tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22657661826303294722024-02-06T22:13:31.466-05:00Breaking the Fifth WallA blog about music, movies, TV and literature, and the frames we bring with us.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-3147828354384842092016-09-24T19:53:00.001-04:002016-09-24T19:54:41.599-04:00X-Men: Apocalypse Is Not The BEST Superhero Movie of 2016 ... But It Is The Most IMPORTANT One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZZzjzKYwC4Jicw6vI73sE2Yetclg5D7ywLVsxtSZRgW_8xMA9jbPC31dpiEkM2p6qUvvEbhitbQY5ixGuR1BhBVpNQV_dVfGp6W7F9YvAcI02hxFMuMBVHDRY64CkIRqCmCesV7j3DQ/s1600/x-men-apocalypse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZZzjzKYwC4Jicw6vI73sE2Yetclg5D7ywLVsxtSZRgW_8xMA9jbPC31dpiEkM2p6qUvvEbhitbQY5ixGuR1BhBVpNQV_dVfGp6W7F9YvAcI02hxFMuMBVHDRY64CkIRqCmCesV7j3DQ/s320/x-men-apocalypse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Depending on when you think the Modern Superhero Movie Era was born, it's either about to go to college or it's at least touring campuses. You could say that it began with the first <i>X-Men </i>in 2000, with that movie's somewhat darker tone and sophisticated themes (relative, at least, to where the <i>Batman</i>-franchise had ended up by then), as well as its (again, relative) dedication to source material, deliberate universe-building and employment of prestige directors. On the other hand, most if not all of these elements were present in the first <i>Blade </i>movie, which preceded the first <i>X-Men </i>by two years (even if that franchise didn't end up having the legs or broader cultural impact of the X-Franchise). Either way, we're about 16-18 years into the Modern Era, and it's worth asking whether the superhero movie matured at all over the years. Looking at this year's crop so far, I see only one clear example of growth in the genre, but it's deeper message has gone almost completely unnoticed by critics as far as I can tell.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Generally speaking, there are really three major studio franchises putting out movies that are worth considering and comparing with one another. First, there's the the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), obviously. Second, there's Marvel's dark, brooding cousin, the latecomer DC Cinematic Universe (DCU). Setting aside Sony's stillborn Spider-Man Universe (along with other comic-inspired series such as G.I. Joe, Transformers and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), that leaves Fox's pioneering, X-Men Cinematic Universe (XCU). Each of these franchises has a distinct flavor as well as a fundamental premise that I'd argue can be summarized as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>MCU: "Being a superhero is awesome!" </li>
<li>DCU: "Being a superhero is problematic..."</li>
<li>XCU: "Being a superhero is a metaphor."</li>
</ul>
Understanding each of the franchises through these fundamental premises sheds insight into both their mass appeal (in descending order from top to bottom) as well as their potential for growth (in descending order from bottom to top).<br />
<br />
The bottom line is this: When 2016 is over, we will have seen <b>two</b> movies from <b>each</b> of these franchises, and out of these six movies (unless Doctor Strange pulls a real magic trick out if its hat and breaks with the Marvel formula), only <b>one</b> movie showed any interest in or attempt at becoming something <b>more </b>than a superhero movie ... and that movie is <i>X-Men: Apocalypse</i>, making this commercial and critical disappointment also <b>the most important superhero movie of 2016. </b>Before I dig into how a generally horrible and sloppy mess of a movie could be such a vital and necessary evolution of the genre, let's talk a little bit more about those fundamental premises (and the perils of peaking in high school).<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
The Modern Superhero Movie's Awkward Teenage Years</h4>
<br />
High school can be a hell of a time, when the first signs of real promise start to show as kids playact at being adults. They take their first stabs at athletic achievements, at relationships, at intellectual discourse. The stakes are generally low, in direct proportionate relationship to how seriously they're taken by those facing them. For an all-too-brief window of time, nothing in the world is more important than making it first base (on the playing field or off), and it seems your future can hinge on whether an underpaid grad school drop-out can appreciate your take on Hamlet.<br />
<br />
The highs are higher than anything you've experienced before. For some sad high school heroes, they never get any higher. The lows are devastating, enough to convince you that you have the entire rotten sinkhole of existence figured out. Those with a broader perspective, though, learn that it's a fun (and important) time for what it is, but there's also a whole world beyond the classroom, beyond the football field and the homecoming dance. It can be hard to understand that, though, when you're the star quarterback playing the game of your life, or the brooding, nascent artist convinced that he's figured it all out between pilfered clove cigarettes.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman";">If the Modern Superhero Movie is in its teenage years, then there's no question which franchise is the quarterback and which one is writing pretentious poetry behind the stands...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
The MCU: Everything is Awesome!</h3>
<br />
The MCU has been on a sustained high for some time now, roughly from the first <i>Avengers</i> through "Phase 2", scoring another critical and commercial hit with <i>Captain America: Civil War</i>. Despite sprawling across thirteen films (and counting), from the intergalactic to the microcosmic, the MCU brand can be distilled to one overarching theme: "Being a superhero is awesome!"<br />
<br />
The MCU was set in motion when Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy genius, nearly died in an explosion and lived for weeks as a captive to a terrorist group. He survived only by sacrificing his only friend, a fellow captive, and returned with a shard of metal protruding into his heart. He later found out that his closest business partner planned his attempted murder, and the weapons he'd help design and manufacture were being sold to the very terrorists that attacked innocent civilians and U.S. soldiers alike. Yet, despite all that he goes through, the film closes on a triumphant note that set the tone for all that would follow: When asked to hide behind a superhero alter ego--the mainstay of comic book characters either to protect their loved ones (Spider-Man), provide a veil of privacy (Superman) or create an incorruptible symbol of justice (Batman)--Tony instant defiantly proclaims to a gathered crowd, "I am Iron Man!" (Cue the AC/DC, rock and roll!)<br />
<br />
From that moment on, the MCU has embraced the awesomeness of power. It's not a blessing and a curse, as in the Raimi Spider-Man movies, nor is it a cross to bare as in the Blade movies, or an endless fight against injustice, as in the Nolan Batman movies. Tony Stark revels in his Iron Man technology, just as Thor delights in being the God of Thunder, and Captain America embraced the Super Soldier serum and never for one second doubts his decision. The exceptions to this rule are few and telling in themselves. The Hulk is arguably the most tragic of the MCU characters, and Marvel has never attempted to give him another solo film when the first under-performed (despite his rampant popularity among the fans). Rocket Raccoon is similarly tragic, yet he's played as comedic relief with a goofy, lovable sidekick to soften his rough edges. Then there's the Winter Soldier, whose tragic story fueled not one but <b>two</b> movies until he's put into deep freeze, a dangling narrative arc without resolution. Yet, despite his tormented past manifested by his inhuman, mechanical arm, Spider-Man effuses when he first meets him: "You have a metal arm? That is awesome, dude!"<br />
<br />
Yes it is, Spider-Man. Everything is awesome.<br />
<br />
When everything is awesome, though, its easy for the life's complexities to get watered down and narratively thin. Tony's not an alcoholic in the movies, as he is in the comics. Instead, he's the innocent victim of blood poisoning caused by his arc reactor. Bruce Banner wasn't testing a gamma bomb when he first became the Hulk, he was conducting medical research. Ant-Man blithely skips over inventor Harry Pym's dalliance with domestic abuse. He's just a bit emotionally distant with his daughter. (Somehow, this lack of fidelity to the comics didn't bother the fans who otherwise go positively ape if the costumes aren't the right colors.) Marvel's reluctance to consider character developments that aren't "awesome" is the same reason why their villains are so typically thin and uninteresting. The most interesting of the villains cause the heroes to question the use of their power--whether it's Loki using Thor's arrogance against him, Zola revealing that Captain America secretly worked for Hydra, or Zemo pitting Stark and Cap against each other. Yet, even these conflicts do not call into question the fundamental premise that being Iron Man or Captain America is inherently awesome. Even if you occasionally cause a little collateral damage or lose a friend along the way.<br />
<br />
It's fun being awesome, and fans and critics alike have responded positively to the good times that Marvel has provided consistently over thirteen movies. When your raison d'entre is so easily reducible, though, it becomes really difficult to construct a meaningful conflict in a dramatically satisfying way.<br />
<br />
If the MCU had a single over-arching theme song, it would be "Everything is Awesome!" from <i>Lego Movie</i>, only without the self-awareness to understand the satirical underpinnings of the lyrics. But who needs self-awareness when you're awesome? Who cares about some stupid college entrance exam when you aced every AP course? The MCU knows what it's doing and it doesn't need to grow...<br />
<br />
<h3>
The DCU: Darkness! No Parents!</h3>
<br />
If the MCU was the Quarterback winning the big game, the DCU was sulking in the back of the stands with the other "artists" writing gothic poems sprinkled with Nietzsche references and an unearned sense of superiority to their surroundings. These kids just know they're better than the social cliques that rejected them, and if they're not rewarded for their superior insights, it's because their genius went over the teachers' heads. They'll readily admit at the slightest prompting that they're "all sorts of f*cked up," but they'll never admit that they envy the Quarterback (or, worse yet, that they secretly mimic him when they want to get laid).<br />
<br />
The DCU was launched with <i>Man of Steel</i>, directed in they typical overdone style of the (studio-dubbed) "visionary" Zack Snyder. Presented as a sort of "spiritual follow-up" to the DCU's more accomplished older brother, the <i>Dark Knight</i> Trilogy, it presented a world in which Superman is first and foremost "problematic." Young Clark Kent is told by his adopted father that using his nearly limitless powers to save people will only freak people out, to the point that it's better to let a busload of kids die or to watch a tornado whisk his father away than save his life. As it turns out, Pa Kent was being conservative in his paranoia. It's not just Clark's superpowers that are problematic. His very presence on Planet Earth threatens the entire human race. Even without revealing himself or his abilities, General Zod tracks him down for the purpose killing every man, woman and child on the planet--a threat that only befalls humanity because Superman is among us. This is the superhero as <b>the cause</b> of the problem, the misunderstood artist at his absolute nadir of greatness, and it's been the template for the DCU franchise so far.<br />
<br />
Whereas <i>Iron Man</i> ended with Tony Stark verbally pumping his fist in the air, <i>Man of Steel</i> ended with the U.S. government attempting to spy on Superman, only to have their satellite smashed into the ground in front of them. The message is clear on both sides: Superman is not to be trusted, and he's not interested in allaying our fears about him. In the next film in the franchise, Superman is under Congressional investigation and Batman fights crime by branding criminals and sending them to their deaths. Both men instinctively distrust each other and decide they must be stopped (well before and independent of Luthor's meddling). Because everything is serious. Dark and serious.<br />
<br />
If the MCU's theme song is "Everything is Aweomse!", the DCU also takes their theme song from the <i>Lego Movie</i>, fittingly sung by Lego Batman: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Yes, this is real music<br />
Dark, brooding<br />
Important, groundbreaking<br />
Check out the lyrics<br />
Darkness<br />
No parents<br />
...<br />
Super rich<br />
Kinda makes it better</blockquote>
In the DCU, it makes perfect sense that the third film in the franchise was <i>Suicide Squad</i>. The "heroes" are barely distinguishable from "villains" in the first place, and doing good will almost certainly blow back on you (or at least piss a lot of people off). Even the Flash, poised to become the DCU's answer to the fun-loving Spider-Man of the MCU, appears to cause a disproportionate amount of damage to the convenience store he "saves" from a simple robbery in his first appearance in <i>Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice</i>. These are characters who wreak havoc by their very presence, and so far, the studio has found no satisfying narrative conclusion to that premise except--time and again--turning those with super powers against themselves to eradicate the threat they've created, often via suicide.<br />
<br />
The DCU is dark. Like really, really dark. So dark you wouldn't understand it. What's the point of college? What's the point of growing up? It's just more darkness ...<br />
<br />
<h3>
The XCU: Mutants are Gay (or Jewish, or Black, or Whatever)</h3>
<br />
The XCU distinguished itself from other superhero movies by the very first scene of the first entry in the franchise, featuring a young Eric Lensherr getting dragged away from his mother at the gates of Auschwitz. It's hard to imagine a heavier, more portentous opening scene, and it's followed by an almost equally heavy speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the "dangers" of mutants in the present day. It's a speech that could have been given by a real-life Senator against the real-life "threat" of homosexuals in our homes and schools. We then meet a grown Eric, playing the mutant Malcolm X against Professor X's MLK. The metaphors are thick and heavy-handed. But in the XCU, superheroes are never <b>just</b> superheroes. They are minorities of all stripes, making their way in a world that fears them.<br />
<br />
The metaphor quickly strains against the limitations of the genre, as well as the burdens of fidelity to the source material. <i>X2</i> brings the barely-concealed subtext to text when the mutant Iceman is asked by his mother, "Have you tried <b>not</b> being a mutant?" The human villain in <i>X2 </i>attempt a genocide against the humans, who retaliate by attempting a genocide of their own. (In real life, with rare exception, the oppressed minority don't attempt or even try to turn the tables. That's left to the feverish imagination of the oppressor as justification for keeping the oppressed down.)<br />
<br />
The (rightfully) maligned third entry, <i>X-Men: The Last Stand</i>, twisted the metaphor to the breaking point, resulted in a message best described as "mixed." The metaphorical conflict in the movie concerned whether mutants should embrace a "cure", recasting the literal genocide of <i>X2</i> into a cultural genocide, evoking the cultural assimilation of minority populations as well as bogus "cures" peddled by the Religious Right against the "disease" of homosexuality. The mutant conflict, on the other hand, concerned Jean Gray's transformation into the Phoenix, who loosely follows her comic book counterpart by unlocking enormous power inside her. Her power is so great, in fact, that it threatens all of existence and forces Wolverine to kill her to save the universe (or something).<br />
<br />
So, what does that mean under the metaphor the XCU has meticulously built? If everything is metaphorical, are the Jews, the African-Americans, the Homosexuals simply too powerful to be left to their own devices? Wouldn't it have been far better for Jean Gray to have received the "cure" than to be killed? And what about Rogue, who very reasonably embraced the "cure" so that she could touch another human being without killing them? Maybe it's best if we don't think too much about it after all...<br />
<br />
Finding itself painted in a narrative corner, the XCU rebooted itself hard. <i>X-Men: First Class</i> functions as a period piece remake of the first <i>X-Men</i> (even returning to the same Auschwitz scene that opened the first movie), while <i>Days of Future Past</i> is an even closer remake of <i>X2</i>, with humans again manipulating the mutant powers of a X-Man against mutant-kind, only to find their genocidal efforts turned against them by Magneto (etc. etc.). <br />
<br />
The road has been rocky, filled with wrong turns and dead ends. But the ambition was there from the beginning, the effort to tell a superhero story that was about more than just being superheroes, whether being a superhero is awesome or problematic.<br />
<br />
Which brings us to <i>Apocalypse...</i><br />
<br />
<h4>
The Modern Superhero Movie Goes to College, Flunks His First Essay</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's get this out of the way first: <i>X-Men Apocalypse</i> is a terrible movie. The plot has the pacing and internal logic of a B-grade video game. The special effects range from passable to embarrassing. The performances often suggest the actors have somewhere better to be. It's an occasionally-entertaining mess at best.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's also the most ambitious superhero movie to come out this year, and possibly since the Modern Era began.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To see where I'm coming from, you'll have to accept this central conceit: En Sabah Nur, the titular Apocalypse, is the embodiment of the religious ideology that is fueling ISIS and other such apocalyptic political movements. Like ISIS's vision of a "restored" caliphate reclaiming a stolen glory in the name of God, En Sabah Nur traces his roots to the distant past, held up as a god during Egypt's mythical golden age. He is "unearthed" by a modern day cult and immediately claims a foothold among various disenchanted people from various walks of life, each easily radicalized by En Sabah Nur's proclamation of a new world to burn away the corruption of the modern world and its "false leaders."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In one of the film's most telling sequences, En Sabah Nur entices a young Storm by explaining how he will "save" the world, but first using an Arabic word translated as "burn." This "lost in translation" moment reflects and captures the difficulty the West has speaking to and understanding the disenfranchised youth of ISIS, who may speak of "jihad" as both an internal spiritual conflict as well as an external military conflict, often at the same time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Because <i>Apocalypse </i>is a comic book adaptation, En Sabah Nur <b>must</b> gather his "Four Horsemen." Because his comic book counterpart did so. It's simply not organic to the plot in any way, and the film has been rightfully pillared for giving this development short shift. That said, the selection of the Horsemen andd their individual backgrounds speak directly to the type of people that an ISIS-type movement would attract, and in surprisingly sympathetic fashion:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>First, there's Magneto, inexplicably rebooted in <i>Apocalypse</i> as a family man, in hiding and concealing his mutant powers despite spending the past two movies learning to embrace them. He's living a sham life as a factory worker until he uses his magnetic powers to save a fellow worker, thus "outing" him to the local authorities. Returning to the metaphorical roots of the franchise, Magneto is yet again the stand-in for the persecuted religious minority. Assimilation fails him, and when he is discovered for who he is (in the act of saving a man's life, no less), he is threatened with a gross injustice. En Sabah Nur kills those who would persecute him, redeems his fallen family, and empowers him to tear down the walls of Auschwitz. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Next, you have both Storm and Angel, also reflecting the injustices of modern society. Storm is forced to steal food to survive, a victim of economic injustice and the failures of modern capitalism. Angel, on the other hand, has been captured and forced to fight in cage matches for the amusement of others. The metaphor is a little strained here, but it tracks with modern sex slavery. Both characters, though given thin development, are natural recruits for a religious movement that promises to wipe away those that commit such injustices.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Lastly, there's Psylocke. If the other characters are given thin character development, hers is effectively non-existent. She is presented merely as a thug, for lack of a better word, who seems to simply enjoy violence for its own sake, following whichever leader happens to be in the room. Yet, even this narrative shorthand has something to say, that not all recruits are "victims" with sympathetic backstories. Some are simply inclined to violence and prone to follow.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br />
The struggle between En Sabah Nur and the X-Men likewise has fascinating parallels with the conflict between radicalized Islam and the West. When Professor X first discovers En Sabah Nur, the villain quickly hijack's the Professor's mutant power to "hack" the world's defense networks and communicate a message to the world. This is ISIS using the West's own tools against it--cyberterrorism, recruiting over the internet, manipulating the media. While the world shudders at the frightening words of this unseen terror, En Sabah Nur constructs a stronghold by overthrowing the government of a Middle Eastern city. A towering pyramid stands in for ISIS's vision of turning the clock back to an imagined past, built on the rubble of the modern present.<br />
<br />
The resolution of the conflict also provides two separate outcomes for the West in this conflict. First, the Professor responds to En Sabah Nur's hijacking of his mind, in which he's forced (like a hostage in a video) to parrot the lines of his captor to the world, by subverting the message and turning it back on his hostage-taker. Rather than telling the world, as he's instructed, that "The Strong shall crush the Weak", he says instead that "The Strong must protect the Weak." That is, using En Sabah Nur's own terminology, the Professor sends his own message of hope and spiritual resolve. The terrorist's tools of recruitment and spiritual propaganda have been turned against him.<br />
<br />
This is not the end of the conflict, however, and En Sabah Nur is ultimately defeated when Jean Gray (again, in this new timeline) unlocks the Phoenix insider of her. The mighty, metaphysical force of Apocalyse is defeated by the mightier force of rebirth. There's a message of hope underlying this (frankly, stupid) fight between two empty, poorly made lightshows, but also a sinister undertone exposed by En Sabah Nur's final words in the face of the Phoenix's bright light: "It has been revealed." In other words, the Apocalypse has not been defeated, only replaced. Whereas Professor X subverted the villain's message of doom with one of hope, the Phoenix merely replaced one destructive future for another. En Sabah Nur recognized this, welcomed it even, just as ISIS welcomes--encourages, even--a Crusader-mentality from the West. Game recognize game. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* * *</div>
</div>
<br />
Look, it's not a "good" movie and I'm not pretending for a second that it's not a mess on nearly every level. The editing is sloppy, the effects haphazard, and the plot shoehorns in elements from previous entries in the franchise that worked then but stick out now like a hand of sore thumbs. But unlike either the MCU or the DCU, the XCU shows that (in the immortal words of En Sabah Nur) it is "leeeearning." The XCU movies by their nature and at their best have something more to say than "superheroes are cool, but also troubling." They're not just superhero movies about being superheroes, to be judged by the colors of the costumes or the gee-whiz moments. They have something to say about the world we live in, a world in which superheroes are merely metaphors, a narrative means to an end.<br />
<br />
That first year away from home can be rough. Freshman year can hit you upside the head and make you doubt whether you really are the A+ student or the star athlete you were in high school. You might realize the world is bigger than you thought, and all those deep thoughts of yours were really just wallowing in the shallow end of the pool. It can be frustrating when the work that got you a passing grade (praise, even) just a year ago now looks pedestrian at best. But if you're willing to grow, mature ... mutate if you will ... you might just have something intelligent to say about the world. The XCU has a <b>lot</b> to learn from the MCU about making an entertaining blockbuster, and at least a little to learn fro the DCU about style. The MCU and DCU could both take a cue from <i>X-Men: Apocalypse</i>, though, when it comes to saying something--anything--about the world we live in.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-56347980425422392772014-04-06T23:48:00.003-04:002014-04-06T23:48:55.841-04:00"This isn't a failed marriage" - Why I Loved the HIMYM Finale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Xn1tYBzcgj1fuehZ5x2tlxgzrnpYhystapIax_SRo_z9eaUmUCuuJhBWTFdrRXFlijdWc12S9I6TtaRBCWjnZbBp5hSryAT8SUQ8yoU7uvBa_5_J90pVAnA7elpiR4xcxzXNJenCwrM/s1600/btfw2014_04_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Xn1tYBzcgj1fuehZ5x2tlxgzrnpYhystapIax_SRo_z9eaUmUCuuJhBWTFdrRXFlijdWc12S9I6TtaRBCWjnZbBp5hSryAT8SUQ8yoU7uvBa_5_J90pVAnA7elpiR4xcxzXNJenCwrM/s1600/btfw2014_04_06.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Who would've guessed a year ago that there would be more articles written and more fan outrage over the last episode of <i>How I Met Your Mother</i> than over the last episode of <i>Breaking Bad</i>? I could be wrong about that. But it certainly seems like <i>HIMYM'</i>s last episode--the ironically-yet-poignantly titled "Last Forever"--set off a disproportionate internet firestorm for what I'd always considered a mediocre situation comedy at best. (Albeit, one with a very clever gimmick at its center). In fact, I may be one of the few people who not only liked the final episode but thought it was the best part of the show.<br />
<br />
Follow me below the fold to hear more (and then post a comment to tell me how wrong I am) ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
As you've probably guessed already, I'm not a huge fan of the show, which may mean that you've already discounted my opinion on the final episode. I've only dipped in and out and I never felt personally invested in learning who the mother was. Nor did I ever find the show to be all that well constructed beyond the occasional clever episode and the use of an unreliable narrator. <br />
<br />
My appreciation for the show was always going to be limited in part by the fact that it used a laugh track--the crutch that says the producers don't trust their jokes to land on their own without a blinking arrow pointing the way. Am I being unfair? "A lot of sitcoms still rely on laugh tracks," you say. "Yeah," I say back, "and most of those sitcoms would be un-watchable train wrecks without the the laugh track."<br />
<br />
<b>Exhibit A:</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PmLQaTcViOA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
So that's strike one, against <i>HIMYM</i>. And lord knows that the laugh track is no more detrimental than when the story turns on a dime from the Mother's tragic death to the now motherless kids cracking jokes at their widowed Dad's expense (<i>yuck, yuck, yuck</i>). So yeah, I agree 100% with those who say that the last episode was a nightmare of poor editing and pacing. <br />
<br />
Even the emotional crescendos that are executed effectively--such as Barney's heart melting in real time as he holds his newborn daughter for the first time--are hugely suspect from a storytelling point of view. So what's the message here? That Barney is finally redeemed upon realizing that women serve a purpose besides getting his rocks off, <i>i.e.</i> giving him babies? We never even learn the mother's name despite the fact that the whole gang is at the hospital waiting for her to pump out Barney's <strike>property</strike> love child. (Because who cares what her name is, right? How about Uterus McBirthgood. There, happy?) In truth, Barney's misogyny was rarely ever criticized by the show, and that's before we talk about <i>HIMYM</i>'s suspect racial politics.<br />
<br />
And yet, despite these massive shortcomings, I loved this finale for one simple reason: as important as meeting the Mother was for Ted (and, obviously, for his kids), it neither defined him nor ended his personal emotional journey. It's a brilliant subversion not only of the title of the show but also the conventional wisdom of nearly all romantic comedies made in America, which generally abide by the following rules:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>You will only experience true love with one person in your life, and</li>
<li>You're romantic success in life is decided by whether you end up with "The One" and manage to stay with her or him forever.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Speaking as a divorcé who walked away from his first marriage with no regrets, I find this recurring message both shallow and insulting. I'm also a romantic, however, so I can sympathize with Ted's longing to find "The One" for him no matter the setbacks. Yet, I wanted to stand up and cheer when Barney and Robin explained to their friends that their marriage wasn't a failure. Rather, they had "a very successful marriage that happened to only last three years." Tell me, when have you heard that sentiment from a romantic comedy?<br />
<br />
The truth is that most relationships don't end up in marriage, and a lot of marriages don't last. The overriding message of our culture is that all such relationships are not just <i>failures</i>, but the definitive proof that the relationship was fundamentally flawed. <i>HIMYM</i> could've ended with Ted living happily ever after with Tracy, or--worse yet--living the sad lonely life of a widow who's future years can only be defined by the loss of his wife. Either of these endings would have reinforced our cultural myth that the relationships that "fail" serve no purpose but to waste our time in our pursuit of "The One."<br />
<br />
The enduring power of this unfortunate myth is evident in the many, <i>many</i> responses to the <i>HIMYM</i> finale summed up by the following tweet--<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
it should have been called "how I never loved your mom and just wanted to bone your aunt robin" -<a href="https://twitter.com/briterinb">@briterinb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23HIMYMFinale&src=hash">#HIMYMFinale</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23HIMYMFarewell&src=hash">#HIMYMFarewell</a><br />
— Katrin W (@katrinsays) <a href="https://twitter.com/katrinsays/statuses/451086667575988224">April 1, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
In other words, if Tracy wasn't "The One", then there must have been some other "The One" waiting out there for Ted. Because that is how love and relationships work every time. Ergo, his marriage to Tracy was a waste of time and he must not have really loved her.<br />
<br />
The ending of <i>HIMYM</i> said something much, <i>much</i> different than this. Ted's relationship with Tracy was a complete and fulfilling experience. It obviously brought great joy to his life and resulted in the creation of a tight-knit family that cared a great deal about each other. It was a success on all counts that matter, and ... <i>and</i> life goes on afterward. <i>And</i> Ted's life continued afterward. <i>And</i> his emotional development continues. <i>And </i>Ted can love again and find companionship in another person, all without discounting in the slightest what he had with the mother of his children. This was the story of how Ted met the Mother <i>and</i> how Ted's life isn't defined by their meeting.<br />
<br />
I love that the show didn't shit on his relationship with Tracy <i>or</i> with Robin's relationship with Barney. I love that the show gave us a character who passionately believed that there was a "right" person for him, and also brought him around to realize that life is big enough to love more than one person. I love that Robin isn't a tragic stand-in for "The One" (which she would've been if we had seen too much of Ted mourning her death). I love that the show didn't cast his romantic life after the death of his wife in a long shadow, as if dating again could only be a sad, maudlin echo of his life with "The One." In this respect, <i>HIMYM</i> stands far apart from typical romantic comedy and veers closer to the poignancy of <i>Six Feet Under</i>. Love may "Last Forever" indeed, even as it transcends the lives of the lovers.<br />
<br />
The ending wasn't perfect by any means. As I mentioned already, the execution was piss poor on multiple counts. But any show stretched to nine seasons on network television is going to suffer from studio meddling and unfortunate compromises that are more-or-less unavoidable. A sitcom is not a novel, nor is it a movie or even an HBO miniseries, where the writers can chart a beginning, a middle and a definitive end. But all excuses aside, the creators of the show deserve a great deal of credit for contributing a positive message that bucks the conventional wisdom and adds to our understanding of how relationships work in real life. The message has clearly gone over a lot of heads, but that doesn't make it any less powerful or important.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-8695535778082719482014-01-19T15:38:00.000-05:002014-01-19T15:38:13.864-05:00"And the Oscar for Best VOICE Performance Goes To ..."<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxI0LGeeRG_g212VVoqWiJpot-roMNHmAfrTWOhHZzFkatgyZ3npZYJat3_M61OSrd-eZIMi251M1p6D98k9IZLnkVoz2cDNh3Aq8R8zkgr6uolsMzpffLZUaRXDrG9N1yWw4DAeGuaM/s1600/btfw_2014-01-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxI0LGeeRG_g212VVoqWiJpot-roMNHmAfrTWOhHZzFkatgyZ3npZYJat3_M61OSrd-eZIMi251M1p6D98k9IZLnkVoz2cDNh3Aq8R8zkgr6uolsMzpffLZUaRXDrG9N1yWw4DAeGuaM/s1600/btfw_2014-01-19.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And no one saw it coming ...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was undeniably a great year for movies, so it's a bit ungrateful for me to complain that <a href="http://oscar.go.com/nominees">the 2014 Academy Awards nominations this year</a> are so boring and predictable. But there's no wildcard nominations like <i>Beauty and the Best</i> or <i>Babe</i> for Best Picture, and the closest thing to a dark horse is <i>Philomena</i>. So, <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/02/and-oscar-for-best-practical-effects.html">as I did last year</a>, I'm going to propose some new Oscar categories to spice things up. These categories are designed to honor people and types of movies that the Academy currently ignores while also introducing some fun and excitement into Oscar Night ...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><h3>
<b>Best Voice Performance</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WzV6mXIOVl4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
The criteria for this award would be simple - any performance in which the physical body of the actor never appears in the movie would be eligible. This category would cover a huge blind spot that otherwise blocks amazing performances by actors who never appear onscreen from getting the recognition they deserve. Just imagine a category in which Benedict Cumberbatch's Smaug competes against John Goodman's Sully and Scarlett Johansson's Samantha. I'd say Johansson is the clear front-runner for this category, but talk about the potential for wildcards ...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduSZIiGuhpIVPOAmS9Lt-Yvmff0UX61JOYqS6OOGQ_zL8AT-QMwWzNObZblOvu_4ZnQ7QxA868ecc0VoFUq-XT03QwWHpLRk8OYcz0kLsvqpuRa7v8DkMTHfE82BnmV8pqJUveUy9u-0/s1600/btfw_2014-01-19_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduSZIiGuhpIVPOAmS9Lt-Yvmff0UX61JOYqS6OOGQ_zL8AT-QMwWzNObZblOvu_4ZnQ7QxA868ecc0VoFUq-XT03QwWHpLRk8OYcz0kLsvqpuRa7v8DkMTHfE82BnmV8pqJUveUy9u-0/s1600/btfw_2014-01-19_1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Next year, Vin Diesel vs. Bradley Cooper ...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Best Opening / Credit Sequence</b><br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OXaaAqQK8Lg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Who hasn't seen a movie in which the opening or closing credits were the best part of the movie? (*cough* <i>Watchmen</i> *cough*) Even when the credits only enhance an already great movie, there's no reason not to honor the work and ingenuity that goes into the bookends. The obvious problem with the category is deciding when the opening sequence ends and the closing begins. (Would it be fair to judge the "opening" scene of <i>The Departed</i>, which basically feels like the entire First Act of the movie, against -say- the "opening" if <i>The Dark Knight</i>, which barely lasts a few seconds? But again, that debate is all part of the fun) I'd love to see some recognition for how effective the opening of <i>Pacific Rim</i> was in bringing you into the world Del Toro created..<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Best Casting Decision</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/bsxMNv7J544?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Talk about a vital role in the film making process that gets very little love. Yeah, people love to talk about "inspired casting decisions", but why not recognize the decisions that are truly inspired with an award? The great thing about this category is that the casting could have little to no bearing on whether the finished product is actually any good. But whoever cast Charlton Heston as the chimpanzee elder in the (first) re-make of <i>Planet of the Apes</i> or Bill Murray as himself in <i>Zombieland</i> should get their due.<br />
<br />
This year, for example, whoever cast Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin could be nominated (one of the few reasons to reward <i>Iron Man 3</i>), but I'd probably give the award to the casting of the Diceman in <i>Blue Jasmine</i> ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_mJXpItpE_U/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_mJXpItpE_U&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_mJXpItpE_U&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Best Promotional Activities</b></h3>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jpeq4nF5EJE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Yep, <i>any</i> promotional activities would qualify for this one. Trailers obviously, but also holographic movie posters, viral campaigns, guest appearances on ESPN ... Ron Burgundy would obviously be the one to beat this year, but I'd have to give it to the first trailer for <i>Wolf of Wall Street</i>.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/iszwuX1AK6A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
That's all for this round, so until next year ...</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-10238143688558957352014-01-13T02:33:00.002-05:002014-01-13T02:53:15.599-05:00Apropos of Last Week's Post ...I know this is a few months old, but this video from <i>College Humor</i> finally caught my attention last week, coincidentally the same week that <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-sheep-in-wolf-s-clothing.html">I called out Scorsese for whiffing on male nudity in </a><i><a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-sheep-in-wolf-s-clothing.html">Wolf of Wall Street</a> </i>...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="278" src="http://www.collegehumor.com/e/6905751" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="450"></iframe><br />
<div style="padding: 5px 0; text-align: center; width: 600px;">
</div>
<br />
My favorite line from the video, regarding the lack of male nudity in <i>Game of Thrones</i>: "You'll show a pregnant woman get stabbed in the baby and you won't show one innocent little hardened dick."<br />
<br />
Too true.<br />
<br />
And in the meantime, <i>Girls</i> is back for a third season, meaning that it's time once again for Lena Dunham to have to justify <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/01/10/nudity_in_girls_television_critic_tim_molloy_doesn_t_get_why_lena_dunham.html">showing nudity for purposes other than replicating straight male porn</a>. It's not just the lack of dongs on cable TV and R-rated movies, it's the narrow view in our culture of the narrative possibilities of nudity in general.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-27216760723619563462014-01-06T01:57:00.000-05:002014-01-06T01:57:28.648-05:00A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA15zpftC0yjUW3eaEEtBf99JbFm2c1dMLefy74FQnQS6TmSP9dcEHYudq5vn8ACJNMobrfNj-a1Ki0xBg_pzRds-uxqe70t6g5pEUqJDO62L_sOQj2qYQ4H-IvHL5BwGonGR6jpskDo/s1600/btfw_2014-1-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA15zpftC0yjUW3eaEEtBf99JbFm2c1dMLefy74FQnQS6TmSP9dcEHYudq5vn8ACJNMobrfNj-a1Ki0xBg_pzRds-uxqe70t6g5pEUqJDO62L_sOQj2qYQ4H-IvHL5BwGonGR6jpskDo/s1600/btfw_2014-1-5.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Martin Scorsese's latest, <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i>, is the very definition of "polarizing." According to the aggregated critics on <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wolf_of_wall_street_2013/">Rotten Tomatoes</a>, it is "amongst Scorsese's best work", "the worst writing Scorsese has ever been associated with", "the best film of 2013" and so horrible that "[i]t doesn't even deserve a grade." Critics are split on whether the movie has "propulsive purpose" or, alternatively, no discernible "point of view." There's also a raging, furious debate over <a href="http://www.salon.com/2014/01/04/the_war_over_wolf_of_wall_street/">whether the movie glorifies or condemns the capitalist excess</a> of its pro/antagonist, Jordan Belfort.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The one point on which <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tinseltalk/2013/12/review-wolf-of-wall-street-a-long-boring-mess/">everyone</a> <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2013/12/why-the-wolf-of-wall-street-is-amoral-revolting-and-great">seems</a> to <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/12/the-vulgar-genius-of-em-the-wolf-of-wall-street-em/282611/">agree</a>, however, is the film's supposed debauchery. And yeah, sure, there is coke snorted or blown into various bodily orifices, a marching band in their underwear, and multiple depictions or orgies. But I have one important question to ask ... why don't we ever see Leo's penis?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
More, with spoilers for <i>Wolf of Wall Street</i> below the fold.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div>
I should say up front that I was not a fan of this movie. I thought it was the most drawn out, redundant, pointless mess of a movie since the first 182 minutes of <i>The Hobbit</i>. Never before have I had more respect for the role of a good movie editor, or sympathy for every studio exec who has ever told a director that s/he can't have everything that s/he wants. Maybe because I thought the film had so little to say of interest about anything (the wealthy and powerful are decadent monsters ... oh, and drugs are bad) that my mind started to wander at somewhere about the fifteen-minute mark, around the time of the third or fourth coke-fueled orgy. I started thinking about Lucy and Ricky and their separate twin-size beds.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
See, during the initial run of <i>I Love Lucy</i>, the standards of television decency mandated that any suggestion of "family relations" was strictly verboten. Hence, a couple that was happily married, both in real life and in TV-land, could not be shown lying side-by-side on the same mattress, even if fully clothed without even the hint of physical contact (with the minor exception of Lucy's pregnancy, of course). From the perspective of the modern viewer, such a bedroom layout is absolutely inexplicable. Not only is it comically prudish, it makes no sense within the plot of the show. Surely even in the 1950s, a married couple choosing to sleep in separate beds must be having relationship issues (beyond Lucy's thwarted career ambitions).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But at the time, it must have made perfect sense to the audience, who would simply fill in the literal and figurative gap between the beds in their minds and question it no further. Of course, eventually writers, directors and actors threw up their hands at such restrictions, pointed out the absurdity and charged forward -- censors be damned! -- to depict realistic married couples sharing realistic single beds. And then, as the outrage faded and we realize that the world did not end, the old mores faded into obscurity, rendering <i>I Love Lucy</i> a dated product of its time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, back to <i>Wolf of Wall Street</i>, maybe I was being a bit harsh before. It's not the <i><b>least</b></i> entertaining movie I saw this year -- that would be <i>Kick-Ass 2</i>. But if I ever feel the need to revisit this movie, I can probably make do with the first trailer, which has the best scene in the film nearly in full:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/iszwuX1AK6A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'd probably watch Matthew McConaughey beat his chest with Leo on loop for three hours before I watch this movie again in its entirety. Besides the entertainment value (and the much-needed charm that McConaughey adds), that scene actually says something about the primal, animalistic impulses that drive so much of Wall Street. We live with the myth that the Belfort's of the world are the smartest guys in the room, that the gross disparity in wealth between the One Percent and the rest of us is all the product of their ingenuity and mental prowess ... when the reality is that maybe these guys simply beat their chests the hardest and fling their shit the furthest. When the chest beating returns later in the film, it may be the single novel contribution the film makes to the old "absolute power corrupts absolutely" observation, which ceased being novel around the time King David had his eye on Bathsheba.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The scene reflects a turning point in the plot, right as Belfort decides not to abandon the firm under an agreement with the SEC to avoid an FBI investigation. As the room of Alpha Males (and Females) gathered to hear Belfort's farewell address slowly morph into a rallying cry, Belfort recalls that first, fateful lunch with his old mentor, McConaughey's Mark Hanna, who taught him this chest-thumping mantra. In defiance of all reason (and facing an inevitable indictment that would threaten to bring down the entire company), Belfort reduces a room of One Percenters, these titans of Wall Street, into a pack of baboons senselessly beating their chests in unison.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course, we already know these people are hormone-driven degenerates because the film can barely let a scene go by without showing us a half-dozen exposed breasts ... but only the <i style="font-weight: bold;">implication</i> of male genitalia. And that's the quaintness as well as the cowardice of <i>Wolf of Wall Street</i>. It's a room full of walking, talking penises (even those stockbrokers who happen to be women) with nary a single schlong in full view. The closest we get is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/24/jonah-hill-on-the-wolf-of-wall-street-prosthetic-penises-and-finance-douchebags.html">Jonah Hill with a prosthesis</a>. To the modern audience, of course, it's no great shock that a movie <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> rated NC-17 would opt to keep male genitalia out of view. However, it should also come as no great shock if, a generation from now, the penis-free orgy scenes in <i>Wolf</i> look no less ridiculous than the conveniently placed phallus-shaped objects in the foreground of <i>Austin Powers 2</i>'s opening scene.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Scorsese may not be blameworthy for going only half-way towards debauchery, or for Hollywood's implicitly sexist "clothed male / naked female" standard of decency. But there is something cowardly nonetheless about being this sheepish in a movie that seems to have no raison d'être beyond excess for its own sake.</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-15473439293976079932013-12-23T04:03:00.000-05:002013-12-23T04:14:31.957-05:00"Rumors are Flying All Over Galilee These Days" - A Word of Praise for an Unconventional Christmas CarolEvery December we seem to have the same discussion about our universal "love/hate relationship" for Christmas songs. For every earnest list of "best Christmas songs" online, there are at least as many "<a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2013/12/the-15-worst-christmas-songs-ranked.html">Christmas songs we hate"</a> lists as well as <a href="http://www.thedailytouch.com/entertainment/music/10-christmas-songs-we-love-to-hate/">"Christmas songs we <i>love to hate</i>"</a> lists (as well as a handful of <a href="http://twofriarsandafool.com/2013/12/christmas-songs-that-are-actually-good/">"Christmas songs that are surprisingly tolerable!"</a> lists). The derision for "Christmas songs" as a genre probably stems from gross repetition - the fact that, generation after generation, we're subjected to the same dozen or so songs played every hour, on the hour, as we're stuck in line buying wrapping paper at Walgreens. But that just begs the question of <i><b>why</b></i> such a small universe of songs are deemed acceptable for the holiday season.<br />
<br />
If you ask me, the problem is that our culture has such a narrow conception of what are appropriate topics for holiday music to discuss. Yeah, yeah, Christmas is a glorious time full of miracles, Jesus is the Son of God undoubtedly, and everyone should just get along already. Yet, surely such a supposedly momentous, singular event as the birth of God's only son to a virgin should inspire art and music that is more compelling and sophisticated than a series of glorified campfire ditties.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/04/on-ninja-angels-and-true-tv.html">As I've written before</a>, I don't think our culture handles spiritual expression in art particularly well if it goes any deeper than "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so", and I attribute this shortcoming directly to the hijacking and commodification of spirituality by mainstream Christianity. The problem is captured pretty well by <a href="http://rock.rapgenius.com/Vampire-weekend-ya-hey-lyrics">this observation from the estimable RapGenius.com in its breakdown of Vampire Weekend's "Hey Ya" (itself probably the best song about religious exploration in decades)</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
These days, unless you have a tailored religious message, it’s very hard to be an openly religious artist — no matter how much you’re attracted to the idea.</blockquote>
<div>
The truth in this statement is painfully clear when you consider that nearly all "Christmas songs" fit into one of two (maybe three) categories -- painfully earnest, celebratory songs ("Joy to the World", "Hark the Herald Angel Sings") and utterly frivolous, jokey songs ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth"). A subcategory of the latter type are the sardonic or outright cynical "anti-Christmas" songs, that tend to have very little to add to the discussion beyond antagonism for its own sake. Subtract out love songs that do little more than name-drop Christmas and Walgreens would have nothing left to play over their speakers during the holidays ... well, <i>almost</i> nothing, which brings me to the topic this post below the fold.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Back in 2007, Canadian indie rock super-group The New Pornographers released an EP featuring "The Spirit of Giving" off of their <i>Challengers</i> album that included two B-sides. In keeping with the holiday theme of the A-track, the two additional tracks name-check Jesus' parents: "Joseph, Who Understood" and "Arms of Mary" -- though, only the first of these tracks seems to have anything to do with the Nativity Story.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5nOm81MqeCI" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
The lyrics to "Joseph, Who Understood" are quite straightforward, which is something that can rarely be said about a New Pornographers song. The song recounts Joseph's reaction to Mary's claims that she has been impregnated by God himself and will soon give birth to the Messiah. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of Joseph's predicament:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Rumors are flying<br />
All over Galilee these days<br />
And Mary, I'm trying<br />
To be cool<br />
When my friends walk by them<br />
They cannot look at me<br />
In the eye<br />
Baby, I'm trying</blockquote>
There's a lot to unpack here. To start with the very first line, we're told of "rumors", which may be a reference either to rumors of the coming birth of the Messiah or (more likely) rumors of the salacious type. By the time we get through this verse, it's pretty clear that it's the latter. Perhaps the rumors are that Mary got herself knocked up by some random guy, or that they engaged in premarital sex. Or perhaps the rumors do concern Mary's wild rantings about angels impregnating her. In any event, we know that Joseph is in a pretty awkward spot ... and yet he's also "trying." He's a stand up guy, trying to do right by his fiancee (when he might just as well have left her to be stoned as a unmarried pregnant woman).<br />
<br />
Then we get to the refrain, and we understand Joseph's true predicament:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
You're asking me to believe in too many things</blockquote>
Here is the crux of the conflict, and a perspective that we don't get from any other Christmas carol out there -- at least none that I've ever heard. From "We Three Kings" following the Christmas Star to the "Little Drummer Boy" following in their wake, Christmas songs are premised on certainty. The birth of the Christ is a predestined, prophesized, foregone conclusion and everyone's on board, right? <br />
<br />
Well, Joseph has more to say about that:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I know this child<br />
Was sent here to heal our broken time<br />
And some things are bigger<br />
Than we know<br />
When somehow you find out<br />
That you are step-father<br />
To a god<br />
Well, Mary, that's life</blockquote>
Here it seems to me that Joseph is bordering on condescending to Mary. "Yeah, yeah, sure, Mary. Son of God, whatever you say sweetie." Yet there's humility in his words, too ("some things are bigger than we know"), and a kind of begrudging acceptance of his fate ("Well, Mary, that's life"). Whether or not Joseph is merely acquiescing to Mary's "delusions" or actually embracing them as his own, it's hard to say. The next line may give us a clue, though:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
You're asking me to believe in <i>so many</i> things.</blockquote>
Note the subtle change-up there? We went from "too many things" to "so many things", as if Joseph went from refusing outright to accept all that Mary was saying to simply being exasperated yet trying his best to digest it all.<br />
<br />
Then the heartbreak (and the sacrilege) kicks in:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Oh Mary, is he mine?<br />
Mary, is he mine?<br />
Tell me, is he?</blockquote>
Here, Joseph is at his most human. The father-to-be who just wants to know the truth. He wants to know if the child is really <i><b>his</b></i>. We're suddenly back among the "rumors flying around Galilee", and hiding right below the surface of those lines are the kind of sacrilege that are anathema to the sanitized holiday experience that's going to keep Pat Robertson from picketing your department stores. <br />
<br />
First, these lines imply that Joseph and Mary had had sex. How else could it <i><b>possibly </b></i>be Joseph's? Second, there is the possibility that Joseph himself suspects that Mary was sleeping around. He's still not fully on board yet with her account of how it all went down, so it must be a possibility in his mind.<br />
<br />
Now, if you want to know why I think this may be the greatest Christmas song out there, it's all in the next refrain:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now, Mary, he is mine<br />
Mary, he is mine</blockquote>
Joseph, having faced the rumors from the townsfolk who won't look him in the eye anymore, having faced the possibility that his wife-to-be is either (a) certifiably insane or (b) putting the entire fate of humanity on his shoulders, willfully decides to put all his doubts aside and embrace the child as his own. What could possibly be a more life-affirming, holiday appropriate message than that?<br />
<br />
It's a Christmas carol told without a single miracle, starring a Mary who is at best a ranting fool and at worst a lying trollop, and with no guarantee that Joseph is making the right decision in the end. The final lines don't reference angels heard on high or a new era of peace, just Joseph's final lamentation that there is no certainties in this life. Just "so many things" that he has to believe now in order to stay true to his promise to Mary.<br />
<br />
On top of all that, there's no denying that it's also an incredibly catchy tune that shouldn't be at all out of place in a holiday track list. Granted, it's a relatively obscure B-side released by a relatively unknown indie band, but that's ultimately not the point. The point is that there's no reason that Christmas music can't be this emotionally and spiritually sophisticated, provided that we can free ourselves from the self-appointed arbiters of what is and is not appropriate "Christian" music.</div>
<div>
</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-58185238031955214322013-11-28T01:39:00.003-05:002013-11-28T12:43:44.322-05:00A New Thanksgiving Day TraditionI had a flash of inspiration this evening to start a new tradition, my own spin on "Best Of" lists, which are a dime a dozen online (though I do plan on compiling my second annual <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/01/inside-wall-vol-4-2012-wrap-up.html">"Best of Best of"</a> list soon). <br />
<br />
Instead, I'm going to list all the things I'm thankful for from the past twelve months, for whatever reason and in no particular order, starting with:<br />
<br />
<b>1. The opening credits of Brooklyn Nine-Nine</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tTSBB4ExDCY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<i>Continued below the fold ...</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>2. This amazing teaser trailer for the new season of <i>Archer</i> on FX</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_7HkG6OSo3E/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_7HkG6OSo3E&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_7HkG6OSo3E&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>3. Kanye West's SNL performance of "Black Skinhead"</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xuhl6Ji5zHM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b>4. <i>Breaking Bad</i>'s two series higlights - "Ozymandias" and <a href="http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2013/11/17/breaking-bad-alternate-ending-video/">this alternate ending</a></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>5. Patton Oswalt's filibuster on <i>Parks & Rec</i> (and, in general, that show's perfect political commentary)</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/j8hlpimFhAY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>6. Stumbling on my favorite new jams off the radio, from opening bands I'd never heard of, and other random sources (even if they didn't come out this year)</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EyFHZaqyZgU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/lAzojbN9_yk/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/lAzojbN9_yk&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/lAzojbN9_yk&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/uuY__z4s5U0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/uuY__z4s5U0&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/uuY__z4s5U0&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<b></b><br />
<b>7. Spotting <span id="goog_1105834314"></span></b><a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/status/357226662171131904"><b>cool<span id="goog_1105834315"></span></b></a><b>, </b><a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/status/346638177534099457"><b>minimalist</b></a><b> movie posters (even for movies that absolutely sucked)</b><br />
<br />
<b>8. Maria Banford's transcendent stand-up act</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ivSf0-QQfw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b></b><br />
<b>9. Discovering <i>The Walking Dead</i> on PS3 (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walking_Dead_(video_game)">even if I'm a year late</a>)</b><br />
<br />
<b>10. <i>Gravity </i>proving that IMAX 3-D isn't all gimmick for gimmick's sake (as well as <a href="http://chainsawsuit.com/2013/08/01/saw-it-for-you-gravity-2013/">this fake IMDB trivia page</a> for <i>Gravity</i>)</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OiTiKOy59o4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b>11. Two (<i>two!</i>) highly anticipated sci-fi-hip-hop-concept-sequel albums coming out in the same year, and neither one disappointing</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eaMBagakSdM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QYsAhq29KMg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b></b> <br />
<b>12. Matthew McConaughey in general, but his appearance in the <i>Wolves of Wall Street</i> trailer in particular</b><br />
<b></b> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/iszwuX1AK6A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>13. <i>This Is The End</i>, "World War Zimmerman", and Key and Peele (in no particular order)</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>14. And lastly, rumors of a third season of <i>Twin Peaks</i>, or at least an extended cut of the prequel movie ... <a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/news/a454209/twin-peaks-is-a-continuing-story-says-co-creator-mark-frost.html">even if they're nothing but rumors</a> because they keep us talking about one of the greatest shows of all time</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQP0Gk-eaT0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
That's all for now ...<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<b>HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!</b></div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-49664288464868336542013-11-24T19:18:00.004-05:002013-11-24T19:18:49.701-05:00Choose Your Own Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbLbsnLfF0Izd2_AwO6x_6DlVotNgCcT74bKGJLlxoDPsuWJq8HJmuEGUmcVPtnxy8wmxeeC2CZP1n8TT3m96fA_gpYjPSrk4tiN789Hx9q0n0bz60uQtBewXQQ5X8m_HzSldk_EIMhI/s1600/BTFW_2013-11-24_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJbLbsnLfF0Izd2_AwO6x_6DlVotNgCcT74bKGJLlxoDPsuWJq8HJmuEGUmcVPtnxy8wmxeeC2CZP1n8TT3m96fA_gpYjPSrk4tiN789Hx9q0n0bz60uQtBewXQQ5X8m_HzSldk_EIMhI/s1600/BTFW_2013-11-24_1.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0ZqCU7vUfn4uCYdN93MPwXQimeaoGDQLXgpM8Btlm3azBAm6YG-3Sur7O1140UI6zyIL_iJgG2oEzUDyN_ztXj2vLuXNjGxUo_bHaQTOlEzEQuUi2HPD3eUBPEHECcfGPRv82PfoLpg/s1600/BTFW_2013-11-24_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0ZqCU7vUfn4uCYdN93MPwXQimeaoGDQLXgpM8Btlm3azBAm6YG-3Sur7O1140UI6zyIL_iJgG2oEzUDyN_ztXj2vLuXNjGxUo_bHaQTOlEzEQuUi2HPD3eUBPEHECcfGPRv82PfoLpg/s1600/BTFW_2013-11-24_2.jpg" height="192" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
You may be wondering why I've paired together an image of Yoda sagely staring at <i>Anchorman</i>'s Ron Burgundy picking food out of his teeth. Well, it has something to do with a series of children's books that were especially popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Allow me to explain below the line (with the most perfunctory of spoiler warnings for the <i>Star Wars</i> series) ...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
"From a certain point of view ..."</h3>
<br />
A few weeks ago, a deleted scene pulled from a rare <i>Return of the Jedi</i> laser disc caught the fevered attention of <a href="http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/11/absolving-obi-wan-deleted-scene-from-return-of-the-jedi-makes-yoda-into-the-jerk">sci-fi</a> and <a href="http://news.moviefone.com/2013/11/06/lost-star-wars-return-of-the-jedi-scene/">movie blogs</a> <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11/07/deleted-return-of-the-jedi-scene-redeems-obi-wan">far</a> and <a href="http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/11/08/star-wars-watch-this-long-lost-deleted-scene-of-yoda-from-return-of-the-jedi">wide</a> (and even <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/return-of-the-jedi-yoda-deleted-scene_n_4224976.html">Huffington Post</a></i>, as it was apparently a slow day for celebrities in transparent dresses and ancient astronaut theories). The scene contained a brief line of dialogue spoken by Yoda on his death bed, explaining to Luke that Obi-Wan was under orders not to divulge Luke's relationship with Darth Vader. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/O5sQbEklngA" width="420"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
The reason that one line of cut dialogue generated so much attention is because it provided a plausible justification for Obi-Wan lying outright to Luke in the first <i>Star Wars</i> movie, telling him directly that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered his father. This line, of course, laid the foundation for one of the greatest surprise twists in movie history, when Darth Vader revealed that <i>he</i> was Luke's father ... leading Luke (and generations of geeks) to wonder woefully why Obi-Wan had lied to him. Now, as far as I'm concerned, Obi-Wan's explanation in <i>Return of the Jedi</i> that he was speaking metaphorically, that Anakin's good side was betrayed and "murdered" by the dark side, fits perfectly and requires no further explanation. Your mileage may vary on that point, however, and enough people took Obi-Wan's dodge that "what [he] said was true <i style="font-weight: bold;">from a certain point of view</i>" to be weak tea that it's a meme with it's own page on <i><a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MetaphoricallyTrue?from=Main.FromACertainPointOfView">TV Tropes</a></i>.<br />
<br />
For those that found a metaphorical half-truth to be no better than a "calling a shovel an ice-cream machine" (to quote <a href="http://www.imsdb.com/transcripts/South-Park-Butters'-Very-Own-Episode.html"><i>South Park's</i> Butters</a>), the face-saving realization in Yoda's admission that he gave Obi-Wan an order to lie to Luke proved to be a game-changing moment. My favorite headline breaking the news came from the blog <i><a href="http://geekleagueofamerica.com/2013/11/06/deleted-yoda-dialogue-changes-everything-we-know-about-obi-wan-kenobi/">Geek League of America</a></i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
DELETED YODA DIALOGUE CHANGES EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT OBI-WAN KENOBI</blockquote>
What I find so amazing about that headline and the article that follows ("That begs the question, '<b>What was Yoda’s motive, then?</b>'" - <i>emphasis in original</i>) is that it treats this deleted scene like a sliver of Dead Sea Scrolls suggesting that Jesus Christ had a teenage crush on Mary Magdalene. I don't even mean that, unlike the Bible, the <i>Star Wars</i> saga isn't meant to be considered a chronicle of events that actually took place (again, your mileage will vary on that point ... in either direction). What I mean is that -- whatever you think of George Lucas as a writer or director (and I'm not even going to bother linking to articles on that subject) -- the fact is that a deleted scene can't possibly tell you <i style="font-weight: bold;">anything</i> about a character who is defined entirely by the editing decisions of the storyteller. You might as well run a Google search for "Obi-Wan/Dumbledore slash fiction" to gain character insights into that crazy old wizard.<br />
<br />
And yet ... on the other hand ... whatever Lucas says, however long <a href="http://originaltrilogy.com/petition/">Lucasfilm/Disney refuses to release the theatrical cut of the Original Trilogy on Blu-Ray</a>, I insist like millions of my <i>Star Wars</i> geek brethren that <i style="font-weight: bold;">HAN SHOT FIRST DAMN IT! </i>So, yeah, 99.9% of the time, I'll sign on to the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGod">"Word of God"</a> theory that what the author says goes, no matter how much more it might make sense that <a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_19266_5-movie-fan-theories-that-make-more-sense-than-movie.html">Neville Longbottom and not Harry Potter was the Chosen One</a>, that everything we saw in the <i>Matrix</i> sequels was part of a larger computer simulation, and that "John Harrison" wasn't really Khan in <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>. (Okay, I have nothing to back up that last one, I still just think that movie was <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-is-out-there-in-black-void-beyond.html">utter bullshit</a>.)<br />
<br />
And yet ... and yet ... it's hard to deny that -- just like undoing nearly all the damage of the "Special Editions" and pretending that the Prequel Trilogy doesn't exist -- the <i>Star Wars</i> saga is just much more <i style="font-weight: bold;">interesting</i> if you add that deleted scene back in. So where does that leave us? Sadly (depending again on your point of view), it leaves us at a San Diego news desk in the late 1970s ...<br />
<br />
<h3>
"You Stay Classy San Diego"</h3>
<br />
I ought to acknowledge at this point that this conversation is pretty ludicrous. A work of fiction can be whatever anyone wants it to be, and try though Lucas might, he can no more dictate our imaginations than he can obliterate the <i>Star Wars Christmas Special</i> from existence. Copyright laws may restrict the distribution of derivative fiction (for example, it's highly unlikely that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Edit">the famous <i>Phantom Edit</i> recut of Episode I of the Prequel Trilogy</a> would ever have a theatrical release), but fan fiction and unofficial alternative versions exist and are readily available to anyone with an internet connection. Yet, as articles like the blog post from <i>Geek League of America</i> above attest, we fans hold "canon" in ridiculously high regard. Indeed, a deleted scene like the clip shown above is viewed in much the same way as an archaeologist would view newly discovered hieroglyphics depicting the history of the Pharaohs. <br />
<br />
The absurdity of this fixation on "canon" is self-evident. This deleted line of dialogue from Yoda tells us nothing about the "real Obi-Wan" because <i style="font-weight: bold;">there is no "real" Obi-Wan!</i> The question then isn't so much why we fans care so much about this deleted scene as why the studios haven't capitalized on the potential market out there for alternative versions by releasing these alternate versions of popular movies in theaters. The only example that comes to mind is the release of <i>Clue</i> back in the 80s with three alternative endings, none of which was revealed as "canon" until the movie was released on home video. The gambit neither translated into box office gold nor inspired imitators. As Roger Ebert <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/clue-1985">said at the time</a>: "Here's my suggestion: Since this movie is so short anyway (88 minutes), why doesn't the studio abandon the ridiculous multiple-ending scheme and show all three endings at every theater?"<br />
<br />
Flash forward to 2013 and we find the next great experiment in playing around with "canon." Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is once again a rather frivolous comedy that is playing fast and loose with the rules of Hollywood. Adam McKay -- director of <i>Anchorman</i> and the upcoming sequel <i>Anchorman 2</i> -- recently announced his plan to release <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/adam-mckay-would-like-to-release-second-version-of-anchorman-2-with-over-200-new-jokes/"><i style="font-weight: bold;">two</i> versions of <i>Anchorman 2</i> in theaters featuring the same plot but with alternate jokes</a>. This is a no-brainer on paper, given that the <i>Anchorman</i> movies are filmed with a lot of improvised dialogue, resulting in hours of alternate cuts and hours of unused footage just lying around waiting to be monetized. However, <i>Anchorman</i> is hardly the first movie shot with a lot of improvisation, and I'd venture to say that most films are shot with extraneous scenes or alternate plot developments that never make it off the cutting room floor. So why not release more films in alternate versions and let the audience decide with their wallets and word of mouth which version is superior?<br />
<br />
Part of the reason may be that movie studios are by their very nature resistant to experimenting, and the tried-and-true business model is to release one <i><b>definitive</b> </i>version. And, sure enough, cinephiles tend to fall in line with the same reasoning, hence the universally recognized concept of "canon" -- <i>i.e.</i> the manufactured conviction that there is an underlying "truth" to any piece of fiction, typically (though not always) determined by the author, and that any derivations from "canon" are "fictions" onto themselves that must be distinguished from the "truth."<br />
<br />
I'll be very curious, though, to see if McKay gets his wish. If the cineplex can handle two, free-standing versions of the same movie (albeit, versions likely to differ only with respect to throw-away one-liners and reaction shots, as opposed to narrative-changing plot points), maybe the argument will be made by some ambitious director that a murder mystery or sci-fi epic can do the same on a grander scale. Maybe we'll see the big screen equivalent of the <a href="http://www.cyoa.com/">"Choose Your Own Adventures"</a> (CYOA) line of children's books. Of course, the structure of a CYOA book, in which a single reader decides where the story goes by jumping ahead to pre-determined pages, doesn't translate well to a theater (though, as the outstanding <i>Walking Dead</i> video game released last year shows, it can work like gang-busters in the video game format). Still, it'll be a step in an interesting direction if we'll see major movie studios loosen up on the idea of releasing alternative versions of movies in theaters with significant plot differences.<br />
<br />
Honestly, what would Lucas have had to lose by releasing different cuts of <i>Jedi</i> to theaters with different scenes cut or included, maybe even with wildly divergent endings? Besides, of course, another dump truck full of money as a mob of geeks lined up to pay full price to see an alternate version of <i>Return of the Jedi </i><a href="http://io9.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948/1388764126/@jesusdiaz">in which Luke <i>becomes</i> Darth Vader ...</a>futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-70161324318522127362013-10-13T04:41:00.002-04:002014-01-13T03:15:46.858-05:00"You can't use that word, that's our word" (Actually, the Trademark Office Begs to Differ)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhGd6TysM_tW0KbQUGf_VIK_6hq6i0_v8TXJ72zscE_755QZCQDmq2QNQoXqqn9x12ep2pFqrVV8n0SETiMAmXxvH9e7MBe7tiJD0iIFF-rWBzdOWS_V6y_7CMGF5zEhJMX2IlOCwmQ4/s1600/image_10-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhGd6TysM_tW0KbQUGf_VIK_6hq6i0_v8TXJ72zscE_755QZCQDmq2QNQoXqqn9x12ep2pFqrVV8n0SETiMAmXxvH9e7MBe7tiJD0iIFF-rWBzdOWS_V6y_7CMGF5zEhJMX2IlOCwmQ4/s1600/image_10-2013.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
There was an interesting collision of pop culture and government policy last month when the band <a href="http://www.theslants.com/">The Slants</a> lost <a href="http://thettablog.blogspot.com/2013/10/precedential-no-38-ttab-affirms-2a.html">their appeal to register their name with the U.S. Trademark Office</a> (h/t to <a href="http://thettablog.blogspot.com/">The TTABlog®</a>). It's common for bands to register their name with the Trademark Office in order to confirm their right to prevent others from using the same name. Band names are a valuable commodity, after all, and legal disputes over who "owns" a name can be a nightmare - like a corporate dispute and divorce proceeding rolled into one. Just ask <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/brad-nowells-family-none-too-pleased-about-sublime,34504/">Sublime</a>, or <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/one-direction-settles-band-name-368175">One Direction</a>, or <a href="http://lawbydesign.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/a-band-by-any-other-name-name-disputes-after-a-band-breakup/">The <strike>Talking</strike> Heads</a>.<br />
<br />
What's less common is for the Trademark Office to reject an application because the band's name may be offensive, and what's rarer still is an opinion from the Trademark Office that a band's name is offensive <i>because of</i> the ethnicity of the band members. By attempting to avoid endorsing a potentially loaded term, the Trademark Office instead stumbled right into the debate over self-expression and ethnic identity.<br />
<br />
More below the fold (and fair warning, this post naturally includes references to various ethnic, racial and sexual slurs, all of which are reprinted here for discussion purposes only without any malicious intent) ...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Generally speaking, the Trademark Office doesn't make value judgement about trademarks. Their primary interests are (a) that you are the first to use your trademark for whatever goods or services you're offering people, and (b) that you are not trying to claim exclusive ownership to a descriptive or generic word. (For an example of the latter, Subway recently tried to claim it owned the term "Footlong" for sandwiches and found themselves <a href="http://www.sdma.com/food-fight-is-footlong-really-just-about-12-inches-03-01-2011/">staring down the business end of about a dozen oppositions</a> from Pizza Hut, KFC and others who insist - obviously enough as far as I'm concerned - that "footlong" is merely descriptive of sandwiches.)<br />
<br />
But every so often, the Trademark Office refuses to grant a trademark registration on the basis that the trademark contains a naughty word. In fact, the law explicitly states that a <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1052">trademark may not include</a> "immoral, deceptive, or scandalous matter", or "matter which may disparage or bring into contempt or disrepute persons, institutions, beliefs or national symbols." The Slants fell into the latter category, according to the Trademark Office. Specifically, they concluded that the term "slants" was "highly disparaging to people of Asian descent." The band begged to differ and insisted that they're clearly not using the term to disparage <i>themselves</i> as people of Asian descent.<br />
<br />
This isn't the first time the Trademark Office had to weigh in on a derogatory term that had been re-appropriated. As blogger (and trademark attorney for The Slants) Ron Coleman <a href="http://www.likelihoodofconfusion.com/different-slant/">has covered over at LIKELIHOOD OF CONFUSION®</a>, the Trademark Office <a href="http://www.likelihoodofconfusion.com/jiggering-out-the-pto/">also recently rejected an application for HEEB</a> (a counter-cultural Jewish magazine) and <a href="http://www.likelihoodofconfusion.com/the-only-unmentionable-trademark/">an application for NIGGA</a> (for retail store and entertainment services, filed by no less than Damon Wayans). <br />
<br />
It's probably no shock that the Trademark Office doesn't want to publish an official certificate of trademark registration with the word NIGGA on it. Yet, that hasn't stopped about a half-dozen applicants from trying to register variations on the "n-word", including my new favorite trademark (Application No. 76309746, filed on September 6, 2011 for "clothing"):<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Be sure to visit our other clothing outlet, <u>BABY</u> YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW ME AROUND THE STORE ...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the other hand, there are <i>numerous</i> registrations that include the words "queer", "fag", "homo", "bitch", "slut", "colored", "negro", "chink", "wop", and -- perhaps most infamously at the moment -- <a href="http://www.article-3.com/should-the-redskins-racist-logo-be-protected-by-trademark-laws-912745">"redskin"</a>. So we have a bit of inconsistency on our hands.<br />
<br />
What's particularly screwy in the case of The Slants is that, as the band pointed out in their appeal brief, the Trademark Office <i>has</i> granted applications to register the word SLANT at least twice before -- once in connection with "skateboards, water skis," etc., and again for "motion picture film productions," etc. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) responded by arguing that, since the band members themselves are Asian, their fans are going to associate "being Asian" with "being Slant-y." Ergo, it's offensive.<br />
<br />
Okay, that's not an actual quote, but <a href="http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-85472044-EXA-12.pdf">the actual quote isn't that much better</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When we take into account the "nature of the identified services," in this case, live performances by a musical band, we are faced with a term that necessarily identifies people, i.e., the live performance. Thus, those who attend the live performances will necessarily understand THE SLANTS to refer to the persons who comprise the musical band.</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lBDdfeHvikMPEpvl3xdONcIV9jAUogG48oibAeH2FSDjnssD9nZftM26up374iTc9rRv7KWTT7vr0vgyy33Jgma_KZTB2xeSZcT_jJTjGQlFIiqA6SKOErDgzRCj89UJVXDaRfpT578/s1600/image_10-2013(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0lBDdfeHvikMPEpvl3xdONcIV9jAUogG48oibAeH2FSDjnssD9nZftM26up374iTc9rRv7KWTT7vr0vgyy33Jgma_KZTB2xeSZcT_jJTjGQlFIiqA6SKOErDgzRCj89UJVXDaRfpT578/s1600/image_10-2013(2).jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oh, <u>now</u> I get it. They're <u>Asian!</u></i> "<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbwPu_LuTZs">Ching chong chang, do-de-do-de-do-do-do-do!</a>"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The TTAB also emphasized that the band has a habit of "touting the slang meaning of 'slants.'" So, <a href="http://tsdr.uspto.gov/caseviewer/pdf?caseId=85472044&docIndex=5">as their attorney put it</a>, "THE SLANTS could be registered as a trademark - <b>just not by Asians</b>." <br />
<br />
Of course, the act of re-appropriating slurs is a tried-and-true method of <i>combating </i>bigotry by the targets of those hateful words. Though, whether one agrees with this approach or not, it seems crazy for the Trademark Office to take a hard position on an otherwise commonplace word that -- by their own logic -- could only be considered offensive when used by a band visibly of Asian descent. While it's otherwise understandable that the federal government would want to steer clear of endorsing explicitly derogatory terms used with intent to intimidate, harass or offend people, in this instance it seems the Trademark Office is instead trying to protect Asian Americans from themselves.<br />
<br />
It's important to note here that this isn't a First Amendment issue. The Trademark Office isn't prohibiting the band from using their name. But by denying The Slants' trademark application, it is denying the band the exclusive right to use their name and prevent others from using it without their approval. As a result, The Slants have lost the full value of their name. Thus, by refusing to endorse The Slant's re-appropriation of a derogatory word into an expression of unabashed ethnic pride, the Trademark Office has also screwed these proud "Slants" of the full value of their own name.<br />
<br />
If there's a sliver of an unintended benefit to this story, the case also generated a bit of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-slants/id265750611?uo=4">free promotion for the band</a>. Personally, I don't think I would've heard of them if not for this case. And now you've heard of them too, so check them out!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/iSERYJGnRjY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-25952500129385640002013-10-06T19:06:00.001-04:002013-10-06T19:06:03.719-04:00On "Felina", Finales and Epilogues on TV<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Now you're looking for the secret. But you won't find it because of course, you're not really looking. You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled." -- <a href="http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/quotes?qt=qt0441492">Cutter</a>, <i>Prestige</i></blockquote>
It's now been a week since the last frame of <i>Breaking Bad</i> footage aired on national television and anyone with a mind to it has said their piece online. With all the hype and expectations now put to rest, I stand by what I said in <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/09/whatever-you-think-is-supposed-to.html">my pre-finale post</a> (and <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/status/383262923226746880">later argued to the estimable FILM CRIT HULK</a> on Twitter), that wanting can be a lot more enjoyable than having when it comes to series finales. The quote above from <i>Prestige</i> captures this notion, and the sentiment was also expressed by Joanna Robinson in <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/the-ones-who-knock-s5e16-felina/">her podcast review of the finale</a> on <i>The Ones Who Knock</i>. That is, for all the stylistic triumphs of "Felina", as enjoyable as it was, it didn't really aspire to surprise the audience in any way. Rather than hit us upside the head like the controversial <i>Sopranos</i> finale or throw a wild monkey wrench in the gears like the groundbreaking <i>St. Elsewhere</i> finale, "Felina" felt more like watching the dominoes fall just as they'd been arranged . That is, it was less a climax than a series of natural consequences to what came before.<br />
<br />
Another way to put it is that "Felina" wasn't a finale at all. Sure, it's the last episode of the series, but narratively speaking, it's really <i>Breaking Bad</i>'s epilogue. In theory, there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. In practice, however, there's a tendency now to treat the finale as the be-all, end-all of a series' worth, and to criticize any show that doesn't satisfy the urge to be stunned and amazed by the last shot. It's a stifling expectation to impose on any story however told, and I think it's time we drop that expectation when it comes to TV shows.<br />
<br />
More below the fold with spoilers for <i>Breaking Bad</i>, <i>Justice League Unlimited</i>, <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer </i>(through season 4)<i>, Lost</i> and Stephen King's <i>The Stand</i>. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
I'm not the first person to have the observation that "Felina" doesn't really feel like a finale, and it wouldn't surprise me if it becomes conventional wisdom that <i>Breaking Bad</i>'s true finale was "Ozymandias." Josh Cohen wrote <a href="http://wesleyanargus.com/2013/10/03/breaking-bad-and-the-televised-epilogue/">a nice piece on this very topic</a> at <i>The Wesleyan Argus</i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In both content and form, “Ozymandias” was the series’ climax. From there, a writing staff obsessed with tying up loose ends did so for the next two plus hours: revealing Mr. White’s transition to Mr. Lambert in the New Hampshire wilderness, his motivation to come back home a hollow husk of his former self, and his execution of his final wishes before succumbing to death by his own device. All that brought audiences to the true end of the “Breaking Bad” plotline, but the dramatic arc of the show trended downward through “Granite State” to reach the relatively tidy last rites of “Felina.”</blockquote>
I'd single out specifically the moment when Flynn grabs the knife from his parents as they wrestle on the ground and Walt stands over Flynn and Skylar shouting, "What the hell are you doing? We're a family!" as <i style="font-weight: bold;">the</i> climax of the series. Whatever was destined to happen after that, Walt had lost his family (the purported reason he did all that he did), and there was nothing he could do to make that right. Series creator Vince Gilligan has <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/rian-johnson-moira-walley-beckett-breaking-bad-ozymandius-interview.html">called this episode</a> "the best episode we ever had or ever will have." While that doesn't necessarily translate as an endorsement of my theory, I can't help but wonder if the title "Felina" is as much a deliberate anagram of "finale" as it is a clear nod to the Marty Robins song that plays during the opening In other words, might "Felina" be a subliminal message to the audience that the true finale of the series was placed out of order?<br />
<br />
Okay, so maybe that's a little crackpot, but I think it's worth questioning the extreme importance we've assigned "the final episode" as the most important hour for any TV show. This isn't always the case, of course, nor has it always been the case that TV shows even <i style="font-weight: bold;">had</i> a distinct "final episode." If we can believe Wikipedia, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_finale">two of the earliest shows with "final episodes"</a> were <i>Howdy Doody</i> and <i>Leave It to Beaver </i>in the 1960s. Over the next few decades, there would occasionally be a notable series finale such as the last episode of <i>The Fugitive</i> (naturally fueled by the resolution of the series-long search for the one-armed man), to <i>M*A*S*H</i>, to <i>Dallas</i>, usually punctuating the end of highly serialized dramas. <br />
<br />
By the late 1990s, however, the expectations of a strong "series finale" crept up on <i>non</i>-serialized shows like <i>Seinfeld</i>. While the hype surrounding a show like <i>The Fugitive</i> (which was built around a central conflict) makes perfect sense, why the hell was there so much hype around the final episode of <i>Seinfeld</i>? Did we really expect that Jerry would give up his OCD-level fixations? Or that any of the characters would grow up in a meaningful way?<br />
<br />
Yet, at this point, we've grown accustomed to treating the final episode as the pinnacle, the true test of whether a show was worth watching in the first place. If you think I'm exaggerating, here is that very sentiment nearly verbatim from <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/09/30/the_problem_with_breaking_bads_finale/">a recent review of "Felina" by Brian Moylan posted on Salon.com</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now the finale is not just a rewarding destination for hardcore fans but something that could stop future viewers from even starting out on the journey. While it had a great run through the middle of the series, I would counsel new viewers against starting “Lost” because the ending is so disappointing.</blockquote>
That is a troubling conclusion to reach, but also an unsurprising one given our obsessive fixation on "spoilers" these days. People can trash M. Night Shyamalan all they want for his over-reliance on "twist endings", but I'd say he's the natural product of a culture that puts "spoilers" on such a high pedestal that it seems <i style="font-weight: bold;">nothing</i> is so important as remaining "spoiler free" (even at the expense of the author's intentions, <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/09/confessions-and-khan-jobs-questioning.html">as I've discussed recently here</a>). <br />
<br />
Yet surely we can judge a story by more than how it ends and - more specifically - whether the ending manages to surprise us somehow. Moylan's comment above is directed at <i>Lost</i>, which undoubtedly has one of the most controversial, divisive endings of recent memory. It's also true, though, that in the instance, <i>Lost</i> billed itself and built its fan base explicitly around the many mystery of the islands. In that context, the ending (which concentrated on a plot line concerning purgatory that barely touched on the main plot of the show) arguably invited all the criticism it received by refusing to address <a href="http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Unanswered_questions"><i style="font-weight: bold;">any</i> of the major questions surrounding the island</a> ... <a href="http://www.cracked.com/blog/108-answers-to-losts-supposedly-unanswered-questions/">depending on your point of view</a>, that is. In any event, not <i><b>every</b></i> show is built around a central mystery (or mysteries), and surely there are great stories out there worth telling even if the ending is lacking.<br />
<br />
The ending of Stephen King's apocalyptic novel <i>The Stand</i> immediately jumped to my mind as I read Moylan's and others' review of "Felina." Whereas I found "Felina" merely entertaining as an hour of television, the climactic scene of <i>The Stand</i> is as stupid as stupid gets. Put briefly, two emissaries from the "good" survivors of the global plague are trapped in cages and about to be torn to pieces by pick-up trucks (oh, it's gruesome) at the behest of the demonic leader of the "evil" survivors. Out of nowhere, a pyromaniac sycophant of the demonic leader drives up with a live nuclear warhead, and then, <i style="font-weight: bold;">literally </i>out of nowhere, a glowing hand emerges -- a <i>deus ex machina</i> if one ever existed -- and grabs hold of the warhead. The glowing hand of God triggers the warhead, thus destroying the "evil" survivors in a mushroom cloud. The end. (Well, more or less ...)<br />
<br />
When I read that ending as a teenager, I could not have imagined a worse, more anti-climatic ending. And yet I found myself picking the book up, over and over again, and flipping to random pages to revisit the many, many passages that I loved out of that book. I've recommended it to others. I may just re-read it again some day. Honestly, why would I let a shitty ending take away from the joys of the other 1,000+ pages that I loved then and love now?<br />
<br />
Television obviously has a problem that books do not, forced into 45-minute blocks with commercial breaks and other studio demands. That said, there's no reason that we have to perpetuate yet another pigeon-holing expectation on Vince Gilligan and other creators by holding up the finale as the final arbiter on whether a show is worthy of praise or scorn. I suspect future retrospectives on <i>Breaking Bad</i> will pay little attention to "Felina", particularly in comparison to the triumph that is "Ozymandias." Hopefully, if we're lucky, other shows will take a cue from Vince Gilligan and tinker with their own story structure, and perhaps we the audience will also adjust our own expectations of what a show can (or should) be.<br />
<br />
The precedent is out there. The brilliant cartoon series <i>Justice League Unlimited</i> very cleverly dropped an episode called "Epilogue" at the end of its second season, well before the climatic "Destroyer" episode in the next season. In "Epilogue", the story abruptly jumps into the future as told by the spin-off series <i>Batman Beyond</i>, adding a coda to the season-long conflict between the Justice League and the government-led Cadmus organization. The episode serves primarily to underscore certain themes of the show and it can easily be taken out of order without losing any of the main plot threads. Likewise, season four of <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> ends with "Restless", which takes place entirely in a series of interconnected dreams with only the loosest connection to the conflict that preceded it. Like "Epilogue", "Restless" says a great deal about each of the main characters (and also foreshadows at a major plot development to come in season 5), but if you considered either episode the "finale" and judged it on that basis, they'd seem horribly anti-climatic.<br />
<br />
While it isn't so clearly the case that "Granite State" and "Felina" could be removed from the series the way you might remove "Epilogue" from <i>JLU</i> or "Restless" from <i>Buffy</i> without doing much damage to the narrative overall, it is the case that de-emphasizing the all-encompassing importance of the series finale will free up TV shows to experiment with story structure. With all the possibilities that modern day technology provides, from Netflix to DVD extras to webisodes, why would we continue to insist that TV shows wrap up all their loose ends in the exact same hour-long format used by every other show out there? Why not let them take a couple of episodes to wrap things up <i style="font-weight: bold;">after</i> the "series finale"? Why not let them have an epilogue?futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-17380877570154893972013-09-26T02:18:00.000-04:002013-09-26T02:18:04.320-04:00"Whatever you think is supposed to happen..." - Breaking Bad and the Joys of Almost Knowing It All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAahT9R_xhj13RTKtty0EBicz_pC6nZupzE7Ka5ktte_jt_kn9hshFj7R-sz8_vGUdMyp2zwVceUfAnuEJ46Wa65d1GSuiK1-ODJ7LyBz_z0IEWYNmqgjppsYRTqdZS-QuDEH5DYo0HM/s1600/BB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAahT9R_xhj13RTKtty0EBicz_pC6nZupzE7Ka5ktte_jt_kn9hshFj7R-sz8_vGUdMyp2zwVceUfAnuEJ46Wa65d1GSuiK1-ODJ7LyBz_z0IEWYNmqgjppsYRTqdZS-QuDEH5DYo0HM/s1600/BB.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is a special time in the life of a TV show that can only be experienced once, the final week leading up to the series finale when all remaining questions will be answered at last ... or not. But either way, the door will close for good. So this is the last, best chance you have to make a prediction as to how it all ends. "It" in this case is, of course, the <i>Breaking Bad</i> finale set to air on Sunday, September 29th.<br />
<br />
I have to admit that this is my absolute favorite time to be a devotee of a series. When the pieces are all laid out on the table and you think you have a pretty good idea how the final picture is <i style="font-weight: bold;">supposed</i> to look, and yet ... "And yet" is that gnawing sensation that something amazing is waiting out there just over the horizon, something you can't quite see from your current vantage point. It's the essence of anticipation, when the lines of expectation and the potential for surprise crisscross on the graph of the mind.<br />
<br />
One measure of a great thriller (or possibly any truly great story) is whether a fair number of outcomes to the central conflict are at least somewhat plausible while at the same time also being potentially satisfying. A story that can end only one way lacks imagination and probably has very little to say. On the other hand, a story that takes a wild turn out of nowhere for the sake of surprise betrays a lack of preparation by the storyteller. When a series hits that sweet spot, though, you'll find a <a href="http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1018491/breaking-bad-finale-prediction">veritable</a> <a href="http://www.neontommy.com/news/2013/09/breaking-bad-finale-felina-4-predictions">army</a> of <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10230884/Breaking-Bad-finale-predictions-Season-5-part-2.html">bloggers</a> <a href="http://breakingbad.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:6279">try</a> <a href="http://kotaku.com/breaking-bad-has-officially-gone-bananas-time-for-some-1284952923">their</a> <a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/2013/08/09/how-will-breaking-bad-end-predictions/">hand</a> at <a href="http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/quickpulse/2013/09/20/how-will-breaking-bad-end-post-staffers-weigh-in-with-their-predictions/">predicting</a> the <a href="http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2013/08/top_five_breaking_bad_predicti.php">end</a> in ways mutually exclusive from each other yet equally intriguing. (Salon.com in particular has a great round-up of predictions <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/09/23/how_will_breaking_bad_end/">here</a>.)<br />
<br />
Of course, I have my own predictions. Not that I can take special credit for any one of these theories, but then the playing field is crowded enough that I don't think anyone can claim ownership over any single theory. (Though, if I could have claimed any one theory out there as my own, it would be the amazing <a href="http://www.otbva.com/can-breaking-bad-prequel-malcolm-middlei-t33690.html?s=90a527ca278b30f3b1646cf3ce6b7f74&amp;">"<i>Breaking Bad </i>is a prequel for <i>Malcolm in the Middle</i>"</a> theory.)<br />
<br />
My spoiler-filled theories after the break ...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a> <br />
Even money says that next week's series finale, "Felina", will include the following plot points ...<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Lydia has Skyler killed</b> -- This woman is not only hyper-paranoid but also prone to highly impulsive (and highly foolish) behavior. If she really thought it was a good idea to hire someone to kill Mike, the world's greatest ex-cop-cum-ninja-assassin, can we really believe she'll take Todd's word that Skyler won't cause any trouble down the line? Just because that "Opie, dead-eyed piece of shit" (god, I love that phrase) says so?<br /></li>
<li><b>Walt finds out about Skyler, serves Lydia and Todd ricin-spiced tea</b> -- One of the biggest questions on everyone's mind right now is who will get the ricin. Personally, I find the fairly prevalent theory that Walt will use the ricin on himself to be way off the map (but then, who knows?). That said, "Chekov's Ricin" would have to be used on someone that trusts Walt enough to let him get close. Todd reveres Walt, and Lydia has no reason to mistrust him. Killing a family member would be motivation enough to bring the wrath of Walt down on them, and it echoes Gus's triumphant poisoning of the Mexican cartel in Season Four.<br /></li>
<li><b>Walt makes another "confession" video</b> -- So far, Walt has made two "confession" videos. The first was made in a panic in the pilot. The second was made purely for tactical purposes to scare Hank away during the last season. The third and final video would be Walt's ultimate vindication, spelling out in fine detail the empire he had built. Or rather, empire<i style="font-weight: bold;">s</i> ... the first being Grey Matter and the second being the meth network. His deep involvement in the creation of Grey Matter will expose Gretchen and Elliot's lies, potentially sinking their stocks, while also restoring his Heisenberg legacy from the Neo-Nazis who also stole his work. Lastly, it would serve as Walt's own self-stylized version of "Ozymandias" ... look upon Heisenberg's works, ye mighty, and despair!<br /></li>
<li><b>The video is played live on television while Walt launches an assault on the Neo-Nazis</b> -- Tell me that wouldn't make a bad ass scene!<br /></li>
<li><b>Jesse escapes with Brock, while Marie takes custody of Flynn and Holly</b> -- Someone has to have a happy ending, no matter how marked by tragedy.<br /></li>
<li><b>And Walt ends up ... okay, I've got nothing -- </b>Yeah, I'm going to punt on this one. Jesse put it best to Hank: "Whatever you think is supposed to happen... I'm telling you, the exact reverse opposite of that is gonna happen, okay?" So that's my prediction, that the exact reverse opposition of whatever we expect will happen to Walt.</li>
</ul>
<div>
So there it is. Four days till we know for sure, when we trade in this perfect high of anticipation for the bitter sweet certainty of the final curtain</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-53776697068445956412013-09-16T02:37:00.001-04:002014-05-17T18:55:40.058-04:00What Is Out There In The Black Void Beyond?: Four Movies (And One TOS Episode) I'd Recommend They Watch Before Making Another Star Trek Movie<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBpZIxNaQ2g8BRd5R7_GxlUIGPUeaAjIZeIHfUZbi86UC714RnAVEag6Y5KBainCqiUTu_rOdz71L62G4jLw_ewBLzeKqIllQWnrZTMlI7AbscyVtZfsd34pDEmyhtAh-KZKe7ZAtw58/s1600/startrek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBpZIxNaQ2g8BRd5R7_GxlUIGPUeaAjIZeIHfUZbi86UC714RnAVEag6Y5KBainCqiUTu_rOdz71L62G4jLw_ewBLzeKqIllQWnrZTMlI7AbscyVtZfsd34pDEmyhtAh-KZKe7ZAtw58/s1600/startrek.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">"Do you remember when we used to be explorers?" - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0001449/quotes">Capt. Jean-Luc Picard</a>, <i>Insurrection</i></span></blockquote>
This past week saw the release of <i>Star Trek[:] Into Darkness</i> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Darkness-Blu-ray-Digital/dp/B00AZMFK3K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379206289&sr=8-2&keywords=star+trek+into+darkness">on DVD/Blu-Ray</a>, which gave us all an opportunity to reflect on <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/09/13/why-did-star-trek-into-darkness-suck">the visceral hatred</a> that movie set off among Trekkies and critics alike. Seriously, it's gotten pretty ugly. Like, <i>Prequel Trilogy ugly</i>. So ugly that the attendees of a recent Star Trek Convention in Los Angeles <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/14/star-trek-into-darkness-voted-worst">voted <i>Into Darkness</i> as "the worst Star Trek movie ever."</a> I've expressed my own issues with the film's bogus marketing tactics (which I believe amounted to <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/09/confessions-and-khan-jobs-questioning.html">a cynical manipulation of "spoiler" etiquette</a>), while others have <a href="http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/star-trek-into-darkness-poll/">brutally</a> <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/5-things-that-bothered-me-about-star-trek-into-darkness/">taken</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLGH0VHUVs">down</a> the film's narrative shortcomings.<br />
<br />
Yet, with <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2660888/">a third movie a foregone conclusion</a> for the "nuStar Trek" series (as it's come to be known), I don't want to dwell on the past. For despite all the topical political analogies that have been the franchise's bread and butter since the beginning, the singular defining feature of <i>Star Trek</i> has always been an unabashed optimism about the future. The Enterprise of the 1960s had a multi-racial cast during a time when the nation was tearing itself apart over racial tensions. The human race in the Original Series (TOS) had moved beyond national boundaries and economic class divisions. They'd put humanity's petty squabbles aside to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations. The mission statement of the franchise was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdjL8WXjlGI">captured perfectly in the opening narration of TOS</a>, but I have to admit that I love this one sentence summation <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPHtvB3Dd8Q">from the pilot episode</a> even better:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>What is out there in the black void beyond?</i></blockquote>
How do you recapture that spirit of exploration, that optimism for the future from the cynical, gritty, action-oriented "nuStar Trek" universe they've created? I can't tell you <i>how</i>, but I can recommend a handful of movies (and one TOS episode) that I hope the writers and director watch before they start banging out the plot for <i>Star Trek Course Correction</i> (which I think would make a great title).<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
1. <i>Star Trek: The Motion Picture</i></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/h5vK8hCVrFg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>What?: </i></b>Yeah, I know. I know. I -- ... yeah, I kn-- ...alright, shut up! I know it's slow as hell (critics took to calling it <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Star-Trek-The-Marathon-The-Motionless-Picture-12978.html">"The Motionless Picture"</a> when it was released), there's barely a story there, and it has a horribly anti-climatic "twist ending" that would be called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAaVqdz_Vk">one of the lamest twists ever</a> if the movie came out today. I get that. And to all that deserved criticism I say, first off, <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_the_motion_picture/reviews/?sort=fresh">the film has its defenders</a> (just a proud few, but they're out there). Second, it's a mistake to think that the <i>Star Trek</i> franchise begins and ends with <i>Wrath of Khan</i>. Even if that's the high water mark, it's just one piece of a much larger picture. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Back in the late 1970s, when they decided against all odds to resurrect a low-rated sci-fi series from the 1960s, <b><i>this</i> </b>is the story they thought worthy to usher the franchise onto the big screen: A space cloud the size of our solar system heading towards Earth, destroying everything in its path; and a refurbished, malfunctioning Enterprise with a patchwork crew. Moving at a snail's pace with barely a single action beat, the crew discovers that the space cloud is really a giant, living machine that calls itself V'Ger. Eventually, it's revealed that (twist!) the living machine space cloud is really the NASA probe Voyager 6 that stumbled on a planet of living machines (<a href="http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=107046">Borg, anyone?</a>). These living machines merged with the probe to form a new artificial intelligence, which traveled back to Earth seeking its creator. That is, V'Ger was looking for its God. The Enterprise was no match for V'Ger, so instead of fighting the space cloud, they attempt direct communication. This leads to V'Ger merging with a member of the crew (the newly introduced character William Decker<b><i>)</i></b> and forming a new kind of life that sets off to explore new dimensions of existence. No explosions, no collapsing buildings. Just high concepts and metaphysics. (Okay, fine, it's a poor man's <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i>. You can't say it wasn't ambitious.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Why?:</b> </i> Look, you have to walk before you can run. Don't come sauntering into the place thinking that you can reboot <i>Wrath of Khan</i>. Start slow. <i style="font-weight: bold;">Real</i> slow. If nothing else, I hope the writers watch this movie and decide to try a happy medium between the glacial pace of <i>The Motionless Picture</i> and the hyperactive, sugar-high editing style of the first two "nuStar Trek" films. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also, I hope they can pull the tongue out of their cheek a little bit. It's okay to drop a few knowing references to TOS, but don't turn the script into a goddamn MadLibs of meta-references. There's more than a few times that the first two new films sound like they ran the old TOS scripts through a shredder and reassembled them into a script at random. By comparison, consider how <i>The Motion Picture</i> introduced new cast member William Decker--the son of a Starfleet commodore featured in a single, obscure episode of TOS called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doomsday_Machine_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series)">"Doomsday Machine"</a>. It was a perfect, subtle tie-in to the past that die-hard fans of TOS would recognize without being sledgehammer-to-the-head obvious. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Moreover, that connection led to a beautiful bit of poetry that's easy to miss -- "Doomsday Machine" also featured an out-of-control machine that laid everything in its path to waste. Williams Decker's father Commodore Matt Decker became obsessed with destroying the machine, to the point of running a suicide mission that took his life (in vain, as it turned out). Matt's son William faced a very similar threat, and he also gave up his life to stop the planet-destroying machine. The difference, however, is that while Matt died trying to blow the machine to bits, William bonded with the machine, which had taken the form of his alien lover. (Yes, yes, it's the old "ask the computer to define love and watch it blow up" trick. It's a classic sci-fi trope for a reason.) The point is that there was a poetry to <i>The Motion Picture</i>, and if there's anything "nuStar Trek" needs, it's a few less explosions and a lot more poetry.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
2. <i>Galaxy Quest</i></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtHM77IRkus?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>What?: </i></b>In reporting on the L.A. Star Trek Convention where <i>Into Darkness</i> took a drubbing, the <i>Guardian</i> called it <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/14/star-trek-into-darkness-voted-worst">"insult to injury"</a> that <i>Into Darkness</i> was even voted worse than <i>Galaxy Quest</i> -- a "non-canon" spoof that doubles also as a deeply loving tribute to the franchise. The writer of that article couldn't be more wrong. <i>Galaxy Quest</i> is truly among the best Star Trek movies ever made. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The movie tells the story of a cast of actors whose career began and ended with a <i>Star Trek</i> analog called <i>Galaxy Quest</i> who suddenly find themselves recruited by an alien race to save them from a superior military force. The friendly aliens had seen the old <i>Galaxy Quest</i> TV show and, having no concept of fiction (or "lying", as they call it), believe they are watching "historical documents." The actors are forced to live up to their reputation, overcoming their petty squabbles and saving the aliens from extinction. Aside from creating the most believable representation of an alien race I've ever seen (outside of a Kubrick or Soderbergh film), <i>Galaxy Quest</i> is impressive for capturing not only the charm of TOS but also the often strained relationship between the actors (as well as their wonderfully weird fans).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>Why?:</i></b> Whoever is writing the next movie would do well to take notes on how to introduce a large cast, explain their backstory, and make us care about who they are and where they're going in under 100 minutes. The first 30 minutes of <i>Galaxy Quest</i> tells us everything we need to know. The world is built, the character arcs are established and the inter-personal conflicts are in place. After that, it barely matters what the "threat" is because we're fully invested in the characters. As it happens, the "stakes" in this movie are relatively low. Sure, a race is threatened with extinction, but all we see of this race is a single spaceship with a small crew. There are maybe a few dozen lives at risk by the time we enter the story, but a large body count doesn't make a story engaging. Compelling characters do.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, <i>Galaxy Quest</i> captures the wonder of space exploration. There's a scene early on when Tim Allen's Capt. Jason Nesmith realizes for the first time that he's not on a set ... that he's actually deep in outer space on a spaceship. He's standing on a platform, and the ceiling overhead opens up and he sees the galaxy overhead. The moment isn't played for laughs. To the contrary, it's downright majestic because space <i><b>is</b></i> majestic when you stop to look at it. It's the spark of wonder that deep space exploration should inspire; and yet it seems entirely absent from the "nuStar Trek" universe so far. How can you make a <i>Star Trek </i>movie without an ounce of wonder??</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
3. <i>Primer</i></h3>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4CC60HJvZRE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<i style="font-weight: bold;">What?:</i> Turning from the wonders of space to the most grounded, low-budget sci-fi film of the last decade, <i>Primer</i> is an intimate drama about two engineers who accidentally invent a time machine. Shot on a $7000 budget, the movie centers on the two engineers' attempt to use the machine for their own financial and personal benefit while avoiding a temporal paradox. Humans being humans, however, their best laid plans get away from them, resulting in a convoluted jumble of a plot (which requires multiple graphs to untangle) and a deeply ambiguous ending. What the film lacks in production values, special effects, and established actors, it more than makes up in sheer complexity with multiple overlapping timelines and time-loop-created clones constantly rewriting the past. (TvTropes.org <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Film/Primer?from=Main.Primer">helpfully links to <i style="font-weight: bold;">three</i> graphs</a> that might help you understand what the hell you just watched.)<br />
<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">Why?: </i>This film is clearly the farthest removed from <i>Star Trek </i>in terms of style, but oddly enough, <i>Primer </i>get something right that J.J. Abrams completely overlooked in the first two films. That is, the role of technology in <i>Star Trek</i>. From warp drives to transporters to holodecks, technological advancements have always been central to the franchise. Beyond the stage props and technobabble, though, <i>Star Trek</i> was constantly exploring how technology impacts our lives, especially when new advancements in technology intermingle with human frailties. Whether we're talking <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_on_the_Edge_of_Forever">time travel</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Measure_of_a_Man_(Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation)">artificial intelligence</a>, or even <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXbWCrzWJo4">creating life out of nothing</a>, the new technology is always a springboard to a deeper exploration of larger themes. <i>Primer</i> gets this concept spot-on.<br />
<br />
By contrast, "nuStar Trek" has treated technology as nothing but a means to fill plot holes. Need to get nuKirk and nuScotty off of a barren rock while the Enterprise is light years away? You're in luck! Scotty invented some kind of doohickey that does <i style="font-weight: bold;">just that!</i> Oh no, nuKirk is dead ... but don't worry! We just discovered that nuKhan has <i><b>Magic Cure-All Blood!</b></i> In short order, "nuStar Trek" has negated both the need to travel by starship <i>as well as death itself!!!</i> If you want to introduce something this universe-shattering, fine. But maybe also consider spending a little time exploring the impact these incredible new technologies will have on the human race. (Indeed, Abrams's approach <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/13/4727394/jj-abrams-not-directing-next-star-trek-film">may be better suited for <i>Star Wars</i></a>, where technology truly is an afterthought. In fact, some have pointed out that <a href="https://twitter.com/Coswald/status/335499470483628033"><i>Into Darkness </i>feels like a <i>Star Wars</i> movie</a>.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
4. <i>Star Trek V: The Final Frontier</i></h3>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yEAvkUMHra8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<b><i>What?: </i></b>Okay, this one's going to hurt. The "nuStar Trek" cast and crew need to sit down and watch this movie from front to back. Then they need to sit down in a dark, quiet room and say to themselves over and over again like a mantra,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The most devoted<i> Star Trek</i> fans out there liked this movie <u>better</u> than the one we just made. </blockquote>
Personally, I love the hell out of this movie. It captures all the worst, cheesiest aspects of TOS without apology <i>and</i> it's directed by William Shatner. Now come on, you honestly think that if a movie came out today under the banner "Directed By William Shatner", you wouldn't be dying with anticipation to see what he made? Pull your twelve-year-old self out of moth balls, tell your cynical adult self to take the night off, and wrap your head around this mind-blowing synopsis: "A past-retirement starship crew flies to a planet of dirt farmers and cat-strippers to find Spock's half-brother, who's leading a brainwashed cult to the center of the galaxy to meet God himself <i>... </i>directed by William F'ing Shatner<i>. </i>(Oh, and Capt. Kirk climbs a mountain without a harness and sings campfire songs with Spock and Bones over s'mores.)" <i>Come on!</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<b><i>Dear God, Why?:</i></b> Once the sugar-high of that amazing synopsis wears off, I have to tell you that, yes, Shatner actually got <i>a lot more</i> right in that movie than J.J. Abrams did. First, it's all about the characters. The movie is bookended by Kirk, Spock and McCoy sitting around a fire, sharing their thoughts on life and gazing up at the stars above. That, in a nutshell, is the very core of <i>Star Trek's </i>heart and soul. Second, and most importantly, they nailed that sense of wonder, that exploring the stars isn't just about space battles and blowing shit up. Surely there's more to the galaxy than whether or not some lunatic is going to blow up Earth just because he can.<br />
<br />
Consider this: We've seen <i>two</i> "nuStar Trek" movies that center around a raging sociopath determined to kill as many people as possible. Why, you ask? F*ck 'em, that's why. When you boil it down, the climax of both movies revolve around some crazy person attacking Earth for no good reason, and the solution is to kill that person before he kills us. Sybok, on the other hand? He's on a mission to meet God at the center of the Universe. Sure, he brainwashes his followers, hijacks the Enterprise and threatens everyone's lives in fulfilling his mad dream. But the man had a vision, and vision is something sorely lacking from "nuStar Trek."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
5. TOS Pilot Episode - "Where No Man Has Gone Before"</h3>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/72Tl0DpfZgE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>What?: </i></b>Gene Roddenberry originally summed up his original pitch for <i>Star Trek</i> in a single phrase: "<i>Wagon Trail</i> to the stars." <i>Wagon Trail </i>was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagon_Train">a Western TV-show that ran from 1957-62</a> that told the story of American explorers heading west from Missouri to California. <i>Star Trek</i> as originally conceived was about exploring the unknown, just as humans have since time immemorial. The starships, the transporters, the phasers and photon torpedoes ... all merely the window dressing to something elemental to the human spirit. While the original pilot that Roddenberry filmed for NBC, "The Cage", was considered too cerebral for a prime time television show, Roddenberry's next attempt, "Where No Man Has Gone Before", struck the right balance of "high concept" storytelling and man-on-man brawling. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The plot is quite simple. Following a distress signal into a barrier at the edge of the galaxy, the Enterprise passes through a cosmic storm that causes a crew member named Gary Mitchell to develop increased intelligence and telekinetic powers that ultimately threaten the well-being of the entire ship. Concerned that Mitchell might continue evolving into an unstoppable force that might threaten the entire galaxy, Capt. Kirk struggles over what to do about his old friend who's turning into a monster before his eyes. The logic-driven Spock insists that they have to either maroon or kill Mitchell while they still can. Kirk resists the idea at first, but in a life-or-death struggle with an increasingly sociopathic Mitchell, Kirk is forced to kill a close friend and crewmember right as Mitchell's humanity attempts to reassert itself.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>Why?: </i></b>"Where No Man Has Gone Before" is a rollicking, action-packed, ultimately heartbreaking tale that is set in motion by a technological wonder (the magic barrier at the edge of the galaxy that turns people into gods) and ends with relatable characters making hard choices with real consequenes. It's everything that makes <i>Star Trek</i> worth saving over and over again. In fact, it's a damn shame that they didn't reboot <i>this</i> story rather than <i>Wrath of Khan</i> (as many on the internet <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef9uIngYga4">were speculating they might</a> when the first trailer came out). Here is <i>Star Trek</i> as its most primordial, it's most unrefined. (Hell, Bones doesn't even appear in this episode.) Yet, it has so much to say about what might be out there, what makes us human, and where the inner self and outer space collide.<br />
<br />
As I was putting this list together, one thing jumped out at me: all three entries on this list from the <i>Star Trek</i> franchise are centered on humanity's confrontation with the divine. In <i>Final Frontier</i>, the crew attempts to find God at the center of the galaxy. In "Where No Man Has Gone Before", the crew faces the threat of a human attaining god-like powers. In <i>The Motion Picture</i>, humans are presumed to <i>be</i> God by a living machine.<br />
<br />
Roddenberry <a href="http://www.well.com/~sjroby/godthing.html">had a deep fascination with the topic</a> and it fits in perfectly with the themes of <i>Star Trek</i>. Humanity's exploration of the stars is more than an action-adventure thrill ride. It's a journey out into "the black void beyond" to find meaning, to find purpose, to find ourselves. It's science-fiction to be sure, rife with "technobabble". But it's also a human story, arguably <i>the</i> human story. The last words to appear on screen at the end of <i>Star Trek III: The Search for Spock</i> were "And the Human Adventure Continues." Whoever is working on the next <i>Star Trek</i> movie ought to ask themselves -- are they telling a story about the Human Adventure? Or another story about a sociopath trying to blow up Earth for the hell of it? If it's the latter, that's fine, tell your story. Just don't call it <i>Star Trek</i>. If it's the former, well, there's a rich universe of material to draw from.</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-18490886608230586572013-09-09T03:56:00.000-04:002013-09-09T03:56:05.961-04:00Trailer Logic: Black EditionI've started to notice that any time I've seen the trailer for the new Nelson Mandela biography,<em> Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</em>, it's been paired back-to-back with <em>Captain Phillips</em>, the Somali pirate movie ... I'm not suggesting that this is deliberate, <em>per se</em>. But there probably is some trailer distribution algorithm (the same algorithm that prevents the <em>Hangover Part III </em>red band trailer from playing before <em>The Croods</em>) that is lumping together <em>Mandela</em>, the movie about the Nobel Prize laureate head of state, with the scary African pirate movies.<br />
<br />
I get why this happens. It's a marketing decision and it's no surprise that it's going to be hamfisted at times. Still, the algorithm got a little out of control before <em>Fruitvale Station</em>, which I caught a few weeks back and highly recommend (whenever you're in the mood for devestating). It's the recreation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant">the tragic last day in the life of African American Oscar Grant</a>. And judging from the trailers they lumped together before the movie, the trailer gods apparently figure if you've decided to see <em>a </em>movie about a black man, you'd probably like to see <em>every </em>movie starring African Americans coming out this year.<br />
<br />
Here, for your viewing enjoyment, is the sequence of trailers (which is only missing a Tyler Perry film -- they must still be cutting the trailer for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2609758/"><em>Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas</em></a>).<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<em>Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hmm-aazQQKA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<em>Captain Phillips</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_3ASoBrFGlc/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_3ASoBrFGlc&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_3ASoBrFGlc&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<em></em><br />
<em>Lee Daniel's The Butler</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/omJedbKwzLg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<em>Twelve Years A Slave</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vUQNjfhlREk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<em>Baggage Claim</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZUiuzXP41aY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
So to recap, someone out there figured, "These people came to see a searing, intimate drama about a tragic miscarriage of justice ... starring black people. They probably also like to see other movies ... starring a black people. You know, like a pirate movie or a romantic comedy ... starring black people."futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-37345724051755543772013-09-02T06:19:00.000-04:002013-09-02T06:19:08.680-04:00"Confessions" and Khan Jobs: Questioning the Spoiler OrthodoxyI am a devoted fan of <a href="http://slashfilm.com/filmcast/">The /Filmcast</a> and I deeply appreciate the way that <a href="http://www.davechen.net/">David Chen</a>, <a href="http://flavors.me/devindra">Devindra Hardawar</a> and the rest leave any discussion of "spoilers" till the end of their reviews. I've frequently listened to the first half of reviews for movies I hadn't yet seen, and held off on listening to the "spoiler" portion until after I'd seen the movie in question. Now, I generally agree with their approach to "spoilers", that is, treating any plot detail as a spoiler unless it had already been revealed in a trailer or commercial. However, <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/the-ones-who-knock-s5e10-buried/">in a recent podcast</a> of <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/category/features/slashfilmcast/the-ones-who-knock/">The Ones Who Knock</a> ("TOWK"), David's spin-off podcast with <a href="http://www.pajiba.com/staff/joanna-robinson.php">Joanna Robinson</a>, they took things a step further by treating the <i>title </i>of an episode airing the following week as a spoiler. At the time, I took the "spoiler warning" to heart and did all I could to avoid learning the title until after I saw the episode. In retrospect, however, I think that was a mistake.<br />
<br />
That experience left me thinking about "Spoiler Orthodoxy", which is what I'm calling the perspective that <i>any</i> piece of information that reveals plot details of any sort is a "spoiler." I think it's time we reconsider what constitutes a "spoiler", and maybe push back against the Spoiler Orthodoxy when it takes control out of the storyteller's hands and treats all plot details as "spoilers" without differentiation. In fact, I'll go a step further and say that "spoiler warnings" can create false expectations that may even harm the viewing experience (particularly when the system is abused for the sake of marketing alone).<br />
<br />
More below the fold, and (yes) "spoiler warning" for the latest season of <i>Breaking Bad</i>, the fourth season of <i>Venture Bros.</i> and <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Let me start by saying that I'm not proposing, <a href="http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/?p=16276">as others arguably have</a>, a "spoiler free-for all" (even though, <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/study-finds-that-spoilers-arent-such-a-big-deal,60251/">as A.V. Club pointed out a couple of years ago</a>, studies suggest that "being spoiled" generally does not negatively impact the typical viewing experience for most people). Rather, I believe that avoiding "spoilers" fulfills a social pact between the storyteller and the audience. That is, a good storyteller will decide carefully which plot details should be revealed at what point in time, and we the audience shouldn't second guess the storyteller by deciding on our own who should know what when in advance of seeing the finished product. This system depends on trust, and there are dividends to be paid when that trust is honored and bad outcomes when that trust is betrayed.<br />
<br />
<h3>
You've Seen It, You Can't Un-See It</h3>
<br />
<a href="http://www.vulture.com/2008/03/spoilers.html">As others have pointed out</a>, this Spoiler Orthodoxy has really only taken hold recently due to the combination of "on demand" technology that allows us to consume media on our own schedule while constant, real-time discussion is occurring online without any filter. In the pre-internet/pre-"on demands" era, everyone learned who shot J.R. or the twist at the end of that week's <i>Twilight Zone</i> episode simultaneously (or else not at all). When Alfred Hitchcock wanted to keep the ending to <i>Psycho</i> a secret, he could simply go out and buy every copy of the book upon which it was based off the shelves (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054215/trivia?ref_=tt_ql_2">which he famously did</a>). Today, the only way you could have gone into <i>Pyscho</i> without knowing Norman Bates was a little too close to his mother would have been to throw your iPhone into the ocean and induce a coma until you were revived by paramedics inside the theater. Living in a world of perpetual fear that any tweet or Facebook status could reveal a killer twist has basically turned all of us who are "spoiler averse" into Frank Castanza, insisting that we have to <i>go in fresh</i> lest an inadvertent "spoiler" slip through.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4qxO31AfrI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The flip-side to this extreme spoiler aversion, however, is that it can have the effect of taking control out of the storyteller's hands to the detriment of the viewer. It's one thing if, in the case of <i>The Crying Game</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crying_Game">the studio specifically asks the audience</a> not to give away the twist ending. It's another thing entirely when the audience takes it upon themselves to conceal information that is clearly meant to be know in advance. I've heard people say that they refuse to watch a single trailer for a movie they're interested in seeing. (They're <i>going in fresh!</i>) There's a virtue in that when you consider the bone-headed move to give away the money shot in a trailer (<i>Avengers</i>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIR8Ar-Z4hw">I'm looking in your direction</a>). Yet, it also denies you the experience of seeing the trailer <i>unspoiled by the movie</i>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Trailers can function as short films onto themselves and inspire the imagination with snippets that force the audience to fill in the blanks (often to greater effect than the finished product at the end of the day). Take, for example, the trailer for Season Four of <i>Venture Bros.</i>, which creates an effect on first viewing that is practically ruined once you've seen the season in full: </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2N8XyCndg0U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now, "ruined" is a strong word, but when I saw that trailer for the first time ... damn it, I wanted to see how Dean ended up on a flying T-Rex and whether Dr. Venture would team up with his future self to build that time portal. When it turned out the former was a prog-rock induced hallucination and the latter was a prank pulled by a shape-shifting David Bowie, well, as admittedly <i>awesome</i> as the truth turned out to be, it still wasn't as amazing as the Season Four of my imagination. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Consider also the trailer for <i>The Fountain</i>. This forty-second teaser was absolutely mind-blowing when I saw it in theaters for the first time, in a manner that simply cannot be replicated after you've seen the movie in full (notwithstanding the fact that I enjoyed the film for what it was):</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yF-IjO9w3zM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The last example I'll give you is the following trailer for <i>Southland Tales</i>, Richard Kelly's woe-begotten follow up to <i>Donnie Darko</i>. Here again, this trailer was probably one of the greatest things I saw on the big screen that year, and - while I still love the trailer for what it is - it can't top the exhilaration I felt at the (unfulfilled) prospect of the complete film actually delivering on the wit, satire and bombastic cathartics promised by the trailer.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vtp14ikRvxo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Flash forward (if you will) to the previous week, when TOWK issued a "spoiler warning" for an episode title. By treating the episode title (<i>i.e.</i> "Confessions") as a spoiler, I denied myself a week of feverish anticipation as to what those "confessions" might be. <i>Who was going to be confessing what??? </i> Bear in mind that the title was not some closely guarded secret -- AMC has posted <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/breaking-bad/episodes">a list online of all the episode titles through the end of series</a> -- so you can't say that treating the title as a spoiler somehow fulfilled Vince Gilligan's wishes. To the contrary, it took that decision out of Gilligan's hands, which is particularly unfortunate given his unparalleled skill at subverting audience expectations. The actual "confession" featured in this episode is a major head fake, masterfully revealed by Gilligan, and the effect would have only been enhanced if you had spent the previous week on the edge of your seat waiting to hear it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So I ask you, where does Spoiler Orthodoxy end? If we've set ourselves down the road of affirmatively avoiding not just plot details but also information that the storyteller clearly wants us to know in advance, what stops us from simply rewriting the story itself to postpone plot reveals until<i> </i>we the audience want to hear them? David Chen has made the point repeatedly on TOWK that the "flash forward" sequences in this back-half of Season 5 undermine the potential tension that would otherwise be there. That is, if we know from the "flash forwards" that Walt is still alive on his 52nd birthday and his house is still standing (though abandoned and torn to pieces), then there's no chance at the end of "Confessions" that Jesse will succeed in either burning down the house or putting a bullet between Walt's eyes in the next episode. I don't disagree, but why not just fan-edit those scenes out to avoid the "spoilers" then? <i>Where does it end?</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
The Needs Of The Many ...</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I want to leave off with a counter-point to my own argument about honoring the storyteller's wishes regarding what is and isn't a "spoiler", and I say this to underscore the importance of "spoilers" in general when handled correctly. I mentioned above that the <i>Avengers</i> trailer gives away far too much, in my opinion, and I would've been well advised by someone who'd seen the finished product to avoid the trailer in this instance. On the flip-side, there is another good reason why we ought to ignore the storyteller's wishes when it comes to "spoilers", and it can be summed up in one word:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!</i></blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As I said above, "spoilers" are based on a pact between the storyteller and the audience, and to honor the pact, we ought to call out the storytellers that abuse the system simply as a marketing ploy. Case in point, during the production of <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>, J.J. Abrams <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/J-J-Abrams-Denies-Rumors-Khan-Star-Trek-Sequel-28175.html">explicitly denied rumors</a> that he would be casting someone to play the iconic villain Khan (thus paralleling the second entry in the original <i>Star Trek</i> movie franchise). Of course, many took J.J.s denial with a grain of salt because, come on, of course it was going to be Khan. Yet, <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/star-trek-into-darkness-what-did-you-think/">/Filmcast</a>, <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/star-trek-into-darkness,97838/">A.V. Club</a> and others dutifully obeyed J.J.'s wishes and treated the "big reveal" as a "spoiler" not to be revealed in advance. As acknowledged by /Filmcast, "the secrecy around the precise nature of the character played by Benedict Cumberbatch has been a big part of the marketing allure." Another way to say that is that the audience was sold a bill of goods.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The problem here is that the "spoiler" in question actually has no direct bearing on the movie itself. Khan's identity was as much a "spoiler" as whether the product placement of choice will be Coke or Pepsi. I know there those who <a href="https://medium.com/pop-of-culture/ceaf9faf5b1b">got a kick out of the big reveal regardless of the weakness in the plot</a>, but I agree with <a href="http://badassdigest.com/2013/05/21/is-the-identity-of-star-trek-into-darkness-villain-a-spoiler/">Badass Digest on this one</a>:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Because Khan’s identity means nothing to anyone in the movie and because the fact that who he is impacts the plot in almost no perceptible way, his reveal is by definition not a spoiler. The only way that Khan could reasonably be considered a spoiler is if you consider any easter egg, cameo or in-joke a spoiler, because within the context of the movie Khan is only an in-joke. His reveal has meaning only to the audience, and even then only to the specific subset of the audience who knows Khan’s importance in the canon.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm going to go one further, in fact, and say that there was a betrayal between the storyteller and the audience this time around. Playing up Cumberbatch's identity as a "spoiler" served principally to gin up interest and only tangentially as a plot point. It was first and foremost a gimmick based on taking advantage of <i>Star Trek</i> nostalgia without earning the big emotional pay-offs, as exposed in typically brilliant fashion by the folks at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Honest.Trailers">Honest Trailers</a>:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6B22Uy7SBe4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Though I will say that <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/status/336642494987124737">I was ahead of them on that "Old Spock" joke</a>.</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I believe that this is distinguishable from the promotional campaigns I cited above, in which the snippets revealed by the trailer created space for your imagination to take hold (for better or for worse when compared against the film itself). Here, by contrast, the storyteller lied to the audience and took advantage of the Spoiler Orthodoxy to create an air of mystery for its own sake, rather than in service of the story. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Needless to say, this is a subjective assessment, and I can't say with 100% certainty that I wish I'd known definitively that Cumberbatch was playing Khan before I saw the movie. However, it ought to give us pause when "spoilers" become mere marketing ploys rather than genuine storytelling tactics. When the Spoiler Orthodoxy is in full effect, however, and "spoilers" are declared indiscriminately without consideration of the storyteller's intent or its effect (positive or negative) on the viewing experience, it invites exactly this kind of abuse.</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-19392377005846870842013-08-29T02:56:00.000-04:002013-08-31T10:27:06.928-04:00The Time For Our Tears: Today's Other 50-Year AnniversaryThis is neither a political blog nor a "current events" blog. In fact, I very rarely write about cultural events as they're happening. But today I was struck by serendipity and felt compelled to write a few words about today's <em>other</em> big fifty year anniversary in American race relations. THE big anniversary is, of course, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UV1fs8lAbg">available in full here</a>), and it's received the due attention from the news media ... when they took a breather from <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/let-me-explain-why-miley-cyrus-vma-performance-was,33632/">reporting on Miley Cyrus's ass</a> that is. The <em>other</em> big anniversary came to my attention as I was shuffling through Bob Dylan songs on my iPod (for no particular reason) and stumbled upon this classic that I hadn't heard in years:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/UHd_3hTAFFU/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/UHd_3hTAFFU&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/UHd_3hTAFFU&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
Curious about the veracity of Dylan's lyrics, I googled "Zantzinger" for more background on the factual background behind this song. As it happens, I learned that <strong>the sentencing of</strong> <strong>William Zantzinger for the killing of Hattie Carroll, the event that inspired this song, occurred exactly fifty years ago today, August 28, 1963.</strong><br />
<br />
More below the fold ....<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Dylan's "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" tells the true story of wealthy white tobacco farmer Zantzinger who, on a drunken rant during a party, assaulted Carroll, a black hotel employee and mother of eleven children, with a toy cane over her perceived slowness in pouring him a drink. The blow from the cane coupled with the woman's agitated emotional state over Zantzinger's verbal abuse cost Carroll her life the next day. The story caught the attention of a 22-year old Dylan, who banged out the lyrics to "Lonesome Death" in a matter of days and began performing it live mere weeks after Zantzinger began his short stint in prison. It's been covered by many artists and it's a regular staple of his live performances to this day. It's always been one of my favorite Dylan songs for the searing simplicity of the lyrics and the haunting repetition of the chorus, teasing throughout that "now's not the time for your tears" as he recounts the details leading up to the trial, until the final sucker punch at the end -- the revelation that Zantzinger received a <em>six-month sentence</em> for Carroll's death -- when it <em>is</em> finally time for our tears.<br />
<br />
It was an incredibly coincidence that, on the very same day as this sentence came down, hundreds of thousands of people were gathered in D.C. to hear Dr. King give one of the most famous speeches in American history. Juxtaposed against the highest ideals of America's best intentions, encapsolated perfectly in the four simple words "I have a dream", was the thudding reality of America's structural shortcomings and deep-seated injustices. Perhaps what is most amazing is that Dylan's brutal takedown of Zantzinger (which haunted the man till his death in 2009) missed one of the most disturbing, telling details of the whole affair -- that is, among the reasons for Zantzinger's shortened sentence was the court's concern that if he went to state instead of county prison (which a longer sentence would've necessitated), <em>his life would have been at risk from the animosity of the other black prison inmates there.</em> This is according to <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2004/11/legacy-lonesome-death-bob-dylan-hattie-carroll">a 2004 article by Ian Frazier at <strong>Mother Jones</strong> magazine available here</a> -- an excellent piece upon which I rely heavily for this post.<br />
<br />
Given the starkness of this juxtoposition and all it says about the context in which Dr. King gave his speech, I'm surprised that I've been unable to find any articles out today about Zantzinger's sentencing or Dylan's song. I highly recommend the <strong>Mother Jones</strong> article linked above, and there are certainly other writings out there exploring the cultural impact of "Lonesome Death" (such as <a href="http://www.itukforum.co.uk/Thread-Fifty-Years-Later-Hattie-Carroll%E2%80%99s-Death-Remembered">this article posted a few months ago on a UK website</a>, and <a href="http://www.planetslade.com/hattie-carroll.html">this lengthy piece by Paul Slade, which I have not yet read</a>). For purposes of this blog, I will just leave with this observation on the power of art: Whatever else Dr. King brought to the table in terms of strength of character, dedication to the cause, and perserverence against the odds, the man had a way with words. "I have a dream." That speech sings. It sings like the incredible cadence of Dylan's lyrics:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
That sailed through the air and came down through the room, </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger.</blockquote>
Righteousness and moral fortitude will only get you so far if you don't know how to package the message in a way that captures the heart as well as the head.<br />
<br />
I believe there is an element of jadedness in contemporary culture, a readiness to mock celebrity tribute songs or artists trying too hard to write something "important." Folks like me grew up with the <span id="goog_1879673457"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/">"Very Special Episode"<span id="goog_1879673458"></span></a> phenomenon of 1980s prime time television, and we know PSA's are all bullshit. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3m4N9iOQI">"The more you know"</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3vrFIulGNk">"knowing is half the battle"</a>, <a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/musicians-for-free-range-chickens/n10072/">"let the chickens be free!"</a> Personally, I'd cringe at the thought of some 22 year old trying to grab fame with a lyrical indictment of George Zimmerman or some other "pulled from the headlines" affair. Yet, this cynism (well deserved though it may be given some of truly horrible "political" artistic statements out there) shouldn't keep us from recognizing when medium and message converge into something powerful, something that captures a moment and gives us an ideal to strive towards (or a cold slap in the face over our failures along the way).futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-15142008085720585652013-08-25T23:01:00.001-04:002013-08-25T23:05:37.437-04:00Batman Isn't James Bond (Or, At Least, He Doesn't Have To Be)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRg3kSqmjx-MfDHoSvEBeKBl6eBvmRhPaZBzDE3fNG94h9fJ5uJd5yAHwNsaD3WydyB_nEWyYL5s7cTTxl2xVAnPxmVgk2UG4N28f_Yuqroivof7mtc85C0FhDYbHnNh-TEJTm9Lnu5Cg/s1600/bonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRg3kSqmjx-MfDHoSvEBeKBl6eBvmRhPaZBzDE3fNG94h9fJ5uJd5yAHwNsaD3WydyB_nEWyYL5s7cTTxl2xVAnPxmVgk2UG4N28f_Yuqroivof7mtc85C0FhDYbHnNh-TEJTm9Lnu5Cg/s1600/bonds.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unlike <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/adambvary/ben-affleck-is-the-new-batman">a lot of people out there on the interwebs</a>, I don't have much to say about the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman for the upcoming <b>Man of Steel </b>sequel. Personally, I would've been more excited by the prospect of Bryan Cranston trading in his Heisenberg hat for the Dark Knight cowl (as previously rumored before he was <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/24/bryan-cranston-confirmed-to-play-lex-luthor-in-batmanman-of-steel-3936111/">apparently cast as Lex Luthor instead</a>), but honestly I found Snyder's Superman reboot to be <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-i-hear-when-i-hear-people-defend.html">such an incoherent mess</a> that it's hard to care about the follow-up (whether "vs. Batman" or not). That said, I find the reaction of the fanbase to the casting news to be excessive, but not for the usual reasons given by the cynics (<i>i.e.</i> "<a href="https://twitter.com/BrianWCollins/status/370950337823121408">Grow up fanboys</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/ctonigraham/status/371482330906378243">it's just a f*cking movie</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahLovrien/status/370962874555838464">and don't you know there are real problems in the world?</a>"). The problem I have with all the nerd-rage has to do with the assumptions we make about comic book franchises, which is sadly encouraged by the way Warner Bros. treats its D.C. properties.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
In short, Batman and Superman movies are always constructed in the "franchise" mold premised on shoehorning movies into a single "universe" rather than experimenting with standalone movies that would free up writers and directors from the shackles of continuity. This is only going to get worse as Warner Bros. does their damnedest to catch up with Marvel's "Phases." It also means that when Bat-fleck was announced, it didn't effect <i>just</i> <b>Man of Steel 2 - Manner of Steeler</b>, it also meant that we'll likely be stuck with him for a whole series of movies. (For example, Cranston was apparently signed for <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/24/bryan-cranston-confirmed-to-play-lex-luthor-in-batmanman-of-steel-3936111/">"a minimum of six films which could extend to ten"</a> - that's insane!) Obviously, they could always replace Affleck before the inevitable <b>Justice League</b> movie -- just ask Edward Norton. But whatever <i>version</i> of Batman will appear in <b>2 Man of 2 Steel</b> will almost certainly be the version of Batman that sticks around as long as Warner Bros. can maintain its current "DC cinematic universe."<br />
<br />
And that's where I think things have taken a wrong turn.<br />
<br />
The approach Warner Bros. has taken to Batman-on-film over the past few decades has a rough similarity to the <b>Bond</b> franchise. With the odd exception of 1983, when James "<b>Octopussy</b>" Bond faced off against James "<b>Never Say Never Again</b>" Bond in theaters, there has only ever been <i>one</i> Bond at any given time. Sure, they've done soft and hard reboots of the franchise - most recently the latter in the case of <b>Casino Royale </b>(which, appropriately enough, drew comparisons with <b>Batman Begins</b> for re-envisioning the character by starting over from scratch). But when a new Bond is announced, it's done with great fanfare and the expectation of many, many Bond films to follow in a straight, canonical line within the same cinematic universe. (<b>Dr. Who</b> is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23570354">another good example of this phenomenon</a>.)<br />
<br />
But why constrain yourself this way when you have such a rich character as Batman? Why not follow the example of Batman in the comics? DC currently has <a href="http://www.comicvine.com/profile/the_poet/lists/current-batman-series-list/20697"><i>fourteen</i> separate Batman-related comics titles ongoing</a>, each operating within a distinct universe having its own continuity. Warner Bros. has followed a similar model on TV, with at least four distinct Batman cartoons in wildly different styles and directed to different age groups and demographics.<br />
<br />
So why not approach Batman on the big screen in the same manner? Stop following in Marvel's footsteps and tread your own path, Warner Bros! Give David Simon (or Vince Gilligan) a modest budget to do <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotham_Central">a grounded, gritty Gotham Central movie</a>. Let Brad Bird go nuts with <a href="http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Batman_Family">an off-the-wall Bat-family movie (complete with Bat-Mite)</a> appropriate for all ages. Hell, let Guillermo Del Toro adapt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_versus_Predator">"Batman vs. Predator."</a> Show us <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elseworlds">Elseworlds</a> that are self-contained in single, memorable, inventive movies and cast whoever the hell you want as the Caped Crusaders.</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-66395332975291861572013-08-19T21:13:00.000-04:002013-08-21T04:42:51.525-04:00Who Would've Thought Giant Robots Fighting Space Monsters Could Be Subtle?<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpW__zyWNqrxuGwHRU0Pxnr3rTYVCuML_pZ2GHdR12EriJiki-8qin5l5vw_kofH0rc7lj1w91raksqO-E7232ef-T19GWWCs4zXIe81klxfweTyCZfFRIVK_jfAqmXz4aVsiI_M_q-I/s1600/PC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpW__zyWNqrxuGwHRU0Pxnr3rTYVCuML_pZ2GHdR12EriJiki-8qin5l5vw_kofH0rc7lj1w91raksqO-E7232ef-T19GWWCs4zXIe81klxfweTyCZfFRIVK_jfAqmXz4aVsiI_M_q-I/s1600/PC.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
While I haven't fully given up on this year's crop of summer's blockbusters (not with <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Wolverine</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650554/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Kick-Ass 2</a></strong> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213663/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4"><b>The </b><strong>World's End</strong></a> still to be seen), I do believe this is the most disappointing summer I can recall -- at least for the major studio flicks. <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Iron Man 3</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770828/?ref_=sr_1">Man of Steel</a></strong> both disappointed to degrees I just hadn't anticipated beforehand, as I discuss briefly <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/05/well-which-iron-man-was-i-watching.html">here</a> and <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-i-hear-when-i-hear-people-defend.html">here</a>, respectively. One of the few bright spots, discounting the better of the non-blockbuster movies I've seen, was the non-franchise, non-sequel, non-reboot <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Pacific Rim</a></strong>. I'll admit that I had little to no hope in this film going into it, despite having had a good enough time with Guillermo del Toro's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167190/?ref_=sr_1">films</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411477/">in</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187738/">the</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/">past</a>. But after a year of so many <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4">overlong</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535108/?ref_=sr_1">overwrought</a> (yet simultaneously <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/?ref_=sr_1">small-minded</a>) special effects blowouts, <strong>Pacific Rim</strong> was surprisingly streamlined and effective by comparison.<br />
<br />
Superficially a single-premise film (<em>i.e.</em> Space Monsters vs. Giant Robots), the movie also delivered a stealth message that I was surprised to find
afterward received almost no attention from film critics. I don't have much to say about the movie's
artistic merits here, but I thought the reaction (or lack thereof) from so many
critics to the movie's obvious subtext says something interesting about what
contemporary moviegoers expect from a "message" movie, as opposed to a fun summer blockbuster.</div>
<br />
While <strong>Pacific Rim</strong> has few spoilable moments, I will give you the standard issue "spoiler warning" regardless and continue this discussion below the fold.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
So let's get the "spoiler" right out of the way -- the <em>kaiju</em> (that is, the giant space monsters) who menace the world of <strong>Pacific Rim</strong> are the direct result of global warming. This isn't some stretch of the imagination on my part. The movie is actually quite
explicit about it, as explained by the mad scientist played by Charlie Day:<br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/quotes?ref_=tt_ql_3">Dr. Newton Geiszler</a>:</strong> These beings, these masters, they're colonists. They overtake worlds, they just...they just consume them and then they-they move on to the next. And they've been here before, as sort of a trial run. It was the dinosaurs, but the atmosphere wasn't conducive, right? So they waited it out, and they waited it out. <em><strong>And now, you know, with the ozone, the pollution, the carbon monoxide, polluted waters...well we practically terraformed it for them.</strong></em> Cause now they're coming back, and it's perfect.</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
And there it is. In fact, even if
you disregard that bit of exposition, the movie sets up the metaphor pretty
clearly. The <i>kaiju </i>emerge from a hole in the ozone layer - wait, I mean, from <i>an inter-dimensional rift</i> in the ocean floor - and are always accompanied on screen by a massive hurricane-like storm.
At first, these oceanic attacks arrive sporadically and seemingly at
random, but with time they become increasing frequent and predictable. They strike the coasts first and take a major
toll on coastal cities, forcing the population to move inland, while the
more affluent move to higher ground to escape the rising waters - I mean, to escape the
<i>kaiju</i>. The nations quickly learn that they must work together and develop a global strategy to combat the menace head-on, lest the increasing <i>kaiju</i> attacks render the planet uninhabitable for humans.<br />
<br />
Perhaps it comes from living
through Hurricane Sandy and hearing <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-reese-halter/hurricanes-the-new-normal_b_2026811.html">stark warnings that hurricanes destroying the coastline will become the "new normal" for New York and other coastal cities</a>, but as far as I'm concerned, the imagery in <b>Pacific Rim</b> had all the subtlety of Godzilla attacking Tokyo after World War II. But then, subtext can be a funny thing. Quintin Tarantino described watching audiences slap their foreheads dumbfounded at the discussion of <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024216/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">King Kong</a></b> in <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/?ref_=sr_1">Inglourious Bastards</a></b>, realizing for the first time that the iconic Hollywood monster romp
was clearly a metaphor for the slave trade and - in Tarantino's words - <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112286584">"America's fear of the black male"</a>:<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ecc5asi0v3k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Of course, at no point in <b>King Kong</b> do the plot or the characters every directly invoke the slave trade or directly discuss race relations in the United States. By way of comparison, <b>King Kong</b>'s Japanese cousin <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047034/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">Godzilla</a></b> was quite explicit that the giant lizard symbolized the nuclear assaults on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. during World War II, as reflected in the following bits of dialogue:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0847361/?ref_=tt_trv_qu">Dr. Serizawa</a>: Ogata, if the oxygen destroyer is used even once, politicians from around the world will see it. Of course, they'll want to use it as a weapon. Bombs versus bombs, missiles versus missiles, and now a new superweapon to throw upon us all! As a scientist - no, as a human being - I can't allow that to happen! Am I right?<br />
<div class="quote soda even" id="qt0135981">
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0793766/?ref_=tt_trv_qu">Kyohei Yamane-hakase</a>: I can't believe that Godzilla was the only surviving member of its species... But if we continue conducting nuclear tests... it's possible that another Godzilla might appear somewhere in the world again</div>
</blockquote>
For obvious reasons, <b>Godzilla</b> has been a <a href="http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/07/pacific-rim-review-guillermo-del-toro-makes-godzilla-meets-transformers.html">frequent</a> <a href="http://www.movies.com/movie-reviews/pacific-rim-review/dave-white/m68246">point</a> <a href="http://www.cinemalogue.com/2013/07/12/pacific-rim/">of</a> <a href="http://arts.nationalpost.com/2013/07/11/pacific-rim-reviewed-guillermo-del-toros-carefully-crafted-monsters-and-robots-make-up-for-a-slapdash-story/">comparison</a>
for <b>Pacific Rim</b>. Yet, I've heard the
same critics who name-drop <b>Godzilla</b> as a point of reference <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/ep-236-pacific-rim-guest-laremy-legel-author-of-film-critic/">explicitly deny that Pacific Rim has any similar subtext at play</a>. (Or, <a href="http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/07/pacific-rim-review-guillermo-del-toro-makes-godzilla-meets-transformers.html">as one website put it</a>, "Dumb movies like this don't invite much analysis.")<br />
<br />
Certainly, plenty of
critics have pointed out the movie's anti-"global warming" message,
but typically as <a href="http://www.movies.com/movie-reviews/pacific-rim-review/dave-white/m68246">a throw-away observation</a>.
I've only seen a few articles explore the issue with any depth -- the first was
<a href="http://godawa.com/movieblog/pacific-rim-global-warming-causes-godzilla/">a rant by a hard right-winger</a> who considered the movie to be blatant liberal
propaganda (except the part about nuclear power saving the day, he loved that
part, go figure), the second was <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/10/1230412/-Pacific-Rim-Hollywood-s-subtlest-Liberal-Propaganda-of-2013">a rant by a hard left-winger</a> who also
considered the movie to be blatant liberal propaganda (<i>i.e.</i> the good kind of
propaganda), and the third was <a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/07/12/199109601/pacific-overture-the-apocalypse-off-to-a-bang-up-start">from NPR</a> (which I'll call the middle ground, but I know opinions differ on that.<br />
<br />
This lack of attention is unfortunate because the subtext here is pretty rich if you're willing to explore it. Consider this -- as the quotes from <b>Godzilla</b> above make clear, that movie hammers home the perspective that nuclear testing would have potentially catastrophic consequences that we simply couldn't foresee. Now, over half a century later, a movie about monsters emerging from the ocean to attack Japan <i>ends</i> with the detonation of a nuclear device in order to seal the fissure from which the monsters emerged. And what's more, the detonation occurs thanks to the collaborative efforts of the United States and Japan. Setting aside the more simplistic view that del Toro is promoting nuclear power to solve our climate crisis, we're left with the strong message that "global warming" will not be solved without global cooperation and the willingness to consider new perspectives that may challenge our old presumptions. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoBodyText">
This is a pretty straightforward analysis of the movie that doesn't require any wild theorizing or reading between the lines. So why have so many critics avoided discussing the
"global warming" subtext of this movie? I have a few theories about that ...<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
9/11 Tunnel-Vision</h3>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br />
If there's one thing a contemporary movie critic can spot
a mile away, <a href="http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/06/the-echoes-of-911-in-man-of-steel.html">it's a 9/11 metaphor</a>. Basically any time <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/11/avengers-hollywood-afraid-tackle-9-11">a building collapses</a>, <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2005-06-30-war-of-worlds-911_x.htm">people run from a dust cloud</a>, or <a href="http://catecinem.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/bay-v-malick/">things explode for any reason whatsoever</a>, we
remember 9/11. That's both completely
understandable and increasingly annoying.
Not every alien invasion, natural disaster or on-screen explosion is a reference to 9/11. Aside from being generally myopic, the insistence on construing every movie released since 2011 as a 9/11 metaphor also necessarily exposes an American-centric cultural bias. </div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
As "global" an event as 9/11 was (and is), plenty of disasters have befallen the peoples of the world since that day, and with far greater death tolls to boot. It makes as much as sense at this point to speak of "post-9/11" cinema as it does to consider "post-Indian Ocean tsunami" cinema, or "post-Arab Spring" cinema, etc. etc. Yet, amazingly, only in the past few months (and almost two years since 9/11 celebrated its 10th anniversary) have we heard <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/06/hollywood-blockbusters-cant-stop-evoking-911.html">the major Hollywood trades wonder out loud</a> whether it's even "<i>possible</i> to make a Hollywood blockbuster without evoking 9/11." Yes, Hollywood, yes it is possible. But only if we stop assuming that every movie ever made is speaking directly to us as Americans, and that, sometimes, when aliens attack <i>the World</i>, they're not necessarily attacking<i> </i>one specific block in Manhattan.</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<b>Pacific Rim</b> isn't the first movie to feature the destruction of a non-American city since 9/11, nor is it the first movie in which nations were forced to collaborate to confront a global threat to humanity. But it may be the first Hollywood blockbuster of this scale to utilize so many potentially 9/11-esque images in the service of a metaphor that has nothing to do with 9/11. And I suspect that the combination of using 9/11 branded imagery and a plot that did not center on American interests (or American solutions) threw more than a few critics off the scent.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
"GLOBAL WARMING IS COMING, EVERYBODY RUN!!!"</h3>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br />
Another reason that <b>Pacific Rim</b> may have hit a critical blind spot is the recent memory of truly terrible "message movies" that highlighted the threat of global warming. While <b>An Inconvenient Truth</b> received positive enough buzz, the stench surrounding <b>The Day After Tomorrow</b> and <b>The Happening</b> (none of which I've seen in full) lingers to this day. The fact of the matter is that representing global warming on screen is a challenge for conventional Hollywood blockbusters. The impact of rising C02 levels is a gradual one and its effects are not always obvious on the surface. In fact, it's practically a "butterfly effect", in which cargo trucks driving across Nebraska and cattle grazing in Brazil have <i>something</i> to do with rising tides in the Philippines, but it takes a PhD to piece together exactly why that is. The indirect relationship between our industrialized lifestyle and a single-digit (yet devastating) rise in global temperatures can be hard to grasp, let alone to cast opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in a heart-pounding thriller directed by Roland Emmerich.</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<i><b>South Park</b></i> <a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s09e08-two-days-before-the-day-after-tomorrow">memorably decimated the foolishness of <b>The Day After Tomorrow</b></a> in an episode featuring - among other related gags - the good townspeople of South Park literally <i>running from </i>"global warming" as if it were a pack of wolves ready to pounce. As with most of the better episodes of the series, the satire works on multiple levels. If you're a "global warming skeptic", it perfectly mocked the hysteria that movies like <b>The Day After Tomorrow</b> played upon. On another level, the episode also effectively mocked Hollywood's poor grasp on the actual science of global warming, as well as its tendency to dumb down complex issues into three-act punch lines. (And that's before we talk about the absurdity of Mark Wahlberg running in terror from a murderous breeze in <b>The Happening</b>. If nature functioned even remotely on the level that M. Night Shymalan expected us to accept, we'd have been screwed a long time ago.) </div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
This sledgehammer approach to storytelling - while excellent fodder for satire - has left "message movies" with a terrible (if well-earned) reputation. In that respect, disregarding <b>Pacific Rim</b>'s "global warming" subtext may be less the result of a critical blind spot than it is a unconscious effort to avoid lumping a fun, enjoyable movie in the same category with such thuddingly dumb movie fair as "Marky Mark Vs. Killer Wind."<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Pacific Rim Is Fun And "Message Movies" Aren't
Fun!</h3>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br />
So maybe, at the end of the day, the fact that critics haven't fixated on the moral subtext of the film is a complement of sorts that <b>Pacific Rim</b> isn't another idiotic movie in the same vein as the travesties discussed above. I'm not the type of person who considers "escapism" a bad thing as far as entertainment goes. Yet, like a tree falling in the woods, one has to wonder
whether a movie with such a clear interest in global warming has missed the mark if the audience would rather discuss discuss the special effects than the subtext.</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pacific_rim_2013/reviews/#">Over and over again</a>, the dominant consensus among critics seems to be that <b>Pacific Rim</b> is "big dumb entertainment" that doesn't ask anything from the audience but to sit back and enjoy. (<a href="http://www.newsreview.com/reno/monster-mash/content?oid=10668420">"It's stupid but I liked it,"</a> sums it up well.) There's nothing wrong with that as far as two hours of entertainment goes, but it seems to promote the false narrative that "fun" movies should steer clear of politics.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
I understand the impulse <i>not </i>to focus on <b>Pacific Rim</b>'s political subtext. On the one hand,
when a movie is compartmentalized as a "message movie", it's easier
to write it off as preachy and/or politically biased.
It's true that this is exactly the strategy used by critics and politicians when they disagree with a movie's message and hope to tank its box office receipts. (Not that political protests have a proven track record in actually impacting a movie's success or failure.) On the other hand, by drawing a hard line between "message movies" and "pure, dumb
summer fun movies", we're disregarding the most effective use of metaphors in movies -- <i>i.e.</i> the kind that don't <i>have</i> to lecture at us to get their point across.</div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
I can't blame people if they'd rather not enter a political debate when all they want is to see a giant robot wrestle a space monster off the coast of Japan.. Still, it's unfortunate that we seem so eager to distinguish between "movies with something important to say" and "movies worth watching for the fun of it." </div>
</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-447509196430085492013-08-11T20:23:00.003-04:002013-08-11T20:23:56.867-04:00Watching the Pot Boil: Reflections on Breaking Bad and Long-Form FictonThe final eight episodes of <b><em>Breaking Bad</em></b> begin this week, bringing with them the promise of a massive payoff that's been five years in the making. Series-creator Vince Gilligan has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_Bad">summed up the show</a> as one simple concept, the transformation of <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye,_Mr._Chips">Mr. Chips</a></b> into <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086250/?ref_=sr_1">Scarface</a> </b>(that is, the transformation of a over-the-hill chemist teacher into a meth-dealing kingpin). While it's true that Gilligan's meth-dealing epic is part of trend of hyper-masculine, antihero character studies that followed in the <b><em>Sopranos</em>'</b> wake, <em><strong>Breaking Bad</strong></em>'s singular focus, cohesion and discipline of storytelling is deserving of special attention. So much of modern culture seems to play out like a reverse-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_marshmallow_experiment">"Stanford marshmallow experiment"</a>, promising maximum for those who refuse to wait. At the risk of sounding like the kids are on my yard again, I have to give props to TV that fully realizes the potential of the medium -- long-form fiction that breathes, takes its time and pays off only when the time is right.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course, quality is quality and any style or genre done right is worth watching. All that said, when a creative work bucks the trend in all the right ways, it's worth standing up and taking note. It's a big world and there's room for instant gratification alongside the long, slow payoffs. But <em><strong>Breaking Bad</strong></em>'s narrative successes also say something about the ways so much of modern culture fails to nail the landing. (Before I say anything more, here's your spoiler warning for <b>Star Wars</b>, the <b>Iron Man</b> movies, <b>Man of Steel</b>, <b>Looper</b>, <b>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</b>, <b>Twilight</b>, <b>True Blood</b>, <strong>Treme</strong>, and - of course - <b>Breaking Bad </b>through the fourth season.)</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a name='more'></a> </div>
<h3>
Wait for it ...</h3>
<div>
<br />
I was recently listening to the surprisingly engaging <strong><a href="http://www.starwarsminute.com/">"Star Wars Minute"</a></strong> podcast, which - true to its name - dissects the <strong>Star Wars</strong> movies, one minute at a time, with an unheard-of level of detail and reflection. They recently covered the minute in which Han Solo takes out the bounty hunter Greedo by shooting him point blank under the table. This iconic moment of badassery was utterly and ludicrously neutered by George Lucas in the Special Edition version of <strong>Episode IV</strong> because, as the SWM folks recount, Lucas didn't want the first impression of his famous space scoundrel to be a cold-blooded murderer. Another way to put this is that Lucas didn't want to try the audience's patience with all the hassle of a story arc. Han Solo has to be Han Solo from the very first scene, and any character <i>development</i> may confuse the audience.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This example is low-hanging fruit. You'll be hard pressed to find non-ironic defenders of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_shot_first">"Greedo Shot First"</a> edit. But it also reflects an impatience evident throughout so much of our culture. Our heroes come prepackaged with all their heroic qualities evident from the very first scene. Character developments are thin and superficial at best. So Tony Stark starts out in the first <b>Iron Man</b> as a rich, sexy, over-confident and highly capable weapons industralist. After a series of near-death experiences, Stark ends the movie as a rich, sexy, over-confident and highly capable weapons industrialist with a super suit. (Oh, and now he's monogamous.) As I've noted before, the <b>Iron Man</b> movies in particular have <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/05/well-which-iron-man-was-i-watching.html">a sneaky way of repeating themselves</a>; though, they're hardly unique in this respect. On the DC-side of the line, Superman barely fared any better in this last go-around. The <strong>Man of Steel</strong> begins his arc as a reluctant hero compelled to rescue his fellow Smallville-ians despite the mixed messages of his father figure(s) ... and he ends the film as a reluctant hero compelled to rescue his fellow Americans despite the mixed messages of his father figure(s). (Oh, and now he has a job and a girlfriend.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The very first thing you see in the first first scene of <em><strong>Breaking Bad</strong></em> is a confession by Walter White, a sad, broken, hapless high school chemistry teacher, who experimented with meth production in a desperate bid to leave some money behind for his family after getting a cancer diagnosis. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/erZqsV5UJpM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Flash forward five years and we get the following promo for the final season ... Walter White as Ozymandias, conqueror of worlds:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/T3dpghfRBHE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You don't get from point A to point B in a single scene or even a single season. This is not a prepackaged, static character with all his badassery in full display from his first appearance. In fact, odds were that we'd never get to see Mr. Chips become Scarface if the ratings didn't justify renewing the show year after year. It took the kind of gamble that had once led Lucas to give us a whiny, petulant farm boy who'd only one day (and a full two movies later) show the confidence and competence of a Jedi Master. It also took the gamble of letting your (anti-)hero spend a little time being less than (anti-)heroic.</div>
<div>
<br />
Which brings me to my next point.<br />
</div>
<h3>
"Everything Awesome All Of The Time"(tm)</h3>
<div>
<br />
I like Joss Whedon, I really do. And I say this with love for his work: When absolutely every line of dialoge is a "zinger", it can get exhausting. More than that, even, it's just not true to life. Yes, it's fun when <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch3X5WrhwGM">every</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYr0HMz7SeI">person</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeNQAPaw3uo">on</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZk8A8xqEVI">screen</a> is witty, but real life has its dull moments, too. (I don't have it in me to call out Whedon any more than that, so here's a clip tearing sub-Whedonite Diablo Cody a new one instead.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/qjcDNRZNuwE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Of course, Whedon's skill at integrating large personalities together with sharp, rapid-fire dialogue made him an ideal fit for <strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/?ref_=sr_2">Avengers</a></strong>, but in a way, that just underscores the problem with storytelling that insists on everything being awesome all of the time. <br />
<br />
There can be no question that this is the greatest time in cinema history to be a geek. No fanboy on the planet would've dared to hope ten years ago that an Avengers film could get made -- let alone <em>after</em> a successful string of <strong>Iron Man</strong>, <strong>Hulk</strong>, <strong>Thor</strong> and <strong>Captain America</strong> films. But today, all those assumptions have flipped on their heads. Not only is a trilogy of <strong>Avengers</strong> films a foregone conclusion, but you can't mention Superman without entering a protracted discussion of <em>when</em> (not <em>if</em>) Warner Bros. will get off their ass and make that <strong>Justice League</strong> movie. We're like the kids that just discovered a trunk full of their parents' toys in the attic, running around on a sugar high playing G.I. Joe versus Masters of the Universe versus dinoasurs versus Barbie. The special effects are there, the audience is there, and sky is no limit at all. (And by the way, <a href="http://www.movieweb.com/news/g-i-joe-3-moves-forward-at-paramount">that third <strong>G.I. Joe</strong> movie</a> is in the works with <a href="http://collider.com/jon-chu-masters-of-the-universe-movie/"><strong>He-Man</strong>'s latest debut</a> close on its heels.) The floodgates have open, and now it seems that every "awesome" idea is just waiting in line for the greenlight.<br />
<br />
Superman sequel? <a href="http://screenrant.com/batman-vs-superman-movie-batman-age-actor/">Add a Batman</a>! Vampire movie? <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/?ref_=sr_1">Add</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/?ref_=sr_4">some</a> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844441/?ref_=sr_1">warewolves</a>!! Time travel story? Add telekensis!!! A good story is a good story, but I've been baffled lately at some of the storytelling choices I've seen lately. <strong>Looper</strong> in particular sticks out. It's a fine enough movie, and I won't go so far as to say it doesn't <em>work</em>. But was it really necessary in telling a time travel story to add in the third act a dramatic plot twist concerning an entirely different sci-fi concept (<em>i.e.</em> a telekinetic sociopath)? It just strikes me that the sugar rush of recent years has metastasized into a saturation of corn syrup-latent moviemaking, in which every scene needs an explosion, every line of dialogue needs a zinger, and a single novel concept for a movie just isn't enough. It all seems part-and-parcel of the instant gratification impulse. Now that we know we can have desert (for example, a successful <strong>Avengers</strong> movie after six years of prepwork), we want everything we eat to come with a thick layer of icing on top.<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Breaking Bad</strong></em> isn't awesome all the time. The second season in particular includes a slog of episodes in the first half that are often listless, seemingly aimless, and devoid of any real high mark or action beat. (That's my recollection at least.) Walter seemed to be out of the meth business and the dullness threatened to drive away friends of mine who expressed their growing disinsterest despite my growing plea that the third and fourth seasons were not to be missed. And then, just as you might start to think about dropping the show entirely, this happens ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6H5fL6WCf9Y?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
I must have spent ten minutes pumping my fist in the air chanting "HEISENBERG!" when this scene finally dropped. And you know what? The show completely earned it. It gave us a plate of spinach to digest and only <em>then</em> hit us with a fudge-drenched sundae with a cherry on top. Long-form storytelling can pay off in ways that serialized, short-form simply cannot, and in the right hands, those high marks pay off in ways that make every slow moment worth it.<br />
</div>
<h3>
Setting The Stage Right</h3>
<div>
<br />
Besides the emotional release long-form storytelling provides, it also provides a platform to introduce new ideas with all due attention to detail. I've been focusing so far on movies and TV shows that miss the mark by comparison, but in this case, I want to praise another show that also knows how to take advantage of the medium. <strong><em>Treme</em></strong> is known to frustrate viewers with its pacing, with story arcs that can feel glacial with little in the way of resolution. It's a character study of a <em>city</em>, and cities tend not to have pronounced character arcs. But what it lacks in climaxes it makes up in depth (and then some). It's the patience and attention to characters like Steve Zahn's David McAlary that make him the perfect vehicle to introduce the audience to New Orleans' musical underbelly.<br />
<br />
McAlary is a DJ and uabashed devotee of the Big Easy. He's the type of fanatic who couldn't tell you when Preservaton Hall opened but knows every working musician in town, and every bar worth stopping at after night falls. Over the course of three seasons, we see time and again that he's done his homework and he knows New Orleans' music scene backwards and forwads (and he loves every note of it). It's the time we spend getting to know him, his unabashed love of the city and its music that makes the scene in which he introduces his aunt to Bounce music make perfect sense, without feeling the slightest bit exploitive or cheap:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/iMn3UupFx_8/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/iMn3UupFx_8&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/iMn3UupFx_8&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
Readers of this blog will know <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/08/no-seattle-audience-wasnt-aggressively.html">I had this scene heavy on the mind</a> over the past week after the flat reception <strong>Big Freedia</strong> (featured in the clip above) received when she opened for <strong>Postal Service</strong> in Seattle last month. As a friend pointed out after reading that post, there's a lot to be said about the dynamics that go into introducing new genres and art forms to an audience -- all of that lost on <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">the absurd, hysterical response from some out there</a> at the alleged "racism" of those who didn't instantly fall in love with Big Freedia. Besides the fact that, on the one hand, Big Freedia's decision to open before a soft, electro-pop band <a href="http://constitutionalstudies.blogspot.com/2013/08/twerking-and-le-difference.html">may have accomplished the artist's goal if it managed to "shock" the audience</a>, it's also true that some ideas require the proper context to be accessible to the audience.<br />
<br />
It's the same instant gratification impulse that says otherwise, that we should all be expected to embrace every new idea immediately upon viewing (and, if we don't, we must be small-minded or worse). Long-form storytelling is the antedote to that false assumption. Walter White's ascension from relucatant meth cook in season one to global drug kingpin in season five could <em>not </em>have happened in the space of a YouTube clip. It couldn't be conveyed in an episode, not at least with an ounce of the power and satisfaction of a five-season arc that was willing to take its time. <br />
<br />
Again, this shouldn't be mistaken simply with praising the show for the <em>quality</em> of its writing, or its actors, or its editing or music or production values -- all of which are top notch, but that's besides the point. The point is that our culture, our TV sets and our theaters ought to have room for both sugar-laden instant gratification <em>as well as </em>long-form storytelling that asks us to eat our spinach first. I cannot wait for these final eight episode, and if you haven't been watching <strong><em>Breaking Bad</em></strong> yet, get ready to do your homework. Because the payoff (so far at least) has been worth the wait.</div>
</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-88702630874054448322013-08-05T01:18:00.003-04:002013-08-05T01:44:55.646-04:00No, The Seattle Audience Wasn't "Aggressively Displeased" By Big Freedia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVcdvV0921vL416iV2XLObz7wlpWL0AoFfhQu1YwU-G2ykZYW-Qgd_BKKGO3RLzKYP7ZkpF2BzHZAGB0F5MVKXVTl5MhGaX9ptQWRmD22kLy_cr30vq7Ah2mnFbZdw2CHTp-ULHWmbdY/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVcdvV0921vL416iV2XLObz7wlpWL0AoFfhQu1YwU-G2ykZYW-Qgd_BKKGO3RLzKYP7ZkpF2BzHZAGB0F5MVKXVTl5MhGaX9ptQWRmD22kLy_cr30vq7Ah2mnFbZdw2CHTp-ULHWmbdY/s1600/Picture+1.png" height="100" width="320" /></a></div>
I recently moved to Seattle from New York, and my new hometown gave me a great welcoming present -- a well-timed concert by <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-postal-service/id2522312?uo=4">The Postal Service</a> at the KeyArena. I was surprised to see that they were playing such a large venue, being a one-off side project of Ben Gibbard that had released only a single album a decade ago. (It made a little more sense to me that they had played the Barclays Center in New York, where even small up-and-coming acts will often play large venues even if they're otherwise playing in dive bars when they tour cross-country.) Unsurprisingly, much of the arena was empty the night of July 18th, and so the opening act carried the significant burden of trying to fill an 18-thousand capacity space with maybe 18 hundred attendees trickling in. This is the context in which it seems many Seattlites (myself included, if I may adopt my new home town's moniker) were introduced to one particularly spunky opening act who goes by the drag personae <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/big-freedia/id351297032?uo=4">Big Freedia</a>.<br />
<br />
For those of you who haven't heard of Big Freedia before either, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Freedia">the Wikipedia summary</a> is that she's "an American musician known for work in New Orleans genre of hip hop called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounce_music">bounce music</a>." For those of you who haven't heard of "bounce music" before, here was my introduction to "bounce" (and, unbeknownst to me at the time, to the Queen Diva herself) from the HBO not-really-a-hit series <b><i>Treme</i></b>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/iMn3UupFx_8/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/iMn3UupFx_8&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/iMn3UupFx_8&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
You might notice that the scene takes place in a loud, crowded bar packed with sweaty people getting their groove on -- <i>i.e.</i> <i>not</i> in a 18k-capacity arena that's 90% empty but for a few stragglers having their first sip of beer after getting off of work. Some of those stragglers were less enthralled by Big Freedia and her three booty-shaking consorts on stage, and they took to Twitter to make their opinions known. This sliver of a reaction proved to be the spark that set off a small firestorm of criticism from one Katie Ryder, who's <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">brutal take-down of "the white audiences" that "aggressive[ly]" responded to Big Freedia allegedly because they felt "confront[ed]" by Big Freedia's "transgress[ion] into a physical room of whiteness"</a> was recently published on <a href="http://salon.com/">Salon.com</a>.<br />
<br />
I'm here to say "balderdash!" Balderdash, I say! Aside from extrapolating to a ridiculous degree the reaction of a handful of the Twitterati to an entire audience, Ms. Ryder ignores entirely the delicate balance that goes into a successful concert experience, while at the same time sadly reducing Big Freedia to a "tolerance litmus test." It's hard not to conclude that Ms. Ryder's article is a conclusion in search of an argument. She clearly has something to say about the appropriation of black culture by white musicians (which may easily be said to summarize much of American music in general from the late 1800s to the present but in this case summarizes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/miley-cyrus/id137057909?uo=4"><b>Miley Cyrus</b></a>'s foray into "twerking"). And perhaps the opportunity to package that message together with everybody's favorite hobby these days -- hispter-punching -- was just too tempting. (I can't wait for the third season of <b><i>Girls</i></b> to start so that we can read another dozen articles about the blinding whiteness of Lena Dunham, a <a href="http://www.policymic.com/articles/23205/lena-dunham-girls-is-white-girl-feminism-at-its-worst">topic</a> <a href="http://www.racialicious.com/2012/04/19/dear-lena-dunham-i-exist/">that</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kareem-abduljabbar/girls-review_b_2593756.html">just</a> <a href="http://www.blackfeminists.org/2012/10/12/caitlin-moran-lena-dunham-girls-im-all-too-familiar-with/">can't</a> <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/04/lena-dunham-girls-race.html">be</a> <a href="http://www.urbanfaith.com/2013/01/an-open-letter-to-lena-dunham.html/">explored</a> <a href="http://jezebel.com/5953389/caitlin-moran-explains-the-whole-bitch-magazine-lena-dunham-kerfuffle">enough</a>!)<br />
<br />
But before we try to unpack just what the hell Miley Cyrus has to do with a dozen or so tweets from KeyArena and whether Big Freedia made sense as an opening act in The Postal Services' stadium tour, let me share a few thoughts on the strange alchemy of finding the perfect concert experience (and the many pitfalls that can turn an amazing show into a forgettable or even uncomfortable one).<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
<b>The Sun Ra Arkestra's Sad Decent Back To Earth</b></h3>
<br />
I moved to New York from St. Louis in 2003 and among the many culture shocks I went through ("People actually live downtown!", "The stores don't close at sundown!", "You can exist without a car!!!" "Ethiopian food!!!!"), the oddest one for me was just how cold-fish the audiences could be at a concert -- no matter how large or small the venue, no matter how raucous the band, no matter how drunk the audience, I was surrounded by stone-cold faces and crossed arms that would only untangle to clap politely between songs. I was used to the Midwestern gratitude for any band that chose to spend an extra night between the coasts after playing Chicago. If you knew how to plug in a speaker and strum a chord, you could get people dancing and shouting without breaking a sweat on stage. (And that's before I talk about my time at a small state university in a town of about seven thousand people ... there you don't even need the speakers. Just project your voice and you'll get a standing ovation.)<br />
<br />
Somehow I thought New York would be absolutely everything I did love about St. Louis with the volume turned up to 11. The reality is that when you can attend a blow-out performance by the next-big-thing seven nights out of the week, the shine of that experience begins to lose its luster. There were exceptions, of course. The first show the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOQcSrbxBrQ"><b>Pixies</b> played in New York on their reunion tour a few years back</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQQH56_0Ekk">a recent <b>New Order</b> concert</a> stand out as absolute barn burners, with thousands of thrilled concert-goers fully expressing their unmitigated joy throughout the entire set. On the opposite end of the venue spectrum, I had a fantastic time in claustrophobic bars with a few dozen others rocking out to up-and-comers <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/deleted-scenes/id209692715?uo=4"><b>Deleted Scenes</b></a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/hes-my-brother-shes-my-sister/id388773823?uo=4"><b>He's My Brother, She's My Sister</b></a>.<br />
<br />
The glut of concert opportunities I enjoyed in New York made clear what should've been obvious -- there's no predicting when a performance is going to fully *click* between the band, the audience, the time and the place. All those factors and more have to be just right to make a concert worth remembering.<br />
<br />
That said, there's something peculiar about New York audiences, generally speaking, that make them an especially hard-sell. Nothing so captured this reality for me than an unexpected opening band that appeared before <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/yo-la-tengo/id2959228?uo=4"><b>Yo La Tengo</b></a> in a small Brooklyn music hall back around 2006. Now, generally speaking, I don't usually bother to check the opening bands when I buy concert tickets (more on that later), and that's assuming they've even been announced in advance. On that particular night, if I'd known that New Jersey's favorite indie rock trio would be joined on stage by none other than the famous space-jazz cult band <b><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-sun-ra-arkkestra/id33859558?uo=4">The Sun Ra Arkestra</a></b> ... I probably would have done my homework ahead of time.<br />
<br />
I'd heard of them in college from some of my more music-savvy friends, but I had never heard them before I stepped into the show mid-performance. The scene was surreal. On stage, the human embodiment of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdQUKeHuymA">Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem</a> was bringing the funk straight from outer space in costumes that the Black Hebrew Israelites of 125th Street would've called garish. Meanwhile, from the audience's perspective, they might as well have been giving a lecture on wind erosion. There wasn't what you would call a negative reaction (or what Ms. Ryder might call a disturbing display of white aggression); nobody booed or catcalled or whatever. But in a sense, the audience's stoic indifference was far worse. What artist wouldn't rather inspire outrage than apathy? I swear I saw two band members look at each other and shrug in confusion at the complete lack of audience participation.<br />
<br />
As it happens, the coupling of the preeminent space jazz band and the godparents of mumblecore made some sense in context. Yo La Tengo had <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0c8uYoSdw">recently recorded a cover of Sun Ra's "Nuclear War"</a>, and the band was expanding its sound on its <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-am-not-afraid-you-i-will/id181411762?uo=4">then-latest album</a> to include an indie-rock approximation of funk. Still, if you were in the right disposition, there would've been a lot to say about white Brooklyn's rejection of black performers in their public spaces ... that is, if you stepped into that scene with no knowledge of New York's typical indifference (or how concerts tend to work in general).<br />
<br />
Which brings us to a similarly incongruous coupling of music styles, which did spark just such a conversation ...<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Who Are You Calling "Preemptively Defensive"?</b></h3>
<br />
I was having flashbacks to that night in Brooklyn when I entered the floor of the KeyArena and saw a crowd of maybe a thousand or so gathered around the stage, staring stone-faced as three women shook their asses in the air to a heavy base beat. It was clear that there was a lot of energy on stage that just wasn't translating into the audience. From our vantage point in the audience, it wasn't clear whether the singer in the middle of the action was a man or a woman, which led my girlfriend to say, "Is this just some guy pointing at three women's asses? Because it's making me kind of uncomfortable." We had no idea who the opening act was going to be so I took to the internet and learned that (a) it was a drag queen on stage, (b) she was a "bounce artist", and (c) "bounce music" is big in New Orleans.<br />
<br />
Make of it what you will, but all that suddenly made the performance a lot less offensive to my girlfriend (and me as well). Seeing Big Freedia herself get into the action and shake her ass with the rest of the ladies also took the edge off the "male gaze" aspect of the whole scene.<br />
<br />
I summed up my reaction on Twitter thusly ... <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Treme&src=hash">#Treme</a>, I wasn't totally lost in my first <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bounce&src=hash">#Bounce</a> concert -- <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BigFreedia&src=hash">#BigFreedia</a> opening for ... Postal Service? Yes, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PostalService&src=hash">#PostalService</a><br />
— The Fifth Wall (@BreakThe5thWall) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/statuses/358069247315947521">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Unsurprisingly, this was not a unique reaction on Twitter, though apparently not so sensational a reaction to warrant any retweets or other such buzz. The same can't be said, however, for others in the audience who's bewilderment caught <a href="http://www.uproxx.com/music/2013/07/exceedingly-white-postal-service-fans-flummoxed-by-big-freedias-twerking/">the attention of other bloggers</a> (and, eventually, <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">Salon.com</a>). Here's the sampling that Ms. Ryder highlighted in queuing up her analysis of white privilege in the Seattle music scene:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE OPENING FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE??? <a href="http://t.co/d5bqNpZImU">pic.twitter.com/d5bqNpZImU</a><br />
— Seth Wheeler (@Pyrokitties) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pyrokitties/statuses/358066554589560834">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An actual twerk team is opening for The Postal Service. I don't know what's going on.<br />
— Sarah Quinn (@sarahjeanquinnn) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahjeanquinnn/statuses/358063130204573699">July 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Why in the hell is Big Freedia opening for Postal Service? What, you're gonna bounce/twerk your ass, then guiltily cry about it afterward?<br />
— Seth Combs (@CombsSeth) <a href="https://twitter.com/CombsSeth/statuses/357573264295464960">July 17, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Between these handful of tweets and a couple of <a href="http://www.uproxx.com/music/2013/07/exceedingly-white-postal-service-fans-flummoxed-by-big-freedias-twerking/">stray</a> <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/soundposts/2013/07/19/big-freedia-opens-for-the-postal-service-bewilders-the-crowd-at-keyarena/">reactions</a> (some told second-hand with few specifics) from bloggers, Ms. Ryder reaches the conclusion that the audience in Seattle (along with a few other cities she barely mentions in passing) was "pissed and confounded", "strangely aggressive" and basically a living manifestation of white privilege. "More than anything else," she writes, "the white audience seemed preemptively defensive."<br />
<br />
Also, she seems to think the audience's reaction has everything to do with Miley Cyrus.<br />
<br />
Now, before I tell you exactly why this article really set me on edge when I read it, let me unpack in a little more detail exactly how she gets from "Seattle audience surprised that a bounce act is opening for indie band" to "white hispters are preemptively defense against anyone who's different." Because it's a hell of a toboggan ride.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">From the article:</a> <i>"For some reason, audience members reacted as if they had no advance knowledge of who would be playing ..."</i></blockquote>
<br />
Yes, that's correct.<br />
<br />
I, for one, had <i>no freakin' idea </i>who the opening act would be <i>because I almost never know who the opening acts will be</i>. More often than not, it's some up-and-comer whom I've never heard of and who typically disappoints. And all too often, there are like four of them before the act I paid money to see, so I usually plan on showing up right before the main act is scheduled to go on stage so as not to waste time that could be spent elsewhere.<br />
<br />
For the record, here's the confirmation I received when I bought tickets to the show:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBLoNcpAbd6EpyZZEM61B-95IJdhrNK2sJqFqH-gn-Iq72I9fPW05PFo05Np2gLHcQ9-A1DmZUPxeRqndOw3OAth73DXVzWiTmB3wPZpG7um-iWQ45zfqz8RkTGoTrExYI2fWzz7y58M/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBLoNcpAbd6EpyZZEM61B-95IJdhrNK2sJqFqH-gn-Iq72I9fPW05PFo05Np2gLHcQ9-A1DmZUPxeRqndOw3OAth73DXVzWiTmB3wPZpG7um-iWQ45zfqz8RkTGoTrExYI2fWzz7y58M/s1600/Picture+1.png" height="100" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Not pictured: Azz Everywhere</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, no, Ms. Ryder. I had no clue that three women with their asses in the air would be the first thing I saw when I entered KeyArena. That's fine, I enjoyed the show, and my girlfriend and I made a point of seeing Big Freedia again the following week <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pMAF3x0TeA">when she played the Capitol Hill Block Party</a>. But it wasn't what we'd expected to see before The Postal Service. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">From the article:</a> <i>"</i><i>Most people, including most Postal Service fans, are familiar with
bounce sounds from crossover hits like Juvenile’s 1999 No. 1 “Back That
Azz Up” or Beyoncé’s 2007 “Get Me Bodied."</i></blockquote>
Ms. Ryder doesn't bother to link to the peer-reviewed survey she took before making this statement, which is unfortunate because it's central to her whole argument. See, we <i>must </i>have known that Big Freedia was going to be performing, and we also <i>must</i> be familiar with "bounce" music since -- after all -- these other songs exist. For the record, I'm vaguely familiar that an artist named <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/juvenile/id1464606?uo=4"><b>Juvenile</b></a> exists, and I'm a little more familiar with <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/beyonce/id1419227?uo=4">Beyoncé</a>, but not by much. And yet I'm also a Postal Service fan. So go figure. Crazy world.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">From the article:</a> "<i>[Miley] Cyrus [twerks] in an all-white room in the video for 'Can’t Stop' ... and [w]ithin
the context of the white twerk trend, the Postal Service fan reaction
seems disturbing: We’d like our booty shaking, but when we ask for it,
and also when we do it ourselves.</i>"</blockquote>
And this is precisely where the whole article goes off the freakin' rails. A few paragraphs before this amazing conclusion, Ms. Ryder went on a detour to explain for those of us unfamiliar with <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/elvis-presley/id197443?uo=4"><b>Elvis</b></a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/eminem/id111051?uo=4">Eminem</a>, or the last 150 years of music history that white musicians frequently appropriate the styles of black musicians. The fact that Ms. Ryder puts the spotlight on Miley's recent penchant for "twerking" is almost poetically appropriate, given that her father <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/billy-ray-cyrus/id411913?uo=4"><b>Billy Ray Cyrus</b></a> (whether deservedly or not) came to symbolize the nadir of white country music's appropriation of southern black rhythm and blues into something <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDwBuu1bihU">utterly soulless and tacky</a>.<br />
<br />
Sure, maybe there's an article to be written about Miley Cyrus twerking, but what the hell does that have to do The Postal Service??? The assertion Ms. Ryder makes that the same audience that couldn't connect with Big Freedia's performance are the same Whitey McWhitebreads who can't get enough of <i>MILEY FREAKIN' CYRUS</i> is so tone deaf and offensive that I don't know where to begin. ("Well, it just doesn't make sense that African Americans don't like <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-white-stripes/id2456318?uo=4"><b>White Stripes</b></a> more ... after all, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jimi-hendrix/id62852?uo=4"><b>Jimi Hendrix</b></a> played guitar, too, and he's black!")<br />
<br />
Let me just say to Ms. Ryder that all of us Postal Service fans actually don't do our music shopping from gas station discount racks. We also don't all watch <i><b>Total Request Live</b></i> or listen to Top 40 radio religiously. Also, I do believe it's certainly possible to like Miley's "Can't Stop" video (despite her apparent <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">resemblance to Hitler Youth</a>) while also disliking Big Freedia's performance for reasons other than White Privilege. But that's because I do not believe music tastes and cultural sensitivity always walk lockstep with one another.<br />
<br />
Okay, one more ... <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">From the article:</a> "<i>Probably plenty of these uncomfortable attendees consider themselves
queer-friendly: This is Seattle, after all. But transgressing the
theoretical space of accepted culture is different from transgressing
into a physical room of whiteness, or in this case, an arena — a place
of expected sameness. Apparently, the latter can even be received as a
type of trespass.</i>"</blockquote>
There's a third option that Ms. Ryder seems not have contemplated: Perhaps the audience didn't much care for Big Freedia's performance because <i>she just didn't connect with the audience</i>, particularly given that she was playing in a nearly empty stadium with an <i>18 thousand person capacity</i>. It's a daunting challenge even for the most seasoned of artists. I once saw <b>The National</b> open for <b>Modest Mouse</b> and <b>R.E.M.</b> at Madison Square Garden, and I can't remember a more flat performance by a band I love. It turns out it's <i>incredibly difficult</i> to fill a venue that big when there are barely a few hundred people in attendance (and half of them are too busy texting their friends to let them know where they're sitting to actually pay attention to the band on stage).<br />
<br />
Let me pause here and acknowledge that Ms. Ryder does mention that some
people -- who, she won't tell us -- described the show as "ghetto" and
"hoodraft." It's a shame that she <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">doesn't provide a source for these comments</a>. She doesn't even provide the city! <i>Surely</i> such clearly
racist comments would've made a better lead for the article. Instead,
she makes these absurd allegations the centerpiece of her article. (She does cite <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/soundposts/2013/07/19/big-freedia-opens-for-the-postal-service-bewilders-the-crowd-at-keyarena/">Andrew Matson</a> for the observation that "Men in the stands conspicuously proclaimed their own heterosexuality" during Big Freedia's act ... though, honestly, I don't really know what the hell that means. It could mean they were shouting (weirdly) "I don't quite care for this act, and I'm straight!" Or maybe, "I'm going to grab a beer guys. Oh, and I'm straight." Or how about, "Wow, I'm a straight man but that Big Freedia sure knows how to shake an azz!" Sadly, it's left to our imagination. Mr. Marton does conclude that "Bringing the gay-positive rap party to a straight-leaning indie-pop crowd was challenging without resulting in a mass exodus. All things considered: a success." Just don't tell Ms. Ryder that, Mr. Marton. It would ruin her thesis!)<br />
<br />
Personally, I felt no "trespass" in Big Freedia's performance, just a flat performance that didn't connect. Thankfully, as I mentioned above, my girlfriend and I had the chance to see her play again at the Capitol Hill Block Party the next week and the difference was night and day. In this case, "night" was a nearly empty stadium and "day" was a crowded street packed with drunken revelry and dancing. That crowd -- the same lily-white Seattlites with their tattoos and proud progressive values -- <i>ate that sh*t up!</i> It's almost as if Big Freedia was back in her element, and it had a lot more to do with venue than it did with Miley Cyrus.<br />
<br />
I tried to raise this point with Ms. Ryder, but it seemed to completely pass her by:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/katiehryder">@katiehryder</a>, you might want to note that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BigFreedia&src=hash">#BigFreedia</a> also played a Seattle street fest the next week that the same crowd absolutely loved<br />
— The Fifth Wall (@BreakThe5thWall) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/statuses/363176194386034688">August 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/katiehryder">@katiehryder</a>, crowded street during an all-day music fest vs nearly empty arena after work - venue and context matter <a href="http://t.co/yxS96U9GL5">http://t.co/yxS96U9GL5</a><br />
— The Fifth Wall (@BreakThe5thWall) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/statuses/363177274230583296">August 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Ms. Ryder reacted to my tweet (in a post that she's since deleted) basically saying, "Yeah, I <i>was</i> writing about context, didn't you catch that? Also, I wasn't <i>just</i> talking about Seattle. Oh, and thanks for the comments." Here was my response to that:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/katiehryder">@katiehryder</a> 3 other cities are mentioned in passing but the article focuses on Seattle, and I think you miss some very important context<br />
— The Fifth Wall (@BreakThe5thWall) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/statuses/363308621322395649">August 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/katiehryder">@katiehryder</a> put another way, there's a reason Sigur Ros doesn't open for JJT and Jay Z while a crowd trickles into Yankee Stadium<br />
— The Fifth Wall (@BreakThe5thWall) <a href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall/statuses/363308953574182913">August 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
(Ugh, stupid typo ... I know who JT is, even if I'm not intimately familiar with Miley Cyrus's complete discography.)<br />
<br />
I would've liked to seen her response to that, but seeing as she deleted her previous responses to me, I gather the conversation is over. If I take her article in the most charitable light, giving her a pass on the more absurd arguments she makes (highlighted above), I can take away the point that we should always be open to challenging artistic expression, even when it arrives in a surprising, unexpected context. I can agree with that. Fine. I can agree that transgressive art shouldn't be considered "off-limits" anywhere, including in an arena opening for The Postal Service.<br />
<br />
But with the megaphone Salon.com provided her, absurd arguments and leaps to conclusion in tact, this seems to be the "take away" instead:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/katiehryder">@katiehryder</a> Great piece on racism along Postal Service fans.<br />
— Darinstrauss (@Darinstrauss) <a href="https://twitter.com/Darinstrauss/statuses/364160471797997570">August 4, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
And frankly that just pisses me off.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<h3>
<b>"Oh yes, they're quite awful. But they <i>are</i> lesbians, so ..."</b></h3>
<br />
Look, it's just an article, one third-hand perspective that hyper-generalizes the perspective of a handful of tweeters and sews it together with the modern day doctrine that "White Privilege Is Bad." I don't disagree, but it's also taking up bandwidth on Salon.com and sending a message that I ultimately think is bad for everyone.<i> </i><br />
<br />
<i>First, it's bad for Seattle ...</i><br />
<br />
The town just doesn't deserve this bad rap. A tepid reaction to an opening act in a poorly suited venue and a dozen or so tweets expressing displeasure are a thin gruel from which to reach the sort of sweeping conclusion Ms. Ryder does about the audience in attendance. But now the word is out that Seattlites are racists and homophobes to boot. (Also, we <i>loooooove</i> Miley Cyrus. Not that there's anything wrong with that.) It might have said something about the crowd that night if Miley Cyrus herself, or some other white "twerk band" was performing. Then you'd have an appropriate context for Ms. Ryder's anlysis.<br />
<br />
Instead, sadly, we have people re-tweeting the article, commending Ms. Ryder for exposing the racism and homophobia that underlies Seattle culture. (Oh, and a few other cities, too. Don't forget that she wasn't <i>just</i> tar and feathering one location.)<br />
<br />
Come on.<br />
<br />
<i>Second, it's bad for Big Freedia ...</i><br />
<br />
She deserves better than to be reduced to a tolerance litmus test. There's a thousand reasons why a live performance can go south, but treating the audience's reaction (which, as far as I can tell, never really veered into anything homophobic or racist -- with the exception of the unsubstantiated examples cited without support in the article) as a barometer for queer tolerance is to reduce a complex and engaging artist to a punch line on <b><i>Parks And Recreation</i>:</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tU4t7COg6W4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Big Freedia's performance at KeyArena didn't achieve its potential. It wasn't her fault really, there's just too much space in that arena for her to fill. And when the audience reacts stone-faced and indifferent, it's just impossible for me to feel immersed in the music, which is what I really love about a good concert. <b> </b>(It might have helped things if Gibbard had thought to bring Big Freedia on stage at some point for a duet. That may sound unlikely but it absolutely could have worked during Postal Service's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN7FoJ4MLjI">kinetic performance of "Natural Anthem."</a>)<br />
<br />
On the other hand, if the audience had truly reacted negatively -- that is, if they booed (as it sounds like they did in Portland judging from a tweet exchange I had with someone from there) or threw things on stage -- at least it would have been a <i>reaction</i>. Ms. Ryder may have had a field day with that kind of actual manifestation of audience disapproval, but somehow I suspect that Big Freedia would've preferred <i>something</i> over <i>nothing</i>. (If nothing else, I'm willing to wager Big Freedia doesn't want people to line up to see her just to prove their "queer friendly" credentials to anyone.)<i> </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<i>Third, it's bad for music criticism ...</i><br />
<br />
I'd love to read a serious critique of "bounce" -- how it reappropriates the "male gaze" and interacts with drag queen culture, what it says about the New Orleans culture that birthed it, etc. etc. Such an article ought to be written by someone who also understands that there's a world of difference in the lived experience of seeing a concert in a crowded, sweaty bar after midnight and milling around a nearly empty stadium floor just after work. (The writer should also have at least a passing familiarity with how people buy concert tickets these days. I'm sorry, I just can't get over the fact that she doesn't seem to understand that people rarely know who the opening acts will be.)<br />
<br />
That article isn't going to come from me, an outsider to that culture who's only vaguely familiar with this genre of music (through <i><b>Treme</b></i>, that is, and <i>not</i> Miley Cyrus, thank you very much). Perhaps it could come from someone like Ms. Ryder who obviously has a lot to say about it. (Did you know, for example, <a href="http://www.salon.com/2013/08/01/white_music_fans_are_afraid_of_difference/">that "twerk band" is not a phrase</a>? She's full of useful insights just like that!) Hopefully she's gotten all of her zingers against the "lily-white", past-their-prime, beloved-by-"comically unhip"-"yokels" Postal Service out of her system. I'd love to see her write something from experience (not from Twitter sampling) that tells me something new about culture and music. <br />
<br />
For Salon.com, I close with this bit of advice: if the article you're posting can be summed up with the observation, "Man, hipsters sure are the worst, amirtite?!?", then maybe you should consider posting something else instead. (Buzzfeed <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/hskank/how-to-tell-if-you-are-a-senior-citizenor-a-hip-bs8t">already</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/samimain/hamilton-the-hipster-cat-is-like-so-over-it">has</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/dc-comics-superheroines-as-modern-hipsters">that</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleybaccam/a-collection-of-the-best-hipster-disney-memes">topic</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattlynley/the-trendy-hipster-status-of-tech-startups-has-finally-come">covered</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/samjparker/how-5-historical-figures-would-look-today">in</a> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/how-a-hipster-dumps-someone">spades</a>.) Please. Preferably before <i><b>Girls</b></i> is back on the air and someone feels the need to remind us again that, gee, Lena Dunham and her fans sure are white and privileged!<br />
<br />futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-9309616496760223222013-07-21T22:13:00.000-04:002013-07-21T22:18:27.844-04:00What I Hear When I Hear People Defend "Man Of Steel" Based On Its Visuals ...<span style="color: black;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall">Follow @BreakThe5thWall</a></span><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn3vo0ZMsRUZHh6Le5x48dR2lh8zlTtCRwmgWUjbOunHRnus_FOhGg0WDSnP5d2drB8WmVnZsF421XAwt_ZGb3AZPucmAk-z3dQJ6AFEBzpQWQNu7OmBqnA0oLfxS7Zj4GjutlLgHeIw/s1600/man-of-steel-krypton-battle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn3vo0ZMsRUZHh6Le5x48dR2lh8zlTtCRwmgWUjbOunHRnus_FOhGg0WDSnP5d2drB8WmVnZsF421XAwt_ZGb3AZPucmAk-z3dQJ6AFEBzpQWQNu7OmBqnA0oLfxS7Zj4GjutlLgHeIw/s1600/man-of-steel-krypton-battle.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Man of Steel, Episode One: The Phantom <strike>Menace</strike> Zone</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
(<i>Quick programming note -- it's been almost two months since my last post, as I've spent the bulk of that time moving to a new city and finding a new job. So if you begin to notice a distinctly "west coast" quality to my writing, as opposed to the "east coast" stylings of my previous posts, that would be the result of my recent relocation from Manhattan to Seattle. And now back to your irregularly scheduled program ...</i>)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Me:</b> Hey, so did you hear that new symphony orchestra last night? What did you think?<b><br /><br />Other Guy (OG): </b>Oh man, the trumpets! They were so loud! It was amazing!</blockquote>
(continued below the fold ...)<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Me:</b> Well, yeah, I'll give you that, but I didn't think it worked overall as a symphony. Eventually the trumpets just got on my nerves.<br />
<br />
<b>OG:</b> What are you talking about?? It had loud trumpets!!<br />
<br />
<b>Me: </b>Yeah, loud trumpets. I GET IT. But the trumpets didn't really play off the strings or the percussion, or contribute to the larger themes of the symphony whatsoever. It was all just a jumble of sounds.<br />
<br />
<b>OG:</b> You're crazy, man. Loud trumpets!! Remember that symphony we saw a few years ago? It had, like, NO trumpets. I've been dying for a symphony reboot so that I could finally hear the trumpets<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> I don't know about that, there were trumpets in that last symphony we saw. They were subtle but they were there.<br />
<br />
<b>OG:</b> Screw that, I want to hear trumpets, man. That's what I pay to see when I go to see an orchestra play.<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> Yeah, but you can hear loud trumpets from a high school marching band or some guy on the street. Who cares how loud the trumpets are if they aren't played well and they don't work with the rest of the performance? My ears were exhausted by the end and I couldn't wait for it to end!<br />
<br />
<b>OG: </b>LOUD TRUMPETS!!!</blockquote>
<br />
This imaginary bit of dialogue was inspired by a short exchange I had over at the <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/">/Film</a> website, <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/five-ways-pacific-rim-succeeds-where-other-summer-blockbusters-have-failed/#comment-960141243">which you can find here</a>. That exchange (and my completely unfair reduction of that exchange above) pretty much sums up my feelings on that film as a stand-alone experience. Unfortunately for me, it appears that <b>Man of Steel</b> <i>won't</i> be a stand-alone film, as the massive box office success of that movie combined with enough positive buzz to have shaken off <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/what-the-muchmaligned-superman-returns-got-right,99469/">the completely unearned stink that had followed the Superman franchise since <b>Superman Returns</b></a> has convinced Warner Bros. to hand the keys of the DC kingdom over to Zack Snyder ... culminating in the apocalypse-harkening news that <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/zack-snyder-will-direct-supermanbatman-movie-inspired-by-frank-millers-the-dark-knight-returns/">they're finally going forward with the Superman/Batman team-up</a> that has been the Holy Grail of DC-fans for decades.<br />
<br />
I'll reserve judgment for the time being, but my knee-jerk reaction is that Warner Bros. is learning all the wrong lessons from Marvel's <b>Avengers</b> experience (without any indication that Marvel is taking pointers <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/01/well-what-batman-were-you-watching.html">from the genre-transcending excellence of the <b>Dark Knight Trilogy</b></a>, which Snyder managed to ape in style without a hint of the underlying substance). So get ready for the Superman-Batman crossover you've been dreaming of ever since DC realized <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Finest_Comics">they could sell more issues by combining their biggest franchise properties into a single title</a> ... futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-75638956154002721142013-05-22T19:20:00.002-04:002013-05-22T20:06:45.419-04:00Well, Which Iron Man Was I Watching?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0T925ByWHc73nMMc1GgDsM3OWYaO5SefgcDiazu7IEsvJgyo236HWB9xzH8AXygyKlGTosjGcAhiUSEjh1x8ELhiqo_ayptm6d5TveZEs8OlBLifEkvMxMnH4XtGIJ4ekg093qpriRc/s1600/IRONMAN1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0T925ByWHc73nMMc1GgDsM3OWYaO5SefgcDiazu7IEsvJgyo236HWB9xzH8AXygyKlGTosjGcAhiUSEjh1x8ELhiqo_ayptm6d5TveZEs8OlBLifEkvMxMnH4XtGIJ4ekg093qpriRc/s1600/IRONMAN1.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
Pop quiz ... which entry in the <b>Iron Man</b> series am I describing?<br />
<br />
(This game necessarily involves spoilers, so follow me below the line to continue.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><blockquote class="tr_bq">
The film opens with Tony Stark on top of the world. Arrogant, sure, and facing down a deep character flaw that keeps him up at night. But just as we're getting into the groove of his jet-setting, bed-hopping, bachelor lifestyle, tragedy strikes! Suddenly, Tony is cut down to size by a foreign-looking, foreign-sounding, Scary Foreign Guy ("SFG"). Stripped of his technological advantage and psychologically humbled, Tony must rely on his ingenuity to reinvent himself (and build a new suit) to overcome SFG. But in a third act twist, it turns out SFG is in cahoots with the REAL villain ... a stodgy, white Corporate Executive Guy ("CEG"). In the end, Tony and his new Iron Man technology must defeat the SFG/CEG's master plan to ... blow a bunch of shit up (or something, it's never really defined what the villains are after). Oh, and also, Pepper Potts is in danger! Except she gets free and does something essential to help Tony defeat SFG/CEG. (So, in a way, it's almost like SHE saves TONY. Craziness!) The end.</blockquote>
<br />
So which Iron Man am I talking about?<br />
<br />
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!<br />
<br />
Yep, trick question. I just summarized all of them. Sure, they tweak the plot a little bit here and there from one movie to the next, but not very much.<br />
<br />
Need proof?<br />
<br />
<b>"Scary Foreign Guy"</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9sHDsSkFWpVcY8P5T1gUF5E9-eeUXVw4_ZXUL_Wkb7qLI9hPh3gIlDEE8jxfOzm40Ad2ShwjGAdVQArnKUeODgNnd5IldKRl8zFW_kKxj43yQDwlU28lAcOfelMEmjnkLK_oVeBV5kk/s1600/Raza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9sHDsSkFWpVcY8P5T1gUF5E9-eeUXVw4_ZXUL_Wkb7qLI9hPh3gIlDEE8jxfOzm40Ad2ShwjGAdVQArnKUeODgNnd5IldKRl8zFW_kKxj43yQDwlU28lAcOfelMEmjnkLK_oVeBV5kk/s1600/Raza.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0Vpb4vCc1MjYSHuo9n_HkLIPgeUeVlKiHGx6S3HMBvJQeAkShIL4HX8hAvOlfeuDNrA4rbkmEe8fpe503ZhR0CPddNiLHhbdUKauVjX8F-nK3PH48NEjusI_N5-dlzNGpX0qksRE3UM/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0Vpb4vCc1MjYSHuo9n_HkLIPgeUeVlKiHGx6S3HMBvJQeAkShIL4HX8hAvOlfeuDNrA4rbkmEe8fpe503ZhR0CPddNiLHhbdUKauVjX8F-nK3PH48NEjusI_N5-dlzNGpX0qksRE3UM/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AHB-CgMaPVW-vlBYM8BoNZK9LQ9HRDEItE_Jxh9E1ZZ9YtDmmExMRFP6w0mIwRuZ6odEMh9A2l0P9Yz4eSk5A4FHenm7lHC2oE-jngBOAOTmmVGcuLyh1Qm4pA-swiEbZTA1MUeqLlY/s1600/mandarin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AHB-CgMaPVW-vlBYM8BoNZK9LQ9HRDEItE_Jxh9E1ZZ9YtDmmExMRFP6w0mIwRuZ6odEMh9A2l0P9Yz4eSk5A4FHenm7lHC2oE-jngBOAOTmmVGcuLyh1Qm4pA-swiEbZTA1MUeqLlY/s1600/mandarin.jpg" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<b> </b> <br />
<b>"Corporate Executive Guy"</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrqZOZgsxyZdnnOG91NUXkAQnMyap-ncuCB19J9SV49J0l-llIfIjtLYxYaTNE9YsRwO6HXER-HIfWVhG39Ds2YsG8Ld7UaJFuq9tG5_CAxhjSDwa_AtcYCGBle9nSrXA1CglXlbv91c/s1600/stane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrqZOZgsxyZdnnOG91NUXkAQnMyap-ncuCB19J9SV49J0l-llIfIjtLYxYaTNE9YsRwO6HXER-HIfWVhG39Ds2YsG8Ld7UaJFuq9tG5_CAxhjSDwa_AtcYCGBle9nSrXA1CglXlbv91c/s1600/stane.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyEPiITRyqRrId4yAnWKazc5SSciRqaRWNaGrYNEtnm5I45ZAI1nBkcRubf_SvtGFHEmAfWTlZZEACv_dpYLBBoGsKJVKlrJuISR8lx7LeJhmFco4PvQf-Tp1bra4CyjvPUOi-UPDVj8/s1600/guy-pearce-iron-man-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5_6L2Eg19ZwG8cvJJ229PWyzP6mueHKMVj-G7sUlJiK1AQuR809zx1xOOmIGTTfnYUSm1luKUo9NuzrxgY71lyDz_AtYetpr0Uo9sUwZJCKtvo0DcBqyz_Pi8jvaDkzawBBU9pe0N7c/s1600/sam-rockwell-iron-man-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5_6L2Eg19ZwG8cvJJ229PWyzP6mueHKMVj-G7sUlJiK1AQuR809zx1xOOmIGTTfnYUSm1luKUo9NuzrxgY71lyDz_AtYetpr0Uo9sUwZJCKtvo0DcBqyz_Pi8jvaDkzawBBU9pe0N7c/s1600/sam-rockwell-iron-man-2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyEPiITRyqRrId4yAnWKazc5SSciRqaRWNaGrYNEtnm5I45ZAI1nBkcRubf_SvtGFHEmAfWTlZZEACv_dpYLBBoGsKJVKlrJuISR8lx7LeJhmFco4PvQf-Tp1bra4CyjvPUOi-UPDVj8/s1600/guy-pearce-iron-man-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyEPiITRyqRrId4yAnWKazc5SSciRqaRWNaGrYNEtnm5I45ZAI1nBkcRubf_SvtGFHEmAfWTlZZEACv_dpYLBBoGsKJVKlrJuISR8lx7LeJhmFco4PvQf-Tp1bra4CyjvPUOi-UPDVj8/s1600/guy-pearce-iron-man-1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It's all there. Not that this is terrible or renders the films completely un-enjoyable<b> </b>(though, clearly, mileage will vary on any given entry in the series ... <b>Iron Man 2</b> in particular). What I personally find so troubling about it is that this formula is just the surface-level indication that Marvel has absolutely no interest in developing Tony Stark as a human being.<br />
<br />
Each movie plays briefly with the idea that Tony will have some great revelation about his character, whether it's recognizing the harm his company has done to the world in<b> Iron Man 1</b>, or confronting his daddy issues and self-destruction behavior in <b>Iron Man 2</b>, or addressing his PTSD in <b>Iron Man 3</b>. And in each case, rather than let Tony grow, the third act throws us into an explosion-fest, in which the CEG stands in for whatever demons are attacking Tony from the inside (<i>seriously, think about it</i> <b></b>- in <b>Iron Man 1</b>,<b> </b>Stane represents unethical corporate conduct; in <b>Iron Man 2</b>, Hammer is defined by his insecurity and reckless behavior; and in <b>Iron Man 3</b>, Killian is a man literally ready to explode from all the tension inside of him ... this is paint-by-numbers scriptwriting). In this light, it's painfully obvious that Marvel would rather<i> just not think about it</i>. They'd rather just see shit blow up.<br />
<br />
This point has been made already by <b>ScreenRant</b> <a href="http://screenrant.com/marvel-dc-superhero-movies-discussion-differences-avengers-justice-league/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_60169">here</a>, but to put a fine point on it and to wrap up this brief post -- the question shouldn't be what's on the tip of everyone's tongue, <i>i.e.</i> when DC is going to make their <b>Justice League </b>movie to catch up with Marvel. The question I have is when is Marvel going to grow up and give us a <b>Dark Knight</b>? Given the current track record, I'm going to say <i>never</i>, at least not until Marvel runs out of "Phases" and has to do a hard reboot. Not because Marvel doesn't have deep characters or compelling stories to tell, but because Marvel simply isn't interested in telling them. The first sign that I'm wrong may be <b>Iron Man 4</b> ... if IMDB is unable to cut and paste my synopsis to describe the next entry in the series, then maybe, <b><i>maybe</i></b> there's some hope that the formula has broken and Marvel has decided to get real.<br />
<br />
We'll see.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-57301126925785163082013-04-29T00:07:00.002-04:002013-04-29T00:08:35.608-04:00On Ninja Angels And True TV Enlightenment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHUbP9AbzftQq62AF2WSNYB0yp0D7pmGhx53hWaTUKCSAGGpN4vYAU19SJ9SF1kEZni9sbdeRzkhUYc1kuJz_iPKDwmguWcMT3k5KcohE74hkDBXDPd_lHD0kib_BQDXoRe72DHR_gjM/s1600/b70-640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHUbP9AbzftQq62AF2WSNYB0yp0D7pmGhx53hWaTUKCSAGGpN4vYAU19SJ9SF1kEZni9sbdeRzkhUYc1kuJz_iPKDwmguWcMT3k5KcohE74hkDBXDPd_lHD0kib_BQDXoRe72DHR_gjM/s1600/b70-640.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm a Midwesterner by upbringing as well as a Catholic, though I can't say I really identify with either identity now in my adulthood. When it comes to the latter, I'm apparently in some very good company. According to a recent Pew survey, while Catholics still constitution the single largest religious denomination in the United States at 23.9% of the population, <a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=56894">a whopping <i><b>one out of every ten</b></i> adult Americans is a "lapsed Catholic."</a> (By way of comparison, the Catholics have <b><i>lost</i></b> more members than the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims and "Historically Black Churches" have acquired <b><i>put together</i></b>.)<br />
<br />
For whatever theological qualms I came to develop with official church doctrine (which I needn't go into here), I quickly came to appreciate one thing in particular about Catholicism as it's practiced in America (and in my hometown of St. Louis in particular, a city known as the <a href="http://www.americancatholic.org/Messenger/Apr1999/feature1.asp#F1">"Rome of the West"</a> for its high Catholic population) when I traveled upstate for undergrad college in the sleepy rural town of Kirksville, Missouri. In a few words, Catholics keep it in church. I'm not talking about being a "Christmas/Easter Christian", or a <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/august7/31.80.html">"salad bar Christian"</a>. I mean, Catholicism by and large doesn't busy itself with inserting itself into every moment and facet of life, or getting in the face of every passerby even when (<i><b>particularly</b></i> when) it's uninvited.<br />
<br />
I'm looking at you, Bible Belt of America.<br />
<br />
The first week of college was a real wake-up call to be suspicious of every friendly face that suddenly wanted to be my best bud on campus. Give a Born Again Christian fifteen minutes and the conversation will quickly turn from "what classes do we have in common" to "have you invited Jesus Christ to be your personal savior?" Midwestern politeness (and a deep urge to end the conversation as soon as possible) kept me from saying, "Yeah, after ten years of Catholic elementary and four years of Jesuit high school education ... me and the JC go back a few years, but I'm glad you had an epiphany last week and saw God in your cereal or whatever."<br />
<br />
Outside of the classroom, I can easily say that the two biggest lessons I took from my undergraduate years is that (a) our culture is deeply awash in Christianity, and (b) many practicing Christians are convinced that, to the contrary, our culture is thoroughly godless in general and deeply anti-Christian in particular. I've never quite figured out how these two things can be simultaneously true, how I could pass by dozens upon dozens of Christian-themed billboards on the four-hour drive to Kirksville, along with enough churches to give practically every Missouri resident their very own congregation of one, only to hear upon arrival that Christians are in fact a persecuted class of citizens in this heathen country. This, of course, extends to our entertainment industry, which is widely disparaged as a wellspring of anti-Christian messages.<br />
<br />
I still don't fully understand why the <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Christian+Persecution+Complex">Christian Persecution Complex</a> is so pervasive, but at least when it comes to the supposed "lack" of positive Christian entertainment, I think I know part of the answer.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Put briefly, many American Evangelical Christians are blind (intentionally or
not) to explorations of spirituality and religious themes that aren't
"literal" retellings of the Bible they recognize from Sunday sermons. It's one thing to point out that, viewed as a work of literature, the Bible is a confounding mess of conflicting themes and narrative threads that go nowhere, poorly suited for contemporary television or film. It's another thing entirely to recognize that there are a glut of well-made, challenging, spiritually rich TV shows and movies out there, provided you don't need to be whacked over the head with a wooden cross to recognize them.<br />
<br />
Let the sacrilege begin with a scathing review of ...<br />
<br />
<h3>
"The Bible, Based On The Epic TV Miniseries 'The Bible' (Based On The Bible)" </h3>
<br />
Okay, so the actual title of the tie-in book isn't <b><i>quite</i></b> that bad, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-God-All-Us-Miniseries/dp/1455525588/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367191889&sr=1-3&keywords=bible+miniseries">but it's close</a>. Amazingly, the book is described on Amazon is a "sweeping new novel by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett", the husband-and-wife team behind the recently aired <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/the-bible">History Channel miniseries</a>. The sheer audacity and absurdity of <b><i>The Bible</i></b> mini-series was well-lampooned by Stephen Colbert, and I wouldn't pretend to improve on his take down:<br />
<br />
<div>
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashvars="autoPlay=false" height="247" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:video:colbertnation.com:424716" style="display: block;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="288" wmode="window"></embed>
</div>
<br />
The theological problems with casting <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604430/?ref_=tt_cl_t3">a Portuguese telenovela beefcake</a> to play a Semitic Mideastern man is one thing; though, that hardly seemed to bother the 11.7 million viewers that tuned in for the final episode (aired on Easter Sunday, natch). And for advocates of a "more Christian culture", the ratings bonanza for this cable channel miniseries was cause for massive celebration.<br />
<br />
From the "Entertainment" section of the <a href="http://global.christianpost.com/news/success-of-the-bible-makes-history-channel-top-cable-network-93114/#2ABu3FYFlqfvKDk2.99">Christian Post</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Motion Picture Corporation of America is reportedly producing a
$20 million, six-hour miniseries serving as a spinoff of "The Bible,"
titled "Jesus of Nazareth." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We believe the audience continues to
have a hunger for life- and faith-affirming films," Michael Landon Jr., a
Christian producer and writer for "Jesus of Nazareth," told <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bible-begets-big-budget-jesus-431228?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Fnews+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Top+Stories%29" target="_blank">The Hollywood Reporter</a> in a recent interview.</blockquote>
<br />
Others took the opportunity to use <b><i>The Bible</i></b> to rib the alleged "Hollywood Elites", well known amongst the Evangelical set to abhor all things Christian. From <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/US/history-channel-bible-ratings/2013/03/20/id/495529">Newsmax</a>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Biblical productions often confound Hollywood critics. Mel Gibson’s 2004
movie, “The Passion of the Christ,” became the biggest R-rated film
ever in the United States, earning $600 million worldwide despite woeful
reviews.</blockquote>
Though, the inherent problems of adapting a centuries-old religious text is manifest even to those eager to praise <b><i>The Bible</i></b><i> </i>(and <b><i>The Passion of the Christ</i></b>) as "mostly faithful to the biblical source material" (Portuguese beefcake and all) and among the few productions that "doesn't intentionally insult its religious audience." From David Nilsen, writing for <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/04/03/the-bible-according-to-the-history-channel/">The Gospel Coalition</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Actress Roma Downey, one of the show's producers, said in <a class="ext-link" href="http://video.foxnews.com/v/2193852431001/" title="">an interview on <i>The O'Reilly Factor</i></a>
that they wanted to make the Bible "cool" and interesting, especially
for impatient teenagers who rarely read. This attitude was on full
display in the miniseries, the most egregious example being the two
angels who go to Sodom to rescue Lot's family. After emerging from Lot's house in full armor and blinding the crowd, the angels whip out swords and proceed to slaughter half of Sodom on their path to escape. <i><b>One of the angels happens to be of Asian descent and wields two swords at once, officially bringing the "Ninja Angel" into the mainstream (a phrase that dominated social media after the episode aired).</b></i><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span></span></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K_W7qcCFO2IO__tmG8qgxVpKtr9C7Gn1kMdvIO6JHmVK5L1ONqUr2K1_dmEyVg2EdRV72iz7kuvR7MtUCfd70gSoFm6su8O9-3pJst9pZMuzQUjRvFIT7UutDKCYndKvknjEGR82HHg/s1600/ninja_angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K_W7qcCFO2IO__tmG8qgxVpKtr9C7Gn1kMdvIO6JHmVK5L1ONqUr2K1_dmEyVg2EdRV72iz7kuvR7MtUCfd70gSoFm6su8O9-3pJst9pZMuzQUjRvFIT7UutDKCYndKvknjEGR82HHg/s1600/ninja_angels.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Come with me if you want to live ... no wait, I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass ... <br />
no, I got one, hold on ..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How exactly "Ninja Angels" doesn't "intentionally insult its religious audience" is beyond me. But then, it's also beyond me how a film that is <a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104242/that-was-a-snuff-film">by all measures a mock snuff film</a> could be consistently upheld as the ultimate antidote to all that is ungodly in American culture.<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: black; width: 368px;">
<div style="padding: 4px;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="293" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:southparkstudios.com:a7611d82-ed00-11e0-aca6-0026b9414f30" width="360"></iframe></div>
</div>
<br />
I have to conclude that I'm simply not the audience for <b><i>The Passion of the Christ</i></b>. Not because I'm a lapsed Catholic. Not even because I'm not a spiritual person. But because this particular style of storytelling doesn't speak to me. Yet, critically, this article of faith amongst so many self-described "believers" that Mel Gibson's opus is an island in a sea of anti-religous filth is not just misguided. It's a recipe for overlooking some of the best explorations of faith and -- indeed -- Christian values that our culture has to offer.<br />
<br />
<h3>
It's Not TV, It's A Powerful Story Of Faith And Redemption</h3>
<br />
I was recently challenged to back up a claim I made on the message board of <a href="http://cityarts.info/2013/04/11/road-to-the-wonder/">an Armond White review of Terrence Malick's <b><i>To the Wonder</i></b></a> (in which Mr. White predictably laments that "agnosticism, atheism and secularism [] dominate contemporary film culture") that we live in "a deeply Christian culture." The challenger insisted that "there is nothing deeply Christian about Hollywood" and he asked that I provide "some evidence to support [my] theory." I threw out a bunch of examples<br />
<ul>
<li>The Christ-allegories in <b><i>The Matrix</i></b>, the <b><i>Harry Potter</i></b> series, <b><i>Superman Returns</i></b> and (most obviously) the <b><i>Narnia</i></b> series; <br /> </li>
<li>The overtly Christian protagonist in <b><i>Book of Eli</i></b> or even the positively depicted Christian side-character in <b><i>Contact</i></b>; <br /> </li>
<li>The ethical dramas at the heart of <b><i>Juno</i></b> (concerning abortion and adoption) or <b><i>Dead Man Walking</i></b> (the death penalty); <br /> </li>
<li>Or even the shlock appropriation of Christian mythology in <b><i>Constantine</i></b> or the first and third <b><i>Indiana Jones</i></b> movies.<i><b></b></i><b><i></i></b></li>
</ul>
We could debate the merit of any one of these examples, both in terms of their artistic merit and whether the underlying values they express are themselves meritorious. What is indisputable, however, is that Hollywood produces far more Christian-themed movies than anyone south of the Bible Belt would care to admit.<br />
<br />
Yet, beyond the simple (and simplistic) conclusion that our culture is indeed an overwhelming "Christian" culture, it's also true that some of the best artifacts of our culture exploring the challenges of being a faithful, spiritual person indeed don't rely on Christian symbolism ... and for this reason alone they may lumped into the same "agnostic, atheistic, secular" culture that the Armond Whites and Christian Posts see when they look out their stain-glassed windows.<br />
<br />
The show I'm talking about is HBO's <b><i>Enlightened</i></b>. Here's a quick synopsis from HBO's home page:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Created by Mike White and Laura Dern, this half-hour comedy series centers on Amy Jellicoe (Dern), a well-intentioned employee of a Southern California corporation who, after flipping out and going to anger-management rehab, emerges with a singular, if at times misguided, mission to make her company more responsible.</blockquote>
No, it's not a church-run rehab program. No, she doesn't come back Born Again. No, it's not a Tyler Perry movie. What it is is an honest, often-times uncomfortable exploration of what it takes to fight for a more "responsible" world, even when our faith and conviction bumps against the realities of modern life.<br />
<br />
Just without the Ninja Angels.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>BE WARNED -- FIRST SEASONS SPOILER FOLLOW ....</b></i></div>
<br />
I'm about two-thirds of the way through the first season so far, so I can's speak yet to the second (and, from what I've heard, best) season. But I want to put special attention on Episode 5 of the first season, in which Amy (Laura Dern) hears the story of a mother about to be deported as an illegal immigrant, thus separating her from her two young daughters. An awkward encounter at work results in an old, "pre-meltdown" acquaintance of Amy's inviting her -- against her will, essentially -- to her baby shower. Her pregnant friend suspicions that Amy has yet to stabilize emotionally prove well-founded. Amy shows up late, without any presents to give, and nothing positive to say to the mother-to-be. Instead, Amy takes the opportunity to give a long-winded, droning sermon on how they all have an obligation to help others like the poor mother about to be separated from her children. One could easily agree with every word she said, on ethical and political grounds, while still seeing the speech as nakedly self-aggrandizing and totally out of place for the occasion.<br />
<br />
Yet, Amy for all her best intentions seems completely clueless that her grandstanding (which, it has to be said, did <b><i>nothing</i></b> to actually help the downtrodden immigrant mother) was as unwelcome at the party as Amy was herself. The look on Amy's face when her ex-friend explodes in her face on the way out is the look of every well-intentioned, misguided soul out there who finds their sincerity met with disdain ... and for completely understandable reasons.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtQAo2D2Q6gRdySwruuq1CkEmBAD6rRYouiDthn2RViZrA8L_R2RzvjcMv7NxACSFK8e6rlwEA7QpuTfPcvr2OW9d49Y0CZ3_bw0nYacHG1JQ6SOohUWQYd0-UfipHxFF-OaBbe_08tE/s1600/pilot-1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtQAo2D2Q6gRdySwruuq1CkEmBAD6rRYouiDthn2RViZrA8L_R2RzvjcMv7NxACSFK8e6rlwEA7QpuTfPcvr2OW9d49Y0CZ3_bw0nYacHG1JQ6SOohUWQYd0-UfipHxFF-OaBbe_08tE/s1600/pilot-1024.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The episode ends with Amy turning the self-reflection that follows into concrete action, bringing a gift to the immigrant family to express her sympathy and solidarity with their plight. This simple, selfless act actually brought some relief to people in need. It's far more a Sermon on the Mound than any pathetic speech Amy could give to people in no mood to hear it.<br />
<br />
Is this "intentionally insulting"? Is it "agnostic, atheistic and secular"? No, Amy is not overtly Christian in any respect, and as the moral center of <b><i>Enlightened</i></b>, she is as much antagonist as protagonist (sabotaging her own best intentions time and again as she stumbles her way towards a better life). A faithful Christian could find a rich vein to tap here -- what obligation do we have to the immigrants in our midst? How does one reconcile their spiritual values with the demands of an amoral, profit-driven workplace? Is "ethical living" really just the hobby of the privileged upper- and middle-class with the financial means to attend retreats and make the occasional, proportionally insignificant donation to a worthy cause?<br />
<br />
It lacks all the subtly of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsEjSF84z4U">a two-hour long torture scene</a>. But so long as the Bible Belt judges all culture by the number of times Jesus appears on screen (and how much blood he spills), they'll be missing out on some truly value-rich storytelling happening right now.futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-5720058607558082132013-03-24T20:35:00.000-04:002013-03-24T20:54:21.891-04:00Victory Has Defeated The Simpsons<span style="color: black;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall">Follow @BreakThe5thWall</a></span><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0JQ9wVzDq1vVlBZLhkMdGuT8Fg9DsEG8xlzGGWW4GXCF2L8fauYQzFy-TzHrRhwC3Eg-SyjY0OVnqbU6aX5Xm_OaPqT5Z2tmXZkga7hQFRyQ48S_CmJx0wmB7Pi0ZWUnFKnpFG4OQOQ/s1600/longest+daycare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0JQ9wVzDq1vVlBZLhkMdGuT8Fg9DsEG8xlzGGWW4GXCF2L8fauYQzFy-TzHrRhwC3Eg-SyjY0OVnqbU6aX5Xm_OaPqT5Z2tmXZkga7hQFRyQ48S_CmJx0wmB7Pi0ZWUnFKnpFG4OQOQ/s1600/longest+daycare.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i>(Programming note -- my goal is to post at least once a week at the beginning of the week, and so far this year, my track record hasn't been horrible. Recently, I've been devoting a lot of my non-work-hours to planning a move from New York to Seattle, and this blog has suffered as a result. I can't promise anything, but tune in on Mondays and I'll do my best to stick to a weekly schedule.)</i><br />
<br />
I had a near perfect New York weekend a few weeks back, starting with a <b>Louis CK</b> benefit show for PS3 Elementary on Friday (minus the fifteen minutes he had to spend <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://gawker.com/5990434/louis-ck-goes-off-on-heckler-who-interrupted-show-to-compliment-his-sexy-boots">lecturing rambunctious PS3 teachers to stop heckling him</a>), the <b>Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts</b> at the best cinema house in all the five boroughs -- the <a href="http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/">Nitehawk</a> -- on Saturday, and unstoppable party machine <b>FM Belfast</b> at The Studio at Webster Hall on Sunday. It was an embarrassment of riches and left me with far more to contemplate than I had time to write about ... the fine art of heckler confrontation, the spinelessness of the Academy awarding the Oscar to the flavorless Pepsi-commercial that was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3WVAR1McO4"><b>Paperman</b></a> instead of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV0PJKgFIUs"><b>Adam And Dog</b></a>, the challenge of convincing friends to take a chance on a new band they haven't heard before ...</span><br />
<br />
Instead of all that, the winner this week is <b>The Simpsons</b>, and specifically the question that stuck with me now weeks later (now that my schedule has opened up enough to type this post out): <b><i>Why can't they make a modern-day TV episode of The Simpsons as simple and clever as "The Longest Daycare"?</i></b> Maybe they were angling for the Oscar and, thus, <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/rules/rule19.html">needed to release the short in theaters to qualify</a>. Maybe they were brushing up their animation chops as a trial run for the next <b>Simpsons Movie</b> (which is apparently <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/sequel-to-simpsons-movie-unlikely-anytime-soon-creator-says-20130311">not going to happen any time soon</a>)? Or maybe it was just too experimental -- a dialogue-free segment without B- and C-plots or celebrity stunt casting to keep things "zany." But ... <i><a href="http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?58946-Why-Does-It-Have-To-Be-Zany">why does it have to be zany</a>?</i> If I'm right, if it's the latter explanation, then I'd like to spend a minute lamenting this staple of my childhood before casting it off the iceberg of Great TV Shows That Were.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><!--more--><br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<b>Worst. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Subh</span>eading. Ever.</b></h3>
<b>
</b><b> </b><br />
<b>The Simpsons</b> could not have debuted at a better time for me -- mid-way through fifth grade and thus roughly the age of Bart Simpsons at the time (and, it would turn out, for all eternity). Arguably, I was a little on the young side, a conclusion that was driven home by the fact that half of the kids in my class were forbidden from watching the show over those first two seasons. But all propriety aside,<b> </b>it was to my great advantage that my sense of humor was keyed to <b>The Simpsons</b>, since that show (or at least the first four or five seasons) also set the standard for all "edgy" comedy that followed through to the present. <br />
<br />
Flashing forward now twenty-five years -- as fully-grown adults born post-<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpsons_Roasting_on_an_Open_Fire">"Simpsons Roasting On A Christmas Fire"</a> are mid-way through post-doc work, buying homes and having kids of their own, it's seems almost a moot point to criticize the show for not being what it once was. <b>The Simpsons</b> could no more be the same show that once sparked a controversy <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/1990-05-24/business/fi-539_1_leveraged-buyout">over Bart Simpsons' declaration that he was an "underachiever and proud of it"</a> than <b>Saturday Night Live</b> could still blow people's minds with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGx94VPb8V8">a "musical guest" whose entire act consists of a toy record player and a pantomime</a>. Sure, all the classic lines and best episodes are engrained in the collective pop conscious of America like the Beatles catalogue, like the stand-out Shakespeare monologues, like the Gettysburg Address (the first line at least). But any edginess that <b>The Simpsons</b> once had has been eclipsed, lapped, whatever analogy you want to use, by the second- and third-waves of animated adult television that renders Bart's "underachiever" declaration <a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/155218/whos-more-hardcore">downright wholesome by comparison</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Those with the energy to post about <b>The Simpsons</b> are left to debate <b><i>when</i></b>, not <b><i>if</i></b>, the show declined into a pale shadow of its old self. Sure, there are the occasional stand-out episodes, and the movie certainly injected some much-needed new zest into the long-tired formulas that define the more recent seasons. But I think it's fair to say than any long-term viewer of the show knows pretty clearly the point the show hit the high-water mark for them, right before the realization started to sink in that the show would never hit that high again. For some, it was early going, the third season maybe. Others may cite <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Plow">"Mr. Plow"</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marge_vs._the_Monorail">"Marge vs. The Monorail."</a> Others even look further down the line to the James Bond-inspired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Only_Move_Twice">"You Only Move Twice."</a></span> <br />
<br />
For me, it has to be <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa%27s_Wedding">"Lisa's Wedding."</a> Not because it was the funniest episode (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosebud_%28The_Simpsons%29">"Rosebud"</a> has a solid lock on that prize for me if only for Mr. Burns' order to"have the Rolling Stones killed ... DO AS I SAY!"), but because it showed clearly that these characters were worth caring about. I <b><i>wanted</i></b> to see these characters grow up. I remember around the time reading an article in the local paper speculating about what careers Bart, Lisa and Maggie might have some day (it was a slow news day), which is not an article you'd see in the papers these days on the slowest of news days. But back then, it made sense that we'd see Lisa in college some day, that Bart would undoubtedly knock up some girl in high school, and Maggie would inevitably have her "goth phase", etc. etc.</span><br />
<br />
But flash forward twenty-five years later and ... yeah. Not so much. Which is fine, I guess. It wouldn't have been my choice to freeze Springfield in ember, but (a) it's not my show and (b) not every show is meant for long-arc storytelling. I'll admit I do not hold <b>South Park</b> to the same standard. I'd also argue that <b>South Park</b> was never a family drama but really social and political commentary channeled through four characters each representing a different perspective of the writers. <b>The Simpsons</b>, on the other hand, was clearly launched as a family sitcom in the vein of <b>Roseanne</b> (by way of <b>The Flintstones</b>, albeit, but still rooted in the "real world" in which people do age as time passes).<br />
<br />
While I've come to terms with never seeing Bart repeat a few years in high school or Lisa playing sax on the streets of Paris before going to college, I still wonder why the writers haven't taken more advantage of <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/10/07/the-simpsons-renewed-by-fox-for-two-more-seasons/">the perpetual renewals FOX has given them</a> to go a little wackadoo. The reason may be that the studio suits keep the writers on a short lease, or maybe <b>The Simpsons</b> these days is exactly what the writers want it to be -- mostly formulaic with a few novelties in each episode. To get an idea of what the show <b><i>could</i></b> be doing, look at what FOX-neighbor <b>American Dad</b> has been up to ... or what they <b><i>almost</i></b> did to <b>Up All Night</b> ...</span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Plagiarismo di Plagiarismo" ... For The Win</span></b></h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPOsrL6NiY1OUTwv2jyhdOXVU520ZdC92cN7wRwhM9g0_-6DuTc7HJiHyHFskQvkLLdCoLshowIFq4TShbbYMbU_rZavHK-e3Bon0eMuquiKsSfBYV1k_a8BylKNBzNIr9whiJZd2X_0/s1600/plagiarismo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPOsrL6NiY1OUTwv2jyhdOXVU520ZdC92cN7wRwhM9g0_-6DuTc7HJiHyHFskQvkLLdCoLshowIFq4TShbbYMbU_rZavHK-e3Bon0eMuquiKsSfBYV1k_a8BylKNBzNIr9whiJZd2X_0/s1600/plagiarismo1.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vhcJCix7wiyz3d5n8hzzAUMexgTZN3WzI4EZnppaVETPYgHhxxsk9KFR9V1OumxSUCbH-83V9_guFn85_Bio-RePRPCQX5URnJRp65VQeO9GMgyBiGve2sDynbsSUZO7VSudYcIyuGA/s1600/plagiarismo2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vhcJCix7wiyz3d5n8hzzAUMexgTZN3WzI4EZnppaVETPYgHhxxsk9KFR9V1OumxSUCbH-83V9_guFn85_Bio-RePRPCQX5URnJRp65VQeO9GMgyBiGve2sDynbsSUZO7VSudYcIyuGA/s1600/plagiarismo2.png" /></a></span></div>
<br />
In the fall of 2011, NBC premiered a relatively safe bet for a modest, uncontroversial sitcom about the almost-middle-aged facing parenthood for the first time. The Christina Applegate/Will Arnett vehicle <b>Up All Night</b> has a Judd Appatow-esque vibe to it, populated by adults who are on the fence over this whole "adulthood" thing while at the same time self-aware enough to know that they probably should've gotten off the fence a long time ago. Like so many movies and TV shoes in this Appatow vein, you can practically hear the characters thinking "my parents already had a kid in high school by the time they were my age" in every other scene. <b>Up All Night</b> is told fairly straight, without any <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Off_Ted">gimmicky narrations</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Office_%28U.S._TV_series%29">documentary conceits</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Swanson">wacky "break out" characters</a>. It's also been <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/News/Up-All-Night-Demise-1062227.aspx">a commercial failure</a>, as TV Guide has recently lamented:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
NBC's <b>Up All Night</b> should have been a hit. The show came with a strong comedy pedigree: It starred <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/christina-applegate/144648">Christina Applegate</a>, <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/will-arnett/179031">Will Arnett</a> and <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/maya-rudolph/190553">Maya Rudolph</a> and was produced by <b>Saturday Night Live</b> don <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lorne-michaels/194255">Lorne Michaels</a>.
At the center was what seemed to be a relatable premise for the young
adults watching the network's upscale comedies: a hip, young couple
adjusts to life with a baby. But two years after creator <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/emily-spivey/325637">Emily Spivey</a> shot the pilot (then called <b>Alpha Mom</b>), <b>Up All Night</b><i> </i>is all but gone, suffering the death of a thousand tinkers.</span></blockquote>
TV Guide attributes the failure of show to executive meddling, starting with the surprise success of <b>Bridesmaids</b>, which prompted the network to insist that Maya Rudolph be given an enhanced role on the show. From creative interference to a rotating cast of executive producers, <b>Up All Night</b> suffered from inconsistent direction and frequent cast shake-ups until NBC started getting twitchy over the show's middling ratings and sought new approaches. This included both a shift from a prerecorded single-camera show to a multi-camera show shot before a lives studio audience to ideas far more insane (and, therefore, also more interesting):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[Showrunner Linda] Wallem and the writing staff began brainstorming ideas for the
multi-camera version. One pitch placed a portal between the two worlds —
the single-cam and multi-cam versions — <b><i>that only baby Amy could see.</i></b>
Another idea put Wallem and her real-life partner, [Melissa] Etheridge <b>(!)</b>, in front
of the camera, perhaps with the action taking place in their living
room.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, a script was written in which Applegate, Arnett and Rudolph
played actors portraying the characters Reagan, Chris and Ava on a
fictional show called <i>Up All Night.</i> Off the show-within-a-show,
Arnett's character would live at home with his mother, and Applegate's
would be dating. Rudolph's real-life pregnancy was being written into
the storyline — and included a "who's the daddy?" twist.</blockquote>
This potentially inspired insanity -- which had the potential to give the show an almost <b>Get A Life</b>-level <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_a_Life_%28TV_series%29">disregard for reality or continuity</a> -- also had the effect of driving Applegate away from the show and leading NBC to conclude that the show is most likely irreparably broken at this point.</span><br />
<br />
Personally, I think it's a shame that we didn't get to see any of these wackadoo attempts to revive the show come to be. What's sadder still, though, is that it took the desperation that comes with cancellation to get these kind of creative juices flowing. Still, the ideas are there and so the potential is there as well. So why not let<b> </b>this very talented cast make one or two of these completely off-the-wall concepts into one-off episodes, just to see what happens? Sort of like what <b>American Dad </b>has been doing for a while now?<br />
<br />
When <b>American Dad</b> first debuted in 2005, I would say my reaction to the show was captured nicely by the screenshots above taken from <b>The Simpsons</b> episode "The Italian Bob." On the surface, the similarities seemed beyond lazy -- idiot father, put-upon housewife, son and daughter, a talking pet, an alcoholic smartass "best friend" ... the show wisely steered clear of "cutaways" and "flashbacks" for the most part, but the show seemed like a total rehash nonetheless. In the years since, however, the show has done an impressive job of pairing genuine character developments with amazingly off-the-wall storytelling concepts such as:<br />
<ul>
<li>A <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/blood-crieth-unto-heaven,91222/">sort-of retelling of Revelations</a> (and/or the "Left Behind" series) that goes from the Rapture to the Final Battle with the Anti-Christ in the course of 30 minutes, culminating in Stan Smith's death after which it is heavily implied that the show from that point forward is actually Stan's own personal concept of heaven;<br /> </span></li>
<li>An episode <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/blood-crieth-unto-heaven,91222/">shown as a play performed by the cast on stage,</a> with all the self-imposed limitations of live theater (despite being a cartoon);</span> </li>
<li>A two-part episode that <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/for-black-eyes-only,93222/">recasts the show as a Bond-spoof</a>, with every character from the show playing their Bond-universe counterparts; </span></li>
<li>And perhaps most ingeniously, a serious of otherwise incongruous clips interspersed at random in various episodes spanning several seasons <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://americandad.wikia.com/wiki/The_Golden_Turd">telling the ongoing saga of one of the alien Roger's golden droppings</a> (and the sad fate that befalls all who try to capture it).</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These are not the Hail Mary passes of a show struggling to find an audience -- <b>American Dad</b> has been <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/seth-macfarlane-family-guy-american-dad-cleveland-show-bobs-burgers-323080">renewed through 2014</a> and, if <a href="http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/tvshow/american-dad,259/">the otherwise Seth Farland-skeptical A.V. Club</a> is any indicator, it's only gained critical acclaim in recent years. To the contrary, these are the chances taken by a show that is very comfortable in its own skin and unafraid to screw with the formula. So what prompts one show to contemplate pure narrative insanity only as a last-ditch effort while another will regularly toy with its format on a weekly basis, despite having security for years to come? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Or by contrast, and to bring us back to the main subject of this article, what has made <b>The Simpsons</b>' writing staff so goddamn lazy? Honestly, why the hell did we need <b>FunnyOrDie.com</b> to bring us <b><a href="http://funnyordie.com/m/581w">McBain: The Movie</a></b>, instead of expanding on those clips in a proper episode-length adventure??? Why <b><i>not</i></b> a dialogue-free episode told entirely from Maggie's perspective? Why not a 30-minute Itchy & Scratch cartoon? Or a live action episode? (The famous mantra coined by <b>South Park</b> used to be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDuMp2kDxos"><i><b>"Simpsons did it!"</b></i></a> These days, it should really be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgfLGohsqvE">"<b><i>Adult Swim did it!"</i></b></a>) Maybe the answer is sadder than a lack of nerve or vision on the part of The Simpsons' writing staff. Maybe it's that tragic moment when a dad realizes that his son can beat him at most things ... and he just stops trying to keep up. Or as Salon.com writer Thomas Rogers put it <a href="http://www.salon.com/2009/12/17/john_ortved_simpsons_anniversary/">on the event of <b>The Simpsons</b>' 20th anniversary</a>: "</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Simpsons</b> seems to have aged from envelope-pushing misfit to grandfatherly institution." (Indeed, the title of the article says it all: "Why <b>The Simpsons</b> no longer matters.")</span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Any More New Business?</b></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><b>
</b></span></span>
I won't pretend to be writing <b>The Simpsons</b>' epitaph. The show I knew died long ago, like all shows do sooner or later. "The Simpsons" brand, however, will live on eternally, and there's no more point in lamenting the current state of <b>The Simpsons</b> than wishing Disney would return Mickey to his Steamboat Willie days. The humor and style of <b>The Simpsons</b> is so deeply integrated into pop culture writ large that the field is crowded with Simpsons-inspired artists, comics and cartoonists doing the hard work that Team Simpsons left behind long ago. There'd be nothing groundbreaking in simply turning back the clock.<br />
<br />
"The Longest Daycare" showed me that there's still some blood worth squeezing out of that stone, even if -- for all intents and purposes -- <b>The Simpsons</b> is woefully stuck in geosynchronous orbit between the "last ditch efforts" that can inspire mad experimentation before flaring out in the upper atmosphere, and the vision to aim deeper into space ...
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-DF3YakYHNlQ%2FUUfpeSsnlcI%2FAAAAAAAAAN4%2F9o9HlnANrz4%2Fs1600%2Fplagiarismo2.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vhcJCix7wiyz3d5n8hzzAUMexgTZN3WzI4EZnppaVETPYgHhxxsk9KFR9V1OumxSUCbH-83V9_guFn85_Bio-RePRPCQX5URnJRp65VQeO9GMgyBiGve2sDynbsSUZO7VSudYcIyuGA/s1600/plagiarismo2.png" -->futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-16808560383858850822013-02-24T17:43:00.001-05:002013-02-24T17:44:14.538-05:00"And the Oscar for Best PRACTICAL Effects Goes To ..."<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall">Follow @BreakThe5thWall</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7H9rmnaN5C9gI3IvQr-jWlq8IlFs2gI20E88eJdGyQwVMLI2WyUxOrrdXwp3NoY9DAb7ugDm5KMuBze47joMDb6_bTn9B6NRwSF5l4GUllPwSDycy_ddoYj9COeBIcDrSx7ShFHjVcE/s1600/Screen-Shot-2012-11-29-at-22.08.18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7H9rmnaN5C9gI3IvQr-jWlq8IlFs2gI20E88eJdGyQwVMLI2WyUxOrrdXwp3NoY9DAb7ugDm5KMuBze47joMDb6_bTn9B6NRwSF5l4GUllPwSDycy_ddoYj9COeBIcDrSx7ShFHjVcE/s1600/Screen-Shot-2012-11-29-at-22.08.18.png" height="151" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpurBi2Zvk9FBW_6ime5SYhx1DpPgTfSi2mKL5s7I2lQ9cX_8YB_DpKyeEw_wakbkFjIT3y9RrlnqwnwF3V11w-BjS0apoYwTfENct7qWiYPdTHaFGMbkMSIhmpNydJYYYo6_ck1gDsQ/s1600/yHvXe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpurBi2Zvk9FBW_6ime5SYhx1DpPgTfSi2mKL5s7I2lQ9cX_8YB_DpKyeEw_wakbkFjIT3y9RrlnqwnwF3V11w-BjS0apoYwTfENct7qWiYPdTHaFGMbkMSIhmpNydJYYYo6_ck1gDsQ/s1600/yHvXe1.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We're hours away from the pinnacle of the 2012 Awards Season, and I'll make no bones about being excited -- perpetually, inextricably -- by the <a href="http://oscar.go.com/">Academy Awards</a>. It's the Super Bowl with sequined dresses, a monster truck rally with orchestral interludes. It's every good reason to scream at the TV with friends over arbitrary and meaningless decisions. Like a NASCAR race, I'm half in it for the crashes, like (well) seeing <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/?ref_=sr_2">Crash</a> </b>expose the cowardliness and self-satisfaction of the Academy voters who favored that tripe over <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Brokeback Mountain</b></a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408306/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>Munich</b></a> (let alone the not-even-nominated <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0399146/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>A History of Violence</b></a>).<br />
<br />
I don't have any particularly strong feelings about the Oscar contenders this time around, other than a suspicion that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Argo</b></a> will emerge as this year's "safe" choice (by engaging Middle Eastern politics and terrorism without <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/01/were-going-to-need-script-politiczing.html">all the baggage</a> of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790885/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Zero Dark Thirty</b></a>) -- that is, unless <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Silver Linings Playbook</b></a> takes the cake in the same lighthearted spirit that gave the Oscar to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138097/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>Shakespeare in Love</b></a> over <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120863/?ref_=sr_1"><b>The Thin Red Line</b></a> and other headier historical dramas. I do have more to say about whether awards shows such as this, and indeed the entire critical establishment we still rely upon to single out "quality" artworks amongst the rabble, still play a useful role in the era of internet anarchy, where anyone with an internet connection can bypass the cultural gatekeepers of the Analog Age to find an audience. For the time being, however, I have something far more modest in mind.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Like <a href="http://www.okmagazine.com/news/five-oscar-categories-wed-love-add-and-our-winners">many</a> <a href="http://flavorwire.com/371153/new-oscar-categories-wed-like-to-see-and-who-wed-nominate-to-win-them">others</a> <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_22629518/oscars-2013-categories-we-wish-were-real-awards">out</a> <a href="http://jezebel.com/5986530/we-need-some-new-oscar-categories-before-people-stop-falling-asleep-to-the-oscars">there</a>, I find the established Oscar categories far too limiting. Of course, whatever categories you set up inevitably become arbitrary and capricious, leading to head-scratching confusion over what constitutes a "supporting" role versus a lead role or why a musical score incorporating established music cannot also be the "best score" of the year. That said, here are the categories I would add to the mess and why.<br />
<br />
<b>Best Practical Effects</b><br />
<br />
In short, it makes no sense to me whatsoever to compare the (albeit impressive) CGI work in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2PBjBD-GQ4"><b>Avengers</b></a> with the mostly practical effects on display in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6vvVxq9ddw"><b>Dark Knight Rises</b></a>. Just take a look at this behind-the-scenes clip from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/?ref_=sr_2"><b>Dark Knight</b> </a>and try telling me these guys don't deserve some recognition separate and apart from what a room full of programmers can accomplish:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/z45WGm7tdWE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Besides giving credit where it's due to those who actually risk bodily harm to pull off these stunts, it would also encourage the preservation of a distinct film-making art form onto itself. <br />
<br />
<b>Best Sequel / Franchise Installment</b><br />
<br />
Speaking of <b>Dark Knight Rises</b>, there is no doubting that we're in the Franchise Age, in which audiences are well accustomed to treating movies as "episodes" of a larger epic. Why not embrace this trend and recognize movies that are solid "parts of a whole" rather than stand-alone works of art comparable to other films? I don't think it's a stretch to say that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/?ref_=sr_2"><b>Return of the King</b></a> won the Best Picture award in 2004 to honor the achievement of the entire <b>Lord of the Rings</b> series. Creating an award directed specifically to franchises would give recognition to the strength of individual episodes viewed in the context of the series as a whole. (And, for the hell of it, we can retroactively give the award to<b> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2">The Empire Strikes Back</a></b>, which is a good movie on its own but a <b><i>great</i></b> movie when viewed as the bridge between <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5"><b>A New Hope</b></a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>Return of the Jedi</b></a>.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/96v4XraJEPI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span id="goog_417940248"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_417940249"></span><br />
<span id="goog_417940248">Yes, practically speaking, this category also doubles as a back-door Award for sci-fi and fantasy, which constitute the bulk of franchises out there today (with action flicks like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fast_and_the_Furious_%28film_series%29"><b>Fast and Furious</b></a> franchise a close second), but I'd call that a feature, not a bug.</span><span id="goog_417940249"></span><br />
<br />
<b>Best Use of Music</b><br />
<br />
Of all the categories proposed on this list, this one seems like the most obvious and the most necessary. I'm not <a href="http://flavorwire.com/371153/new-oscar-categories-wed-like-to-see-and-who-wed-nominate-to-win-them/view-all">the first one to point out</a> that it's stupid to exclude soundtracks that incorporate preexisting music from the Oscars for Best Score and Best Song. When some of the most distinctive moments in modern classics depend on the re-appropriation of preexisting music, it's absurd not to recognize the craft in picking the right song for the right moment:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Re4chLDlNLY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
Needless to say, Tarantino would be a heavy favorite for this category in any year he releases a movie, but he wouldn't be the only contender by far ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ra7Fa6kE718?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best Children's Entertainment</b><br />
<br />
The <i>de facto</i> stand-in for this award currently is "Best Animated Feature" and that's unfortunate on two counts. First, it would have excluded such genius children's entertainment as the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112431/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1"><b>Babe</b></a> movies, even if the "Best Animated Feature" category existed back in the 1990s.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z0pOWMHRgfI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Second, it results in such absurdities as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTWxB9hRjwI"><b>Chico and Rita</b></a> competing against <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIW5oo-8NYw"><b>Kung Fu Panda 2</b></a>, or the sophisticated, adult-themed <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417/?ref_=sr_1">Persepolis</a> </b>competing against the disposable <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423294/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Surf's Up</b></a>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rlIAmCfHzbg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/N41QJ0VCs68?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Giving the voters a category specifically directed to family-appropriate films (animated or not) will run interference, allowing sophisticated animated films to compete for the Oscar for Best Animated Film without the burden of also being the <i>only</i> kid-friendly category on the ballot.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Best Historical Fiction</b><br />
<br />
This last category is most specifically in response to this year's candidates, given the controversy surrounding the historical accuracy not of one but <b><i>three</i></b> of the Best Picture nominees. I wrote about <b>Zero Dark Thirty</b> and <b>Argo</b> <a href="http://thefifthwall.blogspot.com/2013/01/were-going-to-need-script-politiczing.html">here</a>, but <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/?ref_=sr_1"><b>Lincoln</b></a> has also come under fire for -- among other inaccuracies -- a scene <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/02/06/connecticut-congressman-challenges-lincolns-historical-accuracy/">falsely showing</a> the congressmen from Connecticut voting against the 13th Amendment. Creating a separate category recognizing explicitly that these films are historical <b><i>fiction</i></b> might take some of the edge off of the controversy. (Honestly, this category may not be such a hot idea, but for whatever reason, the Hollywood Press seemed to decide that <b><i>this</i></b> was the year movies about important historical events would be put under the accuracy microscope.)<br />
<b> </b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>* * *</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So those are my ideas. Any thoughts?</div>
futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2265766182630329472.post-38460425879063192332013-02-03T16:36:00.002-05:002013-02-03T16:49:56.997-05:00No Need To Be Gun Shy on Video Game Violence<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/BreakThe5thWall">Follow @BreakThe5thWall</a>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vXWvG9NeDt9Ei3r3X_BOaGKqf_IAjecD-5M8AKT-ImQioLEymZQPaFGnHdIVSKiBVLOgJ-o7FmiJsYVWJGVf9wLHayrgB0kc7naLYkBCM1x8s-lMmp_aXmBBQ6eY5y8aqx-u5uX6Xho/s1600/berzerk_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vXWvG9NeDt9Ei3r3X_BOaGKqf_IAjecD-5M8AKT-ImQioLEymZQPaFGnHdIVSKiBVLOgJ-o7FmiJsYVWJGVf9wLHayrgB0kc7naLYkBCM1x8s-lMmp_aXmBBQ6eY5y8aqx-u5uX6Xho/s1600/berzerk_2.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I think real violence on film is completely acceptable and should be seen. ... When you don't show the consequences it makes it seem like it's okay. I
think video games and that stuff should be as violent as possible, but
age-appropriate. It should be realistic."- <a href="http://www.egs.edu/faculty/darren-aronofsky/quotes/">Darren Aronofsky</a> (2009)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Apple is treating games as shallow commercial entertainment experiences
because they have been taught by game developers that that is what
games are.” - Braid developer Jonathan Blow regarding <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/15/apple-want-to-criticize-religion-write-a-book-dont-make-a-game/#1bdyqBvTo73JCiUb.99">Apple's App censorship policy</a> (2013)</blockquote>
<br />
Last week, the Senate took the next tentative, lumbering step towards responding meaningfully to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting by hearing testimony from a wide spectrum of gun control advocates and opponents. While our government is designed to operate with the response time of the Titanic in iceberg-laden waters, this time around it seems that Congress may actually respond in a meaningful way to gun violence in America, and the momentum has put gun control opponents on the spot in a way they haven't been in possibly decades.<br />
<br />
A recurring tactic amongst these opponents is to point a wagging finger at video game violence, starting with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/21/nra-wayne-lapierre_n_2348277.html">the earliest comments of Wayne LaPierre</a> (Executive VP of NRA and presently their most prominent spokesperson) following the massacre and culminating in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuiDBr0WnZU&feature=player_embedded">the recent comments of Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander</a>, who said last week that he thinks "video games [are] a <i><b>bigger</b></i> problem than guns" (emphasis added). Unfortunately, such comments do a significant disservice not only to the real and pressing issue of gun control, but also to the substantive, important conversation we ought to be having about the influence of media and entertainment on our culture -- as well as our propensity to miss opportunities again and again to harness that power constructively.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<b>"It's creating monsters!"</b><br />
<br />
This is not a political blog (conventionally speaking), so I won't get into the insider politics of the gun control debate except to acknowledge what I think is obvious -- that all the attention on video game violence by the NRA and its allies in Congress is a diversionary tactic and nakedly so. When Sen. Lamar laments that "the First Amendment limits what we can do about video games, and the
Second Amendment to the Constitution limits what we can do about guns", he's rather blatantly treating the First Amendment as a human shield against any meaningful gun control legislation. ("If you want my guns, you'll have to blow a hole through the Freedom of Speech first!") But the damage to our national discourse is two-fold, gumming up not only the gun control debate but also the public discourse on violence in our media in general.<br />
<br />
That is, the fear of slippery slopes has a tendency to shut down a conversation that might produce a better understanding of what's actually going on in our culture. People who might otherwise have something meaningful to say are scared away by the thought that even acknowledging the topic will add fuel to the censors' fires. <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/12/28/why-arent-we-discussing-videogame-violence/">Nathan Grayson</a> writing for the blog <b>Rock, Paper Shotgun</b> summarized the problem facing video game (and free speech) advocates thusly:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But I know why we’re not discussing [video game violence]. That’s the easy part. It’s because that’s the sort of thing <i>the enemy</i>
talks about. “Video games cause violence,” they hoot and holler,
pitchforks aloft atop their dusty dinosaur steeds. “The medium just
belches out puerile filth that teaches our children how to kill. All
games should be banned forever. Period end.” </blockquote>
It doesn't help at all that Sen. Joe Lierberman -- a man who's <a href="http://archive.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=5743">long made free speech advocates weary</a> with his pro-censorship views -- has <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/c-t-sen-lieberman-video-games-movies-cause-vulnerable-young-men-to-be-more-violent/">joined the chorus condemning video game violence</a> despite otherwise holding pro-gun control views:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The violence in the entertainment culture – particularly, with the
extraordinary realism to video games, movies now, et cetera – does cause
vulnerable young men to be more violent,” Lieberman insisted. “Doesn’t
make everybody more violent, but it’s a causative factor in some cases."</blockquote>
Whether or not there's any merit to his comments, Sen. Lieberman is exactly the wrong person to be making that case given his propensity to follow up those comments with the warning that, if video game developers and artists don't "tone down" the violence voluntarily, "maybe there's some things <b><i>we</i></b> can do to tone it down." (Cue ominous music.) While it's slightly less hysterical than what consumer advocate Ralph Nader <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/01/21/ralph-nader-calls-violent-video-games-electronic-child-molesters/">has been quoted as saying</a> about violence in our culture ("We are in the peak of [violence in entertainment]. Television
program violence? Unbelievable. Video game violence? Unprecedented.") or -- at the other end of the specturm -- <a class="exit_trigger_set" data-ls-seen="1" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/12/30/violence-and-video-games-in-america/">Donald Trump</a> ("Video game violence & glorification must be stopped — it is creating monsters!"), it's never comfortable to hear elected officials dancing with the idea of government censorship.<br />
<br />
These Chicken Littles are rightfully mocked by Forbes contributor Erik Kain as <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/01/21/ralph-nader-calls-violent-video-games-electronic-child-molesters/">stumbling down the well-trodden path of blaming art for society's many ills</a>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Truly, we are in end times, folks. First it was jazz and then it was
rock and roll, followed by the scourge of satanism brought on by
Dungeons & Dragons and comic books; fast-forward a few years and it’
heavy metal and The Matrix. Now it’s video games and their
“unprecedented” violence.<br />
<br />
This is why millions of video game players go on shooting rampages every year. Or something.</blockquote>
"Or something" indeed. And yet, it <i>is </i>"something", just perhaps not the "tenuous at best" connection (in Kain's words) between Sandy Hook and <b>Call of Duty</b>, or between Columbine and Marilyn Manson (or bowling, for that matter, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310793/quotes">as Michael Moore pointed out</a> in <b>Bowling for Columbine</b>).<b> </b><br />
<br />
If it helps to start the conversation on an innocuous topic, I'd direct you to the <a href="http://www.radiolab.org/2007/may/24/dreams/">"Dreams"</a> episode of the always excellent <b>RadioLab</b> podcast, in which a researcher effectively brainwashed a classroom full of students into having the same dream by prolonged exposure to <b>Tetris</b>. If falling blocks can have such a uniform effect on people, what good does it do us to deny the influential power of a realistic first-person shooter? Let's not be so scared of the censor that we don't seriously reckon with the fact that art and culture do influence our behavior -- in fact, it's the influential power of art that makes it worth experiencing in the first place!<br />
<br />
<b>"It can get complicated."</b><br />
<br />
The real problem with starting this conversation, though, is the natural tendency we have to seek the simple answer, the nutshell, the punchline. Indeed, the link between video games (or art in general) and violence has been a long-sought "holy grail", stretching back to at least 1984 with the first known major study on the subject, which <a href="http://kotaku.com/5976733/do-video-games-make-you-violent-an-in+depth-look-at-everything-we-know-today">reached a conclusion that might as well be cut-and-paste into the discussions we're having now thirty years later</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The data indicate that video game playing is neither the menace that
many of its critics have portrayed it to be, nor necessarily without
possible negative consequences."</blockquote>
This shoulder-shrug of a conclusion may be best reflected by the simple dichotomy between the anecdotal observations of video game enthusiasts such as Grayson, on the one hand (<a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/01/09/gaming-made-me-violence/">reflecting here on his personal experiences as a long-time gamer</a>) ...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In spite of the ups and downs of my relationship with it, I
personally enjoy violence. I really do. It’s empowering. It’s
intoxicating. It’s fun. But it’s also one of the scariest things in the
entire world, and what’s even scarier is that – if I lost control, if my
temper beat the teeth right out of my conscience – I could inflict it
on someone else. I’ve done it in my head a thousand times. It’s not even
hard. I’m human. On some level, it’s natural. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When I walk down those dark, nearly naked streets, <b><i>I’m most afraid of my fantasies. Afraid of myself.</i></b></blockquote>
<br />
... and the often-observed fact that the numbers simply do not show that our society has gotten any more violent in correlation with our ever-increasingly-violent video games (in point of fact, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/12/30/violence-and-video-games-in-america/">the very opposite appears to be true)</a>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSe8SKKttfaZmXNB7jDEg8u-TJ06f12ntx0cAOhl6RgazY9G7G7hYkRHQOWUvz-hu-yllOWTefNtqSVaGedGm2YDGoF2iT4dKTf3aCnq5zYx8p0sBkJmSUNPwCuDs2aScF5I-rlEbrDU/s1600/videogameviolencechart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSe8SKKttfaZmXNB7jDEg8u-TJ06f12ntx0cAOhl6RgazY9G7G7hYkRHQOWUvz-hu-yllOWTefNtqSVaGedGm2YDGoF2iT4dKTf3aCnq5zYx8p0sBkJmSUNPwCuDs2aScF5I-rlEbrDU/s1600/videogameviolencechart.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Of course, this chart could equally be used to make the point that the same drop in crime victims over the past two decades also correlates with increased gun ownership ... or global warming ... or Charlie Sheen meltdowns. But now it sounds like I'm trying to shut down the conversation with diversions and non sequitors, and that's not at all my intention.<br />
<br />
It may helpful, then, to take a step back again and consider this discussion in another context. Take, for example, the outrage that broke out last year in response to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innocence_of_Muslims"><b>Innocence of Muslims</b></a>, the 14-minute video clip "mock trailer" that seemed to be designed specifically to provoke a violent reaction out of devout Muslims. While the story of what the video did or did not inspire took on a political life of its own in connection with the attacks on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi (which continues to be a hot topic in Washington), there was little hemming and hawing to be done over whether the video clip had the potential to trigger a reaction, to prompt violence. It was simply a given that a video designed explicitly to enrage Muslims would have the intended effect.<br />
<br />
Taking that correlation as a given, the question then becomes whether we allow such speech, which leads in turn to the following point-counterpoint:<br />
<br />
First, Sarah Chayes writing for the L.A. Times argued that <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/18/opinion/la-oe-chayes-innocence-of-muslims-first-amendment-20120918">the First Amendment restricts such speech</a> known to create a "clear and present danger of harm":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The most stringent protection," [Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.] wrote on behalf of a unanimous court,
"would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and
causing a panic." </blockquote>
<br />
On the flip-side, Tim Worstall writing for Forbes argued that it is impossible to separate out speech that may be potentially "offensive" to the religiously devout <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/10/15/dear-muslim-protestors-yes-freedom-of-speech-does-mean-that-the-prophet-can-be-insulted/">without also banning religious expression in its entirety</a>:<br />
<span class="desc"></span><br />
<div class="user">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Or to put it into a nutshell: we cannot ban people from insulting a
religious figure like Mohammed. Because the very religious accolades
that Islam affords to Mohammed are in and of themselves in direct
contravention of the religious beliefs of billions of others. There is
thus no way of protecting religious figures from insult without actually
banning the very expression of religious beliefs themselves. Which is
why we don’t do that and instead say that everyone can just say what
they like: freedom of speech as we call it. </blockquote>
Neither side has a slam-dunk case. While it's hard to argue against the "shouting fire in a theater" scenario, it's also deeply insulting to treat a segment of the human population as an unthinking force of nature -- as if criticizing the prophet Mohammed is tantamount to spooking a large animal or throwing a match on gasoline. Yet, clearly there's more to be said about promoting a responsible discourse that (a) encourages free expression while (b) recognizing that we have a responsibility to respect the context in which we express ourselves. (Put another way, you don't have to ban nudity in film entirely to keep hard core pornography out of our grade schools.)<br />
<br />
Once again, its easier to deal in nutshells and absolutes than to confront the nuance underlying this topic. Just look at Apple, which has been <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/15/apple-want-to-criticize-religion-write-a-book-dont-make-a-game/#h3cYRJkzAFTXZDgI.99">the target of criticism lately</a> for circulating <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/58590/heres-the-full-text-of-apples-new-app-store-guidelines/">App Store guidelines</a> that explicitly ban applications that address religion<i> </i>or sex in <b><i>any</i></b> way:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We view apps different than books or songs, which we do not curate. If
you want to criticize a religion, write a book. If you want to describe
sex, write a book or a song, or create a medical app. It can get
complicated, but we have decided to not allow certain kinds of content
in the App Store.</blockquote>
Unsurprisingly, video game developers have not taken well to Apple's ill-conceived (if understandable) attempt to <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5976623/apples-stance-on-controversial-games-is-a-little-insulting?tag=apple">hold back the flood waters</a> of this new medium, despite all its inherent potential:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
You hear that, game developers? Never mind that your medium allows for
powerful artistic and political statements to be made, and that it's the
field you're trained and qualified to work in. That stuff just doesn't
fly here. If you want to criticize a religion, write a book. Why? Oh,
it's complicated, so let's just leave it at that. It's <i>complicated</i>. OK? </blockquote>
Writing for Venture Beat, Jeffrey Grubb <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/15/apple-want-to-criticize-religion-write-a-book-dont-make-a-game/#h3cYRJkzAFTXZDgI.99">points out the obvious</a> -- that if you assume video games "don't criticize religion, war and politics very well", then the games that do provide insightful criticism on these topics "will never reach a wide enough audience to prove it to Apple."<br />
<br />
<b>"Replacing Textbooks With Tablets"</b> <br />
<br />
Though, creating insightful art is always going to be only one factor in the equation. Art always requires an engaged audience to fulfill whatever potential it may (or may not) have. Many of the same video game developers chaffing at the public condemnation of video game violence also recognize that <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/12/30/violence-and-video-games-in-america/">video game consumers should "demand more from our video games"</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"[W]e should demand more from those who make our games
in the first place, as well as from gamers whose often overly knee-jerk
reaction to this sort of thing only helps to make level-headed
conversation impossible." </blockquote>
"[I]t's up to us to be <i>aware</i>," writes <a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/12/28/why-arent-we-discussing-videogame-violence/">Nathan Grayson</a>. "Examine yourself. Understand the effect – if any – that violence has had on you and those you care about." So the question then becomes <i>how</i>? If it is indeed "outright irresponsible" to ignore the the "constant role" of video game violence in "our day-to-day lives" -- a sentiment to which I'll agree -- how do we prepare the next crop of video gamers to be outright responsible about it?<br />
<br />
For better or for worse, the conversation naturally leads to Texas, among a select few other textbook-producing states that have dominated our K-8 curriculum for far too long. I single out Texas because of the massive market share of its schools, the Texas state school board has been able to dictate what the major textbook publishing companies -- a (dying) industry that is controlled in large part <a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120303/ISSUE01/303039966/textbook-case-of-a-dying-biz">by three major publishing houses</a> -- teach our kids. The whole sordid background is explored <a href="http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/jun/21/how-texas-inflicts-bad-textbooks-on-us/?pagination=false">by Gail Collins in The New York Review of Books</a>, wherein she reaches the conclusion that Texas school board (driven by right-wing political inclinations) have managed to water down any topics deemed controversial, such as evolution, to the point of rendering the books "unreadable":<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And that’s the legacy. Texas certainly didn’t single-handedly mess up
American textbooks, but its size, its purchasing heft, and the pickiness
of the school board’s endless demands—not to mention the board’s
overall craziness—certainly made it the trend leader. Texas has never
managed to get evolution out of American science textbooks. It’s been
far more successful in helping to make evolution—and history, and
everything else—seem boring. </blockquote>
But as I said up top, this is <i>not</i> a political blog, so let's leave alone the question of whether our schools ought to be teaching this subject or that in particular, and instead focus for now on just how ridiculously outdated the entire textbook model is. Let's assume for the second that the First Amendment is still in place. Let's assume that the data is correct and there is no direct correlation between video games and violence -- thus negating any "shouting fire in a theater" analogy, since there's no video game out there that's going to be kids in a "clear and present" danger of immediate harm. Let's assume that, instead of attempting (in vain) to shield our children from violence, we should be instilling "awareness" of the fact that violence exists in the world and that violence has consequences.<br />
<br />
Then the question becomes "why the hell aren't we teaching kids how to play video games in school??" It's not enough to scoff the idea away. It's not enough to say that video games are just silly entertainment. So are comic books, but that doesn't stop us from including captioned illustrations in schoolbooks. While we have to endure supposedly serious proposals to <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/30/local/la-me-guns-schools-20130131">introduce actual firearms into classrooms</a> and to <a href="http://www.newser.com/story/161982/missouri-bill-teach-1st-graders-about-guns.html">put 1st graders through gun safety courses</a> ... is it that crazy to consider teaching kids about simulated violence and how to distinguish between real life and fantasy?<br />
<br />
The first, tentative steps in this direction may be taking place in New York, where Speaker of the New York City Council Christine Quinn has <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/christine-quinn-2013-2/index1.html">proposed replacing school textbooks with tablets</a> (or to put it another way, to progress at long last from <span class="st">Johannes Gutenberg</span> to Steve Jobs). Surely, the point isn't to make <b>Call of Duty</b> part of the school curriculum, not exactly, not at first. But if a video game is supposed to have so much influence that it could inspire someone to slaughter children without remorse, how much more potential might video games also have to inspire our kids to create?futurifichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05664588971906728875noreply@blogger.com1