Bright crossing
The moon. Nothing is as evocative of romance and of alienation. Nothing is at once so barren, yet so vivid. Sarah Brightman’s new album, La Luna, captures not only the enigma that is the moon but its elusive beauty as well. This she achieves not by tethering her lyrics to the theme, but with voice…
L’Atalante
French director Jean Vigo’s 1934 feature (first and foremost, a film of striking images) begs to be seen in a decent print on a large screen. With its sexual frankness, documentary views of Paris and lurching story line, it seems very much like the first French New Wave film, 25 years ahead of its time.
Sheer volumes
With so many books to collect, who has time to read?…
Living between the lines
Shaking the shame of illiteracy led Darline Carter to a more fulfilling life….
Home is for heartburn
Gurinder Chadha (Bhaji on the Beach) stirs up the American melting pot in this look at Thanksgiving in four ethnically diverse Los Angeles families. Skillfully crosscutting between the storylines, she zooms in on the prickly relationships between parents and grown children.
Time Regained
Avant-garde director Raul Ruiz’s vigorous attempt to imagine a viewable version of the Proustian world. Although he relies heavily on voice-overs, giving us large helpings of prose to guide us along, Ruiz has an arsenal of filmic devices to mingle with Proust’s language.
Paper cuts
New technologies will change the look of books….
Unmasked Amazon
The solo side of Audra Lynne Kubat, Amazon songwriter, who keeps things simple and profound….
Three to go
Stephen King’s first two novels, published in 1974 and 1975 respectively, are dressed to kill in these newly reissued softcover editions. The covers — with glossy pulp-fiction graphics and screaming block letters painted in pitch-black, ghostly white and bloodred — shamelessly lure potential readers to take a peek at the sensational tales that lie within.…
Unbreakable
With a trademark elegant simplicity, director M. Night Shyamalan’s follow-up to The Sixth Sense shares many of that film’s concerns, particularly when demonstrating how a shift in perspective allows for the perception of what would normally be hidden — with Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis.
Cross-trained marketing
Pretend you’re a badass superstar…
Life beyond the recount
The Texas twit seems slightly more likely to move into the White House, but remember, no matter who shuffles to the podium on January 20, life, and politics, will go on.
At the source
The first time James Stephenson visited Africa, he hadn’t been on the continent an hour before an Uzi was being pointed at his head by a group of Somali bandits who had decided to hijack the bus he was on. The bus was full of tourists, most of whom, after the event had passed, decided…
Bounce
Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow have been skating along for so long on glib charm that their complex performances (in director Don Roos’ romance born from unexpected tragedy) come as a bit of a shock — but nothing flies too far afield from the expected.
Knobs and sticks
Slip one into your hand and go…
Phobophobia
Fears and phobias uncovered in Adult.’s new recording … Miami’s Schematic label releases brilliance in sound and packaging … Juan Atkins provides soundtrack for Ford commercial … & more.
Economy of ecology
Melting polar ice caps, summer-long forest fires, a continuing string of record-breaking downpours, dying coral reefs — the predicted effects of global warming keep showing up and stacking up. Given the “What, me worry?” reaction of so many people, at least in the United States, and the at best weak response from both the federal…
Comparative lit
It is the ultimate goal of the serious reader to stumble upon a novel or story of unique genius. Once the lucky reader has obsessively plowed through the story, he or she will proceed to read every other work by the same author, in an attempt to recapture the moment of perfect bookworm bliss. The…
Hazzards of whoopie
Daisy and the boys are back in town…
Big talk, birthday bash
Taking in the hotties and toddies at The Magic Bag … Dangerville get the evil-eye at Fishbones … Cash O’Reilly fully-clothed … & why can’t Rick Manore and Jeremy Haberman just get along?
Grabba grabba hey
Last week, in response to a number of rave reviews, I decided to check out a new watering hole for hipsters. Although a bit long in the tooth for the bar scene, I stopped by, hoping for the best. Alas, I found the worst. The bartender, pierced and tattooed to the nines, poured a stingy…
Three to go
Stephen King’s first two novels, published in 1974 and 1975 respectively, are dressed to kill in these newly reissued softcover editions. The covers — with glossy pulp-fiction graphics and screaming block letters painted in pitch-black, ghostly white and bloodred — shamelessly lure potential readers to take a peek at the sensational tales that lie within.…
Shoe-in
Custom footwear from friendly Asian workers…
What the duck?
Call a broker, get a quack….
Words’ worth
Some things are timeless, or so we think. The scene of reading — in a cozy armchair, on a park bench, in a café, on a train — requires only a mind and a book for this age-old process to occur. But how will we do our reading in this new century, and what will…
Daily dead pool
In 1902, Mark Twain devised a contest in which the readers of Harper’s Weekly would submit “ante-mortem” obituaries in anticipation of his death. In this way, Twain could get a glimpse of his own posthumous existence. By exploiting his current popularity in order to foresee his future renown, Twain’s clever ploy revealed that there are…
The queen of mean
Q: In my past relationships, all my boyfriends treated me like dirt and I put up with it. In my current relationship, my boyfriend of eight months is the victim. I treat him terribly. I’m hurtful, mean, negative and selfish. I tell him how he compares to my exes. He doesn’t deserve this. He is…
A tale of two facades
The Detroit Cornice & Slate Building makes history (again)….
Coppin’ pop
There’s a relentless insistence to the Senegalese mbalax rhythms that carry Youssou N’Dour’s music, and even though most of its hard edges have become smoother over the years, that drive remains. N’Dour’s vocals used to attack a song with that same insistence, but that approach has also undergone a smoothing-out process. His current style utilizes…
Daily dead pool
In 1902, Mark Twain devised a contest in which the readers of Harper’s Weekly would submit “ante-mortem” obituaries in anticipation of his death. In this way, Twain could get a glimpse of his own posthumous existence. By exploiting his current popularity in order to foresee his future renown, Twain’s clever ploy revealed that there are…
Free Will astrology
ARIES (March 21-April 19): This will be a very entertaining transition for me to watch, Aries. I hope it’ll be as fun for you to live through. In a few short days you’ll be making the shift from undercover operative to free-spirited joyrider; from mud wrestling with the angels to trend-surfing with the aliens; from…
Hey, buster
Gannett newspaper chain denies raises in Indy…
Satori story
Here’s a book to rave about. Haruki Murakami, author of last year’s noirish Zen sensation, South of the Border, West of the Sun, and the mammoth The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, has finally OK’d an English translation of his 1987 runaway hit, Norwegian Wood (4 million copies sold in Japan). Don’t let that number fool you…
Help for the holidays
Three new cookbooks out just in time for the holidays aim at gastronomic pleasure in separate niches — authentic Southeast Asian fare, vegan delights, and papal palate pleasers.
Sarge in charge
Detroit Police rewards officer’s misbehavior…
Hot tub riot
Years ago, I had a phone interview with Tom Jones. His secretary promised me only 20 minutes, but Jones was in a chatty mood and before we knew it two hours had passed. During a discussion of his friendship with Elvis when they were both headliners in Vegas, I asked Jones why the devil he…
Words get in the way
Q: As an early-30s heterosexual couple, my wife and I are mostly a great match sexually. We tend to enjoy the same things in bed and elsewhere. Even some of our (relatively minor) kinks correspond. The problem is in communication, specifically verbal communication: My wife cannot talk about sex, during the act or otherwise. She…
Kiss my kemosabe
Masked protesters let off the hook…
Outlandish observations
Julius Knipl, real estate photographer, lives in a sepia-toned approximation of 20th century urbania, a world stocked with hyperbolic billboards hawking ludicrous products and middle-aged men with vaguely Eastern European names discussing big plans in corner coffee shops. It’s an alternative universe where folks shop downtown and business casual never happened. Ben Katchor’s weekly comic…
No, but I read the movie
Great books into films, or films from great auteurs… film lovers, make up your critical minds!
Dogfight doggerel
Florida election debacle is an inspiration to some…
Misery minus company
As if admitting defeat in matters of the heart ain’t depressing enough, Dayton, Ohio’s Dave Doughman has written an entire album from emotional ground zero, wary and worse for the wear. We’ve all been there — relationships break up, nerves break down and we’ve all sworn off romance while cursing ourselves for believing this time…
On the center rack
(But for how long?)…
Teaching the teacher
How one educator learned to read.
Slow-burning soul
This CD is kinda like one of those smoldering fires: A little hard to get started, but once the spark catches it’ll keep you warm for a good long while. The first couple of cuts on this CD are fine enough, meaning they’re well-written, well-performed and well-polished. The professionalism is evident all around, but the…
Fakes and pains
After reading about a Hindu temple in India where they perform exorcisms every Tuesday and Friday, my friend Gwen and I are considering opening our own exorcism kiosk in the mall. We must have lots of souls here that are as foul as week-old sushi. All we’d need is some holy water, tongs and a…
Tips for compulsive book collectors
Stick to a budget: Understand that you’ll blow it from time to time. Trade off your vices: Buy more books, spend less on clothes, beer, cigarettes, whatever. Recycle: Used bookstores and thrift stores stretch your book-buying dollars. Share: The more you share your books with others, the more room you have for more books.…
Downtime has come
Somewhere between cheese-fodder for Blues Brothers jokes and so damn hip as to be the of the moment, ’70s lounge-funk disappeared into deepest, darkest England. Into Hull, to be precise, which is sort of like disappearing into Detroit’s immediate Downriver. Or Gary, Ind. Or Akron. But the rare groove stalwarts who make up Baby Mammoth,…
Letters to the Editor
Money and power What an excellent job of reporting by Allan Lengel ("Labor strains," MT, Nov. 15-21). It shows that money still buys political influence, and labor unions never really have had the power the public believes. Only major corporations can pay to play that kind of game. It’s been that way throughout history. It…
10 recent great very good American novels
Great Expectations by Kathy Acker The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty Herzog by Saul Bellow The Public Burning by Robert Coover White Noise by Don DeLillo Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me by Richard Farina Margery Kempe by Robert Gluck Fear of Flying by Erica Jong…
Cult classics
Featuring 15 cuts by one of England’s premier modern-day rock bands, The Cult’s Best of Rare Cult collection gets under way with the original version of “Love Removal Machine.” Recorded for an aborted album titled Peace, just prior to it being completely recut by Rick Rubin at Electric Ladyland in New York City, one can…
Save the planet & get rich
Can environmentalists meet big business halfway? The vision set forth in Paul Hawken book is winning converts.
Jere Stormer
Every vocal inflection, strum, exhale and language loop shoots past Jere Stormer¹s synapses and exits through his funny bone. A true performer in every sense of the word, Stormer¹s folk frolics aren¹t afraid to wail a Zeppelin riff right alongside a contrified Hendrix excerpt. When he¹s not in the middle of a medley (and sometimes…
Zap, pow, metaphor
Like jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, the comic book is a uniquely American art form that reflects the brashness of our national culture. Although often crudely drawn, badly written and cheaply produced, the earliest comic books quickly captured the imagination of children and adults alike, in large part because they offered escapist fantasies for just…
