Zander’s Weblog

[Contains spoiler] Based on a true story, the details of which I am not familiar, the film portrays the effects of a narcissistic/psychopathic mother on her son, ultimately leading to his killing her and later himself. I found the film engaging and well-rendered. The question for me is usually whether the psychology rings true, and comes through in the performances. For this film I would say almost. Although Julianne Moore does a fine job as the mother I don’t quite buy her psychopathy. Barney Clark is spot-on as the younger Tony. As the older Tony, Eddie Redmayne has a tougher job and almost sells it, although he comes across as rather too together for his alleged crimes.

Interviews with members of the resistance in Iraq, filmed about 4 years ago. The motivations given were certainly plausible, even predictable. Bush et al. were idiots for going there. Leaving is the best and only option.

Well-made and enjoyable film for those who like the genre and can tolerate a bit of C.S. Lewis, with his deus ex machina resolution.

It is always interesting to see who a film casts as the villains! In this case we get those evil, swarthy, conquistador-era Spaniards. I am sure in their day they felt as righteous as the Marines in Iraq do today. Future villain material?

Fleshes out, in more ways than one, and in Errol Morris’ inimitable style, what little we gleaned from the news reports of the day. But as the film’s title suggests, SOP is unlikely to change (nor are governments or military establishments). Given the subject matter I feel guilty mentioning the stunning cinematography, and Danny Elfman’s great music, but there you have it.

A super-fluffy soap opera, light-hearted and superficial. Either amusing or unwatchably irritating, depending on your mood. I was amused.

OK, so the film is 22 years old, but with all the hype I was expecting something that was not such dismal tripe. By the time the film was over, I wanted to cut MY head off.

A powerful argument for gay people not to live in Mississippi, and for those who do to lose weight! The interview with the “Reverend” Fred Phelps was reminiscent of watching Hitler cut loose on the Jews–I think the pathology is the same. Finally, I thought that the film presented a very skewed sample of the population–those who not only haven’t moved away from MS (!) but also whose social lives revolve around a bar scene or drag performances–so don’t expect enlightenment.

2006 film by Toby Ross–supposedly a gay comedy but the joke will be on you if you rent this. Take any aspect of film critique–script, casting, acting, lighting, music–prefix with the word “bad”, and you’ll have an accurate statement.

Marshall Eakin’s survey of Latin America for the Palgrave Essential Histories series is a wonderfully readable journey through over 500 years of complex evolution. Like viewing earth from the moon, it gives a fact-filled yet comprehensible picture. For example, did you know that Brazil “imported” about 35% of all the Africans brought in bondage to the Americas, the Caribbean basin another 45%, Latin America 10-15%, and the United States 6%? Or that the United States has invaded and occupied several Latin American countries, some more than once?

Your basic well-made superhero movie, with Robert Downey Jr. as “Iron Man” doing a good rendition of a comic-book James Bond turned transformer-batman. In true comic book style they cranked the love interest way down, our hero not even kissing “Pepper Potts” (Gwyneth Paltrow). The villains, as you might expect: ill-defined middle-eastern madmen and home-grown arms dealers. Industrial Light and Magic had a hand in the special effects. A shiny bauble.