Film Critic Is Sick of Zis Damn Var

Hizzoner Ed Koch, a vocal Democratic proponent of invading Iraq, asks "How are we doin'?" and now wants to pull the plug now:

The American people no longer support our presence in Iraq. They made that clear in the 2006 Congressional election when the majority in both Houses of Congress shifted to the Democrats. My own position has been that we were better off fighting Islamic terrorism in Iraq than abandoning and having that battle shift to American soil which I am certain will happen when we depart Iraq. But my support for remaining in Iraq was conditioned on our allies joining us in Afghanistan and Iraq. Sadly, very few have done so. Instead, many of those same allies criticize us for staying in Iraq.

More here.

Koch, who improbably reviews movies for The Villager, a small New York City paper, also wants to pull the plug on John Cusack:

I went to see this film [1408], notwithstanding its generally poor reviews, because I enjoy watching the lead actor, John Cusack, on screen. Every actor is usually credited with some bad performances during their career and, unfortunately, this is such a performance. In this movie, Cusack is truly a Johnny One Note in terms of conveying emotion, and the script, based on a Stephen King short story, is seriously inadequate. It may be that the novella, which I did not read, was deficient, but that's hard to believe since King is such a talented writer with endless successes. Nevertheless, he too may have had a poor writing period.

More here.

Comments

Reinmoose | July 18, 2007, 11:44am | #

ummmm... who cares?

thoreau | July 18, 2007, 11:48am | #

Hey, I liked 1408!

It goes through several apparent twists and endings, before settling on something that is low key for the audience but horrifying for the characters. And that's the way it should be.

sage | July 18, 2007, 11:54am | #

Caption Contest!

"Hey, getta load o' me! I don't have wrinkles, I have pleats!"

Taktix® | July 18, 2007, 11:56am | #

Rotten Tomatoes is giving it a 76%. I'm giving it an "I Don't Give a Shit."

Scooby | July 18, 2007, 12:07pm | #

I didn't see the movie & didn't read the source material, but "It may be that the novella, which I did not read, was deficient, but that's hard to believe since King is such a talented writer with endless successes."?!?!? Is it so hard to believe that Stephen King could write something sub-par? He's been coasting for at least a decade. King could still send out xerox copies of his used toilet paper with his name at the top and it would be a commercial success.

Rattlesnake Jake | July 18, 2007, 12:09pm | #

"Which way to turtle creek?"

thoreau | July 18, 2007, 12:10pm | #

King could still send out xerox copies of his used toilet paper with his name at the top and it would be a commercial success.

Are you referring to the second half of the final Dark Tower novel?

Rudy in 2008! | July 18, 2007, 12:16pm | #

Who cares what some former New York city mayor thinks about foreign policy?

Virgil R. | July 18, 2007, 12:19pm | #

Hizzoner said:
"My own position has been that we were better off fighting Islamic terrorism in Iraq than abandoning and having that battle shift to American soil which I am certain will happen when we depart Iraq. But my support for remaining in Iraq was conditioned on our allies joining us in Afghanistan and Iraq. Sadly, very few have done so."

So... fighting terrorism over there is the smart / moral thing to do, but only if our allies think so too? Huh?

I think we need a group hug.

e | July 18, 2007, 12:20pm | #

Why does Ed Koch hate America?
(As long as we are getting excited about yet another person realizing the Iraq war was a bad idea, we might as well haul out some 2003 cliches..)

Rhywun | July 18, 2007, 12:41pm | #

Are you referring to the second half of the final Dark Tower novel?

Ouch. I left off somewhere in the middle of "Wizard and Glass", after *really* enjoying the first 3 books. If the last book is no better than soiled toilet paper, perhaps I shouldn't bother with the rest.

Warren | July 18, 2007, 12:44pm | #

I think King is a gifted writer, but I can't read most of his stuff. I just can't get into the oogy-boogie genre. Still, I liked this:
http://www.nationalbook.org/nbaacceptspeech_sking.html

isildur | July 18, 2007, 12:48pm | #

I like how it's a 'novella' when someone pretentious is talking about it.

It's a short story. It's also one of the best things King has written in the last 10 years; I recommend a trip to the library to read it. It shouldn't take more than an hour to read.

r | July 18, 2007, 12:53pm | #

Gillespie, you ignorant slut! The "z" in the headline should be a 'd'. that is all.

thoreau | July 18, 2007, 12:55pm | #

Rhywun-

Books 5 and 6 are actually pretty good, especially book 5. The first half of book 7 is also pretty good. Half-way through, a pretty big problem is solved, and King realizes that there's really only a couple things left to do. But he doesn't really have a clever way to do it, so he just sends his characters off on one more journey, they show up where they need to go, they do their thing, and it ends.

But at least he makes it all better on the last page. On the last page it all makes sense, and it ends the only way it could end.

What's funny is that before the final few pages, he actually includes a note saying "Look, just about every problem has been solved. That should be enough. But if you absolutely must know what happens next, OK, read on. But really, this isn't what the book is about." Ironically, the last few pages actually make everything right, and everything about Roland and his quest finally makes sense.

Franklin Harris | July 18, 2007, 1:03pm | #

I really wish Ed Koch would stick to his singing career.

ed | July 18, 2007, 1:09pm | #

The American people no longer support our presence in Iraq. They made that clear in the 2006 Congressional election when the majority in both Houses of Congress shifted to the Democrats

The problem isn't the war...it's that pesky Constitution with its problematic checks and balances. Sheesh! The Dems take control of Congress and they're still powerless! What kind of screwed-up system is this?

Rhywun | July 18, 2007, 1:11pm | #

the last few pages actually make everything right

Cool - I guess I'll finish it then, some day. I kind of lost interest in book 4 with Roland's back-story, but that was years ago. I'll probably just read the whole damn thing from the start.

Jammer | July 18, 2007, 1:25pm | #

Actually, a novella is generally considered a short novel, not a long short story. Its a kind of tweener thing.

James | July 18, 2007, 1:43pm | #

Ed Koch is a disaster of a human being...he went f@#king crazy after 9-11 and signed on to every damn thing that the Bush Administration wanted criticizing Democrats and progressives mercilessly along the way...even endorsing Bush in '04! Well Eddy...hope you rot in the hell you were so excited to create in Iraq.

Rattlesnake Jake | July 18, 2007, 2:03pm | #

"The Dems take control of Congress and they're still powerless!"

That's why they only have a 14% approval rating, less than half of Bush's.

Daze | July 18, 2007, 2:09pm | #

Is Koch running for president too?

Terry | July 18, 2007, 5:56pm | #

"The American people no longer support our presence in Iraq. They made that clear in the 2006 Congressional election when the majority in both Houses of Congress shifted to the Democrats."
If that is true, explain Joe Liebermann's victory?
"Its a kind of tweener thing."
When I was growing up there were no "tweeners".
Ages 9 thru 12 were treated as children. Since I only see the term "tweener" used when discussing 9-12 aged girls, never boys, I get the feeling that anybody who uses that term is a pervert.

Doctor Duck | July 18, 2007, 6:59pm | #

"tweener"... I get the feeling that anybody who uses that term is a pervert.

He he. How about 'spinner'? He he.

Anonymo the Anonymous | July 18, 2007, 9:44pm | #

"The American people no longer support our presence in Iraq. They made that clear in the 2006 Congressional election when the majority in both Houses of Congress shifted to the Democrats."
If that is true, explain Joe Liebermann's victory?

America > Connecticut?

Jammer | July 18, 2007, 9:59pm | #

Dunno if anyone will bother to check in on this thread anymore, but I would like to say, for the record, that I used "tweener" to refer to the fact that a novella is between a short story and a novel. Nothing else.