Tammy Bruce: Hollywood/Films Archives

Hollywood/Films Archives

Is This a Joke??

(From Iran, where "Barf" ("برف") means "Snow")

Maynard wonders

An April Fools' item? This G4 press release looks to be legit.

G4 ANNOUNCES UNIQUE NEW SERIES THAT COMBINES EATING COMPETITIONS WITH GUT-WRENCHING PHYSICAL CHALLENGES

New Original Series Entitled “Hurl!” Debuts Summer 2008 on G4

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2008 — G4 is taking competitive eating competitions to the next level with a new series that combines speed-eating with intense physical challenges. In each episode, five brave contestants attempt to consume the largest quantity of food in a short amount of time and are then immediately subjected to a series of challenges designed to shake them up. The one to hold his or her food down the longest claims victory and walks away with a cash prize, the Iron Stomach Award, and more importantly, serious bragging rights. The half-hour series, "Hurl!" premieres summer 2008 on G4.

The competition is made up of multiple stages, beginning with an intense eating contest. Contestants are challenged to consume a massive portion of some popular All-American favorite, as quickly as they can, with items ranging from chicken pot pies to New England chowder, fish sticks, hot dogs, blueberry pie, and more. Those who devour the largest quantity and keep everything down move on to the second stage where they must face nausea-inducing physical challenges, designed to shake them up – from carnival rides to belly flops off a high dive, to mechanical bull-riding. Each episode features two different cuisines and a new outrageous challenge...

I am at a loss for words.

Posted by Maynard · May 1, 2008 07:03 PM · Permalink · Comments (2)
Cultural Commentary | Food/Drink | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Television

Got "Expelled"?

A post by Maynard

I don't know whether I'm going to like "Expelled", which opens in theaters this Friday. But Hollywood and the mainstream media have been doing their darndest to immerse us in a cauldron of political correctness. Being a disagreeable creature, I thirst for anything that promises to be contrary.

What is "Expelled" about? The press clips indicate it focuses on the conflict between evolutionists and creationists in the academy. I hope there's more to it than that, because that is a battle I would rather not linger on. We're here by the will of God, but is it unthinkable that He might have used an evolutionary process to do the job? Why must the pursuit of this question become prickly? In a nutshell, science tells us how and religion tells us why. These two outlooks should work together (like body and soul) to seek a uniform vision.

The clash of evolution versus intelligent design has become a proxy war as our culture wrestles with issues of atheism versus theism. Radical secularists attempt to misrepresent the Establishment Clause as a call for state-mandated atheism; an aggressively wrong-headed agenda that I vigorously oppose. I'm on board for the war, but the enemy is the repressive political ideology. Is it really necessary that we scrap with the evolutionists?

I view intelligent design ("ID") as a discipline that is more philosophical than scientific. And it's certainly appropriate that the hard sciences be cross-pollinated with philosophical questions; that's what we're doing when, for example, we expect a medical doctor to also learn medical ethics. ID, like ethics, raises hard questions and important challenges. But I can't see it as a science in the sense that biology is. (I know some people put forth a rigorous technical argument in favor of ID, and I'm not dismissing that position; however that's a long discussion in itself, which I'll skip for the sake of brevity.)

Of course, it must be remembered that evolution is also something of a theory. That's why they call is the theory of evolution. Duh!

Back in the bad old days, Galileo offended the dogma of the Church when he advanced his theory of heliocentrism. He was forced to recant this heresy, and spent his latter years under house arrest on orders of the Inquisition. We tell ourselves we've passed beyond the era of dogma into an enlightened age. But these days, the guardians of the One True Church of Political Correctness are equally aggressive in defending their canon. Recently Nobel laureate James Watson was forced into retirement when his observations gave offence to the Anointed Ones.

(As the song goes: "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss." But let's move along.)

Anyway, with respect to the academic community, I lament to note that mine is apparently a minority opinion. This study indicates that only 7% of scientists believe in a personal God, as opposed to 72% that disbelieve — in sharp contrast to the general public, where a large majority accept God. Other studies suggest that the more educated an individual is, the more likely that person is to be an atheist.

For the record, I (Maynard) have a degree from Starfleet Academy, and in fact my faith was nurtured as it became clear that our most essential questions could not be answered by materialistic inquiry. I love science and I am grateful to the students of the material arts, to whom we all owe a great deal. But it's Man's vanity, rather than objective facts, that tempts us to think we can get by without God.

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John Adams

A post by Maynard

Has anybody been watching the current HBO mini-series about John Adams? It's based on the biography by David McCullough. This series is an agreeable way to be reminded of our fundamental history. The environment conveys a compelling aura of authenticity.

A couple of quick comments... The first engagements of the Revolutionary War were the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Tensions in the American colonies had been rising, and the British decided to disarm the local militias. Troops marched from Boston to seize weapons, but the colonists were warned (by Paul Revere and others). Rather than turn over their arms, they shot back, and the British retreated.

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.

Do you suppose the Founding Fathers were thinking of this incident when they penned the Second Amendment? These people had firsthand experience with a despot's need to disarm the people.

Also, in the context of our founding, it must be understood that Virginia was the powerhouse of the era. The American economy of the day was agricultural rather than industrial, and the balance of power was strongly tilted towards the plantation states. New England was cold and rocky, and it was not anticipated that the North would ever be in a position to challenge the dominance of the South. So the Southern interests in general and the Virginians in particular were destined to be in the forefront of this part of our history.

Some people express anger because the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution did not abolish slavery. In fact, although many of the Founding Fathers were abolitionists or regarded slavery as a sinful institution, the political reality was that the colonies could not come together if abolition were part of the equation. So the struggle over slavery was postponed.

Posted by Maynard · April 8, 2008 04:36 PM · Permalink · Comments (11)
History | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Second Amendment

Charleton Heston Has Died

He was one of the good ones, a man reminding us of an era when being proud individualists and being an American First was what defined us. We're working to bring that back and we can point to men like Heston, John Wayne and Ronald Reagan for inspiration on our journey.

Charleton Heston, 83, Actor Played Larger-Than-Life Figures

Charlton Heston, the Oscar-winning actor who achieved stardom playing larger-than-life figures including Moses, Michelangelo and Andrew Jackson in historical epics and went on to become a best-selling author, a contentious Hollywood labor leader, an unapologetic gun advocate and darling of conservative causes, has died. He was 83.

Heston died Saturday at his Beverly Hills home, his family said in a statement. In 2002, he had been diagnosed with symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer's disease.

With a booming baritone voice, the tall, ruggedly handsome actor delivered his signature role as the prophet Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 Biblical extravaganza "The Ten Commandments," raising a rod over his head as God miraculously parts the Red Sea...

"I don't seem to fit really into the 20th century," Heston said in a 1965 interview. "Pretty soon, though, I've got to get a part where I wear pants with pleats and pockets."

Heston stunned the entertainment world in August 2002 when he made a poignant and moving videotaped address announcing his illness.

A few days after his dramatic announcement, Heston would sit down for an interview in his beloved Coldwater Canyon home, which he always said "Ben-Hur" had built, and faced the uncertain future with brave resolve and a sense of humor.

"The world is a tough place," he said with a chuckle. "You're never going to get out of it alive."

Late in life, Heston's stature as a political firebrand overshadowed his acting. He became demonized by gun control advocates and liberal Hollywood when he became president of the National Rifle Assn. in 1998...

A 'darling' for us, indeed, but the loss of a man who fought for everyone's civil rights is a loss for all, whether some understand that or not. Thank you Mr. Heston, and God rest your soul.

Posted by Tammy · April 5, 2008 09:51 PM · Permalink · Comments (14)
Hero | History | Hollywood/Films | Inspiration

"Fitna"

A post by Maynard

I had earlier noted the imminent release Dutch politician Geert Wilders' short film "Fitna". The release was obstructed by threats of violence and concerns of possible legal repercussions (since freedom of speech can be legally curtailed in Europe; they have no 1st Amendment protection). Many worldwide leaders are condemning the film for its claim that Islamic terrorism is linked to Islamic doctrine.

The original American web server that agreed to carry the film backed out (this being the same operation that had found no problem in hosting the Hezbollah website). LiveLeak then picked up the display, and it was posted on March 27; however it was only available briefly before being removed. In its place, this message appeared:

The Removal of "Fitna" Official LiveLeak statement.

Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill informed reports from certain corners of the British media that could affect the safety of some staff members, LiveLeak has been left with no other choice but to remove "Fitna" from our servers.

This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people from all backgrounds and religions, who gave us their support. They realized LiveLeak.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one.

Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one another's culture.

We stood for what we believe in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high.

So "Fitna" ended up on YouTube. Click to view the English-subtitled Part 1 and Part 2. The 15-minute film consists of verses from the Koran interspersed with violent media clips. (Here is an abridged 10-minute version without the Netherlands-specific material).

Posted by Maynard · March 30, 2008 10:45 PM · Permalink · Comments (6)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | War on Radical Islam

The Night of the Hunter

A post by Maynard

On Wednesday afternoon, after the Tammy Bruce Show, Turner Classic Movies (the cable channel) will screen "The Night of the Hunter". (Check local listings; it's at 1:30 PM Pacific Time and 4:30 PM Eastern.)

This semi-classic film is particularly relevant to events that have been in the news during the past several days. Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish play characters that are both ostensibly religious, but one of them is a false prophet with evil intent. And yet the bad guy moves freely and is assisted by ordinary folk that see nothing but a holy man.

In a world filled with liars and deceptive snares, how do we know who is on the side of the angels? Lillian Gish addresses this question in an early sermon by referencing Matthew 12:33:

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Judge the tree by its fruit. It's a lesson to take to heart.

Posted by Maynard · March 19, 2008 03:16 AM · Permalink · Comments (7)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Religion

Another Cartoon Jihad?

A post by Maynard

Moving to squelch blasphemy, Pakistan banned YouTube. In enforcing the national censorship, a Pakistani service provider unintentionally shut down YouTube for the whole world.

How could this happen? Internet traffic is dynamically routed to seek the quickest path, in the same way that you listen to traffic reports and route your car. It seems that this service provider, in an effort to establish itself as the national bottleneck, made the electronic claim that it had the inside track on quick delivery of YouTube traffic. This unintentionally sucked in YouTube-bound data packets from everywhere in the world, all of which disappeared into a black hole. To undo the damage, Pakistan has rescinded the ban, at least for the time being.

The Internet is a global organism. This is an interesting example of its vulnerability.

The crackdown was an effort to block video previews of an upcoming film by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders. His movie portrays Islam as fascist and prone to inciting violence against women and homosexuals.

Posted by Maynard · February 28, 2008 08:53 PM · Permalink · Comments (1)
Balls, Lack Of | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | War on Radical Islam

Oscars and Razzies

A post by Maynard

In case you need it, here's the Academy Awards nominations list. (Update: And here are final results.)

As a pseudointellectual elitist, I admit to being a great fan of the Coen Brothers and Paul Thomas Anderson. These are the auteurs respectively responsible for frontrunners "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood". I give both films the highest praise; however "No Country" is easier to "get" than TWBB.

So much for the best of the best. On the flip side, there are The Razzies — that is, the awards for the worst films of the year. The 2008 winners list (summarized in this press release) heavily favors the turkey "I Know Who Killed Me"; honored individuals include Lindsay Lohan and Eddie Murphy. These awards are duly reported in Variety.

Winners of the "Razzie" rarely show up to collect their statuettes. One notable exception was Halle Berry, who was honored for her miserable performance in "Catwoman". In accepting the award, Berry cited the wisdom of her mother, who once told her, "If you aren't able to be a good loser, then you're not able to be a good winner."

The erudite Economist newsmag published this amusing analysis of the practice of saluting the best of the worst in the creative arts. In justifying the inherent negativity of such ceremonies, the report draws a conclusion worth noting:

Staggering, awe-inspiring deficiency perhaps deserves even greater recognition than the handful of prizes doled out today. It is the vital second front in the battle against creative mediocrity.

Posted by Maynard · February 24, 2008 04:21 PM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Hollywood/Films | Humor | Maynard Post

Democrat Debate in Appropriate Venue

The Kodak Theatre, a place of make-believe, entertainment and the business of generally fooling people. Thursday's debate is also eliciting a bizarre level of excitement from the Hollywood liberal elite with an announcement worthy of any of the games in Rome's Colosseum. In 100 AD.

Clinton vs. Obama: A must-see!

Thursday night's Democratic debate at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland is one hot ticket.

Maybe it's the prospect of seeing the Democratic field winnowed to the two remaining candidates, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, so close to Super Tuesday and the California primary. Maybe it's the prospect of a fiery debate. Or maybe it's the fact that Thursday's event could be the biggest star-studded spectacle so far this year at the Kodak, which next month will host the Oscars -- maybe.

"This debate is so hot, we're getting more requests for tickets than the Oscars are getting," said Bob Mulholland, campaign adviser for the California Democratic Party. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Oh brother.

Posted by Tammy · January 30, 2008 09:58 PM · Permalink · Comments (5)
Hollywood/Films | Politics

Hollywood Calls for Knut!

Knut. Big and still cute.

It was inevitable. (HT Hot Air).

Polar Bear Knut to Become Hollywood Star

It was only a matter of time before Tinseltown came knocking. Cute Knut is about to star in an animated film that should earn Berlin Zoo millions of euros and establish the shaggy polar bear cub as an A-list celebrity alongside Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.

The zoo has confirmed local media reports that it is in talks with a Hollywood producer. "We are delighted about the interest from Hollywood. It's unclear when we will sign the contracts. Some details have yet to be sorted out," zoo director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

It will, of course, be screwed up with Hollywood leftists involved.

The film will also address the fate of Knut's brethren living in the wild as global warming threatens their Arctic habitats, Berlin newspapers say.

The indoctrination continues.

Posted by Tammy · December 31, 2007 09:44 AM · Permalink · Comments (2)
Animal Issues | Hollywood/Films

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Maynard's Seasonal Trivia

There's magic in music. Part of that magic is in the lyrics, and I'm one of the people that actually listens to words. I recently found there were two alternate sets of lyrics to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".

It started with the original bittersweet lines, sung by Judy Garland for the wartime "Meet Me in St. Louis" (see this clip). Later, Frank Sinatra "improved" the song with a layer of sugarcoating. Sinatra's are the "popular" lyrics you're more likely to encounter. But if you pay attention to the endless parade of Christmas music, you'll probably experience both sooner or later.

Posted by Maynard · December 10, 2007 01:30 AM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Music

Burglars Shot by Neighbor May Be Part of Larger Colombian Gang

The two men Joe Horn shot and killed as they emerged after robbing his neighbor's home, may be linked to an illegal alien gun-running Colombian gang. Aren't we shocked.

Just another reason to make Joe Horn Citizen of the Year.

DPS was watching burglars shot by Horn

Even before their deaths prompted a series of heated debates about the use of deadly force, detectives at the Department of Public Safety had their eye on Diego Ortiz and Miguel Dejesus.

The two were shot and killed by Joe Horn, a Pasadena man who thought they were burglarizing his neighbor’s home last month.

According to a DPS memo obtained by 11 News, the department was investigating the use of Puerto Rican birth certificates by Colombians seeking to obtain Texas driver’s licenses.

Both Ortiz and Dejesus had applied for licenses. Dejesus listed his country of origin as Puerto Rico, but both men were Colombian... A much wider probe has been launched into an organized syndicate of Colombians who are engaged in illegal weapons sales and home break-ins – just like the one Ortiz and Dejesus were involved in last month in Pasadena.

Yeah, let's just open that border right up. It would not only please the president, so-called Homeland Security and Michael Chertoff, but it sure would make life easier for those gun-running, drug-dealing Colombians.

Posted by Tammy · December 5, 2007 11:53 AM · Permalink · Comments (11)
Crime | Hollywood/Films | Immigration

Beowulf

"Did you bring a search warrant?"

Maynard goes to the movies

Beowulf is a movie based upon the eponymous epic poem dating back to the 8th century, and describing events in 5th-century Scandinavia. It's an ancient tale of illegal immigrants and terrorists.

Although mainstream media scrupulously avoids use of the "V-word", we all understand that modern terrorism is mainly perpetrated by marauding Vikings. In a twist of terrible irony, this story begins with a reprisal raid against the Vikings by Grendel, an illegal immigrant and anchor baby whose family had long been persecuted by the Danish monarchy. The ACLU and San Francisco Supervisors had declared Heorot a sanctuary, and an uneasy peace prevailed for a while. Then the immigrants raised objections to the Danish practice of drinking mead and making merry with barmaids and interns. This provoked an unfortunate wave of decapitations. King Hrothgar, an evil old pagan lecher, summoned Beowulf, a merciless mercenary, to put down the uprising and prop up his brutal regime. Thus the stage is set for a great conflict.

In spite of the sordid subject material, Tammy expressed an interest in seeing Beowulf after hearing a rumor that Angelina Jolie is depicted nude. I don't want to crush anyone's illusions, but this claim is false. Angelina does not appear nude. The alert observer will note that she is in fact wearing high-heeled shoes. This is, after all, a PG-13 movie (don't ask me how they pulled that one off), and certain standards must be maintained.

But seriously, I enjoyed the film and would recommend it. Reviews have been mixed but tilting positive (see Metacritic). Don't click to the following Wikipedia sites until after you've seen the film, unless you're unconcerned about spoilers, but here's a rundown on the movie itself as well as the epic poem.

Let me say a word about Robert Zemeckis, the director. Zemeckis has a hugely impressive record, and anything he does is worth checking out. His films tend to be on the absolute leading edge of cinema technology. And, even more notably, they aren't just about special effects. He uses the newest tools to tell a story as it should be told and not just to show off. In that sense, he's a visionary and a trailblazer as well as a crowd-pleaser.

"Beowulf" is rated PG-13. Much of the material is violent or playfully bawdy, leaving me wondering how they avoided the R rating. I'd say it's suitable for today's (forgive the oxymoron) mature teens, but it's close enough to being over the line that concerned parents might want to check it out first before sending in the young ones. Note that it is screened in 3D in some theaters.

Posted by Maynard · December 4, 2007 07:04 PM · Permalink · Comments (5)
History | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Satire/Absurdity

No Country for Old Men

Maynard goes to the movies

If you take movies seriously, this one needs to be on your radar. It grabs you by the throat and never lets go. It's fascinating in the way that watching a rattlesnake strike is fascinating...and at the same time, it's quietly questioning what might be going through the mind of the rattlesnake...and asking whether God has really thrust us into a world filled with rattlesnakes...whatever was He thinking?...and what are we supposed to do about it? I wonder too.

I give thanks to the Coen Brothers. It's a few dedicated artists like these guys that justify an industry that produces so much garbage.

Here's the official movie website, and the Metacritic rating, and RottenTomatoes.

Unsuitable for kids due to very graphic and realistic scenes of violence.

Posted by Maynard · November 19, 2007 12:58 AM · Permalink · Comments (2)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Speaking of Bombs

A post by Maynard

Hollywood may be doing its damndest to demoralize the nation and undermine the war effort, but it continues to indulge in its own special brand of bomb-making. Here's an amusing slideshow of Hollywood's top 25 turkeys, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Posted by Maynard · November 18, 2007 02:13 PM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Mary Lynn's Poodle

A post by Maynard

This may be of interest to fans of "24", or to Hollywood pseudointellectuals (like me) who occasionally seek out live theater. Everyone else can briefly glance at Mr. Rush taking liberties with a black-clad gun-toting floozy, and then move on to more important things.

Okay, this isn't a political post, but Rush happened to bumble into the picture, so I had to go with it. Here's the story:

Mary Lynn Rajskub is the actor who plays Chloe-the-computer-genius on "24". Actually, I've never watched "24", but Rajskub caught my eye in Punch-Drunk Love, which is a quirky romantic comedy that I rather liked. She's got a special ability to play an offbeat character in a down-to-earth manner, and she also looks just a bit like Tammy. I guess she's got some geek appeal going, because Geek Monthly ran this photo shoot.

So I ventured down to the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood and forked over $15 to see Mary Lynn's eccentric personal monologue, "The Complications of Purchasing a Poodle Pillow". This is the kind of exploratory self-indulgence that I sometimes enjoy, and I liked it this time. Rajskub talks about...well, everything. She seems to view herself as a troubled and subnormal soul attempting, without much success, to forge a pathway through a world that thinks it makes a lot more sense than it does.

The picture of Rush ties in to an anecdote. As a player on "24", she ends up sitting on a panel in Washington. At first she protests: "Hey, I'm an actor. I read lines and jump up and down and make funny faces. I don't actually know anything about terrorism. In fact, I'm pretty much a complete ignoramus." But they want her in the limelight, so off she goes. Rush appears on the scene, and he greets her with a quick, unexpected kiss. It would have been over in a second, except for the cameras. The moment is captured and frozen forever. It's on the Internet. The Photoshop mavens are pixilating her clothes off. Her ex-fiancé calls in a state of extreme distress, complaining that he would have been vastly more pleased to see her appearing in pornography involving unlikely relationships with a collection of barnyard animals. She chides him for excessive hyperbole, and he explodes: "Oh! So they got to you!"

A crazy gal in a crazy world. Or am I projecting? Anyway, it was an interesting show. (Due to adult language, this one is unsuitable for kids.)

Mary Lynn's official site is here.

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Posted by Maynard · November 12, 2007 12:06 AM · Permalink · Comments (3)
Celebrity | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Striking Writers Come Up With Lame Chants

Tina Fey, one of the more prominent performers on the strike line today.

I mean, they are writers. You'd think they could do better.

In other strike news, a guy got run down at one of the picket sites in Los Angeles. Nikki Finke has all those details and more...

"Hey Nikki: This is a picture of the shoe belonging to the guy that was run over this morning at Sunset and Gower. The chalk is from the police markings of the 'crime scene'. The writer was taken to Cedars. We don't know how he's doing, but his shoe looks pretty damaged. We just hope his toes were not as badly twisted. Best, WGA picketer at Sunset Gower."

What will we do without the new television shows? Well, actually, you will be getting fresh episodes of the series on TV. They either stockpiled scripts or have enough already in the can that you'll see new episodes at least for a couple of months probably. The late night talk shows will go into reruns. And even more good news here: The View probably has only about a week of shows in the can, which means they go into reruns, too. No fresh hell from them!

The morning shows, like "Today" are under a different union so they won't be affected, and the reality shows, of course, will thrive. My solution? The History Channel. TVLand. Food Network. DVDs. Books. Music. Wandering around aimlessly. Giving speeches. Walking Sydney. Sleeping. Trying to catch Snoopy. Blogging. Eating. Writing. Not necessarily in that order.

Whew, I'm already exhausted!

Posted by Tammy · November 5, 2007 05:16 PM · Permalink · Comments (12)
Hollywood/Films

I, Claudius

A post by Maynard

For them that are interested in such things, I'll put in a word about one of my very favorite mini-series of all time. That would be the 1977 BBC 13-episode Masterpiece Theatre production of I, Claudius. It's based on the books by Robert Graves (I, Claudius and its sequel, Claudius the God), and can be purchased at Amazon (note the many favorable comments) or rented from Netflix. A video trailer is here.

Posted by Maynard · October 30, 2007 02:40 AM · Permalink · Comments (3)
History | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post | Tyrants

Star Trek without Kirk!

A post by Maynard

Okay, now I'm mad. They say they're planning a new-old back-to-basics Star Trek movie, Star Trek XI (wow!), and William Shatner won't be in it!

(This note will perhaps only be of interest to die-hard nerds, so I'll hide the rest away...)

Posted by Maynard · October 26, 2007 11:56 PM · Permalink · Comments (14)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Atlas Shrugged: A Movie??

A post by Maynard

Are all you boys and girls familiar with Ayn Rand? She's best known for her amazing novels, first The Fountainhead and then Atlas Shrugged. I read them during my formative years, and they put subversive ideas into my head. Rand's philosophy is worthy of contemplation, whether or not you ultimately agree with it. Her books are important because her voice is unique.

People feel strongly about Ayn Rand. Mention her name and you'll often get a knee-jerk reaction, either very positive or very negative. Personally I'm in the positive camp, but with a caveat that will offend True Believers. Rand was a genius, but her vision was warped by personal limitations. She brilliantly illuminated the sadistic and suicidal inclinations inherent to leftist ideology. Her books contain savagely accurate depictions of the social and legal coercions through which we forfeit our joys and bind each other in pacts of mutual misery. However, her concept of a better world was flawed. The heroes of her drama work together in ways that such driven, prickly people would not do in real life. Indeed, this is the core political problem that we who favor individual liberty face: The collectivists have a natural tendency to organize and act in unison, whereas we are inclined to go our own ways. Their job is to herd sheep; we try to herd cats. Ours is an uphill battle.

It's also worth mentioning that Rand was strongly atheistic. She believed — and I would argue with this philosophical premise — that all knowledge could be objectively obtained. It's clear to me that objectivity is inadequate; we must seek a transcendental philosophy in order to pursue meaning. And we are not, nor can we ever be, objective creatures. We are fundamentally subjective in some essential ways. Herein lies an argument that we can pursue endlessly, so I'd better put it aside.

Not surprisingly, it turns out that Ayn Rand's personal life was clouded by turmoil. She was doomed either to dominate people close to her (as she did with her husband) or drive them away (as she did with Nathaniel Branden).

(My comments about Rand's personal life may be considered controversial by some. For further reading, check out Barbara Branden's fascinating biography, The Passion of Ayn Rand.)

There are reports of an Atlas Shrugged movie under development. Of course, since Hollywood is a rumor-plagued and rumor-driven community, rumors don't necessarily mean anything. But the linked article gives some interesting background and discussion on the circumstances surrounding this project.

Posted by Maynard · October 17, 2007 07:43 PM · Permalink · Comments (7)
Books | Hero | Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Warner Bros. Reverts to 19th Century, Decides Islamists Are Right

Women have no place in the lead of anything.

Warner's Robinov Bitchslaps Film Women; Gloria Allred Calls For Warner's Boycott

This comes to me from three different producers, so I know it's real: Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov has made a new decree that "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead". This Neanderthal thinking comes after both Jodie Foster's The Brave One (even though she's had big recent hits with Flightplan and Panic Room) and Nicole Kidman's The Invasion (as if three different directors didn't have something to do with the awfulness of the gross receipts) under-performed at the box office recently...

But now the official policy as expressly articulated by Robinov is that a male has to be the lead of every pic made. I'm told he doesn't even want to see a script with a woman in the primary position (which now is apparently missionary at WB). Oh yeah, the fact that so many Warner Bros movies have been sucking at the box office for the last two years is all the fault of females. (Then again, Robinoff's poorly performing Superman Returns starred a girlie-man.) [...]

Woo hoo. You go girl!

Posted by Tammy · October 5, 2007 09:29 PM · Permalink · Comments (9)
Authentic Feminism | Hollywood/Films

Drudge Double-Entendre about Jodie Foster?

Could it be?

Posted by Tammy · September 17, 2007 11:19 AM · Permalink · Comments (7)
Hollywood/Films

The King of Kong

Maynard goes to the movies

You boys and girls know about the X-Men, don't you? They're a collection of comic-book mutants, each of whom possesses a special power.

In real life, we also find people who develop extraordinary skills. These real-world mutants are not quite as world-changing as Magneto or Storm. But they are nevertheless fascinating in their way. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, currently in art-house release, tells the true story of two such mutants, Billy Mitchell and Steve Weibe, who battle each other to the (metaphorical) death, very much as Megneto battles Professor X. The special skill of these gentlemen is a proficiency at Donkey Kong.

Who remembers the original 1981 Donkey Kong? This is one of the great classic arcade games. It looks like this; here's a short YouTube clip of game play.

An hour and a half watching video game mavens at play doesn't sound all that interesting, does it? But this film humanizes the gaming subculture and the struggle between the players. It makes us care about the story that unfolds, and you can't help but feel your pulse quicken with the twists and turns of the plot. I saw it hook the theater audience and never let go until the end, which provoked an outburst of spontaneous applause. This was a pretty impressive impact for what I had expected to be a small documentary.

"The King of Kong" is a youngster-friendly PG-13. I'd say it's a good cultural influence, exhibiting a charismatic array of characters who struggle with the greater life questions of winning and losing and integrity. It's a treat, especially for anyone with a little bit of geek in them.

Posted by Maynard · August 26, 2007 10:03 PM · Permalink · Comments (0)
Hollywood/Films | Maynard Post

Before the Space Shuttle...

...there was Astro Boy!

A post by Maynard

It may have been the early Astro Boy cartoons, which ran on TV from 1963 to 1966, that induced me to enter Starfleet Academy. Now they're back, showing late Saturday night on the Adult Swim cable channel. You really need to see them again, or watch them for the first time, or show them to the young generation of nerds and nerdettes! Check your local listings; I'm finding it at 2:00AM and 5:00AM on Saturday night (that is, technically on Sunday morning).

Astro Boy was the original Japanese anime, and it influenced everything that followed. The graphics were crude black and white, but there was a heart and depth and humor to the stories. The tale begins early in the 21st century, when Dr. Boynton, head of the Ministry of Science, loses his young son in an auto accident. Obsessed with restoring what has been taken from him, Boynton builds a powerful robot in the child's image. But, unsatisfied with the result, he rejects his creation. Astro Boy, a young creature with his own emotional needs, is forced to face a hostile world alone.

From my brief description, you get a sense of the real-world conflict that comes across in this simple cartoon. A troubled boy of unusual ability, who struggles to do the right thing even though the deck is stacked against him. He finds a surrogate father in the new head of the science ministry, the esteemed Dr. Packadermus J. Elefun. However most of the world remains prejudiced against robots, which are relegated to second-class citizenship status.

This is not to paint Astro Boy as a serious cartoon. It's filled with gags and low humor. In a typical scene, Astro Boy is lost in the desert, and running low on power. A vulture descends and pecks at him, causing the bird's beak to break off. Astro Boy reaches up and re-attaches the beak, kindly explaining, "You can't eat me. I'm metal."

The Adult Swim broadcast is probably the result of

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The King of Kong

Before the Space Shuttle...

...there was Astro Boy!