I have just returned from seeing Quantum of Solace with friends, and, let me tell you, it was quite a movie. It definitely had some issues, but I think that the real reason a lot of reviewers didn’t like it was that it didn’t fit into the Bond mold. It broke all the rules. It was new and fresh and pretty damn good.

Quantum of Solace basically picks up where Casino Royale left off, with Bond infuriated and desperate for vengeance. He ditches the gadgets this time, using his physical strength and skills to get what he needs, and he pairs up with a smart, beautiful, athletically talented woman…but he doesn’t sleep with her. That’s right, kids, the Bond girl isn’t the Bond girl.

(But don’t worry, there’s a delightful nod to Goldfinger which I won’t spoil for you, in case you see the film. In fact, there are a lot of nods to older Bond films, and it’s kind of fun to pick through the movie afterwards with a Bond nerd going “oh yeah, and then in that scene…”)

One of the strongest critiques I read pointed out that the film felt a little bit like a trailer, and yeah, that was kind a problem, I’m not going to lie. The film wasn’t perfect, and it had some narrative and stylistic flaws. But there was some kickass cinematography going on, really great ways of presenting scenes and characters. I thought that the non-use of music was really interesting, with scenes speaking for themselves rather than being carried by music, and while I know that exotic locations are part of the allure for some people, I liked the bleak nature of this film. I think it spoke to Bond’s state of mind, and to our state of mind as a collective.

Which reminds me, I absolutely loved the evil plot that this film hinged upon. It was obvious to me within seconds of meeting the bad guy, but they still did a good job of unfolding it and explaining why it was so horrific. Again, no details, because I don’t want to spoil your fun, but I totally dug it.

When I see a Bond, I come for explosions, girls, and shooting things. I got all of those, so I came out happy. But this movie was also more of an emotional exploration and less of a romp, kind of like On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, a darker and more real side of Bond’s character which was nice to see.

So, those of you who listen to public radio are probably familiar with the pledge drive, in which the radio waves are taken over for a week by obnoxious appeals for money. I kind of accept the pledge drive, in that I just don’t listen to the radio during the week in which the pledge drive occurs. (And, yes, I do donate, I just can’t stand listening to it.)

But now, the station I listen to has started running ads about the pledge drive, even though the drive isn’t scheduled until the 21st. Discussing this with Tristan, we got into a brief argument, because apparently the Chicago station is running ads which say “the more money you give us, the sooner this thing ends,” and he couldn’t understand why I was annoyed, because he thought that my station was running those ads.

But no. My station is not running ads asking for advance pledges to end the pledge drive early. My station is running ads…to let us know that the pledge drive is coming. That is all. Oh, and won’t we have so much fun during the pledge drive? (Uhm…no. No, we won’t.)

Seriously, people. The pledge drive is bad enough as it is. I might forgive a station for running advance ads to shorten the pledge drive, but running ads about the pledge drive which serve no function? Please, stop.

I promise, I’m not going to write about Bones every week, but there was such a marked contrast between last week’s episode and the “polyamory” episode that I felt compelled to say something about it. Mainly because I happen to really like the show, so I thought it would be a good thing to highlight why I like it, instead of just talking about what I don’t like.

Last week’s episode was focused on dogfighting, with a neat twist and turn or two. I suspect that the episode was inspired by the high-profile Vick case (and I seem to recall CSI doing a dogfighting episode last season, as well). One of the guest stars was actually a professional dog trainer, which was kind of cool. (Apparently he has his own show, but I’ve never heard of him.)

The case starts with the discovery of a finger, and moves on to finding the rest of the body. Eventually the body is linked with a dogfighting operation, complete with graphic pictures, which are narrated by Angela. There’s a great scene which involves Angela explaining what all the different pictures mean, and expressing revulsion, with even the normally pretty stoic Bones being moved.

I thought that the episode demonstrated, in a really graphic way, everything that is wrong with dogfighting, from Angela’s revulsion to Bones actually crying when she discovers a mass grave filled with the bones of discarded dogs. I thought it was an interesting twist for her character, because normally Bones is so unemotional and clinical, to see her moved by cruelty to animals. We’ve seen a lot more of her character’s emotional side coming out recently, which has given me mixed feelings, but I thought it was entirely appropriate here.

As it turns out, a dog was the murder weapon, and Bones forges a connection with the dog, pointing out that the dog was ordered to attack the victim, and that it wasn’t his fault. I was really stoked that with all the pit bulls around, they chose a different breed for the murder weapon, and they really highlighted the idea that dogs aren’t necessarily responsible for their behavior: their owners are. Dog owners can choose to train good dogs, or they can choose to train killer dogs, and it was clear to me that Bones felt that the owner was fully culpable for the crime.

It was also interesting to note that the dog had a really good temperament, making it all the more unfortunate that the animal was ultimately put down. Although this is standard practice in cases like that, the scene with Bones and Booth at the end was really quite moving.

These kinds of episodes are what makes Bones such a great show, because they highlight issues that people might not be learning about otherwise, whether its abuse in the fostercare system or violence to animals. I thought that the story was well told and well crafted, in a totally marked contrast with the totally spurious treatment of polyamory in the episode the week before. I challenge anyone to watch “The Finger In the Nest” and not get at least a little bit teary about the treatment of animals in American society.

I may not have started (or committed to) the Media Project just yet, but I’ve been ruminating over “The Man in the Outhouse,” the latest episode of Bones, for several days now, and I decided to write about it. I doubt that all of the Media Project posts would be this in-depth, unless I basically gave the website over to the Media Project for a year, but this might be a taste of what could be happening here next year.

For those of you who are not familiar with Bones, it’s a procedural based on the Kathy Reichs novels (loosely). It features a forensic anthropologist named Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and her FBI partner, Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz), along with a killer supporting cast which includes Dr. Sweets ( John Francis Daley), who I’m stoked to see back in a regular role as a psychologist who counsels Brennan/Booth and offers profiling advice. I love the show because it’s smart, it’s funny, and it’s really interesting to watch the relationships between the characters, and to look at the cases they examine.

However, I often have problems with the ways in which the show deals with nonconventional sexuality and relationships. Brennan is a strictly pragmatic character, who often approaches these issues from a scientific perspective, while Booth is a devout Catholic, who examines things from a moral perspective. You think that would be a setup for a very interesting point-counterpoint, but Bones often falls sadly short of the mark, and that really bums me out.

In this particular episode, it is quickly established that Brennan is dating two guys at once, one for his intellectual abilities, and one for his more, ah, earthy qualities. There was a lively discussion of polyamory, in which Booth expresses his discomfort, and for the rest of the episode we see him trying to trip Brennan up, obviously dealing with his own subverted affection for Brennan. Which makes for decent television, and is all fine and good, and I was initially quite pleased to see a polyamorous relationship portrayed in a reasonably positive way on television.

However, in the grand denouement at the end of the episode, the two men meet each other, and we learn that Brennan hadn’t actually discussed her relationship and boundaries with either one. Friends, this is not polyamory, this is cheating, and it is an entirely different kettle of fish. I was pretty damn disappointed in the Bones writers for totally mischaracterizing what polyamory is, and for having Brennan express the idea that it’s “not working” in the scene with Sweets at the end of the episode. It also set up the scene for an awkward almost-declaration of love from Booth, but why did they need to slander poly along the way? (Also, can we agree that having B&B get together would be awful for the show? I was actually quite pleased to see Brennan dating, becauase I thought it would add a new dimension of excellence to the show. Alas, I sense a B&B hookup, and I think that would totally kill the show.)

Polyamory is all about communication and open discussion, and what Brennan was doing was pretty much the opposite of that. How much more interesting it would have been if Brennan had been modeling a healthy polyamorous relationship, discussing issues with her partners and working them out, instead of just sneaking around and stringing two men along. And how very sad that Bones viewers who aren’t well-informed came away with a very negative view of polyamory after Wednesday’s episode.

The whole theme of the show was infidelity and its consequences, but the writers apparently fell short of the mark, because polyamory isn’t infidelity.

Sweet Lord, I am excited about this show all over again.

Season premieres in television are about to start rolling out, which means that it’s time for me to make my periodic “I watch television (on my computer) and I like it” confession.

I used to be highly secretive about my television-liking habits. I never had a television growing up, and in fact didn’t really start watching TV until a few years ago, when the Internet made all things possible. And I tried to conceal my TV addiction, because I had a kind of snobby attitude about television and the people who watch it, and so do many of the people around me.

But, bit by bit, I let my guard slip, and I discovered that many people in fact watch and like television, sometimes as secretively as I do, and I decided to come out of the closet. And I’ve really been a much happier person since I did, because I’ve been able to network with other people who enjoy the same shows I do, and it’s happy good times. Thanks to Hulu and smart networks who post their content online, it’s also really, really easy to keep up with what’s going on in television, and I think that it can sometimes reveal very interesting cultural trends in addition to just being interesting.

So, here’s my list of shows I’m looking forward to watching in the coming television season:

Dollhouse

Dollhouse isn’t actually airing until January, but I am just that excited about it. Joss Whedon! In television! Again! Be still, my heart. Also, a lot of the old Buffy/Angel gang is involved, which is pretty sweet, and I really like the concept. So color me excited. Let’s hope Fox has learned its lesson, and that it will not mess this one up.

Bones (3 September)

I really like procedurals, but I think Bones is pretty much the best. There’s interesting science, and also great interpersonal dynamics. I love Bones herself, because she’s a smart, powerful, witty woman, and the other characters on the show are pretty excellent as well. I think a lot of fun things are going to happen this season, starting with the season premiere in London. (Kaitlin turned me on to this show, and I am eternally thankful that she did.)

House (16 September)

Ailish introduced me to House, and I can see why she did, because I’m pretty sure that if I ever become a doctor, I will be the female version of Dr. House. House is surly, and impatient, and sarcastic, and excellent. He’s also, of course, extremely intelligent, with an innovative approach to situations and a disregard for authority which enchants me. I’m really interested to see how the dynamics with his team develop, since a lot of intense stuff happened last season, and I think it’s only going to get better.

Fringe (9 September)

It’s from the people who make Lost. There are monsters. Color me excited all over again; Fox has a very, well, foxy lineup this season. Oooh baby.

Pushing Daisies (1 October)

This show is so sweet that it warms the cockles of my heart, a strange experiences, because my cockles usually remain icy cold. I love the style, I love the characters, I love the intensely saturated color of the sets. The narrator kicks ass. The show centers around an establishment called The Pie Hole. What’s not to love?

Grey’s Anatomy (25 September)

It’s like a trainwreck (or a soap opera) and I can’t stop watching. Please forgive me. I’m still semi-ashamed of  my television-watching habits, and Grey’s is probably the thing I am most ashamed of, because…well, please. If you’ve seen the show, you know why I blush about admitting to the fact that I watch it. But I must. I must know what happens. I must see McSteamy settle down, I must see Dr. Grey learn to stop being a dick, I must see Dr. Torres kick ass, and I must see Bailey rock the house. Also, I think Meredith’s obnoxious little sister needs to die in a tragic accident. And what is going to happen with Alex? Gah!

Private Practice (1 October)

Giving Kate Walsh her own show was genius. I was worried that Private Practice wouldn’t get off the ground, since the last season was truncated, so I was pleased to see that it got renewed. Good times ahead.

Lost

Also not appearing until January, but eagerly awaited nonetheless. I think we’re going to finally start getting some answers. Or not. Who knows, with Lost.

So, do you watch television? What are your guilty pleasures? Anything I should be watching? And why are overseas shows so danged hard to get?!

So I guess I officially have to come out as a Twilight geek, because I started poking around on the Amazon reviews for Breaking Dawn, to gauge what other people are thinking of it. I’ve been reading a lot of very negative reviews of the book, and Amazon reviews are sometimes interesting or revealing, if you’re willing to slog through the incoherent ones to find the ones that are actually well-written.

When I discussed Breaking Dawn from a feminist perspective, I didn’t really touch on the whole issue of Bella’s child and decision to marry early, but several other Amazon reviewers zoned in on that and made some very valid points which I think I missed. I really liked this review by Eventide, which pointed out that marrying and having a baby at 18 is actually really hard for those of us who don’t have fabulously wealthy immortal husbands.

From a feminist perspective, the idea that a woman should give up her education and life to marry and have a baby is a bit problematic, and I’m kind of disappointed in myself for totally missing that. Yes, marrying and having children is one legitimate path to pursue, but in the end, Bella gives up everything and allows her husband to take care of her, which is a little unfortunate.

Maybe in later books we will see Bella going to college, which seemed to be something she was interested in exploring, and perhaps striking out on her own a little more.

It was also interesting to see the baby dynamic, with Bella going from not being that interested in children to being passionately into her baby, which, conveniently, matures extremely rapidly and requires little care from Bella because she has a big support network of family members. Many women who marry and get pregnant at 18 are definitely not so fortunate, and they have to be responsible for the child for 18 years, not six, which is a pretty glaring difference.

Eventide’s critique went on to say that it was frustrating to see Bella get everything in the end, but I’m honestly not so opposed to that. I think that’s pretty common in books like this, and it has a strong historical basis, as anyone who has seen a Shakespeare comedy can attest. We read books like this to escape, not to face the reality of the real world, so I don’t mind when I see a fictional character have it all, perhaps because I am aware that one can’t have it all in the real world. I would hope that the people reading this books understand that, at least on some level.

We went to see The Dark Knight on Friday, but I was too lazy to write about it until this morning, mainly because I watched Dr. Horrible several times in a row, and I was so gorged on Whedon that I couldn’t function. And I was going to talk about Dr. Horrible, the blog sensation that broke the Internet, but I figure everyone else already is, and we all know it’s awesome, so why preach to the choir?

Now, if you haven’t seen the movie, and you don’t want to be spoiled, you probably shouldn’t read on, because I am going to talk about some of the key plot things that happened, and you might want to watch those unfold on your own. I just thought I would warn you.

Basically, I don’t know a lot about the Batman mythology, so I go to the Batman movies because I like fast cars and things that explode. I happened to rather like The Dark Knight, as did many of my companions, and we stood around outside the movie theatre talking about it for a good 45 minutes afterwards, which I think says something.

As someone pointed out, the movie isn’t really about Batman. He’s more like “the gun that everyone uses,” as Petey put it. It’s about the fall of Harvey, and that’s what made it great, was the exploration of how far someone needs to be pushed to fall. It’s something I muse over a lot, so it’s a theme I like to see played with. To see Harvey go from a force for righteousness to, uhm, a bad guy, was basically awesome.

I also love, love, LOVED that they killed the girl. Not just because every time I see her, I think of Secretary, but because it was so right for the movie, because it also becomes an exploration of the fall of Batman, and his ultimate decision to fall on the sword, now that he has lost everything. It just needed to happen, so I’m glad it did.

It was a dark, fast-paced movie with a lot of stuff going on. Heath Ledger as the Joker was fucking brilliant, and I don’t just say that to idolize the dead, because he was just that good. As Baxt said, the scene where the Joker is in the semi and he says “hmmm,” while he’s trying to figure out what to do…that was awesome. As was the freaky tongue thing he did. He inhabited the character in a way that I don’t think the other actors did, and he really did become an agent of chaos and evil. Nicely done.

I know that reviewer responses were mixed, but that’s usually how it goes. I liked it, and that’s what matters, to me anyway.

So I’ve been working on a list of my 10 favourite Buffy episodes, although as Joss Whedon points out, these sorts of things are constantly in flux. Therefore, I am unwilling to commit and say that these are my 10 favourite episodes of all time, but I do think that most of them are pretty darn awesome. FYI, if you haven’t seen Buffy, you shouldn’t read this post, because you will find it confusing and possibly boring, and also because it will spoil you, which will be a pity when you finally do watch Buffy.

I tried to think of a couple of criteria when narrowing down episodes to add to the list. For one thing, most of my favourite episodes are artistically amazing; there’s innovative use of lighting, music, and staging which really makes them stand out. A lot of them are also important for plot development, in some way or another. And some of them…are just too cool. I know that coolness is kind of a hallmark of the show, but even coolness has its ups and downs, and on occasion things transcend even my imaginative boundaries of coolness.

1. Innocence (Season Two, Episode 14)

This, for me, was the moment when the show really started to prove itself as being about more than just a show with a bad-ass chick and awesome fight scenes, because it was dark, and it was deep, and it was all allegorical and stuff. I think that it also spoke to a very real experience; how many of us have spent a night with someone and then found out that they changed? Granted, becoming an evil vampire may not be something we’ve all experienced, but the sudden shift in the dynamic between two people was very real, and very well done. Also, uhm, evil Angel is just cooler than good Angel. Sorry guys, but it’s true. And you know it.

2. Passion (Season Two, Episode 17)

Ok, this might actually go onto my list of all time favourite episodes, because what Angel does to Jenny is just so brilliantly inspired. I mean, Joss Whedon says “Death, La Boheme, and Tony Head with a flaming baseball bat. Come ON, people.” And he’s right. There’s nothing about this episode that doesn’t rock, and I think it also sets the stage for the various characters and their struggles with redemption and past deeds. As viewers, we know in the abstract that evil Angel is pretty evil, but this really brings it home. And as someone with a finely honed appreciation for vengeance and brilliant staging, I had to love that scene with Giles coming home, the opera on the stereo, the champagne on the table…so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.

3. I Only Have Eyes For You (Season Two, Episode 19)

Man, talk about redemption. In addition to just being creepy and wonderful with a dash of gender-bending thrown in, this was all about forgiveness and learning to come to terms with people. I love how Buffy just refuses to emphasize with James, until he possesses her and she really understands what it feels like. In “Earshot” in the next season, this idea kind of gets touched on again, that we really don’t know what’s going on in people’s lives until we stand in their shoes (or their heads) for a moment. I think that’s another really important theme in the show, as well, and I note that three of my favourite episodes are from season two, so obviously they got a lot of setting up, themewise, done this season.

4. Hush (Season Four, Episode 10)

This is often hailed as one of the greatest Buffy episodes ever, because it’s so beautiful, and so experimental, and just so freakin’ awesome you see it and you want to pee your pants. Whedon claims that he did this episode as a personal challenge, to get out of the rut of formulaic dialogue and cinematography, and boy howdy did he get out of the rut. The very idea of an entire town stricken with an inability to speak is so very excellent, and it plays upon the almost constant Buffy theme of a lack of communication. Also, the Gentlemen are seriously, seriously nightmare-inducing creepy.

5. Restless (Season Four, Episode 22)

Talk about arty, and talk about a huge departure from the norm for network television. Instead of ending season four with the big payoff, they went for the surrealistic dream sequence, and they did a freakin’ AMAZING job with it. I love the lighting, I love the scenes, I love the staging, I love the themes, I love the Cheese Man, I love the entire damn thing. I can’t even single out a moment in this episode to point to as the most awesome one, because the whole thing is just so damn wonderful. I mean, Spike and Giles on the swing set in tweed? Buffy in the desert with the first Slayer? Willow running through the, ah, red velvet curtains? Xander in the ice cream truck, crawling around like a soldier? There are so many beautiful moments. It plays with a bunch of themes from the show, it puts people in ludicrous situations, and it takes viewers far beyond their comfort zone. Oh, yes.

6. The Body (Season Five, Episode 16)

The death of Joyce is obviously a cathartic moment in the show, but what I love about this episode is how beautifully it captured the mundane and numbing aspect of grief. The awkwardness of not knowing what to do, of nervous making/eating food, of being unsure about plans. I liked that it encompassed everything about how weird death is, how strange it is that people die, and that it managed to do it brilliantly, with all these harsh camera angles, and the total absence of music, and long, uncomfortable pauses. You watch “The Body” and you wish you were almost anywhere else because it feels so intrusive and violating, but, at the same time, you’re sucked into it. Also, great that they managed to tie in the strange sexuality which surrounds death without making it crude and too obvious.

7. Once More, With Feeling (Season Six, Episode Seven)

It’s a musical. Do I really need to say more? Musical. Buffy. I hate musicals, and I fucking ADORE “Once More, With Feeling,” because it’s funny, and excellent, and while it is the polar opposite of “Hush,” it also has a lot of similarities. I mean, two seasons later, the characters are still struggling to communicate with each other, and all these secrets just come spilling out. Oh, and the cast are pretty darn good singers, too. I mean Tony Head, of course, is a good singer, but I was darn impressed with Amber Benson’s pipes.

Also, did you hear Joss Whedon voicing the “grr, argh” at the end? Priceless.

8. Smashed (Season Seven, Episode Nine)

Uhm, yeah. The scene. In the house. With Spike and Buffy. May be the hottest scene ever broadcast on network television. I mean, HOLY SHIT. Damn. Jesus. I almost need to take a cold shower just thinking about it.

On another note, one thing about the characterization of the relationship between Spike and Buffy really bothers me, and that is the implication that the violent aspects of their relationship are inherently self destructive. Now, that scene in “Seeing Red” with them in the bathroom, that is violent and self destructive and horrible. But there’s nothing wrong with a bit of good, clean roughhousing. And, you know, superheroes would naturally roughhouse a bit more, ah, roughly than the rest of us. There are a lot of things about the relationship that are destructive and unhealthy (like the fact that she tries to hide it from her friends), but I really object to the idea that violent sexuality is necessarily bad. I mean, it’s, uh, obviously consensual, and everyone’s having a good time, so what’s the problem?

9. Normal Again (Season Six, Episode 17)

I love this episode both because it’s delightfully self-referential, and because it toys with the heads of the viewers. I mean, most of the time when you have crazy shows about supernatural happenings with totally unbelievable events, you just accept them, and so do the characters. “Normal Again” turned the entire concept of Buffy on its head by forcing viewers to ask themselves whether or not the story is even real. Is Buffy a superhero, the chosen, the Slayer, or is she just some really messed-up girl in an institution who created a complex fantasy world?

10. Touched (Season Seven, Episode 20)

I find the episodes at the end of the seventh season incredibly heartbreaking and depressing, because there’s something really sad about watching Buffy slowly build up her character over seven years, and then having her life turned upside down. To be betrayed by the people you care most deeply about is a pretty intense thing, and it’s agonizing to watch. The tension at the end of this season just doesn’t let up, either. No happy funtime lightweight episodes to break up the somberness, just straight up unrelenting heartbreak, evil, and skulduggery.

“Touched” shows Buffy at her most human, and most vulnerable, and I find it quite fascinating that she turns to Spike, in the end, when her friends turn on her. I think it really illustrates how the two are really outsiders when it comes down to it, even when she comes back to reunite the gang and gets her friends back. There’s a thread there, that happens in situations like that, and it forges a very strong bond between people, making Spike’s sacrifice in episode 22 all the more sad.

Brendan and I went to see The Other Boleyn Girl earlier this week, and I’ve just now gotten around to writing about it. Please forgive me. I know you were waiting on anxious tenterhooks to decide whether or not to see this movie, and I’m sure my delayed review has caused you much pain and heartache.

We went to see this movie with several expectations in mind. Mainly, we just wanted to see Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, because they are both very lovely ladies, and talented actresses to boot. Also, the previews suggested a high probability of women in tight dresses with attractive bosoms, which pretty much sold us. We both have an appreciation for the female form. (Which I don’t think conflicts with feminist values. I like women. I like women who I think are pretty. I don’t think that appreciating beautiful women is objectifying them, especially when they are smart and talented and wonderful.)

We didn’t expect all of our expectations to come true, but we were hoping for perhaps some pretty costumes, maybe a dash of historical accuracy, a sister-sister-king threesome (come on, like you weren’t thinking it?) and some nice sets. I’d say we got two out of four, which I guess ain’t bad. I mean, the dresses and sets were really, really pretty. Alas, there were a few other people in the theatre, so we had to keep our mockery of the awful dialogue muffled.

Those Tudor women knew how to dress, man. I realize that sort of thing isn’t practical these days, but good lord, were those dresses fabulous. All embroidered and huge and encrusted with jewels and fabulous. Incidentally, the Very Merry Seamstress makes some pretty darn droolworthy period pieces. I may not dress up much, but I’ve always been a big fan of Tudor gowns. I’m just sayin’.

At any rate, beyond that, it was a pretty awful movie. The script was excruciating, and they obviously moved things around and skipped details to satisfy their needs as filmmakers, which is, I suppose, acceptable, but still irritating. As someone who knows a bit, but not a lot, about that period in history, I was just kind of frustrated by the movie, and for people who didn’t know anything, the film might have created some erroneous impressions.

Like, say, the idea that Henry Tudor was a nice guy. And why the hell didn’t the actor have red hair? The Tudors are kind of famous for it, especially Henry, and it would have been a nice and not that hard detail to include. They also kind of glossed over the fact that he was a whoremongering assmunch who was probably dripping in STDs. And do I need to remind you that he beheaded not one, but two of his wives? That would be considered spousal abuse, these days, my friends.

It’s such a lush and interesting period in history that I think they could have made the film much more truthful, much racier, and thereby much more enjoyable. As it was, I can see why it was rated PG-13.