Monday, July 04, 2005

Film for Children, Blogging, and Other Matters



The British Film Institute has come up with a list of ten essential films all children should know. Some of them I understand--E.T., Billy Elliot, The Princess Bride, My Life as a Dog-- but I don't know many youngsters who would sit down and watch Buster Keaton. Of Miyazaki's films, the film institute selected Spirited Away. Spirited Away IS a great film, but I'm not sure I have ever really understood it well. My personal love is for My Friend Totoro.

In other (blogging) news, The New York Times has a great article (with a funny title) on blogging and writing today. Blogging really does up the word count, I've found. And, if writing and reading is your thing, a new dictionary may be in order: Camille over at Book Moot has the scoop.

Finally, we're off to London today. Our dodgy hotel claims to have wireless, but we'll see. I've saved a great read for the trip--Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I began reading it in January. The first 100 pages flew by in a flash and I knew I wanted to wait and savor it for a time when I wasn't stressed, teaching, etc. I devoted the winter to Henning Mankell's dark Sweden.