Alarming News: I like Morgan Freeberg. A lot.
American Digest: And I like this from "The Blog That Nobody Reads", because it is -- mostly -- about me. What can I say? I'm on an ego trip today. It won't last.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: We were following a trackback and thinking "hmmm... this is a bloody excellent post!", and then we realized that it was just part III of, well, three...Damn. I wish I'd written those.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: ...I just remembered that I found a new blog a short while ago, House of Eratosthenes, that I really like. I like his common sense approach and his curiosity when it comes to why people believe what they believe rather than just what they believe.
Brutally Honest: Morgan Freeberg is brilliant.
Dr. Melissa Clouthier: Morgan Freeberg at House of Eratosthenes (pftthats a mouthful) honors big boned women in skimpy clothing. The picture there is priceless--keep scrolling down.
Exile in Portales: Via Gerard: Morgan Freeberg, a guy with a lot to say. And he speaks The Truth...and it's fascinating stuff. Worth a read, or three. Or six.
Just Muttering: Two nice pieces at House of Eratosthenes, one about a perhaps unintended effect of the Enron mess, and one on the Gore-y environ-movie.
Mein Blogovault: Make "the Blog that No One Reads" one of your daily reads.
The Virginian: I know this post will offend some people, but the author makes some good points.
Poetic Justice: Cletus! Ah gots a laiv one fer yew...
Superman
Having just become an old person today, I confess to being slightly turned off when I heard Megan Basham was in the eighth grade during the early days of Rush Limbaugh. As a fan of Roger Ebert, I haven’t gotten a lot of use out of conservative movie critics anyway. This one is not only junior to me, but very junior. In the classic vernacular of the geriatric set, what the hell does she know? And get off my lawn. I was similarly turned off toward the Superman movie, when I heard they ditched “the American way.” Well, it occurred to me this is the situation that calls for a conservative movie critic. And not some stuffy old fart old enough to be my dad, either. A blond former cheerleader would be perfect…so long as she’s formed a decent respect for the concerns that naturally arise when a golden-age slice of Americana is de-Americanized.
So I gave her a read. I didn’t find that much earth-shattering about the writing style, but I’m highly impressed with the way she has handled the concepts of the movie, philosophically. This is heavyweight stuff. As to whether or not the producers have handled the comic-book hero in a way I’m going to like, at least enough to find enjoyment in the movie, that’s a determination to be made after I’ve seen it. Which, now, maybe I will. But my mind’s made up that I didn’t give Megan a fair shake at first, and I’m going to make a habit of checking out her product from here on.
The idea that the Pulitzer Prize committee would award a point of view that disparages something so fundamentally good and (previously) American as Superman is laughable, but also all too possible. It may do so only for humor�s sake, but conservative audiences won�t be able to resist a plot that introduces the argument that Superman imposes his do-gooding on the world, with Superman coming out the victor.
Similarly, rather than sidestepping the Superman/Christ connection, Singer plays it for everything its worth. As Superman tells Lois: “You wrote that the world doesn’t need a savior. But every day I hear people crying for one.”
Ever notice when old people make a decision, they spend more time talking about how they made it than what the decision was?
Update: Debbie Schlussel thought very highly of the film on June 20, and not-so-highly of it a week later. I don’t know what happened in the meantime, I assume she actually went and saw it during that pivotal week. Not intending that as a slight against her, I just can’t find anything in either of her columns to explain the hairpin-turn. She would have done well for herself to at least touch on what happened, on how & why her perspective changed.
As for my own opinion, although I’m somewhat more hyped about the movie than I was six hours ago, I remain in agreement with Schlussel about the single-mom thing and the “American Way” thing. They’re disturbing, and not just a little bit.
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Actually, on June 20th, I said I’d not yet seen the movie, so I couldn’t recommend it 9see comments section). I only praised the star and the studio for praising the military and treating them well. When I saw the movie, I couldn’t recommend it, as per my review. Basham is clearly clueless about the Pulitzer, as it’s constantly given to such anti-American writings. Still a blonde cheerleader, apparently.
- Debbie Schlussel | 07/16/2006 @ 06:13Yes, I was kind of worried when I wrote that about you that my comments might have been interpreted on the harsh side, that’s why I said it wasn’t a slight against you. I wasn’t being sarcastic. It’s not that you were unclear, on the 20th, about where you were placing your compliments. I was just looking for something to address the change in sentiment. Failing to see that, I just had that outstanding question, and that’s all I really wanted to comment on.
You and I are in agreement about those two issues with the film (as I said). Now that I’ve seen the movie myself, I haven’t changed my mind at all. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
- mkfreeberg | 07/16/2006 @ 06:28Hey Morgan! A much belated Happy Birthday!
As the father of a “boy” who turns 40 next month, I’ll have to (respectfully) disagree with you about being an old man. You’re right smack-dab in the middle of life’s sweet spot…wiser, more than likely richer, and with the energy to make the most of it. I think 40 just may have been my best year…but I’d have to think on that for a bit. As the saying goes: “It’s all good!”
- Buck Pennington | 07/19/2006 @ 22:27Our mutual friend James Bostwick alerted me to the comments surrounding my Superman review on your site, and wanted to clarify a couple things.
First, I think Ms. Schlussel may have misread me. In the line from my review, “The idea that the Pulitzer Prize committee would award a point of view that disparages something so fundamentally good and (previously) American as Superman is laughable, but also all too possible,” laughable is meant to convey �comedic,� not �unlikely�. As the rest of the sentence establishes, the entire point was that anti-superman propaganda is exactly the kind of thinking likely garner a Pulitzer�hence the humor for conservative audiences.
As for my age, I quote the Apostle Paul who said, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” (Though, compared to a lot of the other whippersnappers writing for Townhall–Ben Shapiro comes to mind–I am practically middle-aged.)
I’m afraid I don’t have defense for being blond…
Cheers,
Megan
- mlbasham | 07/24/2006 @ 21:50You already know my opinion of your column, so obviously you’re preaching to the choir where I’m concerned.
The thing about writing is, it’s all a matter of perspective. The author who thinks he wrote something clearly, imagines all readers who say otherwise, as being “on the outs.” Readers who perceive the author’s point was poorly made, or somehow muddled, likewise imagine other readers with different opinions, the same way. Everybody wants to imagine that “everybody else” agrees with their point-of-view, with no exceptions…except for people who are somehow weird.
Well, it’s a matter of opinion. My opinion is that you and Debbie are both blonde, and nevertheless both worth reading. I’ll just invite you over to dinner on different nights, or something.
- mkfreeberg | 07/24/2006 @ 23:22