Hey, U2 fans, music lovers, and iPhone users… you’re invited! I’m joining Dr. Jeff Keuss and others on Monday night, October 13, for a live podcast conversation called “U2, Apple, and the Future of Music.” It’ll be at Hale’s Ales Brewery and Pub in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, and the dinner audience will be involved in the conversation, which will eventually be posted online. Want to join the conversation? Get your tickets here. Okay, let’s not waste time talking about... Read more
It’s time to check the New Music Seismograph! What albums are shaking the ground beneath my feet? Those who have followed my blog over the past decade or so know that I’m averse to “rating” art with a point system. (I mean, really… how much can you learn about a record if I tell you “I give it a 72”?) But hey, just to shake things up, I’m going to make an exception. What good is a blog if it doesn’t... Read more
This post will be updated over the next few days, so check back as this thrilling — dare I say rapturous? — cinematic occasion unfolds! Read more
One of my favorite writers on the subject of art, faith, and culture — Alissa Wilkinson — has seen "Gone Girl," the new film by David Fincher. Let's ask her: "What's the message of the movie?" Read more
I’ve received two emails this week asking for my opinion of The Song. This is what I can offer… (more…) Read more
As I joined the line to buy tickets for a mid-afternoon matinee showing of Guardians of the Galaxy, I had a rare and unsettling experience. A large crowd had assembled at the ticket counter, and I quickly discovered that these moviegoers had come for the opening-day matinee of a movie that I did not know existed. Somehow, I had failed to notice any promotional effort at all for Lasse Haalstrom’s The Hundred Foot Journey. (more…) Read more
Watching the trailers before Chef on Friday night, I was reminded by the smirking comments of viewers around me that the “This Motion Picture is Rated…” screen before a preview does as much, if not more, to intrigue viewers about the violence, language, or nudity included in the film than it does to dissuade anybody, or to warn parents about the content of the film. It’s been obvious for decades in the way the announcer on television says “Viewer discretion advised!”,... Read more
What are the greatest movie moments that involve sandwiches? Read more
The last 13 days have been a harrowing experience of heartbreak and loss for me and many who are close to me. I haven’t said anything about it here at Looking Closer, but I think the time has come. (more…) Read more
Alissa Wilkinson, chief film critic for Christianity Today, asked me if I’ve ever changed my mind about a movie… and would I write about that? So I’m asking you. What’s a movie you loved the first time, or hated the first time, and then experienced a total change of mind? I chose to write about Dead Poet’s Society. He’s how I began my response to Alissa… (more…) Read more
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