Below is my current movie queue on Blockbuster. Comments welcomed.
Blues Brothers 2000 [Collector’s Edition]
25th Hour
About a Boy [WS]
Adventures of Baron Munchausen
All My Loved Ones
All Quiet on the Western Front
Almost Famous
Altered States
American Beauty
Animal Holiday
Availability
Aviator [WS]
Awakenings
Bad Boys [Uncut]
Badder Santa: The Unrated Version
Bambi [Special Edition]
Baran
Barcelona
Best in Show
Big White
Bill Cosby, Himself
Bird [WS]
Blues Brothers [25th Anniversary Edition] [WS]
Bonhoeffer
Borat [WS]
Born on the Fourth of July [Special Edition]
Boycott
Boys Don’t Cry
Brazil [Director’s Cut] – Disc 1
Break
Break
Buster Keaton Collection – Disc 1
Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 – Uncensored – Disc 1
Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 – Uncensored – Disc 1
Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 – Uncensored – Disc 2
Chappelle’s Show: Season 2 – Uncensored – Disc 3
Chasing Amy
Chorus
Cinema Paradiso [Director’s Cut]
Citizen Ruth
City of God
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 1
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 1
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 2
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 3
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 4
Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns – Disc 5
Clockwatchers
Color of Paradise
Confidence
Constant Gardener [WS]
Corpse Bride [WS]
Dances with Wolves [WS Special Edition]
Day the Earth Stood Still
Defending Your Life
Destroy All Monsters!
Devdas
Diamond Men
Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons – Disc 1
Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons – Disc 1
Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons – Disc 2
Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons – Disc 3
Dogville
Donnie Darko
Doom
Downfall
Dr. Strangelove [40th Anniversary Special Edition]
Duma [WS]
Dumbo [Special Edition]
Eight Men Out
Election
Ella Enchanted [WS]
Empire of the Sun
Equilibrium
Eye of God
Eyes of Tammy Faye
Fail-Safe [Special Edition]
Fantastic Four [WS]
Find Me Guilty
Finding Neverland [WS]
Flatliners
Full Metal Jacket [P&S]
Garden State
Girl With a Pearl Earring
Glenn Miller Story
Godzilla 2000
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla [50th Anniversary]
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
Godzilla: Final Wars
Good Girl
Gospel of John: Theatrical Three Hour Version
Gospel of John: Two Hour Version
Grave of the Fireflies [Collector’s Edition]
Great Raid
Great Santini
Happy Feet [WS]
Hard Candy
Heaven and Earth
Hide & Seek [WS]
High Plains Drifter
Hitch [WS]
Hotel Rwanda
House of Sand and Fog
House of Yes
Hudsucker Proxy
Hustle and Flow
I Am David
I Am Sam
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
Ilya Muromets
Infernal Affairs
James and the Giant Peach
Jarhead
Joseph: King of Dreams
Judgement at Nuremberg [Special Edition]
Junebug
Jungle Book 2
Kagemusha – Disc 1
Killing Fields
Legend of the Drunken Master
Leon: The Professional [Deluxe Edition]
Life on a String
Lords of Dogtown
Love Actually [WS]
Love in the Afternoon
Made
Malcolm X
Man on the Train
Man Who Would Be King
Maryam
Max
Memoirs of a Geisha [WS]
Miller’s Crossing
Mind Hunters
Miracle [WS]
Miracle Worker
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous [WS]
Mona Lisa Smile [WS]
Motorcycle Diaries [WS]
MPAA
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mrs. Henderson Presents [WS]
Munich [WS]
My Neighbor Totoro
Nine Lives
North Country
Notebook [WS] & Special Features
Oldboy
Once Upon a Time in the West
Peaceful Warrior
Places in the Heart
Platoon [Special Edition]
Polar Express [WS]
Prairie Home Companion
Prayer for the Dying [WS]
Pride & Prejudice
Primer
Prince of Tides
Prisoner of Paradise
Proposition
Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Art of Genital Origami
Ram Dass: Fierce Grace
Rating
Reign of Fire
Return [WS]
Riding Giants
Saint Ralph
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Christopher Walken
Scenes From a Marriage – Film
Sea Inside [WS]
Second Chance
Secretary
Sense and Sensibility
Seven [WS]
Sideways [WS]
Simon Birch
Single White Female
Snatch [Special Edition]
Sometimes in April
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days
Spartacus
Spartan
Squid and the Whale [WS Special Edition]
Stand and Deliver
Station Agent
Stone Boy
Stuart Little [WS]
Stuart Little 2 [Special Edition]
Sweet Hereafter [Platinum Edition]
Table for Five
Talk to Her [WS]
Taxi Driver [Collector’s Edition]
Team America: World Police [WS]
Testament
Thank You for Smoking [WS]
The Last King of Scotland
The Lives of Others
Thin Red Line [WS]
Third Man [Special Edition]
To End All Wars
Tokyo Story – Disc 1
Treasure of the Sierra Madre [Special Edition]
Tsotsi
Tully
Two Mules for Sister Sara
Ultraviolet [WS Unrated]
Unfinished Life
Unleashed [WS] [Unrated]
Upside of Anger
V for Vendetta [WS]
Vera Drake
Very Long Engagement
Very Long Wait
Virgin Spring
Visitation
Waiting for Guffman
Walk the Line
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
We Were Soldiers
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Who Are The DeBolts? (And Where Did They Get 19 Kids?)
Why We Fight
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Wire: The Complete First Season – Disc 1
Wit
Woman, Thou Art Loosed
Woodsman
Zardoz
Seeker,
Do me a favor and list the movies that aren't on your queue. I'm almost certain that list would be shorter. Also, good on you having the Station Agent on there; that's an amazing movie.
It's in there, thx.
I’ve seen most of these movies. Here are a few I felt I could contribute some commentary on.
———————————————————-
All Quiet on the Western Front – great great movie! make sure it’s the original version!
Cinema Paradiso [Director’s Cut] – Long and sentimental but I liked it.
Citizen Ruth – Good movie that does a good job of not taking sides in the abortion debate and effectively satirizing both pro life and pro choice camps.
City of God – riveting portrayal of life in the slums of Rio.
Day the Earth Stood Still – A sci-fi classic.
Dr. Strangelove [40th Anniversary Special Edition] – Body fluids! Peter Sellers is brilliant in this. Do you want to learn satire Seeker?
Election – great satire on our political system. Reese Witherspoon’s best movie.
Empire of the Sun – Saw this when I was a kid. Great cinematography. Christian Bale is the kid.
Equilibrium – Like the matrix, very exciting action movie that is not kind to the idea of a theocracy. Also stars Christian Bale.
Fail-Safe [Special Edition] – excellent moral dilemma
Fantastic Four [WS] – garbage. Don’t waste 2 hours of life watching this.
Full Metal Jacket [P&S] – you haven’t seen this yet? wow. The first part is the best.
Garden State – nice little existential teen coming of age film.
Girl With a Pearl Earring – really great view into the world of artistic creation and how life was like in the Netherlands during Vermeer’s time.
Great Santini – Robert Duval is excellent as a an overbearing dad. “Are you gonna cry?”
High Plains Drifter – Ah Clint Eastwood. Spooky western. I won’t give the ending away.
Hotel Rwanda – great movie of courage and human triumph
House of Sand and Fog – a bit depressing. Worth watching.
Hudsucker Proxy – wonderful film. The story of the Hoola Hoop.
I Am Sam – alright but a bit too sentimental for my tastes.
Jarhead – good but this is about the first gulf war, some might be expecting more because it leaves a lot up to the viewer.
Kagemusha – Disc 1 Akira Kurosawa if you like this I an recommend better works of his. A master director.
Leon: The Professional [Deluxe Edition] – you haven’t seen this one yet either? great movie. Natalie Portman’s first and she’s brings the house down. Leon (Jean Reno) is just a bad ass. Luc Besson has some other interesting movies as well, mostly French.
Man Who Would Be King – Sean Connery and Micheal Cain. A great buddy flick.
Miller’s Crossing – Very entertaining gangster suspense flick.
Oldboy – South Korean! OOOOOOH now you are really being adventurous! good pick. Just a warning, some animals were DEFINITELY harmed during the making of this film.
Platoon [Special Edition] – Good way back when. Sgt. Elias is awesome as a man of integrity against his nemesis Sgt. Barnes.
Primer – made on a shoe string budget this movie is guaranteed to make your head hurt trying to keep up.
Scenes From a Marriage – Ingmar Bergman? I’m impressed.
Secretary – You might think this one is perverted. I thought it was great.
Seven [WS] – Dark Dark flick and depressing. Really good though!
Sideways [WS] – Loved this movie! Very funny and entertaining. I drink wine because of it.
Snatch [Special Edition] – great movie I liked Bricktop. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was good too and very similar.
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days – I have this sitting on my coffee table to watch tonight
Spartacus – classic Kubrick but not his best. “I’m Sparacus!”
Station Agent – I agree with Sam’s review of this.
Sweet Hereafter [Platinum Edition] – very good movie about loss and regret and transcendence
Talk to Her [WS] – Ummm holy cow Seeker don’t watch this if you are easily offended. One of the scenes in this is very “shocking” I loved this movie though. Remember, it’s Spanish (European) so it’s not typical evangelical fair.
Taxi Driver [Collector’s Edition] – “Are you talking to me?” Travis Bickle, everyone’s favorite vigilante. Classic Scorcese and DeNiro.
Thank You for Smoking [WS] – Very entertaining look into the mindset of a lobbyist.
Third Man [Special Edition] – Stellar Film Noir! Orsen Wells is unforgettable as Harry Line.
Tokyo Story – ranked as one of the 5 greatest movies of all time, this is also one of my favorites. Simply a masterpiece. This is my favorite film by Ozu, the most “Japanese” of the big four. Unforgettable. This film changed my life along with “Ikiru.”
Treasure of the Sierra Madre [Special Edition] – Classic Bogart, at tale of how greed can change a man. “We don’t need no stinking badges!”
Two Mules for Sister Sara – Saw this a million times when I was a kid. not Clints best effort but there are some good scenes and Shirley McClain is okay in this.
Upside of Anger – Very good movie with a twist ending.
V for Vendetta [WS] – I was a bit disappointed in this one. I thought it was a bit cheesy.
Virgin Spring – this film is a Bergman masterpiece. Watching it is like being punched in the gut with an emotional sledgehammer. I’ve written about this before on 2or3 but the posts get lost. Magnificent but not for children. Gut wrenching.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit – very funny funny! I recommended this before but Seeker thought it wasn’t suitable for children. I also recommended Spirited Away and Charlotte’s Web (animated) for children.
We Were Soldiers – Good battle scenes but Mel should tone it down a bit. His patriotism and wrapping himself in the flag sometimes goes over the top.
Welcome to the Dollhouse – dead on look at how hard it is growing up as an outcast in middle school. I thought I had forgotten. Ugh! This one has got everything.
Why We Fight – Is this the Band of Brother’s episode?
Zardoz – Sean Connery again in a very odd role. Very good especially if you are in the mood for watching something totally different and 70’s.
I can add some comments on the ones I have seen :)
About a Boy [WS] – very SWEET!
Aviator [WS] – real life is hard movie
Bambi [Special Edition] – ugh, sorry, never did like Bambi
Bill Cosby, Himself – LOVE THIS. Bill Cosby rocks. I still quote this all the time “Let the beatings begin!” roflol
Born on the Fourth of July [Special Edition] – didn’t like it
Constant Gardener [WS] – was not expecting the violence
Corpse Bride [WS] Cannot get the songs out of my head
Dances with Wolves [WS Special Edition] – all time classic
Dumbo [Special Edition] Awwwww :)
Eight Men Out – GREAT baseball movie!!!! Another fave is The Natural with Robert Redford!
Election – scary! lol (Love Reese and Matthew)
Ella Enchanted [WS] – we watch this over and over (hey with four girls, what do you expect?)
Equilibrium – we all thought this was a bad knock off of The Matrix, but Christian Bale is pretty hot :-p
Fantastic Four [WS] – I liked it!! (Cineaste!)
Finding Neverland [WS] – gay
Flatliners – scary, but good
Full Metal Jacket [P&S] another real life is hard movie
Garden State – can’t remember much about it
Happy Feet [WS] – not the greatest storyline, imo
Hitch [WS] – one of my faves :) I do love me some Will Smith to watch!
Hudsucker Proxy – AWESOME AWESOME movie!
I Am Sam – eh
Love Actually [WS] – pretty nice love stories
Malcolm X – good movie
Memoirs of a Geisha [WS] Sad sad
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous [WS] – love both
Mona Lisa Smile [WS] – was not thrilled with it
Notebook [WS] & Special Features – a little to sappy for me
Places in the Heart – Sally Field, Danny Glover? LOVE THAT MOVIE. Perfect movie about sticking together and making it.
Platoon [Special Edition] – been a long time, but I know it was one of my sister’s favorite all time movies
Polar Express [WS] – blech
Pride & Prejudice – YES!!!! (see Sense and Sensibility)
Prince of Tides – loved this one. Babs was awesome.
Sense and Sensibility – seriously? Jane Austen. No brainer.
Seven [WS] Pretty intense for me. Sandra Bullock, Morgan Freeman, two of my fave actors. (right movie ?)
Simon Birch – So sweet.
Single White Female – Scary, Jennifer Jason Lee does a great psycho!
Stand and Deliver – LOVE this movie. Great about education. Akeelah and the Bee was similar, but not as good.
Stone Boy – this was about the boy who wouldnt talk because of what he did when he was younger right? If so, good movie.
Stuart Little [WS] :)
Stuart Little 2 [Special Edition] :)
The Last King of Scotland – wanna see this!
Thin Red Line [WS] – oh very good war movie
Two Mules for Sister Sara – watched this all the time growing up too Cineaste! I liked it.
V for Vendetta [WS] – it was ok
Walk the Line – great movie about one of my fave performers EVER. Love Reese in just about anything :)
Thanks for the short reviews, fun and helpful. Some of the ones you label as dogs I was aware of, but left them on there as well. Would be interesting to see your comments on my other lengthy list.
Cin,
One thing to keep in mind with regard to movie recommendations to Seeker is this. Generally speaking, Seeker does not like movies made before 1974. The overarching sentiment with respects to this is (paraphrasing) that the movies made before 1974 are over-sentimental and not-realistic. It’s unfortunate because from a critical standpoint that rules out most of the best films ever made in motion picture history.
He and I have talked about this at length in the past. I wish I could get him to sit still through a musical, let alone Fail Safe without making him squirm.
So, some of the films on your list, e.g., All Quiet on the Western Front or even Citizen Kane will not appeal to him. Heck, Seeker’s distaste for Citizen Kane is well known on this site and amongst his local friends.
(Seeker, you know I love you my friend)
Seven [WS] Pretty intense for me. Sandra Bullock, Morgan Freeman, two of my fave actors. (right movie ?)
Sorry, that was Gwenyth! I was confusing Seven with Murder by Numbers. Saw both… both scared me and that is all I remember about them! :-p
And if that is true about old movies and musicals seeker, then you need to get more sensitivity. Right now ;) So does my dh, and many many other men I know, but that is another subject ! haha
Yeah, the dreamy romantic early hollywood movies just don’t appeal to me. Citizen Kane, supposedly the best movie ever made, was a severe disappointment to me.
Cinema Paradiso [Director’s Cut] – Long and sentimental but I liked it.
This is a movie that is ruined by being issued as a director’s cut. Having seen the original theatrical release in 1989, and owned every version (video tape, LaserDisc, and Director’s Cut DVD), I can safely say that some things are best left out.
The Director’s cut of the film adds an additional hour of footage that explains the modern history of the main character and added back story. In my opinion, this additional footage takes away from the story’s main premise, the relationship of a young boy with a projectionist in a small Italian town…where the center of the community was the movie theater.
Adding the Director’s cut footage makes the story drag on and makes the movie lose it’s magic. The original release in 1989 won the Oscar for best foreign film.
When and if you see this, do not watch the Director’s Cut version, you will absolutely think the story is too long and the film as being underrated. You should see the Original Theatrical release on the same DVD.
I made the mistake of having my wife watch the Director’s cut first (having never seen the movie) and she absolutely hates the movie and will not even consider seeing the original version.
Citizen Kane, supposedly the best movie ever made, was a severe disappointment to me.
Seeker, I suppose the disappointment was grounded in the fact to understand the premise today one need to understand the context of the movie. As you and I have spoken about on numerous occasions, the movie is really about Randolph Hearst of the Hearst Corporation.
The story of Citizen Kane is an anagram for events in real life. One needs to have that historical perspective to both understand and appreciate the films true brilliance.
At the time of the movie’s filming, Hearst controlled everything, newspapers, movie theaters, radio from coast to coast. He was the king of Yellow Journalism helping to get the United States into the Spanish American War. At that time you could not cross him without fear of reprisal. That was the reason they went after him.
Heck, the film had trouble being shown in movie theaters and receiving promotion because Hearst owned most of them.
In many respects, this is one of the first political and social commentary motion picture films ever made. The other film in that category would be Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator.”
In some rare situations, one has to be vaguely familiar with history and American culture at the time to appreciate some of those film. Not everyone has that in their portfolio of viewing pleasure.
Lawanda once again reveals her essential bigotry by using the word “gay” as a pejorative term.
I was familiar with those historical items when I saw the film, and while it was probably historically significant at the time, I just didn’t like the film. I’m still not even sure what it was trying to say, but whatever it was, it didn’t seem important anymore.
I was familiar with those historical items when I saw the film, and while it was probably historically significant at the time, I just didn’t like the film. I’m still not even sure what it was trying to say, but whatever it was, it didn’t seem important anymore.
Seeker, I guess that is what separates you from most avid movie buffs. This is not a slight against you, but films that take work to understand or that must be put into context are too much work.
Perhaps that is why I noticed that a number of films on your list whether ranked highly or not are actually remakes of films that originated prior to 1974. It’s not a big deal really, you gravitate to films that are accessible to you from your perspective. However, you are missing out in the grand experience of Cinema since film can be a mirror of culture in America (particularly our past within the 20th Century)
Those that truly can appreciate cinema, can watch a film regardless of age and enjoy a film while appreciating its cultural significance of the time. For example, The Jazz Singer is not all that special of a film, but culturally and historically it is the first talking picture ever made and marked a dramatic shift in cinema.
Lawanda once again reveals her essential bigotry by using the word “gay” as a pejorative term.
Lois, does every topic have to be a opportunity to find evil and ant-gay prejudice with you? Honestly.
Gay is widely used in mainstream slang when referring to movies, stories, etc as being “lame”
I use the term and I am probably one of the most accepting people in terms of life style choice, gay rights, and non-discriminatory behavior.
I am sure that Lawanda didn’t mean to be pejorative in any way. So, calm down.
Yes, of course, use “Lois” instead of Louis to address me. Undoubtedly, a Freudian slip.
The use of the word “gay” to mean “lame” in mainstream parlance is yet another example of homophobia. What else? The straight mainstream has sought to take back the word for their own use while further demeaning gay people. Since you can’t see this, you aren’t as enlightened as you think.
And, no, every topic isn’t used by me to turn the subject. When someone uses a pejorative word it is quite jarring, and I am intent on calling people’s attention to it. So you don’t like it? TOO BAD!
BTW
What if I used the word “christian” or “evangelical” to mean stupid, ignorant, and prejudiced? Why not? Evangelicals are just too sensitive.
I apologize for offending you Louis. However, I know gay people who use the term “gay” to mean “lame” as well in reference to movies, etc, so I really didn’t think it would give offense. As a matter of fact, a gay person is who I “picked it up” from.
Sorry. I should have said lame. (But then I suppose I might have offended disabled persons…)
Louis, you presuppose that I would be offended by the use of a term such as “christian” or “evangelical” or any other label to mean stupid or arrogant or any other ditty that may be relevant to you.
Unfortunately, I don’t have those little phobias. I am a humanist and a realist.
Slang is slang. Regardless of who utters it, those terms have entered into the vernacular of American popular culture. It’s no different than “off the hook” or “jiggy” entering the mainstream of spoken word within society.
If you want to have a war on terms, strictly speaking, I could easily take the agenda and say that I am offended that homesexuals have hi-jacked an English word that prior to the 1960’s meant happy, joyful, boisterous to be used as a label describing sexual orientation.
In the current English vernacular in the United States, no one in their right mind would use “gay” in its original definition in conversation or written word. Yet, that is what that word means in some circles. Gay, in the homosexual context (until very recently) was considered a slang term.
Frankly, you cannot control the English language and what people say. Sure you can slam people, call it out, but it won’t change global behavior.
I respect the fact that you might be offended, but you do not own the exclusive right to the definition of what gay means. You can sure try and fight that battle, but the English language will continue to change.
Frankly, I only poked my head into your comment because I saw someone lashing out in manner that was to put it nicely as over-reactionary. For someone that says that there is a total display of intolerance & insecurity within the Evangelical, I see a lot of it in your comments here. Particularly with respect to any hint of possible misuse of terms…such as gay.
That screams of the feeling of one who is insecure, feels persecuted, and is intolerant. While that might not be your situation, that is what rings true and clear to me as I read your reactionary comments throughout this blog.
So, calm down.
Fine, from now on I'll use the word "evangelical" to mean stupid, ignorant, and bigoted. After all, that's pretty much how a lot of people regard it, and you can't stop the English language from advancing.
Thus, the new movie "Norbit" is evangelical.
Silver Hallide wrote:
“Slang is slang. Regardless of who utters it, those terms have entered into the vernacular of American popular culture. It’s no different than “off the hook” or “jiggy” entering the mainstream of spoken word within society.”
Yes, this is probably true. But that doesn’t also mean that such use of words is right and proper. Consider “nigger.” For many decades this word was part of the vernacular to refer to African-Americans, and it undoubtedly had a pejorative meaning – and the intent behind it was nasty. Would you still defend its use, or have we grown in awareness enough to stop using it? I could cite several others – “kike,” “wop,” “dago,” “chink, “wetback,” even “faggot” – that civilized people avoid. We know the nastiness behind these words and condemn anyone using them. And it is easy to see the nastiness behind the use of the term “gay” as synonym for “lame.” To deny it and hide behind some theory of a changing English language is disingenuous and I refuse to accept it.
Maybe it’s time to abandon the word gay. I, myself, prefer the word “queer” as it is more in your face.
Consider “nigger.” For many decades this word was part of the vernacular to refer to African-Americans, and it undoubtedly had a pejorative meaning – and the intent behind it was nasty. Would you still defend its use, or have we grown in awareness enough to stop using it?
Louis, I suggest you talk to some African American friends from the hood. To them, it is perfectly acceptable for them to call each other “nigger” in conversation. Now, for a white racist from the KKK to use it, it is offensive to them.
The question of offensiveness comes into question based upon context. “Nigger” or “Gay” if used with a hateful tone or derogatory in context is offensive. No question about it. However, it is a question of context.
You and I have a fundamental disagreement on the terminology of “gay” I view it as a term with many synonyms, and more accurately is defined by the original Webster’s definition. It is all a matter of context. That is the nuance of any language on this planet and there is no hiding behind that.
In this particular context with Lawanda using for a synonym for lame, you sought out to find evil intent and took offense to it regardless of the context and went on the attack instead of giving someone the benefit of the doubt. That is the problem you and I have in this debate.
What nonsense! The word “nigger” is offensive no matter who uses it. It’s meaning is malicious and derogatory. The use of the word “gay” as a synonym for “lame” didn’t occur until just recently, and in the context of gay used as a non-pejorative term for homosexuals. In the beginning of the gay lib movement, homosexuals choose their own word instead of submitting to the malicious jibes of the straight majority – faggot, queer, queen, fairy, fruit, shirt-lifter, pufta, etc. Now, after years of that, we suddenly see the word being used as a pejorative – GEE! I wonder why? The use of “gay” to mean “lame” IS an indication of evil intent, whether conscious or not. It is yet another attempt by the hetero majority to put down queer people. In fact, it’s evangelical.
I repeat: I’ll point this kind of thing out whenever I am confronted with it. Tough.
Louis,
What nonsense! The word "nigger" is offensive no matter who uses it.
That is your perspective, but you obviously have no contact with the black community in your everyday life. If you did, you would moderate your statement because that is not the reality on the ground.
The use of "gay" to mean "lame" IS an indication of evil intent, whether conscious or not. It is yet another attempt by the hetero majority to put down queer people. In fact, it's evangelical.
You again are giving into your emotions and not logic and historical perspective. That is your right. You also presuppose that I am an Evangelical Christian and part of the hetero majority, which I am not.
I repeat: I'll point this kind of thing out whenever I am confronted with it. Tough.
Louis, that is your right, but it certainly does not make a person feel that they can engage in an open dialog with you much the way you feel with those that are Evangelical Christians around here.
I share a lot of common ground with people on both sides and I would hate to see things devolve into an environment where no one feels comfortable in exchanging ideas for fear of personal attacks (and that is what you did).
Be put on notice that if catch you going on the offensive when there was no malicious intent, I will go on the offensive and call you on it every time. That much I can promise you.
– Silver
I will admit to not being a great cinema fan, but I do like opera, and most of them were written well before 1974. But, I do remember seeing a film that I found particularly interesting called “The Ruling Class.” It stared Peter O’ Toole (I think.) I have not been able to find it on video, but I remember some really bizzare scenes and song and dance numbers. Anyone else know what I am talking about. I did like Pane e Tulepane, though.
I would add that many of my gay friends frequently use the word “bitch” which could be taken as an offensive word to a woman such as myself, but in the context it is not understood as being pejoritive. I know they harbor no misogyny. It’s meaning has been tempered by context, and general overuse.
“I share a lot of common ground with people on both sides and I would hate to see things devolve into an environment where no one feels comfortable in exchanging ideas for fear of personal attacks (and that is what you did).”
The environment has already deteriorated. And that is because of the conservative christian movement. I am quite willing to live and let live; I even wish to live amicably with them. However, their continuous pogrom against gay rights makes this impossible. I will NOT just lay back and allow this to happen. If christians don’t want this reaction they should stop their actions against gay people. I have been personally attacked by your buddy, seeker, and have read similar homophobic comments from Lawanda. You are being totally one-sided; in fact, I don’t trust anything you say.
“The Ruling Class” is out on dvd in the Criterion Edition.
I have been personally attacked by your buddy, seeker, and have read similar homophobic comments from Lawanda.
My reaction against you is pureley based upon you being hypersensitive and over-reactionary towards people that use a term that was not intended to offend anyone. You are hell bent on finding and destroying Evil even when no malicious intent was there in the first place. You have a major chip on your shoulder my friend.
Oh, I see, its the guilt by association defense. Since I am a friend with Seeker, I am the anti-christ to gays. I just love that silly defense. Particularly since Seeker would call me an unapologetic New Deal Democrat with ultra liberal sentiments. How ironic.
I have been personally attacked by your buddy, seeker,(sic)
You are being totally one-sided; in fact, I don’t trust anything you say.
You are being totally one-sided
Am I being totally one-sided against you performing a personal attack against someone that did not intend to offend anyone? Am I being one-sided in saying that you do not own a monopoly on the English language?
Yes I am. You stepped way out of line. I would do the same thing to Seeker or anyone else on this blog for that matter if I felt they crossed the line.
in fact, I don’t trust anything you say.
Louis, I really don’t care if you believe anything I say. You are so filled with hate and unwilligness to see things from others perspectives that your view is tainted.
It is hard to reason with someone that is obviously so filled with hate and intolerance that they wouldn’t recognize common ground if it bit them in the rear end.
That is you in a nutshell. I am sorry to say that, but you have just demonstrated this to me once again.
So go ahead and rail against the injustices you see, distrust everyone that does not see things exactly the way you do. You are playing the role of an Evangelical as you have defined them in all your posts.
At the end of the day you will only find company in your feeling of disgust with others, the zeal of engaging in personal attacks, and relying on labeling people because it is the easy path for you.
Fascinating! You've completely skipped everything I had to say about the word 'gay,' its history and current usage – ignored it, in fact. Instead, you've jumped to this weird diatribe about me, personally. Obviously, you lost the argument and had to resort to personal attack to cover up your inadequacy.
Since I'm the devil incarnate, I see no reason to continue. You're more like seeker than you think.
This is strange, but I was just thinking about the history of the word "gay" this week. I have a Tom and Jerry book that I read to my sons at night sometimes. One of the lines reads, "The party started again gayer than ever."
Along those lines Louis, Silver has a point. When that book was written the sentence meant that the party was even better and happier than before. Now, it carries a completely different meaning, so much so that I have changed the wording on the fly to say "better than ever" simply because "gay" doesn't mean the same thing it did before.
Should we wage a campaign to bring back the original meaning of gay, pre-homosexual meaning? Words change meaning and usage constantly. Virtually every word or phrase takes a turn through slang as something else. The PC word police is overblown, especially when you have perfectly acceptable words (like "niggardly") that are deemed unusable because they sound like they might offend someone.
Honestly Louis, It wouldn't bother me if you used "evangelical" or "Christian" as slang for "lame" (which is a word that has changed meanings itself) or something you dislike. You essentially do that already. Anything that is Christian or evangelical is viewed at as an enemy to you, for which you have your reasons, but regardless you have already changed the meaning of the term in your mind – uttering outside of there doesn't make it any better or worse.
Louis,
I had to say about the word 'gay,' its history and current usage – ignored it, in fact
No, I didn't. I took it into account and felt that I adequately covered it in my previous comments. Obviously, that was not enough for you and nothing ever would be enough for you. Thus, we are at an impasse. So be it.
Obviously, you lost the argument and had to resort to personal attack to cover up your inadequacy.
This is not a win or lose argument. Nor, did I in anyway attack your personal views on the subject of "gay." Rather, I took the high-road and disagreed with your interpretation, cited examples, and came to the defense of someone that you attacked with no real justification because there was no malice intended against you.
So, just where are your real-world examples proving me wrong? Nowhere, because you did not cite them by illustrating personal experience, research studies, etc.
That is where a reasoned discussion and argument comes in. I based my reasoning on historical and personal experience. You did not do that based upon what you wrote.
How narrow minded of you to think of it of a win/lose proposition! This is not a war. You are just one voice out of 365+ million people in this country and one out of 7 people that actively comments here. Your voice does count, but not at the exclusion of others.
This is a blog where people of differing perspectives discuss issues. You treat it like it is a personal war. I do not. That is the difference between you and me.
You're more like seeker than you think.
Nice play of assigning a backhanded label to me. How, intelligent of you. Louis, you just lumped me into a group through guilt by association. The very action you accuse others of doing around here.
Since I'm the devil incarnate
You are reflecting upon your own feelings of inadequacy, displaying the actions of someone that feels hurt, and self-assigning labels here.
I see no reason to continue.
Whatever.