ryan adams - come pick me up

May you never feel as downhearted as Ryan Adams does in this song.

'Sanctum' Review

I think my favorite thing about Sanctum is that it's directed by a guy whose last name is Grierson. I just never see my name in print, so it's genuinely weird when it happens. As for the movie, the 3D is great. But ....... well, I explain all in my review.

'what women want' remake review

Andy Lau and Gong Li star in What Women Want, the Chinese remake of the 2000 Mel Gibson movie. On the whole, it has the same strengths and weaknesses of the original film. My review is up at Screen International.

'from prada to nada' review

From Prada to Nada wasn't made available to critics before its release on Friday. You know what that means: It must be a stinker. Oh, Camilla Belle, you were so very good in The Ballad of Jack & Rose -- what has happened to you? My full review is at Screen International.

big star - september gurls

Because I need some power-pop right about now....

'biutiful' review

I finally got around to reviewing Biutiful, which I liked more than most do. It's much better than Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's last film, Babel, but I'm afraid that he's never going to make anything as startling as Amores Perros ever again. I hope I'm wrong.

'The Mechanic' Review

Jason Statham, you are still the man. And I really, really wanted to like The Mechanic. But I just couldn't go all the way with you on this one -- my review goes into why.

best movies of 2010

My indieWIRE ballot for the best films and performances of 2010 is here. For the record, I thought it was a pretty strong year. Also for the record, the film that just missed my Top 10 was Never Let Me Go. Oh, and one last thing: I'm thrilled that my top choice for Best Undistributed Film, City of Life and Death, is finally getting released in 2011.

'the housemaid' review

Korean writer-director Im Sang-soo's film is sort of an erotic thriller and sort of a camp melodrama and sort of a class commentary. But it's largely a mess.

'no strings attached' review

Other people have been relatively kind to No Strings Attached. Not me.

lcd soundsystem - one touch

I admit it: I find LCD Soundsystem overrated. Sorta. James Murphy is more than capable of delivering some superb individual tracks, but I think his albums drag as a whole. So while I can't get with the praise that 2010's This Is Happening received, my love of "One Touch" continues unabated.

2010 pazz & jop

I'm still digesting all the information, but this year's Pazz & Jop results are now live. As I guessed, Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy won in a blowout. After that? I thought The Suburbs would be No.2, but that spot went to LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening. My ballot is here. (Spoiler Alert: On the album side, I'm Mr. Consensus. On the singles side, I'm very much on my own.)

the 2011 LAFCA awards banquet

A good time was had by all on January 15, 2011, as the Los Angeles Film Critics Association honored the best films and performances of 2010. My full recap of the event, which isn't televised, can be found here.

worst movies of 2010

The fine folks at Vulture asked me to contribute my list of 2010's worst films. You can watch me relive the pain of some of last year's most terrible movie memories here.

no age - fever dreaming

If all of Everything in Between was as great as this song, it would have made my Top 10 for 2010. But, hey, nobody's perfect: And No Age did provide me with part of my favorite entertainment moment of '10: Their Hollywood Bowl show with Pavement and Sonic Youth was utterly unbelievable.

'buring palms' review

I'm a fan of omnibus films, so I was very curious about Burning Palms, which is a collection of five Los Angeles-set shorts. Unfortunately, the film is more "shocking" and "provocative" than legitimately shocking or provocative. My review is up at Screen International.

get to know me better

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association recently sent out a "Meet a Critic" questionnaire to all us members to fill out. The completed surveys are pretty fascinating -- I learned a lot about people I thought I knew pretty well. Here's mine, where I discuss the movie that changed my life, my advice to aspiring critics, and my feelings on "guilty pleasures."

'green hornet' review

Not quite funny enough, not quite action-y enough, that's The Green Hornet for ya. My review is up at Screen International.

I wrote a book about Eels

Amidst all the other writing and reviewing I did in 2010, I was working on a big project I was keeping under my hat: the first-ever biography of the Los Angeles indie-rock band Eels. Well, the secret's out: Blinking Lights and Other Revelations: The Story of Eels will be coming out in 2012.

I've done my first interview for the book, which can be found here, and it lays out the particulars of what the biography will be about and why it's been a dream of mine for a long time to write about Eels and their brilliant frontman, E.

I'll have more updates when they become available, but for now you can check out the book's Amazon page in the UK and the US.

billy bragg - way over yonder in the minor key

While in Austin over the holidays, I discovered that my sister-in-law had recently gotten into the Mermaid Avenue albums. Great stuff: Two records of music by Billy Bragg and Wilco incorporating lyrics from Woody Guthrie. "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" is from the original 1998 album. Bragg sings, and Natalie Merchant provides back-up vocals. Beautiful.

'season of the witch' review

I've been waiting to review Season of the Witch for months. That doesn't mean I was waiting with baited breath: It's just that I was assigned to cover it since its original release in March 2010, and I've been waiting for the damn thing to come out ever since. Well, tomorrow the world finally gets to see the latest Nicolas Cage misfire. My review is up at Screen International.

flaming lips - sleeping on the roof

The Flaming Lips are playing a New Year's Eve show in Oklahoma City tonight. They'll be performing The Soft Bulletin, still my favorite of theirs, in its entirety. If you can't make it, you can watch it here. In the meantime, here's the album's gorgeous closing instrumental. See you in 2011, everybody.

Neko Case - "Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis"

Tom Waits is going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kinda unbelievable, in a good way. Since it's Christmastime, it only makes sense that I cue up "Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis" in his honor, right? But I'm gonna cheat a bit and go with my favorite cover of the song, done by the one and only Neko Case.



(Thanks to Jason for the suggestion.)

'country strong' review

Country Strong doesn't lack ambition or heart. As for focus, well .... my review at Screen International explains all.

'little fockers' review

After watching Meet the Fockers, I was convinced the new Meet the Parents sequel couldn't be worse. I was right -- but, boy, was it close. My Little Fockers review is up at Screen International.

miike snow - silvia

It's the holidays, so let's enjoy a really depressing/beautiful song/video, shall we? You got it.

'yogi bear' review

How forgettable is Yogi Bear? I saw the film more than a week ago and wrote my review at that time -- when the review was published late last night, I could barely remember what I had said about the film. It's not bad -- it's just sorta there. My review is up at Screen International.

Update: Yes, I've seen Yogi Bear Alternate Ending. It is brilliant.

'the social network' wins best picture for lafca

Starting at around 10:00 this morning, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association cast our votes for the year's best films and performances. Here's the full list of winners and runners-up: I'm pretty pleased with how it all turned out. When I came home from the meeting, my wife said she was really surprised I Am Love didn't end up with a single mention. You know, I sorta am too.

billy joel - an innocent man

Recently, I was sent a copy of Billy Joel's latest greatest-hits package, The Hits. I have a complicated history with this man. My parents played his music pretty religiously when I was a kid -- we wore out a couple of his Greatest Hits tapes on car trips -- but in adulthood I've found that his music hasn't aged well at all. This is not exactly a groundbreaking revelation -- most music critics hate the guy -- but for me it's harder because there are a lot of family memories embedded in his songs.

The Hits is only one disc, and it misses a lot of Joel's actual hits. One song I thought of, that I still like, is "An Innocent Man." Here it is.

'the tourist' review

I can already sense that I'm going to be the one weirdo who recommends The Tourist. But, hey, I am.

paul simon - the late great johnny ace

As you will hear over and over again, December 8 marks the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder. His death brings to mind many Beatles songs, of course, but I also think of Paul Simon's "The Late Great Johnny Ace," which is, in part, about Lennon's death. Here's the first time he played it live, at the Central Park concert with Art Garfunkel in 1981. (It would eventually show up on his Hearts and Bones record in 1983.) Lennon's death wasn't even a year old by this point, which gives the weirdness that happens near the end of the performance an extra level of scariness.

bob dylan - must be santa

It's officially the holidays, people. If you're going to crank the Christmas songs, make sure they're good ones. Like this:

'faster' review

My love of Dwayne Johnson continues unabated, and I was pleased to see him return to action mode for his new film. And I was almost willing to go with Faster, but then it just gets dumb. My review is up at Screen International.

rod stewart - tomorrow is a long time

The latest installment of the Bob Dylan "bootleg" series, The Witmark Demos, is out now. If you're a Dylan fan, you already have it by this point, but I wanted to point out one specific song on it. "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" was written by Dylan, but like several of his compositions it's better known for being performed by another artist. Rod Stewart's version off his fantastic 1971 album, Every Pictures Tells a Story, is just really, really wonderful. If you've never heard it, here it is.

'burlesque' review

Burlesque is a classic take-it-or-leave-it movie: You either get on its sexy/shameless/campy/bitchy/frothy wavelength, or you spend two hours restless in your seat. I was willing to go there, and I got rewarded. My review is up at Screen International.

kid rock - 'born free' review

Ever since I interviewed Kid Rock for Blender back in 2007, right before Rock N Roll Jesus came out, I've liked the guy. Warm, personable, and much smarter than you might think, he was fun company. His new album, Born Free, invests too much energy in "I am like you, Heartland listener" bromides, but it's a record that's stuffed with strong, mellow country-pop tunes. You can read my review to get all the details.

kanye west - runaway

As you've probably heard already, Kanye West's new album has leaked online. Everybody loves it, and I can't wait to hear it. In the meantime, here's the video version of "Runaway," which is a terrific song. (Confession: I haven't yet sat down to watch the 30-minute-plus extended cut.)

afi fest 2010, from worst to best

Tonight concludes AFI FEST 2010 presented by Audi. (Yes, that's the festival's full name. And give Audi credit: They helped make the damn thing free for audiences.) Here's my ranking, from worst to best, of the films from the festival, including movies I saw prior to the festival that were included in the lineup. (Links are to my reviews.)

Casino Jack
Made in Dagenham
The Company Men
A Screaming Man
Two Gates of Sleep
Oki's Movie
Black Swan
Karamay
Blue Valentine
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

I'm intentionally not including Film Socialism, which I also saw. My digital screening didn't include the subtitles, which made it a tad difficult to accurately judge the film. Still, it's a gorgeous looking movie. Very excited to see it again whenever I have the chance.

'the next three days' review

Watching Paul Haggis' latest film, The Next Three Days, I was reminded what's the most annoying aspect of Haggis' Oscar-winning Crash. It's not that the guy isn't talented -- it's that he is talented. He's got an ability to come up with clever dialogue and situations, but he consistently torpedoes his own films by being so pleased with his own cleverness. I go into depth about The Next Three Days over at Screen International.

teenage fanclub - baby lee

For 20 years, the Scottish band Teenage Fanclub have been making gorgeous, somewhat disposable power-pop that's been largely ignored in this country. (Sadly, they're mostly known in the States for the fact that their album Bandwagonesque beat Nirvana's Nevermind in Spin's 1991 end-of-the-year list.) Anyway, this song is off their latest, Shadows.

'morning glory' review

J.J. Abrams has produced Lost, Fringe, Cloverfield and of course Star Trek. But Morning Glory has to be the most unbelievable, fantastical project he's ever been involved in. I explain why over at Screen International.

new order - dreams never end

Continuing the recent theme of Friday Videos that are inspired by movies I've seen lately, here's New Order's "Dreams Never End." It's used near the beginning of the 330-minute version of Carlos. (I haven't seen the shorter version, but I'm assuming it's there as well.) If you're the sort who's interested in how directors use music in their films, Glenn Kenny's piece about the postpunk songs in Carlos is pretty worthwhile. Otherwise, hey, just enjoy the song.

'paranormal activity 2' review

Following the same formula as the first film, Paranormal Activity 2 is actually better than the original. How did that happen? I explain in my Screen International review.

pearl jam - just breathe

Pearl Jam are celebrating their 20th anniversary today. Think about that for a second.

In honor of this momentous occasion, I decided to pick a recent favorite of theirs, off of 2009's Backspacer. And if you've seen the not-as-terrible-as-advertised Life As We Know It, yes, "Just Breathe" is used in the film.

'for colored girls' review

You remember how the Saw films supposedly created "torture porn"? Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls might be the start of another, even-more-frightening genre: victim porn. The African-American women whose lives we follow in this film have to be the most massively woe-is-me clan I've ever encountered. My review is up at Screen International.

kings of leon - 'come around sundown' review

Warm and inviting, and blessedly free of rock-star self-indulgence, Kings of Leon's Come Around Sundown hits stores tomorrow. But my review is up now at About.com.

'jackass 3d' review

Exactly what you expect and funnier than you might assume. My review is up at Screen International.

B-52s - "Rock Lobster"

My mom was telling me a story about a friend of hers who went to a B-52s show recently. A metal band opened for them, much to the chagrin of my mom's friend. Anyway, it made me think how much I like "Rock Lobster." How much do I like it? I'm including the original, nearly-seven-minute-long album version of it.

the event - "a matter of life and death" recap

Here's the way a typical episode of The Event plays out for me right now: many eye-rolls throughout until we get to a pretty cool final twist that I honestly didn't see coming. My latest recap is up at Vulture.

trent reznor and atticus ross - on we march

On Nine Inch Nails' most recent records, specifically The Slip, some of the best songs were the instrumentals, which were lovely yet menacing. So it shouldn't be any surprise that Trent Reznor's score for The Social Network is pretty stellar. (Hat tip to Atticus Ross who collaborated with him on the music.) If you've seen the film, you'll recognize this track almost immediately, I'm betting. And since I've been busy with other matters and haven't had time to formally review the movie, let me just say, yes, it's excellent, just like everyone else says.

the event - "protect them from the truth" recap

Last night's The Event was not very encouraging ... until the ending. My recap is up at Vulture. (And a hat tip to the commenters who pointed out the plot point I got wrong. Hey, it happens.)

'life as we know it' review

A little more than a month ago, Warner Bros. released Going the Distance, a disappointing romantic comedy that actually had an interesting premise. Next weekend, the same studio will be releasing Life as We Know It, another disappointing romantic comedy that actually has an interesting premise. (I even saw the two films in the same screening room.) For once, Katherine Heigl actually worked for me in one of her starring roles, but Life as We Know It is a good idea for a movie that ended up a rather predictable date-night flick. My review is up at Screen International.

taco - puttin' on the ritz

Synthesizers, blackface and tap-dancing: what could possibly go wrong?

the event - "to keep us safe" recap

The second episode of The Event started to answer some questions, but it also created more questions. Such as, is Jason Ritter going to become a sympathetic character any time soon? And does the show actually want us to root for the aliens over the humans? My recap is up at Vulture.

cannibal ox - iron galaxy

Can The Cold Vein, hip-hop duo Cannibal Ox's one and only album, actually be nine years old already? Unbelievable. Here's the opening track. Best line: "You were a stillborn baby/Mother didn't want you/but you were still born." Or maybe: "New York is evil at its core/So those who have more than them/prepare to be victims." Either way, the track's NSFW, people.

stone sour's corey taylor speaks

Earlier this year, I interviewed Stone Sour's Corey Taylor while he was in Nashville working on Audio Secrecy. In retrospect, what's really interesting about this piece is that it occurred before two major events: the Nashville flood and the overdose death of Taylor's Slipknot bandmate Paul Gray. So keep that in mind when you read the article, which is now available on Revolver's website.

the event - "I haven't told you everything" recap

Sort of a bad news/good news announcement: I won't be doing Fringe recaps this season for Vulture, but I will be handling The Event. Last night was the premiere, which I broke up into three categories: what we know, what we don't know, and what we really want to know. Enjoy.

beck - timebomb

Was the best Beck single of the last five years not off any album? Maybe. Plus, I love this fan-made video.

toronto film festival 2010, from worst to best

I'm back from the 2010 edition of the Toronto Film Festival. So many movies to see and too little time, but here's my ranking from worst to best of what I caught (with links to reviews where applicable). By the way, I'm including films I saw prior to the festival that were part of the Toronto lineup...

Bunraku
Super
The First Grader
Stone
Jack Goes Boating
Sarah's Key
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Easy A
Buried
Ceremony
Vanishing on 7th Street
John Carpenter's The Ward
127 Hours
The Big Picture
Waiting for "Superman"
Meek's Cutoff
Boxing Gym
Blue Valentine
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Bottom Line: I have a lot of films to catch up with now.

'sarah's key' review - toronto film festival

At the beginning of this year's Toronto Film Festival, and before the film even premiered, the Weinstein Company acquired the rights to the French drama Sarah's Key. So it was with extra interest that I checked out the film for myself. Kristin Scott Thomas is (not surprisingly) quite good in a story that, yes, involves the Holocaust. But, thankfully, it's a more personal tale than what you might expect. My review is up at Screen.

'john carpenter's the ward' review - toronto film festival

Wonderfully old-fashioned in all the right ways, John Carpenter's The Ward is a lot of fun. It appears that everyone at last night's midnight premiere who didn't like the movie immediately took to Twitter to register their disappointment. Me, I had a blast.

'ceremony' review - toronto film festival

When I sat down at the premiere screening for Ceremony, I noticed that Henry Winkler was in the audience. That seemed odd -- until I realized, duh, perhaps the film's writer-director, Max Winkler, was, y'know, related to him. Turns out Max is Henry's son.

I bring this up because when you're the son of someone in the entertainment industry, I'm sure you have to face certain resentments from others struggling to break into the business. (Jason Reitman, who's one of the film's executive producers, probably understands.) And while Ceremony certainly feels very familiar -- it's a Wes Anderson-lite look at a quirky younger man in love with an older woman -- it has real heart. My review is at Screen International.

'something's gonna live' review

Something's Gonna Live is a documentary that catches up with several distinguished production designers and cinematographers (now in their 80s and 90s) to reflect on their careers. It's undeniably sentimental, but these men are quite good company. My review is up at L.A. Weekly.

'127 hours' review - toronto film festival

One of the higher-profile offerings at Toronto is 127 Hours, Danny Boyle's follow-up to Slumdog Millionaire. The film would make for a fun double-feature with the forthcoming Buried -- both films are pure squirm-a-thons. As for 127 Hours, well, I think it gets to a pretty moving place. My review is up at Screen.

'vanishing on 7th street' review - toronto film festival

Brad Anderson is back in horror/thriller mode with Vanishing on 7th Street. Some of the character stuff is a bit lumpy, but the filmmaker has done a good job of rethinking the zombie movie without the zombies. Kinda. My review explains all, hopefully.

'bunraku' review - toronto film festival

I'm covering several of the Midnight Madness films at this year's Toronto Film Festival. It's something I've discovered I really enjoy -- I don't get to experience midnight screenings much anymore, and the energy of the crowd at the Ryerson reconnects me with what I loved about a certain type of moviegoing in my youth.

Anyway, I say all that to mention that I've thus far been pretty disappointed with the selections for this year. Super was overly familiar, and Bunraku is a rather empty experience -- it's not nearly as cool as it thinks it is. You can read my review to see what I mean in more detail.

'the first grader' review - toronto film festival

The First Grader tells the true story of an 84-year-old Kenyan who decided to enroll in primary school so he could finally learn how to read, taking advantage of a new law in his country that allowed for free education for anyone. Sadly, the back story is far more interesting than the movie on display. I explain why over at Screen International.

'the big picture' review - toronto film festival

It's not a thriller in the conventional sense -- just like The American isn't -- but I found The Big Picture to be a fun little character drama, powered by a very strong performance from Romain Duris. I review the film for Screen International.

'it's kind of a funny story' review - toronto film festival

I think It's Kind of a Funny Story is hit-and-miss and easily the weakest film of Ryan Fleck and Anne Boden's still-young career. And yet I still seem to like it way more than others do. I do my best to explain my mixed feelings about the movie in my Screen International review.

'easy a' review - toronto film festival

Easy A may not be a great movie, but it is a fun one -- and I think if it does well enough it'll be the vehicle that finally cements Emma Stone's star status. She's a lot of fun to watch in this sassy-yet-sincere teen comedy -- and so are Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as her parents. My review goes into all that works (and doesn't work) in this semi-adaptation of The Scarlet Letter.

'super' review - toronto film festival

Writer-director James Gunn follows up Slither with Super, a painfully familiar tale of an ordinary guy (played by Rainn Wilson) who decides to become a costumed superhero. Wilson and Ellen Page give good performances, but the highlight of the film may very well be the animated opening-credits sequence. My review is up at Screen International.

stone - film review - toronto film festival

Stone is such a well-meaning, serious drama that you may feel bad that you don't like it more than you do. It's OK -- I feel the same way. But, honestly, it's a misfire. My review is up at Screen International.

m.i.a. - xxxo

I'm still uncertain about the album, but this song kills.

stone sour - 'audio secrecy' review

When I interviewed Corey Taylor back in March for Revolver to talk about Stone Sour's forthcoming album, here's one of the things he told me:

“I went through a pretty brutal divorce about three years ago,” he says. “There are feelings that you just can’t let go of. But at the same time, I have a wonderful new wife, who I married in November. I’ve been writing about what I’ve been thinking about for the last six months -- there are ghosts from my previous relationships, and there’s great manic energy in the relationship I’m in right now.”

He nailed the essence of the new record, Audio Secrecy, better than I ever could. Nonetheless, here's my attempt at a review of a very good album I'll be really curious to revisit later in the year. I suspect it's going to grow on me.

baby dayliner - you push I'll go

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone. And thanks to KEXP for introducing this song to me.

ambulance ltd - sugar pill

Unintentionally, Friday Video is starting to turn into, "Hey, here's a good song used in a movie I've seen recently." That's just where my head's been lately. Anyway, this weekend Takers comes to theaters. I've already said my piece about the film, but I wanted to add right now how happy I was that this Ambulance Ltd. track was included in the movie. Also, Nathan Rabin totally stole my line about the movie resembling a high-end alcohol ad. OK, he probably didn't. But still.

'louis' review

The silent comedy Louis features fetching young women cavorting in barely-there clothing and Jackie Earle Haley channeling his inner Chaplin. So why isn't the movie more fun? I investigate over at The Village Voice.

the hold steady - the weekenders

Quite possibly the best song to ever start with the line "There was that whole weird thing with the horses." Because of the timing of its release, Heaven Is Whenever will forever remind me of being in New York in early May. Fun, fun times. OK, Craig Finn, play the blues.

'going the distance' review

Going the Distance had the potential to be a smart, timely, poignant look at long-distance relationships, our sagging economy and other bittersweet concerns. But the filmmakers don't quite have the nerve to go there all the way. My review is up at Screen International.

'takers' review

I have come to understand something about myself: I really dig heist/caper movies. Even the mediocre ones give me a little jolt of pleasure. So take that into consideration when I tell you that I enjoyed Takers, which wins no points for originality but is a slick, sharp-dressed B-movie. My review is up at Screen International.

roger - I want to be your man

An upcoming foreign-language film makes great use of this song for a funny running bit. I won't spoil it by saying what film or how it's used, so just sit back and enjoy the tune. Ahhhhhh.....

michael penn - walter reed

I'm not sure how many people would lose their cool realizing they're sitting a couple tables away from Michael Penn at a restaurant, but clearly I'm one of them. Anyway, here's "Walter Reed" off his 2005 album, Mr. Hollywood Jr., 1947.

the roots - 'how I got over' review

It's still early, but How I Got Over is definitely one of my favorite albums of this year. Here's my review. And if you need more convincing, check out the title track.

'the other guys' review

The Other Guys, the fourth collaboration between Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, gets a lot of laughs out of a juicy comedic target: the buddy-cop genre. And yet it still feels a bit like a missed opportunity. My review explains all.

the roots - how I got over

America's best band is either Drive-By Truckers or the Roots. My glowing review of the latter's How I Got Over will be coming soon. But in the meantime, here's the title track.

'get low' and 'countdown to zero' reviews

A general grumpiness pervades my latest Consumables column. I take on Get Low and Countdown to Zero, two average films that have been given far too much respect simply because they're "indie" or "art-house" or whatever. Enough, I say.

scissor sisters - 'night work' review

Their first album was a sensation. Their second album was a dud. On album No. 3, Scissor Sisters return to the cheeky irreverence that made them so successful in the first place. My review of Night Work is up now.

'scott pilgrim vs. the world' review

Is Edgar Wright ever going to make a movie as brilliant and heartfelt as Shaun of the Dead again? I'm starting to worry, although I had a blast watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. My review is up at Screen International.

top 40 R.E.M. songs

Normally for About, I make Top 10 lists of bands' best songs. But with R.E.M., it became a much bigger task. Even cutting it down to 40 took some doing. Well, after a lot of soul-searching, I've come up with R.E.M.'s top 40 songs of all time. Let the debate begin.

'cats & dogs: the revenge of kitty galore' review

I'll say this about the Cats & Dogs sequel: I chuckled much more often than I was expecting I would based on the commercials. But in the final analysis, this kids' film has the same problem as so many of them do: It's so frenetic it's hardly ever charming. My review is up at Screen International.

thom yorke - "after the gold rush"

I was watching the American Masters documentary on Neil Young, Don't Be Denied, over the weekend. It's OK -- a very typical "hit the highlights" portrait of an icon -- but it did inspire me to seek out this Bridge School Benefit performance by Thom Yorke. He does a pretty decent cover of the great man's "After the Gold Rush," due in part to the fact that his voice can match Young's ethereal wail from the original.

'beautiful islands' review

"Placid" is usually not the sort of adjective you want associated with your movie, but Tomoko Kana's documentary Beautiful Islands is a pretty serene piece of filmmaking. It's a portrait of three islands across the planet affected by global warming, including Venice. My review is up at L.A. Weekly.

'salt' review

Angelina Jolie wanted to play a James Bond-like character. A producer had a James Bond-like script with a male protagonist. A gender switch later and we have Jolie starring in Salt, about a tough-as-nails female CIA agent accused of being a Russian spy. If your parents thought those Jason Bourne movies were too nerve-jangling and hand-held shaky, then they might find Salt more their speed. As for the rest of us ..... well, it's a bit dull. My review is up at Screen International.

danger mouse, sparklehorse, david lynch - dark night of the soul

To celebrate the official release (finally) of Dark Night of the Soul, how about the title track for our Friday? I sure do miss Mark Linkous.

'inception' review

As I've been bragging to anyone who will listen, I have avoided all spoilers, commercials and reviews for Inception for the last several months. (Only on Sunday did I realize that Ellen Page was in the movie.) Well, now I've seen it, and I review the film for my Consumables column. To the best of my abilities, I don't believe there are any spoilers in this review, so dive in if you'd like.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to read all the other Inception reviews.

rogue wave - 'permalight' review

Rogue Wave haven't made a bad album yet -- not even close. Their fourth, Permalight, is their most pop-centric, but it's a real delight. My review is up at the Metro Times.

'the sorcerer's apprentice' review

If movies were all about effects, then The Sorcerer's Apprentice would be a real treat. But we need characters and clever stories too, right? That's what I thought. This Nicolas Cage action-comedy will make a boatload of money but isn't very good. My review is up at Screen International.

gil scott-heron - me and the devil

Creepy songs deserve creepy videos...

'despicable me' and 'great directors' reviews

We're living in a golden age of animation, and yet people still like stuff like Despicable Me? I don't get it. I review the film for my latest Consumables column, plus I have some (guarded) praise for the documentary Great Directors.

talkin' softball

If you follow baseball at all, you know that Ken Griffey, Jr. recently announced his retirement. Sure, he's a guaranteed first-ballot Hall-of-Famer but, perhaps more significantly, it means that the entire team of professional ringers Mr. Burns brought in to win the power plant's softball championship are retired. Yes, this is a Simpsons reference. And here's the great song from that very great episode.