Friday, November 15, 2002
Just bought the boxed set lord of The Rings Special Edition and all I can say is wow. It’s the most amazing DVD I’ve ever seen. Every aspect is done perfectly.
I won’t rehash a review of the film since its pretty well known that it was one of the best films of 2001, (if not of all time, if you ask me)> if you want to read a review that echoes my own opinion go here.
No, what makes this special is more. First and foremost this is a new extended cut with over 30 minutes of additional scenes. But its more than just that. Looking at the web ads with there “now with 30 minutes more footage” makes it sound so gimmicky. Whopee they took a few cut scenes that were never there for a reason and put them back in an already 3 hour movie.
But its better than you think. The additions are perfect. Its not just random scenes plunked into a film and a “special edition” label slapped on it (see E.T.). The additions are perfect. A reworking of the opening scenes in Hobbiton which adds even more charm, little moments throughout that flesh out the characters. A shot that stays on someone’s face a few seconds more. Its just amazing what a difference it makes.
And the extras. Sheesh. I spent 5 hours watching straight documentaries on every aspect of the film. At about hour 4 I realized what a nerd I was. But they are great. Not the usual filler PR puff pieces.
Even the Commentaries rise above the usual. So amny times commentary tracks talk down to the audience. But these are intelligent and well done. Peter Jackson talks intelligently and at length about the choices he made in writing editing, etc. Its not just “oh this scene was fun to do!” type junk.
Buy it. Its worth it.
Sunday, November 10, 2002
Well the Republicans gained a few seats in the senate and you'd think the world had a siesmic shift towards everything and anything conservative. The spin coming from the right is coming fast and furious.
Dinesh D'Souza:
Right now President Bush and the Republicans are riding high. But just wait until 2004, when the party of fighting terrorism, promoting economic growth, and fostering traditional moral values, meets its match in a party that stands for anti-Americanism, economic plunder, and moral degeneracy.
Andy Sullivan:
This was a vote for Bush, for prosecuting the war on terror, for the tax cut.
No , it was a vote for a particular candidate in a particlaur state. To say that people who thoought Carnahan was underqualified and voted for her opponent are magically for a 4 trillion tax cut for the rich is the kind of dissembling Sully does best (entire blogs are in existance to refute his constant stream of garbage, I kid you not)
My best is when Peggy Noonan, in full self important gloat mode (the best is watching her on TV, where he overinfglated sense of self really comes through. the pursed lips, the earnest listening, the way she thinks that everything she ever says is the most intelligent and witty comment she has ever seen. I imagine her going from one pompous coctail party to another, drinking endless amounts of bad wine and smelly cheese, holding court about how Reagan once literally shit gold in front of her, to the delightful oohs and aahs of the Ollies and Newts in the crowd, and talking about how "out of touch" everyone else is):
When Ronald Reagan became president, he set about trying to right the welfare state's worst wrongs. He lowered taxes; he tried to cut spending. He launched the great economic prosperity of the past 20 years.
As far as I can tell, that was not a satircal remark. She truly believes it. Its kinda creepy isn't it? The gloating goes on and on.
Personally, I am loving it. Keep it up guys. The more hateful divisive Coulterlike rhetoric, and overly confident assuredness in your moral supremecy is music to my ears. Remember what happned to Clinton in 94? hell, remember what happened to Ike?
Dems picked up governerships in states Bush needs in 2004. Bush is responsible, fair or not, for everything that happens in the next 2 years. He can no longer question the patriotism of the Senate the way he did before. He cannot villify and scapegoat the Democrats for his mistakes.
Yes Bush is going to f*ck everything up. He will wreck the environment, whore out to big business, and make the economy worse. And he will have noone to blame but himself. There are only 2 things I worry about. The two things that if Bush gets done where the damage will be long and far reaching. His activist conservative judicial picks and making the monstrosity of the tax cut permanent.
The Dems need to start getting a backbone and not be afraid to filibuster. What do they have to lose?
As to the tax cut it will take 60 votes to make it permanent so I'm not too worried. Some of the Dems who voted for it in the first place were not big fans in the first place. Which reminds me. Does everyone remember when Bush MAIN and ESSENTIAL selling point of the tax cut was that we could afford it? Based on the 5 trillion surplus ,a 1.35 trillion tax cut, social security, etc., would all add up and we would be fine. He repeated it ad nauseum during the campaign and its passage. Did we all forget?
He has in fact has been increasing spending all over the place (he has presented the largest budget ever in the history of this country, signed the farm bill, homeland security, etc...) , and now he wants another 2 trillion in tax cuts? cuts that will go mostly to the wealthiest 1% (read: Republican donors)
How does he get away with this? How can he abandon everything he stood for in the campaign and not get called on it? The "liberal" media sickens me. Clinton get s a BJ and hes the devil, but this is OK?
But thats another issue. There is a coming democratic majority. I'm not worried.
