Comments for The Space Between the Arts

Comment on A Portrait from a Cage: Lolita Review by goldnsilver

goldnsilver — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 01:14:46 +0000

Great review, I enjoyed reading your opinions on this novel.

I also read and did a review of Lolita. It is one of those books that, for me, has grown in fascination since finishing it. I think that when I read it again, it will be even better than the first time.

Comment on Out-Dickensing Dickens: Slumdog Millionaire Review by Tom McRae

Tom McRae — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:27:13 +0000

this is one of the most amazing movies ive ever watched it funny inspiring a definte work of art its truly and amazing love story

Comment on Wonder, Heroes, and Trash: WALL-E Review by Andy

Andy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:07:42 +0000

i realize i’m ridiculously late in commenting on this, but since i just rediscovered you i’ll chime in. of all of the pixar movies (with which i am intimately familiar both pre and mid having a 2-year-old) i found wall-e easily the weakest of their offerings. while seeing it in blu-ray was visually stunning with the animations drifting over the line into highly-realistic, the story line was weak, characters unmemorable, and (at times) preachy.

if you go back throughout the pixar catalog you’ll find that there are three main areas that stand out:

1. amazing characters that stay with you forever
2. ingenious stories that are fun, lighthearted and unique
3. beautiful animation

wall-e went 1 for 3 in my book.

the beginning was slow; painfully so at times. the introduction of live-action video amidst gorgeous animation was awkward and an uncharacteristic stray from pixar’s standards. it didn’t make sense. why would fred willard be shot in standard video while the rest of the humans are animated? too much of a disconnect there.

the story really wasn’t brilliant, or even extra-special. monsters, inc had quite possibly the most clever story line of all the pixar films. wall-e…eh, so-so. while it’s nice to appreciate the earth and to want to care for it, having that concept jammed down your throat to make you feel bad for the duration of a feature-length film is too much for the audience. pixar needed to stick to their guns – entertainment not political/enviro statements.

that being said: i didn’t hate it, but i didn’t love it.

Comment on Out-Dickensing Dickens: Slumdog Millionaire Review by John

John — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:19:23 +0000

What a excellent movie this is. When it first came out and I heard of it, I was leaning on the side of not watching it. Its is a good thing i did watch it because it turned out to be a great movie. I can watch this over and over again. Great post by the way.

Comment on Screwball Nihilism: Burn After Reading Review by Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:58:36 +0000

I didn't see a connection between Last of the Mohicans and Burn After Reading. Why do you think there is a connection? Is it the use of the tomahawk or something more?

Comment on Screwball Nihilism: Burn After Reading Review by AB

AB — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:21:45 +0000

Please let me pick on your brains:

did anyone see a throwback to the “The Last of the Mohicans” (any of them) in the Cohen Bros. final scene of “Burn After Reading”; which has John Malkovich finishing-off his nemesis with what could be taken for a Tomahawk?

Alfredo

Comment on The Western: Landscape and Chaos by AB

AB — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:18:33 +0000

Please let me pick on your brains:

Alfredo

Comment on The Joker, the Problem of Evil, and Unanswered Questions by a helmet

a helmet — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:35:50 +0000

Yes, there is no disquisition on the problem of evil in the scripture. Rather any human attempt to gain knowledge about evil is actually a repetition of what could be called “Adam’s method”: eating from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. Man wants to know the truth about good and evil, so he takes of the fruit to receive knowledge. Yet all supposed answers only pose new questions and shift the problme only farther ahead. Eating from the tree of knowledge only causes more darkness, that is, more confusion and less knowledge of truth. “Why is there evil?” man asks. -Bite of the fruit of the tree of knowledge! “If evil is just an illusion, isn’t this illusion itself evil?” -Bite! “If the tree of knowledge was a danger, why did God plant it?” – Bite! “The serpent tempted man, where did it come from?” – Bite! “And why did man have the ability to disobey anyway?” – Bite! “Why did God not guard the forbidden tree? Doesn’t this make God responsible for the Fall of man? – Bite! “So why did God allow evil anyway?” – Bite!

And so on and so forth.

Any man-made attempt to resolve the “problem of evil” is a bite of the tree of knowledge thereof. And it only increases the darkness, the lack of knowledge. It causes evil. Evil is highly self-respective. The attempts to rationalize it give rise to evil. Evil seems to be its own cause. It is irrational and unaccountable. Evil’s own unaccountability is its chief problem. For could it be explained, it could thereby be excused. And that must not be.

Comment on Wonder, Heroes, and Trash: WALL-E Review by Sathish

Sathish — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:43:41 +0000

I haven’t watched this movie yet. Not really into these kids movies. It’s probably rated so high because all the kids go watch it with their parents.

Comment on The Joker, the Problem of Evil, and Unanswered Questions by Skye Jethani

Skye Jethani — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:29:58 +0000

Tyler,

Thanks for posting my article. I’m glad you found it helpful, even if I don’t answer any of the deeper questions that we all have about the origins of evil. I still believe the church and Christians would find great freedom if we had more courage to say, “I don’t know” more often. It might make the things to say we do know more credible.

Blessings,