Beltmann

Thing is, "relevance" is often determined by point-of-view.

I'm gonna keep beating the drum for director Anthony Mann... even his lesser-known B-movies, such as the mystery thriller The Great Flamarion, are the work of a visual master.

His AIDS comment is indefensible--and I agree with you that such rantings only drive the wedge deeper--but his so-called "defenders" are merely trying to counter, through context and balance, the character assassination taking place in the MSM. The reality of Rev. Wright is far different from the cartoon version being offered up nightly on Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc.

Good read. Thanks, Mr. Rain!

To my eyes, Paranoid Park is by far the best of Van Sant's recent cycle of impressionistic "vibe" films (which also includes Gerry, Elephant, and Last Days). This time, the psyche of the main character feels fully explored, not merely hinted at with vague approximations.

I loved Once for being miniature, for being disheveled, and for containing zero artifice. Although the story charts the quavering, uncertain connection between a street busker and a Czech immigrant in Dublin, its real subject is not romance but the transporting power of song itself. Close your eyes and you'll hear two people who together fall in love with the possibilities of music.

Agreed on all counts, and I would add that its sense of place--its verisimilitude--is another major virtue. The movie has really stuck with me.

A few more useful links: Patriotism and Faith Obama at Snopes.com Does This Make George H. Bush Unpatriotic? Sliming Obama, at Factcheck.org Obama and the Patriot Police, at the Washington Post Defending the Facts on Obama's Faith, by evangelist Jim Wallis Video of Obama Speech on His Faith [39 min] Barack Obama: On My Faith and My Church Speech: A More Perfect Union Obama Speech In Full: A More Perfect Union A Thinking Man's Speech [by Peggy Noonan, conservative] Initial Reaction [by conservative Andrew Sullivan] Charles Murray at the National Review Defends Obama's Speech Jeremiah Wrig

I travel a broad at least once a week.

I'm very hopeful about Gagne, but the jury's still out...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Treehugger!

Yeah... although I have to concede I'm more curious than eager.

Mike Huckabee Defends Jeremiah Wright

In terms of relevance, accuracy, fairness, and context, I agree with you. Unfortunately, in the political arena perception counts for more than relevance, accuracy, fairness, and context, so I'm not quite as optimistic.

I think this embodies "Option 1" as described in Obama's speech.

I like the subject matter in Paste, but I'm not thrilled with the overall quality of writing. (No plans to cancel my sub, though.)

Asphalt / Joe May / Germany / 1929 A slow-burning German melodrama about a Berlin police officer being seduced by an elegant jewel thief. It

Nice comeback, Wisconsin!

That's up there for me, too!

Now that we have that on record, there go your presidential aspirations.

I didn't like Across the Universe--goofy, cloying, glib--but it does have some interesting visual ideas.

I'm halfway through Sorcerer, William Friedkin's 1977 remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 classic The Wages of Fear. The original is one of my favorite suspense movies, so perhaps I'm biased, but so far the remake pretty much blows. Plus, the DVD release is pan-and-scan, which doesn't help.

Netflix; the DVD was just recently released. I'm not confident that Walker is a good film, but I was captivated by its bold strokes--what are helicopters and Newsweek covers doing in a film about an American zealot trying to rule Nicaragua in the mid-19th-century?--and by the continued relevance of its allegory. Plus, as El F noted, it has an awesome musical score.

I thought this post was going to end better.