Are You Ready to Lose Your Neighborhood Video Store?
What's your own favorite "neighborhood video store" experience?
The U2 Elevation Prayer
David Wainscott has just posted some interesting audio: An audio file of the prayer and blessing for U2's 2001 Elevation tour.
And when you think about how that tour blessed so many, and about the ministry that the band had for those in New York after the attacks on September 11th... I don't think it's presumptuous to say those prayers were answered.
Horton, Deckard, Sweeney, Amadeus, and a Red Balloon!
Free download!
Listen to Dick Staub, Greg Wright, Jennifer Spohr -- and me! -- as we discuss Horton Hears a Who, Expelled, Snow Angels, Blade Runner, Sweeney Todd, Once, Amadeus, Flight of the Red Balloon, and Lady Jane on this month's Kindlings Muse movie podcast.
End of "The Road" (in Pittsburgh, Anyway)
Working on his adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, John Hillcoat has wrapped up filming in Pittsburgh and is moving on to Lake Erie, New Orleans, Mount St. Helens, and the Oregon coast.
"The book had a huge impact on me, it affected me more deeply and more profoundly than almost anything I've ever read," Mr. Hillcoat said. "That's partly because I'm a father of a gorgeous 6-year-old boy" and mindful of what's happening in the world.
Growing up in Canada in the 1970s, the native Australian worried nuclear war was inevitable.
"Quite seriously, I never even thought I'd get to the age of 40 as a kid, as a teenager at least," he said.
But he did and he's making a movie that explores humanity and hope in a seemingly hopeless world and a father who teaches his son to "carry the fire," as Mr. McCarthy so eloquently phrases it.
Del Toro Wants Puppets to Invade "The Hobbit"; Plus, Andy Whitman on Great Christian Rock Albums
At Arts and Faith, Peter Chattaway comes up with two interesting links on The Hobbit.
The first one is an interview, in which Del Toro says things that make me want to cheer.
The only thing I will be pushing for more in these films that the other three are full animatronics and animatronic creatures enhanced with CGI, as opposed to CGI creatures themselves. We really want to take the state-of-the-art animatronics and take a leap ten years into the future with the technology we will develop for the creatures in the movie. We have every intention to do for animatronics and special effects what the other films did for virtual reality.
Fantastic. The Dark Crystal remains a wonder two decades after its arrival, but no movie since then has taken puppets and animatronics much farther than that. CGI is wonderful, but I think it has cheated us out of some of the magic that Jim Henson's workshop does so well. CGI Yoda never had the magic of Empire Strikes Back Yoda. I can't wait to see what Del Toro does with this.
He also says:
Another thing people will notice, at the beginning of the film will be the palette, that will be slightly different, the world will be the same but it will be a more ‘golden’ world, a more wide-eyed world. But by no means will we depart from the canon, we will take the three previous films as canon. When I become part of a world that I love, such as this, I really come with a lot of enthusiasm and hard work, and we know we are recreating and creating a world that is part of the mythos of millions of people and we will approach it as passionately and respectfully as it needs to be taken.
And then:
Do you have any roles cast?
... I had the most charming meeting with Sir Ian, and all bureaucracy pending, he’s on board, as is Andy Serkis.
Good. The Hobbit is a children's story. It shouldn't have the fierce, dark tone of The Lord of the Rings. It should be lighter, more inclined to moments of wonder than terror. And, as Greg Wright has so rightfully insisted, the goblins that attack Bilbo and company are *not* the Uruk-hai.
Then, Chattaway offers up Andrew O'Hehir's commentary, in which he expresses why he's really worried about Del Toro's massive two-film deal. I find myself in full agreement.
‚20 more great Christian rock records
Andy Whitman submits 20 of his own favorite albums to demonstrate that there are indeed some great Christian rock records.
Stephen Lamb wraps up Calvin-fest coverage
Stephen Lamb is *still* blogging about that amazing Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing. He was able to attend the session I most wanted to see for myself. Alas, I was busy, so I'm copying Lamb's notes about a conversation between Kathleen Norris and Scott Cairns. Man, I wish I'd been there...
Peter Chattaway Reviews "Expelled"
My friend and colleague Peter Chattaway has joined the growing list of Christian film critics who have very mixed feelings about Expelled: No Intelligence Necessary.
His review is published at BC Christian News.
He comments even further at his blog.
Here are some memorable moments:
What's the Greatest Final Shot of a Feature film?
At Arts and Faith, Buckeye Jones asked a distracting question today:
What's your all-time favorite closing shot of a movie?
Here are a few of mine...
Catapulting Auralia's Colors
Many thanks to reviewer Jason Panella for this review of Auralia's Colors at Catapult.