We saw that a few days ago.  Boring.  I figure F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a story about a guy’s life from birth to death then read it and found it way too dull to publish.  He didn’t want to throw it away, so he came up with the gimmick of doing it backwards.  It introduced a few mildly interesting disconnects between some activities and age, for example, an old man having his first sexual experience.  However, even with the senior discount, I didn’t get my money’s worth.

Occam

Occam - 20 January 2009 03:37 PM

I figure F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a story about a guy’s life from birth to death then read it and found it way too dull to publish.  He didn’t want to throw it away, so he came up with the gimmick of doing it backwards.

As much as I admire Brad Pitt’s looks, I really don’t think he is much of an actor. What did you expect, Occam?

he was fantastic in fight club, fit the part really well, he pretty much was the tyler durden from the book.

think he was good in babel too, good performance there

George - 21 January 2009 07:12 AM

As much as I admire Brad Pitt’s looks, I really don’t think he is much of an actor. What did you expect, Occam?

  So that’s why my wife chose that movie.  Damn, now I see an advantage if I were gay - at least I could have enjoyed his looks. 

Occam

I think he is a good actor. I thought he did good in 12 monkeys, seven, fight club, babel and the jesse james movie.

Then again, I think Yellow Beard is a great movie too!

Ah, youse guys are just jealous because ol’ Brad got to rub up against Cate B!
I agree that Pitt is no Edward Norton, although I got a big kick out of his portrayal of a “personal trainer” and general imbecile in “Burn After Reading.”  And I think he’s a much better actor than some of his pretty boy peers.

But I really liked “Button,” which I saw last night, and I’m looking forward to reading the original story.  Especially for a Hollywood movie, I thought it nicely portrayed the themes of loss and relationship and family.  And it had a distinctly humanistic bent.  Although the basic premise was of course a fantasy, I think it nicely, if subtly, depicted supernatural belief as just one more aspect of human frailty.

Also, after viewing it, I began to contemplate that the fact that biological life proceeds from birth to death in the way it does, rather than in some other sequence, is itself a strong proof that life evolved from simple probability and organic compounds, rather than from a purposeful design and manufacture by some great intelligence, aka God.

And Fitzgerald apparently got the idea for the story from a great humanist, as this quote from the amazon.com book description allows:
In a short introduction to the story, Fitzgerald wrote: “This story was inspired by a remark of Mark Twain’s to the effect that it was a pity that the best part of life came at the beginning and the worst part at the end…”

And I’m reminded of course, of George Carlin’s bit (I wonder where he got the idea?)along the same line:
“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What’s that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you’re too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…

...and you finish off as an orgasm.”

Trail Rider - 26 January 2009 07:48 AM

And I’m reminded of course, of George Carlin’s bit (I wonder where he got the idea?)along the same line:
“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What’s that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you’re too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…

...and you finish off as an orgasm.”

LOVE IT!!! (If Only!)

asanta - 26 January 2009 09:57 AM

Trail Rider - 26 January 2009 07:48 AM

And I’m reminded of course, of George Carlin’s bit (I wonder where he got the idea?)along the same line:
“The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What’s that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you’re too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…

...and you finish off as an orgasm.”

LOVE IT!!! (If Only!)

Agreed: WONDERFUL posting, Trail Rider!  Mark Twain, George Carlin ... great stuff!

I also enjoyed “Button,” and thought it was a cut above the Hollywood norm. I saw it with my fiance and her 12-year-old, and we all got something different out of the film and discussed it for days afterwards because of our varied reactions and thoughts.  That’s the kind of movie I like.  Sure, Pitt is no Olivier, but I think his performances are improving as he matures.

The Carlin quote comes to me at an appropriate juncture, as I just laid to rest an uncle with whom I was very close.  His surviving sons and their families are very devout Christians, and the services and eulogies reflected that, at times in a pretty heavy-handed way. The deceased was a nominal Christian as well, but worldly, humane and life-loving.  He also had a wicked sense of humor and irony (part of our Polish cultural heritage) and would have appreciated this quote, I’d like to think.  So, this particular quote at this particular time was a bit therapeutic for me, as the Grim Reaper has been on my mind.

Oddly enough, this is not the first time Mr. Carlin’s work has impacted my life:  Last year, a friend sent me an essay written by Carlin following the death of his wife, reflecting on people’s priorities in life and questioning what we value and if those things make sense.  It was a brilliant piece, and I forwarded it to a female friend I had just made at work.  This led to a lengthy e-mail correspondence, which led to a romantic relationship, a proposal and next month’s wedding! (I even plan to quote from it as part of the ceremony I’m composing.)

So thanks, George (and thanks, Trail Rider)!

What a sweet story!

Ricky the K - 08 May 2009 12:34 PM

Oddly enough, this is not the first time Mr. Carlin’s work has impacted my life:  Last year, a friend sent me an essay written by Carlin following the death of his wife, reflecting on people’s priorities in life and questioning what we value and if those things make sense.  It was a brilliant piece, and I forwarded it to a female friend I had just made at work.  This led to a lengthy e-mail correspondence, which led to a romantic relationship, a proposal and next month’s wedding! (I even plan to quote from it as part of the ceremony I’m composing.)

So thanks, George (and thanks, Trail Rider)!

Not that it really matters but according to George he didn’t write that essay, “The Paradox of our time”.

If that’s the one your referring to.

Grayscale - 09 May 2009 10:41 AM

Ricky the K - 08 May 2009 12:34 PM

Oddly enough, this is not the first time Mr. Carlin’s work has impacted my life:  Last year, a friend sent me an essay written by Carlin following the death of his wife, reflecting on people’s priorities in life and questioning what we value and if those things make sense.  It was a brilliant piece, and I forwarded it to a female friend I had just made at work.  This led to a lengthy e-mail correspondence, which led to a romantic relationship, a proposal and next month’s wedding! (I even plan to quote from it as part of the ceremony I’m composing.)

So thanks, George (and thanks, Trail Rider)!

Not that it really matters but according to George he didn’t write that essay, “The Paradox of our time”.

If that’s the one your referring to.

Really?  Thanks Grayscale, I’ll check it out.  The format in which I received the piece certainly implied authorship.  Another urban legend bites the dust!