At World’s End: The Age of the Apocalypse Movie

Anything seem familiar about this trailer?

Yeah… it’s another movie about the end of the world.

Interesting timing, since I just finished an article about the trend. You’ll find it…

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Against the deliberate “integration” of faith and art

Thanks to a Tweet from Image, I read an interview this morning with Wayne Roosa, an artist and art historian, in First Things. And I came across some words that were stronger than espresso. They woke me up and drove me to concentrate.

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How do you define “kitsch”?

How do you define “kitsch”?

If your answer is “A savory, open-faced pastry crust pie with a savory custard filling of cheese, meat and vegetables,” then you need to consult a dictionary.

Conversations about kitsch are tricky business. What exactly is it? Can any art that makes you feel warm and fuzzy be called “kitsch”?

Usually, when the subject comes up, I end up going back to Gregory Wolfe’s editorial on the work of Thomas Kinkade. It’s always helpful.

Today, thanks to a Tweet and a link from Philip Tallon, author of The Poetics of Evil and co-editor of The Philosophy of Sherlock Holmes, I’ve discovered something else very helpful… 

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My own thoughts on The Help, shared by an unlikely critic

Somebody agrees with me about The Help!

“If you were to come to me and say that you were ambivalent because you felt the writing was not balanced… that you felt — like with Aibileen and Minny and Yule May and Constantine — that you didn’t feel there were a lot of colors to the character, that their humanity was not explored… that you saw just a blank, flat unrealistic stereotype… then I would go with you. I think that is a fair criticism.”

Guess who said that. 

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indieWire: One Best Picture nominee “towers above the rest.”

Matt Zoller Seitz and Serena Bramble have crafted a wonderful video essay on one of the nine films nominated for Best Picture.

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The Grey (2012): A Looking Closer Film Forum

A Looking Closer Film Forum is an evolving “conversation” among critics… a “round-table” review of perspectives from critics I regularly consult as I revise my list of viewing priorities. I haven’t seen the film yet, but these reviews have intrigued me.

Check back from time to time, as I may add more reviews to the list.

The Grey

It looks like we have the makings of a debate between these first two reviewers.

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Listen to a podcast discussion of The Tree of Life at The Kindlings Muse!

Here’s the podcast recording of the discussion I had about Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life at The Kindlings Muse with Jennie Spohr and Dr. Chris Chaney.

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Oscar predictions

Based on my experience of watching and reading about the Academy Awards in past years, here are my Oscar predictions…

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Do you find reading to be a chore?

Is reading a chore for you?

Do you find it difficult to sit and focus on a book for an hour?

The following excerpt is from Deep Attention, Lauren Winner’s thoughtful, thorough reflections on the new Alan Jacobs book The Pleasures of Reading in the Age of Distraction: 

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Thursday is Oscar Day at Seattle Pacific University

This Thursday at Seattle Pacific University, in the Library’s “Thursday Food for Thought” program, I’ll be sharing some thoughts on the nine films nominated for Best Picture in this year’s Oscar race.

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