Don't you just hate it when someone just can't resist divulging the ending of a movie? Today, the Midland Reporter-Telegram, rewarded its paid subscribers with a column by Tom Teepen about a movie titled "Million Dollar Baby." [You can find the column at the PalmBeachPost.com.]
Actually, it's a screed ripping conservatives - he claims that some conservatives have criticized a message in the movie, so he proceeds to attack conservatives. But, before doing so he reveals a plot twist in the movie that those who haven't seen the movie yet would probably have preferred not to have known about in advance of seeing the movie.
To be fair to Mr. Teepen, if I had read his first sentence instead of scanning for the pertinent parts I could have avoided his spoiler. But, it didn't happen that way. Apparently, he expects us to read every word, or rather, read his first sentence then stop reading. In any event, it was a lousy thing to do.
This hasn't happened to me since the loopy Arriana Huffington did it in a column a few years ago to the movie "The Sixth Sense" by revealing the plot twist in order to make some silly joke. Perhaps it's the pressure of a deadline. Or perhaps these columnists are so proud of their ideas that they think they trump the people's right not to know. Or, maybe they are just old fashioned gossips - they can't resist being the one to spread what they know. In Mr. Teepen's case, he needed a way to attack conservatives because he sensed that some unnamed conservative might not like some part of the movie.
The cultural landscape is overrun with predatory anti-conservative commentators cruising for opportune targets for their indignation. I ripped off that sentence from Mr. Teepen's column and added to prefix "anti" to "conservative" to demonstrate that Mr. Teepen is doing exactly what he professes to abhor. But, all's fair in the politics of resentment. Double standards are the standard. And, with the likes of Tom Teepen reviewing movies it just demonstrates that there are no stars in the field.
I miss Gene Siskel.
Doesn't this just drive you crazy!?! I've been pretty vague to folks about this film because the ending is the only that keeps "Million Dollar Baby" from slipping into cliche and turning into Rocky dressed in sports bra.
It reminds me of the guy who came out the "Empire Strikes Back" screaming out loud to those waiting in line for the next film, "Darth Vadar is Luke Skywalker's father!"
Very bad manners. And I miss Gene, too.
Keep up the good work, buddy! Sorry I haven't been in touch but I continue to appreciate you and what you do.
Posted by: Chad Durham | February 19, 2005 at 11:27 AM
He completely gave you fair warning. It's not even a movie review. It's an analysis of people's reaction to it. Of course he has to talk about the plot twist.
Altho I agree with his point of view, Teepen is just a lousy writer. He never names anyone who has maligned the movie or quotes any derogatory statement about it. It's absolute hack work.
Posted by: Derek | March 06, 2005 at 10:42 AM
Years ago there was a Peanuts strip. Linus was watching Citizen Kane on TV. Lucy walked by and casually told him "Rosebud was his sleigh."
Linus screamed.
Posted by: Redman | March 07, 2005 at 12:19 PM