Chapter X: The progression of the day had brought us together, our legs touching as I argued with myself whether or not I should kiss her. It seemed a foregone conclusion, but I’d been wrong before.
Film
A Movie in New York City
Some movies are better with a crowd. A hilarious comedy or an Avengers-style action romp or a truly terrifying frightfest are improved by the collective laughter and unexpected jumps of an engaged audience. Many other movies, though, are best seen alone.
Unreliable Perspectives
I wish more movies and books in the popular canon indulged in unreliable perspectives. While common wisdom claims this is the generation of irony, earnest narrators and protagonists remain quite in vogue. There is nothing wrong with sincerity, and in fact I frequently prefer it to irony which in the hands of lesser artists is nothing more than a feeble cover for having nothing to say. But fiction (and non-fiction, for that matter) benefits from a willingness to suggest, “Here’s one perspective, but it’s just one of many, and maybe it’s not even a very good one.”
Never Share Your Love; or The Dangers of a Mixtape
One of my favorite things in the world is creating a music mix. Call it a mixtape, a mixed CD, a playlist, whatever, the name doesn't matter, it's the act that matters. The curation of a good mix is an art form, but it's an act of love, too.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Not Quite Young Man
What shape do we expect the decades of our life to take? In my twenties, I lived in 10 different cities, became the first member of my family to graduate from college, marched through a few serious relationships, abandoned the religion of my youth and completed writing 3 (of 4) novels. But so much is left undone.
Why You Should Watch ‘The Great Gatsby’ on Opening Weekend
On May 10th, Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (in 3D) will release in theaters.
Roger Ebert and the Beauty of Art Criticism
This week, we lost one of the greatest film critics to ever live. Roger Ebert was a legend in the world of cinephiles, and even casual movie fans know the iconic 'Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down' review that he and the late Gene Siskel made famous on their seminal review show, "At The Movies." The man who … Continue reading Roger Ebert and the Beauty of Art Criticism
Fake Women Don’t Have Curves
I'm not sure when I first heard the phrase, "Real women have curves," but I do know that it's always struck me as odd. I understand it, of course. Both as a physiological point of true femininity and a feminist statement about body image, I get why the message is out there. Our culture definitely … Continue reading Fake Women Don’t Have Curves
10 Cities/10 Years 