Discussing Christopher Nolans' Odyssey with Daniel Mendelsohn

Having watched Mr. Mendelsohn's "seminar" on Nolan's film, I was surprised he made the very same criticisms, almost verbatim, that Emily Wilson made in her LRB review. Yet Ms. Wilson's review is called "scathing" by The Guardian and causes even Joyce Carol Oates, no less, to run to Nolan's defense. No one bats an eye at Mr. Mendelsohn's pan of the film nor when he himself mentions Ms. Wilson's review and ALSO calls it "scathing"!

So you have two people saying pretty much the same thing in the same way and one is characterized as "scathing" and "a take down" and the other is an even-handed critical assessment. Misogyny is not going away apparently, not for a long, long time.

Men Are Such Fools (1938) *

It's supposed to be a rom-com but it's more like a case study of toxic masculinity. I would hope that even in 1938 this kind of thing was at least looked down on. I have my doubts. Not a good flick.

A Kiss Before Dying (1956) **

Bizarre and beautiful thriller goes overboard with the soundtrack and somehow the men have longer hair than the women. Bob Wagner does a good job as the Ripley-esque killer but everybody else seems over the top.

The Intruder (1962) ***

Serious look at American racism is a necessary time capsule and reminder of how little things have changed in 65 years. The central premise that it's outside agitators that cause the trouble is faulty however. Bill Shatner is very good as the agitator. The ending is a nice fairy tale unfortunately.

Violent Saturday (1955) **

A gorgeously produced soaper/thriller hybrid that unfortunately has to tie up all loose ends in the cornball finale. Cast is excellent.

The Creation of the Humanoids (1962) **

Serious sci-fi is as well produced as can be with a miniscule budget and the actors do their best with the tons of expository prose, but this would have been better served as an episode of The Outer Limits.

I Walk Alone (1947) **

The cast (Burt, Kirk, Wendell) makes this feeble melodrama watchable.