Email of the Day
For what it's worth, I posted a response at CT Movies to all of those readers who wrote in to tell me that I will be severely judged by the Lord because of my earlier-posted article, in which I argued that profanity is sometimes an appropriate element in art.
But not all of the responses to the article were negative.Read more
A thank-you 20 years in the making
I have wanted to meet Sam Phillips since 1986. That dream has become increasingly strong over the years since then, as her songs have become the most personal and important to me out of any music I've heard. If I had to choose ten songs that have meant the most to me in my lifetime, about half of them would be hers.
Last night, I discovered that our dinner table for a party of six was placed directly in front of the microphone. Couldn't have been closer. And then, about 40 minutes after a stunning performance that included almost the entire new album, a few from Fan Dance, a hilarious spoken letter of adoration for Stephen Merritt of Magnet Fields ("I know you cannot return my love because... you... can only love someone... with man parts... but... I think if we gave it a try... your man parts would be enough for both of us..."), and a couple of covers, Sam emerged from backstage.
I was finally able to shake her hand and thank her for her music and the story of her life. It is, after all, the story of Leslie Phillips becoming Sam Phillps that became the inspiration for me to start writing about art for Christians, and the provocation for me to start the Looking Closer Web site. When I told her the story, she was rather bewildered by how far back I traced the progress of her creative vision and its influence on my work. When I reminded her of the time she had shared some Thomas Merton with me online, she did seem to remember that. And she gave me the information I need for an interview later.
I can't remember much of what I said. But I'll treasure what I can remember... of the show and the conversation afterward.
Oh, and let it be known, drummer Jay Bellerose is a joy to watch and a thrill to hear.
It was the first show of the tour. I highly recommend you watch for her visit to your neck of the woods.
Set list:
- How to Quit
- All Night
- I Wanted To Be Alone
- Open the World
- Red Silk Five
- I Want to Be Your Man
- Taking Pictures
- Animals on Wheels
- Wasting My Time
- I Dreamed I Stopped Dreaming
- Draw Man
- When You're Down (Didn't make the cut for the album, although she wishes it had, in retrospect. GREAT song.)
- Reflecting Light
- Fan Dance
- If I Could Write
- Say What You mean
- One Day Late
- (encore: a gospel song by Sister Rosetta Tharpe... "I'm a Pilgrim Traveler.")
Waves of raves for Life Aquatic
Peppered with CAPITALIZED EXPLETIVES (you've been warned), the early screening "reviews" (better: unedited, sloppy, gushing superlatives) are coming in after a screening of Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," the film I'm more anxious to see than anything since The Return of the King.
Here's the link to the foulmouthed fanboys at Ain't-It-Cool News, declaring what may well become the movie to beat at the Oscars this year. Bill Murray's time has come. Well, it came last year, but the Academy blew it, so, for crying out loud, HIS TIME HAS COME.
Time to go out and rent The Royal Tenenbaums, a brilliant comedy about family, divorce, and ultimately... grace.
My favorite response to Saved!
The best response to the movie Saved! that I've heard yet is a one-line quip passed along by my friend Michael Leary, who heard someone else say it after a screening of the film...Read more
Loving to hate the hateful
When people ask me to "define Christian criticism," I find it much easier to say what it isn't than what it is.
Here is an example of what it isn't.Read more
I am a "shatterer of dreams"!
I received this in my email box today, with the strange subject of "Remainder"...Read more
P.J. Harvey album lands Tuesday
P.J. Harvey's latest, Uh Huh Her, arrives on Tuesday. I'll have a review as soon as I can get my hands on a copy and give it a few listens.Read more
Jeff Berryman as C.S. Lewis
Jeff Berryman is not just a fine novelist. He's one of my favorite actors. And right now, you can catch him playing the role of C.S. Lewis on stage in Seattle at Taproot Theatre...Read more
100 Spiritually Significant Films
Arts & Faith is pleased to announce the 2004 Top100 list of spiritually significant films. The Top100 list draws upon decades of cinema and includes U.S. and foreign movies. Popular, "blockbuster" films are balanced with art films. The list offers readers the best, most spiritually significant films ever made. ... Read more
Obi-Wan: Who is more foolish, the fool, or the fool who follows him?
Frederick Buechner, in The Faces of Jesus, writes...Read more