Proverbial grist for the proverbial mill. And what's the biggest scandal Nader's attacked since November 2000?
This.
I'm not terribly thrilled about Kerry being the Democratic frontrunner, but he doesn't have Al's Tipperstink. And based on the way he tore into people ostensibly on the same team, I at least have hope he'll give as good as he gets after the conventions.
Saturday, February 21, 2004
I'm still halfway through writing up my B-fest recap, and bogged down with other things at the moment. But I may as well just scrap it altogether after the pain Dee inflicted tonight at her Movie Dictator:
1. Glitter
2. Crossroads (Spears, not Macchio -- but isn't that a Hobson's choice anyway?)
...at this point we were fearing From Justin To Kelly. Or Under the Cherry Moon, or worse, Graffiti Bridge.
But no, it got worse.
3. much worse.
The best thing that can be said for this movie is that Madonna gets slapped around a good deal.
1. Glitter
2. Crossroads (Spears, not Macchio -- but isn't that a Hobson's choice anyway?)
...at this point we were fearing From Justin To Kelly. Or Under the Cherry Moon, or worse, Graffiti Bridge.
But no, it got worse.
3. much worse.
The best thing that can be said for this movie is that Madonna gets slapped around a good deal.
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Best Valentine Story Ever
Meet the luncheonette-sitters and freedom marchers of the 21st century. What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder.
Meet the luncheonette-sitters and freedom marchers of the 21st century. What God has brought together, let no man tear asunder.
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