Obituaries - Jeffrey Overstreet

Thank You, John Hughes.

Yes, I am saddened by the news about director John Hughes' sudden death of a heart attack today. He was only 59, and might have had a comeback in him. I would have welcomed that. Some of his films were creative, hilarious, and even unusually thoughtful for pop comedies.

On Movies & Media

A Few Thoughts on the Loss of Jackson and Fawcett

Yesterday, I felt a strange urge to give calls of concern to the other giants of my childhood. I don't have anything profound to say about either of the superstars that we lost. Neither were particularly inspiring for me personally, even though they did loom large on the

On Books & Writing

What a Story.

Comic strip of the day. Thanks to Mike Demkowicz for the link.

On Movies & Media

Farewell to Horton Foote, screenwriter of "Tender Mercies," "To Kill a Mockingbird"

I'm a little late relaying this news, but I learned on Twitter earlier today that Horton Foote has died. In screenplays for such movies as “Tender Mercies,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Trip to Bountiful,” and in plays like “The Young Man From Atlanta” and his nine-play

Obituaries

Andrew Wyeth, remembered by Michael Kimmelman

The famous American painted Andrew Wyeth died today at 91. Kimmelman writes: Wyeth gave America a prim and flinty view of Puritan rectitude, starchily sentimental, through parched gray and brown pictures of spooky frame houses, desiccated fields, deserted beaches, circling buzzards and craggy-faced New Englanders. A virtual Rorschach test for

On Books & Writing

Richard John Neuhaus, 1936 – 2009

First Things reports the passing of its founder and editor: Fr. Richard John Neuhaus slipped away today, January 8, shortly before 10 o’clock, at the age of seventy-two. He never recovered from the weakness that sent him to the hospital the day after Christmas, caused by a series of

Looking Elsewhere

Browser, 11/6

First, the previews... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=299WKQGZl9Q] HD here. <h6><img src="http://lookingcloser.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/the-eyes.thumbnail.jpg" alt="the-eyes.jpg" /> <strong><span style="color:#800000;">The Browser:

On Movies & Media

A Sad, Sudden Farewell: Bernie Mac 1957 - 2008

MSNBC reports that Bernie Mac passed away due to complications brought on by pneumonia. He was 50. I'll miss Bernie. He was one of a kind, a distinct, huge personality whose gravity was irresistible. His sitcom was creative and sometimes even joyful... a rare guilt-free treat. He had

On Books & Writing

Farewell to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Last week, as I was walking past a newspaper vendor, I stopped in my tracks. The headline was a stunner: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn had passed away. I wasn't blogging last week, but I still want to take a moment to acknowledge the departure of this incredible human being. (Can

On Movies & Media

Farewell, Major Briggs.

Don S. Davis, one of the great actors among Twin Peaks' fantastic cast, has died. Davis played Major Briggs, who was a caring father, and a secretive servant of the U.S. government. Nobody could be trusted more completely with classified information. Davis was also beloved for a memorable

On Movies & Media

Stan Winston, Designer of the Terminator, Dead at 62.

Did you flinch when Edward Scissorhands reached out? That was Stan Winston. Did your stomach turn when The Thing tore apart its victims? That was Stan Winston. Did you feel for that dying Triceratops in Jurassic Park? That was Stan Winston. Did you tremble when the Terminator turned its fierce,

On Movies & Media

Tim Russert of NBC News Dead at 58

What sad, shocking news today... Russert, NBC News' Washington bureau chief and the moderator of Meet the Press, has been as busy as anyone in offering thoughtful coverage of the campaign primary circus of 2008. I'm stunned and saddened by this.

On Movies & Media

Brian Volck Remembers Paul Scofield

Among my friends, the man with the most impressive voice for reading and public speaking is probably Brian Volck, a pediatrician, coauthor of Reclaiming the Body: Christians and the Faithful Use of Modern Medicine (Brazos Press, 2006), and a recent graduate of Seattle Pacific's MFA in Creative Writing

On Movies & Media

Charlton Heston dead at 84

"Charlton Heston might be said to achieve his apotheosis as Moses ... unless one decides that it's Moses who's achieving his apotheosis as Heston." - Jonathan Rosenbaum Here's the MSNBC story. The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with

On Movies & Media

Farewell to Paul Scofield

The great Paul Scofield, one of my favorite actors, has died. Here's a glimpse of his Oscar-winning turn in A Man for All Seasons: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIlIz8Qcgcs&hl=en] Watch for Scofield opposite Mel Gibson in Zefferlli's version of Hamlet,

On Songs & Albums

Larry Norman is Dead. Long Live Larry Norman.

"The father of Christian rock" -- Larry Norman -- is dead. And as you might expect, Andy Whitman has written something appropriate to this solemn event. UPDATE: CT on Larry Norman.

On Movies & Media

Breaking News: Heath Ledger Found Dead in His Apartment.

The New York Times has the developing story. Heath Ledger was found dead in his apartment, apparently of a drug overdose. He was 28. What a tragic loss for those close to Ledger, and for his child. Matilda, daughter of Ledger and his fiancee at the time, actress Michelle Williams,

On Movies & Media

Mr. Lazarescu is Dead

You might have seen The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, one of the most unforgettable films I saw last year. It follows the last hours of an old man who needs urgent medical care. If you did, you saw Romanian actor Ion Fiscuteanu do some extraordinary work. Alas, Mr. Fiscuteanu passed

On Books & Writing

SuperFastReader on Madeleine L'Engle

Following up my earlier post on Madeleine L'Engle's passing, here's the super SuperFastReader remembering her, in two posts.

On Books & Writing

A Very Great Loss in the World of the Christian Imagination

Madeleine L'Engle is one of the artists whose views and work have inspired me the most. As I was writing Auralia's Colors, I frequently revisited her thoughts on the power of art. She referred to great artmaking as "collaboration with God." On Thursday night,

The Auralia Thread

Madeleine L'Engle: 1918-2007

Madeleine L'Engle is one of the artists whose views and work have inspired me the most. As I was writing Auralia's Colors, I frequently revisited her thoughts on the power of art. She referred to great artmaking as "collaboration with God." On Thursday night,

On Movies & Media

Ingmar Bergman 1918-2007

The Guardian reports that Ingmar Bergman died this morning. He was 86. Much more at GreenCine Daily, which will be updated as the obituaries are posted. Which is your favorite of his films?

On Movies & Media

Tonight, the World has Lost a Great Artist

For the last few years, I have been hoping and hoping for another film by Edward Yang, who directed what has become one of the greatest treasures in my film library: Yi-Yi (A One and a Two). But tonight, Edward Yang passed away. Cancer. The news breaks my heart. He

The Auralia Thread

Farewell to the Storyteller Who Imagined the Horned King

Lloyd Alexander was one of the fantasy authors who inspired me to write story after story as I was growing up. He died last Friday, and I didn't learn about it until today. What a loss. Alexander's The Prydain Chronicles remains one of the great achievements

On Movies & Media

One of My Favorite Clowns

A legendary figure from my high-school days ... Larry "Bud" Melman, a giant from the glory days of David Letterman ... has passed on. I don't know that I've ever laughed harder than when Melman, dressed as Roy Orbison, sang "Blue Bayou." He stood