Not that the world's greatest living filmmaker went anywhere, but Jean-Luc Godard's new film "In Praise of Love" opens this Friday in New York and Los Angeles before going nationwide. Check out how Godard provoked a reactionary, Limbaugh-ish review from the normally liberal and staid New Yorker Magazine: http://newyorker.com/critics/cinema/?020902crci_cinema I'm declaring it a masterpiece without having seen it for Anthony Lane's hysteria alone.
I betcha Lane's still chubbed up from his screening. I've heard some great stories about NY & LA press wonks doing battle to get a couple minutes with Godard, and the politics involving the movie's PR people. Seems that a couple reviewers gave said PR company's late Summer bomb projects good reviews, and expected the favor to be paid back with an audience with the old codger, which ain't gonna happen. I love that stuff. More proof that reviews are for chumps.
It must have something going for it to bring out THAT much stupidity in one person. It was hilarious, though, reading Lane while I was also reading Rosenbaum's "Movie Wars." It's not like JR needed extra evidence to prove his theories, but Lane (inadvertantly) helps him make a few points.
(factual nitpicking) Besides just being silly throughout, Lane is erroneous in stating that Simone Weil died a Catholic. She never converted. (/factual nitpicking)