tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post974287065055694501..comments2024-03-28T11:52:29.432-04:00Comments on Cockeyed Caravan: How to Generate an Idea, Addendum: Tweak the Right and Left SimultaneouslyMatt Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-51218275987505595152015-03-19T09:40:22.195-04:002015-03-19T09:40:22.195-04:00I think the two White House under siege films that...I think the two White House under siege films that came out a while back are two great examples of how to take the same subject matter and go too far in either direction.<br /><br />With one film you get a right wing paranoid fantasy about external North Korean threats and with the other you get a left wing paranoid fantasy about internal gun nuts.<br /><br />What is interesting is the common language they use. The narrative of American under attack, destruction of landmarks and in some cases the hysterically over the top use of nationalist iconography like bullet ridden flags.QEDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173674436409268142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-51483630772530229422015-03-18T21:49:42.706-04:002015-03-18T21:49:42.706-04:00Ha! Good point. Yeah, as much as I loved the fir...Ha! Good point. Yeah, as much as I loved the first season of "Homeland", it's never quite achieved the right balance. Even I thought the second season tipped too far left (Carey still loves this guy after he kills the Vice-President? And we're supposed to be rooting for that relationship to work?) And from what I hear this last season offended a lot of people by tipping way too right. Matt Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-61221678885130319252015-03-18T20:49:14.038-04:002015-03-18T20:49:14.038-04:00First of all, I love the Prime Minister's ques...First of all, I love the Prime Minister's questions (which everybody can watch free weekly on C-SPAN's website). It's an institution that every democracy needs to copy, like, yesterday. If I could amend the Constitution single-handedly it would be on my short list, not far behind "corporations aren't people and money isn't speech" and a revision of the 2nd amendment.<br /><br />Who doesn't love THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE? It's a perfect thriller and an all around great film that really has been so influential on every political thriller that came after. I've said this before, but it's why I have such a problem with HOMELAND, which just steals the device without any context. Nobody lives in fear of someone like Bowe Bergdahl, who, in any case, has about as much of a chance of hob-knobbing with politicos or becoming one as Cookie Monster.j.s.noreply@blogger.com