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revdorothyl at 03:10pm on 27/02/2004 under movie reviews
revdorothyl at 03:10pm on 27/02/2004 under movie reviewsWhen your home range is 'El Rancho Academia' it's usually true that encouraging words from higher-ups are too seldom heard.
But not for this girl, not today (shades of one of Spike's lines from "Angel" 5.15, which I will not quote here, since that would be spoiling).
Just got back from meeting with my advisor (whom I'd been ducking pretty much since last summer, feeling that my dissertation proposal was irrevocably stalled -- until he happened to notice me in the faculty computer lab last week, and I worked up the courage to ask him for help in getting unstuck), and instead of telling me that I'm a hopeless case, he translated his earlier comments and criticisms for me in such a way as to tell me that all I need to do is EDIT my latest version of the proposal (take out all the fun stuff that we both enjoy, but which will never pass the committee, since it suggests that I'm having too much fun to be a serious scholar and a true acolyte of the demon-god Academia), rather than over-haul or rewrite it, in order to move on. I'm meeting with him again in two weeks, to show him the new version.
Meanwhile, I still haven't seen "The Passion of the Christ," but I got a very entertaining and intriguing review from a friend who saw it Wednesday night. I'll include the final bits of his review after the cut-line.
-----------------
"... I can't see this film making anyone more religious, or less religious. Everyone will bring their particular predisposition into the film, and it will just reinforce that. It is not inspiring to the faithful, and it is not funny to the non-believers.
"I did see a lot of political parallels in the story to the state of our country today. I don't know if they are thoroughly thought out, or complete, but here's a summary.
"Jesus is Uncle Sam, a representative of people at their best, helping each other, caring for each other and assisting the poor and meek. He has a dream of a better tomorrow, a vision that he wants all to share.
"Caiaphus, the High Priest, is George W. Bush, convinced that he must maintain an old standard to save America. He has a certain point of view and nobody is going to change it. As a result, he is unwittingly and stupidly bringing destruction down upon that which he wished to save.
"Pontius Pilate is a rational person, Democrat or Republican, who sees that an injustice is being done, but who is pressured by external forces (political/economic) to let this train wreck continue.
"Pilates' wife could be any woman or person with a brain or heart, who feels powerless to change the course of events, even though the warning signs are very clear.
"Mary's role is similar to that of Pilate's wife, but with a strong family connection. She is every mother who sees her child destroyed for lies and ignorance. Her character is in the background throughout the film, but is developed as badly as the character of Annakin Skywalker's mother in the last two STAR WARS films.
"There are two soldiers who are the head floggers during the scourging scene. They start by following orders and then get carried away, enjoying the process too much, to the point of losing their humanity. I saw Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney here, laughing all the way to the bank as their corporate friends profit by the deaths of Americans fighting a phony war. Destruction is fun, and profitable.
"The Apostles are weak and confused as to what they should be doing, like the Democrats were during the first years of the current administration. We know that they will develop backbones and face the future with determination.
"At the end of the film, the change from a shroud-wrapped corpse to the risen Christ is accomplished with balloons or airbags wrapped in cloth, from which the air is released. The collapse of the shroud bore a striking resemblance to the destruction of Christopher Lee's Dracula in the Hammer Studios production of HORROR OF DRACULA.
"There are other bits that reminded me of other horror films. There are some quick cuts of unseen things, reminding me of THE EXORCIST. There is a crowd of children who torment Judas that reminded me of the strange beach youths from SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER or the monstrous children from THE LORD OF THE FLIES.
"This is not the greatest film ever told, nor is it the worst. Gibson has produced a work of art that is true to his vision. It focusses on one small part of the life of Christ, with a few flashbacks to earlier preaching. It accepts the Biblical account literally, and leaves the analysis and philosophy to others. It will be successful, due in no small part to the advertising campaign that the churches of America are providing. ...
"If nothing else, the film has one strong message: the death penalty is really a bad idea.
"Many people will see this film once. It is not a film that will reward anyone with repeated viewings. It will not inspire you, and it's not very spiritual. For that, you need to take a look at a much better film, THE LIFE OF BRIAN. The Monty Python team at least had some respect for Christ's message of love and caring. And it is far more entertaining than this film is."
---------------
Now I'm starting to hear "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" playing in my head, instead of "Home on the Range". I guess that's okay.
But not for this girl, not today (shades of one of Spike's lines from "Angel" 5.15, which I will not quote here, since that would be spoiling).
Just got back from meeting with my advisor (whom I'd been ducking pretty much since last summer, feeling that my dissertation proposal was irrevocably stalled -- until he happened to notice me in the faculty computer lab last week, and I worked up the courage to ask him for help in getting unstuck), and instead of telling me that I'm a hopeless case, he translated his earlier comments and criticisms for me in such a way as to tell me that all I need to do is EDIT my latest version of the proposal (take out all the fun stuff that we both enjoy, but which will never pass the committee, since it suggests that I'm having too much fun to be a serious scholar and a true acolyte of the demon-god Academia), rather than over-haul or rewrite it, in order to move on. I'm meeting with him again in two weeks, to show him the new version.
Meanwhile, I still haven't seen "The Passion of the Christ," but I got a very entertaining and intriguing review from a friend who saw it Wednesday night. I'll include the final bits of his review after the cut-line.
-----------------
"... I can't see this film making anyone more religious, or less religious. Everyone will bring their particular predisposition into the film, and it will just reinforce that. It is not inspiring to the faithful, and it is not funny to the non-believers.
"I did see a lot of political parallels in the story to the state of our country today. I don't know if they are thoroughly thought out, or complete, but here's a summary.
"Jesus is Uncle Sam, a representative of people at their best, helping each other, caring for each other and assisting the poor and meek. He has a dream of a better tomorrow, a vision that he wants all to share.
"Caiaphus, the High Priest, is George W. Bush, convinced that he must maintain an old standard to save America. He has a certain point of view and nobody is going to change it. As a result, he is unwittingly and stupidly bringing destruction down upon that which he wished to save.
"Pontius Pilate is a rational person, Democrat or Republican, who sees that an injustice is being done, but who is pressured by external forces (political/economic) to let this train wreck continue.
"Pilates' wife could be any woman or person with a brain or heart, who feels powerless to change the course of events, even though the warning signs are very clear.
"Mary's role is similar to that of Pilate's wife, but with a strong family connection. She is every mother who sees her child destroyed for lies and ignorance. Her character is in the background throughout the film, but is developed as badly as the character of Annakin Skywalker's mother in the last two STAR WARS films.
"There are two soldiers who are the head floggers during the scourging scene. They start by following orders and then get carried away, enjoying the process too much, to the point of losing their humanity. I saw Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney here, laughing all the way to the bank as their corporate friends profit by the deaths of Americans fighting a phony war. Destruction is fun, and profitable.
"The Apostles are weak and confused as to what they should be doing, like the Democrats were during the first years of the current administration. We know that they will develop backbones and face the future with determination.
"At the end of the film, the change from a shroud-wrapped corpse to the risen Christ is accomplished with balloons or airbags wrapped in cloth, from which the air is released. The collapse of the shroud bore a striking resemblance to the destruction of Christopher Lee's Dracula in the Hammer Studios production of HORROR OF DRACULA.
"There are other bits that reminded me of other horror films. There are some quick cuts of unseen things, reminding me of THE EXORCIST. There is a crowd of children who torment Judas that reminded me of the strange beach youths from SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER or the monstrous children from THE LORD OF THE FLIES.
"This is not the greatest film ever told, nor is it the worst. Gibson has produced a work of art that is true to his vision. It focusses on one small part of the life of Christ, with a few flashbacks to earlier preaching. It accepts the Biblical account literally, and leaves the analysis and philosophy to others. It will be successful, due in no small part to the advertising campaign that the churches of America are providing. ...
"If nothing else, the film has one strong message: the death penalty is really a bad idea.
"Many people will see this film once. It is not a film that will reward anyone with repeated viewings. It will not inspire you, and it's not very spiritual. For that, you need to take a look at a much better film, THE LIFE OF BRIAN. The Monty Python team at least had some respect for Christ's message of love and caring. And it is far more entertaining than this film is."
---------------
Now I'm starting to hear "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" playing in my head, instead of "Home on the Range". I guess that's okay.
(no subject)
Reviews I've read for P of C talk about the 'pornography of the violence' - which are strong words. Can't say I'm tempted to see it.
(no subject)
Now, ready yourself to be nagged in earnest.
As for the movie review, it gives me a great desire to run out and rent Life of Brian.