READER RESPONSES
This is mostly bollocks. (ANGLO-AMERICA ON PARADE – Issue: 3/2/11) Of course the British society depicted has a rigid and repressed hierarchy—the movie is set 70-90 years ago within the Royal Family.
British society has changed enormously since then (as has American society), and, having lived in America for four years now, I would suggest that nowadays is a good deal freer and less rigid about such things as women’s rights, gay rights and atheism than America is.
Likewise, I went to Oxford, and the entirety of the Harvard portions of the Social Network could have been set in Oxford just as easily – nothing uniquely American there.
This article compares apples and oranges to reinforce outdated and ridiculous stereotypes and is clearly written by somebody who has never spent more than a few days in the UK.
—lubilu
Awesome analysis, I love the English/American counterpoint, haven’t seen anyone else play that angle.
—J. Young
“The Social Network” is a silly, manipulative, boring film—but oh so trendy. I mean, the subject matter is so deadly dull that director Fincher inserts utterly gratuitous scenes of women making out with each other and dancing in bras on tabletops to distract us from the fact that the ongoing story has gone absolutely flat. It’s embarrassing movie making, That Emperor has no clothes.
“The King’s Speech” is a GREAT movie that will be remembered decades from now for it’s wonderful story and incredible performances. Sure, it glosses over history, and smoothes a pat happy ending over a much more complicated real life situation, but that doesn’t distract from the depth and wonder of the movie itself, crowned by a performance by Colin Firth that will never be forgotten.
The Academy makes a lot of mistakes, and having “The Social Network” win Best Picture wouldn’t even be one of the worst in it’s history. “Braveheart”–a lousy movie indeed—was a much bigger error, for example. And that’s why the awards show is interesting—because mistakes are made.
But no mistake can take away the fact that, this year, we have a GREAT movie on our hands, and that movie is “The King’s Speech.”
—pastgone
Neither “The Social Network” nor “The King’s Speech” should win the Best Picture. ‘Docudramas’ or ‘Faction’ films are cheesy mongrels and should have their own Oscar category a long way below the Documentary in importance. If the Oscars were serious awards they would reserve Best Picture for a work of imagination and true creativity. Everybody knows how these “Based-On-True-Story” concoctions will end before they even enter the cinema – how tedious and safe is that?
—Tigerfisch
One point needs to be clarified: “Rocky” wasn’t quite the fantasy you make it out to be. It was based on the life of heavyweight boxer Chuck Wepner, a Pole from Bayonne, N.J., who sued Stallone and won. The kicker? (I heard Wepner speak about this in person.) Stallone offered him one of two compensation packages: $70,000 up front or 1% of everything the movie makes. “And you know what happened, right?” Wepner asked. “Me being a Pollack. I said, ‘This shitty little movie? Give me the 70,000.'” He smiled. “You know what 1 percent turned out to be?” I don’t know the figure, but it was in the millions.
—V.
Let me start by saying I think these radical Islam hearings are a waste of time. (THE CAKE HAS BEEN TAKEN – Issue: 3/16/11) When I get beyond the “Fuckin’ A right they should expose that shit!” emotional rush I ask myself, “Then what?” Are they going to go around arresting whole groups of people on a whiff of evidence or put them in internment camps like the Japanese Americans during WWII? No. So what’s the point other than to tell us shit we already know? Having said that though, look at the facts – 22 arrests in the past year alone with radicalized Muslims at the helm. 22. That’s more than the last 8 years COMBINED. That’s hard to ignore and I like the audacious balls of anyone grabbing that political 3rd rail and damn the torpedoes. When fundamentalist Christians, Hasidim, Hindus, Buddhists, snake charmers, Voodoo priestesses and Wiccan chieftains attempt 22 attacks in one year then yeah maybe someone should put pressure on those communities to clean up their shit too. Like the saying goes, “It’s all fun and games until someone’s eye gets poked out” and if one of these clod’s attempts actually works you can bet people will scream at the Government for not doing anything. And I wonder how McCarthy would have come off in the 50’s had there been a Fox News to even out the stranglehold the big 3 networks had on how we all thought about Commies in our midst.
And the reason the liberal press isn’t calling for Peter King’s head is because their Dali Lama – NPR/PBS – just got their collective asses reamed by having their obvious preference for radicalized Islam – or for anyone against the mighty evil Judeo-Christian American Empire – exposed. The same evil empire that sucks so badly except for when the 7 or so millions of taxpayer money is wired into their account on the first day of the new fiscal year. Fuckers. And for Obama to step in and call anything “fascist” would only open up his own 180 degree opposite nuttiness to scrutiny.
And I’m sick and tired of the “Wall Street marauders pilfer freely with no repercussions ” take. HELLO?! The Federal Government created the reckless environment with their inane man handling of the market and you and your ilk keep whining as if crack cocaine USERS are more guilty than the SUPPLIERS. Really? The same people you clearly see F’d the whole Obamacare fiasco are alternately fucking geniuses with home/bank regulation?! That’s the intellectual equivalent of Sally Field’s Sybil.
—Ken Eustace
Awwww….that’s sweet….”sticking up for the Constitution”….that is so enlightened, so in tune with today and “the now”.
Gimmee a break, James. King is correct to do this. I don’t see the Hasidic Jews blowing up anything but Palestinians who are trying to change the Israeli zip code to “Mediterranean sea”. The Christians while with a pretty shaky past aren’t blowing up things outside of the recently ended Irish thing.
No, our problems are with Islamic radicals. Why not call some people in to discuss why we are so “hated”. I mean, all you have to do is watch Al Jazeera for that answer and not waste taxpayer dollars on this but then again…when they are having dog and pony shows like this, it takes away time that they could be using to really do damage to our country in a way only our Congress is capable of doing.
Look, this is not a trampling on anyone’s rights. Trust me, if Al Qaeda went away, if radical Islam stopped waging war on “infidels”…all of this would be history. At least there is a dialogue going. While it may not be the best way to go about it…unless you can dig up Bin Laden and bring him in for a chat…ya gotta do the best with what ya got.
BTW, for all of the moral outrage…in the end McCarthy was right. The media and Hollywood today only verify that.
Peace,
Bill Roberts
Peter King is a brute and a thug and if we were any kind of half decent society then we’d put his ilk on trial and try and smear the gunk from our collective soul.
—Sarah P.
James Campion is the Managing Editor of The Reality Check News & Information Desk and the author of Deep Tank Jersey, Fear No Art, Trailing Jesus and Midnight For Cinderella.
