Media commentary can still surprise
Media commentary—whether it’s Gawker, Michael Wolf, Noam Chomsky or little old indispensable me—has a tendency toward (how to put this delicately?) apocalyptic gloom mongering. But every so often there’s a bright moment that reminds you why you’d rather eat your cat than miss the morning paper. My latest reminder came on page B13 of this morning’s New York Times. Some time ago, the Times started including little editorial comments to explain the ratings of the movies they review. Beneath a glowing review (Toronto Life’s review gave it zero stars, FYI) of a thriller-horror flick titled The Strangers we find in italics the following: “‘The Strangers” is rated R (under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) Coitus is interruptus and killing is not”
Besides being clever and funny, this explains to me why I might (emphasis on might) get away with taking my 16-year-old daughter to this movie. It’s the sort of idea a paper around here might want to steal.
• The Strangers (2008) [New York Times]
