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Suswatibasu (1702 KP) rated What Is Populism? in Books

Nov 13, 2017

What Is Populism?

Jan-Werner Müller | 2017 | History & Politics

9.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Müller's analysis is one of the best and most up-to-date monographs on populism out there

In the current climate, this is an essential book, as Jan-Werner Müller defines populism's most salient characteristics - antielitism, antipluralism, exclusivity - explaining Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and other populists through this framework. He goes on to explain that populism is not just antiliberal, it is antidemocratic, and actually fails to be a real representational system for people once in power.

An interesting point made in this book is the fact that while certain grievances are completely credible, populists' assertion that they are the only legitimate voice to represent 'the will of the people', opposes democratic ideals in the first place - after all, that is what the electoral system is supposed to represent. He also makes a clear distinction between those claiming to be anti-establishment and populist - making the comparison between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, as Sanders never claimed to represent 100 per cent of the population, or pretended not to be part of elite institutions.

Müller is certainly right to challenge, or at least qualify, the popular talk of a populist wave by pointing out that “to this day, no right-wing populist has come to power in Western Europe or North American [sic] without the collaboration of established conservative elites.” It is a quick read, and worth every page.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated Wild Rose (2018) in Movies

Apr 16, 2019 (Updated Apr 16, 2019)

Wild Rose (2018)

2018 | Drama, Music

7.8

(8 Ratings)

Movie Rating

A Star is Paroled, More Like

Scottish-set take on the same kind of material as A Star is Born features a terrific performance (both acting and musical) from Jessie Buckley, and much less material about people falling in love or weeing themselves on stage. Talented but off-the-rails young woman comes out of prison, tries to reconnect with her mother and children, plans (not very realistically) to go to Nashville and become a country star. (The point is repeatedly made that country music is not the same as country and western music, but this is possibly not the venue to be pedantic in.) Features a cameo by Whispering Bob Harris, who gives an oddly unconvincing performance even though he's playing himself.

Buckley is tremendous, as noted, but Julie Walters is equally good as her disapproving mum (no singing from Walters, though); the film plays engagingly with audience expectations and - to its credit - resists the temptation to suggest there are easy answers to life's questions. It works really hard to earn its moments of triumph and joy: there is some real heartbreak along the way, and the film suggests that while being dedicated to your dreams is all very well, it can also make you a horrible person to be around. Cheats a bit at the very end, but has earned the right to by that point, I would say.

Kudos

Andy K (10823 KP) rated Bone Tomahawk (2015) in Movies

Feb 25, 2018

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

2015 | Action, Horror, Western

7.4

(22 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

The Citizen Kane of horror westerns

First of all, any time a movie combines two of my favorite things, in this case, a western and Kurt Russell, you have a recipe for success.

Certainly not for the squeamish or faint of heart, the horribly awesome brutality in this film rivals any I have seen in my life and that's saying a lot.

The plot is your basic four men set out to find and rescue several townspeople who have been kidnapped by horrible cave-dwelling "Indians" who no one seems to know anything about. Along the way, they have to face the elements of the weather, their own injuries and the eminent threat of encountering the ferocious beats that they are always on edge.

Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins and Matthew Fox are all also wonderful as the men who set off with Russell on their rescue quest.

For what the movie sets out to do, it succeeds wholeheartedly. Thoroughly engaging throughout, I was glued to my seat the entire time and the 135 minute runtime goes by in a flash.

In reading about it afterwards, it is unbelievable to me the movie was shot in only 21 days and for only $1.8 million.

Who says creativity is dead in Hollywood? Just takes great writing. I'd watch this before Iron Man 12 anytime.