Is Foreign Cinema Overrated?

Last night I tried to watch an Austrian film called Revanche. It actually put me to sleep, before 11pm.

I'm not entirely sure which artistic movement films like this should be associated with. The camera work is simple and direct; scenes are shot from one angle, with few cuts. For the most part, nothing happens. Yet it was a well-received film and was nominated for an Academy award; more evidence, if any was needed, that the Oscars don't count for much.

The story is about a Viennese prostitute who robs a bank with her boyfriend. As they flee, a policeman tries to shoot out the tires of their car but hits her instead. It might sound like an exciting formula - plenty of opportunities for car chases and explosions. Instead, every opportunity for excitement is ignored, and the rest of the film is uneventful as a film can be while still having a plot.

Perhaps the lack of action is meant to reflect the boredom of Austrian life. Maybe it's a European way of getting back at Americans for the fast-paced brutality of American movies. Either way, I've found the limit of my tolerance for cinematic boredom.

But it's not all bad! A few nights before, I watched Terribly Happy, a Danish film about a policeman who is reassigned to a small town in the countryside. It was GREAT, and much more frightening than I'd expected. I'd watch it again in an instant.

Here's the Danish version of the poster, and no I can't pronounce it. Were there a movie like this for every movie like that, I'd be happy.

Narrow Thinking At The Times

Cathy Horyn is a distinctive fashion critic, primarily because she seems to hate fashion and therefore feels no compunction giving bad reviews. Unfortunately, for one who doesn't seem to care what others in the fashion business think of her, she has a lot of trouble taking criticism. Her blog, On The Runway, is usually a good read, but it could be better: it could tolerate some dissent.

I should know because I'm a regular reader. When I have something to contribute on a given topic, I leave comments. The funny thing? Anything even faintly challenging of her will not be approved.

Now, if Horyn's blog works the way other New York Times blogs work, it's the author who does most of the work of reading and approving comments (that's how Paul Krugman's blog operates, at any rate). If it's not policy at the Times to squash criticism, it's Cathy herself approving the comments she agrees with and dismissing whatever she doesn't.

What's wrong with that? you might wonder. After all, it is her blog - if you don't agree, start your own blog.

First, that's exactly what I've done.

Second, no serious newspaper should get away with publishing only one point of view. An editor who published an article stating a controversial opinion, then refused to publish any dissenting letters from readers, would be seen as a partisan hack. Why should it be any different for a blog about fashion?

There are two things here that Horyn needs to think about. Does she want to become a Devil Wears Prada-like figure with whom polite disagreement is simply not possible?

Perhaps more importantly, does she want to drive discussion away from her blog? At times, her commenters are little more than a chorus of sycophants. That means that the real discussion must be happening elsewhere. Wouldn't she prefer to keep it close?

Think about it, Ms. Horyn. They don't call it the Grey Lady for nothing.