Discland
edited by Jonathan Doyle
Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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Words Fail

Covering yesterday's farewell-and-thank you party thrown by Hillary Clinton for campaign workers, N.Y. Daily News reporters Kenneth R. Bazinet and Michael McAuliff have described "tears and hugs and lingering bitterness that will take some time to heal among Clinton's soon-to-be-unemployed foot soldiers." They've also run an astonishing kicker quote -- an anonymous "campaign aide" saying, "I will never forgive Obama for what he did to Hillary...I will vote for him, but that's it."

What do you say to such a statement? Do you say, "Yeah, I hear you...Obama played it low and dirty while Hillary held high the torch of dignity and appealed to the best in voters"? What kind of prescribed medication do you have to be on to buy into this?

Trust me -- in her noon speech today in Washington, D.C., Clinton's carefully parsed words will provide comfort to the person who voiced the above. Clinton's heart-of-hearts is not in this charade -- we all know that. Many of her rabid supporters regard today's concession speech as a kind of funeral. She's something of a political realist, of course, and knows what she has to do, but many of us will be flabbergasted if she convinces everyone that she really and truly means what she's about to "say."

We all know who and what she is -- do we not?

N.Y. Times reporter Jodi Kantor has offered a more carefully measured view of the situation.

Weekend Numbers<< previous | next >>Sussing The Execs

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 7, 2008 at 7:21 AM

comment #1

nola Author Profile Page says ...

What did he personally do to her? Please.

The fall is going to be very interesting. Let these so called "feminists" vote for McCain and watch what happens.

Apparently even if Barack picks another woman to be on the ticket some will not be happy. They want Hillary (even though that would be a doomed ticket. Wait until the GOP get a hold of the list of donors to his foundation/library. it will make the Carlyle group seem like kids play)

Posted by nola Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 8:55 AM

comment #2

p.Vice Author Profile Page says ...

I just turned on CNN. This is more like OJ coverage than anything resembling politics.

Posted by p.Vice Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 9:11 AM

comment #3

CinemaPhreek Author Profile Page says ...

Besides the fact that it's anonymous and hence likely some very lowly foot soldier, Wells shows breathtaking naivete of the political scene (I know, nothing new) when it comes as such a surprise to him that such supporters exist in any campaign.

You don't pay these people much (if at all) so everyone knows that there will be a few die-hards that are a bit loopy. Unfortunately, news outlets know these people exist so soon as it becomes time to paint a candidate as out of the mainstream/wacky they seek them out for the money quote.

Had Clinton actually won the popular vote (and not by using tortured algebra to do it) and had kept her superdelegate superiority , you'd be reading Obama worker's remarks about how another black man was cheated by the white establishment.

Posted by CinemaPhreek Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 9:16 AM

comment #4

Mgmax Author Profile Page says ...

Yeah, well, there's a lot about this election where people have taken relatively modest partisan differences, and the normal rough and tumble of elections, and blown it way out of proportion with ugly demagogic language.

Posted by Mgmax Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 9:17 AM

comment #5

cjKennedy Author Profile Page says ...

The guy just gave 6 months of his life to a losing cause, do you expect him to laugh it off?

What would you be saying right now if things had broken a slightly different way?

Since both candidates are so similar politically, people's attachments are emotional. This wasn't politics, it was a sport. Look at you, you were on the 'winning team' and you still can't resist twisting the knife a little bit.

Posted by cjKennedy Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 9:17 AM

comment #6

redmond Author Profile Page says ...

For what he "did" to Hillary? The Kool-Aid is drunk mightily at the Clinton camp. But, at least this die-hard, says he/she'll vote for Obama which sort of takes the piss out of comments that "working class" voters will suddenly switch parties and vote red.
However, did anyone catch The Daily Show where an openly gay Clinton supporter said he'll vote for John McCain before he votes for Obama? Now that was the depth of insanity.

Posted by redmond Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 9:40 AM

comment #7

Sean Author Profile Page says ...

What Obama "did to" Hillary was contest her nomination in the biggest shoo-in-the-Democrat Presidential election in a long time. Most would tell you that it was hers to lose, and she lost it.

Posted by Sean Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 10:45 AM

comment #8

D.Z. Author Profile Page says ...

cj: "The guy just gave 6 months of his life to a losing cause, do you expect him to laugh it off?"

That's the risk you have to take when you volunteer. For all the guy knew, Hillary could have lost to Edwards or Kucinich. There's no reason to hold a grudge, when there are bigger things at stake than winning a popularity contest. Anyway, Jeff, thought you'd want to check out
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080606/pl_bloomberg/ax9lrscsqihg
.

Posted by D.Z. Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 10:50 AM

comment #9

goodvibe61 Author Profile Page says ...

It cracks me up to see so many people who are backing Obama say all this stuff about the Clinton supporters.

Human beings are selfish. They are base. They are corrupted. Etc., etc. It goes on and on. For something like this campaign, which has gone on for months and months, almost everyone involved in the day to day operations DOES take what's going on personally. To think that everyone who was supporting one candidate is just going to jump over to the other, with zero issues about it, is living the most naive kind of life you can possibly imagine.

You'll hear the Obama backers screaming to the hills now shit like, "What do you mean women aren't coming right over to us now that HIllary has conceded? And other hysterical shit like that. Or this BS coming from Jeff right now, "Well, Hillary's heart just isn't in this, it's really a funeral".

What the hell are people thinking? That individuals are going to run their day to day lives based on some kind of idealism instead of their base natures?

Um, Hello?? Let's see...I have to go now... I'm due back on planet Earth.

Posted by goodvibe61 Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 10:59 AM

comment #10

D.Z. Author Profile Page says ...

goodvibe: "What the hell are people thinking? That individuals are going to run their day to day lives based on some kind of idealism instead of their base natures?"

In general, you could argue they'd opt for the latter motivation. But in this economy, they'll hold their noses for Obama and like it.

Posted by D.Z. Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 11:03 AM

comment #11

cjKennedy Author Profile Page says ...

DZ, it cracks me up how you quote other commenters as though your follow up actually addresses their point, when in fact it's just a springboard for whatever nonsense happens to be rattling around in your damaged little mind at the moment.

What's even more amusing is that I fall for it every. goddamn. time.

Posted by cjKennedy Author Profile Page at June 7, 2008 11:04 AM

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