Jim Carrey

Sunday

Alexander Larman

What’s up with Jim Carrey?

You may, or may not, be planning on seeing the third film in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise when it is released this Christmas, but whether or not your taste for CGI pugnacious animals encompasses this latest cash-in for the Nintendo character, the presence of Jim Carrey should provide some distraction. Carrey is playing the villainous Dr. Robotnik for the third time, and has been offering some amusingly candid comments in interviews about his decision to return to the role. He announced that he came back to this film’s universe for two reasons, “first of all, I get to play a genius, which is a bit of a stretch” and “I bought a lot of stuff, and I need the money, frankly.

jim carrey

Thursday

Michael Warren Davis

Will Smith: the last gentleman

Cardinal Newman said that “it is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain.” The key word there is almost, because some things are worth more than gentleness. Honor, for one. For those who somehow missed it, at the Academy Awards on Sunday, host Chris Rock made a crack about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head (Mrs. Smith has alopecia). Her husband Will Smith then climbed onstage and slapped Mr. Rock. America was horrified. Yet Mr. Smith was just obeying the first rule of chivalry: if you insult a guy’s wife, get ready to throw hands. To be fair, Mr. Smith probably should have struck Mr. Rock with a glove or something. Cold-cocking him wasn’t very dashing. And the language he used afterwards was a little crude.