Age of Ignorance

Regarding “The Age of Insolence,” film commentary by local critics Kalle Matso and Scott White of the Beach Reporter (Jan. 16):

I am horrified to contemplate the number of trees destroyed to bring us the article by those two self-amused nitwits Matso and White. At least Beavis and Butt-head admit they are stupid cartoon characters with no redeeming social value. These guys think they’re funny.

Matso and White try to hide behind being just two regular guys (who “don’t profess to know more about the movies than anyone else”) while pontificating about their extensive film knowledge. Their column in the Beach Reporter, the free local handout paper, is a forum for them to share their humorous insights with their friends. They contribute nothing.

Considering the resounding impact American culture has upon the world community, the massive new technologies that will soon change the very nature of our interpersonal and international interactions, or simply the number of artists who are actually trying to create something and could use the publicity, it is truly disappointing that The Times was so lazy that it had to reach into the trash and pull out a free beach newspaper to fill the Sunday Calendar section.

CHRISTOPHER CASEY

Manhattan Beach

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I suppose Kalle Matso might think “The Age of Innocence” has nothing to offer his generation and is not a relevant film, but this is precisely the problem with his generation.

Sacrifice is the essential theme in “The Age of Innocence”--even though this sacrifice was achieved at the cost of personal happiness and was facilitated by the conventions of society, it was no less real or true.

Matso and others of his “Me generation” may not understand the concept of this quaint word, but he might do well to try.

ANN CREWS VASSILIOU

Sherman Oaks