Ron Rosenbaum: “At times one could almost say she’s … Tolstoyan. And when it comes to love and sex, she shows her husband up for the demented fool he became. Specifically, Sofiya pulls off a remarkable structural feat in mirroring [The Kreutzer Sonata‘s] wife-murder plot from the point of view of the murdered wife. And she does it with prose that (in English at least) comes across as graceful, emotionally intuitive, and heartbreaking.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Vietnam’s Biggest Hit Film Stars A Transgender Character, And The Country’s LGBT Groups Are Not Happy
“An unconventional romantic-comedy sequel has made Vietnamese history by smashing the country’s box office record within days of its release. … Some have seen the film’s triumph as further sign that Vietnam is finally opening up – its release coincided with the news that Vietnam has lifted its ban on same-sex weddings – but not everyone is convinced that it equals progress.”
The Problem With Public Discourse On The Internet Is Not Political Correctness
It is, argues Michael Lind, the likes of The Incredible Hulk and Mrpoophispants (who is like Hitler).
Skymall Might Be Dead, But Its Surrealism Is Immortal
“This idea of following logic till its endpoint, when it becomes a solution to a problem we never really knew existed, is clearly visible in Salvador Dalí’s melting clocks and René Magritte’s paradoxical pipe. But it’s also in SkyMall’s ridiculously haphazard utilitarian offerings. What could be more invested in breaking the reign of logic than a rappel backpack or the Siamese Slanket?”
Why Smoking Pot Feels Good, According To Neuroscience
It’s all about the neurotransmitters – endogenous cannabinoid neu-rotransmitters.
Professional Dance Critic Defends Super Bowl’s “Bad Left Shark”
“The breakout stars of last night’s Super Bowl halftime show were, needless to say, the sharks. Flanking Katy Perry, they mutely waved their fins and flapped their jaws to the words of ‘Teenage Dream.’ … But Left Shark, (who, for what it’s worth, was actually ‘stage right shark’), visibly struggling with the choreography, promptly became the butt of the internet’s jokes.” But we should cut him some slack. (includes video)
Top Posts From AJBlogs 02.02.15
Pay-what-you-decide at the theatre
AJBlog: For What It’s Worth Published 2015-02-02
The Earthquake is Coming. How Do We Withstand it?
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2015-02-02
Ezra Sims (1928-2015)
AJBlog: PostClassic Published 2015-02-02
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Anti-Putin Protester Gets Onto Met Stage, Interrupts Anna Netrebko’s Bows
“A protester carrying a sign criticizing the policies of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia climbed over the orchestra pit and onto the stage at the Metropolitan Opera on Thursday night as the diva Anna Netrebko took her curtain call after performing the title role in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta.” (includes video)
PhilOrch Keeps Yannick For Five More Years
“[Music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s] current contract runs through 2017, which means the new five-year deal extends his tenure to 2022.” With the president/CEO and board chairman having extended their terms as well, the Philadelphia Orchestra has the stability it will need to do the major fundraising it also needs.
“American Sniper”, War, Fiction, And Real-World Politics
“These films strip away almost all of the moral and political ambiguities of international conflict, in its place giving us a singular tale of physical and mental heroics dripping in red, white, and blue. It’s hard as an American to not be affected at some level. Although an unintended consequence of such powerful patriotic storytelling could be its political ramifications.”