Controversial "Civil War" Movie Surprisingly Reasonable & Unifying, Daily Wire Fires Top Commentator, Courts Rule Illegal Immigrants Can Have Guns But Not Veterans (The Five for 03/22/24)
Plus, Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) wants to re-shoot scenes from his movie that released 13 years ago? The Gaslight Anthem cover Billy Eilish.
Hey, welcome to The Five.
It’s Friday, so let’s dive into Culture & Commentary.
[one]
The first reactions for the uber-controversial upcoming film Civil War have released from a screening at the SXSW Festival and it sounds like…this is a pretty reasonable, responsible film that (believe it or not) sidesteps partisan politics.
From the Associated Press:
The film, written and directed by the British filmmaker [Alex] Garland (“Ex Machina,” “Annihilation”), imagines a U.S. in all-out warfare, with California and Texas joining to form the “Western Forces.” That insurrection, along with the “Florida Alliance,” is seeking to topple a government led by a three-term president, played by Nick Offerman.
In drawing battle lines across states blue and red, “Civil War” sidesteps much of the politics that might be expected in such a movie. And the story, too, largely omits surrounding context for the conflict, focusing on the day-to-day adventures of a group of journalists played by Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson, who are attempting to document the fighting.
“The film is intended as a conversation. It is not asserting things — I mean I guess it’s asserting some things,” Garland told the crowd after the screening. “But it’s a conversation, and that means it’s not a lecture.”
Rather than trying to stir up tensions and violence, the movie is hoping to cool tempers going into an election year, according to what Director Alex Garland told the Hollywood Reporter:
“We’ve lost trust in the media and politicians. And some in the media are wonderful and some politicians are wonderful—on both sides of the divide. I have a political position and I have good friends on the other side of that political divide. Honestly, I’m not trying to be cute: What’s so hard about that? Why are we shutting [conversation] down? Left and right are ideological arguments about how to run a state. That’s all they are. They are not a right or wrong, or good and bad. It’s which do you think has greater efficacy? That’s it. You try one, and if that doesn’t work out, you vote it out, and you try again a different way. That’s a process. But we’ve made it into ‘good and bad.’ We made it into a moral issue, and it’s fucking idiotic, and incredibly dangerous … I personally [blame] some of this on social media. There is a an interaction that exists human-to-human that floats away when it reaches a public forum.”
When the first trailer dropped, I was pretty skeptical of this film, but based on the early reactions, this may be one to catch in theaters.
[two]
Venture Capitalist and pro poker player Dan Bilzerian, one of social media’s most notorious playboys…apparently regrets his choices.
From a video posted to Twitter:
Having sex with three girls a day on average, at least at a minimum. I mean the, like, if I only had sex with two girls in a day, that was like. We're having some real off day or something, right? And some days four, sometimes five, seven, the most was nine. How many, how many women have you slept with in your life total?
Thousands. I had this image in my mind when I was growing up of like how awesome this would be. I don't know what I kind of landed on was, I think it's like better to have a monogamous relationship. Strange as that is coming from me. You got two choices. You can just like do whatever you want and, you know, be free and like allow the women to be free and just use condoms with all the girls and not care about if they hook up with other guys. And it's just like whatever,
Or I think you can find a girl that you enjoy spending time with and that you actually trust each other. that is going to be okay with you sleeping with other women, that actually cares about you for the right reasons. Even if the girl is okay with it, I think that you like cause internal damage to her.
I do think that like one cool girl that you, that does stuff with you that you actually have a mental connection with. I think the sex is better. I think you're more relaxed. I think you have less things to deal with, less distractions. Your energy is not being pulled in a bunch of different directions.
So I think there is hope to like return monogamy and like staying attracted to the woman.
So, one of the biggest “Alpha Male” influencers who banged thousands of random women…kinda wishes he hadn’t?
That public confession shows the cracks in what’s referred to online as “Red Pill” culture…and may be the first signal of a sea change.
[three]
Well, this is interesting. Two major legal developments around who can own guns in the U.S.
Up first…veterans. Should you be able to own a gun after picking up one to defend America in war? It’s a Big Nope according to Democrats in Congress:
More than 140 House Democrats are demanding that the ability to bar veterans from gun purchases/ownership under certain circumstances be added back to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
For decades, the VA has been reporting veterans to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for mental issues, and such issues include using a fiduciary to manage one’s VA benefits. But this year, the Clinton-era gun ban was rolled back in the Senate by an amendment put forward by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA).
BUUUUUUT…what if you came to the U.S. illegally, are completely unvetted, and used your illegally obtained gun to shoot at cars?
A Big Yep, according to the Glorious State of Illinois:
A federal judge in Illinois earlier this month ruled that a Mexican man who was living in the U.S. illegally had a constitutional right to own a firearm for self-defense.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman dismissed charges against Heriberto Carbajal-Flores, who was arrested in 2020 for violating a federal law that prohibits undocumented immigrants from possessing guns.
“Carbajal-Flores contends that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the Spring of 2020,” the Northern District of Illinois judge wrote in her ruling.
Court documents show Carbajal-Flores fired his handgun at moving vehicles when he believed looters were approaching his neighborhood after police warned of potential threats. He had no prior criminal record.
Reactions:
A) Most of my Democrat friends are pretty into gun rights (I mean, they are friends with me, so maybe not surprising), so I don’t want to just go full partisan rage here.
B) BUUUUT…this both these came from the Democratic party….take guns from vets, arm illegals. Not a good look.
C) In the case of Carbajal-Flores, I’m unclear on how shooting at vehicles that MIGHT have been looters…could possibly be legal. The law states that you can defend yourself from death or great bodily harm. Unless the cars were about to run him over, how could this shooting be justified?
D) Keep in mind, I’m legally allowed to carry a gun in Missouri, along with most other states. But if I step out to pump gas in Illinois with my gun tucked beneath a hoodie, I’m a felon.
Do you think I would get the same leniency that was just shown to Carbajal-Flores?
We live in the upside down. Or, at least, Illinois residents do.
[four]
One of the most popular Conservative commentators is out… at one of the most popular media outlets in the country.
Controversial right-wing commentator Candace Owens and the Daily Wire have parted ways.
“Daily Wire and Candace Owens have ended their relationship,” Daily Wire CEO Jeremy Boreing wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) Friday. He did not elaborate on the circumstances behind the move.
Owens joined the Daily Wire in 2021 and hosted a weekday commentary show for the website. Shortly after Boreing’s announcement, Owens confirmed that she is no longer with Daily Wire (and reposted Boreing’s statement).
“The rumors are true — I am finally free,” Owens wrote to her 4.8 million followers on X. She added, “There will be many announcements in the weeks to come,” posting emoji of the U.S. flag and a cross. She said fans who “would like to support my work” can visit her website (CandaceOwens.com) or make a donation to her on the Revv platform. Owens said she will bring back her show on her personal YouTube channel “after a brief hiatus.”
Owens’s departure from the outlet comes after “months of tensions between her and Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro over her promotion of various anti-Semitic conspiracy theories,” according to Mediaite.
Since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians, Owens has been increasingly critical of the Israel’s military response in Gaza. “No government anywhere has a right to commit a genocide, ever. There is no justification for a genocide. I can’t believe this even needs to be said or is even considered the least bit controversial to state,” Owens posted on X in November, comments that appeared to be directed at Israel. Shapiro, who is a firm supporter of Israel, was seen in a TikTok clip speaking at a private event calling Owens’ behavior “absolutely disgraceful.”
Owens has used her perch at Daily Wire to deliver commentary perceived as anti-Semitic. She recently said on her Daily Wire show that a Jewish “gang” in Hollywood is committing “horrific things,” and suggested “Jews are going to be blamed” if TikTok is banned (via Media Matters). Earlier this week, she liked an X post that promoted an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that Jews were “drunk on Christian blood” (via Mediaite). In 2018, when she was with conservative student advocacy group Turning Point, Owens was asked at an event about “nationalism,” to which she responded, “I actually don’t have any problems at all with the word ‘nationalism’… Whenever we say nationalism, the first thing people think about, at least in America, is Hitler… If Hitler just wanted to make Germany great and have things run well, OK, fine.”
The dust is still settling on this one, but as a general rule, I’m not sure publicly praising Hitler ever makes someone MORE secure in a job.
The fact that this story broke in Variety is further evidence that Conservative media…is the mainstream media these days. CNN and MSNBC have miniscule audiences compared to their heyday…and the long-predicted changing of the guard from broadcast to internet in news and commentary is finally happening.
[five]
As always, let’s head into the weekend with a pop culture roundup.
House of the Dragon may have started off sluggish, but the Game of Thrones prequel seems to be picking up for season 2. HBO dropped both “Black” and “Green” (see that one here) trailers at the same time, to encourage buzz about which side of the Targaryen Civil War fans are on.
Dragons will fight and political espionage and betrayal shall abound on June 16th.
You’re either very into Zack Snyder’s stylistically directed movies (300, Batman v. Superman, Watchmen), or you’re not. But if you love the slooooo moooo as much as I do, prepare yourself for another outing of Snyder’s signature color pallets and high action. The trailer for Rebel Moon: Scargiver just dropped.
After this releases on 04/19…the two Rebel Moon movies will be assembled into a SIX HOUR supercut that will release in August.
Snyder, famous for releasing longer cuts of his movies after their theatrical runs, is negotiating to create a director’s cut of his 2011 film Sucker Punch, with an additional 18 minutes of footage, as well as possibly shooting new material. Wait…for a movie that’s THIRTEEN YEARS OLD? How?
Alongside Zack Snyder’s fake Star Wars (Rebel Moon was originally pitched for the George Lucas created universe), an actual Star Wars trailer dropped. You probably don’t recognize the lead actress, but she was the kid who played Rue from The Hunger Games. And it’s it’s cool to see Carrie Anne Moss (The Matrix, Jessica Jones) joining this universe. The Acolyte is a prequel, set 100 years before the main storyline of the other movies and shows we’ve seen.
But just when I got (kinda) excited, I realized that the showrunner on this project is rom/com producer/writer Leslye Headland, who’s credits include Bachelorette, About Last Night, Sleeping with Other People and Single Drunk Female.
And the episodes are around 30 minutes each, which is a very odd setup for such a seemingly serious show. That doesn’t mean Headland CAN’T genre hop and turn in a great show here…but sci-fi takes a different skill set, specifically working with technical and special effects teams that you don’t have to bother with in rom-com.
Stream it this June.
[new music]
Apple Music | YouTube Music
Florida post-hardcore outfit Hot Water Music certainly has an interesting resume—with a jazz-trained rhythm section that’s not typical for the rhythm section. Vocalist Chuck Ragan may be better known for his solo folk/punk outings than his main band these days…but considering Gen Z’s interest in early aughts music, it’s no surprise these guys are making a comeback in 2024.
The latest single off their forthcoming Vows LP (out May 10th), featuring 00’s post-hardcore peers Thrice, is quite good.
Apple Music | YouTube Music
My favorite band, The Gaslight Anthem, continue their comeback with an EP of three alternate takes of their existing material, plus a cover of “Ocean Eyes” by Billie Eilish.
Until the next one,
-sth