July 27, 2007
LOOKS LIKE I'LL BE STAYING HOME FOR A WHILE
If you were wondering what kind of anti-war movies are store for us, wonder no longer. There are plenty to choose from! You could see
such gems as
“In the Valley of Elah,” a drama inspired by the Davis murder, written and directed by Paul Haggis, whose “Crash” won the Academy Award for best picture in 2006. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones as a retired veteran who defies Army bureaucrats and local officials in a search for his son’s killers. In one of the movie’s defining images, the American flag is flown upside down in the heartland, the signal of extreme distress.
Other coming films also use the damaged Iraq veteran to raise questions about a continuing war. In “Grace Is Gone,” directed by James C. Strouse and due in October from the Weinstein Company, John Cusack and two daughters struggle with the loss of a wife and mother who is killed on duty. Kimberly Peirce’s “Stop-Loss,” set for release in March by Paramount, meanwhile, casts Ryan Phillippe as a veteran who defies an order that would send him back to Iraq.
Or how about
Brian De Palma’s “Redacted,” focusing on an Army squad that persecutes an Iraqi family, is to be released in December by Magnolia Pictures.
Oh boy, I just can't wait. You remember how much I loved Crash, right? This should be even better.
Excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth a little.
(via RWN)
Posted by: Sarah at
02:50 AM
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I like reading your stuff. You crack me up. Wisdom and wit.
Posted by: hegyeg at July 27, 2007 06:49 AM (8mMXS)
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"Crash" beat the dead horse until bones showed, but it was a great tool to use in my sociology class. If I'd seen it anywhere else (i.e. if I actually thought I was watching it for entertainment) I probably wouldn't have liked it much. Seems that a lot of people today need to have the point driven, hammered, screwed, and superglued home for them to get it at all.
I too will be skipping a lot of movies this summer.
Posted by: Green at July 29, 2007 07:47 PM (VqW06)
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The content of these films reflects the reality of the war. I don't think even the most creative screen writer could come up with a pro-iraq-war plot, unless you just want purely fictional propaganda. I mean, we're talking about a never-ending war with no purpose that's being lost and destroying America's economy and moral standing at the same time. There aint gonna be no Saving Private Ryan's with this debacle.
Posted by: Will at August 07, 2007 10:49 AM (0Yps+)
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July 18, 2007
THEY WARMED OUR GLOBE!
Who knew that I was accidentally saving the planet? I wanted to have one baby and have instead had zero. Hooray for me! Via
Steyn:
So how far are the ecochondriacs prepared to take things? In London last week, the Optimum Population Trust called for Britons to have "one child less" because the United Kingdom's "high birth rate is a major factor in the current level of climate change, which can only be combated if families voluntarily limit the number of children they have."
Thank heavens Steyn goes on to point out that the birthrate is not even at replacement rate in the UK, but whatever. Less babies means less global warming. Actually, it probably just means less environmentalists, because the only nimrods who will consider this are the hardcore greens.
I know, let's just all get in a big gay pile, à la South Park, and prevent the future from ever happening! Then there won't be global warming for sure! Derp!
And I love the word "ecochondriacs."
Posted by: Sarah at
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"Less babies means less global warming. Actually, it probably just means less environmentalists..."
Same thing
Posted by: tim at July 18, 2007 09:30 AM (nno0f)
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ecochondriacs (that IS great, by the way) make me want to have more babies than the four we've already inflicted on the world.
I mean, really. How on EARTH can we take over the world with a mere four children? That's not even a hockey team!
Posted by: airforcewife at July 18, 2007 09:42 AM (Nrq7o)
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Airforcewife - You go girl. Only one more for a Bball team, woohoo!
Posted by: papertiger at July 18, 2007 08:48 PM (mqoa4)
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July 16, 2007
NUTJOBS ON A BOAT? SIGN ME UP
My husband and I found out we're not "cruise people" when he got back from Iraq. We hated it, and we don't really plan to do it again. But there's something so darned alluring about those right-wing nutjob cruises, you know, the ones with D'Souza and Steyn and Davis freaking Hanson. Now
that I might like to do someday.
So I had a good chuckle at Venomous Kate's fisking of a reporter who "infiltrated" the nutjob cruise. I felt this reporter's pain on our cruise, where our dinner partners were much more interested in discussing the evils of our tablemate's pharmaceutical job than the evils my husband had just fought in Iraq. Poor thing didn't fit in, but at least her shipmates were nice to her; ours just accused us of lying.
Posted by: Sarah at
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The family and I took a cruise along Greece and Italy after I got back from Iraq the first time.
There was a ship allowing servicemembers coming back from Iraq to book for half-price, and about 75% of those onboard were military families. I almost took it. But then I realized at that time the last thing I wanted to do was be on a ship full of guys with military haircuts who would be talking on and on about Iraq! (guys can't help it, me included).
So I booked us on a ship full of Italians instead, and had the time of my life. Hardly anyone spoke English, and that's just the way I wanted it. The upper decks were full of topless sunbathers. A true getaway from the normal grind.
Posted by: John Rohan at July 17, 2007 04:52 AM (BfPzY)
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July 05, 2007
ODIOUS MAN
I kept wanting to watch the movie
United 93, and my husband kept coming up with excuses why he didn't feel like seeing it. He wanted to watch something funny, he didn't feel like a movie tonight, there wasn't enough time before bed. Finally I flat-out asked him why he obviously didn't want to see the movie. He replied that he just didn't want to see anything made by Oliver Stone. Ah-ha. Mix up, honey, Stone didn't make this one; he made the other one. Problem solved, and we watched the movie a few days ago.
I don't blame him. I read the book Case Closed a few weeks ago, and all I could think of the whole time was that I spent money in the theater to see JFK when I was 13, and I actually thought it was true. I was just an idiot kid, and it was all up there on the big screen, for pete's sake, so how was I to know that Stone based that load of crap on "evidence" that had been debunked years earlier? The man is just dishonest to the core. I can't believe I wasted any brain cells thinking there was a JFK conspiracy.
So I love it that, even though Stone can twist and turn a story into anything but the truth, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad still won't let him make a documentary about him. Because
"It is right that this person is considered part of the opposition in the U.S., but opposition in the U.S. is a part of the Great Satan," Mehdi Kalhor, media adviser to the president told the Fars news agency.
Even folks who hate the US are still considered enemies with respect to jihad. Nice. It's a shame that lesson will likely go right over everyone's heads.
Looks like Oliver Stone will have to find some other story to twist up into bullcrap.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Actually, Oliver Stone's World Trade Center was NOTHING like JFK.
No conspiracy theories, in fact no mention of politics of any kind (which actually disappointed a lot of his fans).
It was just a tale of heroism of the few policemen who were pulled out of the rubble alive, and the men that found them. A very patrotic film.
I highly recommend it. A little slow at times though. United 93 had better pacing to it.
Posted by: John Rohan at July 17, 2007 04:22 AM (BfPzY)
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July 04, 2007
TODAY, AND EVERY DAY
Neal Boortz hates the 4th of July.
Trust me, you don't want me to work on the 4th of July. I'll just go into one of my insensitive rants about how Americans .. most Americans anyway .. no longer have any real love of freedom. Security is the word today, not independence. Oh, to be sure ... we want to be free to chose where we work (as long as we don't have to negotiate our own salary), where we live, where we worship and what's for dinner. Beyond that ... all too many of us want to government to step in and relieve us of the responsibilities and consequences of choice.
Reading assignment? Sure .. I have one for you. Go buy the book "1776" and read it. Read how American patriots in 1776 marched across frozen ground without shoes --- leaving a trail of blood --- just to fight for independence from Great Britain. Today? See how many people you can find today who would make that sacrifice for freedom.
Will get the book. And will think about what freedom really means today.
But 4th of July for patriots is like Valentine's Day for soulmates: superfluous.
Posted by: Sarah at
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I have a love/hate relationship with Neil Boortz. But he's right on the mark here. What is seriously lacking in today's world is the concept of personal responsibility.
Posted by: Non-essential Equipment at July 04, 2007 06:41 AM (RQd8z)
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I think the best thing about Neil Boortz is the love/hate relationship
I like that he challenges me to really think about why I believe something to be true.
Posted by: Sarah at July 04, 2007 10:45 AM (vrR+j)
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"Security is the word today, not independence"...he's overstating his case. There are plenty of people taking risks in America today.
How many people started businesses last year?...from small neighborhood affairs to venture-backed startups? In most cases, they are chosing risk over security.
How many people choose to work at jobs that are important, but can be physically dangerous? Offshore oil platform workers, firefighters, EMS helicopter pilots, lots more.
How many people joined the military or chose to remain in the military, while knowing fully what is going on in Iraq, Afghanistan?
How about all the people pursuing long-shot career dreams, in music, in sports, in acting, in writing?
I share the concern about excessive emphasis on security, but there are plenty of people in this country who value freedom and accompishment and are willing to take risks.
Thanks to your husband and yourself for your service, Sarah, and happy 4th of July to all.
Posted by: david foster at July 04, 2007 12:17 PM (gguM0)
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