Twenty years ago, Oliver Stone’s ‘JFK’ was released and was less a film than a Molotov cocktail thrown at the “establishment.”  Stone called his film about the 20th century’s most infamous Presidential assassination “a history lesson” (a characterization he quickly withdrew) and hoped to be vindicated by the passage of time.

Stone’s thesis in a film designed to appeal to middle America is as follows: the military-industrial complex, allowed free reign under Eisenhower, killed Kennedy because he was trying to end the Cold War, especially in Cuba and Vietnam (the latter extremely important to the obsessed Stone).  Their point men were apolitical snipers, vengeful anti-Castroites, and a manipulated Oswald.  Far from being an angry leftist loner, Oswald was in fact a perpetrator for the more dovish elements of the American government’s schemes.  The low-level plotters included Clay Shaw, a New Orleans businessman, and David Ferrie, a member of the Operation Mongoose team, a CIA operation in constant efforts to kill Castro.

Like all history lessons, the yardstick is whether further evidence has proved him correct.  On Shaw being a CIA agent, Stone was on sure footing: CIA Director Richard Helms admitted that the New Orleans defendant was an agent.  On Shaw and Ferrie knowing each other (a charge Shaw denied under oath at his trial in New Orleans), evidence in  the form of a car loan for Ferrie co-signed by Shaw has vindicated Stone.

But other revelations have not been so kind.  Far from being a patsy four  floors down from his supposed sniper perch, Oswald was shown in documents released after the film by the Dallas Police that his fingerprints were on the trigger of his Manlicher Carcano.  Re-created shooting by world-class snipers has shown that the head-shots did in fact come from the Sixth Floor Depository.  Computer analysis applied to the grassy knoll reveals that in order for a shot to have come from there the sniper would  have to have been on a forty-foot ladder (a stance that would have attracted notice). (more…)

–FINAL CHAPTER OF ANDREW KLAVAN’S HOMELANDERS’ QUADROLOGY RELEASED TODAY–

A very well-written, page-turning adventure series for the kids. God, country and values are treated as good things. On the other hand, terrorism and narcissism are treated as bad things. I think the word we’re searching for in this upside day and age is: Iconoclastic.

You can order the book here. I recommend all four. Klavan’s an amazing talent who also happens to be on our side. What more could you possibly ask for. Did you just say a film based on the series?  Done.

Klavan blogs here and here.

–KEVIN COSTNER UP FOR VILLAIN ROLE IN NEW TARANTINO FLICK–

I’ve always liked Kevin Costner and was sorry to see his career all but derail 15 years ago with the triple-punch of the underrated “Waterworld,” the truly dreadful “Postman” (which even Tom Petty couldn’t save) and the stillborn “Wyatt Earp.”

Costner’s masculine, has a genuinely likable screen persona, and seems like a decent guy in real life — and in the right role he’s a very, very good actor. Try to picture someone else in “Field of Dreams,” “The Untouchables” or “Dances with Wolves.” You can argue he’s no Olivier ( I would counter with his unforgettable work in “A Perfect World), but at the same time he’s always managed to hold his own on screen with some powerful actors: James Earl Jones, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, etc — which is a talent all on its own.

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“The Company Men” tells the story of three businessmen who lose their jobs during an economic recession. As the story begins, the three men begin their day tying their neckties and planning another normal day in the office. However, all of their lives change dramatically when the company that employs them starts laying people off.

The three company men are Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck), Gene McClary (Tommy Lee Jones), and Phil Woodward (Chris Cooper), who all work for a corporation called GTX. Bobby is the first one to lose his job at the company. He walks into his office confident and enthusiastic and walks out embarrassed and unemployed. He leaves his office with a severance package, a box of belongings, and hope that he will find another job soon.

Gene is eventually laid off as well, despite the fact that he helped found GTX and used to be close friends with the company executive who is making all of the cuts. That executive is James Salinger (Craig T. Nelson), a man who is focused on the company’s bottom line. Gene had previously noted his displeasure with James’s earlier cutbacks, so it’s no surprise that he’s let go. Like Gene, Phil loses his position in the second round of cuts. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have the youth or the energy that Bobby has or the financial safety net that Gene has built up. Phil is overwhelmed by the bills that keep stacking up and knows that few companies want to hire a man of his age.    (more…)

I never realized Kennedy was so dangerous to the establishment. 

Why it’s a left-wing film

Where to begin.

With this particular film, discussing “why” it was made is more important and revealing than digging into the specific politics of it all.  Director Oliver Stone’s brilliantly structured, brilliantly shot, brilliantly written, brilliantly edited (to say the least), and brilliantly directed,  wet dream of left-wing wish-fulfillment is the greatest pack of charismatic lies ever filmed, but there is simply not enough bandwidth on these here Internets to document and deconstruct the what and how of those lies. 

If you haven’t read Gerald Posner’s “Case Closed,” please do so. It is, in my opinion, the definitive investigation of the Kennedy assassination and a withering rebuttal to Stone’s paranoid political revisionism. In the years since it was published, computer technology and new revelations have only strengthened Posner’s case. Unlike Stone’s willfully dishonest narrative, Posner is exhaustive, thorough and logical. But like Stone, Posner tells one helluva compelling story. “Case Closed” is a great read that also happens to be painstakingly thorough in proving that on one terrible November day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was murdered by a lone, left-wing, Castro-supporting Marxist.

The utterly obscene political opportunism we saw rise like a stench from the Left and their media allies within hours of last week’s mass murder in Tuscon, is useful in understanding “why” Stone was so driven to realize in motion picture form his anti-American web of audacious historical perversion. When truth and history and facts and decency aren’t on your side, it becomes all about the narrative. The Narrative is its own beast, something that transcends the pesky details of right, wrong, true or false. Whether it’s history, economics, character assassination, or pretty much anything… He who controls the narrative, controls truth.

Simply put, the Left cannot psychologically or emotionally reconcile their undying hatred of the Vietnam War with their undying love for the same president who escalated our involvement in that war. And the Left most certainly cannot psychologically or emotionally reconcile that one of their very own — a strident, left-wing Castro lover — assassinated that same beloved president.   (more…)

I had never been in a battle like this one. This had not been a fight for territory or riches or to make men free. This battle had no ego. It had been fought to preserve the food stores that would see us through winter, to protect the lives of women and children and loved ones only a few feet away. I felt a pride I had never felt before.

Why it’s a left-wing film

The quote above pretty much sums up the theme found in director Kevin Costner’s epic, Academy-Award winning Western. Whether it’s the Civil War, the men of the North who fought their own countrymen to end the abomination of African slavery, or the very idea of property ownership and commerce; our protagonist, Lt. John Dunbar (Costner), finds none of that, or even the promise of his young country, worthwhile after falling in with a tribe of benevolent and harmonious Sioux Indians.

And why wouldn’t Dunbar feel this way? The Sioux literally saved his life. Over the course of three majestic hours, Dunbar goes from suicidal loner to a happily married, emotionally fulfilled individual. The Sioux took him in, made him a respected part of their community, and showed him a way of life that is spiritually, emotionally, and morally superior to the one he came from.

Or is it?

If you’re looking for something resembling a defense of what happened to the American Indian in this country, you’re going to be disappointed.  Reading any evenhanded history of the settling of the American West means having your heart broken for the people who paid the price. Yes, it was a different and more brutal era,  but that excuse for the appalling only goes so far. (more…)

In the Age of the Hollywood Sucker Punch, betting your time and dollars on movies and TV is more perilous than ever.

As often as not, you can expect to fork over $20-$40 at the theater expecting to laugh, cry, and be entertained. . .

. . . only to find yourself trapped in a widescreen, 3D, surround sound, stadium-seated liberal indoctrination chamber.

With TV, you can dedicate months and years to becoming a dedicated fan of a series. . .

. . . only to suddenly start getting lectured on what creeps you and your family are by dint of your politics/religion/gender/race/fill-in-the-blank.

Closing in on two years patrolling the mean streets, Big Hollywood already has dozens of posts that document these lies, cheap shots, and propaganda in grim detail. Amidst the cultural carnage conservatives step ever more gingerly, sifting through the rubble for scraps worth investing in.

One way most of us navigate this minefield is by discerning which actors — big, well-known, picture-opening actors — are worth trusting on name alone. No one has a perfect record, but the best gain our confidence by routinely choosing projects that hew to some modicum of quality, decency, and fair play. You may not agree with the underlying message or political slant of their movies, but that’s not the point — it’s completely possible for conservatives to love great liberal movies and vice versa. Rather, these actors convince us over the course of their careers that they aren’t likely to sucker punch their fans, or to embarrass their country, profession, or family by allowing politics and prejudices to tarnish their public reputations and filmed entertainments. (more…)

Hero of the Gulf? That’s certainly what it’s starting to look like. Not only has BP purchased 32 of actor Kevin Costner’s oil/water separators but they’ve tested the hell out of them and seem legitimately amazed at how well they work. The video below demonstrates the effectiveness of these centrifuges. Once the processing is completed the water looks safer to drink than Los Angeles tap water. The best news is that a couple of these machines have already been deployed and the rest should be within the next 60 days:

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If that’s not reason enough to love the Oscar-winner, every time he speaks Costner’s natural humility, refusal to grab the spotlight for himself, and obvious sincerity is readily apparent. Below are some quotes from the full news conference.  I especially like the first one — the statement about how sometimes it just takes a regular guy with determination and a wrench to solve a problem. When’s the last time you heard a movie star deliver a well-deserved nod of respect to the always impressive common sense and ingenuity of everyday people? Costner respects doers at least as much as he does the beard-scratchers.

I’d like to thank the men. I’d like to thank their wives. I know they’ve been working night and day on behalf of their state… So thank you guys for using your know-how because there’s scientists and engineers everywhere and once in a while it just takes a guy with a wrench who’s just gonna figure it out. That’s what you guys represent.”

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If you listen very closely, in the background, you can hear James Cameron’s teeth grinding.

Before I proceed, I present to you my biases:

I like Kevin Costner. Always have, from “Silverado” straight through to “Dances With Wolves” (one of my favorite films), right down to ”Swing Vote.” Is he a great actor? He can be. See here. Regardless, he’s something even better; a great movie star with charm, charisma and that kind of easygoing sincerity that appeals to the Midwestern in me. Also, he takes a lot of unfair guff from elite snobs perched in the oh-so precious critical community, and I’m not above choosing my friends based on their enemies.

On the other hand, I don’t like James Cameron. But you knew that.

Over the past couple days something remarkable has happened. Kevin Costner’s elbowed James Cameron right out of the Hollywood Branch of the Gulf Oil Spill Spotlight. (more…)

So what gives? Are these areas just not glamorous enough? Do celebs not want to further highlight The One’s pathetic response?

Celebrities love causes. They love them for a couple of reasons: one, it makes them seem like “serious” people despite making a non-serious living as entertainers – or, as in the case of “professional reality show stars,” making a living by leeching off the system. Two, it’s free publicity. After all, you aren’t a celebrity if you aren’t being “celebrated” by an adoring public.

As such, celebrities often embrace “feel good causes” that enhance their PR value and their egos. Take “green living,” for instance. Why all the Hollywood hooh hah about carbon footprints and other such nonsense? Christopher Grey of WND has a theory:

Celebrities want attention, but they also want credibility because they typically don’t have any. Environmentalism is an easy cause for them to promote to get attention and at the same time appear somehow thoughtful and even educated because it is allegedly based on science. Of course none of this has anything do with reality, but this is the entertainment business. Reality is not important at all. Image is everything. Talking about recycling, stopping offshore drilling, solar power, and electric cars is a lot easier than really trying to do something for people in the world like feeding the hungry, helping abused children, or building houses for the homeless.

It also deflects attention from the obvious fact that celebrities are often some of the most wasteful, energy inefficient, materialistic, shallow, and superficial people in our society. A classic recent example was James Cameron, who talked about how his film, Avatar, was a shining example of environmentalism. Obama echoed this praise. This was the most expensive movie ever made about a war on an alien planet. What exactly about this movie helped to conserve resources or save our planet? The answer is absolutely nothing.

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Time for a POLL:

1. Is director James Cameron helping and truly trying to be helpful with the Gulf Oil Spill?

2. Is Cameron’s raging “those guys are morons” ego completely out of control but because he’s King of the Town That Funnels Millions in Campaign Cash to Obama, the Feds are now forced to appease the director and waste time doing so that could be spent mobilizing real solutions?

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Yes, it’s a loaded question. But I don’t see Kevin Costner, who donated an oil spill invention he’s invested years and millions on, spending an inordinate amount of time preening before television cameras and microphones, calling people “morons,” and then wondering why those same “morons” aren’t interested in wasting time validating a needy director’s existence his help.

Also, don’t write Cameron off as just another fuzzy-headed, liberal filmmaker. He’s a powerful, multi-millionaire with heavy political connections. And when it comes to the powerful trying to edge their way into this kind of a crisis you have to ask yourself what their real agenda might be. It is purely altruistic or is there a mercenary heart at work here? If Joe Scarborough’s shameless gushing is any kind of an indicator, we’ll never get the answer to that question. (more…)

“I’m very nervous!” twittered super-model Naomi Campbell during a press conference held in Havana’s Hotel Nacional in 1998. “I just spent an hour and a half talking with your president, Fidel Castro!  But he told me there was nothing to be afraid of because he already knew a lot about us (Campbell and her travel-chum, Kate Moss) from reading the press!” 

Castro undoubtedly knew plenty about Mss’ Campbell and Moss–but probably not from reading Vogue, Elle or Cosmo.  

“My job was to bug their hotel rooms,” disclosed high-ranking Cuban intelligence defector Delfin Fernandez, “with both cameras and listening devices.

“When word came down that models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss were coming to Cuba the order was a routine one: 24-hour-a-day vigilance. Then we got a PRIORITY alert, recalls Fernandez, “because there was a rumor that they would be sharing a room with Leonardo DiCaprio. The rumor set off a flurry of activity and we set up the most sophisticated devices we had.”  (more…)

Here it is 2010 and I still don’t have a jet-pack or flying car. Those were the kind of things that I was led to believe would be here by now when I was a little kid. The real problem is that there isn’t one on the horizon either. You know what is in the near future for us? A remake of the Yugo or some other Euro-crap car that doesn’t burn up much dinosaur remains and tops out at a heart stopping 50 or 60 miles per hour.

It is that time of year for me to let my psychic self loose and gaze into the future. Yeah, I know I’m a little late but I promise not to predict anything that has already happened like a lot of your mainstream psychics tend to do. Last year Kevin Costner didn’t even have the decency to make a bad film, so I was o-fer-09. The only way for my psychic score to go is up! (more…)

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A thousand years ago in Cairo, surrounded by ancient pyramids and the ghosts of lost civilizations, the great Arab scientist Alhazen conducted a peculiar optical experiment. Building on observations made by Aristotle thirteen centuries earlier, he first constructed a room, one completely shuttered from the light of the outside world, as dark as death. He then cleverly lit the space around the room with an array of bright lamps. Finally, he punched a single pinhole into one wall, just large enough to let a small beam of lamplight bleed in.

Alhazen confirmed that if you entered such a room, and sat in the darkness until your eyes had ample time to adjust, and then followed the beam of light emanating from the pinhole to where it splashed onto the wall opposite, you would be privy to an amazing, almost magical sight. As you watched, shapes and colors would begin to coalesce. Familiar forms would appear. And eventually, when your eyes had acclimated enough, you would be staring at nothing less than an exact upside-down projection of the outside world, perfect in every detail. Alhazen marveled at this, and gave the experiment an evocative name: Al-Bayt al-Muthlim, translated by later scribes into Latin as camera obscura — The Veiled Chamber. (more…)