Saturday, December 31, 2005

Daily Planet 12-31

Friday, December 23, 2005

Daily Planet 12-23

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Daily Planet 12-20

Monday, December 19, 2005

Daily Planet 12-19

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Daily Planet 12-18

Happy birthday

To my wife.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Daily Planet 12-17

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Daily Planet 12-15

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Personal Appearances

You're invited to join us at Stone Mountain Park this weekend for ARTC's production of "An Atlanta Christmas", featuring myself as the Host. That's Saturday and Sunday, December 10 and 11, from 2pm to 5pm both days, at Memorial Hall. There is no additional cost past the parking fee Stone Mountain Park charges at the park gate.

My daughter is appearing with the William Baker Festival Singers and the Youth Festival Singers for Christmas Atlanta 2005, this Friday (8pm) and Sunday (3pm and 7pm) at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and students.

My daughter can also be heard at the Grady High School Chorus Winter Concert, at 7 pm on Tuesday, December 13 at the Grady H.S. Theater.

And even more ARTC Christmas goodness can be had at Barnes & Noble Perimeter on Saturday, December 17, as we read some of our favorite holiday stories. You'll find us at the back of the store, in the children's storytelling area.

Evil Has Reigned For 100 Years...

Much is being made of a letter by C. S. Lewis in which he offered the opinion that no live-action film of "The Chronicles of Narnia" should ever be attempted. It should be remembered, however, that Lewis died in 1963. He probably expected Aslan to look like Bert Lahr. He had no way to anticipate the state of the digital moviemaker's art as of 2005. But then, who did?

Last night, thanks to the generosity of my friend Jerry Page, my family and I saw an advance screening of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." I wouldn't presume to say whether Lewis would be satisfied, although I certainly hope so. The capacity crowd who saw this screening at Phipps Plaza certainly were.

Nor can I speak to the movie's fidelity to its source: I've read the book, but it's been decades, and I remember only the broad outlines of it. But it certainly felt right.

The transition from the wardrobe interior to the snowy forest and the lonely lamp-post was exactly as I've always envisioned it. The children were a little younger than I'd pictured them, but I can't fault their letter-perfect performances. The White Queen was as icy as a human actress can be. Aslan was... well, Aslan.

"Narnia" seems ready to step into the "epic fantasy series" niche recently vacated by "Lord of the Rings." The producers have optioned all seven books, which should take care of our Christmases through 2011.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

A real page-turner

The Shape of Days | Thoughts on the ‘National Strategy’
So I’m reading the “National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.” It’s a real page-turner. Apparently this little boy named Harry is secretly a wizard, and he gets sent to this wizard school where he has wonderful adventures with his new friends, Id and Superego.

...The subtext is pretty clear, and infinitely amusing to your humble narrator: ”We did tell you our strategy three years ago; 48 percent of y’all were just too stupid to wrap your ‘American Idol’-softened noodles around it. So we’re gonna tell you all again, and again, and if necessary again until you get what we’ve been saying all along.“