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"We fall insensibly into dangerous situations, from which we could easily have safeguarded ourselves, but from which we cannot withdraw without heroic efforts which appal us. So finally, as we tumble into the abyss, we ask God why he has made us so feeble. But, in spite of ourselves, He replies through our consciences: ' I made you too feeble to climb out of the pit, because I made you strong enough not to fall in."
Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712-1778 (The Confessions)

Blogged with Flock

Last summer the Bush administration came out with a new policy asserting that the US regarded space as important a dimension for the nation’s security as air or sea power. It may have been no coincidence that, within weeks, China ruffled American feathers by using a ground-based laser to illuminate a US satellite – and highlight its own reach into space.

Welcome to the Grindhouse Teaser Trailer. (How it's a teaser at 1:41 is beyond me, but that's really not the problem.)

One of my biggest problems with Kill Bill Volume 2 was the inclusion of a schlocky 17-minute kung fu movie crammed into the middle of an already over-long "epic" that should have been a lean, 2-hour revenge flick. But cutting that completely useless pastiche would have required Tarantino to sit down and think hard about whether thoroughly reproducing his inspirations - no matter how poorly-made and unnecessary they actually are - is really necessary to tell the story. And that is not how Quentin Tarantino likes to treat himself.

So now here we have Grindhouse. Which is that shitty kung fu movie-within-the-movie...except now, not only is it the whole movie...it's TWO of them.

Everyone has thought about what a movie with Rose McGowan wearing a machine gun for a leg might be like, but we let the idea go. Chasing that idea down does not make you a cinematic maverick. It means you have poor impulse control.

I have to say, Jeff, I think you are overthinking this one. I can't think of what drug one should be on to enjoy these movies but there surely is one. Perhaps no drug, instead they should be accompanied by adolescent hormones or adult guilty-pleasure excitement and a gal in a tight shirt beside you crunching on popcorn, but I think these movies are going to be some good dirty American fun-- assuming you don't take them seriously. At all.