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Tuesday, December 30, 2003

How Disappearance in '84 Blighted Family in Iraq. The execution of a young student, and what became of his family, is a grim parable of the terror inflicted on Iraqis over the 24 years of Saddam Hussein's rule. By John F. Burns. [New York Times: NYT HomePage] 9:20:27 PM  Permalink  comment []

"He was the train we did not catch.". [Via Electrolite] Check out Clute's review and the notes at Electrolite. I'm looking forward to reading the novel; this is a fascinating review, though I know the religious will not like it. 12:49:37 PM  Permalink  comment []

What are the 10 best music albums of 2003 (if there are actually that many)? [FARK] 11:34:39 AM  Permalink  comment []

Paycheck I guess it was the fact that it was based on a Philip K. Dick story and that I liked the premise that got me to go to this movie. Looking back on it, I don't think I've ever really liked a John Woo movie, and I think the last decent thing I saw with Ben Affleck in it was Kevin Smith's Dogma. And I do like Uma Thurman. But what a mistake this one was. It is, in short, a pretty bad movie. The premise is fun, and if it's a bit illogical, what movie isn't? Virtually every movie will have logical gaps; the trick is for the writer, director, and actors to get you to suspend your disbelief. In this case, they didn't, not for a second. Not for a second do you believe that Ben Affleck is a brilliant "reverse engineer." Not for a second do you believe he's some sort of superhero who can beat all the bad guys on a motorcycle. Not for a second do you believe any piece of this situation. Affleck turns in the least interesting a believable performance I've seen all year and even drags Uma down into the hole he's in. And there are plenty of howlers in the screenplay. My favorite is Uma Thurman in a greenhouse at the end, who seems to think that being "a biologist" means that she knows how to raise plants (why isn't she "a botanist"?); it reminded me of the old Mr. Science line, "I have a degree -- in science!" Anyway, give this one a pass; see something else -- anything! -- instead. 10:35:05 AM  Permalink  comment []

Dave Berry takes a look at 2003 [FARK] 10:07:28 AM  Permalink  comment []

The Logic of Withdrawal. By Howard Zinn, The Progressive Howard Zinn pens a speech for the presidential candidate willing to take Bush head-on. Zinn's hypothetical candidate gets out of Iraq, promises universal free healthcare, guarantees jobs for all, renews a true commitment to the environment, and calls for a complete change in foreign policy. [Utne Web Watch] 9:12:58 AM  Permalink  comment []

© Copyright 2004 Steve Michel.