Diary Entry, 2101.20: Inauguration Edition
Biden, Harris and the Hope for America || Parler || Questions about Rudy Giuliani || Movie Review: WONDER WOMAN 1984 || Movie Review: THE MIDNIGHT SKY || Media Review: The Mandalorian
Biden, Harris and the Hope for America
As of 11am today, Central time, America once again made me proud.
With the inauguration of Joseph Robinette Biden Jr as the 46th President of the United States, I once again have hope for us, our country and even our planet.
It will undoubtedly take the vast majority of the next 4 years to undo the damage done to our planet, our country, our world, our citizenry and it’s shameful divisiveness. I have some tempered hope for the next 4 years. Only time will tell if my hope will be in vain.
During his inauguration speech, President Biden spoke about bringing this nation together. That will never happen. I think of several great historians I’ve consumed and even written term papers about over my several decades, and want to remind my few dear readers of, mainly, H.G. Wells, Arnold Toynbee, Joseph M. McCabe, and Hannah Arendt.
Each spoke of rising nationalistic fervor, unthinking patriotism in the service of cultic pride, and the attendant dangers and divisions these bring.
To sum up their fears, I want to suggest you read Timothy D. Snyder‘s (ironically a recipient of the Hannah Arendt Award) 2017 book On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. It is available for e-readers, but if you buy a paper copy and don’t like it, I’ll buy it from you.
The Cult of Personality (besides being a kickin’ Living Colour song) was the embodiment of the reTrumplican Administration. His followers swallowed every turd their Resident shit out, repeated every lie, and became so determined and fervent, following their Dear Leader, attempted an insurrection against the Constitution and the democracy they keep repeating they care so much about. Thankfully, history will not be good to tRump or his most strident paracletes. Thankfully, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi commented this morning that accessory to murder charges against tRump is not off the table.
If I have a wish for the future of the Republic, it is that DJT will shrink quietly into the farthest, most silent corners of our national dialogue. And for his multiple crimes (including tax evasion, violation of oath of office, insurrection, etc.) do so in a cinder block cell secured by iron bars.
When the day arrives — too far from now no matter how late or how soon it is — DJT takes his last breath and expires from the living, that should be a date we should all remember and celebrate, printed yearly on all calendars from that day forward. When the pinnacle of whiny wanna-be authoritarianism passes, hopefully his breathless insurrectionist followers (which is not every follower) will scatter like roaches when the lights go on.
Unfortunately that passing, like those who still have Adolf Hitler as their symbol of authority worship, will not mean the end of his destructive legacy.
Parler
Here’s a question for those who support the jughead jihad — meaning the shitstain rebellion — of Jan 6. Many of you had moved over entirely to Parler, a social media app for Reich Wing Insurrectionists.
My question is: “How’s that workin’ out for ya’?”
Rudy Giuliani
Two things about the disgraceful Trumpian lawyer Rudy Giuliani. These are serious questions. I am sincerely asking, so if you have answers or comments, please feel free to use the form at the bottom of this page.
First, how was he able to go to several states where he did not have a license to practice law and yet practice law?
Second, in those court proceedings, why didn’t he claim fraud? It seems to be exactly what he was claiming, as he proposed people stole or illegally added votes (all in primarily dark-skinned areas where Trump lost), doesn’t that sound like fraud to you? Doesn’t that sound exactly like what he should have claimed in each instance?
I suspect that since the bar for evidence is so high in court proceedings, and that there was no evidence (besides about 7 voters total) to be presented above innuendo and claims (“so and so said they saw so and so”), doing so would lead to his disbarment.
Maybe you can enlighten me. Please do.
Wonder Woman 1984
(2020)
Dir: Patty Jenkins
151 min.
Review posted to site Jan 20, 2021 (viewed Dec 25, 2020)
NO SPOILERS AHEAD
Movie sequels tend to fall into a few categories, easily definable. While only a very few are better than their originals — and this is not one of those — there are limitations; frameworks which are adhered to; the development and use of characters, continuations of storylines, and the progression of time.
Here, some of those, to good effect, are tossed out the window. As far as categorizations go, this has a fair blend of direct sequel, being a continuations of characters, and one of displacement, where the characters are in new, unique settings of geography or time. Here, our lovely heroine is nearly 40 years in the future, looking like she’s aged not a single day (she is, after all, Wonder Woman!).
The setting has changed, also, with the first and excellent film being set entirely in Europe, she is now working at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as a specialist in ancient objects of some sort. Her title — and what she’s doing there — isn’t exactly clear.
Although Patty Jenkins’ direction is superb, taking the mundane and making it glorious and enticing, the flatness of this film suffers from what I call justsohappensness. Another way to put it, just so happens. It just so happens that Diana Prince, Wonder Woman’s mundane persona, meets Barbara Ann Minerva, a shy and stumbling wallflower on the day the events in the film begin. It just so happens that the FBI is also leaving a bunch of artifacts at the Smithsonian for the team to give a report on. It just so happens that this is right up both of their specialties. It just so happens that one of the objects is a Dreamstone, giving those who hold it while making a wish have that wish granted. It just so happens that Barbara, in her attempt to be less uncomfortable in her own skin and more like the suave, confident and foxy Diana, turns into one of two rivals for Wonder Woman.
One of the problems coming into the film is how they are going to bring back Steve Trevor, who died in the first film. Wont to give anything away, it is decently explained, though with far more flaws than other similar ventures into similar plotlines, ala BIG or any of the myriad incarnations of FREAKY FRIDAY (or PRELUDE TO A KISS or THE MAN WHO CHANGED HIS MIND or ……). Here, there are implications which are not addressed, and Jenkins has acknowledged a bitter flavor to some feminist interpretations.
Although I will recommend WW84 (its stylization), don’t expect such greatness as the original. The soundtrack includes incidental music from a very creative time in progressive pop rock, while the score was composed by Academy Award winning Hans Zimmer (who has an asteroid named after him). The film with a long but lively sequence of the young Diana, where she learns a hard lesson she carries with her through life. Had the rest of the movie continued the confounding smoothness and creativity of the first sequence, perhaps critics wouldn’t have such umbrage over the final results.
Recommended, but with presumptive caveat firmly in hand.
The Midnight Sky
(2020)
Dir: George Clooney
118 min.
Reviewed Jan 20, 2021
NO SPOILERS AHEAD
If you give two shits about having at least a modicum of accuracy in the science in your science fiction, spend your time doing anything other than watching THE MIDNIGHT SKY.
Though I’ll acknowledge the set design, special effects and acting, the plot is so unengaging and thin, a scanning electron microscope wouldn’t be able to find it.
‘The Mandalorian’ S2
(2020-1)
Dir: various directors
Reviewed Jan 20, 2021
NO SPOILERS AHEAD
I’ve been saying since ‘The Mandalorian’ first graced our streaming internet waves (my neologist talents once again arise: “i-waves”, like “airwaves”, but for the internet age), that it’s an example of what happens when fans make entries into the STAR WARS galaxy, not boards of directors. Actor/producer/director John Favreau has become a large player in film and television, and with proven ability, he collected talented writers and producers to make his pet project, based on a bounty hunter character similar to Boba Fett, whom we meet in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
The second season, though still a complete treat for STAR WARS geekazoids such as myself, has a bit of an “episodic” feel, pun unintended. So our main character, a Mandalore — a special class of bounty hunter outfitted with nearly invincible armor — is on a quest (no spoilers). So in each episode, he is acting on information from the end of the previous episode: “go to planet x, there you will find y“. Planet x is where he goes, and when he finds y, there’s a bargain proposed. The planet, city, or character is having, right at that time, a specific problem that the Mandalorian (a.k.a. “Mando”) is drafted to help with. Whether it’s a giant worm, an unjust authoritarian leader, or problems with The Empire, Mando helps, gets cooperation or information from y to advance to the next step of his episodic journey.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
The ending of S2 is what we hoped for, and the few familiar retreads are worth a bit of bitterness for the sweet taste of satisfaction.
Agree? Disagree? Have a different perspective? Leave a comment below.
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header image on this page c. 2021 https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/19/politics/gallery/joe-biden-inauguration-photos/index.html used WOP
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Iagree Midnight
Sky had a planet behind Jupiter that we never knew about? We’ve had dozens a crafts go past Mariner, Voyager and we’ve never know about K23 but now it’s so big its earthlike? Giime a break of that kitkat bar
I wasn’t really trying to spoil that plot element, but yes. And no Mariner visited the gas giants. They visited only our inner planets.