_______________ THE OLD GRAY STAR AIN'T WHAT HE USED TO BE BY STEPHANIE ZACHAREK (05/14/98)
	There is a pattern in your movie reviews (well, at least in the last two I've read), or rather, in the reviewers, that I find rather sad. While I have not yet seen "The Horse Whisperer," and acknowledge that there is always the chance I may come out agreeing with your reviewer, it still seems odd that this review and the one for "Deep Impact" both speak of an emotional "sappiness" in regards to a "triumph of the human spirit" theme -- something both reviewers seem to find distasteful and worth a good adolescent eye-roll. While "Deep Impact" was not a stupendous film, I certainly did not feel that it reduced (or inflated) the emotional content to that of "a Hallmark card." Nor do I find a story that uses the theme of a girl rebuilding her confidence and a horse relearning trust as trite "pop psychology." I read the book "The Horse Whisperer," and while I found the ending to be horrendous and completely unbelievable, the rest of the book was quite compelling regarding the struggles of coming back from injury, both physical and emotional. In this world where politics are corrupt seemingly beyond redemption and children are killing children without a second thought, it is sad that a story that celebrates the human heart, the human spirit, the desire to believe, is considered trite, overemotional, Hallmark card material. It is as though we have become too elite, too sophisticated, and it would be "uncool" to be moved by real, human, soulful emotion. How sad. I pray that, as affected by the world as I am, I NEVER become so jaded and cynical that I fail to be touched or inspired. For when that day comes, I think I will have ceased to be human at all. -- Melissa Volker
_______________ SAPOCALYPSE NOW BY CHARLES TAYLOR (05/07/98)
	Charles Taylor's review of "Deep Impact" was cheap and unfair. The emotional impact in the film was real. I think Taylor is projecting some of his own self-loathing and crassness in his confused and shrill review. There are some things worth dying for, and to those who have faith, death is not the end of hope. I sincerely hope that you discover this truth for yourself before it's too late. -- Sean P. Duffy
_______________ ART AMNESIA? BY ALYSSA KATZ (05/15/98)
	It is curious to me how Alyssa Katz, in her article on the film "Artemisia," assesses a concern of some U.S. feminists regarding the film: "The unwelcome reception of 'Artemisia' in this country highlights an enduring rift between American and European feminists on whether sex can serve as a vehicle for women's empowerment." I don't follow the logic here. As stated in her own article, the problem seems to be a disagreement about history. Was Artemisia raped? The people who find this film disturbing seem to think so. It is both the portrayal in this film of Artemisia as a willing partner and the portrayal of the rapist as her lover and her teacher, that these people find greatly disturbing. Whether or not sex can be a "vehicle for empowerment" would seem to be a different issue from the question of whether a rapist is being glorified in a film about historical figures. -- M.L. Castleberry
_______________ JUDICIAL WATCH SUBPOENAS SALON REPORTERS BY JONATHAN BRODER (05/08/98)
	I know budgets are limited, but couldn't you have gotten someone besides Jonathan Broder to do the article on the Larry Klayman subpoena involving HIMSELF and another Salon reporter? The story seemed OK, as far as it went, but one can't help but be suspicious that a reporter might slant -- dare I say spin? -- a story to favor himself. I can't think of a reason why you would do something so silly. Isn't that conflict of interest stuff in your journalism 101 textbooks? -- Mary D. Brvenik N E X T+P A G E+| More letters on "No irony please -- we're leftists" by James Poniewozik