10 cinematic clichés that must die!

It's hard to disagree with this list, especially numbers 3 and 5.

The picture accompanying #9 is of Robin Williams from The Fisher King. It isn't a completely terrible movie, unless you count the scene where Williams strips naked and shows the full monty. Jeff Bridges does well with his role, but then he's usually good in practically everything he's in.

Evil Republicans make it in at #8. "All Republicans in movies or TV are evil. They’re all trying to cheat the public, start unnecessary wars, take away civil rights and turn the country into a fascist dictatorship. And, of course, it’s saintly Democrats who save the day." I suppose that if films want to be more truthful, they should portray Democrats as tax evaders with memory problems.

the top film boogeymen

Did your favorite make the list? When I was a child, I had recurring nightmares about #16. I mean, he's obviously a guy in a suit, but still. I have seen his films as an adult, and now I think he's more pitiful than scary. He's all alone in his world. There appears to be nothing else like him, or at least nothing that any "civilized" person has found. Just think about what kind of psychological damage he's experienced.

top 10 bad books everyone reads

Anthony Esolen at Mere Comments has given his list for the 10 most undeservedly popular books.

1. The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran
2. The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels
3. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
4. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
5. Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut
6. Sister Carrie, Theodore Drieser
7. Candide, Voltaire
8. Catch-22, James Heller
9. Ulysses, James Joyce
10. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

The only one I've read is Frankenstein. Although it is in my library, the last time I actually read it was for a college class on science and technology. Shelley presents some very high-minded concepts about the morality of scientific progress, especially for the era in which she lived. The questions she raises are very similar to the ones raised in the film Jurassic Park by Ian Malcolm about the ability to create dinosaurs. I think Esolen should give Frankenstein more credit; after all, where would Boris Karloff's career have gone if he hadn't played the electricity-powered monster?

"They all look like Hummel figurines."

Douglas LeBlanc writes about this list in USA Today.

USA Today’s “Lives of indelible impact” is one of the stranger lists I’ve seen for some time. The concept is not new, as Beliefnet has published its “Most Inspiring Person of the Year” feature for several years now. Within context, the list makes sense: To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the newspaper is publishing 25 lists of 25 items each.

“Lives of indelible impact” is list No. 10, which makes me want to see what else the paper’s editors will enumerate. The first nine lists were of trends, quotes, books, lucrative stocks, NFL draft moments, Internet breakthroughs, public meltdowns (Jimmy Swaggart’s was tops), TV moments and inventions.