Beltmann

One of the things I really like about Sullivan--I read him every day--is that he's willing to let his opinions evolve right there on the screen for all of us to witness. He often writes about how blogging isn't about foolish consistencies or doubling-down on ideology; it's refreshing to read a political writer unafraid to shift opinion or admit mistakes. Unlike most bloggers, he sees his blog as a give-and-take, a place where the discourse in his own head is there for all to observe. I also think he takes a longer, wider view of American traditions than most conservative pundits. (Let me s

Rumba / Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy / Belgium / 2008 In this stylized comedy, Dom and Fiona are married schoolteachers who love to competitive dance on the weekends. But when a a freak car wreck leaves Fiona legless and Dom memory-impaired, hilarity ensues. It's imperfect, but who wants to complain? After all, this is the closest anybody has come to Jacques Tati or Buster Keaton in years. The trailer (and some clips) will give you some idea: Rumba

That's very cool! I really liked this movie. Next semester I'm teaching a new course called "Film as Social Criticism," and I'm planning to show it as an example of what A.O. Scott called the "Neo-Neo Realism."

Ha, I tried to correct a typo and the interface went haywire for a second... fixed now, though!

That stat does not, as you said, "clearly" show Obama's proposals are unwanted. Two arguments: 1. Most people aren't catastrophically ill, and therefore most people are happy to report satisfaction with their insurance. But if they become catastrophically ill, they may find themselves far less enamored with their current plan. It's easy to be "OK" with your plan while it's working, and not worry about later when you might be hit with denial of coverage, rescission, or a lifetime benefit cap. In other words, 80% might be currently happy, but that doesn't mean they always will be. Such p

I ran into Mark Borchardt in a Target once. Also, I ran into Mike Schank once... he was drunk and stumbling in the alley behind a movie theater.

Nifty! (Welcome back, by the way!)

I love that you love it. I love it, too. I'm not sure I've listened to another album more since June. It's been in particularly heavy rotation this past week.

Agree on all counts, and I'll also second Wise Enough, who noted that the Wiggles aren't the same since Greg left. We took our daughter to see them two years ago, and she had a blast. In my view, though, the show (with Sam) was rather rote and dull; it felt like they were bored and going through the motions merely for the paycheck. Overpriced, yes. They are returning to Milwaukee soon. Thankfully, my daughter, now five, has moved on. She now prefers Feist, Jenny Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, She & Him, some Wilco, and, yes, Hannah Montana. I have great hopes for the boy, who is 17 months ol

Boston, and not just the first album.

It's a list, made by some people at a magazine addicted to lists. Rather than challenge their readers, or suggest some kind of "official" doctrine, Entertainment Weekly's main goal is merely to reflect conventional taste while sprinkling a few surprises along the way. Like all such lists, this one is interesting primarily for the discussion it provokes. Just for fun, I made a playlist of all 50 songs in the order prescribed by EW--had to join a few mp3s to account for #19--and then added at the end an extra 25 songs that I wouldn't want to overlook. Been listening with the kids all day.

I think it's interesting how there seems to be wide disagreement about which W(TA) songs are great, good, or meh. I suppose that speaks well about its ability to connect with varied listeners.

Indeed. I hated that piece of crap. Actually, pretty much anything Harmony Korine goes near sucks (with the possible exception of Kids).

That was my initial reaction, too. But then it occurred to me that stopping short makes thematic sense--after all, if the song is about having only one wing, how can it really take flight?

Good grief!

I actually went to Dancer In the Dark with one of my former high school teachers--the same one who introduced me to Ingmar Bergman while I was still in school--who is now my colleague and close friend. While walking out of the movie, we were both struck silent, and neither one of us said anything until we were six or seven blocks from the theater. Finally, this exchange took place: Him: So what did you think? Me, after long pause: I think I loved it. Him, after no pause: I hated it.

Yeah, that's a great movie. Pretty much everything by von Trier is creepy (Medea especially qualifies), and it looks like the upcoming Antichrist is no exception. (I'm always eager for new von Trier, even though I'm just as likely to find him maddening as exciting.)

Reminds me of Haneke's Funny Games--Austrian version or American version, take your pick--which is a horror story about the danger of becoming complacent when watching violent entertainment. I wouldn't call it a creepy movie, exactly, but it sure is disturbing and affecting. Other creepy stuff, in no particular order: Michael Powell's Peeping Tom Benjamin Christensen's Haxan Fruit Chan's Dumplings Pascal Laugier's Martyrs Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills Andrew Jarecki's Capturing the Friedmans Kirby Dick's Sick: The Life & Death of

My wife generally refuses to watch films with any kind of strong or graphic violence, but she has a mysterious affection for Tarantino movies. (Her favorite is Jackie Brown.) Part of it, I think, is that QT films are about words as much as violence, and he tends to write solid, original female characters. Plus, my wife is a sucker for cool people walking in slow-motion. She even attended Kill Bill without prodding, and liked it, despite an inauspicious start. My wife, who treats movie popcorn as if it were water-turned-into-wine, had just settled in with a large tub of popcorn as the mov

I should have thought of Jesus Camp. Good call.

Same here. A lot of the criticism seems to target elements that I thought were strengths. Like all of his movies, it's a movie about movies, but here it feels different: Rather than merely lift and re-fashion genre conventions, now Tarantino is re-working the metaphorical meanings of those genre conventions. It might not be as well-sustained as, say, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, but overall it's a much richer experience. For me, the climactic sequence was intensely satisfying and surprisingly cathartic--surprising because I usually loathe revenge fantasies, but when the giant ghostly Jewish face ca

Lots of good mentions already. I'll add Rosemary's Baby.

Finally saw In the Loop today. Loved every minute. The dialogue is razor-sharp, the performances are perfect, the comedy is golden, and the satire is devastating.

Laurent Cantet's The Class is perhaps the best, most sophisticated movie about teaching I've ever seen. It's as good as they say.

No kiddin'.