Another Earth

At left: Movie still from Another Earth.

I am recommending the independent movie Another Earth, with several caveats. It's slow, rather strange and ponderous. The good thing is that it's only 92 minutes, so if you are in the right slow, rather strange and ponderous mood, you can easily sit through it with no trouble. It's also very pretty to watch, as the photo at left makes clear. Actress Brit Marling (also co-author of the screenplay) is beautiful and quietly intense. If she wasn't, the whole plot would fall apart.

My main problem with the movie was logic. Dammit, THERE CAN'T BE ANOTHER EARTH up there. One comment left on the film's Internet Movie Database site, sums up my issues in a couple of words: "Um... our tides." Another comment goes further: "Where's the second moon?"

Yes, some of us do get hung up on the details.

It's a nice idea, though, if you can stop asking yourself pesky questions (such as: Didn't these people ever see When Worlds Collide?). You might enjoy the existential question: If there is another Earth, is there another us on that other earth? And what is THAT person like?

William Mapother, Tom Cruise's cousin, is Marling's co-star. When I wasn't shaking my head at the idea of another Earth up there, NOT causing tsunamis and earthquakes, I found myself wondering if Mapother is a Scientologist, too? (Are there Scientologists on the other earth?) Slow, ponderous movies allow the mind to wander all over the place, unfortunately.

Mapother is very good, and you may remember him from that arresting, outstanding movie of about a decade ago, In the Bedroom.

I have always found the idea of a planet taking up a great deal of the sky, to be especially enchanting. I have often wondered what Jupiter or Saturn must look like, as seen from one of their many moons. I am sure it's a spectacular view! Thus, I found the movie-visuals exciting, when I could stop thinking about the illogical lack of earthquakes.

I am recommending the movie for one reason: the ending. Excellent, just plain excellent, and worth the whole 92 minutes.

~*~

I taped tomorrow's radio show yesterday afternoon, and was informed it is my 51st show. I can hardly believe it.

We will be discussing the ongoing clown act that is Rep. Todd Akin, on our radio show tomorrow. Also in the studio (Gregg's basement) will be our Occupy Greenville mentor, Double A Battery! When my show is finally syndicated and I am a big radio star ((grunts for emphasis)), Double A will be a permanent fixture. He is a real inspiration to me.

We also revisited the Trashing of Ayn Rand, which I started on last week's show. (Since Rand was a rape apologist, like Akin, it was a perfect tie-in.)

Hope you will join us. Saturday at 9am here in the upstate on WFIS radio, 1600 AM and/or 94.9 FM on your radio dial. You can also listen online at any time, by going to our radio blog.

Another Daisy Deadhead radio show on the other earth? Well, why not?