Politics and Films

Kelly: Your observations are interesting and alon...

2012-04-27T12:24:47.411-07:00

Kelly:

Your observations are interesting and along a line I hadn't thought about.

I see parallels between the Hunger Games story and ancient Rome-- author Suzanne Collins has done her homework about the Gladiator games and Rome's policy of PANEM ET CIRCENSES (Bread and Entertainment). Roman leaders gave their citizens grain, and enough distraction to keep them entertained and happy.

Our current European and U.S. forms of government are based on Roman forms; we have also taken the PANEM ET CIRCENSES themes for our own purposes. And just in case we missed it, Collins gives us some huge hints. In her book, the US has become PANEM, where those in the capitol have plenty of bread and a gladiator reality show to keep them distracted.

The themes fit so well that several Christian Ministers (I among them) were able to preach throughout Lent using the themes of Jesus vs Rome, using the Hunger Games as a modern-day retelling of rebels who stand against empire.

-Rev. Sandie Richards, First United Methodist Church of Los Angeles

Great movies can teach us so many things, and even...

2012-04-14T05:27:41.723-07:00

Great movies can teach us so many things, and even more, make us think ;)

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2012-04-10T23:58:39.431-07:00

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Thanks for the great article, Kelly! Casey has al...

2011-10-17T07:27:49.423-07:00

Thanks for the great article, Kelly! Casey has always been my favorite player and I love to read updates on him and interviews with him.

I came to the same conclusion that they had the be...

2011-10-04T21:40:45.546-07:00

I came to the same conclusion that they had the best of intentions. However, the narrative seemed to be that a lower standard of life is just part of life now. I liked the movie but that assumption bothered me.

Good interview. The one point Casey is partially ...

2011-10-04T15:04:19.374-07:00

Good interview. The one point Casey is partially missing is that Moneyball is a business book. Beane agrees that guys who can drive in baserunners are valuable, but the richer teams can outbid him for those guys - that's why they showed him losing Giambi to NY and Damon to Boston. At that time, other teams were undervaluing some high on base percentage guys, the ones who draw a lot of walks but don't hit for power, so Beane could take advantage of that and get those guys cheap. Also, teams were valuing relief pitchers wrong. For a short time. Now most every team values those guys so his advantage is gone.

Teams have always used statistics. They were just using the wrong ones. Now almost every team hires advanced stats and econ guys.

Nice article, thanks for the information.

2011-09-28T08:29:28.505-07:00

Nice article, thanks for the information.

- "discovering that the river you are wading ...

2011-08-25T10:39:28.301-07:00

- "discovering that the river you are wading in is talking to you and that you and the water are one with the universe"

This is an excellent summation and, for me, also ties in a controlling image from what I believe to be Kesey's most important and overlooked novel, Sometimes A Great Notion. Sometimes, however, one is not at one with the water, much less the universe, regardless of how steadfast one remains to that vision. Negotiating through dissonance, or turbulence, so as not to mix too many metaphors, ends up being the unstated durative challenge.

Love the cleaning his apartment line. Also, i gue...

2011-07-19T01:33:03.703-07:00

Love the cleaning his apartment line.

Also, i guess there's something to be said that his whole recent life is stagnated as he tries to create a utopian world and then given the means to do anything he gets that out of the way asap, leaves it on the page, and moves right to self-fulfillment. So perhaps the inference that he is a caring guy and concerned with the well being of others is just misdirection.

Thanks Kelly--you saw a lot more than I was able t...

2011-07-05T14:54:26.119-07:00

Thanks Kelly--you saw a lot more than I was able to do in large part because I could barely decipher the words spoken by the voice over. I saw the film as a sort of pure cinema exercise and gave up trying to grasp the philosophical intentions. Your reflection makes me think that Malick remains immersed in the neew age?

I loved this movie, Hereafter, I think because it ...

2010-11-18T13:37:52.575-08:00

I loved this movie, Hereafter, I think because it did come back to the here and now. When do we feel the greatest need to believe that there will be an afterlife? When we have experienced great loss, the kind of loss that alters one's existence here. I agree that Marcus and James had the most affecting story. I loved how that "connection" seemed to affect George more profoundly than any other as it afforded the survivor a message to help him endure. When do we mark our ability to move on? When we are able to reconnect here and now, and to wake up without the heaviness of emptiness. Then, perhaps, we stop worrying about the hereafter.
Thanks, Kelly!

"It's an entertaining story about ambitio...

2010-10-31T17:56:10.366-07:00

"It's an entertaining story about ambition, romance and predatory trading practices, but it seems more fascinated than angry. Is Stone suggesting this new reality has become embedded, and we're stuck with it?" Ebert.

Great Film. Great post.

2010-10-31T17:23:21.696-07:00

Great Film. Great post.

But do you take the movie seriously? I haven't...

2010-10-04T16:47:08.452-07:00

But do you take the movie seriously? I haven't seen it yet but am impressed by the reviewers' enthusiasm...

great article kell. i'll send you a copy of th...

2010-09-26T02:03:02.396-07:00

great article kell. i'll send you a copy of the play i'm writing soon as it's finished - very similar themes. xoxo

Wow---how can I get my hands on this film? I thin...

2010-09-15T18:49:31.218-07:00

Wow---how can I get my hands on this film? I think your review is great and your reading of the film is very persuasive. Women workers of the world unite!

This Washington Monthly article by Chris Lehman is a great take on the limits of American political fiction, also including a discussion of All the King's Men.