Skip to main content

Shock and Awe (2018) - ★★★☆☆

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

No, I'm not talking about the day Princess Diana died, which incidentally was 23 years ago TODAY.

No, I'm talking about 9/11, and Alan Jackson's beautiful song about it, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning). Jackson asks an important question here, and supplies many possible answers—were you watching I Love Lucy reruns? Were you teaching a class full of innocent children (as opposed to a class full of guilty children)? Jackson also, of course, supplies us with what I believe to be one of the most important verses in all the history of songwriting:

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you

The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us

And the greatest is love 

Now, I think Alan is being modest—this is in no way a "simple song."  In fact, it's so complexly beautiful that I can hardly read it, let alone listen to it, without my heart going all aflutter. There's SO much to say about this song. The choice to elide the first 'e' in difference? Thrilling! Saying the difference 'in'? Weird, but exciting! Openly admitting, in a song about 9/11, that you don't really know the difference between two countries which notably played no role in the attacks on the World Trade Center or the Pentagon? Stunningly brave! Making a swift and artful pivot to Jesus and God? Claiming you actually talk to God? Just incredible! 

Of course, it does seem like Alan is misunderstanding a few things about 9/11. Alan, if you're reading this, I can't recommend watching Rob Reiner's Shock and Awe enough! The years following 2001 were certainly a confusing time for many Americans, but this movie clears it right up! There's some really handy exposition (I'm not kidding it was helpful and I really appreciated it) and some nice actual footage from the era—probably some of the stuff you remember from CNN, back in the day! It also has Woody Harrelson in it, Alan, and if you're anything like me, I know you'll be simply delighted about that!

In fact, for anyone who needs a little refresher course on George Bush's dealings with 9/11, this is a great place to start. It may not be easy to watch—some of your faves may be implicated, especially when it comes to Congress voting in favor of the war in Iraq. But I really did learn a lot—somehow we didn't really learn about the early 2000s very much in high school, besides when my principle read a rhyming poem thanking the firefighters over the intercom each year. There's important stuff in here, and it's pretty palatable, too! And of course, it also has Woody Harrelson in it. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) - ★☆☆☆☆

People are always asking me, "Fiona, why, on your quest to watch every Woody Harrelson movie, are you including movies that you absolutely know you will hate, and that Woody is only in for two seconds, appearing as himself, in the last minute of the movie? Wouldn't it be easier to simply find clips of Woody's performances in these movies rather than subjecting yourself to the grueling two hours it would take to watch the whole thing?" I'd like to answer their questions with a few of my own: How will I truly understand Woody's performance in such movies if I don't watch the whole thing? Would a true fan of Woody Harrelson not subject themselves to the greatest pain to support him? How could I claim to be the world's foremost Woody Harrelson expert if I did not watch the entirety of every movie that he appears in? The answers to these questions are, respectively, "I couldn't!" "They would!" and "I couldn't!" So here ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) - ★★★★★

In lieu of our usual programming, I present you today with an ode to the outfits of Larry Flynt.  This was a good movie which I enjoyed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Transsiberian (2008) - ★★★★☆

If you're not familiar with Andrew Lloyd Webber's seminal classic, Starlight Express,  it's likely we've never met, for hardly a conversation goes by in which I do not find the opportunity to bring it up. Under the unlikely circumstances that you are not familiar with the piece, I'll offer a brief description, and then, assuming that your interest has been suitable peaked, leave you to do further research on your own.  Starlight Express is a 1984 masterpiece from the mind of the one and only Andrew Lloyd Webber, creator of such hits as Cats , Jesus Christ Superstar , The Phantom of the Opera , and  The Phantom of the Opera' s sequel, Love Never Dies , which, naturally, takes place at Coney Island. Starlight Express  is the first musical which was ever performed fully on rollerblades. Why does every single actor in the show wear rollerblades, you ask? The answer, really, is quite simple—they're all trains! While Starlight Express wasn't a major hit in the...
Post a Comment
Read more