Open Eyes

Conditions: Lousy

End of the End of the World

Harold Camping, the preacher who made a name for himself last year predicting when the world will end, has now announced that he was a) wrong, and b) sorry for a). He did try to put a positive outlook on things.

Camping, 90, had hyped May 21, 2011 as Judgment Day through billboards and constant chatter on his Oakland-based Family Radio International. On that day, he prophesied, the Rapture would redeem believers, while heathens would walk the Earth in misery until a fiery finish five months later.
[...]

In the letter posted Thursday on Family Radio’s website, the preacher called the May 21 campaign “an astounding event” for the awareness it raised about the Bible and Jesus Christ.

Despite that positive spin, Camping called his prediction a “sinful statement” and asked God’s forgiveness.

- latimesblogs.latimes.com/

Well, while awareness of the bible probably did raise a notch due to various articles about the forthcoming rapture, I'd predict that turning it into a laughing stock wasn't actually a result Harold was aiming for.



Film Review: The Ides of March

George Clooney has a very subtle and stylish way of directing his movies. He is very keen to not treat the audiences as stupid, so obvious plot points and unnecessary fat are completely absent. This makes for a refreshing experience where you feel like you are being treated like an adult, and you had better be paying attention. Ides of March is a political thriller with Clooney playing Governor Morris, locked in a race with another democratic contender for the party nomination that will then lead to the presidential race. His campaign brains trust is headed by Paul (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who has Steve (Ryan Gosling) as his second in command. And while Paul is jaded by his decades of experience running political campaigns, Steve is young and still a true believer. He believes totally in the power of the political process, and believes the Governor is the right man to become the next president.

Needless to say, a fall is coming. When the campaign manager of the other candidate wants to secretly meet with Steve about something important, all sorts of possibilities exist. And Steve, perhaps flattered by the attention, perhaps curious about what the guy wants, meets with him. That leads to him getting kicked off the campaign, just at the same time a full-blown scandal drops right into his lap concerning one of the interns that works for the campaign. So now Steve, who considers politics to be his life, who believes so fully in this process, is faced with the gritty underside of it all. Stabbed in the back by his boss, having his career ruined because of one mistake, and the realisation that the governor is fallible after all. And as he finds a way to play himself back into the game, the price paid is the revelation that it is just a game, an illusion.

It's a very strong film, but with a subtleness and assurance that is welcome. Clooney's Governor is all smiles and integrity, but worn as a well-tailored suit - only skin-deep. Gosling's Steve is a combination of a wide-eyed kid and a shark. He would make a good poker player, and is well suited for these kinds of roles where he has to conceal his reactions to what's happening. Giamati and Hoffman play their parts of worn-down campaigners with assured ease. Don't expect fireworks, it's not that kind of film, but the twists and turns are very well put together. Three and a half speeches out of five.


- Peace out