Regretful Film Reviews
5.9.04
Why regretful film reviews?
Oy va voy! What a stinker that flick was! What am I watching here, cinema or chopped liver?! I feel so guilty now!
If that's the kind of discourse you are expecting from a blog called "Regretful Film Reviews", written by an Orthodox Jewish man, then you are in the wrong place.
I just wanted to set the record clear there. The purpose of this site is twofold: (1) praise films that are well-thought-out works of art and give us something substantial to think about and (2) roast the movies that insult our intelligence and waste our time (and money). The title comes from the latter category, which I am afraid is going to be more numerous. (From the notes that I have already jotted down, it's heading that way.)
Why "Regretful"? Because wasting time is like a capital offense for those of us whose lives... (sorry, can't avoid it) answer to a higher authority.
You want a more elaborate answer? Here it is.
<seriousness>
Since moving to Israel in August of 2003, I have been integrating into 'harédi life and yeshivah study. For those of you who do not know what this word "'harédi"means, I'll tell you. Literally, it means fearful, as one who is trembling before God. In practice, however, that translation is not necessarily accurate. It has social and political implications: it is the world of Jewish people who are striving to keep the commandments in the Torah to the best of their abilities and live lives that constantly reflect this purpose. Basically, as if it were possible to sum up such a life, that means constantly studying the Torah and its infinite teachings, while trying to apply them to one's daily life, and avoiding activities and influences that detract from this sense of higher purpose. Of course, the teaching and specific application of those rules are handed down from rabbinic authorities. So a constant awareness of these teachings does indeed keep one busy. The most popular places for the diffusion and understanding of these teachings is in the yeshivah (Torah school) or in the synagogue.
I am not saying it is a perfect system, but in some ways it is an efficient one for education in and practice of our holy sources. And a person who lives here is constantly reminded of this ongoing activity. But one can also forget all those "distractions" and influences that lie outside of the domain of the yeshivah or the synagogue. For example, secular studies are not encouraged or celebrated, except to the extent to which they may lead to making a living. Studying a trade is fine, but studying liberal arts is not so cool. Eventually one chooses either to be part of of the system, for all of its benefits and drawbacks, or not. And for what it's worth, I have chosen to live this life. Sort of. I love living in Jerusalem, and I love studying the Torah, and this is a prime place to do it. Someone who thinks they can show me otherwise, by all means: try.
But I'm not saying I avoid learning secular subjects -- to the contrary. In this society it is easy to lose touch with the outside world, which only drizzles its way into Jerusalem life occasionally and in often undesirable ways (clothing design, for example -- boys are wearing clothes that were designed for Brazilian women in the 1970s, and porn-star sunglasses). A person like me who has some background in academics and the liberal arts may have a longing, once in a while, to reeducate himself with current events and keep up with what is going on, despite the danger of this distraction. So I do engage in one forbidden activity: watching films.
In a way, it's sort of my business. Not my "trade", exactly, but they are a form of literature. And that is my academic field (I passed my doctoral comps in the corpus of French literature, for crimeny. I could be a literature professor by now, if I could just get to a research library, and land the position of course. And I've been branching out to this Semitic stuff for several years now, with some familiarity with its writings...) I love literature, and I love analysing it. And I love producing it, but that remains to be proven. So in addition to enjoying a good story, I am enjoying it on many levels. And while some may watch films for their basic content, I am running plot-debugging scripts.
Not that I'm special. I know people who are exponentially more talented in this domain than I am. I'm just the one writing the blog right now.
I do not think that film-viewing should be a forbidden activity. And I think that it is a recent ruling issued only with those persons in mind who think they are prepared to streamline their lives for 100% Torah-Related Activities. (The feasibility of that in itself is a debatable concept. Cf. the lives of the Rishonim, ahem.) Or those who really do not know how to choose, and are going to make bad (really bad) decisions if given the leeway to watch anything. Not that that's my business. So, yes, I watch some films, even against the objections of bittul zman (waste of time). But I also believe that watching and being engaged by a quality cinematic experience is analogous to reading a good book, albeit shorter, and involving less brain-power. Usually.
Alarms are going off everywhere as frum people read this. Are you implying that the rishonim would have watched today's movies? that they would have wallowed in Hollywood's gutters of foul language and sex? So, (1) of course not. Different times, different issues. But (2) sex in today's Hollywood is a lot less prolific, and less offensive, than the violence portrayed.
I have been trying to indoctrinate my Israeli 'harédia secret companion (known heretofore asMadame N Melle N), not on stereotypical American-male cinema taste, but rather on the films that I have enjoyed most throughout the years growing up in America. Especially those who have influenced me heavily, and from which I have derived important lessons about the construction of good fiction. She has seen considerably fewer movies, and is still impressed by some plot devices that to me are old-hat, but our taste often falls along the same lines.
For the record, she was educated in the Beit Ya'akov HaYashan "seminary", which is the premier training ground for 'Harédi Israeli women.
So we try to educate ourselves with a few hours of well-done cinema here and there, something the 'harédim are not supposed to do -- so sue me. We have also used our subscription to the DVD store to try to find a few entertaining new titles along the way. And sometimes that is where the problem comes in. Because I have been hugely disappointed too many times. Just within this year I have realised that my standards have been jacked up way too high. Either that, or filmmakers are just letting their standards down. Probably it's a combination of both.
Upshot: they are often a waste of time. Oh, the cruel irony! So I regret both the waste of time and the brain clutter that they have produced.
What is most disappointing? Probably that which educated film-viewers and students of the cinema have long been aware of, long before me. My biggest complaints:
So this blog is here for the purpose of critiquing these movies as badly as they have disappointed me. Take note, Hollywood stupidity: your days are numbered. I am here to blow your cover, make the paying public more demanding, and destroy your easy business!
[sound of crickets chirping]
If that's the kind of discourse you are expecting from a blog called "Regretful Film Reviews", written by an Orthodox Jewish man, then you are in the wrong place.
I just wanted to set the record clear there. The purpose of this site is twofold: (1) praise films that are well-thought-out works of art and give us something substantial to think about and (2) roast the movies that insult our intelligence and waste our time (and money). The title comes from the latter category, which I am afraid is going to be more numerous. (From the notes that I have already jotted down, it's heading that way.)
Why "Regretful"? Because wasting time is like a capital offense for those of us whose lives... (sorry, can't avoid it) answer to a higher authority.
You want a more elaborate answer? Here it is.
<seriousness>
Since moving to Israel in August of 2003, I have been integrating into 'harédi life and yeshivah study. For those of you who do not know what this word "'harédi"means, I'll tell you. Literally, it means fearful, as one who is trembling before God. In practice, however, that translation is not necessarily accurate. It has social and political implications: it is the world of Jewish people who are striving to keep the commandments in the Torah to the best of their abilities and live lives that constantly reflect this purpose. Basically, as if it were possible to sum up such a life, that means constantly studying the Torah and its infinite teachings, while trying to apply them to one's daily life, and avoiding activities and influences that detract from this sense of higher purpose. Of course, the teaching and specific application of those rules are handed down from rabbinic authorities. So a constant awareness of these teachings does indeed keep one busy. The most popular places for the diffusion and understanding of these teachings is in the yeshivah (Torah school) or in the synagogue.
I am not saying it is a perfect system, but in some ways it is an efficient one for education in and practice of our holy sources. And a person who lives here is constantly reminded of this ongoing activity. But one can also forget all those "distractions" and influences that lie outside of the domain of the yeshivah or the synagogue. For example, secular studies are not encouraged or celebrated, except to the extent to which they may lead to making a living. Studying a trade is fine, but studying liberal arts is not so cool. Eventually one chooses either to be part of of the system, for all of its benefits and drawbacks, or not. And for what it's worth, I have chosen to live this life. Sort of. I love living in Jerusalem, and I love studying the Torah, and this is a prime place to do it. Someone who thinks they can show me otherwise, by all means: try.
But I'm not saying I avoid learning secular subjects -- to the contrary. In this society it is easy to lose touch with the outside world, which only drizzles its way into Jerusalem life occasionally and in often undesirable ways (clothing design, for example -- boys are wearing clothes that were designed for Brazilian women in the 1970s, and porn-star sunglasses). A person like me who has some background in academics and the liberal arts may have a longing, once in a while, to reeducate himself with current events and keep up with what is going on, despite the danger of this distraction. So I do engage in one forbidden activity: watching films.
In a way, it's sort of my business. Not my "trade", exactly, but they are a form of literature. And that is my academic field (I passed my doctoral comps in the corpus of French literature, for crimeny. I could be a literature professor by now, if I could just get to a research library, and land the position of course. And I've been branching out to this Semitic stuff for several years now, with some familiarity with its writings...) I love literature, and I love analysing it. And I love producing it, but that remains to be proven. So in addition to enjoying a good story, I am enjoying it on many levels. And while some may watch films for their basic content, I am running plot-debugging scripts.
Not that I'm special. I know people who are exponentially more talented in this domain than I am. I'm just the one writing the blog right now.
I do not think that film-viewing should be a forbidden activity. And I think that it is a recent ruling issued only with those persons in mind who think they are prepared to streamline their lives for 100% Torah-Related Activities. (The feasibility of that in itself is a debatable concept. Cf. the lives of the Rishonim, ahem.) Or those who really do not know how to choose, and are going to make bad (really bad) decisions if given the leeway to watch anything. Not that that's my business. So, yes, I watch some films, even against the objections of bittul zman (waste of time). But I also believe that watching and being engaged by a quality cinematic experience is analogous to reading a good book, albeit shorter, and involving less brain-power. Usually.
Alarms are going off everywhere as frum people read this. Are you implying that the rishonim would have watched today's movies? that they would have wallowed in Hollywood's gutters of foul language and sex? So, (1) of course not. Different times, different issues. But (2) sex in today's Hollywood is a lot less prolific, and less offensive, than the violence portrayed.
I have been trying to indoctrinate my Israeli 'harédia secret companion (known heretofore as
For the record, she was educated in the Beit Ya'akov HaYashan "seminary", which is the premier training ground for 'Harédi Israeli women.
So we try to educate ourselves with a few hours of well-done cinema here and there, something the 'harédim are not supposed to do -- so sue me. We have also used our subscription to the DVD store to try to find a few entertaining new titles along the way. And sometimes that is where the problem comes in. Because I have been hugely disappointed too many times. Just within this year I have realised that my standards have been jacked up way too high. Either that, or filmmakers are just letting their standards down. Probably it's a combination of both.
Upshot: they are often a waste of time. Oh, the cruel irony! So I regret both the waste of time and the brain clutter that they have produced.
What is most disappointing? Probably that which educated film-viewers and students of the cinema have long been aware of, long before me. My biggest complaints:
- Lack of plot originality,
- Plots that contradict themselves because they are not well enough though-out,
- Unrealistic details that insult the audience's intelligence and its willing suspension of disbelief,
- And downright insulting character portraits and plot techniques that go for the easy payoff, rather than giving the audience something to think about.
So this blog is here for the purpose of critiquing these movies as badly as they have disappointed me. Take note, Hollywood stupidity: your days are numbered. I am here to blow your cover, make the paying public more demanding, and destroy your easy business!
[sound of crickets chirping]
:: posted by Pinḥas Ivri, 22:06
