Todd Solondz's fourth film, Palindromes, is a success. Well, it is a success in that I left the theater feeling sick and hating everything. But, since this film takes place in a world where all humans are weak, awful creatures incapable of growth or change, I can only assume that nauseating the audience was among the director's stated objectives. So, good job, Mr. Solondz!
Read MoreJonathan Safran Foer's new novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, tells the story of a boy's struggle to cope with the death of his father, who was killed in the September 11th attacks. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Surprisingly, much of the book is fun. Because of the book's idiosyncratic, imaginative, outspoken narrator and protagonist, 9-year-old Oskar Schell, the book culminates in a fun, funny, tragic, moving, and often beautiful experience.
Read More