Beltmann

Tyrannosaur tells us that Paddy Considine can direct, too. It's a strong debut (probably one of the ten best British films of 2011).

I enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom very, very much. However, it continues Anderson's recent tendency to indulge his signature style without inhibition, which is both its joy and its limitation. Each new film feels more stylized, more quirky, and more cartoonish than the last (not for nothing is Anderson's best recent film an actual cartoon), and lately his films always risk vanishing into Andersonville. That really neat town is very consistent with a priceless internal logic, and I cherish my visits to that town. They do, indeed, cast a spell. Still, I suspect Anderson the artist should be greate

My view is that our elections must have integrity. Voter fraud interferes with that integrity, and therefore serious steps must be taken to prevent fraud (that includes concerns with computerized ballot counts, which is a major topic for another time). At the same time, voter suppression also interferes with that integrity. How can we have trust in our elections if, due to various barriers, eligible voters are systematically denied the opportunity to participate? The current crop of tighter voter ID laws and the reckless purging of voter rolls seem to be trading one evil (voter fraud) for a m

Not a bad list (of the 36 I've seen, I'd recommend the vast majority), but I'm not sure it's comprised of truly overlooked fare. Then again, Entertainment Weekly's working definition of "obscure" has always meant "at the fringes of the mainstream." Nothing wrong with that, of course; that particular string of cinema still deserves attention, and their target readership doesn't want to hear about, say, an abstract experiment by Stan Brakhage.

I had forgotten about that... thanks for the reminder! Downloaded today.

Perfect!

I revisited Manhattan over Christmas and also thought that it held up surprisingly well. I think I enjoyed it more than ever.

Whether they have remained strictly online or spilled over into real life, the many friendships that I have made here at VC remain important facts in my life. I don't think these friendships are essential to my interest in Wilco, but they definitely enhance that interest!

Sounds like high praise!

My 7-year-old and 4-year-old were riveted.

Indeed.

My instinct was to forget the letter--after all, these are heated times--but my wife decided to inform the police, just in case a paper trail was needed. Turns out that at least five other neighbors had already reported receiving the letter, and police are investigating it as a crime. The story also featured on at least two Milwaukee TV news stations.

I don't know. Barrett is very likable and everyone agrees that he's a nice, sincere guy. But he ran a lackluster campaign in 2010, and again seemed unable to find his message in 2012, other than "I'm not Scott Walker." Unfortunately, he was definitely the strongest Democrat in the primary (I supported him from the start).

On the point of the new culture of demonization and intimidation in Wisconsin, my wife and I received the above letter in our newspaper box today (along with a full-page poem about "Unionistas"). My first instinct is to dismiss it as just a one-off by a wingnut, but this kind of thing has become extremely common over the last year and a half. You wouldn't believe the stuff happening between neighbors and within families. We have a long list of first-hand experiences. The letter writer, of course, is self-evidently a childish and unserious person. (The irony is that this person lacked the

Thanks, Tweedling. I know that you mean it, and I appreciate it.

My wife and I are both teachers in Wisconsin. When you factor in everything--changes in salary schedules, changes in health insurance and coverage, changes in retirement--our household income dipped about $12,000. Meanwhile, most Wisconsinites received a tax break. That's how Walker defines "shared sacrifice." Walker has been very successful in cherry-picking and distorting facts in order to demonize teachers, labeling them as the "haves" pitted against the "have-nots," even though, when total compensation is considered, teachers were already making less than their private-sector counterp

There's nothing "difficult" or courageous about a decision to ram through radical laws simply because you control both houses of the legislature. In fact, that's the definition of taking the easy route. Finding common ground, finding ways to unify rather than divide, finding ways to not rip apart a state--that's managing. What he did was conquer and vilify not based on facts but on political calculation; scapegoating is not leadership. To answer the question about the WI economy... there are different measures, but even the most optimistic still shows WI lagging behind nearly every state

An hour ago I was standing in a park, listening to Mahlon Mitchell at a rally in West Bend, the heart of ultra-right-wing Washington County. Lots of energy and lots of enthusiasm about getting out the vote. Hopefully tomorrow's turnout will be historic and befuddle the pollsters.

In 2007, by now this thread would have had about five pages of passionate outrages and defenses. Ah, the good ol' days...

WOW! That's amazing. I'm thrilled for you, Sarah!

I recently watched Miss Bala and felt that Carlos was a clear influence, especially in terms of tone.

I'm currently on my third pass through, and this one doesn't strike me as a grower. I think I love it. I've been listening to "Love Interruption" ever since it hit the Internet, and that's the obvious standout, but there are others here that might be its equal. I agree with Muzzle of Dan that the piano really works; about an hour ago I remarked to my wife that all the unexpected piano sounded terrific.

Plus, when Death of a President was released, there was plenty of outrage from all corners. Even Hillary Clinton denounced it for being irresponsible.

Now be honest, Wendy... Which cartoon character do you always think of when you see me? (Bob Saget doesn't count.)