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the state in film
May. 20th, 2010 05:41 pmYesterday I watched two movies with very different takes on politics:
The Yankee satire Swing Vote (2008) paints US politics as the domain of somewhat silly but well-meaning people. Sure, they're frauds & flip-floppers, creatures of desperation; but they bend over backwards to make sure the swing voter will like them.
The Mexican suspense film Conejo en la luna (2004) shows us a Mexico where one political party is dominant, totally mobbed up, & murderous. A British national flees to her nation's embassy for protection, & is snatched up just outside the gate & hauled off to confinement by mobsters. The embassy staff don't even notice. A Mexican observes that (I paraphrase) "politics is the same beneath the surface everywhere; in Britain the dirty deeds happen under a cover of gentlemanliness."
Both pretty good movies, if not perfect.
I was amused by the GOP President in Swing Vote quoting T. Roosevelt--in a deleted scene. As if any Bull Moose progressives were nominated by the GOP these days. I wonder if that kind of little scene has any positive influence, puts any chink in the hardline conservatism of the party. I doubt it; the most I expect is that some voters will do what I used to do & mistake the modern "Grand Old Party" for the party of TR & Lincoln. Anyway, I liked Kelsey Grammar as the Prez. Also, disappointingly little Nana Visitor.
The end of Conejo en la luna--well, it's suspense, so maybe I won't spoil it, but I was surprised by one line in the last scene that seemed at odds with everything we'd seen. Brave face?
The Yankee satire Swing Vote (2008) paints US politics as the domain of somewhat silly but well-meaning people. Sure, they're frauds & flip-floppers, creatures of desperation; but they bend over backwards to make sure the swing voter will like them.
The Mexican suspense film Conejo en la luna (2004) shows us a Mexico where one political party is dominant, totally mobbed up, & murderous. A British national flees to her nation's embassy for protection, & is snatched up just outside the gate & hauled off to confinement by mobsters. The embassy staff don't even notice. A Mexican observes that (I paraphrase) "politics is the same beneath the surface everywhere; in Britain the dirty deeds happen under a cover of gentlemanliness."
Both pretty good movies, if not perfect.
I was amused by the GOP President in Swing Vote quoting T. Roosevelt--in a deleted scene. As if any Bull Moose progressives were nominated by the GOP these days. I wonder if that kind of little scene has any positive influence, puts any chink in the hardline conservatism of the party. I doubt it; the most I expect is that some voters will do what I used to do & mistake the modern "Grand Old Party" for the party of TR & Lincoln. Anyway, I liked Kelsey Grammar as the Prez. Also, disappointingly little Nana Visitor.
The end of Conejo en la luna--well, it's suspense, so maybe I won't spoil it, but I was surprised by one line in the last scene that seemed at odds with everything we'd seen. Brave face?
