The Owls Are Not What They Seem

I should have known better.

It's been a long time since I've been scared by a movie, but for some reason, The Fourth Kind succeeded where many others had failed. I don't even think it's a particularly good film, but it definitely hit my trigger button. Alien Abduction.

When I was 13 years old I read Communion, by Whitley Striber, and there are no words to describe how much it freaked me out. After that I was afraid to sleep for years. And movies like Fire in the Sky certainly didn't help matters.

5 Reasons Yo La Tengo Should Have My Babies

1. Because they are anti-Rock Stars. They are normal, non-pretentious, slightly geeky people who aren't afraid of getting older or being glamorous. All they care about is making good music.

2. Because last week when I saw them at the Fillmore they played "Black Flowers" and "You Can Have It All," two songs I was desperately in the mood for that night.

3. Because I am rarely less annoyed by fellow concert goers than when I am at their shows. Overall the crowd is usually respectful and chill.

4. Because James McNew is a Buffy and Freaks and Geeks fan.

5. Because they are so frickin' cute. Look at them.

Funny Because It's True

It's official; James Cameron literally cribbed the script of Avatar off of Pocahontas. And the writer(s) of Pocahontas probably cribbed the script from Dances With Wolves—or Furn Gully: The Last Rain Forest. Ah, the circle of life. Or hackery. Whatever.



I mean, come on.

Eric Wareheim's Music Videos

My tastes in music and television run the gamut between "high" and "low." I will be the first to admit that I am absolutely a fan of Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job—even though it often causes me as much discomfort as it does mirth. There is something about that space where things turn from funny to uncomfortable that has always captivated me. It's easy to write this kind of humor off as immature, or just plain disgusting, because what it really does is serve up the most absurd (and often ugly) aspects of humanity on a rusty platter.

My Top Ten Favorite British Comedies

Do you know what I like to do when I'm bored but too tired to write about anything "thinky"? I like to make lists. Listy lists if goodness. Totally original, right? So here you go: These are my top ten favorite British comedies. Set your laugh tracks...

Joss Whedon & Stephen Fry Discuss Humanism

It's not suprising that Joss Whedon is a genius in the art of speech-giving, considering his talent for writing dialogue. If you haven't seen his acceptance speech for Equality Now, I suggest you check it out. It gives me hope for the male of the species. So, when I heard that Whedon received an award from Harvard for depictions of Humanism in his work, I immediately began hunting on youtube for the footage. It was pretty easy to track down. If you are interested in the subject, as I am, give it a watch.




Interestingly, once I found this footage, I also found a link to Stephen Fry (another person I get fangirly about) talking about—that's right—Humanism. No wonder I love both these guys so much.



Two very different voices, but the same message. Makes me proud to be a fangirl.

Suicidal Heroines

I knew it was going to happen eventually. My mother has finally forced me to sit through the second film in the Twilight Saga—New Moon. While I thought the direction and special effects were entertaining, I can't deny how disturbed I was at Bella's antics in the second chapter of this tween-catering franchise.

First, I should probably make a confession. I actually did read these books when they came out a few years ago. They are page-turners, and I finished them all in about a month or two during the summer. Mindless reading, to be sure, but in that special "I'm done with my grad courses and don't want to read anything intellectual ever again" way. But at that time the books were not as popular as they are now, and I think that as a result I wasn't really as bothered by Suicide!Bella as I am now.