M. Leary

Inglourious Basterds (Tarantino, 2009)

Tarantino’s films expose the Binx Bolling in us all, restless until we have a tidy border of cultural reference within which we can claim our stake. Most of his intricately scripted and arranged films are hardwired into the idea that his audience has nostalgic connections to all the bits of media history he is tossing out at us.

M. Leary

JJ Abrams On (only kind of) Not Cheating the Mystery

In all these references in the essay to process, Abrams is talking about mystery for mystery’s sake, which doesn’t parallel art for art’s sake as much as it bisects it at an inopportune angle.