Great blog. The bit about Vineland was fantastic, I completely agree (and also loved the movie). The whole point of the book is the choice and the seduction, which is basically absent in the movie. But is there a way to read the ending that's not entirely optimistic? That Willa isn't actually choosing freedom any more than Bob did or has?
I think that read works - fwiw I doubt PTA intended that but that certainly doesn’t preclude it. I get the sense that Paul either believes that demographics are destiny re gen z, or that the America that’s hostile to Willa is so feeble that it doesn’t know what’s coming when it meets its true American Girl. Even then, though, the notion that one generation revolts because it’s sexy and another because they have to is bleak in its own right
I find the retrospective takes of "actually it was good to advertise to football dads" about the cringe(ish) posts from the movie's official X dot com account to be particularly amusing since 1) those are only remarked upon and remembered by weirdos (myself included) and 2) the very presence of DiCaprio and his personal PR push generates more interest than whatever a summer intern in the WB marketing department can conjure up.
about time somebody sounded off on school dance Mo Bamba
Great blog. The bit about Vineland was fantastic, I completely agree (and also loved the movie). The whole point of the book is the choice and the seduction, which is basically absent in the movie. But is there a way to read the ending that's not entirely optimistic? That Willa isn't actually choosing freedom any more than Bob did or has?
I think that read works - fwiw I doubt PTA intended that but that certainly doesn’t preclude it. I get the sense that Paul either believes that demographics are destiny re gen z, or that the America that’s hostile to Willa is so feeble that it doesn’t know what’s coming when it meets its true American Girl. Even then, though, the notion that one generation revolts because it’s sexy and another because they have to is bleak in its own right
unfortunately I'm gonna need your UY Scuti review at some point...
I find the retrospective takes of "actually it was good to advertise to football dads" about the cringe(ish) posts from the movie's official X dot com account to be particularly amusing since 1) those are only remarked upon and remembered by weirdos (myself included) and 2) the very presence of DiCaprio and his personal PR push generates more interest than whatever a summer intern in the WB marketing department can conjure up.
wait, who is the brace belden analogue?
the lovable neurotic podcaster
I like this