the groundhog day project

It’s the balls in the drawer that get to me. And the “Have a nice day” on the front of the “police rescue” vehicle. And not just this movie. So many other movies from my childhood that involved cops that operate outside the law, military heroes who operate outside any rules of engagement, and not just in dramas or action films. Take Soul Man just a week or two ago in this blog, for example--can't get into Harvard, lie and pose as a black man to cheat your way in. The Secret of My Success --can't get the job you want, lie, forge documents, and manipulate your way into a job that doesn't even exist. Iron Eagle --the military won't go rescue your father, nevermind the potential international incident you might create, the war you might incite, nevermind the penalties your friends might receive for helping you, nevermind that you're killing military men just like your father over decisions far above their heads; just go on that mission yourself (well, along with ...

Watching Rambo: First Blood Part II for the last time--I like to toy with the idea that after watching any of these movies for multiple days I will retire them from my viewing repertoire--it strikes me that I haven't had much that was actually negative to say about this film. Sure, it represents an attempt to rebuild American hegemony symbolically, and a manipulation to reconstruct the myth of Vietnam, but it's just so damn fun. So, I figured I'd end this week of Rambo by looking backward, see where Rambo came from. I've mentioned David Morrell, author of the novel First Blood . I've even talked here and there about differences between book Rambo and movie Rambo. But, why does Rambo even exist? Wilder (1990) presents us with a story--I'll just provide the beginning of it: A young boy is raised in a patriotic Christian culture to love god and country; to believe "Thou shalt not kill." At the age of 18, not yet old enough to drink or vote, he is giv...