Looking Elsewhere: 14 Discoveries & Distractions for the First Week of November

Looking Elsewhere: 14 Discoveries & Distractions for the First Week of November November 3, 2014

Frozen pic
What do “Frozen” and “The Shining” have in common?

On Halloween, Anne and I went out to celebrate Halloween dressed as Seattle Pacific University MFA in Creative Writing students who are running out of time to complete their homework assignments by the deadline. We were very, very convincing — we tricked everybody.

The treats? They were provided by the pub where we put on an Oscar-worthy performance of actually studying and writing essays. All of the zombies and witches and clowns and Star Wars characters and superheroes in the pub just kept staring at us, obviously impressed.

In fact, that’s exactly how I’m dressed tonight… trying to get my homework done. So I don’t have time to write you a film review.

I will, however, take a moment to share this stack of things that I’m glad that I discovered this weekend. There’s nothing like homework, after all, to make you seek out distractions on the Internet.

Ready to be distracted? Here we go…

1. Olive Kitteridge sounds amazing.

2. If we asked the makers of God’s Not Dead what they think of the overwhelmingly poor reviews of their film, what would they say? Now we know: They answered that question at a press conference. And their answers have boggled Andrew Spitznas. (It’s a shame. The filmmakers’ responses would be funny, if they weren’t so self-centered and sad.)

3. Chris Rock’s opening monologue on SNL was courageous comedy. Brilliant.

4. Of course, the Milk Carton Kids went as Simon and Garfunkel for Halloween. Of course they did.

5. Run for your lives! The fanged deer are back!

6. American Songwriter gives five stars to the new Bob Dylan collection: The Basement Tapes Complete.

7. Is Frozen just Disney’s version of The Shining?

8. Alissa Wilkinson wants to know what “religious cinnamon rolls” are. Wait — no, I’ve got that wrong.

9. If you’re interested in contributing to Filmwell’s exploration of theology and cinema, here’s your chance: A Call for Papers!

10. “18 Things You Learn Hanging Out With U2“: U2 fans will learn some amazing things in this Rolling Stone post.

11. One of my favorite film reviewers, author Gareth Higgins, is coming to Seattle Pacific University!

12. I addressed a Tweet to Marvel, because I’ve discovered their next superhero.

13. Over the Rhine‘s new Christmas album is streaming, for free, at The New York Times’ Press Play blog… at least, for the moment.

14. My friend Jennifer Maier has a poem featured by Garrison Keillor at The Writer’s Almanac… again!

 


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