[The week that both George Martin and Ken Adam died . . .] PRESENTER: [Off-mic] . . . just leave it at the top of the stairs. No, no, it’s fine. Yes. Yes. Thank you. FX: HEAVY BOX BEING DROPPED. PRESENTER: This week saw the death of great Anglo-German film designer, Ken Adam. Dr. Strangelove, ...
No, it’s no good. I just don’t have it in me to be all cheery and supportive and welcoming, in the manner of Bonnie’s genuinely meme-ish idea. Anyway, if my stats are any guide — and if they’re not, why do I have them? — most of the hits to this blog are from people ...
[A comment made elsewhere, turned into a rough-and-ready post here, because it mostly stands on its own.] IMO one of the best things about approaching the world from a rational/sceptical perspective is the ability/willingness/whatever to avoid either ad hominem attacks or argument by authority: arguments are supported and ...
A few days ago I was a bit of a dick on Twitter, about Twitter. The specifics of the issue aren’t really worth rehashing — except to be clear that they related to private accounts and the swirl of surrounding etiquette. This post is more of a general tour of some thoughts about Twitter, and ...
I was struck by this piece in Cinematical, for two reasons. Firstly, the piece in the Onion A.V. Club which it references is, after some preamble, in praise of The Rocketeer, a film I’ve always thought had a rough deal. Notwithstanding some slightly bland casting, it’s inventive, playful, and wonderful to look ...
A funny dream last night. Mostly it was guided by a Grand Theft Auto narrative. It was one of those dreams where you’re both observer and participant, both experiencing it and commenting on it. It was exciting and a bit scary. Towards the end, though, it skipped to me watching (or reading about, or both) ...
Walking along Wilshire in Santa Monica, iPod earphones quite conspicuously in ears, almost as if I might be listening to music. Waiting at light to cross 7th Street. Man: [Looking at me, mouth opening and closing as he says something. Clearly no clue I can’t hear him.] Me: [Takes off earphones, an expression of mild ...
In one of my lives I sometimes review short stories. Something I’ve become aware that I do is this: when I think something’s no good, or just okay, I’ll squeeze out as much positive as I can, so long as it’s honest; when something’s good — especially if it’s written by someone I know has ...
[Following up Annie’s rant about parents and video games.] I have a slightly different, and maybe more liberal, take. I completely agree that parents have absolutely no right to complain about what their kids are watching/playing, if they haven’t taken some responsibility for that. However, I think often when ...
In the middle of their usual chaos and surrealism, I’m always a bit floored and intrigued by two things about my dreams: how occasionally a bit of really solid, structured narrative comes through — which reminds me of the fact that William Rose claimed that the entire plot of The Ladykillers came to him in ...