Warner Bros.
I keep seeing DVD write-ups for Warner Bros. movies like SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE INFORMANT! a month before they're available for rental - at least from Netflix or Redbox - and it drives me nuts. Do they really think this will incite people to buy full-price DVDs of movies they've probably never seen…

Anyone else think FAST MAN/RAIDER MAN is kinda great/underrated?

AUDITORIUM is amazing. Get that one!

Oh yeah, that's absolutely correct - moviegoers, whether casual or film buffs, respond to a movie as a whole. As an emotional response.

Most people assess the following qualities in a move: 1) the story, 2) the acting. Bonus points if it looks pretty, demerits if the dialogue's lousy. And I'm pretty sure that's it.

More thoughts about a critic's role
(since this has been kind of a hot topic in the film blogosphere lately):

No one's even mentioned HIGH SIERRA, THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT or THE ROARING TWENTIES. Raoul Walsh, ya'll!

ELO is great. I'm hard-pressed to think of a better example of shiny 70s pop than NEW WORLD RECORD.

Yeah, Bujalski's the standout when it comes to this crowd, though Aaron Katz and the Duplass brothers are definitely worth watching. Toss "Humpday" into the mix, and I'm generally pro-mumblecore, though this might stem from my avoidance of Swanberg's output.

You'd think a band named "Dr. Feelgood" wouldn't garner such violent fans.

That's the sound my grandparents' TV made when I was a kid! Now I finally understand why they didn't believe me.

Heart of Gold was loverly.
But then, I really liked Prairie Wind. What do people think of Young's other concert films? Worth seeing?

Noel, I'm right there with you on Living - it's a great album. Funny how this review and Pitchfork's present such wildly differing viewpoints; I agree that despite its brevity, this album feels more like a collection of songs than a cohesive statement. But damn, those are some SONGS.

Anyone want to provide a quick primer on Split Enz / Crowded House / the Finns? They've always seemed up my alley but I have no idea where to start. Two or three recommended albums would be nice.

All three of those are near the top of my list, along with Pet Sematary - from there I'll probably tackle It and the Dark Tower books.

Questions from a King newbie:
So far I've just read Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, The Shining, Night Shift, and Skeleton Crew - this was all after Tasha's King primer sparked my interest a while back. So:

I think Your Blues may be the best starting point for NP fans interested in Destroyer, Basil. The songs strike me as a bit less obtuse than Bejar's normal material, and only the first track stretches past the five-minute mark. So give that one a shot if you haven't already.

I liked their other albums a lot.
The covers of "You Only Live Twice" and the Ramones' "7-11" on By the Numbers are killer. Actually, that whole album is killer.

Too bad about the time restriction - the guy gives good answers here, and I'd love to hear about any of that other stuff you guys mention.

Scrubs usually plays more like a commercial for a TV show than an actual TV show. Any given minute plays out something like this: *zingy one-liner* / *cartoon sound effect* / *pop song* / *character dancing*. All that's missing is a freeze frame of Zac Braff and an announcer saying "weekdays at 4:30!"