Two Weeks of Backlog

Firstly, an R.I.P. to...so many people. For an in memorium on Susan Sontag, consult Christopher Hitchens. For one on Jerry Orbach, check with Dana Stevens. (Can you tell I'm a Slate-junkie?) As for Reggie White, I'm sure you can find one -- or exponentially more than one -- elsewhere. As a side note, it seemed, at least here in Philly, like the former football-ist's demise effectively usurped The Catastrophe. It's almost -- but not by a mile -- like when Princess Di's death overshadowed that of Mother Theresa.

As per the titlecard, here's what I wrote in the year's final issue:
* A news article on the Bryn Mawr theater's unorthodox renovation. This piece also represents a personal milestone: this is the very first time in history that my name is on the cover of the paper (in reference to this article, of course).
* Rep, which is, again, puny. Stupid holidays. Also, forgive me the baiting Sideways line. Yes, I'm also a target (replace wine with film). Yes, I was annoyingly coy about same.

And last week's effluvia:
* An A-list (fourth down) on Ted Turner's aggravating tendency to broadcast A Christmas Story for 24 straight hours on the 25th. And, yes, it was a slow week, local events-wise. (For those who care: no, my sister did not keep the damn thing on all day. Instead, she screened at least half of the the 20 hour Patrick Swayze-a-thon North and South, debatably as revenge for me demonizing her in print. The good side: David Carradine. "Watch me as I kill your lover!", he purrs before falling to an un-majestic death.)
* A review of -- it pains me to say it -- Fat Albert. Always at work during the usual morning screenings, these things are now my purgatory-ish beat. Next up: Racing Stripes!
* Rep. Skimpier than today's.

By the way, the Voice has its annual Take 6 Critic's Poll comments cavalcade up, which is always enjoyable. Congrats to local colleague/personal hero Sam Adams, though that Sideways comment is slightly out of line. A good chunk of its backlash has to do with people not, like, liking it. Wouldn't it be great, though, if people really did think so shallowly? It would make one-liners so much easier to write.