On Movies & Media

Is This Appealing?

WARNING: This trailer pertains to a Quentin Tarantino film. That is to say, it's not for the squeamish. It is a marketer's job to make a product appealing, to cultivate an appetite for what they're selling. This leads me to some questions... 1. What

On Movies & Media

Michelle Pfeiffer has Kevin Kline Syndrome

And now for a long and rambling note about something relatively unimportant and open to debate... Reading this review of Cheri, an upcoming Stephen Frears film that stars Michelle Pfeiffer, I felt a momentary surge of hope. But I've learned not to keep that hope in check... It

On Songs & Albums

Help Andy Whitman, the world's best music reviewer/columnist!

If you can find anybody who writes about music with more eloquence, passion, and historical knowledge than Andy Whitman, please let me know. He's my favorite. Nobody can send me running to spend money on music I haven't heard before like Andy can. Alas, Andy had

On Movies & Media

The Reviews of Steven D. Greydanus

Movie critics (and this includes me) are too easily tempted into being snarky, sarcastic, and arrogant. We rush to be the first to call things "the best" this, and "the most" that, and the ___________ of the year, and the __________ to beat in 2009, and a _____________ like

On Movies & Media

Roger Ebert on truth-telling, religion, politics, and "The Reader"

Ebert has just published one of his most thought-provoking, personal, revealing commentaries. I hope you'll read the whole thing.

Overstreet's Books

Lighthouse Academy on "Cyndere's Midnight"

Lighthouse Academy has discovered Cyndere's Midnight. And I'm grateful for the kind words she's posted.

On Movies & Media

Michael Leary on "Redeeming Films"

Michael Leary of film-think links to CT Movies' 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2008. And then he responds: ... If we want to use "redeeming" with all of its Christological force as a certain way of looking at films, then we will have to go far off the

On Movies & Media

Al Pacino to Shout Again... as King Lear!

Director Michael Radford, who cast Al Pacino as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, has cast him again... this time as Lear. This is interesting, since Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen have also played Lear within the past several months. (Remember this report from last May?)

Looking Elsewhere

Browser: "Penelope." Terry Gilliam. Cinema and the City. Whit Stillman. Denby's Oscar rant.

1. I found some time during my travels to jot down thoughts on an overlooked, underrated fantasy film -- Penelope -- and its relationship with other "Beauty and the Beast" tales. 2 Someday, Charlie Kaufman will make a movie about the career of Terry Gilliam, depicting the astonishing,

Pray for the family of Michael Dubruiel.

Author and blogger Michael Dubruiel died today. He was an inspiring writer. Please pray for his wife, one of my favorite bloggers, Amy Welborn, and for their young children. Amy shared this heartbreaking news on her site today.

On Movies & Media

Casting News So Extraordinary, I'm May Not Sleep Tonight

Shusaku Endo's Silence is the most harrowing novel I've ever read (yes, even harsher than The Road), and one of the most moving and profound. I've been reading about Martin Scorsese's plans to make a film version for several years now, trying

Trailers

The highlight of the Super Bowl is already on YouTube.

UPDATE: OKAY, OKAY... so the YouTube link is dead. Who cares? Now you can see it in HD on Apple's trailers page.

Overstreet's Books

Answering questions about Cyndere's Midnight and more

Jake Chism at The Christian Manifesto asked me a bunch of questions... and I answered them. Lo and behold, here's the conversation, chock full-o revelations about Cyndere's Midnight, my favorite movie of 2008 (which won't be released until 2009, if it is ever released

On Songs & Albums

Bruce Springsteen writes back to Walker Percy

Did you know that Bruce Springsteen and Walker Percy almost corresponded?

On Movies & Media

The Class (2009): Looking Closer's Film Forum

I'll be reviewing The Class soon. But for now, let me encourage you to see it as soon as you can. It's one of two 2009 releases I've seen that will probably end up in my Top 10 of 2009 next December. Here'

Reeling.

I'm still exhausted and delirious from the inspiration and nourishment I found last weekend in the company of some talented artists. I would write about it, but I'm back into the white-water of busy-ness, so that will have to wait. Until then, I'm grateful

Overstreet's Books

Thursday at 12:30: Cyndere's Midnight at SPU

On Thursday at 12:30, in the Library at Seattle Pacific University, I'll be reading from Cyndere's Midnight and saying a few words about the next volume in The Auralia Thread. Copies of Auralia's Colors and Cyndere's Midnight will be for sale

Looking Elsewhere

Browser: Jordan and Gaiman. Zombies?! Orr-itated. Slumdog's stars still in the slums?.

First, a trailer... The Browser: News & links to raise your eyebrows & furrow your brow. New headlines may be added as the day goes on. Stay tuned. 1. Neil Jordan to direct Neil Gaiman's Newbery-Award-Winning The Graveyard Book." 2. Don't worry. There are no

On Movies & Media

Fireproof (2008): A Looking Closer Film Forum

What is Film Forum? Well, with so many film reviews published, and so little time to read them all, I make a note of any review that I find particularly thoughtful, persuasive, or worth wrestling. Be sure to check back, as I've only just begun to read reviews

Looking Elsewhere

Browser: Wings of Desire! Pierce Pettis. Tarsem. Pixar. Muppets. Star Wars? "Christian fiction." Sundance winner! Decent Films best of '08. Gaiman=Newbery winner.

The Browser: News & links to raise your eyebrows & furrow your brow. New headlines may be added as the day goes on. Stay tuned. I've just returned from Laity Lodge, near Kerville, Texas, where I had a most inspiring weekend in the company of writers I admire.

John Updike 1932-2009

Breaking news: John Updike, 76 died today. When I posted this link at artsandfaith.com, Paste magazine's Andy Whitman responded: His lasting legacy will probably be his four Rabbit novels -- Rabbit, Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest -- one published at the end

The Auralia Thread

Auralia on Maple Mountain

Auralia's Colors is getting some attention at the Maple Mountain Story Club, and I'm grateful for S.D. Smith's enthusiasm!

Offline until Tuesday.

I'm staying at a retreat center two hours outside of San Antonio where there is no wifi, so I'll be offline until Tuesday (probably). I'll give you an update when I get back. Until then, all comments will go into a "hold bin&

Overstreet's Books

Cyndere's Midnight... and what's next... next Thursday.

I'll be reading from The Auralia Thread at Food for Thought next Thursday at 12:30 in the afternoon at Seattle Pacific University's Library. I expect I'll read sections from Auralia's Colors and Cyndere's Midnight, along with a few words

On Movies & Media

Forget the Oscars. Things are already looking "Up."

You can watch a new clip from Pixar's Up here.