Top Fifty Films of the 10s — Number Forty-Six
#46 — Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham, 2018) Crafting a poignant, painful seriocomic film about the travails of middle school isn’t that novel of a feat any longer. The time-tested subgenre of coming of age films has long since expanded from … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 10s — Number Forty-Six
Golden Words — 30 Rock, “Cooter”
Since great television comedy always begins with the script, this series of posts considers the individual episodes that have claimed the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series over the years. Ahead of its debut season, 30 … Continue reading Golden Words — 30 Rock, “Cooter”
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #556 to #553
556. Guadalcanal Diary, Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man (1984) The members of Guadalcanal Diary claimed that the title of their debut album derived from some misheard lyrics from a gospel groups performance at a street festival. The … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #556 to #553
Outside Reading — Parallel Path edition
Garbage Language by Molly Young Ever-wonderful Molly Young wittily, wisely addresses the scourge of the modern workplace: communication twisted into a buzzy abomination meant to confer seriousness and impenetrable expertise. The most tellingly obtuse words and phrasing are brought out … Continue reading Outside Reading — Parallel Path edition
This Week’s Model — Perfume Genius, “Describe”
“Describe,” the new single from Perfume Genius, opens with the lush, thunderous, bass-heavy wall of sound once glowed down a possible pathway, Emerald City–like, viewed by alternative music after the haze of grunge lifted. In these tones, power and beauty … Continue reading This Week’s Model — Perfume Genius, “Describe”
Then Playing — Richard Jewell; Men in Black: International; Terminator: Dark Fate
Richard Jewell (Clint Eastwood, 2019). Another entry in Clint Eastwood’s late career run of pedantic, politically confused prestige dramas, Richard Jewell follows the title security guard (Paul Walter Hauser) during the grueling stretch after his discovery of a bomb at … Continue reading Then Playing — Richard Jewell; Men in Black: International; Terminator: Dark Fate
Top Fifty Films of the 10s — Number Forty-Seven
#47 — The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) When powdered wigs, heavy dresses, and ornate waistcoats are hauled to set, the resulting movie is likely to be stiffened by affected refinement. Adhering to patterns set by countless period dramas before, action … Continue reading Top Fifty Films of the 10s — Number Forty-Seven
The New Releases Shelf — Sing in a World That’s Falling Apart
Thinking about the history of the Black Lips, it was probably always just a matter of time before the band flicked their hair grease onto some corn pone. Specialists in raucous, retro rock ‘n’ roll as raw as fingertips ravaged … Continue reading The New Releases Shelf — Sing in a World That’s Falling Apart
The Art of the Sell — Ethics Training with Kim Wexler
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. Now that Better Call Saul has an officially announced endpoint, it’s the appropriate time to start campaigning … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — Ethics Training with Kim Wexler
College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #560 to #557
560. Queen, The Game (1980) Producer Reinhold Mack told Queen it was time to use a musical tool they’d resisted to that point. Across seven prior studio albums, the flashy, British rock band made bigger and bigger sounds, always noting … Continue reading College Countdown: CMJ Top 1000, 1979 – 1989 — #560 to #557
Coffee for Two 