The "Good Ship Lollipop" sequence: It was seen as fun and cute when the film was released. Time passed and society got much more sensitive about child molestation, so it's a little uncomfortable to see a six year-old wearing a short dress and being handled by a bunch of grown men, especially when she gets tired at the end and she almost sounds drugged. It even becomes more disturbing when Shirley alleged in her memoir that Arthur Freednote i.e. the very lyricist who brought you Singin' in the Rain pulled off a rather nasty case of child sexual abuse on her, with the MGM producer exposing himself in front of the girl during what was to be an attempt at a career comeback. Temple cited it as the reason why she left MGM not long after.
The last shot of the film is of Joy getting smacked clear across the face by her mother. Bratty as she is, hitting a child that hard is generally frowned upon today, especially since they were still in the courtroom.
The rock band
Broken Base: fans tend to argue between the early, relentlessly miserable lo-fi indie rock era (A Collection Of Songs... - Fevers and Mirrors), stripped-bare honest, folk/americana period (Lifted... - I'm Wide Awake...) and the spiritual/science-fiction electronic/pop direction of their later work (Digital Ash..." - "The People's Key..., Down in the Weeds...). The sound and lyrical direction changes so dramatically it's almost like listening to three different bands.
Faux Symbolism: Arguably. The radio-presenter on An Attempt To Tip The Scales actually asks Oberst to elaborate on the repeated imagery he uses throughout the album.
(On the title Fevers and Mirrors:) The fever is basically ails you or oppresses you. It could be anything. In my case, it's my neurosis, my... depression, but I don't want it to be limited to that (...) The mirror is, as you might have guessed, self examination or reflection of whatever form. It could be vanity or self-loathing. I know I'm guilty of both.
I Am Not Shazam: Bright Eyes is the name of a band, not Conor Oberst's stage name.
Tear Jerker: "It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends", a very sad song about a former couple trying to be friends after a painful breakup but realizing their lingering feelings make it difficult.
"Ladder Song" is this as well, especially once you find out that Conor wrote it after an old friend of his committed suicide.
Pretty much the entirety of Fevers and Mirrors, except the interview.
The Woobie: Conor Oberst. Sort of ironic for someone whose last name means "colonel" in German.
: It was seen as fun and cute when the film was released. Time passed and society got much more sensitive about child molestation, so it's a little uncomfortable to see a six year-old wearing a short dress and being handled by a bunch of grown men, especially when she gets tired at the end and she almost sounds drugged. It even becomes more disturbing when Shirley alleged in her memoir that Arthur Freednote pulled off a rather nasty case of child sexual abuse on her, with the MGM producer exposing himself in front of the girl during what was to be an attempt at a career comeback. Temple cited it as the reason why she left MGM not long after.