I will be keeping an updated list of Good Movies and Bad Movies in this post. Revisit often to make the most of your viewing experience. Two hours is a terrible thing to waste.
Update: Jesus Camp
YELL-AT-THE-TV MOVIES:
• Jesus Camp (2006) documents the indoctrination to-the-core of 9-10-11 year-olds by intimidating, charismatic evangelical Christians at a children’s summer camp. If the film had depicted the same practices involving Muslims instead of Christians, there would have been an FBI investigation. As I saw it, the tactics amounted to child abuse. Footnote: the camp closed due to controversy sparked by the film, but I have to wonder whether it has resurfaced since then.
GOOD MOVIES (I liked them, so you might like them too):
• Waste Land (2010). A sobering and stirring documentary about human beings serving as recycle agents (“pickers”) in a Brazilian landfill and the artist who illuminated their lives. Those familiar with Star Trek will find themselves contemplating The Prime Directive.
• Babies (2010). While I am partial to documentaries, I am not so partial to babies. Nonetheless, I found this to be a fascinating (and sweet and funny) look at human development and culture.
• Up (2009) and Toy Story 3 (2010). I enjoyed both films, but I lump them together here because of an annoying feature they have in common: the tear-jerker scene. I don’t like to be manipulated (to cry, as I did, on command) especially for a cartoon, for crying out loud.
STRANGE MOVIES (are you feeling lucky?):
• Hesher (2010): This is like E.T., except that it’s not an extraterrestrial in your closet but a psychopathic stoner who has taken over your spot on the sofa. Oddly entertaining, and I’m actually looking forward to a sequel.
BAD MOVIES (avoid at all cost, really):
• Cairo Time (2009): In the end, it’s hard to think anything but, “What was that about?” So let me tell you: it’s about ninety minutes of repressed flirting.
• Never Talk to Strangers (1995). Rebecca DeMornay and Antonio Banderas star (so to speak) in this film that is one F-bomb and two S-bombs away from the Hallmark Channel. I bet everyone involved would like to forget this bomb too.
• The Belly of An Architect (1987). I doubt you will ever stumble onto this film or be tempted to watch it — but I had to include it here, as this is by all measures the absolute worst movie I ever tried to watch. Brian Dennehy had the lead role. We met Brian once in a Toronto restaurant and I (unwisely) reminded him of this work. Our conversation was very short.
This advertisement for the investment firm MF Global was printed in the Monday, October 31 issue of the financial weekly Barron’s (click here to enlarge). As you may know, MF Global had to declare bankruptcy that same morning, as its big bets on high-risk European debt went south and its clients pulled out their money. This shows what convictions are worth.
Things only stupid people would say (but did):
“Our blacks are better than their blacks. Ours are more impressive, there is no question about that.” — Ann Coulter, professional stupid person
“[Herman Cain] is a Southern populist who … is an authentic black conservative. For this, he is being politically lynched by liberals in the media. All that’s missing is the noose and the tree.” — Jeffrey Kuhner, Washington Times columnist
“I do not see the same set of circumstances existing with the Hispanic population here that existed with the black population. We’ve never had Hispanic slavery, for example. We do not have institutionalized hatred of this country being taught in Hispanic households.” — Rush Limbaugh, stupidity addict
“We need to see some dead thugs littering the landscape in Atlanta. We need to see the next guy who tries to carjack you shot dead right where he stands. We need more dead thugs in this city. Let their mamas say, ‘He was a good boy. He just fell in with a crowd.’ And then lock her ass up.” — Neil Boortz, radio hatemonger
“One of the things about Herman Cain is, I think that he makes that white Republican base of the party feel okay, feel like they are not racist because they can like this guy… they like him because they think he’s a black man who knows his place. I know that’s harsh, but that’s how it sure seems to me.” — Karen Finney, left-wing strategist
“Herman Cain, if he became President, he would be the first black President when you measure it by — because he doesn’t — does he have a white mother, white father, grandparents, no, right?” — Laura Ingraham, right-wing potshot artist
Laura Ingraham also claims Facebook is making kids stupid. And what’s her excuse?