Well, I think Mel is VERY weird.

I want him to start acting again. He has not directed a good movie yet. Mel needs to talk to Leonard Cohen about Buddhism. Mel, he's your man.

Very good writing, Stephanie Zacharek!

It's been years since I've read "Beautiful Losers," but I still laugh when I think about the passage where Cohen talks about being better looking in middle age than when he was young -- "That's what sitting on your ass does to your face."

Another passage starts off, "Come, let us be other people.." It provided a mantra for journeying into inventive, imaginative sex. The passage finished off with, "And we will be ourselves again, yet never be merely ourselves again."

For a magic carpet ride out of the wasteland of clean, flat fuckhood, one could do worse than reading Leonard Cohen's "Beautiful Losers"...

mel gibson is a maverick, and lacks the pack mentality exhibited by most movie critics, and hollywood producers and directors. unlike poor clooney, this man is an artist. he was a natural to produce this film.

The word "we" does not necessarily include you.

You're right, but other than the reference to the interpretation of Cohen's songs, every other instance involves deciding what the feelings and responses are of her fellow audience members (or those at other screenings), and it's presumtuous and off-putting. "We" seems to be, ultimately, the little coterie (does one really exist?) on her wavelength.

For a while Zacharek had gotten away from the Kaelisms and seemed to be developing her own style. But she's regressed, and I guess it's permanent. Too bad for me. I have no problem with her opinions, but her mimicry of someone else's prose style grates on me.

Yes, that story in the article matches the one I heard from her daughter in the photo shop years ago, - (which I posted earlier ) -- except for the part about there being siblings. I must have misunderstood that part.

Thanks

Mel is to Leonard as a wharf rat is to a seaport. Gibson is lucky to occupy two dimensions, much less a third. he has, and is, nothing.

I must crumple into silence at Mr. Dover's stunning and brilliant critique of Mel Gibson. Simply amazing!