1. The Rotten Tomatoes Show. Friend and contributor to The House John Lichman writes to let us know that anyone who wants to can contribute to the Rotten Tomatoes Show. If they have a webcam. And here's some other fun stuff they've done, including 3 Word Movie Reviews, Five Favorite Films with John Cena and I Learned It from the Movies: How to Be a Man.

["The Rotten Tomatoes Show is a movie review show that airs on Thursday nights at 10:30 e/p on Current TV. From reviews of the newest releases to commentary on cult favorites and movie trends, each episode of The Rotten Tomatoes Show is a fast-paced, comedic journey through the week in cinema."]

2. Apple of My I. Culture Snob signs on to the Underrated Blog-a-Thon with a look at Neil Jordan's In Dreams. Yeah, I forgot it existed too!

["Jordan's movie (which he directed and co-wrote) is at its core a baroque and gothic collection of symbols and pregnant images and fears and clichés and pop psychology woven together into a garish quilt. The pieces are familiar, lending it a worn look, but its patchwork nature also means that it's open to interpretation depending on the angle from which you approach it. I see it as a study of dark urges, guilt, and psychological projection."]

3. Mexico's Drug Gangs Drive Film Crew Out of Town. The Independent examines how the film Queen of the South had to abandon production in Sinaloa, Mexico.

["Queen of the South, based on a novel by Arturo Perez-Reverte, was due to be filmed in Sinaloa, on the country's northern coast. But, following a decision by Jonathan Jakubowicz, its Venezuelan director, and two of his producers, the plug has now been pulled on the project. 'I've worked really hard to make this beautiful movie, but the safety of my family and my team comes first,' Jakubowicz told Variety. 'Making this movie [would have] put us all at risk, not only in Mexico but in the US.'"]

4. Cities Deal with a Surge in Shantytowns. Listen, I work for the Census now, and the training manuals for the job make the U.S. sound like a land filled with destitute hobos. But, reading this story, you start to wonder if MAYBE THEY'RE RIGHT?

["Like a dozen or so other cities across the nation, Fresno is dealing with an unhappy déjà vu: the arrival of modern-day Hoovervilles, illegal encampments of homeless people that are reminiscent, on a far smaller scale, of Depression-era shantytowns. At his news conference on Tuesday night, President Obama was asked directly about the tent cities and responded by saying that it was "not acceptable for children and families to be without a roof over their heads in a country as wealthy as ours.""]

5. Turn Off the Shuffle: 25 Great Albums That Work Best When Listened to from Start to Finish. The AV Club details a number of concept albums, from well-known to obscure.

["Not satisfied with just one or two concept albums, Sufjan Stevens set out to record a concept collection, with 50 albums, each dedicated to one of the 50 states. We're still waiting on 48 of them, but his most recent contribution, 2005's Illinois, was enough of a success that he could rest on his laurels a bit before moving on to a (potentially smaller or less complicated) state. With 22 songs each focusing on Illinois history, from the criminal to the bizarre, there's enough minutiae in the lyrics to keep over-analyzers happy for weeks, matching up the references to towns, people, and historical events from the Land Of Lincoln, both well-known and less-so. Stevens' Illinois is a bustling yet melancholy, beautiful, sometimes-surprising and mysterious place, which seems to be exactly what Stevens took away from his research, and decided to share with listeners. He may end up feeling that way that about all the states, but as long as the stories are there and the music is surprising and beautiful, who cares?"]

Quote of the Day:

Image of the Day (click to enlarge): I have no idea what this novel is about, but that cover sure makes me want to judge it!

Clip of the Day: Some nice animation in this Neko Case music video.

"Links for the Day": A selection of Links that will hopefully spark discussion. Comments encouraged. Suggestions for links are also welcome. Please send to todd@vanderwerff.us.