Although, of Course, You End up Becoming Another Dead White Author.

My posts have been sporadic at best, I know, but every now and then inspiration will hit that's slightly larger and weirder than a typical facebook post, and then low and behold, I'm provided another brief Sabbath moment to capture that inspiration in blog form. Maybe next time, I'll write about Bernie Sanders, but I like having the few friends I still have on both sides of the political spectrum, so I might have to pass. So instead, I'll play it safe and write about Hollywood movies, literature and racism.

I  finally saw The End of the Tour, a film that is based on David Lipsky's book-length interview with David Foster Wallace which I haven't read. This is fine, because prior knowledge of the book or David Foster Wallace is not required to appreciate this quietly moving film. Far from a biopic, Tour captures a starstruck/jealous small time author simultaneously trying to interview and befriend a rising star on the literary scene. Jesse Eisenberg sells his role competently,and Jason Segel defies criticism with a complete transformation and vulnerable performance. The writing, direction, and acting make simple, quiet scenes come to life in a film that is composed of mostly two men talking. What they are talking about and the meaning behind it sells the tension and pathos. This should take home several Oscars, especially for Segal, but even as I type that I feel guilty. Yes, this is another movie about two white authors, giving the male whiteout of literature and Hollywood an almost poetic intersection. So maybe it needs to step aside and make way for more diverse pictures that are just as deserving of praise for their craft. Too bad it's so well made.

It's not like the movie is unaware of this, or at least DFW in the movie. When Lipsky asks him who he thinks his primary audience is, he says something to the effect of "probably other nerdy white men". Earlier, he speaks of the loneliness of being a writer and wishes he had someone to share his time with who is not a dog. "Please tell your readers my relationship my dogs is platonic," he tells Lipsky. Even when there's not much at stake, there is for DFW, who doesn't want to give his readers the wrong impression (a concern sustained through the film). A white male superstar writer tells an insecure white male worshiper to be conscious of the  insecure white male audience who will be judging him. Some might consider his admission of his audience as an aside: I see it as an interrogation of literary fiction itself. I know that the names are factual, but both men being named David shades this picture of men basically writing to themselves for approval (think about Lipsky's desire to share his book with DFW and receive feedback from his hero/rival) and in effect feeding their own loneliness. There could be a solution, but their egos won't allow it.

As a white male who appreciates much of what DFW has written (although, good as it was, this film captures what DFW was saying about loneliness and addiction more concisely and possibly better than Infinite Jest) I also can't escape the truth that there are other voices out there who deserve to be heard, and the more voices that I listen to, the less lonely I feel in relation to the world as it stands. Once I read the Achebe's, the Morrisons, the Angelous, the Marquez's, the Murakamis, and, heck, even the Welty's and O'Connors, I feel connected to something larger than myself. I'm not longer trapped in a staring contest with myself, but I'm participating in a much larger conversation. It's freeing, and I'm also convinced that it's much more productive than the alternative. I can set aside my pen and listen, and wait until I have something to say. In the meantime, I can point others towards the wide selection of voices  worth listening to. The theme is universal: we're not alone.

I'm not sure how this connects to the movie. Whether this subversion of "another man story" was intentional, it's still another white male story. It's a well-crafted one, and worthy of praise, but is that enough to justify the continual silencing of diverse artists who are just as deserving? I can't say, but I do think that if the hidden critique makes its way into the collective conscience of both fans of literary fiction and movies, it might not be that much of a waste after all.

Movies and Marriage: Either Way, a Lot of Work

It's no secret to most how I feel about Fireproof and other movies labeled Christian. In evangelical circles it's kind of hard to dislike something with that label, as I'm also not a fan of feeling guilty(about potentially quenching the Holy Spirit, among other sins), so I usually respond to positive reviews with a smile and some other non verbal(possibly muttered) response. That being said, the article below has a lot of good to say about it.

http://burnsidewriters.com/2010/09/20/fireproof/

I guess if I say you can find redemption in Dinner for Schmucks,I should agree you can find it in Fireproof. I stated my thoughts in a comment to the article acknowledging that I'm not the audience and movies like this can help those who are. Before I said that, I mentioned how few movies, secular included, successfully explore marriage. Revolutionary Road got close, but it became too brutal for me to call it honest. Honestly, there's hope.

Another commenter said Marley and Me and Up were two of the best movies about marriage, even though they weren't marketed as such. I haven't seen the former, but the latter proves my point.(Warning: the following may contain spoilers if you haven't seen Up.) Up is an excellent movie, and I hope I have opportunities to watch it at least a dozen more times. However, as anyone who sees the beginning can tell, it sort of takes the "easy way out" with the theme of marriage early on in the film. Call me cynical, but it's easier to love a memory of a person than love the actual person. That being said, it's realistic for the main character to remember what he does, focused as he is on sharing adventures. It's a fine film and captures what it does of marriage well. But what about the day-to-day fights over eyes that may or may not have rolled or whose job it is to clean the toilet? That film I've yet to see.

So I end with a question: what is the best movie you've seen that explores the theme of marriage? What makes it good/what do you like about it?

Goings on and Stuffs

Saw Bolt and Push. Bolt was better than expected, good for some laughs. Push was awful, and almost made me lose respect for the "not yet" guy from Gladiator who was also good in Blood Diamond. Almost.

Saw a Felice Brothers concert, which was also my first real concert in six years or so, give or take a couple. It was high energy, which was good, until it got a little too high energy at the end. Still, how often can you say you saw someone breaking his washboard at a concert? It was also interesting to see the same member of the folk-rock band beat boxing. It's like they asked What Would Dylan Do? And did the opposite. Still, it was entertaining so I can't complain too much.

They also did one gospel-ish song, which coincidentally sounded the best and seemed to be the most high energy (in a non-destructive way). They need to record it so I can buy it. Yeah, some people still buy music. Fine, don't believe me. I got to go download some videos. Later.

Fun with Scifi

I haven't seen the movie yet, but this is funny.

Lessons from a Virgin

I've seen offensive movies that I can't necessarily recommend. Many of these had no redeeming qualities, but there were a few surprising exceptions.

In particular, I'm talking about The 40-Year Old Virgin. (It's old by now, so I won't put my spoiler alert in all caps. But consider yourself warned. I plan on discussing the plot.)

The movie was a blur of perverse humor and f-bombs. A bunch of oversexed dudes discover their co-worker is (gasp) a virgin. They do their best to convert him to their womanizing ways.

In the end, they learn from him rather than the other way around. This isn't surprising as storytelling goes. It's good writing.

The surprising part is that in this sex-obsessed day and age characters learn something from a virgin.

What was the lesson, anyway? Sex isn't everything.

Maybe having a message like that is the only way to offend nowadays.