Camera Obscura - Oscar Weekend; Return of Akira and Repo Man

I read an article recently where some film critic was bemoaning the hideous-ugly depressing nature of movies nominated this year for an Oscar award. As if, for instance, last year's winner "The Departed" was a slapstick comedy of errors. Which, okay, it sort of was.

Best-picture Oscars seldom if ever go to light-hearted fare. Praise for Art from a Business point of view is going to take itself Seriously. So it goes. I usually find the show itself interesting from various technical perspectives - the staging, the lighting, the attempt to make a somewhat dull awards ceremony into a visual event.

I do hope to see the Coen brothers take home many prizes for "No Country For Old Men". Since their first film, "Blood Simple" and onward they have created an impressive body of work as director and writers. Their scripts are truly astonishing prose on their own and their visual style seldom over-indulges so the viewer says "ahhhh, nice" - instead there is a tremendous subtle and understated brilliance. It's part of the reason their films are so easy to watch again and again.

Plus, the source for their film is Cormac McCarthy's novel, and McCarthy is far overdue for recognition as one of the best living American authors.

There is a madness to movie-making. You have to be a little crazy to leap into the ill-suited collision of Art and Business. And yet anyone armed with a camera and some creativity can make a movie. That's pretty much the storyline in the new movie opening this weekend from Michel Gondry, "Be Kind, Rewind". After accidentally destroying their stock of movies for rent, the guys who run the store start remaking every movie they can and offer those for rent instead.

Gondry's odd visual and verbal style, such as "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", is deeply self-referential. He makes movies about how we as individuals create a narrative, a movie, of our own lives.

That's why it doesn't matter what film wins an award - we have our own favorites, movies we made into Best Pictures, because for some reason we connect to them and they become expressions of ourselves.

OTHER MOVIE NEWS

First, a big shout out and thanks to Newscoma who pointed out a great movie blog, Cinebeats. It is ultra-groovy as it digs thru stacks and stacks of seldom-seen classic movies from the '60s and '70s. Their 4-part list of the Best DVD releases of 2007 is an excellent guide to must-have movies.

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After 20 years of cult fame, the Japanese anime classic "Akira" will turn into a live-action film, produced by and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He'll play the role of Kaneda and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets the juicy role of Tetsuo. The sci-fi storyline has elements ranging from "Rebel Without A Cause" to "Carrie" and much more.

The anime movie is forever entrenched as a groundbreaking and jaw-dropping animated film, which has had a huge influence on American films since it's release. If you have never seen it, you have missed one of the most impressive pictures of the last 40 years. So see it.

Now I don't think making it live-action will improve it one bit. Some stronger acting, yes, but there is no way the original could ever be topped.

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"World War Z", an "oral history of the zombie war" is getting a script from J. Michael Straczynski and is being produced by Brad Pitt's film company. The Max Brooks novel of a zombie apocalypse (noting worse than that!) is sort of like what would happen if Ken Burns did a documentary take on a George Romero-style war. Wonder if the movie will have that sad fiddle music?

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More proof of my geeky, nerdy love of odd films - I was happy to read that the great '80s punkish sic-fi movie "Repo Man" is getting a sequel. Director/writer Alex Cox, however, has made the sequel as a graphic novel (that's fancy talk for big ol' comic book).

Our hero Otto, who disappeared with the aliens at the end of the movie, now uses the name of Waldo and returns to Earth after spending some ten years on Mars.

The title to look for: "Waldo's Hawaiian Holiday".

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Good-bye and fond farewell to the Gill-Man.

Ben Chapman, who was the man in the monster suit in "The Creature From The Black Lagoon" died yesterday. I'll never forget when my family went to Florida one summer and we stopped at a place called Silver Springs. Once our guide told us this was the location for the Black Lagoon movie I was totally terrified and happy all at once. I could see and understand just how a camera angle and a good location can make movie magic.

Godspeed to the Gill-Man.

Defeating Outrage-Fatigue

You say you can't believe it? That it's time to take to the internets and pour out your blog-a-licious timely and vital response to the issue which has become the Talk of the Day?

Writing about "that darn so-and-so" will mark you as a leftover from the 1950s - and unless you're writing a retro-blog, it lacks the cutting edge of today's now-a-modern-go-go girl and guy.

So how to say it, since there is so much outrage today (on any topic) that a newish syndrome had to be invented "outrage-fatigue"? (Some symptoms of it here.)

I'm happy to help, providing a Punditry Lexicon so that you can properly and captivatingly provide the right word to express your displeasure with the issue/person/social ill of your choice.

Forget saying "Outrage" - just look at the many variations offered:

abuse, affront, atrocity, barbarism, damage, desecration, enormity, evildoing, harm, hurt, indignity, inhumanity, injury, insult, mischief, misdoing, offense, profanation, rape, rapine, ravishing, ruin, shock*, violation, violence, wrongdoing

blowup, boiling point, cat fit, conniption, conniption fit, flare-up*, fury, huff*, hurt, indignation, mad, resentment, ruckus*, shock*, stew*, storm*, wrath

aggrieve, boil over*, burn up*, defile, deflower, desecrate, fire up*, force, ill-treat, incense, infuriate, injure, insult, jar*, madden, maltreat, mistreat, misuse, oppress, persecute, raise cain, raise hell, rape, ravage, ravish, scandalize, shock*, spoil, violate, whip up*, wrong

acrimony, animosity, annoyance, antagonism, blood of a bitch, blow up*, cat fit*, chagrin, choler, conniption, dander*, disapprobation, displeasure, distemper, enmity, exasperation, fury, gall, hatred, huff, ill humor, ill temper, impatience, indignation, infuriation, irascibility, ire, irritability, irritation, mad, miff, outrage, passion, peevishness, pet, petulance, pique, rage, rankling, resentment, slow burn*, sore, stew, storm, tantrum, temper, tiff, umbrage, vexation

abomination, antisocial behavior, atrocity, breach, break, caper, case, corruption, criminality, delict, delictum, delinquency, depravity, dereliction, enormity, evil, evil behavior, fault, felony, hit, illegality, immorality, infraction, infringement, iniquity, job, lawlessness, malefaction, malfeasance, misconduct, misdeed, misdemeanor, mortal sin, quickie, racket, scandal, sneak, tort, transgression, trespass, unlawful act, vice, villainy, violation, wickedness, wrong, wrongdoing

But wait! There's more! If none of the above seems to emote your particular irritation, there are six - count them!! - six pages of replacement words available to you via Thesaurus.com.

Me, I think my new favorite is "Malefaction" - sounds like a good biblical-style of outrage.

Law Would Demand Mandatory DNA Testing and Other Fun Current Events

Rachel points out another proposed Tennessee law which has massive implications for all:

"Under a bill sponsored in the Senate by Tate (SB3717) and in the House by Hardaway (HB2964), a genetic test will be required to confirm paternity in order for the father to be listed on the birth certificate, regardless of the relationship between the parents. So, happily married and faithful husbands and wives, you’re suspect until proven otherwise by a state-ordered DNA test, regardless of whether you ever have a legal need to confirm suspect paternity. Single mothers? Well, it’s just assumed that you’re liars and out to cheat some man at such a rate that state-mandated DNA testing is warranted. [How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?]

I understand that this legislation is likely proposed in order to prevent men who are not truly the biological father from being liable for child support. However, I don’t understand why paternity tests couldn’t be required at the time of a paternity or child support dispute, rather than requiring the test for everyone. Why can’t my husband freely and voluntarily assert paternity, and leave mandatory DNA testing for the situation in which it is necessary to have confirmed, accurate information for legal proceedings? Birth certificates can already be amended via a court order if the wrong biological father was previously listed.
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I have some advice for state news-writers. Just prep the headline reading "Rep. Campfield's Proposed Bill Dies In Committee". Could just save some time.

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The Florida public school system which has decided it is acceptable to teach Science in Science classes, as long as they say the phrase "theory of evolution".

Yeah, theory (which does not mean a "wild guess") is a fairly important in Science. Here's the Top 10 Myths many believe about Evolution.

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Not sure if it's related, but a church in Florida is urging its married members to have sex every day for 30 days. Single folk, however, are to be excluded from the ... ah, the ... um ... drive.

Some In Lynchburg Spread Lies About Obama

I don't know what's wrong with saying of a particular candidate for public office "I just don't like them" and then moving on.

Instead, armed with every mass-emailed lie about Barack Obama, these church folk in Lynchburg have at him and call instead for an American theocracy. After all, as one gal says, "It says In God We Trust on our money!!" (via Rocketboom)



At least the videographer received a fine looking lunch.

Connected Tennessee Backers A Front for AT&T?

A recent examination of a program to expand internet access, which began in Kentucky and then moved into Tennessee and now goes under the name Connected Nation raises some concerns that the entire project is basically a PR machine for AT&T.

Media analyst Art Brodsky provides a look at how the project is advancing and who is advancing it:

"Their judgment, broadly stated, is that Connect Kentucky is nothing more than a sales force and front group for AT&T paid for by the telecommunications industry and by state and federal governments that has achieved far more in publicity than it has in actual accomplishment. Connect helps to promote AT&T services, while lobbying at the state capitol for the deregulation legislation the telephone company wants.

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"Connect v 2.0, the version we have today, emerged in 2004 under the new governor, Ernie Fletcher (R). From the start, there were two elements that drove it – the presence of BellSouth and of Fletcher staff and supporters. The man described as the one who came up with today’s program is Joe Mefford, who spent more than 30 years in the old AT&T and BellSouth before retiring and moving to the Kentucky League of Cities. He was the head of BellSouth’s Kentucky political action committee. Joe Mefford conducted the initial meetings on the new Connect Kentucky plan, according to one close observer of the process. This source, like many in Kentucky, asked not to be identified because of the continuing power of BellSouth.

Today, Joe Mefford is the state broadband director for Connect Kentucky. Fletcher announced his new “Prescription for Innovation” on Oct. 8, 2004, at the 75th annual Kentucky League of Cities convention. (The relationship with the League continues today, through a $130,000 contract awarded by Connect in 2006 for project management.) Commerce Cabinet Secretary Jim Host was one of those in charge of the new program.

While the Fletcher connection came first from Joe Mefford, who served on Fletcher’s transition team after his election it then expanded to Joe Mefford’s son, Brian, who came to Connect’s parent organization as CEO in June 2004 after working in Fletcher’s gubernatorial campaign and then for six months for Host in Fletcher’s Commerce Cabinet – the equivalent of the state Commerce Department. Through the transformation, Brian Mefford became head of Connect Kentucky. He has since graduated to president and chief executive officer of Connected Nation, with a salary of $150,000 in 2006, according to Connect’s tax form."

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"Newspapers, AARP, rural telephone companies and the state attorney general opposed the bill. The Louisville Courier-Journal said in a March 22, 2006 editorial: “There’s no reason the Kentucky Senate should rush to judgment on House Bill 337, which would deregulate some telephone services in Kentucky at the expense of those who live outside the major metropolitan areas. It may seem strange that such a measure would find so much support in a rural-dominated body like the General Assembly, but lobbyists for the big telecommunication companies (BellSouth, AT&T and Alltel) seem to have had more sway with lawmakers than the folks back home in rural and small-town Kentucky.”

Recently, mapping of KY and TN internet access was offered via Conneted Nation, but Brodsky notes this disclaimer:

"The last word on the mapping goes to the more general disclaimer on the Connect Web site: “The information provided herein by Connect Kentucky and is partners is believed to be accurate but is not warranted and is for informational purposes only. While all efforts are made to ensure the correctness and accuracy of this information, and to make corrections and change errors brought to our attention, no representation, express or implied, is made as to the accuracy of the data presented. Connect Kentucky and its partners assume no liability for the accuracy of the data.”

As this program is being touted in Washington now as the model for expanding access, a careful examination of it's claims, government funding and successes and failures is warranted. One Kentucky official referred to this rapidly accepted model as an example of "... putting the fox in charge of the henhouse to take a BellSouth executive and his son in charge of expanding broadband when they are supposed to be neutral."

Will Connect Tennessee have a major influence on how the current legislature decides the debate on franchise laws in Tennessee?

Rep. Davis Calls Homeland Security to Hamblen County Over Immigrant Concerns

Hamblen County residents are in dire straits, they say, because of the rise in Hispanic immigrants, legal and illegal. This past Saturday Congressman David Davis and State Senator Steve Southerland gathered for a fundraising pancake breakfast held at a local VFW in conjunction with a group called T-FIRE to add their voices and promises to the discussion. Congressman Davis has vowed to call in Homeland Security and other federal agencies to address what some see as a critical state of affairs.

WATE-TV filed this report on Saturday's event, quoting some local residents:

"You go to the post office and they don't even know what slot to put their mail in," says Charles Cook.

But many illegal immigrants who have come from Mexico say life in Morristown is good and they have made life better.

"I think it is very good for the United States because we make jobs and pay taxes and help this country," an illegal immigrant told 6 News.

Of course, many inside and outside of Hamblen County disagree and want tougher immigration laws.

"I want to see the borders closed and if you are not an American citizen, then you go back home," says Cook.

Rep. Davis says illegal immigrants and their children in Morristown are overcrowding schools, creating long lines at emergency rooms, and some are even participating in gang activity.

Davis is now calling on federal and state immigration and Homeland Security agents to meet with local police in early March to work out a plan.

"Local law enforcement deals with this issue every day," Davis says. "They feel like it is a federal problem, not a local problem. The federal government needs to step up to the plate."

WVLT-TV noted that just over 100 people attended the event and filed this report and video:

"You know it's costing us an arm and a leg for hospitals, health care, schools,” said Bob McFarling, a Morristown resident. “We have to have special teachers."

"This is America and this county has more Mexican Flags flying in it than any place besides Mexico, I believe” said Teddy Ray Mitchell, another resident."

T-FIRE, an "immigration reform" group founded in Hamblen County, says the problem is that business knowingly hires illegal residents.

In a related story, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports Hamblen County Sheriff Esco Jarnigan says there is a local problem with bootlegging, citing an incident from September of last year:

"In September, Jarnagin and deputies raided a mobile home where the Hispanic residents were selling beer by the can without a permit. Inside they found a stock of beer — nearly three dozen 12-packs, three 30-packs and numerous loose cans.

The two caught running the operation pleaded guilty, getting $100 fines and probation.

"This guy did not have an inflated price. They were just furnishing a service," the sheriff said.

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"Nashville police say it isn't apparent that bootleggers are operating in the city. Spokeswoman Kristin Mumford said the department has not arrested anyone for bootlegging since the carding law took effect.

Other Tennessee sheriffs in counties with large immigrant populations also haven't noticed a bootlegging boom.

"We haven't heard of any cases whatsoever," Bedford County Sheriff Randall Boyce said.

He laughed and added, "They haven't thought of it here, probably — and they will soon, I bet."

The 2006 census shows the Hispanic population at 10%, and my own observations and discussions with a wide range of city, county and local leaders have revealed the largest number of Hispanics are from Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. Still, many locals have begun calling Morristown "Little Mexico." So there is a lumping together of many issues, often under one idea and usually painted with a very broad and inaccurate brush.

And by far the most common complaint I hear is that "hearing people speaking another language in my town" is a terrible thing. Yet, some of the largest employers in the county are firms based in Japan, Germany, France, Italy, the U.K. and Canada.

For more background on the current status of attitudes related to immigrants both legal and illegal, I featured several reports from the Houston Chronicle which did a series of articles on Hamblen County in fall of 2006.

A documentary, "Morristown The Movie", which showed recently at UT in Knoxville also provides a look at the immigration issue, which I mentioned previously.

Ironically, some with groups like T-FIRE complain that schools are occupied with teaching English to immigrants -- as if not teaching them were somehow a better idea. Resolving the often irate and angry concerns of residents will be a major task for Rep. Davis' proposal. Will other counties and cites follow his lead?

Weekly Best of Tennessee Blogs

The regular weekly roundup of the best in Tennessee bloggers (viaTennViews) tackles topics about the elections, the fading privacy protections in America, racial attacks on Congressman Cohen, and much much more.

• 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Roger Clemens: It's baseball. Not foreign policy. Not the world economy. Not health care reform. Plus: Chesapeake Primary live blogging

• 55-40 Memphis: Do you believe in magic (reprise)?: Instead of campaigning to his base during the primaries, he played to the general election audience. Why? I'm making a list of theories.

• Ablogination: Voter Considerations: Privacy, is it important to you?: ATT, Verizon, Blue Cross, Homeland Security -- all of them and many more have, are, and will again violate your privacy.

• Aunt B.: Way to Miss the Point: It’s not about who Henry thinks it’s okay, hypothetically, to rape. It’s about who he’s actually willing to screw over in order to advance the Democratic cause.

• BlountViews: Stop using drive-thru windows: Do you realize how much gas you use? Do you realize how much money you waste? Do you realize how much pollution is released in the air when you spend the 5-10 minutes at the drive-thru? Plus: The private property vs. Ridgetop Protection Dance

• The Crone Speaks: Bush Respects the Law?: Human rights and human dignity -- tell that to the millions of people that cannot afford health insurance. Tell that to the millions of people that go to bed hungry each night. Tell that to the growing number of people that are now living below the poverty level. I dare say these millions of people would disagree. Plus: Energy Vampires

• Cup of Joe Powell: Sen. Kilby Reconsiders Dog Laws: He wrote about withdrawing his original bill, and filing a new one, though there are still some issues to resolve... Plus: Will State OK Verifiable Votes?: The new process, however, will not improve your choices nor negate any regrets you might have for the choices you made.

• Don Williams: Are Democrats developing some spine at last in opposing Bush?

• The Donkey's Mouth: Right-Wing Publication Admits Fault in Defamation Suit: Seven years later, the tactics of the right in 2000 are becoming clearer. Plus: A Lose-Lose Position: Tennessee’s senior Senator concedes his own party’s ineffective way of grappling with issues. Bonus: Props to Wade Munday (Warning: HobbsLink)

• Enclave: The One Where I Define "Corporate Money" Against the Rotation of Campaign Spin: Rarely do I find myself in a position where I have to correct flagrant misinformation from fellow supporters of the candidate for whom I voted, but one of those moments is here. Plus: A Relatively Short Primary Did Nothing for Dems in 2004: I might not be anywhere close to panicking about dire predictions of long, divisive primary seasons in 2008. And, a good question: Is there a certain pragmatism among Dems that trumps liberal litmus tests?

• Fletch: Fletch for Congress! Plus: Go Fish, and: Boat and Breakfast

• KnoxViews: Contempt of Congress, Perspective, Clinton's Texas firewall not so protective, and Ethics crusader Frank Buck retiring from the state House

• Lean Left: Big win: This is an important win, because it shows that incumbents can be beaten, that if they stray too far form what it means to be a Democrat, they can be removed from office. Plus: How Clinton’s Actions On FISA Undermine Her Campaign

• Left of the Dial: Interesting media/workplace development plays out on Frank's blog here, here, and here.

• Left Wing Cracker: That's what I get for sending the email out!: This reminds me of something Steve Cohen once said about Phil Bredesen: He's a manager, not a leader. Plus: How do I get this Iraq War charge off my bill?

• Liberadio: Podcast: Super Fat Tornado Tuesday, Media Matters for America Smackdown with Elbert Ventura, and lots more.

• NewsComa: "Oswald Still Dead", and I can’t believe that crap like this still exists but every time I think we have moved forward I’m reminded that we haven’t.

• Pesky Fly: Branston on Matthews: Comparing what Thaddeus Matthews does on his blog (and, indeed what most bloggers -- even the brilliant ones assembled here) to established professional journalists is like comparing Dolly Parton to a male Dolly Parton impersonator singing "Jolene" at the karaoke bar.

• Progressive Nashville: The Obama sugar rush: Change takes more than a powerful speech by one person. Tennessee gets props for education: This report, like others before, demonstrates that our real work in improving education must come in improving the family lives of children.

• Resonance (at KnoxViews): Weather Closings (not what you think)

• RoaneViews: Tommy can you Hear me?: Tommy Kilby is a crucial vote to preserve Tennessee's mountains. Plus: Water we gonna do about it?: 157,000,000 gallons of drinking water leaked out of Oliver Springs waterlines in 2007. That's an astounding figure.

• Russ McBee: The continuing crisis: The charges, the torture-derived evidence, the trials, the rules of procedure, the judge, the jury, the sentences, and the executions will all be carried out conveniently beyond the reach of American civilian courts, the UCMJ, an international body like the ICC, or anything else resembling the rule of law or democratic values... Plus: McCain's hypocrisy on torture

• Sean Braisted: Damn Pledges: Obama seems to find himself in a bit of a pickle. While he is on track to be the most well financed, both by big and small donors, candidate in US History; there is a bit of a snag. Plus: Top 5 bad-ass Presidents of all time

• Sharon Cobb: JEWS HATE Jesus: I call on Nikki Tinker to denounce antisemitism in all forms, especially against her main opponent, Congressman Steve Cohen. Plus: He's Black. She's A Female. Just In Case You Failed To Notice...: How ironic is it that the Democrats have an African American man or a woman who is going to be their nominee, and their main focus is they have an African American man or a woman who is going to be their nominee?

• Silence Isn't Golden: Thoughts On Steve Cohen: Steve Cohen has become the victim of a disgusting anti-Semitic attack. The only difference was that I figured it would come from the far-right white evangelicals, rather than from where it did. Plus: Nikki Tinker's "Denouncement": I'm not buying it. Bonus: Can I Just Say...: You know you're a Vanderbilt fan when you see they're up by 41-11 at the half, and your first thought is, "How are they going to blow it this time?"

• Southern Beale: Why I Hate Insurance Companies: Asking doctors to snitch on their patients kinda drives a wedge in the doctor-patient relationship, doesn’t it? I don’t know too many doctors who went to medical school so they could serve the needs of for-profit insurance companies, not people seeking healthcare.

• Tennessee Guerilla Women: Obama Media Blitz:: Is Obama a long overdue charismatic leader? Is he the star of a cult of personality? Or is Obama the Messiah? Plus: Obama Attacks: Suggests Hillary Has Mood Swings: Hillary launches attacks when she's feeling down? Periodically? Okay, I get it.

• TennViews: Tennessee Voter Confidence Act advances, and: TN Senate Republicans out of step on Pre-K

• Vibinc: Opines from the road on a variety of happenings this week.

• Whites Creek Journal: Clinton V Obama?: I'm one of those rare voters who thinks about what will happen if this candidate or that candidate gets elected. Plus: With Us...Or Against Us?: Have you made a call to customer service? Any customer service? About your television, computer, washing machine, or your Verizon or AT&T telephone service? All of these companies have off shore call centers. Congratulations! You've made the list. We all have. This is a travesty and an orgy of Constitutional crime.

• Women's Health News: Raising Women’s Voices: A Health Care Reform Conference I’d Love to Attend: The MergerWatch website is well worth a look if you’re interested in how religious health restrictions affect not just reproductive health, but end-of-life decisions, HIV/AIDS care, LGBT care, medical research, and other issues.

Camera Obscura - Romero's New Dead; 'Jumper' Falls; Sly 'Eulogy'

Is there a scenario more unsettling than hordes of zombies shambling across the de-populated landscape? Perhaps, as in George Romero's new movie "Diary of the Dead", it is a media-saturated culture.

Notice the title is not "Diary of the Survivors of a Zombie Horde."

The low-budget, no-name cast is the latest in a career spanning 40 years of socio-zombie impact. The premise here is that a group of young people head out with armed with cameras to make their own horror movie and discover instead an apocalypse, which they attempt to document via the moving image. Our world today is home to cameras at intersections and attached to phones and generally stuffed into every nook and cranny imaginable. To paraphrase McLuhan, "The medium is the zombie."

And how does his new movie rate? Scott Weinberg wrote this review after seeing the movie in Toronto last fall:

"This time around Mr. Romero seems most interested in the media, and the ways in which it shapes our reactions to life's unexpected tragedies. Icing on top: By using the 'fake movie within a movie' conceit, the zombie lord gives himself ample opportunity to poke fun at the "reality" of documentary filmmaking. And poke he does! The veteran craftsman also seems entirely fascinated by the ways in which information is instantly disseminated over the internet, so there's plenty of geek-friendly cleverness to be found here. To those who simply want a good old-fashioned chomp-fest, rest assured that there's gore galore -- plus a very healthy dose of in-joke horror references that nerds like me always enjoy. And no, the funny stuff does not overwhelm the splat-tastic mayhem. As is often the case, the humor offsets the scary / gross moments and all the components congeal into a full-course genre treat."

Also, you'll hear the voices of Quentin Tarantino, Stephen King, Wes Craven and more as "news-readers" in the movie.

Also recommended reading - a fine interview with Romero at the A.V. Club, where he says:

"I was stunned by the effect of all this emerging media, and how everybody was getting sucked in not only as viewers, but as reporters. It says on CNN that if you see something outside your window, shoot it and they'll put it on the air. "

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There has been heavy TV advertising for the new Doug Liman movie, "Jumper", based on a series of sci-fi books by writer Stephen Gould. The story concerns a young man who has the ability to defy time and space and transport himself to any location. Of course, he meets others with the same ability and even a kind of secret army who seek to thwart the Jumpers.

But here's the thing I most noticed about all the ads - not one mention of the two stars in the movie: Hayden Christiensen and Samuel L. Jackson. Where's the tag line: "Darth Vader and Mace Windu Meet Again!!!"

Oh yeah, that's right - Hayden was terrible in the Star Wars movies and no one knows who the heck Mace Windu is (was) outside of some fan convention.

Now if the duo teamed up for "Snakes On A Plane Part 2" .....

I am huge fan of the films of Doug Liman "Swingers", "Go", "The Bourne Identity", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" - and even genre fave David Goyer ("Blade") aided with the story.

But reviews of "Jumper" usually end up with the movie splayed out on the concrete after, well, after a fateful jump. All the reviews too note the rather blatant There Will Be A Sequel ending. (Did I suggest "Snakes On A Plane Part 2"?) And hey, who cares what critics say? I'm sure all those folks who went to see "Fool's Gold" still tingle with good feelings.

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A 2004 movie that screened at Sundance, "Eulogy", pretty much died on arrival and headed straight to DVD and remains a mostly and unjustly unknown movie. I suggest you seek out this funny comedy which is packed with hilarious performances by Ray Romano, Hank Azaria, Rip Torn, Zooey Deschanel, Debra Winger, Kelly Preston and Piper Laurie.

They are a family who reluctantly gather for the funeral of thier Dad, Rip Torn, whose habits included being unable to remember the names of his children. Deschanel plays Azaria's daughter, who is stuck with the task of writing the eulogy.

Tons of one-liners abound. I liked the one where the funeral home director describes a graveyard as "Sort of like an old folks home where you really don't need to go visit anyone."



This ensemble cast, though in a storyline seen in many other movies, provides very funny entertainment - before, during and at the funeral. Their work together clicks and hums with perfection. And there is this notion that their oddness and dysfunctions are not what seperates them, it's what connects them.

Again, this isn't some astonishing new take on an old story - just a chance to see some great actors having a great time.

Indiana Jones 4 Trailer Now Online

The news won't wait for the Friday movie post -

The new Indiana Jones 4 movie trailer is here at the official movie site.

Sure, a good chunk of it is shots from the first three movies, but so what?

My favorite part of this new teaser trailer - his hat gets some screen time.

Plus, this time out, I am now friends with the parents of Harrison Ford's girlfriend.

Ban The Cartoonists!

At least it didn't happen in Tennessee.

But in Kentucky, a legislator is pushing a bill to define an editorial cartoonist as a lobbyist and hence ban them from attending legislative sessions. State Rep. Jim Gooch is not amused by cartoons nor by opinions, as Sue Sturgis reports at Facing South.

"They want to hurt your credibility. They do it by either trying to make you look stupid or corrupt."

Darn those people who use the evils of wit and pencils!!! And what about the children? A child might run with a pencil in hand and fall and put their eye out! And then, there's a paper cut threat!

Sturgis reminds readers Rep. Gooch has also held hearings on the topics of Global Warming but failed to invite anyone from the scientific community. One imagines a person could testify "Shoot, it looks purty nice outside to me!" and thus end the debate.

Scalia's Defense of Torture

In a maze of hypotheticals and imaginings, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (along with many in the highest level of government) sort of talks about why he thinks the use of torture to get information is an acceptable policy of American jurisprudence. I'm left with far more questions as the debate and discussion of the uses of torture contiues.

His views aside, questions now stand about whether evidence obtained using waterboarding would be allowed in the upcoming court cases against suspects in the 9-11 attacks.

Judge Scalia, Speaking with the BBC, saw this exchange took place:

"Scalia: Is it really so easy to determine that smacking someone in the face to find out where he has hidden the bomb that is about to blow up Los Angeles is prohibited under the Constitution? Because smacking someone in the face would violate the 8th amendment in a prison context. You can’t go around smacking people about. Is it obvious that what can’t be done for punishment can’t be done to exact information that is crucial to this society? It’s not at all an easy question, to tell you the truth.

BBC: It’s a question that’s been raised by Alan Derschowitz and other people — this idea of ticking bomb torture. It’s predicated on the basis that you got a plane with nuclear weapons flying toward the White House, you happen to have in your possession — hooray! — the person that has the key information to put everything right, and you stick a needle under his fingernail — you get the answer — and that should be allowed?

SCALIA: And you think it shouldn’t?

BBC: All I’m saying about it, is that it’s a bizarre scenario, because it’s very unlikely that you’re going to have the one person that can give you that information and so if you use that as an excuse to permit torture then perhaps that’s a dangerous thing.

SCALIA: Seems to me you have to say, as unlikely as that is, it would be absurd to say that you can’t stick something under the fingernails, smack them in the face. It would be absurd to say that you couldn’t do that. And once you acknowledge that, we’re into a different game. How close does the threat have to be and how severe can an infliction of pain be?

There are no easy answers involved, in either direction, but I certainly know you can’t come in smugly and with great self-satisfaction and say, “Oh, this is torture and therefore it’s no good.” You would not apply that in some real-life situations. It may not be a ticking bomb in Los Angeles, but it may be: “Where is this group that we know is plotting this painful action against the United States? Where are they? What are they currently planning?”

I've posted on this topic before, yes, and current events prompt me to point to this particular post again:

"We live at a time where Americans, completely uninformed by an incurious media and enthralled by vengeance-based fantasy television shows like “24”, are actually cheering and encouraging such torture as justifiable revenge for the September 11 attacks. Having been a rescuer in one of those incidents and personally affected by both attacks, I am bewildered at how casually we have thrown off the mantle of world-leader in justice and honor. Who we have become?"

-----

"Who will complain about the new world-wide embrace of torture? America has justified it legally at the highest levels of government. Even worse, the administration has selectively leaked supposed successes of the water board such as the alleged Khalid Sheik Mohammed confessions. However, in the same breath the CIA sources for the Washington Post noted that in Mohammed’s case they got information but "not all of it reliable." Of course, when you waterboard you get all the magic answers you want -because remember, the subject will talk. They all talk! Anyone strapped down will say anything, absolutely anything to get the torture to stop. Torture. Does. Not. Work."

Is it worth noting the previous legal approach to the use of waterboarding?

"In 1901 in the United States, the military court-martialed and sentenced to 10 years hard labor a US major who had waterboarded a prisoner in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. The United States officially outlawed the practice after World War II, when the Germans and Japanese had both used it against Allied troops. The Allies executed eight Japanese officers for waterboarding British prisoners and sentenced another to 15 years hard labor for waterboarding a US civilian, among other crimes."

Will State OK Verifiable Votes?

The state's legislature is moving forward (at last) to insure verifiable results for the ballots cast in an election, as noted in today's KNS story.

(previously mentioned here and R. Neal has more at TennViews)

The proposal is meant to create a paper trail for votes cast, and though it may be another two years before the new process (if approved) could be installed.

"Bernie Ellis, an organizer for Gather to Save Our Democracy, said Tennessee has been rated as one of the eight states in the nation most vulnerable to vote-counting abuse because of its heavy reliance on the touch-screen system. Only two of 95 Tennessee counties, Hamilton and Pickett, now have the precinct-based optical scan machines.

With the current system, a voter makes his or her choices on a computer screen that disappears when the vote is cast with no paper record. The optical scan system will require the voter to mark a paper ballot, look it over to verify the choices are correct, then run the paper ballot through a scanner that records the vote."

The new process, however, will not improve your choices nor negate any regrets you might have for the choices you made. Still, accuracy and reliability of results is a laudable goal.

Senate Approves of Telecom Immunity

It's dismal how far the current congress has gone to allow and accept lawless governmental policy. When news first broke of the warrantless wiretap programs, there was much loud derision - but the congress has reversed course in no uncertain terms. What were once vices are now habits.

Reviewing the Senate's actions, Glenn Greenwald makes a crucial point:

"Analogously, in 1973, The Washington Post won the Pulitzer Prize for its work in uncovering the Watergate abuses, and that led to what would have been the imminent bipartisan impeachment of the President until he was forced to resign in disgrace. By stark and depressing contrast, in 2006, Jim Risen, Eric Lichtblau and the NYT won Pulitzer Prizes for their work in uncovering illegal spying on Americans at the highest levels of the Government, and that led to bipartisan legislation to legalize the illegal spying programs and provide full-scale retroactive amnesty for the lawbreakers. That's the difference between a country operating under the rule of law and one that is governed by lawlessness and lawbreaking license for the politically powerful and well-connected."

The legislation now moves to the House for approval and their version of the bill currently does not include immunity. Hopefully the debate will more focused on laws and not lawlessness.

Sen. Kilby Reconsiders Dog Laws

I received an email from 12th District Senator Tommy Kilby yesterday in response to my complaints over a bill he introduced to make it a crime to own a certain type of dog in Tennessee. The online and offline furor that bill prompted was mentioned previously and in this post too.

He wrote about withdrawing his original bill, and filing a new one, though there are still some issues to resolve:

"Here is an update on my proposed legislation. I withdrew the original proposed legislation, Senate Bill 2738 and filed a caption bill, Senate Bill 3827. Unfortunately, due to the bill filing deadline, the second bill's wording mirrors the first, which has caused some confusion. Take heart though, the caption bill will be amended so as not to be breed specific."

Here's to hoping any new laws are based in more realistic concepts.

First and foremost for me is specific and significant legal avenues to place accountability on those people who fail to contain any animal they own and allow an attack on a human. It would make no sense to arrest and destroy a gun used in a killing - punishing the owner/user is the typical approach. Likewise, one could do a survey and find a particular model of a car as the most commonly involved in a fatal crash, but arresting the car and banning ownership of that model isn't the right concept either.

FROM DOGS TO DUCKS UPDATE: Worth noting that Kilby is not seeking re-election, so this is really a lame duck term for him. A prime contender for his replacement is Becky Ruppe, Morgan County's first female elected County Executive, and as R. Neal notes, she has launched her election campaign website.