Summer Blockbusters (or not)...

 

 

"We have lost the recipe on how to make good movies or good government..."

 

Hey! There is yet another big budget "blockbuster" being released this weekend! Only this one has a twist. It seems as if in the distant future, the dreaded "1%" have become very isolated from the rest of us. They now live in a gated community which is heavily fortified. I don't know anything more about this movie, nor do I want to. The current projections are it might be too political to appeal to all of us - and therefore might join the large number of other big budget movies which have "flopped" this summer.

 

There is a delicious irony to this movie. The same weekend it is being released, our "President of Privilege" is heading out with the family to Martha's Vineyard. You know - that vacation paradise only the very rich or well connected get a chance to visit. In fact, Martha's Vineyard is similar to the "gated 1% city" in the movie Elysium. The very rich enjoy the spoils, and many of the rest of us can barely afford the gas to drive up to Duluth. Oh well, "life imitates art", as the expression goes.

 

Before someone takes me to task about being too hard on our overworked President, let me make something clear. First off, I believe two things - 1) All Presidents, even this one, deserve a vacation and 2) The President is never truly on vacation. That being said, lets look at some of our prior Presidents. President Bush (43) vacationed on his ranch in Texas (which he owned). President Clinton was also a freeloader. He had no home, so mooched off his rich Democrat supporters for vacations. President Bush (41) vacationed at his home in Maine (which he owned). President Reagan vacationed at his ranch in California (which he owned). President Carter vacationed at his home in Georgia (which he owned).

 

So in 2013, where are we? First off, we continue to produce vapid, insipid movies that very few people go to. Many who want to see these poorly made movies, can't afford to see them. The rich keep getting richer, and the rest of us are clinging on to the side of a very slippery slope. All this is happening while we have the most transformational and transparent President in history. At the end of his term, our current President will no doubt follow in the footsteps of President Clinton - become very, very rich with the help of his 1% buddies. The rest of us - well there is always hope for a change.

 

There is a very unpleasant connection between Hollywood and Washington. Not just the symbiotic hero worship - no, the lack of vision which produces bad products that don't work like they use to. Bad movies, bad government. Even though some naïve eyes have been opened, there are still too many who are blind to the snake oil which is being sold to us. Just like a bad movie we all hope will get better, our government hampered economy stays bad and continues to get worse.

 

If I were to write a movie review on how the Administration had handled our economy, it would be as follows:

 

Zero stars with a rating of "NC-17" - not suitable for children nor adults.