ARK, ARK!

My Thoughts on Exodus: Gods and Kings

“ If you were an atheist who wanted to ride the Bible movie craze and did not really care about the material or the beliefs of a few billion people, you’d make Darren Aronofsky’s Noah movie. If you were an atheist who wanted to ride the Bible movie craze and thought it necessary to be respectful of the beliefs of a few billion people, you’d make Ridley Scott’s Exodus. The movie is not without its faults. But I enjoyed it and came away a bit disappointed from a faith perspective, but entertained and not insulted as a movie goer. To understand why requires some mild spoilers. If you were an atheist, or at least not a person of faith, and wanted to do a movie about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, your movie would look a lot like Ridley Scott’s movie. In other words, you could not avoid God, but you’d minimize him and play up natural phenomena as explanations for the plagues as best you could. And that’s where the movie is interesting. In Noah, the lead character is a psychopath and the deity is a delusion and dream. In Exodus, the lead character is a psychopath too and God comes in the form of a boy first seen in a delusion following a rock slide on a mountain. But they cannot stop there. God could be a delusion for Noah, but he cannot for Moses because of the ongoing interaction. He is minimized, but is not the bit player as in Noah. God appears throughout the movie as a boy. The effect is to make Him seem both juvenile and prone to tantrum. At least that is how it starts. But God’s hand is always present in the movie. God may not always be seen, and he may be an abstraction, but he is there. The Passover is, for instance, given short shrift, but it is clearly the work of a Deity and that is not minimized. When Pharaoh confronts Moses while carrying his dead child, he yells that only fanatics could worship a god who kills kids. You get the sense that both actors — Joel Edgerton as Pharaoh and Christian Bale as Moses — really believed that. But then Moses says no Hebrew children died. And the God who’d been being built up as some tantrum prone, vengeful child suddenly looks like a real god worth worshipping. I have to tell you that I was starting to check out of the movie. It disappointed me from a faith perspective and seemed to really get stuff wrong. But there was a moment that changed my mind. Moses laying on the beach is the scene. I finally realized that what I liked least about the movie was its twist on an old tale. This is not a movie about breaking Pharaoh. This is a movie about breaking Moses. The Prince of Egypt who believes in no god must be broken to the point he must rely on the one true God. That moment on the beach when Moses finally realizes God is really real and really knows what he is doing sealed the deal for me. I could buy in, then, to the unbelievers who made the movie using natural forces to part the red sea because I, like Moses, had by then bought into it being God using those natural forces. The movie certainly left me with a sense of disappointment. God was so much more in the real life version than He is in this movie. Moses’s family too played a bigger role in reality than in the movie. Some of the miracles were miracles that could not be explained by natural forces, but Ridley Scott tried to squeeze them into that —- a person of shallow or no faith trying to make sense of it all. And I have to respect that because he tried very hard to not disrespect my faith. Stepping back from the religious aspect, I think John Turturro as Seti was terribly cast. He, the great Seti, seemed always on the verge of a Monty Python skit breaking out. Sigourney Weaver was completely underused. It was flat out disappointing in how little she was used. [Full article] ”

Dinner and a Movie

Today's Win-Win Trader Joe's Spinach and Kale Pie, and the movie The Best of Men (NetFlix; Amazon).  Had both last night.  The Spinach and Kale Pie knocked us out, but there's them what prolly won't like it.  The Best of Men, however, is a true story that will almost assuredly make your  "highly recommend"  list. You're welcome.

At The Cinema                            FREE STUFF The Book and the Rose 2001 PG 28m rWhen handsome teacher John Barnes discovers an antique edition of Anna Karenina that's filled with scribbled notes of random thoughts and musings, he decides to begin a correspondence with the previous owner of the volume.  There are two reasons to watch this short story adaptation. It's very good It's just 30 minutes Or, you can watch it on Instant Netflix. You're welcome

Beau Brummel

At The Cinema                            While I knew the name,  I somehow advanced well into my doitage without knowing who Beau Brummell was. "Beau Brummell is credited with introducing, and establishing as fashion, the modern men's suit, worn with a tie. He claimed he took five hours to dress, and recommended that boots be polished with champagne. His style of dress is often referred to as dandyism".  (Wikipedia) The Fop and the Dandy He tells the Prince Regent (future King George V) that he dresses like a silly fop, and ought instead be a dandy. Prince  George idolizes him. One of the NetFlix commenters writes: Underwritten. We never get to know these characters as people -- never find out what made them tick. Production values are good, yet on the thrift store side for a BBC historical, and the actors fine; but the piece has the air of a project that lost confidence and perhaps financing along the way -- . I agree with that.  Still, a love of period pieces is enough for me, not to mention the education.

Fastest Indian

At The Cinema                            The World's Fastest Indian I may be the onliest person on earth who never heard of this 2005 movie, or if I did thought it was a Jim Thorp bio. What's not to like?  Anthony Hopkins playing a real life man with acute angina, prostate problems and a 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle he hand makes pistons for. Made my night.  There's also a "Making Of" film.

City of Life and Death

At The Cinema                            City of Life and Death Since Maryland football is so predictably bad of late, games are relegated to ESPN 3, or on-line television.  Last year nearly an entire half  of one game was broadcast without announcers.  All you could hear was stadium noise—like you were actually at the game. So blessed was this novelty that I hoped it was the format ESPN 3 would stick with.  Sigh. Of a sudden the glitch was fixed and the blah-blah-blah was back.  Segue. City of Life and Death is an extraordinary movie.  This Chinese film is about the "Rape of Nanking," when the Japanese Imperial army captured the city in 1937.  What's extraordinary is the entire film is shown without subtitles, at least on my NetFlix version on ROKU. The Chinese, Japanese, Germans and Americans speak in their native tongue.  It was like being there; and it was brutal.  And so well produced that I had no problem following the story line.  I know this because when it finished I checked it out on Wikipedia (a valuable resource for understanding plot lines gone over my head). It helped  that I knew about  the "Nanking Safety Zone,"  run by German businessman and Nazi Party member John Rabe and other Westerners.  This refuge was constantly violated by Japanese looking for "comfort girls," or Chinese women they would repeatably rape.  Like the opening scene of "Saving Private Ryan," the violent fog of war is so realistically produced as to be real.  It's sort of what to expect if Obama hangs onto his office and his OWS thugs are left to rampage.   That's what I saw. As you can see in this clip, there are subtitles.  It was a glitch after all. Never mind.

The Missionary

At The Cinema                            The Missionary There's every reason why you may have missed The Missionary. For starters, it's British, and was made in 1982.  But look at this cast. Michael Palin as The Reverend Charles Fortescue Maggie Smith as Lady Isabel Ames Trevor Howard as Lord Henry Ames Denholm Elliott as The Bishop Fortescue is a missionary returning from Africa after a ten year religious mission to wed his sweetheart who refuses to be touched. His new assignment is to minister to the prostitutes of London. The movie is played dead-pan, and it's more a series of skits than an in depth comedy period piece; and the ending is rather abrupt and unsatisfying.  So what,  it's all great fun.  The Ame's butler especially cracked me up.  I watched it on NetFlix instant.

"... vices are without consequences, but ridicule can kill"

Catharsis Six years before the French Revolution Louis XVI ruled, but wit was king, prompting the Duke of Guines to observe “In this country, vices are without consequences, but ridicule can kill.” After watching the Jimmy Kimmel  roast below,  I was reminded of the movie  Ridicule “ .Charles Berling stars as a cash-poor nobleman during the reign of Louis XVI. When his village is invaded by mosquitoes, he travels to Versailles to beg for the king's help. But his plans are soon diverted when he's swept into a love triangle. To survive Versailles and solve his problem, he must rely on his wit and smarts. Nominated for a 1996 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, Ridicule co-stars Fanny Ardant and Judith Godreche. (Based on a true story)  ” Highly recommended, especially for the witty engineers among you. The video clip contains the only NSFW material, but it's a doozy, and what caused me to think instantly of Obama and Ridicule. NetFlix of course.

The Trip

What a Trip We were the first kids on the block to own a VHS player.  There were services where you could rent, and have delivered to your door a movie, and a player (BetaMax or VCR), but that seemed too expensive.  In 1982 I plunked down $1500 (12 million in 2012 money) for a  Canon video camera, portable recorder and player. MoSup was scandalized by the cost. but I reassured her that just having video memories of  the kids growing up would more than pay for it. In retrospect, I was right.  The nearest source for videos was the public library, believe it or not.  It had a modest selection of tapes, one of which was My Dinner with Andre.  Since it was a free rental, it was shown numerous times to neighbors wanting to see this fabulous VCR device.   My Dinner With Andre.  I watched it at least 5 times. What made me think of that last night was The Trip. While not nearly as droll as Andre, The Trip is 10 times more entertaining. And funny. For the BBC aficionado I need only say " .....  starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. Steve agrees to review six restaurants in the north of England and takes Rob with him"   The entire series is available as a single movie on NetFlix. I love love loved it. As an aside, one of our concerns with the VCR player was bringing into the house movies that were inappropriate for the kids.  To that end me and the MoSup screened every movie, using earphones, before the kids could watch.  Anyway, one of the new library movies I brought home one day was  Personal Best, a 1982 movie centered on a group of women trying to qualify for the American track-and-field team bound for the 1980 Olympic Games.  Our kids were all involved in sports, and it did come from the library, so I put it on for them, unscreened, while we made dinner.  Our kitchen reverie was interrupted however by the unmistakable sound of  pillow talk and heavy breathing.  SEX!.  I went into the den to find my kids watching slack-jawed as  Mariel Hemingway and real-life track star Patrice Donnelly engaged in, even by todays standards, graphic lesbian sex.   I watched it later at least 5 times. Then complained to the library that it ought contain a warning.

I Want Your Money - Five Stars

Brietbart is here Shining the light here boss I WANT YOUR MONEY from Michael Katz on Vimeo. A political documentary that contrasts the two paths the United States can take using the words and actions of Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan. The film uses interviews from well-known public figures, experts, movie clips, dramatic portrayals, music, graphics and even comedic animation to tell the story in the plainest terms of the choice between the Obama and the Reagan views of the role of the federal government in our society. It also examines how these big government programs have been tried in the past at great moral and financial cost to the nation. California is offered as a case-in-point in understanding what economic challenges might face the nation, if we choose the larger government path. The RKOF&S has awarded it the Palm d' cheveux

Lounge Lizards

Lounge lizards “ This picture of a retirement home lounge lizard beminded me of 1983's very unappreciated "Baby It's You."  I loved it, and loved Rosanna Arquette for years afterward. Vincent Spano was superb as the lizard. ”

God Bless American Trash

Bacterium From Hollywood's Petri Dish

“ "From atand-up comedian and director Bobcat Goldthwait comes a scathing and hilarious attack on all that is sacred in the United States of America" I love it that Hollywood creates a wretched culture that appeals to our basest instincts, and then bemoans it with other movies that jump even that shark.   The trailer for God Bless America looks like Goldthwait's remade Falling Down, but with none of the pathos, subtlety, or humor (ahem). ”

OBAMA'S AMERICA- You Don't Know Him

At The Cinema From Gerald R Molen Producer of Schindler's List Love Him, Hate Him YOU DON'T KNOW HIM

“ Is this the first significant manifestation of the new American Jewish awareness of the evil Obama represents? If so, it means this film won't be easily ignored, nor blocked by court order as were similar movies about Clinton.  This could be a game changer. ” cuzzin ricky

Camomile Lawn

The Camomile Lawn

“ (Language, Nudity, but very classy) This is the new best miniseries ever made.  You can watch Episode One right here(additional episodes on HULU), or NetFlix.  Kind of like the Royal Tennenbaums, only way better.  Wikipedia has a decent synopsis. You will not have seen this series on American television.  You're welcome. ”

Gun Shy

Watch This - You'll Love it.

Wild Target

At The Cinema WILD TARGET

“ When veteran hit man Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) finds himself unable to kill his latest target, Rose (Emily Blunt), he winds up with an unexpected sidekick, Tony (Rupert Grint), who thinks Victor is a detective in this action-packed comedy from Britain. Now, with Rose and Tony tagging along, Victor tries to deal with the dual forces of his overbearing mother (Eileen Atkins) and a very angry client (Rupert Everett) who wants Rose dead. "Half now, Half later" WILD TARGET "I hate when they do that" (Roll) The brilliance of this move is that it walked the thinnest line possible, where one misstep would have sent it into full-blown Jerry Lewis slap-stick.  It never happened.  The film is instead a classic, droll,  British tour de force.  In an  opening scene (depicted above) hit man Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) retrieves a bag of money from a rented locker; payment for his latest job.  "Half now, Half later,  ... I hate when they do that,"  he intones"  In the next scene he's matter-of-factly Scotch taping currency halves together. I gave this film 5 stars for the joy it gave me.  Net Flix Instant

In Search of Shakespeare

Culture In Search of Shakespeare

Given that most of you are avidly interested in politics, I will assume your love of history since the two are really inexorably entwined.  I watched  In Search of Shakespeare (PBS 2004) last night.  Rather, I watched the first of four one-hour episodes.  As a predicate to understanding the Shake, Michael Wood begins by examining the happenings 16th century England.  Elizabethan England was, says Wood, a police state, where paid informers no less through then East Germany's Stasi,  snitched on everyone. The records are still accessible, hand written on bolts of parchment. We learn in some great detail how Willy grew up, his schooling ( the school he attended is still in use), the books he read, and how his gammy and gampy were drawn and quartered by the Queen.  Here's the NetFlix (instant watch) link.  I'll watch the rest this coming week, and may or may not update this post.  You're welcome.

The WAVE

Culture Die Welle

“ The Wave (Die Welle) is a compelling German film that premiered at Sundance in 2008.  It's based on an actual experience of a high school class in Palo Alto, CA in April 1967,  and demonstrates how groups of people can be manipulated.  Eric Hoffer on celluloid. There was a 1980's version that's nowhere close to being as well done or dramatic at this German (subtitled) remake.  I want to say that everyone should watch it, but that presupposes that everyone agrees with my taste in film.  Instead I'll say, "Hey, someone captured  Soros and Obama creating the Occupy Movement.  And it was soooooo easy."   Even if you're well versed in The True Believer, watching it happen is chilling— and instructive.  Plus,   Christiane Paul is just lovely. On Instant Watch Netflix On Amazon for $3.95 PS - I found this screen cap interesting.  Here the protagonist, high school teacher high-school teacher Rainer Wenger,  picks up his mail.  Earlier, a student had also used Bush as an example of a modern day dictator.  It brings to mind the Nazi belt buckle shown in The Longest Day, inscribed with the legend "Gott ist mit uns."   So I suppose it's probable that Obamunists view the Founding Fathers as  die Diktatoren,  and the concept of "Freedom" a mass movement of zealots.  . ”

Betty Blue ...

The Cinema  Betty Blue

Betty Blue is a 1986 French film. Its original French title is 37°2 le matin, which means "37.2°C in the Morning". (37.2°C [99°F] is the normal morning temperature of a pregnant woman.)  The film received both a BAFTA and Oscar in 1986, as well as winning a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film César Award for Best Poster. In 1992 it was awarded the Golden Space Needle of the Seattle International Film Festival. Betty (Dalle) and Zorg (Anglade) are passionate lovers who live in a shack on the beach. He works as a handyman who does odd jobs to pay the bills. As the film begins, they have only been dating for a week and are in a very passionate stage of their relationship. Zorg's boss asks him to paint the 500 shacks that populate the beach—a fact that he keeps from Betty who thinks they only have to do one. She attacks the project with enthusiasm that quickly turns to anger once she learns the actual number. In response, Betty covers the boss’s car with pink paint. During a nasty fight, Betty accidentally discovers a series of notebooks that contain a novel Zorg wrote years ago. She reads it and falls in love with him even more. She then makes it her mission in life to type every hand-written page and get it published [Wikipedia] After watching it, I'll call it "Under the Tuscan Sun meets Million Dollar Baby."  Unfortunately,  the film is marred by a lot of full nudity—   both Betty and Zorg spend much of the movie jiggling about in the altogether.  But don't let that put you off.  Bare breasts are commonplace anymore, and you can very easily pretend Betty is wearing a black Bikini bottom.  The love scenes are simulated (probably), and neither men nor women view the  gentleman's sausage as  anything erotic. So what you're left with is a pretty good film.  Instant watch on NetFlix.

Apocalypto and The Help

HLLYWD Two Movies  (UPDATED)

“ I was aware that Mel Gibson made Apocalypto, but this was after his (5-Star) The Passion of the Christ (Full movie viewable here) caused Hollywood declare war on Mel.  The reviews then were not sufficient to make me overcome my aversion to paying to see Hollywood crap.  Last night, in celebration of my Netflix portal on ROKU being magically restored, I watched it on my SONY 46" 1060 HD in complete darkness, with audio delivered through my Sennheiser ear phones. Incredibly enough, you can watch it in its entirety here.  HMFS! If you've not seen this picture dealing with the last days of the Mayan civilization, before the Spaniards arrived— words fail me.  If you took the opening 30-minute sequence from Saving Private Ryan, and extended for another 106-minutes,  you have Apocalypto's level of intensity.  It 's brilliant!, and 5 Star () terrific.  Had it been made by a leftist icon like Oliver Stone, or Steven Spielberg,  I'm  convinced it would have been the 2006  favorite to win 7-8 Oscars.  WOW!    Now, while I was watching the Mayans in all their gory glory, MoSup was in another room watching The Help on her PPV 32" screen.  When I asked how she liked it, she squealed giddily,  like a virgin on her marriage bed.  She loved , and gave it her imprimatur.  Since we have access to it for another day or so, I'll watch it tonight.  ” UPDATE I watched The Help last night and ... wait.  First the explanation: Any man married to the same woman for 73¼ years will have undergone, through osmosis,  certain changes to his manly veneer. Like your Gran bolsa de bola peluda will have been draped with a lace cozy.  Okay?  Okay. I loved the movie.  I did comment to MoSup that I felt there was a good deal of stereotyping.  Specifically, I said it was not believable that an entire group of women could be so hateful.  She said, "Well, you are so wrong." Nevertheless, it was great adventure, and nicely acted.  PS -  (In case you wonder, I hated  Steel Magnolia's guts).