But as far as Spielberg goes, EMPIRE OF THE SUN blows them both away.

Speaking of which, I just read Ballard's follow-up memoir The Kindness of Women and it's fantastic. Heartbreaking too. But if you're familiar with his work you get to meet the real life characters that inspired Crash and you see the slow development of his thematic interests. My favorite section might have been when he was in the RAF in Saskatoon. Beautifully written. His stint in medical school and his love note for his cadaver is also a gorgeous piece of writing.

Schindler's breakdown at the end

This is the scene that made me cry the second time I watched it.

Does THE PIANIST count?

That was a brutal movie. I feel like it wasn't manipulative on purpose; it was just so unflinchingly objective about the whole thing that it hurt.

On an unrelated note:

One thing I've been noticing more and more lately is books...honest to God published books...using the phrase "should of" rather than "should've".

It's making me fucking NUTS!!

Is this common now? Is this acceptable now? WTFF?!?!?!

Is this common now? Is this acceptable now? WTFF?!?!?!

Publishing has changed and books often don't get edited. Just copyedited. And then not always by a very good copyeditor. So, it's due mostly to cost cutting, I think.

I see a lot of people "pouring over" some deep thought. Always makes me wince. Except for when it's funny.

I've never seen The Pianist, but I've read that Roman Polanski is reportedly one of the inspirations for the young protagonist of Kosinski's The Painted Bird. I can only assume that he would have a pretty fucked-up take on the Holocaust.

The amount of history my parents prepped me with just laid the foundation for me collapsing when presented with a half-decently told tale of racial cruelty in the deep south, the middle passage, and then by extension up through any genocide. I don't know if Amistad was a good movie. It doesn't matter that I've seen more graphic. Sitting in the theatre watching Djimon's character swim towards the sun made it all hit all over again.

I feel like it wasn't manipulative on purpose; it was just so unflinchingly objective about the whole thing that it hurt.

"Unflichingly objective" is a pretty good description of Polanski's best work. With The Pianist, he also had some personal connection with the subject, which I'm sure added to that trait.

I don't know if Amistad was a good movie.

I'm right there with you on that. I do know that there are certain scenes that haunt me. It also is on the Never Can Watch Again list.

It also is on the Never Can Watch Again list.

Heh. I should send you Ponette. That'd kill you dead.

Uh...not that I want you dead.