MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been reading, listening to and watching?

RIP
Robert Moog, inventor of the analog music synthesizer.

Because winter's coming
Scroll through pictures of the amazing structures at the "17th Annual China Harbin Sun Island Internationl Snow Sculpture Art Fair". Harbin is apparently China's northernmost point. We're not just talking about a chiseled out ice goose here. How about a walk-in replica of the Beijing Summer Palace? (via boingboing)

Six Feet Under
A beautiful ending--not too event-driven dramatic for a conclusion, but not too empty. Like it was bound to, the finale opened and closed the arc on some conflicts a good bit faster than they would have if there were more to come, which was a little weird in spots. Still, perfectly intensely emotional, with themes befitting the show. I will really miss the characters, which is a strange kind of feeling to have, what with them being fictional.

The legacy of the show will be less in its often profound treatment of death as in its thoughful and unapologetic presentation of a gay couple as primary characters (without the fact of their homosexuality being the only issue they are allowed to laugh and fight about *cough* willandgrace *cough*), and its many interesting, strong, 3-dimensional women characters--the young, not-so-young, and in-between.

Now, just 20 more episodes of the Sopranos and then we can all give up on non-animated TV fiction for good.

Article 19 Video Recommendation: Badaaaass!
**************** (16 out of 19)
Don't know how this would play if you haven't seen the Melvin van Peebles film it's about, but I thought it was fabulous and alot of fun. Son Mario pulls no punches and is spectacular playing him, in what must have been a strange role. Hopefully this rekindled some interest in Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song. For Six Feet Under watchers (sorry, it's a theme the last couple of weeks) who want to see the bizarre Arthur again, the actor who played him is in this in an almost equally strange performance.

Weekend Box Office
1. The 40-year-old Virgin
2. Red Eye
3. Four Brothers
4. Wedding Crashers
5. The Skeleton Key

Broken Flowers (#13) started here this weekend and I was sure I was going to see it but didn't have the chance. It, and Gus van Sant's Last Days, are priorities for the next week. Can anyone recommend either? Also, thank goodness The Dukes of Hazzard fell to #8 in its 3rd week. Here's hoping a similar drop next week will save us all the spectre of a sequel.