A Meme: Beauty in the 20th Century

Blog-friend Mark had a good idea for a meme:

The 20th century gave us much that was not beautiful such as the Killing Fields, Auschwitz, Holodomor, Stalingrad, and that list continues much too far. However, every age has beauty to claim as its own. Doestoevsky claimed that “beauty would save the world.” In this vein it seems imperative that we remark and remember beauty that is in our midst.

This particular meme invites the partipants to name five things of transcendent beauty that were discovered or created in the last 100 years. Name them, explain why you find it beautiful and then instead of tagging N others to pass it along, if you read this and think beauty important … take it up!

Here goes. Note that these are "five things of transcendent beauty that were discovered or created in the last 100 years," not "the most beautiful five things created in the last 100 years."

1. Michael Jordan's Dunk

Jordan epitomized the combination of ferocity and beauty that represent sports at their most beautiful.

2. The Blue Marble



The definition of "transcendent." Just mind-blowing.

3. E = mc²

Terrible violence and incomprehensible power in such a little equation. I believe it may very well kill all of us. Today, incidentally, is the birthday of Robert Oppenheimer, who quoted the Bhagavad-Gita after the first nuclear explosion: "Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

4. Imagine, John Lennon.

So haunting in the distance between reality and utopia.

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey



I surprised myself with this one. I don't even really like this movie, because it's so slow I can't stand to watch it. But film was by far the most important art form of the 20th century and I just can't say that any other movie is as beautiful.

Short Movie Reviews

(Previously.)

Superbad A+

Three unattractive high-schoolers try to get laid before the end of senior year. Hilarious and unbelievably crude. Much better than Knocked Up, which I gave an A.

The Bourne Ultimatum B+

Solid movie in the mold of the first two. I was a little disappointed, but only because the reviews were so great.

The Simpsons Movie B-

It was fun because it's The Simpsons and it's a movie, but it wasn't better than your average episode during the show's heyday.

Transformers B+

Entertaining popcorn movie. Good action, hot girl. Dragged a little towards the end.

The Kingdom B

Kept my attention. Most of the movie was quite good, but some parts were too unrealistic. Great, gritty fight scene with Jennifer Garner and a man twice her size. Nice to see Chris Cooper playing a good guy, even if it's almost the same character he always plays. He was even a little funny.

Good Luck Chuck C-

Dane Cook is kind of charming, but not particularly funny. Jessica Alba is extremely hot, but not a good actress. A few chuckle-worthy moments, but that's about it.

Van Wilder B

Finally got around to watching this on cable. Solid comedy.

Short Movie Reviews

I see a lot of movies. Thought it'd be fun to throw out some brief reviews of movies I've seen that I've recently seen... and some not so recently.

Knocked Up A

Great comedy by the makers of the 40-year-old virgin (A-). It doesn't really work as a romance, but that doesn't matter because it's so funny.

Volver A

Great Spanish (subtitled) movie starring Penelope Cruz. It's not like many other movies.

Fracture B

Solid thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and one of my favorite young actors, Ryan Gosling. Hopkins and Gosling are better than the movie, but it's worth it to watch them.

Speaking of Gosling...

Half-Nelson A

Gosling plays a high-school teacher with a crack habit who befriends one of his students... and tries to keep her away from the influence of drugs. Great movie.

and...

The Believer A

Gosling plays a Jewish anti-semite, apparently based on a true story.

Spider-Man 3 D

The worst of the trilogy. The action's okay, but the story is poor even for a movie based on a comic book.

Speaking of comics...

American Splendor A

A fantastic movie starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar, author of the comic book series of the same name.

Ghost World A

Another great movie based on a comic book (graphic novel, really) starring a young (pre-hotness, really) Scarlett Johansson and Thora Birch. It's Steve Buscemi who makes the movie, though, as Thora Birch's friend and pseudo-boyfriend. (Think Johansson and Murray in Lost in Translation. [A-])

Shrek the Third C-

Awful. I couldn't wait for it to end. I would have left if I were alone. Not nearly as good as the first two (B and B-, respectively, iirc.)

I Think I Love My Wife B

Interesting film starring Chris Rock as a married man tempted by another woman. n.b. Rock is not his on-stage persona in this film.

The Last King of Scotland B

Forrest Whittaker is great, as usual, playing the charming but ultimately evil real-life dictator Idi Amin. Not for the squeamish -- there are some brutal scenes. (Also, it turns out that Gillian Anderson looks great as a blonde, although she's not in the movie enough.)

The Namesake A

Great drama covering two generations of an Indian-American family. Stars Kal Penn, which reminds me of...

Harold and Kumar go to White Castle A+

Two kids get high and develop a serious craving for some White Castle hamburgers. Hi-jinks ensue. One of the best comedies in years.

Waitress B+

Sweet little movie starring Keri Russell of Felicity and the captain from Serenity and Firefly, an unhappily-married and pregnant Southern waitress with a gift for creative pie baking who meets a young doctor that's everything her controlling husband isn't.

Speaking of which...

Firefly (t.v. series) and Serenity (based on the series) receive an A for science fiction, which is not equivalent to an A in other genres simply because there's so little good science fiction out there.

Once A

Great little movie about an Irish busker and a Czech folk singer who get together and make some great music. Both are in the real-life band The Frames and both are adorable.