Prequel to Boring: Yawn Howard and Dan Brown, Together Again
You probably remember how, after all of the hype, The Da Vinci Code opened to enthusiastic cries of "Underwhelming!" and "Boring!"
Yes, after all of the fright and hubbub amongst Christians who thought the movie might lay waste to the Christian church internationally, it turned out that all moviegoers needed to do was read the reviews to learn that the movie was a jumbo-sized, deep-fried turkey.
"So, heck," say the brilliant minds at Columbia Pictures, "why not round up the same team for a prequel?" I mean... it's the money that matters, not whether or not the film was any good, right? (Da Vinci Load drew in exactly one zillion dollars internationally.)Read more
A New Interview with Bill Mallonee
I haven't read anything about the lead singer for Vigilantes of Love for a while. I met him at Cornerstone in 2003, and recorded an extensive interview. But my opportunity to publish it fell through, and it remains the best interview I've never published. Someday, I'll get around to transcribing it.
I was deeply impressed by Mallonee's insight into the plight of the artist in a culture that prefers entertainment. And his stories about his own journey were both troubling (for what he's suffered along the way) and inspiring (for his artistic vision).
Thus, I was delighted this morning to find Part One of Brent Thomas's new, in-depth interview with Mallonee, here at Colossians Three Sixteen.
Many, many thanks to my three audiences during yesterday's talk-a-thon!
I am dizzy and exhausted after yesterday's triathalon of speaking engagements... Read more
Frederica Matthewes-Green on "Idiocracy"
Here's Frederica Matthewes-Green on one of those DVDs you might not want to miss.
"Through a Screen Darkly" hits Australia
When I was a kid, I always liked the story about The Little Engine that Could.
I'm reminded of that as I occasionally find mentions of Through a Screen Darkly on blogs. It just keeps chugging along, finding new readers everywhere. It's nice to see folks like Brian Rice continuing to discover it and share it with others. I'm glad it's proving useful.
This week, the book will be introduced to yet another audience: Radio listeners in Australia.Read more
Next Sunday: Australia's having an Open House!
 
I recently overheard someone referring to my new book as "Australia's Colors."
Now, please... let me set this straight once and for all: Auralia's Colors has absolutely nothing to do with Australia.
And speaking of Australia...
I was welcomed to a radio program based in Australia last week to discuss Through a Screen Darkly.
The show host was Sheridan Voysey, a true professional, who reads his notes before he sits down at the microphone. His show is called Open House. It wasn't a live show. It was recorded for a podcast. But we had a delightful conversation about meaningful movies, the power and purpose of art, and the challenges of being a Christian in the cineplex. Our conversation is about to be broadcast on radio stations all over Australia. I immediately became a big fan of Sheridan and his approach to thoughtful radio conversation.
When I turn on Christian radio, almost 75% of the voices I hear are complaining about how corrupt the world has become, and how we have got to stop the homosexuals before they take over the world. It's rather embarrassing... especially since these programs are broadcast in the name of one who said he did not come into the world to condemn the world.
Sheridan's goal, by contrast, is to provoke thoughtful dialogue between Christians... and also between Christians and their non-Christian neighbors. There was a quality of grace and peace and warmth in Sheridan's manner that I greatly appreciated, and that I've only experienced on only a few other programs. (Yes, there are some other wonderful show hosts out there, and I appreciate them too.)
You'll be able to listen in, or download the show as a podcast, next Sunday.
Now, if you want to learn about Australia, I suggest you talk with a travel agent. If you want to hear about Auralia, you should join me at the Fremont branch of the Seattle Public Library this Wednesday night at 6:30, where I'll be reading from the novel and talking about our favorite fantasy writers.
A Moment, Yesterday...
So, there I was.
Sitting at my desk, writing a movie review for Response magazine's website.
Out the window in front of me, the courtyard was thrashing in October wind and rain. Leave of extraordinary colors were breaking free and forming a dance of intertwining cyclones.
Students dashed by on their way to class.
One student, a woman I have never seen before, passed by. She was leaning forward and intent on her way to class. But as she passed me, she paused and thought for a moment. Then she took out a notebook and scribbled something down.
She came back, stopped at the window right in front of me (the back of my desk is up against the window). She pressed the notebook to the glass.Read more
St. Vincent - Marry Me
What have the women of Sufjan Stevens' band been smoking?
Last year, Shara Worden burst onto the scene as My Brightest Diamond, with such fierce imagination and spirit that you wondered how she could have possibly been anybody's backup singer without blowing everybody else offstage. The debut, Bring Me the Workhorse, is still one of my favorite albums of the last few years.
And now we find out there were two of them.Read more
Bruce Springsteen with Arcade Fire
If you can ignore the dumbass psycho-fans shouting the most ridiculous things they can imagine into the camera's microphone...
then you might get a bit of a thrill by watching Bruce Springsteen join The Arcade Fire for:Read more
Looking Forward to "Where the Wild Things Are"
When I was a kid, one of my favorite storybooks was...
Wait, let me start again.
One of my favorite storybooks is Where the Wild Things Are. (Forget the part about "when I was a kid." It's still true. If a story is good, a reader will never "outgrow" it.)
But there is not nearly enough in Maurice Sendak's surreal book to fill a feature film. Thus, I have felt apprehensive, even depressed, over the inevitability of a revised and embellished full-length movie version. After seeing Ron Howard distort and pollute Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I have a hard time believing short, simple children's books can be successfully and meaningfully expanded into a 90 - 120 minute pageant.
Well, New York Magazine has just given me reason to hope.
Here's their commentary on the screenplay for Where the Wild Things Are, which has been adapted by Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze.
We were deeply nervous about anyone taking on a story this beloved yet difficult, even talents like Eggers and Jonze, but this screenplay —if it hasn't been changed too dramatically since October 2005, when it was turned in — goes a long way toward reassuring us that this movie, which is coming out in 2008, will be something special.
Here's hoping that Jonze and Eggers have cooked up a heap of memorable mischief.