Misanthropy

So, I went to see the 300 this afternoon. I wanted to like it, I really did. I had tried to check my historical sensibilities at the door and suspended my disbelief, and, especially given the mood I've been in lately, I was all too eager to watch some ass kicking--but you know what? I actually left the theater despising it.

Oh, the visuals were neat, the male bodies nicely sculpted, the fight scenes interestingly staged, but, seriously? Every racist stereotype, every homophobic prejudice taken and run with. It pushed all the wrong buttons, pandered to prejudice, and I'm actually appalled.

(And don't tell me that this is based on reality. Xerxes was likely as white skinned as Leonidas, who, by the way, was one of two kings. Sparta was not a democracy in any modern sense of the word but a society built on slave labor. Historically, Spartans were known as lacking in art, culture, learning and philosophy--and placing no value on such things. So, white men fighting for liberty, rationality, freedom, democracy, civilization, etc. against ethnically monstrous hordes of cowardly exotics enslaved to a false god. Yeah. Sounds just a little familiar.)

I know a lot of people enjoyed this movie, and I really wanted to, but just no fucking way. I can't turn off my brain to that extent. And in the world we unfortunately live in today, I can't write this off as just harmless stupidity in the name of "entertainment."

If you disagree or think I'm overreacting, I'm, despite my vehemence, happy to discuss. So, what did you think?

Part of my ongoing attempt not to work at work. I’ve been writing this post for what feels like months and it keeps growing. No attempt at profound analysis here, I just like to keep track of what I’ve been reading and watching.

Movies

( Flags of our Fathers and Stranger than Fiction )

Books

( Inheritance of Loss, The Places in Between, Icarus Girl, and others )

Television

I don’t normally watch a lot of television, but with the use of DVR, I’m either watching more, or at least I’m watching things I’m deliberately choosing. I’ve started watching Ugly Betty, which I love so far, although I’ve only seen a few episodes (and if anyone watches this show—what is deal with the woman who everyone thinks is dead but has her face wrapped in bandages??). I’ve also watched a few episodes of Brothers and Sisters, which I wouldn’t have thought would appeal to me, but which I’m liking in an emo-porn kind of way.

I'm also still watching Heroes, which I'm loving even more, as well as BSG, with which I have a love-hate relationship. It's rather like a bad child--so much potential, can't help but love it, but all too often a train wreck.

In further nurturing of my indignation, I have now watched both the director's cut and the theatrical release of the movie King Arthur. Yes, I know, I will never get those hours of my life back, but I am nothing if not diligent in my outrages. That's admirable, I'm sure.

( I'm going to ramble about the director's v. theatrical versions, with spoilers. )

No, not the poem--maybe some other time.

I recently watched Howl's Moving Castle. How cool was that? I have loved DWJ since I was actually the age of her intended audience, and Howl is one of my favorites of her books (along with Power of Three, Archer's Goon and Homeward Bounders--though she's so good, it's hard to pick). I had been waiting and waiting for this to come out in the U.S. Miyazaki animating DWJ--almost too cool to be real.

Okay, so the movie took a lot of liberties--adding in typical Miyazaki themes that weren't in the book and, so they wouldn't break anime law, making sure that there was a cute child character even where no child character existed--and I ordinarily might not have not been pleased about the changes (and some of it, on a very little reflection, didn't make sense)--but I didn't care. It was too beautiful. I can't wait until it comes out on DVD and I can watch it again and hear the Japanese voices--although (shocking for me to say) I didn't mind the English dub.

I loved that, despite making Howl a little more, er, a better of a person than in the book, they included the sliming scene. Best scene ever.