While I am still very libertarian, conservative and individualistic in my personal beliefs and practices, it is hard to see the world as a 55 year old as simply as I did as a 16 year old. So while I appreciate Rand’s broad portrayal of a future dystopian world and how there are many parallels with American society (almost eerily conforming to her predictions in part)of today; I also know that there are many “John Galt”s doing their part to fight back … hence the tea party movement.

Because of the nature of the novel it seemed to me to be very unlikely to translate well onto the big screen. Huge amounts of “Atlas Shrugged” are monologues which are expositions of objectivist philosophy. The character interactions are, at times, forced and unrealistic (true in any novel, but particularly true when the author is not subtle in presenting a philosophy). And the material is so antithetical to the prevailing philosophy in the current arts community that opposition is/was brutal.

I hope to find the movie enjoyable, perhaps reflective of the “Atlas Shrugged” that I know and have enjoyed, but I am skeptical that it will really live up the intentions of the book. Perhaps a better Rand novel to put on the screen would be “We the Living” when her philosophy was emerging, her writing still reflected her early practice as a screen writer, and her characters were not so one dimensional.

I don’t know – haven’t seen it. Should I?

I loved it and I can’t stand Ed Asner, so for me to overcome that to love the movie is a big deal.

What did you think of Wall-E?

SPOILER ALERT
Hiedi’s review from the same viewing: “I want to make f*** with you.” A sweet and funny film. Shirley is a kick – no nonsense, vulnerable and sassy all at once. We cheer for her independent leap to go to Greece, live it up and attempt to change her life. The appearance of the husband at the end is contrived. Will he change? Is that all she wanted – her husband to come after her? It belittles the entire story.