At one point in a comment (maybe after a review of 'Hostel II' ) I ventured a hierarchy of Horror techniques that listed and ranked the various ploys Horror movies used and the relative effects they could hope for. I don't mean to recapitulate that all here, but I will go so far as to say that gore itself is cheap,…

My current circumstances mean that I know many more people who consider it a Maxwell song than a Kate Bush song—and I'm mostly okay with that because Maxwell's got a lot to recommend him too—not the least of which is a bunch of music by Sade's band.

"please consider taking back that bit about Samurai Champloo"

I don't know if you're referring to the Tyler Perry movies—but if you are, do you really think men are more emasculated in his movies than they are infantilized in say, any Adam Sandler movie or movies like 'The Hangover' or that 'Hall Pass' movie? There's this pervasive assumption in the culture at large that in…

CFAmick—Believe it or not, I might have gone for the whole earlobe stretching thing at one point. I am a Buddhist and it's Buddhist iconography for enlightenment (because the Buddha was a prince who used to wear heavy gold earrings but when he left behind that worldiness all that was left were his stretched out…

My problem with the superhero comic genre—and most of the films as well—is the costumes. I get the mask. I get the powers. But what's with the desire to dress up in colorful tights? Even if, for some reason, the good guys all got together and agreed to do it, why would the villains? This is why I always liked those…

"Compopsition" is what the late, great Bob Ross might call a "happy accident". Not as happy as "crucifiction" which begain as an error but is still how I often spell that word.

I had my ears pierced as a wayward hipster in the 90's but now I only wear earring as needed for costume parties—I never wanted a tattoo though, even when everyone I knew or dated seemed to have them to varying degrees. I would say that it comes from the Jewish belief that God intends for you to leave the world as you…

Except that Meg Ryan's made more than one movie that was critically well-recieved—although that difference sets her apart from Heigl as well. Therefore, a new proposition:

True or False: Katherine Heigl is to the 00's as Meg Ryan is the 90's.

I understand the OP's point—but most film scores—or even incidental music—for period pieces are not exactly period accurate to begin with (And how I used to hate when my Dad would point out how much early 60's music was routinely used to signify the late 50's—which was his teen years—until I got old enough to see…

The last of these I went to was Prince when he was still known as "The Artist". It was at the MCI center and a damn good show, but we were so far up and away that I felt like I was watching a Micronaut in a red jumpsuit and heels.

There's also a difference between the true Slasher film—which is essentially a form of Grand Guignol comedy—and the kind of thing that really means to be upsetting. Usually the former will gleefully show what the latter will only imply.

I'm not sure I entirely understand the question
For example—I am "interested" in the cultural forces that have led to the preponderance of "Manly Job" reality shows like 'Ice Road Truckers' and 'Axe Men' (which I believe comes from an estrangement from labor and real work and a perceived emasculation by men in…

Just cuz they don't have a Sesame Street
So's Carol Spinney as Big Bird couldn't testify and guilt them out of making a huge mistake.

Sorry to say—Sting is more of my era. 'Synchronicity' could actually go on that roll call of mid 80's Art Rock I mentioned before—as could the Tom Waits, Talking Heads and Grace Jones records of the same era.

I think both versions have their advantages. Kate's performance on the latter version is fuller and more mature, but the overall production is nowhere near as warm as the original. Anyway, I'll recommend 'This Woman's Work as well—I think it has the 12 inch remixes (like the one of of 'Big Sky' with the hilarious…

Regina Spektor—especially on 'Soviet Kitsch'. There's none of the Big 80's production (which is not for everyone) and it's quieter overall, but there's as much Kate Bush in her lyrics and her vocals as there is Laura Nyro in her compopsition and playing.

If you liked side one of 'Hounds' the next logical steps are 'The Dreaming' and 'Never Forever'. Despite what the artical suggests going from 'Hounds' straight back to 'Kick' is not the smoothest progession—it must be a little like going from Tom Waits 'Bone Machine' to the album he did with Crystal Gayle. There's an…

So what the hell is that song about? I had a friend in high school who put together two issues of a Kate Bush fanzine that, among other things explored the allusions found throughout the Kate Bush catalogue (in the days before the omniweb that was no mean feat), but I don't think he ever got to that one.