1hol·i·day
noun \ˈhä-lə-ˌdā, British usually ˈhä-lə-dē\
: a special day of celebration : a day when most people do not have to work
So their story checks out. Today is indeed a special day of celebration, albeit on that I can never truly comprehend the importance of in my current skin suit, but I've got nothing but respect for Martin Luther King, Jr. However, it is the secondary definition component that truly saddens me. "A day when most people do not have to work." Kick me when I'm down Webster's. Meanwhile, the lovely Punk Rock Girl has another day to relax at home. Not because she feels the plight of the African-American more deeply than I, but because she chose teaching as a profession. Or was called to teaching by a higher power, however that works. Is there a note of jealousy in my words? Perhaps. But does this story not have the potential for a happy ending? Certainly. I hope to soon spend my MLK Jr. Days sleeping in as well, cuddling fiercely with a teaching credential of my very own.
In the meantime, I will sit here quietly in my cynicism. Selma certainly received a lot of attention this last week for it's snub in the Oscar nominations. "Snub" of course meaning the traditional "received a Best Picture nomination." How coarse! Other notable snubs, if you are to believe the Internet, include Jennifer Aniston for something called Cake. Unless that movie is about the band, I have zero interest. (Spoiler alert: I watched the trailer, it isn't about the band. Double spoiler: Honestly, I wouldn't really care to see the movie if it really was about the band.) Getting back to Selma, I was unaware until this weekend that Oprah Winfrey is in this movie, making the failure to nominate it for...I honestly don't know what it was supposed to be nominated for, Best Actor, I think...so much worse. I know it seems popular to pile on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for being a bunch of old, white, racist so-and-sos, but anyone who's seen an awards ceremony should certainly be able to recognize that this is a liberal-guilt-ridden body of people with a George Clooney shaped mouthpiece. One short year ago, 12 Years a Slave marched easily to Best Picture win, represented ably by everyone's favorite African-American, Brad Pitt. So I have two thoughts on the subject: 1) Maybe Selma isn't the greatest thing Hollywood has to offer this year and 2) maybe our society shouldn't look to a bunch of filmmakers to advance crucial social agendas.
Selma has been hit particularly hard by some critics for taking liberties with the MLK Jr. story. Fair enough, I guess. Although what story isn't actually brought to the screen with 100% accuracy? This seems like a good time to turn to American Sniper, directed by American "Hero" Clint Eastwood. While I fully admit that Wikipedia can be dubious in it's portrayal of facts, a simple perusal of Eastwood's bio will show that he is a disgusting man-whore that views abortion as a primary method of birth control rather than a last resort. American Sniper brought in more than $100 million this MLK weekend, basically shattering every box office record for the normally tepid month of January. While I have yet to see the movie, true patriots are responding quite favorable and vocally to the cold-blooded patriot it portrays. Effectively, this film fills the same slot taken by Mark Wahlberg and Lone Survivor. American soldiers are great, it's a brotherhood, yada yada yada. Meanwhile, let's ignore the politics and greed that put our soldiers into these situations in the first place. Let's not get into that aspect though, my opinions on the subject might not be that popular. Regardless, the hero of American Sniper, now deceased, was sued and forced to correct a number of aspects of his story, most notably after claiming he had punched Jesse Ventura in the face. I'm sure that sounded like a good idea when he wrote it. So here we have a story proven to be exaggerations of truths at best and outright lies at worst in a "true" story from a man deified for being a prolific killer. Yet those truths were actively known and glossed over and given a seat at the Best Picture table next to Selma. Which one of the these is a worse offense? The myth of the civil rights leader or the conservative sociopath martyr? American Sniper seems to me to focus on a man who was a hero in his own mind. Holding him up as an example for our emerging generations will only serve to make America a more pompous, unbearable country than it already is to the rest of world. So I guess that's all I have to say about that.
Getting back to the main gist of my thought process, which is probably heretofore completely concealed, I saw Interstellar this weekend. Better late than never. Although never would have also been an acceptable timeframe in which to consume this film. I don't want to get into the film's content too much. I'd hate to invite Christopher Nolan seek me out and tell me that I'm wrong about his film, as he seems to have done with his other critics. I'll sum up by saying that he's a talented filmmaker, but this isn't his best work. (The Dark Knight still is, with an honorable mention to Inception.) What I need to talk about is the so-called McConnaissance. Ugh. Are we really committed to that word? Or more importantly, is there such a thing? I submit there is not. He has definitely taken a victory lap over the past year borne upon wings of Dallas Buyers' Club and True Detective. But where did this trend begin? The Lincoln Lawyer? I think that's generous. Let's review this via IMDB.com: After a layoff in 2010, McConaughey came back in 2011 with Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe, Bernie, The Paperboy, Magic Mike, Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street, True Detective, Dallas Buyers Club and Insterstellar. Ready? 'Cause here we go. Have you heard of Paperboy? It's probably not an adaptation of the video game. Throw it out. Lincoln Lawyer? Second rate Grisham wannabe. Gone. Killer Joe, Bernie and Magic Mike? Decent padding, not great. Wolf of Wall Street? Maybe five minutes of screen time. Nope. What's left? Mud? Didn't watch it, I'll let him have it. Mud, Dallas Buyers Club, True Detective. That's three good movies in a row. Is that really a period of optimal creative output? Or is that just a lucky streak? Now where do we put Interstellar? All due respect, a minor work by a major auteur. Was McConaughey's acting really that good in it? Or did he just show up and "Alright, alright, alright" his way through it? What if I told you that he is only five years removed from Ghost of Girlfriends Past?
To come full circle, what is more American than the McConaissance? America loves a good story wrapped up tight with a bow so they don't actually have think about it. Of course nothing is ever that black and white. Borderline movies that occurred post-2010 suddenly support the McConaissance narrative, while the same movies in 2005-2009 would fall to the side unheeded. McConaughey's bizarre philosophies are suddenly the inspiration for articles rather than the crazy ramblings of a naked bongo player. In my eyes, McConaughey is still the same cocky Texan, strutting his way through movies and TV with the personality of rooster. What was once pathetic and washed up is now the makings of an American hero. Much like the subject of American Sniper. Do we really need our heroes spoon-fed. Can't we tangle with the rough edges and enjoy the humanity of the subjects we follow? Aren't heroes more powerful because of the faults they overcome than their smooth ascendance to the throne? Apparently not. So let's continue to pick and choose the facts that tell our stories rather than deciding for ourselves. The McConaissance is a lie.
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