In case the post doesn’t make it totally clear, for the record, I love the Rock. And the insightful use of profanity. And funny shit. Chris Rock may have been wrong about AIDS—but only slightly. In his second blockbuster comedy special for HBO, “Bigger and Blacker” (1999), Rock emphatically suggested that: They ain’t never curing [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Film’
A Triumph of Ignorance
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Britain, Film, Religion on September 21, 2009 |
When I originally submitted it, this post also touched on the difficult path into the US market trod of another controversial film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus–and had the catchy title “Darwin, the Devil and American Cinema.” Why my editor chose to entirely chop out all references to Heath Ledger’s last film, I do not [...]
“Public Enemies”: Just What the Banks Need
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Film, History, Law & Order, Literature, Minnesota, New York, Recession on July 13, 2009 |
This is a fun little post about a movie I have yet to see. I hope to change that soon. Over Independence Day weekend Michael Mann, acclaimed director of such films as “Heat”, “The Insider” and “Collateral”, released another beautiful crime drama about an infamous Midwestern bank robber, John Dillinger. Over the course of [...]
With Jobs Like These…
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Britain, Film, Health Care, Humor, New York, Recession on April 1, 2009 |
“…Who Needs Jobs?” was the full suggested title of my April Fools’ piece. Last week, Britain’s health minister made some ill-considered comments about men’s health during a recession. He explained that while men are ordinarily reluctant to seek healthcare and advice, they are suddenly more likely to see a doctor once they are unemployed, if precedent “in this [...]
The Day the Muzak (Almost) Died
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Film, Music, Recession on February 12, 2009 |
“Waiter, can you stop that noise?” “What?” “Yes—what you call music.” The noise that Lena Olin’s character was referring to in Philip Kaufman’s film adaptation of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” has irritated millions since “Muzak” was invented in the 1920s. Click here to read the rest of the blog post. Picture credit: massdistration [...]
A Controversial Homecoming for “Slumdog”
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Film, India on January 28, 2009 |
At the Jaipur Literature Festival on January 22nd, celebrations were the order of the evening. “Slumdog Millionaire” had just been nominated for ten Oscars, best original song among them. Gulzar, the songwriter of “Jai ho”, the first Hindi song nominated for the honour, was in attendance. When Gulzar was asked about the controversies surrounding the hotly anticipated [...]
A Squalid, Feel-Good Export
Posted in More Intelligent Life, tagged Film, India on January 15, 2009 |
Despite my disappointment with his last film, I decided to give Danny Boyle another chance and see “Slumdog Millionaire” in late November. Like Boyle, who admitted to never having been to India before he began shooting in Mumbai, I entered the theatre with some naivety. And like most everyone who has seen this amazing film [...]
