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Monthly Archives: February 2008
William F. Buckley and the Modern American Right
William F. Buckley, author, columnist, TV talk show host, and founding editor of National Review magazine, died today at age 82. Buckley was one of the people most responsible for making the conservative movement a powerful force in the United States during the past six decades. Especially through his influential magazine, Buckley set the agenda for the American right and made it appealing to a mass audience. His editorial approach and political philosophy combined to create an ecumenism on the right that allowed the various factions to work together, although the relationships have always been strained to some degree. However, his stolid opposition to statism in all of its forms provided a rallying cry for the American right and continues to do so.
The Violent Hypocrisy of Mainstream Film Critics
American film critics detest violent movies—unless there’s an antisocial message involved. TAC correspondent Mike D’Virgilio looks at critical reactions to violence in movies.
Oscars Draw Record-Low TV Audience
In addition to the low box office numbers for most of the films nominated for Academy Awards and those that won, perhaps the strongest evidence that Hollywood—like the U.S. cultural elite in general—has become very distant from its audience is the fact that the TV ratings for Sunday’s Academy Awards show were the lowest ever.
Hollywood Honors Coen Brothers, ‘No Country for Old Men’
As expected, Joel and Ethan Coen won the Academy Award for Best Picture for their film No Country for Old Man last night at the Oscar ceremony. The brothers also shared the award for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film picked up another award as Javier Bardem won for Best Supporting Actor. The violent crime drama, which many critics have described as extremely grim, disturbing, amoral, and even nihilistic—meaning all of those terms as compliments, which may be the most disturbing thing of all—had earlier swept the awards from the major film talent organizations, including the Directors Guild. The film clearly captured the mood of Hollywood and the media, although as noted here yesterday, underneath the surface No Country for Old Men actually contradicts their values.
The Hidden Truth of ‘No Country for Old Men’
No Country for Old Men has received numerous awards and is the favorite to win the Best Picture Academy Award—which is ironic because the ideas in the film actually go against everything Hollywood believes today.
Obama vs. McCain
It’s fascinating how often old sayings turn out to be true. If, as now appears likely, Barack Obama can obtain the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency, and goes on to beat John McCain, it would literally constitute the triumph of hope over experience. It will be interesting to see if the American public lives by the old saying or realizes the warning behind it. I am no fan of Sen. McCain, in fact quite the contrary. But it’s interesting to see two characters so strongly embody the saying.
Supercar Plus Lesbianism Equals Realism . . . Right?
This past Sunday NBC premiered a new movie, an updating of the 1980s series Knight Rider, about a young crimefighter aided by a supercar with artificial intelligence. The remake takes up the story of some of the characters’ children, now young adults, as they move into roles analogous to those of their parents in the original show. It is, of course, a romance with an entirely fanciful premise with possible positive meanings at heart, and must be accepted as such if one is to appreciate it at all. Too bad the film’s producers failed to do that. An early scene establishing the important character of a female FBI agent shows her concluding an interracial, lesbian one-night stand. Now that’s realism! Now we’ll believe in an artificially intelligent, nanotech supercar piloted by a touseled-haired mesomorph, now that they’ve acknowledged that there is such a thing as lesbianism. Yes, that is precisely what a nitwit might think.
Al Gore for President?
The cat is out of the bag: Al Gore will be the Democratic Party’s candidate for president this year.
Monk and God
In the absence of God, humans seek ultimate control over the world—and never find it. TAC correspondent Dean Abbott examines the religious implications of the USA Network show Monk.
A Defense of Pop Fiction
Here’s a preview of an article coming soon on another site. I’ve been working with the editor for a week to get this published, and an updated version will run eventually, but in the meantime here’s a version that is timely because the season-ending of Prison Break will run on Fox tonight at 8 EST.
24/7 Outrage Alert: Big Brother and Autism
Every day, identity politics raises its ugly head in America and snarls threateningly, as various interest grops complain about something somebody said or did that might reflect ill on some particular category of person. This trend threatens to destroy freedom of speech entirely, through largely private sector means, by pressing the constant, intimidating threat of government action. In short, it follows the political premises of fascism. How appropriate, then, that today’s instance involves a TV proogram called Big Brother.
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