rickwright67's Comments

Big Hollywood : 'In Time' DVD Review: Sci-Fi Allegory on Obama's Class Warfare Rhetoric

Sun, 5 Feb 2012 21:57:04 +0000

Okay so if this is - under the surface, in terms of its assumptions - a leftist film, then in a way this is how classical liberals (what many conservatives should be called) would respond. The federal government - more than any bank or businessman or corporation - is in the business of taking time from the average American citizen. Heck, there's even a date we can point at and say "until this day you are functionally working for the government".

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Timeline Shows How the Education Documentary Became a Horror Film for Teacher

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:29:45 +0000

Even conservatives need to be a little careful about education reform. So much of the focus is on teachers. What about the administration and bureaucracy? Let me tell you that a great teacher hampered by a useless, unsupportive, incompetent administration and bureaucracy will not get the results conservatives want. Yes, there are lazy incompetent teachers and they should be held accountable, although just going by standardized test scores is not the best or only measure of effectiveness. But education reform that focuses primarily on teachers with little attention to administration, bureaucracy, not to mention socio-economic conditions at home (how well does a brilliant child whose mom is homeless perform?) will miss the mark. Also, be careful about this headlong rush toward charter schools. I'm not against them. But if conservatives are right to decry crony capitalism, do they seriously think there's no one cashing in on charter schools? And yet neither conservatives nor leftists (who should not be called liberals) are investigating that question.

Big Hollywood : BBC's 'Sherlock': Season Two Stunning Opener

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:55:24 +0000

Saw via Netflix last year. Fantastic. Riveting. Leaves one hungry for more. There's hope for Hollywood yet. Oh wait - it's British! For years I've often expressed the opinion that Brits understand acting and drama far better than we.

Big Government : The Warren Omission

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:08:25 +0000

I was going to leave that comment and saw someone had beaten me to it. I have little but contempt for Elizabeth Warren's views. But on this one small point I thought Dave Perkins may have overstated his otherwise fine case.

Big Hollywood : Introducing ... 'Movie Critic Assassins'

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 01:15:57 +0000

The idea's brilliant. Instead of saying "they s*ck" all the time - albeit true - show the nation how to do it better. We will not destroy them. We will outperform them. *However* I was not overly impressed by the website. Rather confusing and unclear. And what's up with it being designed by http://mmohut.com/ but clearly hosted by Hostmonster? or at least an affiliate thereof?

Big Hollywood : Harry Potter: Conservative Hero?

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 14:53:58 +0000

Dagnamit you beat me to it. Was going to post about this on my blog. But actually that's good. Someone else noticed and does a good job of bringing these themes to light. My moment of revelation (seeing the whole conflict as reflecting leftist versus classical liberal views) was centered around Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic. Boy do those dark wizards just want to *control* everyone and everything. And when someone speaks the truth that doesn't fit the narrative they are immediately accused of "lying".

Big Hollywood : The James Bond Chronicles: 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (with All-New Rating System!)

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:42:12 +0000

Believe it or not I went to school with one of Barbara Bach's daughters when we lived in Great Britain. Sat next to her in study hall. Our school van stopped at the Starr house a few times to pick her up. Yeah I know. Big deal.

Big Hollywood : Independent: Sesame Street's Pinko Puppets Brainwash Our Kids

Mon, 30 May 2011 02:14:28 +0000

Look. I like Ben Shapiro. He's conservative and so am I and I don't disagree that much of what comes out of Hollywood and entertainment industry and NPR/PBS and so on contains leftist ideology. I could be wrong but I think sometimes Shapiro's enthusiasm gets the better of him and he overstates his case. In other words, Yeah it's bad but is it *this* bad?!? For example his characterization of MacGyver. Really?!? But I could be wrong. He might be right on target.

Big Hollywood : What Will the PC-Police Do When the 'Narnia' Films Confront Islam?

Wed, 5 Jan 2011 15:18:02 +0000

I wish I could agree with Mr Cherry's contention that the Narnia films have been "extremely good". The first was excellent - with a small "but". The second was good - with more "but". The "but" is too much emphasis on big epic dramatic battles. Remember "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"? About half the film is one long battle and yeah it gets a little boring. Also the second film made some more changes to the Lewis book than the first and those departures were unnecessary and annoying.

Big Hollywood : 'Call Me Senator': Let This Video Be My Apology for Once Supporting Sen. Boxer

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:43:50 +0000

Nicely done. (I would have left out the chief.)

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Review: A Masterpiece of Moral Clarity

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:40:23 +0000

While we're at it I'm a little troubled by all the focus on *teachers*. My wife is rapidly distinguishing herself as one of the best in the school district, and I've come to understand that *administration* is at least as much a factor as teacher "quality" (however one defines or ascertains that). A lousy principal can drag down a school with otherwise good teachers. Administrative staff can block efforts by otherwise good teachers to deal with kids with special learning problems. By the way parents can *refuse* special help for a struggling child - I have seen it happen with an illiterate 3rd grader. Put more positively a great principal can turn around a lousy school. Do not - do *not* - make the mistake of putting all the focus on teachers. I also suggest conservatives and liberals alike need to be less uncritical when it comes to charter schools as the great golden solution. I'm not against them. But at least in this state there are reasons to wonder if schools are taken over, closed, turned over to charter organizations too quickly - because someone on the other end is making some good money out of this.

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Review: A Masterpiece of Moral Clarity

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:30:46 +0000

Small detail that doesn't detract from fine article about a great documentary: *Vulcan* proverb not Klingon.

Big Government : Black Conservatives Condemn Mary Frances Berryâs Cynical Comments on Progressive Racial Politics

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:44:49 +0000

Wait a second. I read the money quote in bold-italics above. It's not clear that she's saying this is a good thing. Only that it's effective. I can look at a despicable tactic and say "well it's effective and is keeping their opponents off balance, may help them win". Doesn't mean I endorse it.

Big Hollywood : Shirley Sherrod Got Her Reputation Back, Who Will Apologize to Tea Party?

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:38:21 +0000

Correct me if I'm wrong - but did Congressman Lewis ever actually say this? Or - and I believe this is the case - did others say this about him and on his behalf? That's one of the things that's so screwy about the accusation. John Lewis never personally said "people yelled the N word at me".

Big Hollywood : How Government Ruined the Movies

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:51:15 +0000

I don't know. I'm not persuaded by the argument presented in this piece. The theater owner fact (which I don't dispute) does not support the conclusion. We still talk about how much money movies make right? Whether the studio owns the theater or the theater owner owns the theater - either way *people choose* to pay to see these movies or not. So we should blame *people* for paying to see movies that insult them and their values and the country they live in. Now the video/DVD argument makes more sense. Studios can make some money off movies that otherwise crashed at the box office because it did not appeal to "middle America". Which still to some extent puts the blame on the *people* who purchase these. So I don't think the article quite answers the question how and why Hollywood started churning out leftist anti-American films. We *know* they generally do poorly at the box office. Sometimes they lose b^ttloads of money. Like millions. And yet they just keep doing the same thing over and over again. And remain afloat. Rich even. Frankly I'm mystified. (I think we need to create quality alternatives. Not change Hollywood - although positive reinforcement for such things as Pixar films ain't gonna hurt. But *replace* it with something better. Free market competition and all that.)

Big Hollywood : We Love Pixar: What I Learned From 'Monsters Inc.'

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:05:49 +0000

And what's so bad about guns and beer? And Dickies are about the only pants that fit off the shelf.

Big Hollywood : FILM REVIEW: 'Last Airbender' Continues Shyamalan's Losing Streak

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 20:14:00 +0000

Just saw it today. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't very good either. The dialogue was awful, the acting uninspired, the direction and editing odd and uneven. Basically it was unengaging and boring. And because of this relies - as many American films do - too much on loud dramatic music! that tells us how to feel at each moment! My family was looking forward greatly to this film. I enjoy the cartoon series and care about the characters. But in the film - it's hard to care about anybody. And Shyamalan has the nerve to end the film on a "we are *so* going to do a sequel" note. I plan not to see the sequel until it comes out on video. Not dreadful but "The Last Airbender" was disappointing and frankly dull.

Big Hollywood : Must-Read of the Day: The New Yorker Profiles Andrew Breitbart

Mon, 17 May 2010 21:24:35 +0000

Well said. This was a hatchet job with a few candy sprinkles thrown in to make it look like the writer's not trying to paint Andrew as all bad. If anything it shows that the left regards Breitbart as a real threat since they are now working to neutralize him.

Big Journalism : 'We Are All Socialists Now' Newsweek Goes On the Block

Fri, 7 May 2010 15:50:57 +0000

Once upon a time I did subscribe to US News and World Report. Seemed the most balanced of the big three news(?) magazines. Heck Michael Barone wrote for it yes? Not saying it was conservative - just the most bearable. Wonder when TIME with the execrable Joe Klein is going down the tubes as well.

Big Hollywood : Crowe's 'Robin Hood' A Disillusioned Vet Returning From War Against Muslims...Not a Tea Partier

Wed, 5 May 2010 03:33:55 +0000

"The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end... highness". It's a shame because I generally like the films Crowe is in ("Master and Commander" would have swept Oscars had it not been for "Return of the King") and think he plays the roles well.

rickwright67's Comments

Big Hollywood : 'In Time' DVD Review: Sci-Fi Allegory on Obama's Class Warfare Rhetoric

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Timeline Shows How the Education Documentary Became a Horror Film for Teacher

Big Hollywood : BBC's 'Sherlock': Season Two Stunning Opener

Big Government : The Warren Omission

Big Hollywood : Introducing ... 'Movie Critic Assassins'

Big Hollywood : Harry Potter: Conservative Hero?

Big Hollywood : The James Bond Chronicles: 'The Spy Who Loved Me' (with All-New Rating System!)

Big Hollywood : Independent: Sesame Street's Pinko Puppets Brainwash Our Kids

Big Hollywood : What Will the PC-Police Do When the 'Narnia' Films Confront Islam?

Big Hollywood : 'Call Me Senator': Let This Video Be My Apology for Once Supporting Sen. Boxer

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Review: A Masterpiece of Moral Clarity

Big Hollywood : 'Waiting For Superman' Review: A Masterpiece of Moral Clarity

Big Government : Black Conservatives Condemn Mary Frances Berryâs Cynical Comments on Progressive Racial Politics

Big Hollywood : Shirley Sherrod Got Her Reputation Back, Who Will Apologize to Tea Party?

Big Hollywood : How Government Ruined the Movies

Big Hollywood : We Love Pixar: What I Learned From 'Monsters Inc.'

Big Hollywood : FILM REVIEW: 'Last Airbender' Continues Shyamalan's Losing Streak

Big Hollywood : Must-Read of the Day: The New Yorker Profiles Andrew Breitbart

Big Journalism : 'We Are All Socialists Now' Newsweek Goes On the Block

Big Hollywood : Crowe's 'Robin Hood' A Disillusioned Vet Returning From War Against Muslims...Not a Tea Partier

Big Government : Black Conservatives Condemn Mary Frances Berryâs Cynical Comments on Progressive Racial Politics