Donna Freitas: September 2008 Archives

So yes, "Ghost Town" is basically "The Ghost Whisperer" starring Ricky Gervais in Jennifer Love Hewitt's role on the television series, but here's the thing: this movie has Ricky Gervais as its ghost whisperer and that makes all the difference. And yes, just like on the CBS television series, Gervais as "Dr. Pinkus" (ahem, remember "The [British] Office"?), not only sees ghosts but once the ghosts realize he can see ghosts, they all have unfinished earthly business they want him to finish so they can "cross over" or go to heaven or disappear in a flash of divine light-- which is also what happens on "The Ghost Whisperer."

The idea behind this film therefore, I admit, is not an original one, but Ricky Gervais's Dr. Pinkus--a people-avoiding dentist who dies for seven minutes during a colonoscopy (!!) and comes back to life with this newfound ability--is not to be missed. Not only is it side-splitting, tears-running-down-your-face funny (it also stars Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig, and an amazing Tea Leoni), but it is also tears-running-down-your-face sweet. It's hard not to choke up when this people-avoiding, oddball of a man, Dr. Pinkus, discovers his altruistic side and begins to help these ghosts cross into heaven, not to mention get the girl.

Okay so Sarah Silverman is known for her outrageous comedy skits but this one tops all: she's done a video urging all Jews in the United States to take Florida by storm, making a special visit to their Jewish grandparents (all of whom, Silverman says, now reside in Florida) to convince these well-meaning, loving elderly folks to get out the vote--for Obama. And while Sarah Silverman is totally hilarious in this video, she is also totally not kidding about what she is calling "The Great Schlep." She wants Jews to swing Florida for Obama via their Bubbes! The website of "The Great Schlep" greets visitors with the following message:

"The Great Schlep aims to have Jewish grandchildren visit their grandparents in Florida, educate them about Obama, and therefore swing the crucial Florida vote in his favor. Don't have grandparents in Florida? Not Jewish? No problem! You can still become a schlepper and make change happen in 2008, simply by talking to your relatives about Obama."

According to New York Times reporter John Leland, he does. In this weekend arts section article, "Cameras Roll, and Faith Hasn't a Prayer," Leland says that "Religulous," which comes out October 3rd in New York City, "shows Mr. Maher on a world tour of rapid-cut interviews in Israel, Denmark, Vatican City and Monsey, N.Y., the home of Orthodox Jews United Against Zionism, whose leaders participated in a convention of Holocaust deniers in Iran. The movie is trying to tap the same spirit that has propelled books crusading against religion, like Richard Dawkins's "God Delusion," Sam Harris's "End of Faith" and Christopher Hitchens's "God Is Not Great," to the best-seller lists."

Leland thinks Maher gives Buddhism and Hinduism a pass, but all other faiths are more or less ripped to shreds in this whirlwind world religions tour:

"At the end of the movie Mr. Maher calls on "anti-religionists" to "come out of the closet and assert themselves" in the face of religious extremism. "Grow up or die," he says. Mr. Maher said he intended the movie as a call to action, not to convince religious people to join his camp but to stir the nonreligious to unite."

Ginia Bellafonte devoted considerable ink to exploring the religious dimensions of Fox's "Sarah Connor Chronicles" on the front page of this Sunday's New York Times fall television section. About to head into its third episode of season two tonight (Monday), Bellafonte describes SCC as bleak, with a "story [that] is set up along faith-versus-science paradigms, and the hope is that science will lose." She writes of season two's direction:

"The sense of evangelicism is ramped up this season. In the premiere, two weeks ago, John was essentially born again. On his birthday he rid himself of his slacker jacket and shaved his head, committing himself more fully to his mission. In the event that we might miss the religious implication, John did this in the rectory of a church, where he and his family were hiding from an Armenian killer. His good-cyborg bodyguard, Cameron (Summer Glau), a pretty but soulless machine, stared at a crucifix and asked Sarah if she believed in the resurrection; the assumption here was that only faith can really humanize."

Interesting and deep as this all sounds, I still can't decide if the series if worth a weekly hour of my attention. It's mostly run, run, run from the cyborgs, try to shoot the cyborgs before they inevitably shoot you. What do you think? Anyone out there actually watching this show and have a comment?

Though my fellow blogger Patton Dodd already so beautifully eulogized writer David Foster Wallace's early death, and Paul O'Donnell pointed readers to a wonderful piece called "Roger Federer as Religious Experience" reprinted by The New York Times last week in Wallace's honor, I can't help but devout one more small moment on Idol Chatter to this strange, quirky, postmodern philosopher-writer.

This Sunday's New York Times has a rather wonderful ode to Wallace's life and work--yet another beautiful eulogy not to be missed--this time by A.O. Scott. Scott's eulogy is called "The Best Mind of His Generation" and gives just a glimpse, but a thought-provoking one, into why the loss of David Foster Wallace will be mourned by readers and writers of all ages.

The decision that has Harry Potter fans in mourning--Warner Bros. Postponing the movie release of "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" until July 2009--turns out to be a boon for Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" fans. "Twilight," the movie, was moved...

So I have something that I think is pretty cool to share, and even though it's about my own new novel, "The Possibilities of Sainthood," I'm sharing it anyway! A new trend that has sprung up among young adult authors...

Not according to me! I am happy to announce that HBO's "True Blood" is finally here--and I eagerly watched the premiere episode, "Strange Love," last night. My thoughts so far (and surely there will be more to come): 1) The...

This weekend I indulged in my new favorite (super) Guilty Pleasure--the season premiere of the CW's "Gossip Girl." (It's also possible I indulged in the new incarnation of "90210" and set up the DVR to tape yet another series premiering...

It's happened before. In fact, it happened to J.K. Rowling a couple of days before the release of Book Seven in Harry Potter--someone posted the entire manuscript illegally on the Internet. But this time around it's a bit more painful...