Letters: Viewing films in the aftermath of a Trump victory
Election’s film effects
Regarding “A New Lens: In the Wake of Donald Trump’s Victory, Some Movies Suddenly Play Very Differently Than They Did Before” [Nov. 29]. This substantial article is delicious reading and informative simultaneously.
Rick Edelstein
Bedford
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Another day, another absurd, hysterical, fear-mongering piece about Trump. Somehow movies that were made before Trump was elected are now telling us how dangerous he is. The fascism Robert A. Heinlein wrote about is already here, on our college campuses and in the liberal media — The Times included — that silence any opposing view while also boasting about how “inclusive” they are.
Stan Evans
Valley Village
Add White to big music losses
In your remembrance of Sharon Jones [“Sharon Jones’ Raw Honesty,” Nov. 22] you write, “This has been a year of great musical loss. David Bowie, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Leon Russell and Merle Haggard...” What about Maurice White, founder and producer of Earth, Wind & Fire, which just may be America’s finest band ever
Charles L. Freeman Jr.
Baldwin Hills
Don’t forget the spoiler alert
In Justin Chang’s review of “Allied” [“A Vintage Game of Spy vs. Spy,” Nov. 23], he writes that “… no one — not even the audience — initially realizes that these two gorgeous-looking Parisian expats are in fact assassins working for the Allied Forces…” Well, thanks a lot. Now anyone who has read your review will know this and presumably will have his enjoyment of the movie that much reduced.
Robert Schechter
Los Angeles
Music should have its charms
Like Mark Swed, I attended the Tuesday night performance of the new Alice opera by Gerald Barry [“Making Alice Even More Madcap,” Nov. 25] and marveled that sonic chaos could be deemed entertaining and that deconstructed Carroll would be preferable to the original. I wondered why instead of this operatic mishmash the Philharmonic didn’t, and doesn’t, perform the splendid Alice works of composer David del Tredici, who from 1968 to 1996 composed some two-dozen beautiful, tuneful, neo-Romantic works explicating Carroll’s conceptions. It is music that charms, not assaults.
Carl Pearlston
Torrance
A Farrell fan suggests ‘Home’
Just finished reading your article on Colin Farrell [“Farrell Tries Roles of Many Stripes,” Nov. 27] and noticed that my favorite movie of his is not listed. If you have not seen it, you must. It’s called “A Home at the End of the World.” A little gem.
Carlos Dell’Acqua
Malibu
Language says little in ‘Arrival’
Regarding “Inside the Geekily Linguistic Heart of Sci-Fi Film ‘Arrival’” [Nov. 28]. Yes, the visual language used by the aliens was brilliant, but that was all that was remotely compelling in this awful movie. The rest felt as if they spent so much money on CGI that there was nothing left to edit the movie into something cogent. Your article elevated an inferior film into a lesson in alien-speak for dummies.
Lynn Leatart
Sherman Oaks
Putting a pause on ‘popular’
Please refrain from ever again suggesting that Scientology is or ever was “popular with Hollywood A-listers” [“Former ‘Leader’ Shares Her Story,” Nov. 29]. Two people out of dozens (or more) do not make anything “popular.” They are just highly visible fools whom Scientology is more than happy to showcase.
Stan Brothers
La Crescenta
Waiting for Doris Day’s time
Regarding “Feedback: Doris Day Needs an Oscar Too” [Nov. 27]. I’m in total agreement with Mike McCrann. Doris Day should have some kind of recognition from Hollywood; with all of her movies, she has made plenty of money for the studios and has brought endless joy to all of her fans. Shame on Hollywood.
Anthony Lanzetta
Silver Lake
