the bohemian aesthetic eZine :|: patsy's picks

May 2007

BOOK

American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon

(Stephen R. Prothero)

The United States (it's often pointed out) is one of the most religious countries on earth, and most Americans belong to one Christian church or another. But Stephen Prothero argues, in American Jesus, that many of the most interesting appraisals of Jesus have emerged outside the churches: in music, film, and popular culture; and among Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and people of no religion at all.

Popular revisions of Jesus are nothing new: Thomas Jefferson famously took scissors to the New Testament to produce a Jesus he could call his own. In Prothero's incisive chronicle, the emergence of a cult of Jesus—as folk hero and commercial icon—is America's most distinctive contribution to Western religion. Prothero describes how Jesus was enlisted by abolitionists and Klansmen, by Teddy Roosevelt and Marcus Garvey. He explains how, in our own time, the proliferation of Jesus' image on Broadway stages and bumper stickers, on the cover of Time and on the Internet, in a Holy Land theme park and on a hot-air balloon, expresses the strange mix of the secular and the sacred in contemporary America.

American Jesus is a lively and often witty work of history. As an account of the ways in which Americans have cast the carpenter from Nazareth in their own image, it's also an examination, through the looking glass, of the American character.

FILM

Half Nelson

(rated 'R' for drug content throughout, language, and some sexuality)

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a young inner-city junior high school teacher whose ideals wither and die in the face of reality. Day after day, in his shabby Brooklyn classroom, he somehow finds the energy to inspire his 13 and 14-year-olds to examine everything from civil rights to the Civil War with a new enthusiasm. Rejecting the standard curriculum in favor of an edgier approach, Dan teaches his students how change works—on both an historical and personal scale—and how to think for themselves.

Though Dan is brilliant, dynamic, and in control in the classroom, he spends his time outside school on the edge of consciousness. His disappointments and disillusionment have led to a serious drug habit. He juggles his hangovers and his homework, keeping his lives separated, until one of his troubled students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), catches him getting high after school.

From this awkward beginning, Dan and Drey stumble into an unexpected friendship. Despite the differences in their ages and situations, they are both at an important intersection. Depending on which way they turn—and which choices they make—their lives will change.

The Prestige

(rated 'PG-13' for violence and disturbing images)

Award-winning actors Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Scarlett Johansson star in this twisting, turning story that, like all great magic tricks, stays with you.

Two young, passionate magicians—Robert Angier (Jackman), a charismatic showman, and Alfred Borden (Bale), a gifted illusionist—are friends and partners until one fateful night, when their biggest trick goes terribly wrong.

Now the bitterest of enemies, they will stop at nothing to learn each other’s secrets. As their rivalry escalates into a total obsession full of deceit and sabotage, they risk everything to become the greatest magician of all time. But nothing is as it seems, so watch closely. And be prepared to watch it again.

MUSIC

Volta

Björk

With Volta, the positively brilliant Björk returns to her iconic, innovative and rhythmic roots. Featuring her own infamous beats and collaborations with Timbaland, Antony Hegarty, Brian Chippendale, and an all-female Icelandic brass section, the end result is an explosive coalescence of sound.

Living With Ghosts

Patty Griffin

Whether or not you recognize her name, you may already know the songs of Patty Griffin. The works of this remarkable singer-songwriter have been recorded by some of the most respected artists in music today—including Emmylou Harris and the Dixie Chicks. One listen to Living with Ghosts and you'll understand why A&M Records snatched her up and, as rumor has it, released what was actually her demo as this 1996 début.

"30 Rock"

(Thursday - 9 pm/8c; NBC)

Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), head writer of the sketch comedy program "The Girlie Show", must deal with an arrogant new boss (Alec Baldwin) and a crazy new star (Tracy Morgan)—all while trying to run a successful TV show without losing her mind.

And looking forward to...

"Cavemen" (coming 2008)

A trio of Neanderthals struggle to live in modern day America. (based on the characters featured in a series of television ads for Geico Insurance)