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Monday Night Open Thread: "This is It"

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 07:28:45 PM EST
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"This is It", chronicling Michael Jackson from April to June, 2009 as he rehearsed for his upcoming London concerts, opens Wednesday in theatres for a two week run. Elizabeth Taylor, who has seen it, says it is "the single most brilliant piece of filmmaking" she has ever seen. More clips below:

This is an open thread, all topics welcome (entertainment related or not.)

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    Monday Night Open Thread: "This is It" | 16 comments (16 topical)

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    Most brilliant ever? (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Peter G on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 08:26:30 PM EST
    More brilliant than Cleopatra?  Than National Velvet?  

    More brilliant than Suddenly, Last Summer? (none / 0) (#5)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 11:11:16 PM EST
    imbd

    Parent
    Work to be done (none / 0) (#1)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 07:40:49 PM EST
    "With a foreclosure filing occurring every 13 seconds, the United States is mired in a housing slump that is destroying billions of dollars in property values and threatening to choke off the economy's recovery from a stubborn recession".

    I don't see how we can get out of this economic sink hole until Congress addresses the housing crisis. Banks have failed miserably in their efforts to work with mortgagees. In many cases, they've actually increased the owners debts rather than helped them.

    Trusting banks to take positive action is as bad as trusting the insurance industry on health care.

    "nowhere else to go" (none / 0) (#8)
    by Fabian on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 04:12:57 AM EST
    I think the banks are waiting to see if they can get more taxpayer dollars to deal with their problems, instead of dealing with it themselves.

    I sympathize a bit.  Foreclosures are a huge problem and one that no bank/institution is set up to deal with on this scale.  Plus, no one wants to be the one holding the bag.  Bags?  With securitized instruments, how many bags are there?

    I think that the federal government needs to put away the carrots and whip out a big stick and tell the banks that they need to resolve the foreclosures on their own.  If they have to post large losses on the books because they sell foreclosed homes for half, fine.  Do it.  The market likes predictability, certainty.  Bad assets with uncertain value on the books hurts the market.  Taking losses to get rid of those assets will actually help the market.  (Both markets - housing and stock.)

    Parent

    The human element (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by mmc9431 on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 05:04:15 AM EST
    Between the actual cost of foreclosing on a property and then the distressed sale, it would seem that it would be in the banks interest to work with the current owner and reduce the interest rate on the loan. In many cased the difference between a 8% loan and a 4% or 5% loan would make the difference. This could even be a five year balloon. It would at least allow the current owner a little breathing room until the job market and the economy straightens out.

    In many cases it's the additional penalties and legal fees that have pushed the owner over the edge. These are all within the banks discretion to deal with.

    I'm not advocating reducing the loan balance. I would rather see it determined by the owners ability to pay (not based on the current market value). If the housing market stabilizes the values will also.

    Just a note:

    In the time it took me to type this response, fifteen additional foreclosures were filed. This continues to rip the economy to shreds. There's no chance of any recovery as long as the continues.

    Parent

    Where the Wild Things Are (none / 0) (#3)
    by samtaylor2 on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 10:07:27 PM EST
    I went to go see "Where the Wild Things Are".  I have haven't been so angry leaving the theater in a long time.  They push this movie like its a family movie, but not at all.  And the message(s)- you aren't responsible for your own happiness, you are rewarded for throwing fits.  It was just terrible.

    Interesting critique! (none / 0) (#7)
    by shoephone on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 01:25:32 AM EST
    I will take this into consideration, because I was planning on seeing the movie Monday afternoon and got tied up w/ other things. I probably will still go -- I'm very curious about it. Every review I've read has been positive, but I do usually take them with a grain of salt.

    Have you seen "A Serious Man"? I want to discuss that one with somebody. Saw it last week. Some things I enjoyed and related to, other things were simply too over-the-top ridiculous (which I find is the problem w/ a lot of Coen Bros. films).

    Parent

    I want to see the serious man (none / 0) (#15)
    by samtaylor2 on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 08:12:58 PM EST
    It looks great.   My objections to Where the Wild things Are is based more on my moral objections to how it was advertised and the messages.  I think if I went to see it thinking this was an art house movie I would have enjoyed it more- but my objections to the overall message(s) would still be there.  Throwing a tantrum and then being rewarded for it is so alien to me that I found myself repulsed.

    Parent
    Thanks, Sam. (none / 0) (#16)
    by shoephone on Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 12:28:26 AM EST
    I often prefer the opinions of movie go-ers over movie reviewers.

    My big beef with "A Serious Man" was that it contained so many obnoxious cliches and stereotypes about Jews. Since the Coen brothers were riffing on their own lives, it actually offended me more that Jews would choose to stereotype their own just to get a laugh. As a Jewish kid who grew up during the same time period, I found myself nodding in agreement with some of the first half, and then growing annoyed and bored with the last half.

    Parent

    I've got tickets (none / 0) (#4)
    by dk on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 10:21:10 PM EST
    to see "This Is It" on Sunday.  Very excited!

    U2 (none / 0) (#6)
    by jen on Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 11:39:15 PM EST
    My friend from Santa Cruz went to Pasadena the other night with his daughter to see U2 at the Rose Bowl. Says the show was total magic. U2 YouTube has the entire show here. About 2 hr. 20 min.

    I think FOX News... (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 08:55:24 AM EST
    is working for the Chris Christie for NJ governor campaign...he was on last night and again this morning.

    I feel bad for NJ...choosing between a Cantor Fitzgerald spouse, an incumbent Goldman Sachs boy, or the I from the EPA the man says can't win.  The highest tax burden in the country, a toll every 5 miles it seems, highest unemployment in the region...what a freakin' mess.  

    But, does NJ still require someone at (none / 0) (#11)
    by oculus on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 09:29:26 AM EST
    the gas station to pump the gas?  Probably not anymore--that was 11 years ago.

    Parent
    Nope... (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by kdog on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 09:38:51 AM EST
    they still do not have any self-serve in NJ...which is so weird for me when I'm driving to AC..."Ya mean its 50 cents a gallon cheaper and you're gonna pump for me...sweet bro!"

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    It took me a while to get (none / 0) (#13)
    by vml68 on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 12:13:42 PM EST
    used to when I moved here but I have to admit when it is really cold and crappy out, I prefer to sit in the car and have someoneelse pump the gas.

    Parent
    Hell yeah... (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 01:39:24 PM EST
    pumping your own gas sucks in the winter...I got a full-serve guy by me whose cheaper than the big chains anyway, so he gets the love...its no-frills gas, so god knows how good it is, but I got a no-frills cars so who the hell cares:)

    Parent
    Monday Night Open Thread: "This is It" | 16 comments (16 topical)

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