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

Frank Black Lyric of the Week
From the title track of Honeycomb:

"Dance for God. Dance for mating,
The ritual law of figure-eighting
And in my mind, as I fly above the churchyard,
I could not find my honeycomb.
I could not find my honeycomb.
I could not find my honeycomb."

New on Video this week
Born into Brothels, last year's Oscar-winner for best documentary.

Burton's New Animation
I love that Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas has become one of those films that gets a play every holiday season. It's a beautiful, amazing bit of fantasy. So, I'm eager to see his new film, the Corpse Bride. In Slate, David Edelstein gives it a review:

The film is a mite poky even at its 75 minutes, but that might be a comment on the video-game pacing of so much modern animation. The Corpse Bride unfolds more like a light opera. Danny Elfman's songs recall Gilbert and Sullivan, (Mr. Oompah) Lionel Bart, and even Kurt Weill, while the score is his own "Danse Macabre." I'd like to hear the music a few more times: It's lush and hammy, and magnificently orchestrated, but maybe a tad short on good tunes.

The voices are a joy, especially Joanna Lumley as the ogreish aristocrat matriarch, Richard E. Grant as a scheming fortune hunter, and hoary Christopher Lee—booming and rolling his r's as the irritable local pastor. The final image is maybe the most gorgeous and lyrical I've seen in an American animated film. Will the kiddies go for it? I'm not sure, but the Burtonish adolescents will.

With this film and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, how busy is that guy? Neither film strikes me as especially simple and quick to make.

Emmy Awards
I know--who cares, right? I didn't watch them. But I was surprised to see that Lost won best drama, not because I dislike the show (I've never watched it) but because the commercials make it look way too stupid to give a second thought. So, now I'm thinking maybe I'm missing something? Does anyone watch that show? Does it have any redeeming qualities? Just in case you care, here is a list of winners.

Weekend Box Office
1. Just Like Heaven
2. The Exorcism of Emily Rose
3. Lord of War
4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
5. Cry Wolf

From the commercials, the Reese Witherspoon flick looks horrible. Wouldn't mind seeing Nicholas Cage's Lord of War. It's surprising to see a Lions Gate film with such a big budget ($42 million).

I haven't seen any movies all week, on the big screen or otherwise. What am I missing?