The Rabbit Room

A Bird in the Heart: An Album Review of Eric Peters’ Birds of Relocation

A bird in flight is a beautiful thing. We watch and are captivated by its elegant cooperation with the wind, its effortless sailing set off by broad, beating wings. Reversing the fate of the living room canary, we are caught, if only for a moment, by the wild grace of its art. Would it draw us further in to know where it began its flight? What if the tree had been in flames and it only just got out alive? What if every cheerful chirrup was a thanksgiving hymn? Eric Peters has crafted his greatest album to date. I am almost confident enough to say “by far.” That would be saying an awful lot and only time will tell. The story Eric tells on Birds of Relocation is his own escape story. It’s the airborne travelogue of a grateful, singed survivor, the record of one songbird whose shining eyes are turned suddenly skyward.

One Minute Review: The Muppets

It's time to play the music It's time to light the lights But is it time to see the new Muppet movie? The One Minute Review has all the answers. [Editor's note: on the Rabbit Room tonight.]

One Minute Review: Hugo

Martin Scorsese made a film based on a kids' book? Does anyone get capped? Will my five year old like it? Should I see it in 3D? All these answers, and more, are yours in the 3 and a half minute long One Minute Review!

While you're at it, check out the One Minute Review of The Descendants

Release Day Review: Coal Train Railroad Swings!

I didn't know it, but I loved jazz when I was a kid. I was a huge fan of the Vince Guaraldi trio. I didn't know that either. I only knew that the music for A Charlie Brown Christmas was one of the best things I had ever heard. It was a risky move to pair grown-up jazz music with an animated children's show in 1965; it would be a risky move now, in the era of Thundercats and Sponge Bob Squarepants. But the Charlie Brown specials have always made it seem that jazz for kids is the most natural thing in the world.

The jazz combo Coal Train Railroad--Katy Bowser, Chris Donohue, and a rotating cast of exceedingly talented instrumentalists--works on that very assumption, that jazz is great music for kids. More to the point, they demonstrate that jazz and kids are a natural combination.

Hints Half Guessed: T. S. Eliot and Life in a Day

This past weekend I watched a documentary that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind. It’s a sign of a good movie when I’m still thinking about it three days later. It’s an even better sign when I’m still mulling it over in bed at night after reading T. S. Eliot (though I suspect one could mull over just about anything after reading T. S. Eliot and make a good argument for doing so).

The movie was called Life in a Day. We watched it on a whim and I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew was what I’d read about it a few months ago when it was making the festival rounds. The story goes that on July 24th 2010, nearly 80,000 people in over 190 countries, individually shot 4500 hours of video documenting a single day in their lives. After what must have been a small eternity in the editing room, the result is a 90 minute film that builds a sort of quiet epic out of the most ordinary thing in the world: us.

One Minute Review: J. Edgar

Clint Eastwood directs the biopic of one of America's most enigmatic figures. With all the darkness that surrounded him in real life, can Leonardo DiCaprio shine some light on the man behind the name? Oh, and something I didn't mention in the review: I have no idea why this film is rated R. Very little language (a couple of strong words), no nudity, and PG level violence. Not that she would like it, but I would take my 12 year old.

One Minute Review: Tower Heist

Ben Stiller, Alan Alda, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Tea Leoni... the list of stars in this heist movie goes on and on. This film looks like Bernie Madoff meets Oceans 11 meets Night at the Museum. Does it live up to its possible genius, or does it disappoint like a ponzi scheme? The One Minute Review checked it out and gives you all the opinion stolen money can buy.

One Minute Review: Tower Heist from Thomas McKenzie on Vimeo.

Sally Lloyd-Jones: Song of the Stars

When one of the kids is sick, or Amy is worn out, or the Goodgames just need a quiet Sunday morning at home, my family opens up The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones for "home church." We read a chapter or two, mix in some singing, prayer, and bible reading, and it's our kids' favorite kind of worship time. Granted, the whole "service" only lasts around 30 minutes, which has its appeal across generations, but the kiddos really look forward to the JSB. Every time, my eight-year-old son asks if we can read "one more chapter?" and often we do. So naturally, when I heard Sally read from Song of the Stars (her new Christmas storybook) in Nashville last month, I knew my family would love it. I'm so thankful for Sally Lloyd-Jones and her commitment to bringing real craftsmanship to books for children. Here's my review from the Slugs & Bugs blog.

One Minute Review: In Time

A high concept sci-fi film from the man who gave us Gattaca and the Truman Show? Yes please! A movie in which Justin Timberlake is the old, ugly guy? Hmmm ... let me think about that one. Let the One Minute Review be your guide so you don't waste your ... time. Also, check out the belated review of the dramedy 50/50.

Slugs & Bugs: Under Where? — A Release Day Review

In her keynote address at Hutchmoot a few weeks ago, Sally Lloyd-Jones told the harrowing story of a time she was left alone with a roomful of elementary-aged Sunday schoolers. The teacher stepped out of the room while Sally read the story of Daniel in the lions' den from her wonderful Jesus Storybook Bible. The kids were loving it. They were bright-eyed, alert, engaged.

But when Sally got to the end of the story, the teacher hadn't returned. It was just Sally and the Sunday schoolers. Expectant faces. Awkward silence. Sally glanced toward the door. No sign of the teacher. She panicked.