gdp's Comments

Big Hollywood : Battle for Oscar Gold: The Actress Edition

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:39:28 +0000

*chuckle* I agree with your assessment for the most part, but there ARE good movies and if you didn't see last year's big Oscar winner "The King's Speech" (Best Picture, Actor, Director, etc.), I strongly suggest you find it and watch before issuing any more blanket condemnations. I saw it in the theatre, on DVD, and every time it pops up on Uverse, I watch bits of it again. Still brilliant, moving, funny and worthy of every award given. Only gripe? Where was a nomination for Geoffrey Rush?

Big Government : Higher Education Bubble: Choosing the Right College

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:30:56 +0000

Thank you. I do have great memories. And I'm proud of her roomie with the new Ph.D., too. (She's on the right, in their dorm room at Centre.) http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/Mackinney/...

Big Government : Higher Education Bubble: Choosing the Right College

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:30:18 +0000

Thank you. I'm trying to make sure that Erin isn't forgotten and so far, Facebook is a big help. Also sharing like this: http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g100/Mackinney/...

Big Hollywood : Bin Laden Film: Hollywood and White House Exploit Our Special Operators

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:06:12 +0000

Shame? SHAME??? From the LEFT? I think you're asking the impossible, hon. *sigh*

Big Government : Higher Education Bubble: Choosing the Right College

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:43:48 +0000

I faced the college dilemma 16 years ago when my brilliant younger daughter insisted on a classic liberal arts college, with small classes taught by real professors and a strong core curriculum, along with an emphasis on western culture, philosophy and history because as she often said, "How can I understand other cultures if I don't first understand my own?" She'd have loved this survey, but back then we depended on National Review's Guide To Liberal Arts Colleges. Following its recommendations, Erin was accepted at University of Dallas, Rhodes College, Suwanee, and Centre College, all offering the kid of college experience she demanded. (I lobbied hard for St. John, the Great Books school, but Erin insisted her HS background - all AP classes - just wasn't rigorous enough!) Her final choice was Centre College in Danville, KY, and it was perfect! Sadly, I'll never know if her love of medieval history would have translated into that Ph.D. and gainful employment because Erin was killed in an accident midway through her freshman year, but her roomie recently completed HER Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins, so Centre was definitely doing things right.

Big Hollywood : Twenty Most Overrated Films of All Time: Part 1

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:08:59 +0000

Possibly because unlike you, hon, they've actually read the book and know all that "not a remake" stuff from the Stupid Brothers was just a lot of hot air. As a historian, I love primary sources and PROOF. So after reading the Coens' self-aggrandizing comment for the umpteenth time, I went upstairs (I work in a library, isn't that handy?) and picked up the Portis book (yeah, you mis-spelled the author's name, too) and re-read it and guess what? The book IS the first movie! It's almost like reading a script. Everything is there - even the cat and the Chinese cook and "little sister" and the infamous line, "Fill yore hands, you son of a bitch!" (Also the snake pit. Ick.) So you might want to check your OWN assumptions - knowing what they make you. Heh.

Big Hollywood : This Week's 'Castle' Episode Misunderstood as Anti-Christian, Pro-Muslim

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 21:02:05 +0000

Okay, I read thru the comments really quickly, and may have missed it - but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the irony of Adrian Pasdar playing the Homeland Security dude who lost his wife on 9/11. If I recall correctly, he's married to the Dixie Chick who was the most outspoken against America a while back. Wonder what his wife thouight of his role?

Big Hollywood : Spellbinding 'The Rite' Treats Faith and Moviegoers with Deep Respect

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:07:50 +0000

Hmm...saw the trailer and mentally assigned it to the category of "bad movie dumped in January by studio." BUT -- I (accidentally) caught a bit of the Charlie Rose show last night and Sir Anthony Hopkins was explaining his personal journey from atheism to agnosticism to faith. Mr. Rose seemed so bemused by the spectacle of an actor actually admitting such things that I simply HAD to keep watching. (I enjoy seeing liberals lose their cool!) Sir Anthony went on to speak so simply and movingly of surviving alcoholism and of his newfound sense of peace and contentment that Mr. Rose was quite silenced and I found myself admiring the actor more than ever. And yeah, now I think I'll have to break all my personal rules about scary movies and see this one.

Big Hollywood : Why John Wayne Still Matters

Sat, 8 Jan 2011 21:46:16 +0000

Hee! Thanks, Cowboy - I wasn't planning to see the film but then I have a VERY low opinion of the Coen boys, unlike the "crtics" who seen to think that if you don't care for the Coen films, you can't be in the "cool club.' (I still think No Country for Old Men is the worst film ever to get an Oscar - much less 4 of 'em. It was bad AND boring - quite a combo.)

Big Hollywood : 'Black Swan' Review: Flawed but Fascinating

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:44:03 +0000

Well, heck. I was hoping for a good movie about ballet. I guess I'll have to re-watch "The Turning Point" for the umpteenth time. Classic catfight in that one, btw - Shirley McLaine vs. Anne Bancroft - plus a messed-up ballerina daughter and plenty of family conflict. But it also has Baryshnikov at the height of his powers, dancing the glorious pas de deux from "Romeo and Juliet" with Leslie Browne in a deserted rehearsal studio. Talk about sexy! (No lesbian porn needed. Peh.)

Big Hollywood : Sarah Palin: Killing Bambi

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:07:27 +0000

Oh, dear. I am once again amazed by how quickly logic and reason get lost when lefties go all emo. How about a few facts? Down here in Mississippi, we have nearly 2 million deer - the second highest population in the country. IIRC, that's nearly ten times the 1900 population, so they certainly aren't endangered. Besides, deer are a destructive menace, as anyone knows who has lost a garden to those "big hungry rodents with cute tails." Deer regularly run out in front of vehicles and get hit, but also have a nasty habit of crashing into INTO vehicles, all of which can result in really big repair bills (1/3 of body shop business this time of year) as well as injury and loss of HUMAN life. Wildlife and forestry experts regularly report habitat destruction due to deer depradation, and estimate that MS sportsmen need to kill at least 400,000 deer each season to keep the population from exploding . So shoot 'em, I say, and enjoy all that FREE healthy free-range, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, "organic" venison!

Big Hollywood : Bill Maher: Am I Racist to Feel Alarmed By the Thought of Islam Taking Over the Western World?

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:32:07 +0000

Great article, Mr. Nolte, as usual. But I'm going to be all nit-picky because...well, because I can. Hey, I'm old and cranky - sorry. You used the expression "lit a cross on fire" and I like the analogy. What I hate is the incorrect usage. One can SET something (or someone) on fire. One can LIGHT a match or LIGHT a campfire. But to "light" something "ON" fire is just a horrible travesty of the language! Can't you hear how wrong it sounds??? Yeesh. And I know, I know - it's one of those horrid-sounding expressions that's become part of the vernacular and that in itself is an indictment of this country's education system, don't you think? It's similiar to another misuse of English - "bored OF it" - which also grates on one's ears. It should be "bored BY it" - whatever "it" is. Juyst wanted to drop a hint. And I think I'd better shut up and go back to campaigning.

Big Government : NAACP’s Attack on the Tea Party Movement Is A Betrayal of Its Mission to Uplift Black America

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:35:40 +0000

I am glad to see that Bill Marcy is included on that list, since the national Republican re-election powers-that-be are totally ignoring Bill as he attempts to defeat the entrenched Democrat thug from Bolton, Bennie Thompson. ( www.byebyebennie.com ) We're running a grass-roots campaign on the proverbial shoestring down here in MS District #2, the poorest district in the country. Both Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin have endorsed Bill (and Sarah, bless her heart, sent a check!) but I'm worried that won't be enough in a district which has been gerrymandered for 17 years and where blacks have learned not to oppose the Democrat/NAACP machine. But we are trying to change things. Here's a story for y'all. A friend was cold-calling likely voters and spoke to an elderly black woman who was unfamiliar with Bill Marcy and asked about his beliefs. My friend answered that Bill believes in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bible. And the elderly woman replied, "That's enough for me - I'll vote for him and I'll tell my friends about him, too. Because BENNIE AIN'T BEEN VOTING RIGHT!"

Big Hollywood : Today's Open Thread

Sat, 2 Oct 2010 21:24:23 +0000

Slumdog Millionaire was an okay film, but the book it is [supposedly] based on is much, much better! Originally titled "Q&A" (re-titled after the movie's successful opening, I think), the novel by Vikas Swarup was a delightful surprise. I listened to the audio version, superbly voiced by Christopher Simpson (the gorgeous lawyer in the Brit mini-series State of Play) long before seeing the film. As a resultt, I was sorta disappointed that Boyle ignored one of the most fascinating themes of the book; specifically, the multi-faith multi-culture education of the young hero Ram Mohammad Thomas. Long story short? Excellent book, go listen to it!

Big Hollywood : Sucker Punch Squad: NBC's 'The Event' Pilot Script a Bush Haters' Dream Show

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:38:41 +0000

Awwww, c'mon... it's "Nothing But CHUCK" - AKA the only reason to still watch NBC.

Big Hollywood : Elton John: Artists Who Boycott Arizona Are '(Expletive) Twits'

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:33:43 +0000

Another rather well-known Brit with the same view is John Barrowman, who's said several times that he and his partner Scott have a civil partnership so "don't call it marriage." Definitely made me respect him more.

Big Government : Clinton: Obama Admin to Sue Arizona Over Immigration Law

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:55:05 +0000

Will they file against the California law that also says the same thing, except that it does NOT prohibit "racial profiling"? Peh.

Big Hollywood : We're All Racists Now!: Behar, Garofalo & Ron Reagan Attack Obama

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:37:51 +0000

Oh, she's had those tats for a while. I saw her (briefly, I assure you - how fast can one change the channel?) on a late-night talk show, bragging about how she always wears skimpy clothing to "show them off" - ugh! Sorry, Janeane, the tats just make you look like you need a good scrub-down. May I suggest a bucket of bleach and a wire brush?

Big Hollywood : Will We Ever See the Likes of 'Lost' and '24' Again?

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:25:44 +0000

HAH! No Character Is Safe - brilliant. And so true. Did you see that Criminal Minds is dumping J.J.? What the heck is CBS thinking? Don't screw with a brilliant cast and don't piss off your loyal audience! I gave up on "Lost" midway thru the 2nd season and haven't been sorry. However, if you need more J.J. Abrams, try "Fringe" on Fox. Unlike "Lost", it answers questions and then brings on new mysteries, which is fascinating instead of frustrating. Nice! And John Noble SO deserves an Emmy nod for his acting.

Big Hollywood : Daily Gut: Stewart vs. O'Reilly

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 23:07:49 +0000

You are so right, Simon. I'm about 3/4 of the way though Liberal Fascism and although I consider myself something of a historian (amateur but well-read), I'm learning an incredible amount from Mr. Goldberg. I cannot recomment this book highly enough!