« Defending “the Decision” | Home | “Fight Club” Tenth Anniversary »
“Not at the Expense of the Leftist Cause”
By Kyle | November 16, 2009
As Morris points out in a comment below, John Nolte has an astute post on Roland Emmerich, who said he didn’t want to make a movie about America defeating an evil power as long as George W. Bush was president. My read on the early blockbuster movies of the Obama administration is: Slight improvement. The filmmakers no longer feel obliged to stick in little George W. Bush cracks (exception: Bush does get mentioned in “The Blind Side,” although to what purpose I’m not sure) or allegory about evil Republicans. So far, they don’t put in pro-Obama references either, as far as I can tell. So you don’t get taken out of the movie and get the sense you’re being harangued. “2012″ doesn’t take a political side (apart from its odd Sinophilia, which I assume was just suck-uppery on the part of the studio). I found that surprising.
Topics: Barack Obama, Movies, Politics |
November 16th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Oh come on. What’s the point of having a near monopoly on the entertainment and news media if you can’t use it to deny your evil political opponents any pleasure from your work?
Leaving out the gratuitous Republican-Conservative-Christian bashing scene just seems like laziness.
November 16th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I don’t think they’re done yet. I just read Audrey Niffenneger’s new book. (Her first was Time Traveler’s Wife, a good read.) Not only was the book crap (big disappointment), there were at least 6-7 anti-Bush/anti-Iraq comments in a not terribly long book.
Kyle, have I thanked you yet for introducing me to Richard Russo? I may have, but don’t remember. I’ve worked my way through most of his work. Hell of a writer, although Old Cape Magic is a bit thin. More of a novella than a novel.
And thanks again for Adventureland. Kristen Stewart is beyond brilliant in it, and the movie has an all-around great vibe.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Kishke, I can’t claim credit for being the only one to praise Russo. Check out Straight Man, if you haven’t already. Perfect satire of the college-prof mindset, from within. I agree That Old Cape Magic isn’t as rich as, say, Empire Falls or Bridge of Sighs. But he plainly needed a break after the latter.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Ditto on the Russo tip. I went with Straight Man (”goose” scene was worth the price of admission)first on Kyle’s recommendation and have worked my way through most of his oeuvre through audible books during my daily commute. Perhaps being a Northeasterner helps, but I find his work rings true…
November 16th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
You may not be the only one to praise him, but I had never heard of him before your post a few months back.
I read Straight Man. I thought it was great. The opening segment, about the death of the dog, was one of the funniest pieces of writing I’ve ever read.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:19 am
I loved Nobody’s Fool from the movie before I ever read the book. Enjoyed the book too, but I wimped out of Empire Falls somewhere about a quarter in. Something about blood, plus all the things I disliked about the ending of Nobody’s Fool, but magnified.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Anwyn: I’m been thinking about jumping into Empire Falls the movie, but you’re making me wonder. Has anyone else here seen it?
November 17th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I’ve seen it. I think it’s great. As you might imagine, it’s a little short on special efffects and long on good-natured cymicism. I think they did a fine job with the story, so if you liked Nobody’s Fool you ought to at least enjoy Empire Falls.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Thanks. I guess I’ll watch it one of these days.