danajohnhill.org | Hard Times Come Again No More

I think it wouldn’t be fair to call myself a movie buff, since I hate far too many of the films that “critics” consider the best, but I still watch a lot of movies. So far this year, for example, I have seen over 180 movies, and by December 31st I wouldn’t be surprised if that number passed 250.

I had heard recently that a major strike is expected sometime next year by members of the various writers’ and actors’ guilds, and, in preparation, they are fast-tracking many productions to avoid disruption. Then, last night I came across a list of films that studios have green-lighted, and are expected to be ready before any labor action. The titles include some genuinely surprising adaptations, like Atlas Shrugged (which I cannot imagine being condensed into movie form, much less a cinematic narrative) and, less impressively, many, many remakes and TV show rip-offs, to wit:

• Alice (presumably based on Alice in Wonderland)
• Escape from Witch Mountain
• A Christmas Carol
• Porky’s
• The A-Team
• The Day the Earth Stood Still
• Fantastic Voyage
• Escape from New York
• Sex and the City
• Capricorn One
• Voltron
• GI Joe
• Castlevania
• 20,000 Leagues
• Fantasy Island
• Barbarella
• Creature from the Black Lagoon
• Land of the Lost

And, most depressingly:

• Clash of the Titans

Why? I can see that Castlevania is due, and maybe GI Joe, but they’ll never do half these movies as well. Barbarella? They’ll pick some big name starlet, and they’ll try to make it seem serious, and it will be no fun at all. Porky’s? I’d bet money that it won’t have the the original film’s best scene, the only scene in the whole movie worth watching.

There were dozens of other movies whose titles I couldn’t identify, and some of them may be remakes, but most of them are probably original ideas. Still, that anyone would dream of remaking Clash of the Titans makes me pretty unhappy, because it could never be as good. I’m sure I’ll write more about this in the future.

Filed under: Film on September 18th, 2007 | No Comments »

Right now the windows are open because it feels like autumn tonight, and Miriam’s in the kitchen making dinner and the smell is wafting into the office.

Filed under: Food, General, Meteorology on September 17th, 2007 | No Comments »

Saturday night I watched a documentary called Shut Up and Sing, about the Dixie Chicks, and the fallout following Natalie Maines’ negative public statements about George W. Bush. The film was simultaneously enraging and engrossing.

I recall that at the time of the incident I was acutely aware that the backlash against the Dixie Chicks was part of a wider campaign by right-wing, pro-war factions, to silence anyone who opposed them. The Frank Riches and Paul Krugmans of the world were one thing, as they represented a distinctly intellectual, progressive mindset. They were dismissed and insulted on radio and television talk shows and in conservative blogs with regularity, but with far less contempt and outright hostility than the Dixie Chicks were in late 2003. It is clear that Ms. Maines’ reproach of the president–hilariously mild compared to the vitriol spewed at the Clintons every day for the last fifteen years–struck a sore spot in rednecks across America. These so-called people were the same legion of hicks who boycotted France–as though they would ever have sought to expand their cultural horizons beyond NASCAR meccas of the deep south–and waved flags at Toby Keith concerts. That some bitches might have something to say against our commander-in-chief–whom you should obey without question, or else go live in Russia–really irritated these folks. So, following the marching orders given to them in daily talking points, they crushed their Dixie Chicks CDs and threatened to kill Natalie Maines.

Shut Up and Sing presents a montage of ill-informed people holding jingoistic signs and offering Ms. Maines friendly advice, like how she should just shut up, go to hell, etc. If it weren’t so sad, and weren’t so symptomatic of a very serious challenge facing our country, the idiots shown ranting about how angry they were that anyone would oppose the Iraq War would almost be laughable. Lamentably, it appears that about 25% of Americans seem to now be curled up in a fetal position, rocking back and forth, denying all the indisputable evidence that they were deceived, and protesting against anyone who points out how everything they believed in with such conviction was a lie, and they were merely pawns in the games of masters of war.

Meanwhile, there is plenty of good music in Shut Up and Sing, and the beautiful Natalie Maines is shown frequently without any makeup. One highlight for me: a clip of the Dixie Chicks’ performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 2003 Super Bowl, which must be counted as the best I have ever heard by pop artists. Our national anthem is defiled before sporting events every day, all over America, twisted and insulted with vulgar displays of warrantless vocal melisma. To hear the Dixie Chicks respect the song’s dignity with straight three-part harmony is, to me, indicative of their love for our country.

(Closeups of athletes spoil this footage, but the audio is good.)

Filed under: Film, Politics, Popular Music, Rantings on September 17th, 2007 | No Comments »

Our nightly bike rides usually take us over to the Duckpond.  Along the way, or coming back, we occasionally stop at Northeast Park, and while there we have lately watched people playing softball.  Friday night was coed night, and the teams even had jerseys with numbers.

I have been wanting to get active with local softball for quite a while.  I just need to find out where these teams have formed and figure out a way to join one.  I think I wouldn’t be terrible at it.

If anybody knows of a softball team that needs another player I’d love to hear about it.

Filed under: Gainesville, Recreation on September 15th, 2007 | No Comments »

On Wednesday night, Miriam and I, joined by our friend Briana, spent the evening at Skate Station, trying out “adult night”. The draw is the lower prices ($2 admission, and $2 per attraction), and the less horrible music, though the music wasn’t much less horrible.

Briana wasn’t into the roller skating, and she sat it out, but Miriam and I went around a few times before heading outside to try out the batting cage. That was the funnest! I haven’t been in a batting cage since I was a child, and even then I loved it. They gave me the biggest helmet they had, and it still didn’t fit my freakishly large head. Plus, it took me a bit to get back in the swing of things, so to speak, but once I did I was okay, and got some decent hits. Miriam was surprisingly good. She stands all wrong–rather like she’s playing tennis–but that doesn’t keep her from making contact. She and Briana took a spin in the go-karts, which Briana seemed to enjoy especially.

At first there was hardly anyone there. But by the time we were back inside to play some “Ice Ball”, there was a good crowd. Lots of people skating–including the fellow we call Bobby McFerrin–and lots of people doing the rock climbing wall and the batting cage. We were there until midnight playing games, which won Briana tons of tickets, and it was fun.

Filed under: Friends, Recreation on September 15th, 2007 | 2 Comments »