Comments on: Kill Bill

By: Thomas Xian

Thomas Xian — Tue, 11 May 2004 20:00:00 +0000

I do hope you aren't referring to me with the statement, "as opposed to movie junkies who want to see everything," agem.

While I do watch a lot of movies and while I do come dangerously close to being a movie junky, let me say in my defense that it's because I can watch them all for free thanks to a wonderful collection at the Multnomah County Library (in Portland, OR). I would like to learn more about the artform and I do rather enjoy good films. I do my best to request these, but often I will only have a couple holds come through in a week so I supplement with whatever is on the shelf and that is almost always slim to meager pickings.

I did though put holds in for both Ghost Dog and Dead Man and look forward to seeing both soon enough. Anyone have any other suggestions?

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 11 May 2004 20:00:00 +0000

xj - thanks for all your comments - wow! no, i wasn't referring to you - wouldn't pass judgement on a new acquaintance like that. i do enjoy reading your movie write-ups because i am a pretty bad junkie (though not as bad as urbanlocust whom i meant to tease in that statement). i commend your zen-like patience to get your movies through the library queue - i definitely do books that way, but not movies. something to strive for! long live public libraries!

By: Thomas Xian

Thomas Xian — Tue, 11 May 2004 20:00:00 +0000

A good friend sits on his library board and even though he knows how important movies are to me (and that is my only source for I couldn't afford to actually rent them) he tells me that libraries shouldn't be in the business of movies. So that almost makes it that much more important to me that I support my library's movie selection! So, if you like getting movies from your library, make sure you let them know...

It's almost too bad that they don't track our usage in terms of "oh my gosh, this guy borrows 10 movies a week from us, so that's over 500 each year..." (They purge their records after an item is returned so as not to cooperate with Ashcroft). But I do hope they know how much I appreciate that they make them available to me!

I never really thought about patience though I'm a bit perturbed that some slow moving cues are eating up a good number of my reservation spots. Since I don't live my life in step with others, I don't have to see something to have something to talk about. So they just get watched when they get watched.

I will say though last Christmas I was perturbed that the one Christmas movie I wanted to see didn't get to me until after New Years, but hey, what's a guy gunna do? I watched it anyway.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 30 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

Scott, the problem with trying to work Kill Bill into your combo is that it's already a combo of so many other movies in itself. And since the director couldn't manage to cut it down it's already packaged as a double feature. For these and other reasons stated above I don't recommend KB for discriminating movie watchers like you (as opposed to movie junkies who want to see everything - not mentioning any names!) However, I completely endorse your subversive PofC/LofB double feature! I finally broke through Bob's resistance to all things Monty Python just a couple weeks ago, in fact, when I got him to watch Life of Brian with me. I think he even liked it!

I urge you to consider Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes coming not-soon-enough. Scott, it's like he's filling in the blanks to the following thought with a fantasy list of characters, not least of which is Tom Waits and Iggy Pop:

So [blank] and [blank] walk into a (coffee) bar...

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

I probably won’t see this movie. However, perhaps it would best be enjoyed in combination. I could easily see turning my “Passion of Christ” / “Life of Brian” double feature idea into a “Kill Bill” / PofC / LofB *triple feature*! Who knows, I might even be able to get the new downtown theater (appropriately named Darkside Cinemas) to entertain the idea? I know its no LOTR triple play, but if you have to swallow Dr. Mel’s passion pill you might as well sandwich it between Tarantino overindulgence and absurd Python satire.

By: kelliest

kelliest — Mon, 19 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

once you read it, i'd like a quick summary of this book you two are talking back and forth about. is the passion that the title implies something positive and constructive - you know, REALISTIC? do throw some of that stuff my way. if it's just full of fluffy inspirational-touchy-feely-make-and-take-show-and-share-crap, nevermind; it's too late for me to get anything out of that brand of passion. damn, june 4 can't come soon enough.

By: jaded

jaded — Mon, 19 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

I just posted and suddenly feel kind of lousy about my outward negativity. it’s not fair of me to transfer my frustrations to anyone else pondering the idea of entering the field of education (don’t get me wrong, I’m positive that they must be insane, and if they aren’t now, they’ll be well on their way, i guarantee it), and despite katie’s permission, i probably shouldn’t rant like i did. of course, i wouldn’t be surprised if it happened again…

By: kelliest

kelliest — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

The quote you referred to – "a teacher is wise in terms of that part of the curriculum he or she conscientiously chooses not to cover" – reminds me of the piece of shit science textbook that my school has prescribed to me for the past six years. During the first couple of years, I plowed right through it, but as I became more familiar with my grade level benchmarks, my students saw less and less of it. I don’t even use 10% of it each year. I believe I’ve gotten wiser, but the schmucks at the administrative level, well, such wisdom will likely never reach them – the curriculum committee (I was truly in shock to learn that our school even has such a group) never has anything to report, simply because they are "conscientiously choosing" to do nothing…

By: Emily

Emily — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

katie, i thought you managed to avoid the kill bill thing. i specifically remember walking bob to the theater and leaving him to go indulge himself alone. how'd he convince you to watch it?

now i admit, the depth of your movie analysis goes a bit beyond what i can really understand, but i just like that you're using thoreau because he rocks. and you've found the passionate teacher! it's really great, and actually i've met the author, he came and spoke at earlham once! i was borrowing jim's copy of the book at the time, so i got it autographed for him.

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 20:00:00 +0000

Em, it's true. I too remember our decision to pass on Vol. 1. But I really wanted to keep Bob company at Vol. 2 this weekend, so I caught up by watching the DVD earlier in the week. All in all no regrets - glad I skipped it when you were here and glad I saw it all with Bob this week. I'll try to remember to write more about The Passionate Teacher when I'm done reading it.