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RetroDuck Presents: ’80s Night
RetroDuck presented an ’80s block party in downtown East Lansing last night. About 400-500 people danced to their favorite cover band, Pinball Pete’s brought some machines out into the streets and we handed out a couple hundred free shirts. Already thinking about next year’s event.
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Tiny Desks
A behind-the-scenes look at the long running NPR segment: “What began in 2008 as a humble, stripped-back performance series for NPR’s blog has grown into a global phenomenon, with unforgettable sets from stars like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Dua Lipa, and more. Despite its viral fame, the heart of Tiny Desk remains the same: a…
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Today’s Mail
A postcard and bumper sticker from Dr. Brian J. Bowe. Update: Also got this book from my old friend Jason. Looking forward to (finally!) reading.
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On Tyranny
John Lithgow reads 20 lessons on Tyranny, penned by historian Timothy Snyder. 1. Do not obey in advance 2. Defend institutions 3. Beware the one-party state 4. Take responsibility for the face of the world 5. Remember professional ethics 6. Be wary of paramilitaries 7. Be reflective if you must be armed 8. Stand out 9.…
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“He was told that the streets were paved with gold.”
From comedian Shelley Berman, as quoted by Lorne Michaels: “Before my grandfather came to America, he was told that the streets were paved with gold. And when he got to America he found out three things. One, that the streets were not paved with gold. Two, that the streets were not paved. Three, that he was…
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100 Best Movies of the 21st Century
Shared this list a few weeks ago on Substack: “Between streaming services and superhero blockbusters, the way we watch and think about movies has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. But through that period of upheaval, which films have truly stood the test of time? To find out, we embarked on an ambitious new…
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Before Sunrise (2004)
Ended up watching The Before Trilogy in reverse order by accident, but I have to say, ending with Before Sunrise was unexpectedly beautiful. Seeing the places Jesse and Céline wander through in that first film, after knowing everything they will go through, gives those moments a haunting kind of weight. What was once romantic and…
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U.S. Blues
“In Jerry Garcia’s original nearly five hour edit of the Grateful Dead Movie, he had the film opening with Uncle John’s Band. A wonderful track, with a terrific performance filmed during the five night run (and later released as Bonus Track on the DVD in 2004), but it didn’t have the weight of movie’s opening…
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Spike Lee’s Essential Cinema
Just over a decade ago, Lee posted this list of other people’s joints online. 400 Blows (François Truffaut) 8 1/2 (Federico Fellini) Ace in a Hole (Billy Wilder) American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli) Apocalypto (Mel Gibson) Bad Lieutenant (Abel Ferrara) Badlands (Terrence Malick) Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo) Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus) Black Rain (Shōhei Imamura) Blue Collar (Paul Schrader) Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn) Boyz n the Hood (John Singleton)…
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“How and when did you choose to be who and how you are?”
Dear Marvin, In response to your letter… Wow, OK, first off: whoa. That’s a hell of a way to ask someone, “How did you end up like this?” Feels like I’m being lovingly cornered by a very philosophical customs agent, or a very drunk friend. I do not believe I have consciously “chosen” most of…
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My local record store posted a ton of Miles that had just arrived on Instagram.
I think I was there exactly seven minutes later.
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David Lynch is Gone
David Lynch, “maker of florid and unnerving films,” passed on the 15th at the age of 78. He was truly one of one. Peerless. “Like Frank Capra and Franz Kafka, two widely disparate 20th-century artists whose work Mr. Lynch much admired and might be said to have synthesized, his name became an adjective.” “He’s one…
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Guerra de las Galaxias, Presentado por ¡Cerveza Cristal!
The original Star Wars trilogy didn’t air in Chile until 2003, and when it did, it had only one sponsor, a beer company that in lieu of traditional commercials, hilariously inserted scenes featuring their beers. This is something I think about often. Apologies for the poor Spanish in the title. (Via Kottke)
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Best Watches, 2024
Compiled this list at Letterboxd, distilled down from 335. Not a “best of 2024,” more a “best watched in 2024.” Maybe I’ll do a proper list for 2024. If the Academy can wait til March, so can I. Thus far, I’d say Anora, Challengers, A Complete Unknown, A Real Pain and Snack Shack stood out…