Terrorist Hah-Hahs

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Goofing off is the latest vein in post-9.11/ Iraq War cinema, according to Village Voice pulse-taker Anthony Kaufman. Three examples are cited: the grossly comedic Harold and Kummar Escape From Guantanamo, Morgan Spurlock's Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? and War, Inc., a satire of American imperialism in the Middle East that will have its U.S. premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival later this month.

"Trying to be earnest about something...does nothing to explain it," says documentarian Michael Tucker (Bulletproof Salesman, Gunner Palace). "That's why the fiction films [about the Iraq War] have largely failed -- because people are already in that emotional place. Yes, [the war is] tragic and horrible. Duh. What else is there?"

I've been meaning to write something about Spurlock's film (and I will), but the most persistent thought I had while watching it was that he's losing his hair. I kept saying to myself, "Wow, he's either gonna need some plugs really soon or he's going to have to just go with it and be James Taylor. Except he's a little young to be James Taylor." And I don't he can do the shaved-head thing with that Fu-Manchu moustache -- too extreme, too rednecky.

I realize that admitting to having thought mostly about Spurlock's hair problem is a kind of comment about the film. I guess that's what I'm doing. I'll have more to say about this tomorrow.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 15, 2008 at 5:49 PM

comment #1

Arran says ...

"I realize that admitting to having thought mostly about Spurlock's hair problem is a kind of comment about the film."

I thought you were going off on another of your bizarre rips at first, but that's actually a pretty telling comment on the film. I know I'm watching a movie that doesn't work when I start pondering shit like that.

Posted by Arran at April 15, 2008 6:59 PM

comment #2

Bilge says ...

Jeff, if my calculations are correct, this is the 12,946th time you've commented about a star or director losing their hair. I'm beginning to think this says more about you than about the films themselves.

That said, this movie does not look very inspiring.

Posted by Bilge at April 15, 2008 9:02 PM

comment #3

mitchtaylor says ...

The only movie about the current events I really want to see is a merciless strangeloveian take on things. Things really are that "Duck and Cover" bad.

Posted by mitchtaylor at April 15, 2008 9:10 PM

comment #4

Edward says ...

When I was building theatre sets and we'd have to fix a bad seam or mis-cut or aligned piece of the set we would always say, "If they're looking at this, it's not our fault."

Posted by Edward at April 15, 2008 10:32 PM

comment #5

Mr. Buckles says ...

He's losing his hair? Gag him, tag him and take him to gitmo!

Good lord, stop channeling your issues and call your shrink.

Posted by Mr. Buckles at April 16, 2008 7:04 AM

comment #6

Richardson says ...

When 'Super Size Me' came out, I bet Jeff made a big deal about the unattractive pudgy guy on the poster.

"What is this, a Judd Apatow movie?"

Posted by Richardson at April 16, 2008 1:09 PM

comment #7

George Prager says ...

When I saw Fast, Cheap & Out of Control my persistent thought was "These guys are unattractive boring losers and I hate them."

Posted by George Prager at April 16, 2008 3:03 PM

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comment #9

Dave Polands Gut says ...

Far left films commenting on war. What are films that are terrible and make no money, Alex.

Posted by Dave Polands Gut at April 17, 2008 7:51 AM

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