So, I took a couple weeks off from the “What I Watched” column and a few of you were asking for it to return and I’m trying to figure out what to do with this space. My number one idea is to turn it into something of a Sunday conversation piece and perhaps delve into something that isn’t entirely movie related or something we wouldn’t necessarily ever discuss otherwise. Then again, I don’t entirely know what that would be.
Discussing politics could be a bit weird, though I thought some of the points and counterpoints brought up in my post related to the Aurora shooting were interesting and worth discussing and I thought most of you did it quite well, without becoming too confrontational with those that disagreed with you. Of course, that kind of conversation can always get a bit heated.
I thought the Aurora shooting, while devastatingly sad and tragic, brought up plenty of things to discuss from gun control to wondering just what exactly children under the age of one year old were doing in a movie theater that late at night. I also wonder what kind of effect this shooting will have on midnight screenings going forward. I’d also like to see the conversation in the media turn more toward a proactive approach to the problem rather than one involving fear. So much of what I saw being discussed involved beefing security, but while I am all for someone’s right to bear arms I can’t help but wonder what reason there possibly could be for a civilian to own an assault rifle.
Moving away from that subject, I finally started reading what is generally considered required reading for movie buffs, Peter Biskind’s [amazon asin=”0684857081″ text=”Easy Riders, Raging Bulls”] and have finished the first two chapters and can tell you it is well worth the purchase. The first two chapters largely deal with the making of Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider as well as the formation of BBS. I’ve already highlighted several pieces of the text I’ll surely be using in future pieces and think you should all give it a peek if you haven’t done so already.
Other than that, I watched Criterion’s Blu-ray edition of Jim Jarmusch’s Down by Law, which I’ll be reviewing this week and will hopefully get to their Blu-ray editions of Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan and The Last Days of Disco as well. I also have my interview with William Friedkin coming up so be on the lookout for that.
Now it’s your turn, what did you watch this week? What did you read? Is there anything else you’d like to discuss and where would you like to see this Sunday article go in the future? What would you like it to be called? I’m all ears.
SIDE NOTE: I posted a new sneak peek at the upcoming redesign that’s on the way on the RopeofSilicon Facebook page. If you didn’t see it, click here to give it a look and while you’re there be sure to “like” the site on Facebook if you haven’t done so already.
