Reviews - Bagger Vance and Voodoo History

Slowly working through the very long list of movies I want to see that is otherwise known as my Netflix queue.  I've wanted to see this one for a while.  Perfect to get me into mental position to go out and chase that little white ball this summer.

The Legend of Bagger Vance - (Yes, I've been watching a lot of  Matt Damon movies)  How can you go wrong with Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Will Smith plus Robert Redford directing?  Ok, you could have stopped just with Ms. Theron who just makes my little heart go pitta-pat.  The story of a local golfing great who has his game taken from him by the mental ordeal of WW I.  He rediscovers it and himself with the help of a very unusual caddy named Bagger Vance.  This movie brings to the game of golf the epic romanticism that "The Natural" brought to baseball.  If that works for you you'll probably love the movie.  If you're into golf it's more about the amazing moment in time that is the setting for the movie than the game itself.  Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. and Walter Hagen, two of the greatest golfers of all time and two men who shared only the game.  Jones was the clean cut paragon who would win the four majors of his time, the first time it had ever been done, and then retire at 28.  Hagen is too often overlooked as one of the all time greats.  He still ranks third behind only Nicklaus and Woods for all time tournament wins.  Jones was the last of the great "amateur" champs, Hagen is the real start of the great "pro" champions.  It's an interesting back drop for the story of the local boy who finds himself caught between the two greats in a challenge match.  There's nothing particularly surprising in the plot or the ending but the performers all do a fine job.  Will Smith is great as Bagger and a nice little wrap around cameo for Jack Lemon too.

Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History by David Aaronovitch  (Check out the NPR story on the book)   JFK and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, WWI and WWII, Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe.  These are just some of the conspiracy theories that the book takes a look at and challenges.  The author also takes a look at the effect that the constant chant of "Conspiracy" has had on how so many of us approach the question of what is and isn't history.  What's really frightening are the folks who admit up front that the "theory" is wrong but then say that it doesn't matter!  While allowing that none of us of ever totally objective that doesn't mean that any interpretation of events is equally "true".  It's an interesting point also that the Internet may be speeding the process by making it easier to only hear the voices of people who agree with you.  Again it becomes clear to me that society NEEDS the dissenting voices (yes, even the conspiracy theorists) in the same room.  We also need to hold each other to account for how we present our points of view.  Politics is about scoring points, political discourse isn't.  The book is well written and an easy and interesting read.  My only problem is that too often Aaronovitch disputes the claims of the theorists by saying that "...such and such a study refutes those points" without going into even a little more detail.  Too often it feels like he might be guilty of the same "glossing over" of the facts that the theorists too often are.  Whatever you may believe about the moon landing the book is worth a read.