Beltmann

And a Wilco song ("Hate It Here"). Linklater has been a Wilco fan for a long time, and so has Ethan Hawke. (For those unfamiliar, it's worth mentioning that Tweedy did all of the music for the 2001 movie Chelsea Walls, directed by Ethan Hawke. And the movie is overflowing with Wilco references, including one scene where the band is the backup band on stage.)

When I saw the new video, I couldn't help but think of The Red Balloon (1956), which is a classic, well-known short film by Albert Lamorisse about a persistent balloon that follows a young schoolboy as he travels through Paris. (There was also a variation in 2007 by Taiwan's Hou Hsiao-Hsien, which is very good but not, precisely, a movie for children.) I don't know if the "Summer Noon" video is intentional homage, but the connection seems very strong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Y1tRBOXfA

That reminds me of the morning I woke up and had the sinking feeling that I didn't bring my baseball glove home after the previous night's game. This glove was well-worn (12 seasons!) but still a treasured, perfect extension of my shortstop arm. Horrified, I remembered what must have happened... so I raced to the garage and, luckily, found my glove right where I left it--on the roof of my car. I had somehow managed to drive all the way home from the ballpark without the glove ever sliding off the car. I retired that glove a few years later, but still have it. Its replacement is now in it

When I was 13, I found a $20 bill in a wave pool, and later that same day I found a $10 bill lying on a sidewalk.

That was fascinating. Thanks, Diane!

AM: Box Full of Letters BT: Misunderstood ST: Via Chicago YHF: Poor Places AGIB: Handshake Drugs SBS: You Are My Face WTA: Bull Black Nova TWL: Whole Love That's today, anyway.

AM: It's Just That Simple BT: Why Would You Wanna Live ST: My Darling YHF: Reservations (although I still love it) AGIB: Wishful Thinking SBS: Leave Me (Like You Found Me) WTA: Solitaire TWL: Sunloathe I didn't put too much thought into this, but while reviewing the tracklists, I was struck by how this was a tough exercise for albums 1-5, and equally tough for albums 6-8--but for the opposite reason. If there are any Wilco songs that routinely compel me to locate the skip button, they are all post-AGIB. Another observation: The crossover between these two threads speaks to Wilco's endurin

Wilco Me, I came here to see your list. Since you are usually a fount of Wilco positivity, I thought your particular list would be particularly intriguing. Alas, no list from you. Come on, now--you can't use a thread about disfavor to offer only raves. Give us your list!

My wife quotes that bit a lot. That was an inspired moment.

The sheer velocity of the day is what is widely misunderstood. It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't lived it.

Thanks for sharing, Crow! I always appreciate your personal contributions to this community.

Two years ago our employee handbook added language that explicitly prohibits teachers from using their phones during student contact time or planning periods. This didn't affect me in the slightest, since I never used my phone during the day, anyway. At the same time, however, our site adopted a policy that does allow students to use their phones, e-readers, iPods, or other items during "non-academic" times, such as study halls or off periods. And next year, there is a district-wide initiative called "Bring Your Own Device" that will openly encourage students to bring their devices, connect

I'm a public school teacher, and I turn my phone off while at work. In all seriousness, I don't even think about my phone between the hours of 7am and 4pm. There's nearly zero opportunity for checking messages. Maybe I'll check during lunch if I'm expecting some kind of emergency message, but otherwise I leave it untouched in my bag. (Lunch, far from being a break, is actually one of the most frantic periods of the day: In 20 minutes I need to eat, check work email, set up for the next class, and literally sprint down the hall to use the bathroom, if there's still time.) Wasting time on t

The premise is indeed ridiculous, but rather than suppress it, the movie embraces and thrives on that fact. Realism is not achieved nor attempted; it's probably closer to fable than anything else. In its own way, The Host, too, seemed to comprehend its own absurdity. Bong Joon-Ho is a director who often weaves that thread, and I'd especially recommend Mother and Memories of Murder.

I'm very eager to see that documentary. Isn't it released on Blu tomorrow?

I caught Snowpiercer over the weekend. It works very well as both adventure and parable. But what I admired most was its singular tone, which maintains an impressive balance between sincere and outlandish. The clever premise--and allegorical elements--could easily have been heavy-handed, but instead the movie carries its freight very lightly, making room for over-the-top absurdism and knowing winks at genre conventions. With its stylized violence, it often resembles a gonzo Korean actioner, but its tantalizing production design keeps us focused on the subtext rather than the blood. Each n

I haven't seen that yet, but in general I really like David Wain's singular brand of non-sequitur humor. Plus, I'm pretty much always in the mood for a satire taking aim at overworked romantic movie cliches, from the team responsible for Wet Hot American Summer.

I've been waiting for both Locke and We Are the Best! to arrive in Milwaukee. I've been a huge fan of Moodysson ever since Show Me Love (1998), and it's great that he seems to finally be back in the groove. Also, Snowpiercer opens here today, so that's on my priority list.

Yeah, that was a great kicker!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=332eiA6SX1c Peter Stormare in Minority Report.

I can still see it in slow-motion closeup: Sloppy meatballs sliding across the dorm room floor. It was sixth-grade camp, a longstanding West Bend tradition that involved new middle schoolers spending a weekend at a local campground. Like everyone, I had eagerly anticipated this event for several years, and the first day lived up to every expectation and rumor. Volleyball, hiking, floor hockey, campfire songs, totally rad counselors who were (cool!) high school seniors. Best of all, dinner was one of my favorites: spaghetti and garlic bread. Eventually it came time to hit the pillow. We

I'm not sure why, exactly, but I've been asked to provide a cover blurb for a novel by a new author that will be published this fall. I start reading this week. After that, I'm going to jump into Cymbeline, in my quest to read at least one Shakespeare play each summer until none are left. Only nine more to go!

If we can have a running list of strong albums, why not movies, too? Here are my favorites of the year so far, based on availability in southeast Wisconsin: 1. The Past / Asghar Farhadi / France 2. The Wind Rises / Hayao Miyazaki / Japan 3. The Selfish Giant / Clio Barnard / UK 4. The Grand Budapest Hotel / Wes Anderson / USA 5. Ida / Pawel Pawlikowski / Poland 6. Caesar Must Die / The Taviani Brothers / Italy 7. The Immigrant / James Gray / USA 8. The Rover / David Michod / Australia 9. Museum Hours / Jem Cohen / Austria 10. Life Itself / Steve James / USA Asghar Farhadi has a rare gift a

The albums that have found a serious spot in my psyche: Lydia Loveless, the Eels, Jack White. I'm surprised by the lack of enthusiasm for Jack White in this thread. I think Lazaretto improves upon Blunderbuss, which was strong but perhaps a tad monotonous. Each track on the new one has a distinct, catchy personality, and plenty of unusual stuff going on without ever losing sight of the distinct melody. To these ears, it's the best thing Jack's done since Get Behind Me Satan, the Stripes album that this new record most resembles.