Matty Long
Bio
Jack of all trades, master of watching movies. Also particularly fond of tea, pizza, country music, watching football, and travelling.
X: @eardstapa_
Achievements (1)
Stories (75/0)
A Shock to the Heart of the West
It's coming up to the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the worst terrorist incident in world history, and, together with the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, it's got me thinking about a lot of comments people frequently make about terrorism, the War on Terror and Western overseas intervention as a whole.
By Matty Long3 years ago in The Swamp
The Most Powerful Scene in Movie History
I love 'Taxi Driver' and watch it at least once a year. One of the greatest character studies in history. Between Paul Schrader's reality-steeped script, Martin Scorsese's haunting direction and Robert de Niro's engrossing performance, never has there been a truer depiction of a troubled mind, an unstable man, and the bleak nature of urban loneliness.
By Matty Long3 years ago in Geeks
Fundamental ShortCummings
I recently finished watching 'The Sopranos' (highly recommend by the way) and it's an interesting insight into Mafia culture in the modern world. The idea of being a "rat" as the worst thing you can ever be is interesting, especially given how common a thing it has become in the advent of the witness protection programme and the rise of FBI influence since the 1960s. The Mafia is full of rats, but the code still stands. And it is punishable, deservedly, by death, members would say.
By Matty Long3 years ago in The Swamp
'You know my methods, Watson'
I've recently re-read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories and was going to write a review, but tuning into the news at any given time has given me a different idea. Think of this as an advice column for the media. A response from a hypothetical 'Dear Sir Arthur,' if you will.
By Matty Long3 years ago in The Swamp
The Slytherin Approach to History
Two recent news stories got me thinking about cancel culture from an odd perspective. One was the resurgence of calls to topple troublesome statues, this time about the Rhodes statue at Oxford again, and the other was the reported falling out between Stephen King and JK Rowling, owing to the latter’s controversial remarks about trans people. There may not appear to be much of a link here, other than a reminder that cancel culture isn't going away anytime soon, but it reminded me about how I used to feel about JK Rowling before she was cancelled, back when she was a prominent Twitterer and, quite frankly, a hero on the left for her takedowns of Trump, among others. To me, she essentially embodied all that online culture wars thrive on. Until, as is often the case these days, it came for her. And she saw the light. But what's this got to do with statues, you might ask? Well, the whole statue controversey brought to light an interpretation of the extreme negatives of this approach to history that I got from the 'Harry Potter' books, and one that I always found odd that JK Rowling didn't seem to espouse in her real-world politics until she she experienced the full force of it.
By Matty Long3 years ago in The Swamp
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Harper Lee
This is something I've been wanting to write about for a long time and recently I've seen things that have made me decide to really make an effort and write it. I was looking for stuff to watch and saw that during lockdown a show called ‘Lovecraft country’ had been popular. I saw Jordan Peele was involved and I enjoyed 'Get Out' and although I don't think I've ever read anything by HP Lovecraft, I've heard of him and his work sounds interesting. This led me to be linked an article in Vox about the show. I was soon informed, via the article, that, among other things, Lovecraft was a huge racist with absolutely no argument, something that the show explores in what sounds like a creative and interesting manner. However, the article then started talking about 'complex literary legacies' in relation to racism, specifically referring to the fact that the central character in the show is named 'Atticus,' which the article claims 'saddles him with a complicated relationship to the flawed white saviour of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.''
By Matty Long3 years ago in Geeks
"But they're family"
Throughout history and culture, people have found ways to forgive things that they wouldn't usually forgive because the offender was family. This stretches from little mistakes to horrendous crimes. And, of course, the opposite has always taken place too. Parents throughout history have disowned children and vice versa. But this isn't easy, and I think it's fair to say that there is a pressure in society, both internally and externally, to find understanding when the conflict took place with a close relation. Now, I think an exception that proves the rule more often than not is divorcees. Many people who divorce do not want anything to do with their ex and feel no pressure to. In fact, the opposite is prevalent in many cases. But what is common is for people to make amends when children are involved. And that illustrates the difference. It doesn't need to be stated that most people care very deeply for their relationships with their children, because their children are their blood. That's why, say, a childless couple who bitterly divorce may often have no desire to make amends because their is nothing to lose. This societal and personal pressure is something you feel to those whom you are blood-related. Fiction has often shown this, too. Look at the plot of 'The Godfather' (SPOILER ALERT), where Michael Corleone changes from the nice guy to the ruthless mobster all because of his family and his father.
By Matty Long3 years ago in Families
University Attendance Officer circa 2017, I Can Explain
Before my successful burger-flipping career took off, I used to be an English student. As a quiet, bookish person with a fear of the opposite sex and a tendency to blush at the tiniest piece of attention, many university experiences led to awkward situations for me. But, as I endured such experiences, I think I somewhat gained confidence in myself, and gradually became more comfortable contributing to groups or talking to other students. Or so I thought.
By Matty Long3 years ago in Confessions
Why a Little-known 2004 Medical Drama Is My Go-to Recommendation For 'Game of Thrones' Fans
Disclaimer: Spoilers for 'Bodies' do not appear. Some (clearly labelled) spoilers for 'Game of Thrones' do appear, but then if you're reading this (or are alive) you've probably seen it already . . .
By Matty Long3 years ago in Geeks
How Lockdown Saved “Question Time”
I’ve long been a fan of ‘Question Time,’ and often apply to be on it, but in recent years its flaws had really started to come to the forefront. The ‘Question Time’ audience lend themselves to parody, with their stereotypical and unoriginal opinions and comments, parodied very well by comedians and impressionists such as Harry Enfield. The panel’s increased need to have someone controversial or reactionary is also well parodied in British comedy, going back to Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge parody Lieutenant colonel Kojak Slaphead III.
By Matty Long3 years ago in The Swamp
The Greatest Show on Earth
Defining your "favourite thing" is a difficult question. It's something that might come up in an exam when you're 16, and you have to think on the spot and maybe end up writing 500 words about what you had for breakfast just because you can't think of anything quickly enough. But given enough time to think about it, I can say for sure that my favourite thing is Films. The movies. Cinema. Pictures. Whatever you want to call it. It's a standard answer when people ask you your hobbies, or something you might write on a dating profile. Everyone watches movies. Most people like movies. It's in our nature and our human love of narrative. But some of us REALLY love movies. And going to the cinema in particular. I'd like to think I'm one of those people. And, imagining I'm a 16 year-old in an exam hall with only 45 minutes left because I've only just now realised what my favourite thing is, and nothing to go on but my passion, I'm going to pour my heart into this subject as best I can.
By Matty Long3 years ago in Geeks