A few tiny things, as the household prepares for the impending apoca–holiday.
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The Washington Post has a fascinating article about Yiyun Li’s immigration woes:
In the summer of 2004, Li petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident of the United States. To approve her application for a green card, USCIS would need to agree that she was an artist of "extraordinary ability," defined in Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 204.5(h)(2) as "a level of expertise indicating that the individual is one of that small percentage who have risen to the very top of the field of endeavor."
To the upper echelons of literary publishing, Li looks like a slam-dunk to meet this definition. Not to the USCIS, however. A year after she filed it, her petition was rejected.
She has appealed. A USCIS spokesman says she is likely to get her answer in a few weeks.
"Things change a lot," as a character in one of Li’s stories says. "Within a blink a mountain flattens and a river dries up. Nobody knows who he’ll become tomorrow."
The Meaning of Extraordinary Read More »
This one’s going around. I caught it from OGIC and Tito.
Four jobs you’ve had in your life: bartender, reporter, waitress, PR flack
Four movies you could watch over and over: Midnight, Happy Accidents, Rushmore, Run Lola Run
Four places you’ve lived: Bond, Ky.; Menomonie, Wis.; London, England; Lexington, Ky.
Four TV shows you love to watch: Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, America’s Next Top Model (addictive), Arrested Development
Four places you’ve been on vacation: Hawaii, Mexico, Las Vegas (I’m only putting this one on for sentimental reasons, because it was over X-mas), Paris
Four websites you visit daily: Bloglines (in other words, where I read most everything), MetaxuCafe, About Last Night (damn your partial RSS feed!), Washington Post online
Four of your favorite foods: pizza, sushi, burritos, champagne
Four places you’d rather be: in a museum, at the movies, in the bathtub, in a zeppelin, among friends
Hearing Marissa Nadler sing "Flora Barone, Queen of the Vaudeville Throne" is something else. And she even has an MP3 of a live version recorded by the BBC, so you can go hear what I mean. (And there’s more in the listening booth too.) And she’s going on the road next year.
This song was included on a Comes With a Smile sampler, which is full of excellent stuff.
It’s ChristopherGras*, so we’re going out for Mexican food, the latest Realms of Fantasy (with Chris Barzak story, natch) and Narnia. I may even have a Christopherita or two. (Hmmm… I think Gwendarita works better.) Perhaps a post later, depending on the number of ‘ritas.
*It has been pointed out to me that some people don’t know what GwendaGras is, so they won’t know what ChristopherGras is. Can such a thing be true? Figure it out, people! Where have you been?! It’s called JULY**!!! Anyway, Christopher’s birthday is actually on Xmas Day — you still have time to buy him a brand new Apple laptop, which is what he needs as his is dead, dead, dead. (Address in the sidebar, imaginary good samaritans.)
**That’s when my birthday is. July 12.
I loved it.
I love the original as well, though it’s flawed, of course. Peter Jackson’s version isn’t perfect, either–would that Jack Black had more depth as an actor, there’s just no charm to his con man–but it’s pretty damn close, and emotionally, it hits the mark.
I love that the violence is jarring enough that it makes Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow’s reactions to and feelings for Kong completely believable. I love the Joseph Conrad references and the look of the whole thing. The costumes and set dressing and how seamless the picture is, from Skull Island to period New York. I love that the male movie star gets to be interesting and only brave when it’s absolutely required. I love that the writer gets to be a convincing hero. I love that this island of monsters is the scariest island of monsters ever. That Kong is lonely and alone in such a terrible place. That the costumes of the "savages" at his theatrical debut back in New York quote the native dress in the original. How amazing the visual storytelling is and how little dialogue is necessary. So many, many things. I love that watching this movie made me feel like watching the original did when I was kid.
Most of all, I love the scenes between Watts and Kong. Just as in the original, it’s the interactions between the lady and Kong that steal the show, but I actually think these scenes are better. She is luminous. Not only does she hold her own against Kong (another remarkable turn by Andy Serkis), she’s able to reflect her humanity onto him. Watts is simply WONDERFUL.
I love that this is a huge, huge movie and that it still has so much to say at the personal and the societal levels.
That scene on the ice. Beautiful.
See also:
Megan O’Rourke in Slate on the sexual politics
David Edelstein’s review
A.O. Scott in the NYT
Stephen Hunter in the WaPo
And two more:
Silliman (via Matt)
Roger Ebert
The Monkey Movie (updated) Read More »
All of this may keep Stewart from writing novels for some time. As much as he loves them, novels will always be there.
ARGs, by contrast, are changing with each iteration.
"It’s like building airplanes" around the turn of the century, he said. "You know they haven’t reached their final form."
I may have to start playing these ARGs. They sound like tremendous fun. (Note to Maureen McHugh fans: She gets a mention and was a key writer on these projects too.) (Via Dave.) I was just recommending Sean’s work to someone yesterday, who was looking for something for a very precocious teenager who liked LOTR and Harry Potter — which, of course, Sean’s work has very little in common with, but I stick by my recommendation.
p.s. Sorry for the sucktastic content here this week. Swamped and C has the Martian Death Cold. Will try to shape up this weekend.
Wednesday Hangovers Read More »