On Tarantino And A Kennedy

Kind of a two-posts-in-one day, since I've got two things on my mind and, hey, I don't really have many rules to follow at a site called Sean's Blog. First off, I saw Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained last night. It's a hell of a flick, no matter which way you slice it. While there certainly is a lot of fake blood, as well as enough utterances of the n-word to combust the heads of the more politically correct among us, it's a movie worth a serious look.

Now, there's no doubt this film is violent. I mean  it's dripping in blood. It's fun, though. I wouldn't be honest if I wasn't forthright about it. Also worth mentioning is the fact that human depravity is shown in its proper light and never glorified, glossed over or made light of. As for all the racial slurs - the flick is about a black hero in the Antebellum South. What do you expect?

Like all of Tarantino's flilms, there's a lot more to Django Unchained than meets the eye. Characters morph into something other than what they started off as. Basic morality is ignored, then sacrificed for. In the end, there's a reason Tarantino's called an artist. His movies travel to a lot more levels than many people think. If you can take the violence and language without enduring the kind of serious damage I believe some unfortunates can receive from certain movies, Tarantino's stuff is well worth checking out.  

And speaking of things well worth checking out...

Patrick Kennedy was on The O'Reilly Factor yesterday. Truth be told, I've never liked Mr. Kennedy because I've found him to be a spoiled, intoxicated poster child for bad behavior. 

Until Now.

Mr. Kennedy, who has a long and storied history of substance abuse, has engaged in a Twelve Step Program. And guess what? He's become a far more likable person. Sure, cynics may sneer, but the Patrick Kennedy I saw last night was humble, genuine and honest about his flaws. That's a far cry from the caricature I watched years ago on Hardball With Chris Matthews . 

Of course, I could have been fooled, but I don't think so. This is a man - a Kennedy, no less - who has given up a political career to improve as a person. Again, cynics may sneer, and say Mr. Kennedy's life is all about politics. Perhaps that's true, but Mr. Kennedy certainly didn't seem to be running for office to me last night. Besides, I've never heard of a politician furthering his career by going on cable in order to discuss his personal flaws.

May God help him continue winning his fight.