Ask mick: oscars, 'zero dark,' torture

DEAR MICK: "Zero Dark Thirty" has been attacked by three U.S. senators, who have decided that the torture scene advocates its use by implying that torture achieved results. Do you

think this publicity will affect the voting for best picture, director, original screenplay and actress? _—__ Joyce Tyler, Pasadena_ DEAR JOYCE: Yes, and the filmmakers' defense has

been disingenuous. They say the movie doesn't endorse torture. Sure, it doesn't explicitly say that torture led to finding bin Laden, but it shows a prisoner, who has been softened

up by torture, later allowing himself to be tricked into giving helpful information. And it presents a torturer in a human light. And it presents the policy switch from torture to

not-torture, occasioned by Barack Obama's election, as a kind of irritation. I think that the best argument the film's proponents can make is to merely state the truth, that

it's a great movie that's soft on the torture issue. As for the Oscars, the cloud over "Zero Dark Thirty" will prevent it from winning screenplay, picture or director,

but Jessica Chastain will win best actress in a walk. DEAR MICK LASALLE: Your analysis of "This is 40" fits perfectly every Apatow movie I've seen. The characters are

horrible, and no one who has anything to do with the movie knows it. Can you shed any light on why his films might be as popular as they are? _—__ Manfred Wolf, San Francisco_ DEAR MANFRED

WOLF: Because they're good. "Funny People" was one of the best movies of its year, and "Knocked Up" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," for their years, were

probably in the Top 15 or 20. "This is 40" is the first bomb he's made, and even that has its moments. Briefly. Fleetingly. Just don't blink. DEAR MICK LASALLE: What are

your movie review no-nos and why? _—__ Bill Campbell, Campbell, Calif._ DEAR BILL CAMPBELL: I've mentioned two recently — don't try to be funny (being funny is OK, but _trying _ is

desperate) and avoid pointless comparisons. Three more: (1.) Never assume you're smarter than the filmmaker. You're probably not. (2.) Don't write seven paragraphs of

equivocation. Review the movie or get off the pot. And (3.) Avoid sarcasm. Disapproval in reviews is often expressed sarcastically, but for most critics, sarcasm just becomes an inexact way

of expressing disapproval, a way of saying that you don't like something without saying (or even knowing) what exactly you don't like. In place of sarcasm, it's better to be

blunt, but really blunt, which means saying exactly what you mean in exactly the way you mean it. It's curious how often stark bluntless will strike readers as funny, for the simple

reason that they've become inured to vagueness. If you actually say something, they're taken by surprise. Have a question? Ask Mick LaSalle at [email protected]. Include your

name and city for publication, and a phone number for verification. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.