Over the past two days, I have been deeply disturbed by some of the articles that I have read in the Scene section of the Observer. The articles that I am referring to are the movie reviews of "The Descendants" and "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," both written by one of your Scene writers named Neil Mathieson. These pedantic, pseudo-intellectual rants by Mr. Mathieson have made me sick to my stomach and ruined my day. RUINED MY DAY. I'm sorry to bring this up, but I know it's something that is on everybody's mind, and somebody had to say it.
I do not enjoy reading articles containing separate references to Norman Rockwell and Tolstoy in the first paragraph, as Mathieson's review of "The Descendants" did. I do not want to read articles written by somebody who throws in SAT prep words like ‘ephemeral' and ‘proliferation' and includes phrases such as ‘poignant tenderness' to make themselves look smart. I do not want to listen to Mathieson, who was born and raised in Canada, lecture on the lack of "the traditional American family" or "wholesome Americanism." He should stick to Avril Lavigne and Degrassi references and leave Americanism to Americans.
All I ask is that Neil Mathieson be fired immediately. I don't think that is too much to ask. I mean, what business does a 21-year-old childless Canadian man have talking about the "transgressions of ineptitude and hypocrisy that every parent will undoubtedly take?" No business, that's how much.
Neil, if you are by chance reading this, I apologize. I apologize for lying to you the other day when I said I liked your article. I did not like it. I shouldn't have lied to someone I've lived with for four years. Anyway, I hope this doesn't affect our friendship, and I will see you when I get home today.
Ryan Kim
senior
off-campus
Jan. 19
