Who2 Editorial Blog
Notes and Commentary from the Editors
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Movie Review: FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY
Paul Newman Memorial Movie ReviewFAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY
Viewed at home, courtesy of Netflix
Meal: Popcorn and 2/3 of a bottle of Luzon Jumilla Spanish wine (2005)
We happened to have FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY in the house, courtesy of Netflix, so we watched it tonight with many fond nods and mental genuflections in the direction of Westport, Connecticut and the ghost of Paul Newman.
Good grief, this movie was made 20 years ago! 1989, to be exact. Starring Paul Newman, John Cusack (he dies in the end -- oops, SPOILER), Laura Dern in a creepy Sean-Young-in-BLADERUNNER hairnet, Natasha Richardson (yes, alas) and some guy as Robert Oppenheimer, commie.
It's not a great movie. It's stylish, good-looking, and has a beautiful score by Ennio "I've Written Music for 485 Different Freaking Movies" Morricone. But... too many heroes, and of course, none of them are heroes because they're building The Atom Bombs That Will Kill 200,000 Japanese Innocents. Except of course they aren't innocents, because the Japs started the war. Except we built the bomb to beat the Krauts, not the Japs, and once we beat the Krauts we should have stopped building The Bomb! Except wait, John Cusack's brother is fighting in the Philippines and needs the bomb to get home safe! Etc, etc.
The real problem is that the movie is built around Paul Newman and his star power, and in truth he's not really the natural star of the movie. He's General Leslie Groves, the not-very-likeable Army general who pushed the whole project forward. It's just not the "star" role, frankly. Groves is the villain -- the meanie who doesn't understand sensitive genius ol' J. Robert Oppenheimer (who has a hot commie mistress in San Francisco! And they're listening in on his calls to her, the baddies! And he's tortured by building the bomb! And Bonnie Bedelia is his tortured wife with nothing to do but appear every four scenes, looking tortured!).
Then John Cusack dies in a pointless accident (oops, SPOILER!) and the bomb succeeds and Oppenheimer gets treated like dirt. The end.
Except that the guy who plays Oppenheimer, Dwight Schultz, goes on to do voices in a million video games and TV shows you've never heard of.
Well, godblessyuh, Mr. Newman, you were the greatest. And the number of clinkers you appeared in is pretty darn small. This is one of 'em, though. So long!
I give it 3 lumps of killer unstable radioactive plutonium out of a possible 9.
Labels: John Cusack, Laura Dern, Movie Reviews, Natasha Richardson, Paul Newman
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 12:49 PM 
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Video of Thierry Henry and the "Hand of Gaul"
That's the instantly-infamous "Hand of Gaul" goal by French captain Thierry Henry on Wednesday night. The extra-time goal put France into the 2010 World Cup over the heartbroken Irish side.
It also made Henry the object of international scorn -- not least in Ireland, of course, where some are calling it the "Hand of Frog."
Here's the original "Hand of God" goal by Diego Maradona, against England in the World Cup of 1986. Maradona described it after the match as "un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios" -- "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God."
Labels: Diego Maradona, Thierry Henry
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 7:46 AM Share on Facebook 0 comments
Only in San Francisco!
Love this photo of San Francisco Giants greats Willie Mays (age 78) and Tim Lincecum (age 25).
Lincecum may look like a contestant on American Idol, but he won his second straight Cy Young Award yesterday as the National League's best pitcher.
(Photo by Michael Macor for The SF Chronicle)
Labels: Tim Linecum, Willie Mays
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 5:51 AM Share on Facebook 0 comments
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts
Soon to be released by Process Publishing is this collection of letters from not-so-appreciative fans of long-dead weirdo comedian Andy Kaufman, titled Dear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts.
It's due out next month.
Labels: Andy Kaufman
Posted by Mr. Hehn at 10:09 PM Share on Facebook 1 comments
Oprah's Out!
Says she'll end her show in 2011.Labels: Oprah Winfrey
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 5:45 PM Share on Facebook 0 comments
Happy 50th Birthday, Allison Janney
The West Wing star was born in Boston in 1959. Which gives us the chance to run this truly unflattering photo from the "Broadway Bares Strip-A-Thon" for charity last June.
More flattering photos here.
(Photo: Joseph Marzullo/WENN.)
Labels: Allison Janney, Landmark Birthdays
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 10:17 AM Share on Facebook 0 comments
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Memphis Cancels Iverson
NBA star Allen Iverson is no longer with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies terminated his contract after he played only three games. It's possibly the end of Iverson's NBA career, a roller coaster of a ride that began in Philadelphia in 1996. He was called "The Answer" back then, but since 2006 the one-time league MVP has played for Denver, Detroit and Memphis.The official site for the Grizzlies -- with their statement about Iverson -- is here.
No word since November 2nd on Iverson's Twitter account, and his official site requires registration... and I didn't think it was worth the effort.
From the NBA, here's an unintentionally amusing video called "Crossover," in which Iverson is shown getting the better of Michael Jordan.
Now it seems plain silly to compare Iverson to Jordan, but at one point in the video an Iverson believer says to imagine the skills of Jordan and then "speed it up a little -- put that 45 on 33 r.p.m.!" Except that if you put a 45 r.p.m. (that's a vinyl record, son) on 33 r.p.m. it will sound slower.
This compilation of ten "best moves" is better -- great ball-handling, incredible steals and crazy-fast motion.
Labels: Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan
Posted by Mr. Hehn at 12:33 PM Share on Facebook 0 comments
The Family Circus = Mad Men?
From an interview with artist Jeff Keane about a new collection from the early days of 'The Family Circus':Q: When you look at the photos in the introduction, it’s a less flattering caricature in these initial strips than it is now.The book is The Family Circus Library, Volume 1, from IDW Publishing. Here's the cover:
A: (Laughter) When my dad started it, I’m not sure he wanted to identify himself necessarily with the cartoon or necessarily have it be identifiable as our family. In fact, in a couple of those, Dad is actually referred to as “Steve.” He had sort of the generic businessman look in those days: wearing a hat, a little bit heavy, drinking and smoking. Sort of Mad Men-like.
So: Mad Men maybe yes, but Don Draper not so much.
(Hat tip: JoshReads.com)
Labels: Don Draper, Jeff Keane, Mad Men, The Family Circus
Posted by Mr. Holznagel at 5:30 AM Share on Facebook 0 comments
Monday, November 16, 2009
William Blake's Heavenly Imagination
Fans of poet-painter (and engraver) William Blake will appreciate all the detail in the long review of a new exhibit at New York's Morgan Gallery.Labels: William Blake
Posted by Mr. Hehn at 9:34 PM Share on Facebook 0 comments
