More Than One Lesson

Much has been made about the various themes of James Cameron’s Avatar. Some are quick to criticize Cameron’s views on the military, the environment, and America itself. Admittedly, Cameron makes no attempt to hide his commentary. As military contractors terrorize the mild-mannered natives of a lush planet, we are reminded of the United States’ involvement in Iraq, and, to an even greater degree, the disgraceful treatment of Native Americans as the government seized more and more of their land. […]

A BLOODY MESS (2009)
Written and Directed by: Ryan O’Leary
Starring: Sean Caldwell, Robert Clohessy, Vanessa Cuccia

Several years ago, I was told that I had a kidney stone. A couple of them, in fact. This wasn’t declared immediately, of course. The doctor had to perform some tests to make sure. One of them was a routine prostate exam, a test that most men don’t experience until they’re around 50 or so. […]

I was recently speaking to an old friend and he revealed his general dislike of film critics. This was, of course, quite off-putting, as he knew that this is what I consider my calling to be. I asked what it is exactly that bothers him about critics. His answer was intriguing; he talked about the recent Mira Nair film Amelia, which stars Hilary Swank as famed female pilot Amelia Earhart. As the film’s release approached, he was excited to see the film. However, upon release, the majority of film critics panned the film, stating that it tried too hard to canonize its subject, rather than treat her as if she were a real person. Knowing that Earhart is already a rather mythic figure, the opportunity to see a realistic, human portrait of the missing pilot was an exciting prospect for most critics. But it was not to be and the disappointment of the film critic community was palpable.

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ZOMBIELAND (2009)
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
Written by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

I remember hearing the theory that those few that were incredibly popular in high school will go on to achieve very little, because their lives have already peaked. On the flipside, those that were misfits in high school will go on to great things, both because the high school experience toughened them up and they have something to prove. I’ve found that this theory, while greatly over-simplified, is sort of true. The more of an outsider you are, the better chance you have for survival in this cold world.

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Celebrity gossip has been around since the early days of theatre. When movies and television came along, America’s interest in Hollywood gossip skyrocketed. People were intrigued to know more about the performers that they tuned in to watch every night. Public interest in a performer could turn him into a star, to the point that talent was rendered almost completely moot. A person’s career could shatter if public opinion turned against him (see the unfortunate case of Fatty Arbuckle for heartbreaking evidence of this).

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I know I’m a little late to this party- and that my opinion seems to be in the minority- but I’m a really big fan of Parks & Recreation, the new show from the makers of The Office. It is by no means a perfect show, but it has real potential. I’ll talk about the show as a whole another day. Right now, though, I want to single out my favorite aspect of the show.

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Why can’t it ever be Kate? There have been a lot of casualties on “Lost,” but Kate is never one of them.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She’s very attractive. I’m with you on that.

But Kate is my least favorite character. From the very beginning, the writers and producers of the show tried to make her seem interesting. They hinted at a sordid past, in which she broke the law and lived life on the run.

Then came the day when an episode aired entitled “What Kate Did.” I’m sure, for some, the opportunity to finally get Kate’s backstory was an interesting prospect. I’ll admit, I was looking forward to it, but for different reasons. I was excited about it because, once it was revealed to us, the show would stop trying to intrigue me about an essentially bland character.

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