Hooray for Hollywood

Linda Chavez writes an article today on the way movies used to be.

"Remember when movies aimed to entertain? You could take the whole family, from grandma to the kids, and escape the quotidian for the silver screen, watching bigger-than-life heroes engage in daring and admirable deeds. Or you could share a few G-rated laughs without worrying about offensive double-entendres or scatological references."

She then rips into three movies. Michael Moores "Fahrenheit 9/11" which many on the conservative side of the fence don't think you should be allowed to see, "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Shrek 2." The first two movies are bad because of their political message, "Shrek 2" is bad because the voice of the ugly step sister is Larry King (which makes her a cross dresser apparently. I don't see it myself, I just thought that was part of being the "ugly" stepsister.).

Her criticisms of Michael Moore's movie as an indictment of Hollywood don't make a lot of sense. Moore has always made independent and highly personalized films. To criticize Michael Moore for doing what he's always done is like criticizing John Woo for having a lot of Gun Fights, or criticizing Frank Capra for his upbeat assessment of the American Character. It's what they do.

As for "The Day after Tomorrow," I'm a bit torn. I mean to me the set up sounds like a great premise for a disaster movie. And the visuals from the previews are pretty astounding. But in for a penny, in for a pound. How do you do a movie with massive climate change without it being an environmental picture? So does that mean that any story that might have political implications shouldn't be filmed? Tricky one that, although I suspect that what it works out to is any story that might have liberal political implications should not be filmed.

As for some wish for us to go back to some Hollywood Golden Age, firstly it's not possible, secondly, movies of that time generated just as much criticism for their political messages as movies do today. Look at good old "Citizen Kane," for example.

While we're on the subject of films, let's check in with good old PABAAH (Patriotic Americans Boycotting Anti American Hollywood). Well, Jane Fonda and Barbara Streisand are going to be staring in movies that you aren't supposed to see. In other shocking news, George Clooney held a fund raiser for his father. Just so you know, any celebrity who donates to the Democratic Party or any Democratic candidate is anti American (according to PABAAH). Some Madonna fans weren't satisfied with her latest performance, so she should refund the money she received, and just play her old timey songs. And a couple articles about how much they hate Michael Moore.