Anyone Else Find It Kinda Weird
How the Iranian protestors were just massacred and memory-holed. Why did the opposite thing happen with Gaza? Someone help me understand.
Public Musings
I'm a fiend for mojitos.
Monday, February 23, 2026
This Was Always My Concern With Trump
He's worked himself into a corner with Iran.
I don't know what he expected. That a show of force would make religious fanatics capitulate to demands. Is he kidding? These people want death.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Logging
Book: Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield
A book of the Bard's plays in short story form for kids, but written in the style of Shakespeare with quotes from the plays, etc. An excellent read to familiarize oneself with the stories so that readers may later experience the plays. Thus far, read MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Twelfth Night with the kids...and indeed the last one demonstrates why Shakespeare is "the best" - how he brings those story threads together is quite remarkable.
Film: Tombstone
A little more going on with this film than you would think. There's a reason why it continues to resonate. Not as profound as my favorites from the revisionist Western period, but the story is actually a character study of Earp. Val Kilmer alone is worth the price of admission, but consider the actors that appear in the film: Sam Elliot, Kurt Russell, Billy Bob Thorton, Thomas Hayden Church, Bill Paxton...there are others. The one glaring weak spot, Dana Delany...
Film: Carrie
The fairly hot high school gym teacher slaps around students a lot in the film. They mostly deserve it, too. What's great is the "horror" of high school is just as scary as the telekinesis.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Logging
Film: Silverado
Probably the film that caused me to dislike Westerns until I got to film school. I feel like my parents might've dragged me to the theater to see it. Can't say my younger self was wrong. It's the actors that are the problem here - you don't buy them. Something about the 1980s vibes - Kevin Kline? A gunslinger-criminal? Sorry...but no. The other huge aspect of the film that fails - what was the bad guy plot? I seriously came away with no clue about the story at all. Were they just trying to kill Kevin Costner? I am going to need to re-read the plot on Wikipedia. Costner interesting to watch in the film. He hadn't yet figured out his movie star persona, so overacts in a boyish, goofball manner. Funny to see glimpses of what he would become but Kasden wasn't quite able to bring it out. Give credit to Ron Shelton for that. And say all you will about the wokies being idiots, but they have a point about white writers writing for black families that comes across in this film. Danny Glover's scenes and storyline are among the most simplistic and ridiculous that one can imagine. Guess what he suffers from? If you guessed racism, you would be right. They murder his father and his sister is a prostitute. And none of this is played in a fun, wink wink, manner mind you. They take the whole thing very seriously.
One highlight is Brian Dennehy who offers up some moral complexity in the villain role. He could've held his own in a Peckinpah film.
Monday, February 16, 2026
Karen Bass
Thinks Wasserman should step down. Ha! Does anyone care that this guy was a little pervy in private? No. Does it matter to anyone? No. Meanwhile, Bass mismanaged the LA fires and lied in the aftermath. Jeez.
Skiing
Such a pain in the ass and still worth it. A single long run on great snow is worth the price of admission. My older son said it was like riding a roller coaster, but you're in control. The secondary benefit: an appreciation of nature and the mountain. Kids learn to become self-sufficient, carry their gear, be prepared for weather shifts, and monitor food and water intake.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Logging
Film: The Graduate
This time around, I was fascinated by Mrs. Robinson. Surely this is an age thing. When I first watched the film, of course, I was closer to Ben's age. And the film strongly takes his perspective. But now, being closer in age to Mrs Robinson, I can't help but think - what is going on with her? What is her deal? Why is she so thirsty and obvious? Why does she fear Ben dating Elaine? As best I can surmise, Mrs. Robinson resents losing her youth. She was forced into marriage because she got pregnant with Elaine. Now both she and her husband are alcoholics and miserable. Her seduction of Ben is about getting her youth back, but of course, this is doomed from the start, and even she knows it. Hence her melancholy. In this respect, the film is much wiser than how filmmakers of today would and do treat the subject. Today, this film gets made by a female director (or perhaps a female writer), and they would insist Mrs. Robinson is an empowered individual. But she is not. She's a hungry predator who has a shot at redemption but instead chooses to punish Elaine for "ruining" her life. Hence, she plots for Elaine to marry poorly and sacrifice her own youth as penance for stealing it from Mrs. Robinson. This is as far as I can tell what's happening psychologically with her.
Next observation, the music. Much of the magic of the film stems from how the music interacts with the images - the two beautiful montages sections that bridge the affair and his loneliness plus the travel up to Berkeley section. One montage actually goes for two songs! Clearly the music inspired the movie and the movie inspired the music. You can't imagine the shots or the opening or the montages without the music. Films cannot escape the era in which they are made. So the question of: why can't we make movies like that anymore is a nonsense. Because we don't listen to new Simon and Garfunkel songs on the radio is why. And even if we did, it's just an exercise in nostalgia at this point.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
China-Taiwan
China could obviously "take" Taiwan if they had to. But could they take Taiwan+Japan?
Could they take Taiwan+Japan+Philippines+Vietnam?
Could they take Taiwan+Japan++Philippines+Vietnam+India+US?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)