Jul 18, 2008

counterprogramming

Now needs a new dictionary definition, because why waste time with this:
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
coun·ter·pro·gram [koun-ter-proh-gram, ‑gruhm]
Pronunciation
verb, -gramed or -grammed, -gram·ing or -gram·ming.
–verb (used with object)
1.to schedule (a broadcast on radio or television) to compete with one on another station.
–verb (used without object)
2.to engage in such scheduling of broadcasts.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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When one could simply show this?:
[Shamelessly ganked from Salon's uncanny Meryl v. Joker side-by-side; via Universal Studios/Peter Mountain; Warner Bros. Pictures]

I don't want to rain on the nonstop buzz of The Dark Knight hype machine, but while everyone is OMGHeathIsTehBestActorEvah!, can Miss Amanda Seyfried get some love? From her ingenious comic timing in Mean Girls (justly and acutely analyzed here in Salon), to brilliantly inhabiting the Laura Palmer-shaped negative space on S1 of Veronica Mars and now her totally Emmy-snubbed work this season of Big Love. K. and I marathoned it on DVD and I was more and more impressed by her in each episode. Some of the best work of portraying the unbearable lightness of being a teenage girl since Buffy, maybe ever. Coltish yet confused, ripe yet weary. SNUBBED, I tell ya!

Amanda is working it like no other in the new t(w)eendom VF spread, though. Almost outshining Blake Lively and if you've read my GG posts, you know my crush on Blake (well, B as S, really). Kristen Stewart (whoever the frack she is) looks like Alexis Bleidel gone horribly awry.

No doubt, I'll rant more about the Emmys later but congrats to Amy Poehler! Remember, she's being nominated (and hopefully winning) for two now.

Ohh, shit. I think I might already need to take out a restraining order on Salon's behalf against TDK's fanboys. Back off my gal Stephanie Zacharek, okay? I don't always agree with her and her reviews sometimes have some left-fieldy remarks, but she's one of the most interesting, *engaged* and thoughtful critics around, and those are becoming few and far between. She LOVES film and adores actors (scroll down) in a way few seldom do - and has the internet so eroded what film criticism means that it's now okay to criticize (by which I mean "rip to shreds with personal attacks") someone because she *dared* to criticize a movie you haven't even seen yet?

You know, as someone who went to film school and has been known to get deconstructiony from time to time and yet tries for a popcult irreverent blog, I - like many others, such as poor Glenn Kenny - are trying to figure what is and should be happening in the world of film criticism. But we deserve better than fanboy hive mind bullshit and anon flame attacks.

However, feel free to flame away anonymously in the comments because at least I'll know someone is reading.

1 comment:

StickyKeys said...

Hunter! It's been years!

I also love Amanda Seyfried and I've loved her in Mean Girls and Big Love. She's totes underated but dude, it's Heath's turn! And Batman was the ish! ;)