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Articles in Culture and Criticism

Film Fiber: Midnight Express and the Rosebud Conundrum
October 31, 2012 – 3:58 PM | 27 Comments
Film Fiber: <I>Midnight Express</I> and the Rosebud Conundrum

What is film fiber? It’s the movies I feel it’s necessary to have watched in order to participate in the cultural conversation. Canon, in other words, and whether it’s good or enjoyable isn’t the point. …

TN Read-Along #16: Jesus Freaks Discussion Thread
October 15, 2012 – 7:11 PM | 27 Comments
TN Read-Along #16: <I>Jesus Freaks</I> Discussion Thread

I apologize for not posting the discussion thread sooner, but 1) I spent the morning writing what feels like half the content on the internet and 2) I haven’t finished the book yet, because every …

All-time scariest TV episodes
October 11, 2012 – 1:10 PM | 114 Comments
All-time scariest TV episodes

Hey, folks. I’m sourcing a story for Yahoo! about the all-time scariest TV episodes, and I just know I’m forgetting some obvious ones. (I’m also a bit embarrassed that finding clips from Star Trek: TOS‘s “A …

TN Read-Along #16: Jesus Freaks
October 11, 2012 – 9:30 AM | 7 Comments
TN Read-Along #16: <I>Jesus Freaks</I>

Update, 11 October, 3 PM: We’ll be at the Sackett, unsurprisingly located at 661 Sackett St. between 4th and 5th Aves., Brooklyn. It’s the shortest of hops from the outbound R train, or take anything …

Third time’s a charm
October 1, 2012 – 2:51 PM | 15 Comments
Third time’s a charm

Who has two thumbs and watched the first seasons of Revenge AND Homeland in a single weekend, then wrote three recaps in one night? This guy. …Not that guy, he’s dead. This guy. Who is now working …

The Nause-AA: At Long Last Liver
September 28, 2012 – 4:31 PM | 5 Comments
The Nause-AA: At Long Last Liver

Ladies and gentlemen, our “winner”: organ meats/offal! Lima beans went down without much of a fight, surprisingly (they only scratched out 19% of the vote).
Huge thanks to Keckler, as always, and to you guys for …

Recently in the Snacksiverse: Reel 54Q, Lester’s Fixins
September 28, 2012 – 11:16 AM | 11 Comments
Recently in the Snacksiverse: Reel 54Q, Lester’s Fixins

Testing the revulsive/retroperistaltic coefficients of Lester’s Fixins sodae. Subjects included Sweet Corn, Buffalo Wing, Coffee, and Bacon flavors. One (1) test reel corrupted. Report filed by Drs. S. Douglas and D. Gardner Bunting.

The Nause-AA: Final Showdown
September 25, 2012 – 1:35 PM | 23 Comments
The Nause-AA: Final Showdown

Today’s write-ups by both of us, as marked. To vote, scroll down; to see the bracket, click here. We’ll leave these open a few days, so tell a friend (or queasy enemy).
One last time: vote for the …

Tomato Nation Read-Along #16, Special Blotter Edition: Poll
September 24, 2012 – 11:26 PM | 10 Comments
Tomato Nation Read-Along #16, Special Blotter Edition: Poll

By request of a few readers, an all-crime selection of potential Read-Along books. I tried to give you a good range of crimes — arsons, assassinations, Mafiosi, paper-hangers — but as you may or may …

X-Files Rewatch: Season 3
September 23, 2012 – 11:39 AM | 9 Comments
<I>X-Files</I> Rewatch: Season 3

So, I started rewatching The X-Files from the beginning — or, really, “watching it,” because during the series’ run, I came in late and only watched casually. It holds up pretty well almost 20 years later, despite …