Screening Liberally

I should probably preface this post with an admission: I absolutely loved The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Despite the abysmally low expectations set by the first Narnia attempt, I sat through Caspian in a state of gleeful enthrallment. And from an entertainment perspective, it was a surprisingly great movie: the landscape was crafted with Peter-Jackson-level expertise, the Pevensie children have become less insufferably whiny, and the sexual tension between characters Susan Pevensie and Prince Caspian was cringe-inducingly hilarious.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the original story, Prince Caspian weaves the tale of the Pevensie children’s return to Narnia after The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Since their last visit, over a thousand years have passed in Narnia and things have gotten really rough: a neighboring land has taken over everything, and all Narnians have been killed or driven into hiding. Enter attractive yet bizarrely accented Prince Caspian, the exiled heir to the throne—and Narnia’s only hope. Essentially, magical hijinks and epic battles ensue as good battles evil for power over Narnia.

Overall, Caspian is a satisfying fantasy adventure--which is not to say that the film is even close to being flawless—there were many moments when it veered into being ridiculously overwrought, unintentionally inspiring several hearty guffaws. Like the first moment that Aslan appears, beams of light triumphantly shooting out of his mane, in a blatant "Thank God! It’s Jesus!" moment. (C.S. Lewis’s original Narnia stories were modeled after Christian parables, with Aslan the lion serving as an obvious Jesus figure).

The movie versions of the tales are produced by Walden Media, financed by notoriously conservative Christian billionaire Philip Anschutz. Which had me, a staunch athiest, pseudo-maliciously poised to pounce on any thinly-veiled attempts at conversion. Of which there were surprisingly few. Most of what could be associated with a religious purpose was ambiguous. For example, a scene in which a river swells into the shape of a giant man, who then swallows the enemy army, is simultaneously a reference to the parting of the red seas and a harmless demonstration of cool Narnian magic.

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This is what the internet is saying today:

1. Gas is still really expensive; we are still slaves to the oil companies.

2. Christopher Hitchens agreed to be waterboarded for a Vanity Fair story, which is fun to check out right after reading this article in the New York Times about how the folks at Gitmo are totally ripping off their torture techniques from Mao Zedong.

3. In the wake of his statements that he will support federally-funded faith-based initiatives, Obama meets with a bunch of right-wing Evanglists who, in turn, ask him a bunch of offensive questions.

4. There's still lots of coverage of Wesley Clark's remarks that getting shot down in a fighter plane doesn't qualify you for the presidency. Good news (?): Clark is getting some support, from Moveon and from Robert G. Gard. Bad news: The McCain people are still running this thing into the ground.

5. Truthdig has a report on the actually-kind-of-shocking discrepancy between American and Dutch drug use.

6. Conservative radio host Michael Savage calls Nancy Pelosi "Mussolini in a skirt" about forty times, makes mistake of dissing Media Matters.

7. Alternet ranked the top ten most "awesomely bad" moments of the Bush presidency, with "Mission Accomplished" as his "Sargeant Pepper."

8. Also, bears are great, am I right? MSNBC has the dish on their secret lives.

Screening Liberally Big Picture
by Brooke Olaussen

Pop culture has immortalized Hunter S. Thompson as Dr. Gonzo blazing through Las Vegas in a red Cadillac – trunk brimming with drugs, mind bubbling with fear and loathing. How well does pop culture remember Thompson’s quest to document the death of the American Dream?

Thompson’s 1970 bid for Sheriff of Aspen, Colorado is perhaps less-well remembered. For his campaign he developed his own logo: a two-thumbed fist (think black power) clenching a peyote button (think freak power). Thompson offered a thorough restructuring of power. The second proposal of his platform for sheriff read as follows: "Change the name of Aspen to Fat City. This would prevent greedheads, landrapers, and other human jackels from capitalizing on the name of Aspen." He also offered humor.

And did you know that this anti-Christ trained in the Air Force? It was, however, a short stint. "In summary," his commanding officer reported before recommending him for early honorable discharge, "this airman, although talented, will not be guided by policy."

Hunter S. Thompson was so visionary, so mad, so titillating articulate that upon reflection he seems bred from ethereal waters. Yet, Thompson’s greatness came not from broadcasting a new, different, freakish American culture, but just the opposite. He understood and believed in the tradition of the American political system so deeply that he sought out a vision of America in which the American Dream was attainable. In this call for intellectual revolution he was far from alone.

Alex Gibney’s new documentary Gonzo: The life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson propels you into the aura of Thompson and the forces of his times. It’s Thompson’s alter-ego Gonzo synergized with the last 50 years of American political history.

Everything you could want in a documentary film is in this one. By bringing you the mood and life-force of Gonzo, the film enchants, both visually and philosophically. The multiplicity of voices/interviews, footage, photographs, and songs transports you into the scene, as if like Alice you stepped through the looking glass. The soundtrack, Johnny Depp’s narration of Thompson’s writing,and interviews with friends and family guide you through Thompson’s wonderland. Those interviewed include: illustrator Ralph Steadman, fellow journalists and friends Tom Wolfe and Tim Crouse, historian Douglas Brinkley, his Rolling Stones editor, an ex-Hell’s Angel’s leader, his first wife, second wife, his son Juan Thompson, and even Pat Buchanan.

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The Charlotte, NC chapter of Living Liberally city leaders to the National Conference September 5-7.

(Dick Cheney will not be wearing his hunting vest to Charlotte in September, so the proverbial ducks should be safe.)

We booked a hotel that the telecoms haven't 'bugged' yet. We've reserved a meeting space that will double as the holding cell for Rove and his buddies from the White House come January. We found an airport shuttle that runs on a clean-burning 75/25 mix of organic beer and wine. And finally, we promise to count every single Living Liberally libation drunk, er, vote cast here in Charlotte!

It's about that time, City Leaders. Register for our National Conference today!

As an intern here at Living Liberally HQ, a big chunk of my day is spent looking for John McCain stories on the internet (don't worry, I don't get paid). And since we just had our McCain-themed comedy night with guest authors Cliff Schecter and Paul Waldman, I'm coming off a week-long stretch of Google searches like "John McCain, old," "John McCain, flip-flop" and "John McCain, unflattering pictures." I've learned a lot of fun facts about old Johnny boy: he is a Virgo, his favorite movie is Some Like It Hot and he graduated high school in the same year as Fred Flintstone. But what I haven't found are consistently funny internet videos about John McCain.

Sure, I've found plenty of videos--there's the whole slew up at Brave New Films which aren't comedic, but still do a great job of making you want to move to Germany if McCain gets elected, plus droves of flashy, moderately-amusing clips like this McCain rap song (worth watching for the Chris Matthews sample) and John McCain's Spring Break Tips (cute, but the skin cancer jokes are kind of a low blow). Overall, though, I haven't been able to find that one McCain video that's, you know, worth blogging about.

However, I think the answer may lie with the man himself. Wacky McCain impersonators or Midwestern teenagers with their dads' camcorders can't touch the lunacy of the real McCain as he hurtles towards senility. I laughed hardest at this clip of McCain getting owned on Meet The Press (no Russert jokes here; I'm not a monster) and I also love watching this six-second clip of McCain babbling about sending bottled hot water to dehydrated babies over and over on a loop.

In many ways, I have come to feel as though I am Ahab and the world's funniest McCain video is my White Whale. And like Ahab, I will not rest until (spoiler alert!) my resources have been totally exhausted and the blood of both myself and my shipmates has been spilled. Or until the McCain Girls make another 80s music video parody. Because, you know. That would also be pretty funny.

Walking into the theater to see the newest Pixar/Disney transplant, WALL-E, I expected to see a friendly tale of a quirky robot. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted when before my very eyes unfolded a social commentary as relevant to today as the campaign is long.

For those of you who think that WALL-E is a kid's film you may find yourself eating your words. It is great to see Disney using it's power for good rather than evil. Some of you may remember some of the social faux pas in the Disney closet: the racist movie we don't talk about, Song of the South, the subtle anti-Arab lyrics in the song "Arabian Nights" of Aladdin, and of course the good old belief that a woman should lie down and wait for her prince to come and rescue her from her dragon guarded castle in order to achieve happiness.

The jury is still out on whether Disney has gotten the PC bug or the Disney-Pixar marriage has given the Disney folk a younger more open outlook on the world. One thing is for sure, if their movies keep moving in a WALL-E direction then I will have no qualms with raising kids in the arms of the mouse.

The rumors you have heard about a lack of dialogue in WALL-E are true, the first forty five minutes are a sobering dialogue-less view into Earth 700 years after humans have left. The genius behind the WALL-E sound is the legendary Ben Burtt, the man responsible for the trademark sound effects of Star Wars.The sound effects in the film greatly make up for the lack of dialogue.

More important than sound or even lovable robots is the state of Earth and its former inhabitants, us. The Earth it seems has become our worst nightmare come to life, mountains of waste which tower over today's skyscrapers, holographic images of superfluous products of consumerism gone extreme, and a single international mega-corporation dominating the market on Earth and beyond. As the movie continued it became apparent that Pixar writer and director Andrew Stanton could very well have been listening to conversations between progressives across the country.

In the world of WALL-E humans have become dependent on liquid meals and their hover chairs, so much that they have all become obese. They also seem to have a problem disconnecting themselves from their holographic entertainment and servant bots, resulting in the loss of the ability to walk.

I fully recommend WALL-E for all who are young at heart and concerned about the future of humanity and our precious planet. Plus if you're trying to sell a "progressive" idea to the masses it doesn't hurt to have a unique robot on your side who is obsessed with Hello, Dolly!

Admit it. You’ve always wanted to say, "Yeah, I’m a card-carrying liberal. You got a problem with that?" Lucky for you, Living Liberally has a way for you to do just that.

Our newest project, The Liberal Card, proves you’re a liberal and helps you save liberally, too. For just $25, you’ll get a personalized card that proudly proclaims your liberal status. And while we’re sure that being able to wave around your Liberal Card is enough to make you buy one, there’s more. A whole lot more.

The Liberal Card also gets you discounts to places that allow you to shop, dine and drink with a clear conscience. From a free beer at Rudy’s the original home of Drinking Liberally to phone service from CREDO, we’re hooking you up big time.

Plus, by supporting our partner businesses, you’re helping support the larger liberal community, too.

So check out www.theliberalcard.org to order your card, and find places where you can use The Liberal Card liberally.

Screening Liberally Big Picture
by Josh Bolotsky

I don't believe that the hype about Democratic disunity is correct. But what if I'm wrong? What if the 18-month primary season (remember President Vilsack?) was just too long and too bruising, the sexism and racism on display just too blatant, the animus on all sides just too much to overcome? If that's the case, what are these much-vaunted "party elders" we've heard so much about to do?

Granted, you can always go the Rahm Emanuel Is Intimidating route, but I'd like to suggest an alternative. If the Democratic leadership is really smart, they'll arrange for enormous group outings to The Happening, on a national scale; make sure to have impassioned Obama and Clinton supporters sitting side-by-side in each theater; and let the projector roll. Two hours later, you'll have a room full of new friends, rested and ready to focus on the general election, and it only took a trip to the movies.

Why do I have so much confidence in this admittedly unorthodox procedure? For one reason, and one reason only: The Happening is one of the most hilariously bad films ever to be released by a major studio, an unqualified disaster, a tonal misfire of monumental proportions - and every single ornery, discerning New Yorker who sat with me in the advance screening, who entered cranky and exhausted from the relentless summer heat, walked out of the multiplex smiling and, yes, back-slapping, having had a wonderful time guffawing together.

Let's be clear - yes, talking out loud during a movie is, generally speaking, an extremely inconsiderate thing to do, and, as a low-level act of solipsism, ranks fairly high on the Signs Of Civilizational Decline list. Like any rule, however, there are exceptions, and just as it is situationally inappropriate to glare at the group throwing rice at the screen during the Rocky Horror Picture Show, there are some films where the social contract of a moviegoer requires an escape clause, and boy oh boy is this one of them. It is that rare delight, a failed popcorn movie where talking out loud is not just permitted, but downright required, a prerequisite for enjoyment.

To the extent that there is a premise, we can get it out of the way quickly: in an act of retaliation against the ravaging ways of humanity, plants across the northeastern United States start emitting toxins in the air that infect humans, and inspire them to commit violent acts of suicide. And for the first five minutes or so, we can see where this could have been the basis for a legitimately frightening film - there are some visually stunning set pieces where the M. Night Shyamalan of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable seems to peek his head out and remind us that he used to have a real claim to the New Spielberg title, portraying random acts of self-violence in a way that is profoundly disturbing.

And then, after those 10 minutes, something...happens. (I can only assume that this is the other meaning of the title.) The misjudgments of tone and character become not just egregious, but hilarious, likely to be a film school-ready example of how to utterly botch genre entertainment. This is the kind of film which tries to scare us through multiple long shots of wind rustling through bushes and stalks of wheat as menacing music plays on the soundtrack. (That evil, evil wheat!) The kind of film where Mark Wahlberg tries to negotiate with a presumably sentient houseplant in a non-ironic scene that gives us no reason to believe it was intended for comedic effect. The kind of film where the characters ask, "Is this the end?", and the whole theater breaks out into applause when a teenager in the fifth row shouts out "Let's hope so!"

There's really nothing too special about a standard-issue bad movie - most bad movies are bad in boring ways, and it is painful to sit through them. However, for a film to be a true classic of awful cinema - your Myra Beckinridges, your Batman & Robins - it needs to be bad in interesting ways, and The Happening certainly qualifies. There is nothing standard-issue about line readings by normally wonderful actors like Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel that deliver news of the destruction of Boston as if bored and the decision to take a nap as if it were of world-changing import. There is nothing standard-issue about our protagonists finding refuge in the home of an elderly recluse, and discovering that she leaves life-size dolls around the house as decoys for potential thieves. There is nothing standard-issue about a scene where John Leguizamo tries to distract his carmates from the dead bodies strewn all around them by gleefully employing a non-sequitur brainteaser about doubling your allowance each day for a month. These are very particular choices, executed in very particular ways, and it is almost as much fun to wonder just how this movie came about as it is to laugh at how ineffective it is.

The Happening tries to be a communal experience, and at this it succeeds - except, instead of being bonded together by having the beejezus scared out of us, we notice each other shaking our heads and smiling at the ridiculousness of it all, and can't help but smile a little more broadly knowing that we're not the only ones. This election season is only going to become more intense, not less, and we are going to need some comedic release, and The Happening is just the ticket. It is a brilliant comedy that does not know it is a comedy, destined to be a consistent hit on the midnight-movie circuit, and, in that context, I could not recommend it more highly.

Screening Liberally Big Picture
by Seth Pearce

When I first heard about Adam Sandler's new movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan, I thought to myself, "Wow, Sandler's at it again. What is this going to be? His fourteenth bad movie in a row?" But then it dawned on me: This could be really problematic.

Not that any movie that involves the Israeli-Palestinian conflict won't be controversial. It's just that I wasn't sure I trusted Adam Sandler to handle such sensitive material with care. Especially when it involves him playing, what seemed to be a hairdressing Zionist superman (albeit with some quirks.)

I had to see it.

I'll say this: Zohan is not anywhere near as profoundly upsetting or offensive as last year's I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. It does, however, most definitely have its issues.

The main political problem with Zohan is that while Palestinians and Israelis are both stereotyped for comedic effect, the Palestinian characters are treated much worse. Rob Schneider and his amateur terrorist cell are looked at as dirty and primitive, while the Israelis are merely treated as disco-loving buffoons who get extra points for assimilating into western culture. I also take issue with the large number of non-arab actors they hired to play Palestinian parts, (See: Schneider, Turturro, Chriqui).

That is pretty much the extent of the politically problematic parts of Zohan. It acknowledges the complexity of the current conflict and doesn't offer any radical suggestions on how to fix it, short of the somewhat Marxist assertion that the Israelis and Palestinians living in America should band together to fight an evil corporate tycoon who is trying to gentrify their neighborhood because their ethnic identities are just social constructs and it is their economic solidarity, as shop owners living in a relatively low income area, that's important. (After all, as one of the Israelis points out, to Americans, they look the same.)

Ultimately, the real issue with You Don't Mess with the Zohan, is that it is a bad movie. It is not very funny, (maybe with the exception of the hummus gag,) and sadly, though I guess this is now the norm, it does not live up to Sandler's earlier work.

You do not need to see You Don't Mess with the Zohan, but if you do, it won't kill you. Plus Mrs. Garrett from The Facts of Life is in it.

Screening Liberally Big Picture by Justin Krebs

An aging man-of-action shows show he can still throw punches with the young guys. A rough-and-tumble cowboy as American as apple pie wins our hearts again. A media favorite has returned.

You'd think that the release of the fourth Indiana Jones Adventure, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, would be music to John McCain's ears. After all, if America can fall in love with one gray-haired hero, why not another?

And sure enough, in the opening scenes, Harrison Ford's rugged archaeologist adventurer, when confronted with a dozen guns trained his way, doesn't blink -- instead he faces down the Communist bad guys with a simple message: "I like Ike."

You can imagine the McCain spin room starting to whir, reaching out for Indiana's coattails.

But I'm sorry to say, Mr. Senator...America knows Henry Jones, Jr. And you, sir, are no Indiana.

This much-anticipated release offers 2 hours of icing for anyone who feasted on the trilogy of the 80s. It's not a film to win over a new generation, or even a stand-alone film in its own right, but a rambunctious romp that makes you laugh and cheer and roll your eyes a little bit.

The team is back together: Spielberg, Lucas & Ford -- and just as Professor Jones has one last adventure in him, so does this triumvirate. They pull out all the old jokes and references you could hope for, replacing Nazis with Communists, as Indy stumbles through a new decade (in an early moment, he even faces down an atomic threat...a far cry from the first films.)

You're in the company of old friends. It's even more implausible (is that possible?) than the original films, as Ford's aging body has become only more indestructible. But they are willing to laugh at themselves -- and their age...and their self-aware cheesiness -- and you love laughing with them. Or at least I did. I was just happy to see them again.

In a way the film is an Indiana Jones-approved spoof of Indiana Jones: louder, goofier, more tongue-in-cheek, and, yes, less sincere. At no point are characters really in danger; even in the context of the film, the characters don't really fear for one another's safety. At no point are we really surprised by their emotional turns because they aren't really emotionally-driven. And we kind of stop worrying about the plot, because really we're there for the ride.

That said, it's a heckuva fun ride. And part of what makes it work is an ingredient that also made the original Star Wars films works, but was absent from the second round of those films: quite simply, Harrison Ford.

He's great. He can still win over men and women alike with the twinkle in his eye. We're happy to have him back (back from his Indy hiatus, as well as from flicks like Firewall).

And that's one reason why John McCain can't see himself in this film: he's no Harrison Ford. McCain, looking tired, making missteps and fouled up by constant gaffes, just looks his age. Indiana Jones is a grayer figure, but just as hale and hearty, as flirtatious and reckless and wisecracking as ever.

Sorry, Senator, but you don't live in the movies.

There's also the political differences. Professor Jones is an archeologist studying and respecting past cultures. John McCain helms a party that has trouble with evolution. Indiana has as much reverence in this film for the stories of Mayan gods as he did in the last film for the mythos of the Grail; McCain can't tell Sunni and Shiite apart. Jones may be reckless at times, but he also makes allies -- from a young greaser, to an old flame -- while McCain follows the Bush tradition of going it alone.

There are few overt political nods in this film but one resonates: when Indiana Jones, under suspicion by the FBI for his friendship with an outed Communist agent, is forced from his professorial post by a timid university Board of Trustees. As much as Indiana punches Communists in the nose, he also is the victim of political persecution and fear-mongering.

Spielberg's politics come out here: a culture of suspicion -- suppression of academia -- authoritarian intervention by government. These are comments on the 1950s in which the film is set, but stand out as warnings today. It's a gentle touch, but it works. (Spielberg is no Commie sympathizer, mind you...an early chase scene has Communist thugs being smacked in the face by "Better Dead Than Red" signs at a student rally. Although, while anti-Communist sentiment is laid on thick, it never has the vigor or reaches the passionate extent of Spielberg's anti-Nazi hatred.)

But the biggest difference between the Professor and the Senator: Indiana Jones is joyous, hopeful. (Some in the audience were even a little disappointed by just how cheerful the film felt.) McCain is a dour, gloom-and-doom, fear-monger.

It's not Indy's age that makes us love him. It's that he elevates our spirits. And if John McCain wants to outrace his years the way Indiana Jones has, he doesn't just need to get more physically fit and verbally savvy...he needs to live in a more optimistic world as well.

Maybe that's what McCain's presumptive rival has picked up on...now if only Senator Obama had a hat and whip.