Whenever movie mayhem comes under attack from concerned citizens – as it did after the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 – filmmakers often justify their work by claiming that their depictions of violence are not endorsements. It’s hard to take that seriously, especially because they usually make gun play look so cool and leave out…
This new report on gun violence in film has been getting a lot of play the last few days. Analyzing the incidents of gun violence in the top-grossing American films, the authors concluded that the incidents of gun violence in movies rated PG-13 have nearly tripled since 1985. Last year – for the first time…
…the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman in the sequel to Man of Steel. From his twitter feed: “@SenatorLeahy: Ben’s a great pick for #Batman & a New Englander to boot. I guess that means I’m out of the running…” In case you missed it, one of Leahy’s well-known eccentricities is that he’s a huge…
Does anyone remember gun violence? Back in January, just one month after the Sandy Hook shooting, Obama announced that he was taking 23 executive actions intended to reduce gun violence in America. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I asked you to name one, you couldn’t. It’s not your fault; the media covered it…
It’s a controversy as old as Hollywood itself with a contemporary twist. Here is a scenario that occurs fairly routinely: an actor to completes work on a film, gets worried that it’s not going to turn out well, and trashes the film in advance of its release. The example that jumps to mind is Marlon…
Here is an interesting twist in the complex relationship between government, gun violence, and Hollywood. There is a new approach to gun control – and it is inspired by the movies. All sensible people , even 90 percent of Americans, agree that individuals who suffer from mental illness should not be allowed to buy guns.…
This morning, President Obama revealed his policy proposals on gun violence. The White House fact sheet pointed to 10 major policy proposals that the president will take to Congress, along with 23 executive orders that he will enact in the near future. As predicted, strengthening of gun control laws and ensuring access to mental health…
NOTE: This post has been updated from its original content. Critics of HBO’s “The Newsroom” – and there have been many of them – have chided the show’s writer-creator Aaron Sorkin for being too preachy. These criticisms have come from both the right and the left. The Wall Street Journal wrote that “preening virtue…weighs on…
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