My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

And they still are, it seems.

Watoosa and I watched 3:10 to Yuma this week, and it reconfirmed my high opinion of it. Watoosa proclaimed it her favorite western. I wouldn't put it above Unforgiven, which is in my favorite films in any genre. But 3:10 to Yuma is certainly one of the best of its kind, and seeing it in the theater last summer was one of the most enjoyable movie-going experiences I've had in quite a while.

There's nothing fancy about this film--it's just a straightforward story about a man (Christian Bale) determined to get an outlaw (Russell Crowe) to a train that will take him to his trial and, presumably, to justice. There's enough character development that you enjoy watching these people interact and make the choices that move the plot along, and you care about what happens to them. But this is no hoity-toity character film posing as a Western. The action sequences are gripping, and there's plenty of them.

Crowe plays his character with plenty of charm, but also with enough cold-blooded ruthlessness that you never quite forget he's a villain. Bale gives his usual full-tilt performance. But Ben Foster steals the show as Crowe's right hand man. He has such an intensity that far outstrips his rather small frame. There are scenes of him waiting on horseback, positioned far off in the distance, watching and waiting for a chance to strike out at the men who have captured his boss. It's chilling.

In the bonus features, the filmmaker portrays Westerns as the American counterpart to the Greek and Roman myths. I think there's something to that, but the fact that so few Westerns make it to production these days (compared to the early and middle part of the last century) suggests that the importance of the Western to the American identity is waning. It looks to me like it will be supplanted in this century by the super-hero film.

But 3:10 to Yuma was such a treat, I hope it will remind Hollywood that there are still stories worth telling that involve horses and six-shooters and a decided lack of spandex.

I'm Not Nearly as Special as I'd Like to Think I Am

One highlight (out of many) from the trip to California: I met someone who seems to have largely followed my life trajectory. During the conference, he introduced himself to the group as someone who does work in political philosophy and ethics, with a particular interest in issues concerning citizenship. That's pretty much how I describe myself, too, so I decided to introduce myself. In the course of our conversation, I discovered we had the following things in common:

1. We both grew up in north Alabama.
2. We both grew up Southern Baptist.
3. He went to Samford for one year, and ended up earning a degree from UAH. I went to UAH for one year, and I ended up earning a degree from Samford.
4. He married a Samford alum, and so did I.
5. He got his Ph. D. from Vanderbilt. As a kid, I always intended to go to Vandy.
6. We both started off with an interest in American pragmatism, and then eventually shifted to analytic philosophy.
7. Our dissertations addressed similar topics, and we seem to have argued for similar positions.
8. Our dissertation advisors run in the same circles.
9. This year, he began his career at a Protestant college in Southern California. I just left a teaching position at a Protestant college in Southern California.

How many other people are out there that have lived pretty much the same life as you?

UPDATE: I forgot to add "10. We both have the same intials--C.C."

Goin' Back to Cali

Stylin' and Profilin'.

I leave in a couple hours for Southern California, where I'll spend a little time in the L.A. area and attend a conference in beautiful Santa Barbara. This conference is held each February partly in order to catch the best weather of the year. While I have loved the Maine winter, yesterday was such a mess that I started thinking that the lyrics of "California Dreamin'" were gospel truth: "All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray....I'd be safe and warm, if I was in L.A."

On Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, we got seven inches of snow. During the day on Wednesday, snow gave way to lots of rain, which in turn changed the fallen snow to seven inches of slush, and formed giant pools of standing water that couldn't find its way to street drains. I got completely soaked through while trying to liberate our cars, as passing traffic splashed gallons of road water and sludge on me. Then I turned my attention to our walk, where I was literally shoveling liquid water.

So I should get a break from all that the next few days. Alas, Watoosa must stay behind.

But as for the rest of my readers...so long, suckers!

UPDATE: Title explanation, for those who have insufficient appreciation of 80s rap, here.

UPDATE 2: Yes, I will be both stylin' and profilin'.

Things I Wish I'd Never Seen

A 1.5 cm* nose goblin dangling from one of my student's nostrils, its slimy exterior reflecting the afternoon sunlight coming in through the window.

Fortunately for him, it was in the middle of class. Unfortunately for him, the class consists of six people, so he was especially conspicuous. I was horrified, and yet I could not look away. Not even when, finding himself without a tissue, he used his freakin' sleeve.

Needless to say, I'll be handling this kid's tests and papers with safety tongs and a hazmat suit.

*Approximate measurement, but no exaggeration.

The Best Sentence I've Read This Morning

From the NY Times review of Fool's Gold:

"Mr. McConaughey and Ms. Hudson, who were less than electrifying in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," appear to be suffering through a course in remedial chemistry, which they barely pass."

Be Afraid. Be Very, Very, Very, Very Afraid

What in the name of all that is holy and decent in this world would impel someone to greenlight this idea: a cheeseburger in a can? You read that right. Click on the link, and despair.

And yet, amidst all my revulsion and suspicion, I find myself strangely curious....

Fun with Logic

Just found this site, which features amusing Venn diagrams (although some of the entries are line graphs). If you haven't done Venn diagrams before, you'll still get the jokes, I think. The author is putting out a book collection soon.

Here are a couple of my favorites so far: