The new adaptation of A Christmas Carol from Disney and director Robert Zemeckis opened unexpectedly weakly at the North American box office. Lead actor Jim Carrey’s comments slamming market capitalism probably didn’t help, S. T. Karnick notes.
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‘Mad Men’ Treatment of Hilton Praised
The current season of AMC-TV’s acclaimed drama series Mad Men includes something unusual for contemporary Hollywood: an honest, decent, thoughtful businessman.
Confessions of a Cultural Dropout
Dropping out of culture isn’t an option for conservatives and others on the right if we ever want to see cultural renewal, argues Mike D’Virgilio.
Review: Celebrated Mystery Novelist James Offers Thoughts on Genre
Mystery writer P. D. James appreciates classic forms of crime fiction in her new book, Talking About Detective Fiction, but as in a good mystery novel, what she doesn’t say is equally interesting, writes Curt Evans.
Rush, the Rams, and Crying Racism
For daring to be part of a group bidding for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, Rush Limbaugh was viciously slandered and libeled as a racist. For days. Practically no one in the dominant media culture rose to Rush’s defense—just weeks after many prominent figures defended pedophile fugitive director Roman Polanski. And there have been few if any public apologies from those who peddled the false, absurd, and grotesque claim that Rush pined for the days of slavery and wanted to give Martin Luther King’s assassin a posthumous Medal of Honor. But in today’s culture, being a liberal means never having to say you’re sorry, Jim Lakely writes.
Obama Awarded Nobel Prize
President Barack Obama has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, the committee has announced. Details, comment, and implications here, here, here, and here.
Chris Rock Rips Roman Polanski: ‘It’s Rape!’
Unlike fellow comedian Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock has no hesitation in calling what Roman Polanski did evil and wrong. No distinction between "rape" and "rape-rape" for him.
Video: Jack Webb Schools Roman Polanski
Our thanks go out to Robert Champ for referring us to this item.
Besson Calls for Polanski to Face Justice System
(Updated 10/01 12:29 EDT) In all the controversy over what to do about fugitive film director Roman Polanski, currently in Switzerland awaiting possible extradition to the United States to face a thirty-year-old rape charge in California, the one moment that stands out for me is the reaction of French filmmaker Luc Besson, as quoted in the London Daily Telegraph:
Patrick Swayze Remembered, Fondly
The late Patrick Swayze wasn’t a great actor, but he was a dude, which is more important and is what makes his best films well worth watching. Andrew Klavan fondly remembers Swayze at Klavan on the Culture. My Swayze recommendations: Red Dawn, Road House, Point Break, Next of Kin, Uncommon Valor, North and South, Donnie Darko, City of Joy.One to avoid: To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar. (They must have paid him a fortune to do this drag-queen film. I certainly hope so.) –S. T. Karnick
Leno Defended
After my highly critical review of the premiere episode of The Jay Leno Show, I think it’s important to acknowledge that Leno has typically been a bastion of decency and fairness when compared with truly odious comedy talk-show hosts such as David Letterman and Bill Maher. For a good article on Leno’s comic persona, see John Nolte’s appreciation of Leno at Big Hollywood. –S. T. Karnick
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