Friday , March 29 2024
The best of the week past, groundhog edition.

BC Magazine Editors’ Picks: January 29 through February 4

We can never get that groundhog thing straight. Does the shadow mean an early spring or six more weeks of winter? In either case, you'll be wanting to stay in touch with what's going on in the world, and this is the right place to do that. No matter your taste, you'll find something here to pass the time while you're dreaming of spring.

 

MUSIC

From Music Editor Connie Phillips:

In Nik Dirga's review of of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, he explains why the album is a grower and makes me want to give a new band a listen.

El Bicho's review of Tony Trischka's Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular is a well written look at a very unique album and an enjoyable take on the banjo and its effect on a song.

In Music Review: Nanci Griffith – Ruby's Torch, Mat Brewster entertains as he looks at this album and torch songs in general.

BOOKS

From Books Editor Natalie Bennett:

You don't have to start a book review by stating the title and author, then starting into a description of the book – in fact it will almost certainly be a better review if you don't; if you come at the reader from a different angle.

That's certainly what Brandon Daviet did with his review of Spider Kiss by Harlan Ellison. Brandon also adopted a delightful informal, conversational style in the review, yet that doesn't mean it was casually thrown together. The craft is evident in every sentence.

Diane Kristine also takes the indirect approach in her review of Zoë Heller's Everything You Know. "Willy Muller is an ass," it begins. Who could resist reading on after that?

From Asst. Books Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:

"A little philosophy can be a dangerous thing, especially when rattling around in a head like his with nothing to cushion its impact against the inside of his thick skull." I tried not to take too much offense, but Iloz Zoc's review of The Undead and Philosophy: Chicken Soup for the Soulless was so distinctively good, and I got such a taste of zombie lore in the process, that I don't really have any bones to pick with him.

"…the issues that John Cornwell raises in The Pontiff in Winter were not buried with John Paul in his tomb." James Carson, in his review, does more than just touch upon a few of these topics, he brings an incisive critical analysis to seamlessly yet succinctly spell out many of them in the realized effort to give a fuller portrait of the Pope, and a convincing appraisal of the biography.

TV/FILM

From TV Editor TV and Film Guy:

What a great show! Just every episode, I love every episode. I think Mike Moody loves it too, otherwise how could he cover it all so well? And, who doesn't love Veronica? I think we all love Veronica. Veronica who? Veronica Mars!

From Film Editor Lisa McKay:

Not many reviewers would think to look at two such different works as Pan's Labyrinth and Idiocracy simultaneously, but Adam Blair manages to do so in this compelling look at what both of these films have to say about the human condition.

Elvis Presley made a few appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1950s, and rock and roll was born. These shows have been immortalized on DVD, and Ray Ellis offers us a review wrapped in a fine history lesson.

CULTURE

From Culture Editor Diana Hartman:

Michael Jones' product review of Dark Horse – Hellboy Animated, Statue #1: Hellboy is what happens when informative assessment meets wit and enthusiasm. You don't have to like the product to love the review.

If you're tired of the same old celebrity news in the same old boring format, step right up. Dawn Olsen introduces us to the Olsen Law of Corollary Theorem ™ in Joe Francis Hates His Penis, Do The Math.

Articles that complain of the disparity between regular women and models are a dime a dozen. BC writer nicolemarie takes it one step further by using real calculations to accurately define and illustrate the difference between perfect and normal in Weighing In On Weight.

POLITICS

No picks this week.

SPORTS

No picks this week.

GAMING

From Gaming Editor Ken Edwards:

Depreciation and Video Games: Why $5 is Too Much for a Classic by Matt Paprocki — Why is a DVD version of a classic movie worth $20, but gamers balk at paying $5 for a classic video game?

SCI/TECH

From Science Editor John Vaccaro:

In Making DVDs with DeVeDe in Linux, Steve Wild gives a step-by-step tutorial on creating DVDs from your Linux machine.

From Technology Editor Daniel Woolstencroft:

In The Art of Blogging, The Great Ganesha gives praise to a technological trend that's responsible for bringing out his inner writer.

TASTES

No picks this week.

About Lisa McKay

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