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Notables: Step Brothers is the newest comedy from Will Ferrell. Here’s a review from the folks at ChristianityTodayMovies.com. The other newbie—The X-Files—is really an oldie. I never really got into this show, but it was the Lost of TV back in the day. It also helped kick start a whole new obsession in Hollywood with the supernatural. If you want to see what themes this one tackles, check out this review (also from the folks at at ChristianityTodayMovies.com). Concerning the rest of the lot, we really only need to talk about The Dark Knight. Analysts say it’s currently on track to surpass the domestic record set by Titanic—$600 million. That’s a lot of cash and a lot of eyes. Here’s what caught my attention this week: some are claiming that the film supports Bush doctrine. This review says Batman is Gotham’s George W. Bush, while the Joker is terrorism personified. Look—I have no idea if they’re right. Only a tight circle of people know the intentions of the film (writers, director, possibly the actors). Regardless of possible political agendas, the theme of what it means—and what it costs—to take a stand is prominent in this film, and it’s gut-wrenching. As is said on occasion throughout the film: sometimes your responsibilities ask that you become something more than a hero who is celebrated.

Top Five Books (according to USA Today research)
1. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer
2. New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer
3. The Shack, by William P. Young
4. Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer
4. The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch

Notables: Meyer continues her winning streak, and I don’t think it will break until the final book of the series, Breaking Dawn, comes out. For the past few weeks I’ve said that I have wanted to write up a little more about this phenomenon, but I’ve got to be honest: I think most of this is due to the joy of reading and getting caught up in something. They miss Harry Potter, and readers of all ages are thrilled to have another series to get lost in. I also don’t think Meyer has an agenda at all—no Bush doctrine boogeymen, no attempt to inject Mormon theology into people’s minds, no intentions for kids to fall in love with dark magic. She loves to tell a story that mixes reality with fantasy. It’s that simple. Is it dangerous to escape in literature? It can be. Is it dangerous to flirt with a world filled with vampires and werewolves? It can be. But I’ve not heard anything about 1) people filing their teeth in such a way that they can get fangs, or 2) people gluing hair all over their bodies and howling when the moon is out. I’ve heard a lot of people talking in interviews, articles, and news segments about the love story that drives the novel. They just want their heroine and the rest of the lot to be happy, and that’s all. The one element I find to be fascinating—besides the overall obsession with the supernatural that we’ve been seeing since The X-Files—is that the series does indicate that the decisions we make now, most notably, the decisions we make concerning relationships, could very well have eternal consequences. That’s intriguing to me, because what Meyer points out through the supernatural world, is not typical in our get-with-whoever-you-want-and-do-whatever-you-want society. This is a teen series that challenges the typical teen mentality. The “now” will eventually come back to bite you later. Yes. That was a bit of a pun. And I’m sorry.

Top Five Albums
1. Breakout, Miley Cyrus
2. Love On The Inside, Sugarland
3. Mama Mia!, Soundtrack
4. Rock N Roll Jesus, Kid Rock
5. Tha Carter III, Lil' Wayne

The big news here is Miley Cyrus. It seems her first album under her real name might be the first step in putting the Hannah Montana persona behind her. She’s hinting at wanting to “grow up” a little. What does that mean? Well, she might be okay. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders. But everything might turn disastrous. In the world of child celebrities, “growing up” often means “slumming it.” The thinking is simple and perverse: the only way to kill off the old, bubble gum “you,” is to become a sexier, dirtier “you.” You grow up with your fans, tapping into their increasingly carnal desires, and you gain new fans that already have those desires. Come to think of it, the plight of the child celebrity is pretty much a parable for us all in this culture. As we grow, we settle for regression, thinking it’s all worth it for the sake of progression. We sell out to the highest bidder—often money, sex, or power—if it means we can make it just one more day, make just one more buck, make just one more friend. Anyway, I’m out of the demographic of Cyrus, but I hope she gets it right. I really do. My niece loves this gal—looks up to her.

Top Five Digital Downloads
1. "I Kissed a Girl," by Katy Perry
2. "Disturbia," by Rihanna
3. "Burnin' Up," by Jonas Brothers
4. "7 Things," by Miley Cyrus
5. "Viva La Vida," by Coldplay

Notables: It seems like no one can take down Perry. Miley’s pop song about teen crushes can’t manage to topple the tune about sexual experimentation. And you know the way the biz thinks: the only way to go gunning for Perry, is to become Perry. This is exactly the kind of thing that studio producers will bring up to Miley and the Jonas Brothers and whoever else they feel might make waves (and cash). And speaking of the Jonas Brothers, RollingStone has a feature article about them. They call them “the clean teen machine.”

Top Five Web Searches (according to Google Trends)
*Exercise caution when searching; some topics may be inappropriate.

1. niagara wi
2. niagara wisconsin
3. critic judith
4. bruce ivins
5. astrology zone

Notables: I check Google Trends when I’m putting this together to get a feel for what people are searching for right this very moment. Thought it’s constantly changing, it gives you a glimpse into what people think is of great importance in the passing moments of their lives. For example, people are a bit concerned right now over a gunman in Niagara, Wisconsin. It’s a senseless act of violence—which, sadly, we’re all getting used to hearing about on a daily basis. I have no idea what “critic judith” is all about. I do know that “bruce ivins” committed suicide today, because the Feds were getting closer to naming him the chief suspect in the 2001 Anthrax attacks. The “astrology zone” is probably in reference to a site that’s growing in popularity. Once there, astrologist Susan Miller, will read the stars for you, your favorite celebrities, your dog, and whatever else. Somehow I don’t think it’s going to make sense of Niagara or Anthrax attacks, but people find it intriguing.

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