Response to Wilde's "The Critic as Artist"

Oscar Wilde's positions on how the critic functions in art seem to fly in the face of what one would conventionally think; on closer inspection and explanation, however, they're perfectly logical.

Among the most controversial is his statement that "[i]t is very much more difficult to talk about a thing than to do it." In other words, it's harder to critique an action or subject than it was to complete that action or create that subject. Another contestable claim is his position that "the highest Criticism [...] is, in its way, more creative than creation," that analysis of, say, a statue, is more creative than the fashioning of the statue itself. 

Wilde also makes claims that criticism is necessary to foster truly good works of art; without criticism there can be no art, though it can exist without art. In addition, he states that criticism is higher than art because it lends the art form interpretations that the artist may not have intended. 

In using a dialogue between two characters, the structure of this essay is unique. It also allows Wilde to make his points in an easily accessible way: Gilbert is clearly more intellectual than Ernest, and as such is trying to make his argument such that Ernest can understand it. So, we are put in the shoes of Ernest, and made to see everything the way Wilde, through the voice of Gilbert, wants us to. The subject's also more entertaining as presented, and reminiscent of the works of the ancient Greek philosophers. 

I do agree with Wilde's position in this case, though perhaps not to the extreme extent in which he's written it. Criticism does foster the arts, by encouraging what is good to continue and discouraging what is bad. It also spurs artists on to attempt new forms of creation, in its best form. And it is true that the interpretations critics can lend to works of art lift the greatest criticisms above the works themselves, as they require a degree of creativity sometimes higher than the artist exhibited in their creation. 

Having done a minimal amount of reviewing myself, I also agree that it's really difficult to do a good critique of anything. Actions are often committed in the heat of the moment, inspired by passion or other emotions, and thus in many cases would seem easier than the process of writing. So I'm with Wilde in that it's harder to write than to do. The one area where I'd contest him a little is his supreme emphasis on criticism as more creative than creation. Criticism is highly valuable and creative, but to the extent he glorifies it, I'm not in agreement with him. 

Advice From "Elements Of Style"

I'd like to incorporate Strunk and White's advice about omitting needless words into my writing. More than I'd like to admit, I'll use unnecessary words only for the purpose of reaching the necessary word count, or the required amount of pages. Reducing my verbosity, therefore, entails more than just cutting down on superfluous content in my writing; this means I'll have to get to work on projects earlier, so I'll have time to put in more content and less fluff. This gives me the ability to edit out the words I then won't need.

The section on "Misused Words and Expressions" can help me as well. Since it acts basically as a condensed version of the AP Stylebook (minus a great deal of the technical aspects, and obviously not so in-depth), this section makes for great reference material on those niggling details that a writer often forgets. Additionally, the advice given often provides ways to cut back on unnecessary words, another tool that I can use to reach my goal of writing more vitally. 

"Taxi to the Dark Side" Shocks and Enlightens

Alex Gibney's 2007 documentary film "Taxi to the Dark Side" provides a darkly illuminating glimpse into the heart of the most notorious U.S. controlled prisons in this new century.

The film, which Gibney directed, wrote, narrated, and produced, won the 2008 Oscar for Best Documentary. At its core is the story of an Afghani taxi driver known as Dilawar, who in 2002 was killed as the result of torture he suffered at the hands of American soldiers in Afghanistan's Bagram Air Base. 

Through Dilawar's story, "Taxi to the Dark Side" explores the torture used on suspected terrorists in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay detention center, as well as taking a close look at what happened in Bagram itself. Utilizing a combination of archived footage of past interviews, dramatizations of the film's events, and interviews with U.S. soldiers who worked in the prisons as well as with a former Bagram detainee, the film works to provide a convincing and heartstopping portrayal of the atrocities that were committed under U.S. orders. 

The film asks the hard questions: "Why is torture being utilized, despite the restricting guidelines of the Geneva Conventions?," "Who is responsible for the orders to torture?," and, more subtly, but very importantly, "How can these soldiers, seemingly normal people, be responsible for such cruelty?" And it answers them all, providing solid evidence throughout.

One such scene that highlights this concrete evidence is a snippet from an archived interview the late Tim Russert conducted with former vice president Dick Cheney, which also provides part of the film's title. Conducted only days after the September 11th attacks, the clip sends chills down the spine in capturing Cheney declaring "we also have to work the dark side, if you will. We've got to spend time in the shadows in the intelligence world." 

This leads one to question just how far the U.S. should go in order to protect itself from would-be terrorists, and thoughts about how long one can be immersed in these dehumanizing procedures before being corrupted by them. Indeed, several former guards and interrogators speak of how some were driven to "go beyond the pale," in interrogations, and how while in the prison system "you lose your moral bearings" and are "morally isolated" from society. 

All that matters while in these detention centers is getting information out of the detainees in the easiest way possible. In this, the film is similar to Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 "Apocalypse Now," which provides a perfect example of the ideal soldier, Walter Kurtz, and his slow descent into madness after considerable exposure to the horrors of war and the utter primality of human nature. These soldiers have experienced a lighter version of the degradations committed in Cambodia, and the photographs of prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib bear a grotesque similarity to Kurtz's compound in the jungle. 

The lighting and soundtrack of "Taxi" work similarly to that of Coppola's film, though not to nearly as dramatic an effect. Both accentuate the serious and somber mood that pervades the film due to the shocking nature of the footage and interview accounts, especially in several reenactments of torture and prisoner abuse. To be an informed citizen in today's world, anddue to its excellent quality,"Taxi to the Dark Side" is a must-see. 

"Flight Of The Conchords" Second Season Review

Link to the original article here. 

This piece is a short but interesting look at the recently premiered second season of HBO's "Flight of the Conchords." It starts out by acclimating the reader to what the review's going to be about, giving even a non-viewer a good impression of what the show's like. An introduction to the main characters of the show is also in order.

We are also given what comes closest to reviewer Mike Hale's "but" in the piece: "Season 2 begins on Sunday [...], and the off-kilter charm is still there, though some strain is beginning to show." This is followed up throughout the article, particularly in mentioning how more jokes than previously seem to "fall flat." This is continued at the end of the review, where Hale mentions how only very small, hip populations of the U.S. will actually be interested in the second season of this show, implying that the show won't have very much impact. 

Overall, this short review gives a good synopsis of what the show was like during its first season and how it will likely turn out in its new season. However, I would have added that Jemaine Clement, one of the main characters, has been quoted as saying that this is the last season of "Conchords," an important fact for anyone interested in the show. 

Problems With "Gran Torino" Review

My review of Gran Torino was, to put it lightly, sub-par. 

Chief among its flaws is the misspelling of one of the character's names. In the review I handed in, the character Sue's name was incorrectly written as Su (I fixed it in the blog review). As I learned in last quarter's journalism class, this alone is enough to condemn the review's grade to an F. 

However, there are is another major flaw with the analysis. It dedicates the majority of three paragraphs (more than half of the entire article) to what basically amounts to plot summary. This is unacceptable; after all, it's intended to be a review, not a synopsis. 

One thing done correctly in this piece was a clear statement of opinion. The "but" is, "Nothing else in the film stands out quite so well, and overall, it is thoroughly mediocre compared with other more recent Eastwood movies, such as his 'Unforgiven.' See it, if at all, only for Eastwood's masterful performance." However, there's not much defense behind this statement, yet another problem. I'd give myself an F for the misspelling of Sue's name and the review's other problems. 

"Live From Baghdad" Worth A Second Look

KALAMAZOO, Mich.--In light of the conflict in Iraq and Barack Obama's upcoming election, taking another look at the eents leading up to the 1991 Gulf War through the lens of Mick Jackson's 2002 "Live From Baghdad" is certainly worthwhile.

The film is a dramatization of the events that a CNN news team went through while reporting in Baghdad from August 1990 until the war started in January 1991. Starring Michael Keaton as the main character, CNN producer RObert Wiener, it's based on the book written by Robert Wiener himself, also entitled "Live From Baghdad."

Released as a made-for-TV HBO movie, the film nonetheless exceeds the expectations set for this type of movie. It's a surprisingly star-studded cast for such a film. Helena Bonham Carter as Ingrid Formanek, another CNN producer, has genuine onscreen chemistry with Wiener and was awarded an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for her performance. 

Keaton also puts in a strong performance as a strong-willed reporter who will do almost anything for a good story. The supporting cast performs excellently as well, giving a realistic presentation of the stresses and humorous banter one experiences as part of an active news team. This is especially true in scenes such as the crew's arrival at their Baghdad hotel, the interview of an American hostage being held in Iraw, and the crew's hurried escape from Kuwait. 

Bruce McGill as Peter Arnett and Robert Wisdom as Bernard Shaw, veteran reporters both, stand out particularly in this respect. Both men contribute significantly to the realism of the reporters and even manage to provide humor in difficult situations. Hamish Linklater as Richard "Don't call me Dick" Roth, provides more of this, notably in a scene with Wiener illustrating the meaning of said quote. 

While the characters in "Live From Baghdad" offered portrayals of a news team under fire, the cinematography in the film was just as good. Shadowy lighting lent a tense and sometimes gloomy mood in dramatic scenes, and even the score, not especially noteworthy in the film, contributed to this. A few pop songs, such as The Dexy Midnight Runners' "Come On Eileen," and Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" are also thrown in for good measure.

Actual footage from the time period, including part of an interview with Saddam Hussein, added a realistic touch, But of particular note is the film's final scene. The Gulf War has had its inevitable start, and the CNN news crew has had no choice at this point but to stay behind and report the news. McGill, Wisdom, and John Carroll Lynch's John Holliman remain in the crew's hotel room to report the bombardment live to American audiences.

As they describe what's going on to those back home over a four-wire, the beauty and yet awful terror of the bombs being dropped and the anti-aircraft being fired back is truly striking. They're like a morbid variety of fireworks, and one is somewhat reminded of how Francis Scott Key must have felt while composing "The Star Spangled Banner." For this scene and the stellar performances by the cast, and in view of the current situation in Iraq, "Live From Baghdad" is indeed worth a second look. 

"Elsewhere U.S.A" Review Defense

Find a link to the article here. 

Janet Maslin's review of Dalton Conley's 2008 book, "Elsewhere U.S.A.", offers a well structured and highly contextualized analysis of the major problems the work contains. 

The critic begins her review with the largest problem she identified in the text: the fact that "Mr Conlan shows himself to be a much more acute observer than analyst." In other words, the book doesn't live up to the expectations it should have met. It was supposed to analyze the problems of disconnect in the U.S. but instead ends up merely observing them. This is Maslin's "but." 

Maslin also provides the names of some works that the book aspires to be like but is not. These two things provide an effective beginning in giving the reader a taste of what the book is like comparatively, and also showing her opinion of the book. 

Structure is well utilized in this review, and focuses on the book's major problems, descending to its lesser ones. Maslin highlights the few redeeming points toward the end, and weaves in quotes as well as contextual examples to keep the review from becoming tedious. Voice is not a significant contributer to the review, but her voice is not incendiary in a way that would possibly agitate readers against the review. Instead, the piece calmly, logically, dissects the flaws of the Conley's book in an extremely professional way that is insightful and readable. 

Eastwood's "Gran Torino" Typical, But For Eastwood Himself

KALAMAZOO, Mich.--It's been said that Clint Eastwood portrays much the same character in many of the films he has appeared in over his many years as an actor. For much of his career, this has been true. As "Dirty Harry" in the five films of the 70s and 80s featuring that character, "The Man With No Name" in Sergio Leone's trilogy of 1960s spaghetti westerns, and other westerns such as "Hang 'Em High" (1968), Eastwood has shown himself to be the iconic tough guy who lets his gun do most of the talking. In his 2008 film, "Gran Torino," he opts to show a different side. 

The film, which Eastwood directed, produced, and starred in, is the story of Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) a recently bereaved veteran of the Korean War, and his interactions with the world around him. Kowalski's world - his neighborhood - has in recent years shifted from a white demographic to a neighborhood filled with Hmong immigrants. While the world around him has undergone significant alterations, Walt himself has not. "Gran Torino" thus becomes an attempt to show Walt's changes in his changing world. 

From the beginning of the film, Kowalski's resistance to change is made apparent. In the opening scene at his wife's funeral, he's so stiff and rigid he could almost be the one in rigor mortis. He is shown to be the typical grumpy old man, who disapproves of his granddaughter's appearance and attitude at the funeral, his sons, and how his entire world is shifting under his feet, through the influence of the Hmong immigrants. There's even a scene where he yells at a group of young people to get off his lawn. He expresses his disdain through a great deal of swearing and racist comments. It seems Walt disapproves of nearly everything. 

This does begin to change, about halfway through the movie. A young immigrant, Thao Lor (Bee Vang), under pressure to join a Hmong gang, attempts to steal Kowalski's prized Gran Torino. Kowalski thus begins his relationship with Thao and later, his sister, Sue (Ahney Her). His overriding sense of justice leads him to help the two, including scenes where Walt rescues Sue from harassment and Thao from being abducted by the gang. These two lead him into change, and eventual hero status in the neighborhood. 

It may seem that a lot's been said about Eastwood's role in this film - and with good reason. Eastwood's acting is what makes the movie worth watching. His gravelly voice and veteran acting skills make his performance excellent. While Christopher Carley puts in a decent performance as the priest who's attempting to redeem Kowalski, the film suffers from poor acting on the part of the two actors who portray Thao and Sue. Nothing else in the film stands out at all, and overall, it is throughly mediocre compared with other more recent Eastwood movies, such as his "Unforgiven." See it, if at all, only for Eastwood's masterful performance. 

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