This week, I finally starting working on the backlog of record reviews I need to work through by offering up an assessment of the new album by the U.K. band Let’s Wrestle. It was one of those tricky instances of having to write about something when my primary reaction to it is “Eh, it’s okay.”

What’s actually harder is writing about a film that’s terrific. Invariably, I feel like my words are inadequate. Lu Chuan’s new movie is tough, uncompromising and beautifully made. I am pleased that I wrote the review without ever using the word “epic.” That was intentional.

I also threw a couple hundred words at our List Inconsequential debate over the merits of Billy Joel versus those of Elton John. These poor people didn’t know what they were getting themselves into when they asked if I could write a little something about Joel. I probably could have dropped another couple thousand more words without even breaking a sweat or needing to double-check a fact.