Lanzarote brings you the second edition of Literary Criticism, a look at current Maltese goings-on through the simultaneous comparison of newspaper articles and cinematic gems.

Few experiences would rate as high on the scale of exasperation as being stuck in a traffic jam. Who has not lived through the aggravation of inhaling exhaust fumes and being forced to jockey for position as the more aggressive drivers dangerously skip the queues? Yet, one would expect that, thanks to its small size and limited distances, drivers in Malta would be largely spared this nuisance.

Falling Down is about a man who goes insane on a hot day summer day in Los Angeles. It is also a caricature of America in the 1990s, with its racial, social and economic problems. It is a portrait of middle class society, its angst and neurotic behavior. Bill (Michael Douglas) is the ordinary white collar middle class guy. Stuck in a traffic jam, he first tries to stay cool, but slowly becomes nervous. Noisy children in a bus, a man yelling into his cell-phone, a defunct air conditioner, a disturbing fly buzzing around his head. He starts fighting the fly with his newspaper. After a panic attack, he opens the door of his car and steps out. D-FENS needs a break and some fresh air.

Links: Literary Criticism, I (Shabby Malta vs. Lars Von Trier's masterpiece Dogville)