• Latest

Lee Daniels’ The Butler ***1/2

September 23, 2013
Statewide 2023 Poetry Out Loud Winner Announced

Statewide 2023 Poetry Out Loud Winner Announced

March 28, 2023
African Queen (1951)

The Little Foxes (1941)

March 28, 2023

Free Youth Event Features Hands-On STEM Activities

March 28, 2023
Bread & Puppet Rants in Barre

Bread & Puppet Rants in Barre

March 28, 2023
Out of This World Donation

Out of This World Donation

March 28, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Exodus (1960)

March 21, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

“Don’t Worry”

March 21, 2023
Job Training Well Done

Job Training Well Done

March 21, 2023

ACLU, Partners Call on Legislators to Oppose Plans for Prison Expansion

March 21, 2023

Conservation Supports New Farm In Central Vermont

March 21, 2023

Vermont Hunter Education Courses

March 15, 2023

Vermont Philharmonic and Green Mountain Youth Symphony Present “Awakenings: Music of Young Composers”

March 15, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Saturday, April 1, 2023
The World Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Lee Daniels’ The Butler ***1/2

vt-world by vt-world
September 23, 2013
in Max's View
0

 

I roll my eyes at the English people’s obsession with the royal family. But, truth be told, Americans are just as obsessed with our presidents.

 

The president is just one man in a government of thousands. And due to the Constitutional framework of checks and balances, the president doesn’t have all that much power to change things. But that certainly doesn’t stop us from talking about him.

 

When we like a president, the support has a tendency to grow into hero worship – with framed portraits and calendars at our desk and bumper stickers.

 

And when we don’t like a president, the disagreements can turn into over-the-top hatred, as we blame him for every problem that exists in society.

 

When George W. Bush was in office, people on the left called the president a dense, hopelessly out-of-touch elitist. They accused Bush of destroying the economy, running up the national debt, and starting unprovoked wars against Arab dictators.

 

Now that Barack Obama is president, people on the right are accusing him of… the exact same things.

 

Love them or hate them, presidents are a lightning rod for controversy and they are always interesting.

 

I am assuming that the reason “The Butler” became the sleeper blockbuster hit of the summer is that adults wanted to see a movie that featured famous actors playing all the presidents from their childhood.

 

“The Butler” is basically the black “Forrest Gump.” It tells the story of Cecil Gaines: a fictional butler who worked at the White House from the 1950s through the 80s. Cecil quietly works his way through American history and meets all the major players along the way.

 

If Cecil is Forrest Gump, his son Louis plays the role of Jenny.

 

While Cecil watches history unfold without making waves, Louis eagerly contributes to every stage of the Civil Rights Movement. First he gets arrested for sitting in the “whites only”  section of a southern lunch counter. Then he’s marching with Dr. Martin Luther King. Inevitably he becomes a militant Black Panther.

 

At its heart, “The Butler” isn’t about history. It’s the story of a hard-working father who truly loves his son but doesn’t know how to talk to him or support him.

 

It’s an honest and relatable story. And for that reason I think “The Butler” is a little better than “Forrest Gump.”

 

Plus I was pleasantly surprised to see that Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda do such a good job of portraying Ronald and Nancy Reagan. With Professor Snape and Hanoi Jane as the Republican couple, I was ready for the worst. But they actually play the Reagans as likable, decent people.

 

In the end, the coolest moments of the movie for me are the ones where The Butler meets the presidents. Go figure. I am obsessed with presidents, too.

 

 

Previous Post

The Election of 1840

Next Post

Reiss's Pieces

Next Post

Reiss's Pieces

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In