Displaying 361 To 390 Of 3,237 Comments Will Boehner Get The Boot? Not Likely But He Will Remain Hobbled. Yes, I was not surprise and he did it under the cover of Netanyahu’s speech….. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On March 4, 2015 @ 7:47 pm American Sniper: Brutal Honesty, Devastating Images; Unexpected Greatness I think many moons ago you and I discussed the rationale for the war as part of a wider discussion about U.S. policy in Afghanistan and Iraq. I recall your perspective on “keeping the whole region in line.” I have seen “Losing Iraq.” Excellent. Also the Rachel Maddow special on selling the war. Damning. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On February 5, 2015 @ 8:17 pm Kyle was not unsung…he was called The Legend but he was surrounded by them. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On February 5, 2015 @ 8:10 pm The key test. A good war is one where not fighting it would create a far worse world. I have no doubts that Nazi Germany, Communist Russia and Imperial Japan victorious would have been far worse than what it took to fight and win the war. This criteria when applied to Iraq makes it clear that the war, that destabilized the entire region preparing the way for the Sunni uprising and the creation of ever expanding jihadist cells and the ISIS “caliphate” » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On February 5, 2015 @ 3:46 pm We have discussed your very well structured and highly credible narrative re. the debacle that was the war in Iraq and its aftermath. The film captures the spirit of your thesis. The real Kyle was, as you say, not the person we see in the film…but that is what biopics do…they use the person’s story as the raw skeleton to build another persona onto. I did not see the glorification you speak of…I expected to and there are the trappings of glory but it feels likes false glory, vain glory, cover for the truth that many know but cannot speak. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On February 5, 2015 @ 3:41 pm Major kudos to Ad Lib for assisting me in publishing this story. I am in computer limbo right now and could not place images or video in the text. He provided his expertise and did the job. Thanks. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On February 5, 2015 @ 8:08 am Watching “Selma” In A Nearly Empty Theater. Why? I will be interested in your insights and observations. I noted several of your thoughts in my post. After you see Selma, drop a note here. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 9:50 pm This is a common observation- the film does not attract the most significant demographic groups for profit making….you list what sells. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 9:46 pm There is certainly some of that in play but given the success of films like “12 Years a Slave” I believe the problems fall more into line with those I listed in my post. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 9:43 pm It is a film worth seeing when you can as you can. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 9:37 pm I so agree with you….those who make a living from the hate they can churn up do indeed have a lot to answer for. This story is a powerful one. I have had similar experiences with Muslim friends. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 9:34 pm Tough words, but true one. Many have been engineered to shape perception in a way that meets the needs of the power brokers. You are new here I think. Welcome. Your honesty will be most welcome and appreciated. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 8:22 pm Two sets of experiences, two sets of eyes, two sets of filters and two very different experiences of the same film. I get it. I suggest your friends however have very thick filters in place. And you seem to share that opinion with me. Thanks for sharing. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 8:19 pm I think it is mostly about the entertainment value and word of mouth in regard to that is not encouraging. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 25, 2015 @ 8:13 pm At the Movies in the White House Now my comment- Obama, from what I understand, likes movies and he uses them in the WH as a way of gathering friends and family. I have read that the girls often have friends over, Michelle encourages him to do this (because he is so serious) and it gives him something to chat about that is NOT business. Gosh, I do like this man very much and thank you for this interesting feature. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 18, 2015 @ 3:10 pm Or this one: How about Olympus Has Fallen…. I can’t get the image to print here but here it is A quick click says it all. NOT that these two have anything in common you understand…. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 18, 2015 @ 3:06 pm What a Hoot! Any word on if the Republicans have asked for a viewing of [img]http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTAyNzQyNTcwNjVeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU3MDAwOTQ4Nzk@._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_AL_.jpg[/img] Just wondering? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 18, 2015 @ 3:00 pm This is the review that got me to the film: SO I went….and it was much more than promised. Madame hates the new comers and tries to sabotage them at every turn. The fun here is that the Indian Papa gives as good as he gets. He’s every bit as stubborn as Madame, which, of course, means that somewhere down the line they will become close. This is the kind of movie in which characters are instantly pegged. Mirren’s Madame, for example, does not crack a smile once for the first hour of the film. This is a dead giveaway that she will be smiling a lot in the second hour. The film barely touches on the ugly strain of racism in certain sectors of French society, but not enough to turn feel-good into feel-bad. Given the events of the last two weeks I expect that when I view this film again it will be through an adjusted filter. Thanks for the review. We should do more of this. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 18, 2015 @ 3:27 pm For Your Consideration: Thoughts on the Oscar Nominees Ad…welcome…we will see if we get some traffic. I have not seen Whiplash so I cannot compare.I was mildly amused with Budapest when I first saw it. Two weeks later I went again with a group that wanted to see it. We were going to my favorite restaurant afterwards so I joined in AND saw the film for the first time this second time. It is very fresh….monty pythonish…..veddy british…and yet a bit madcap… As a historian the appeal of the Imitation Game was clear. But for emotional intensity and creation of an entirely unexpected character both Theory and Birdman surpass Imitation. For me it is Theory, which I have seen twice and will see again in the next two days. I expect Keaton as an Academy favorite son to win Best Actor. Gone Girl SO angered me at the end, with that awful ending that as soon as the credits rolled, I walked out. We went to dinner afterwards and I would not even talk about it. We have the custom of doing an instant double rating on films. 5 to 1 in two categories. Overall film experience. Within the Genre. I gave Gone Girl a 1 and a 2. I agree that directorial work this year was quite impressive and varied. I went to Hero 6 with a bunch of grandparents, parent and kids and we ALL like it. I was a total curmudgeon when the topic of seeing it came up. We all go to a movie on December 26 and then to a Chinese Buffet….TRADITION! So I went for the Chinese food but was so glad to have seen the film. We had this very interesting multi-generational conversation about love, friendship, attachment, humanity, and courage. The films Budget was $165 million and the Box office as of this week is $409.3 million. That is amazing given the diminishing returns that appears to be the trend for animation…….but I think I know why….the film appeals to a very wide audience. Films make their money in the return viewers, those who see it more than once….if my family and friends are a standard then that is why Hero is doing so well. Hero just closed this past weekend here. It opened November 7….10 weeks in the theaters….Big Hero 6 has earned $214,517,894 in North America, and an estimated $194,500,000 in other countries. It is must opening in Europe. I just learned this. The Academy’s membership process is by sponsorship, not application. Candidates must be sponsored by two Academy members from the branch to which the candidate seeks admission. Pretty much guarantees a pretty closed circle. Membership review takes place once a year, in the spring. Selma is the bio pic of MLK we have been looking for. Using a slice from his crusade we get a very complete picture of the man and his mission, warts and all. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 15, 2015 @ 8:53 pm If Obama had gone to Paris the Right Would Still Have Gone Ballistic! I distort GOT IT! » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 14, 2015 @ 3:29 pm Agree with you up and down the line….your points are ones I would gladly add into my text…and I am looking to add something to the last paragraph anyway….So here is the expanded post ala my second thoughts and choicelady insight. Tonight on Faux Noos: “The Obama administration appears to have been duped by European and Mideastern leaders when he played into their desire to stage a photo in which it appears that they are marching with the people of Paris in support of freedom of the press. The photo was staged on a side street far from the crowds surrounded by security. Immediately afterwards, the leaders got into their vehicles and left the scene. While some have praised the President for upholding freedom and standing for free expression in the march, look who he is standing with. Obama appears alongside nine of the world’s worst free expression offenders. He is literally arm in arm with dictators. It is an outrage. It is irresponsible. It is wasteful. What did this last minute trip to be in a photo op cost? Did no one in his administration do the homework. Why wouldn’t the ambassador have been enough? How many world leaders came to New York after 9/11 to join President Bush at the fallen towers. Another one of Obama’s apology tours.Once again, Obama takes any excuse to avoid doing real work. I wonder if they have winter golf in France? There are also people saying that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, was spotted on the Avenue Montaigne, in the very chic 8th arrondissement of Paris doing a little “bargain hunting.” The Avenue Montaigne is home to luxury and high fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino and Ralph Lauren, jewelers like Bulgari and many more distinguished establishments where an afternoon of shopping is more than what the average American earns in a year. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 14, 2015 @ 2:12 pm Thanks….your point about the speech…yes, more opportunity for them to pile on….. I am going to ask Ad Lib to edit my last sentence, changing it to this….what do you think? Once again, Obama takes any excuse to avoid doing real work. I wonder if they have winter golf in France? There are people saying that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, was spotted on the Avenue Montaigne, in the very chic 8th arrondissement of Paris doing a little “bargain hunting.” The Avenue Montaigne is home to luxury and high fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino and Ralph Lauren, jewelers like Bulgari and many more distinguished establishments where an afternoon of shopping is more than what the average American earns in a year. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 14, 2015 @ 2:07 pm Like the reference to Palin…no matter how outrageous there is a receptive audience for that claptrap…. Thanks….what a “compliment”Faux knocking on my door….I think…..I am going to ask Ad Lib to edit my last sentence, changing it to this….what do you think? Once again, Obama takes any excuse to avoid doing real work. I wonder if they have winter golf in France? There are people saying that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, was spotted on the Avenue Montaigne, in the very chic 8th arrondissement of Paris doing a little “bargain hunting.” The Avenue Montaigne is home to luxury and high fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino and Ralph Lauren, jewelers like Bulgari and many more distinguished establishments where an afternoon of shopping is more than what the average American earns in a year. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 14, 2015 @ 2:06 pm Thanks….what a “compliment”….I think…..I am going to ask Ad Lib to edit my last sentence, changing it to this….what do you think? Once again, Obama takes any excuse to avoid doing real work. I wonder if they have winter golf in France? There are people saying that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, was spotted on the Avenue Montaigne, in the very chic 8th arrondissement of Paris doing a little “bargain hunting.” The Avenue Montaigne is home to luxury and high fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Fendi, Valentino and Ralph Lauren, jewelers like Bulgari and many more distinguished establishments where an afternoon of shopping is more than what the average American earns in a year. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 14, 2015 @ 2:04 pm Growing up in the south the idea of the Negro being a fully human and certainly did not deserve to be treated as such. Both sides were provoked by words and images that each found immensely disturbing and, indeed, horrifying….the decision by that judge, in my mind, and from my experience, is germane to the situation in France. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 13, 2015 @ 7:39 pm Trying again…. [img]http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9972887.ece/alternates/w620/paris-march-wide-shot.jpg[/img] My comment was about self inflicted injuries and my thinking at that point that the Obama admin had dropped a heavy weight on its own foot….but then that photo started making the rounds. The discussion around this has gotten very interesting. Watching Al Jazeera on Monday morning a large panel of European “pundits” offered a number of insights about the photo. The photo was two blocks away from the actual rally and march, surrounded by security, and almost all of them left when the photo was done. Tokenism at best, opportunism at worst. a bunch of the folk on that front line have horrid “free expression” records. 9 of them among in the bottom third. Various publications have edited the photo to cut out women, or opposing leaders. Things are never simple. I wonder how much the Obama admin anticipated this. The ambassador was sufficient and the French have backed them up. Add in that Obama will host a February Global Summit on Extremism and the whole thing snaps into focus. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 13, 2015 @ 7:30 pm Content removed by author….misposted. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 13, 2015 @ 7:23 pm The issue for me is who decides what is provocation. The efforts of the Civil Right Press in the 1950’s and 60′ in the South was condemned as race-baiting, insurrectionist, and purposely provocative…..the force of Southern law and order sought to silence those voices. Among the persist in doing this was a set of DA’s in Alabama who particularly did not care for this Dr. King (who was, they said, a communist). It was a superior court judge in that state who ended their efforts saying that the suppression of free expression was fundamentally unamercan and that how much one hates the message does not factor in. He then said that he regarding the entire civil rights movement as so much horseshit. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 12, 2015 @ 7:51 pm Actually my post was far narrower- should the WH have sent an official emissary to the march that had almost every major government represented by one of their big names. I have not read anything to indicate that the U.S. government had any hesitation in supporting the march and rally- our ambasador was there. So this was a slip up and an unforced error. Now, as to the cause….I agree with your assessment but… I stand with Voltaire who said that he could disagree wholeheartedly with what a person has to say while fighting to the death for his/her right to say it. I stand with Robert Bolt’s Man for All Seasons that provides some more context: At one point Thomas More’s future son-in-law, Roper, urges him to arrest Richard Rich, whose perjury will eventually lead to More’s execution. More answers that Rich has broken no law. Roper wants him arrested anyway and the following dialogue ensues: Roper: So now you’d give the Devil benefit of law! More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? Roper: I’d cut down every law in England to do that! More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you — where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country’s planted thick with laws from coast to coast — man’s laws, not God’s — and if you cut them down — and you’re just the man to do it — d’you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 12, 2015 @ 6:26 pm The White House made a big mistake. Kerry should have been there. Holder was already there. I agree that sending Obama or Biden requires too much leg work in ordinary circumstances and in this case it would have been even more onerous for an already besieged Secret Service. Still Kerry and Holder would have been a no brainer. Yes, he would still have been criticized but his defense would have been easy to make and sell. This does happen with the Obama WH and it plays to Barack’s core- he is a person whose focus is on the business of doing government. In this he is adept. But he too often misunderstands the importance of optics (not a lot, but enough in the hyper-hating Obama world of DC). Why does he do that. I think the French understood and did not make a lot of it given U.S. support and assistance in their intelligence efforts and in personal contact with Obama and his principal deputies. BUT….how could he or his staff have missed that this was putting his chin out and begging the right to slug away. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On January 12, 2015 @ 1:33 pmComments Posted By MurphTheSurf3
Helen Mirren looks delicious. So does the food. What more do you want in summer movie escapism?…….Mirren and Puri, two pros who know how to lift an audience over plot hurdles and turn a merely digestable diversion into a treat. Linus Sandgren’s camera caresses the cuisine like an ecstatic lover. It brought out the foodie in me. (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)
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