Thursday, October 18, 2007

I got a letter from the government the other day...

Just finished The Postman, by David Brin, and not surprisingly, I liked it a lot. If you know me, you know my love of (a) novels set in a dystopic future, and (b) stories in general that deal with the breakdown of society and how people interact when there are no laws, no rules, no order (Lost, come back to me!). This book fit both bills nicely, and I would recommend it.

Now, however, I am faced with a dilemma: do I take the chance of potentially ruining this positive experience by watching the Kevin Costner movie? I think I knew the answer to this question before it fully coalesced in my mind (quick, name a good Costner movie that's not Bull Durham...see?), but after reading Brin's own review of the movie, that answer has solidified into a firm "no." Here's my favorite quote from Brin's review:

...watching Kevin Costner's three hour epic is a bit like having a great big Golden Retriever jump on your lap and lick your face, while waving a flag tied to its tail. It's big, floppy, uncoordinated, overeager, sometimes gorgeous -- occasionally a bit goofy -- and so big-hearted that something inside of you has to give... that is, if you like that sort of thing.


With ringing endorsements like that, I think my Netflix queue is safe.

Ps. Brin, slow down on the exclamation points...you're not Elaine.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Postman
Directed by Kevin Costner

This ambitious film, with stunning photography by Stephen Windon and stirring music by James Newton Howard, emblazons hope as a powerful spiritual force. The capacity to visualize a better future is a nation's most important resource.

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

brendon said...

Thank you, anonymous...you have confirmed that NOT seeing this movie is the way to go!