James Callan

Oh my god my pet topic is a podcast

I remain lukewarm on Misery.

I don’t love complaining about adaptations, but this drops everything intense and weird about the book to turn into a competent thriller.

Kathy Bates is amazing, though. As is Farnsworth. Caan doesn’t get enough to do.

About to see Misery for the first time since the early ’90s. The novel is still my favorite King; will I embrace the movie more this time?

(I remember it being fine.)

That piece was written to make people mad and get them to share it.

Everyone sharing this article to explain that actually, people do read your long work:

That’s great!

And you’re driving clicks to the article which is what they want.

Hate clicks are clicks.

Most people don’t read one sentence of explanatory text.

But some people do, and they’re the important ones.

“Most people won’t read this” yeah welcome to the fucking internet.

My main critique of this article is that it is making an extremely obvious point and framing it as a revelation

My main critique of this article is that it is making an extremely obvious point and framing it as a revelation

Clicks

A lot of people upset by this article seem to think that “most people” means “no one.”

It shouldn’t be all that controversial to note that most people don’t finish a long (ish) article.

That doesn’t mean no one will, or that the pieces are not worth writing.

I can attest to this. Many of my pieces run 2,000–3,000 words but actual reading time on those posts (from analytics) are always under the calculated reading time.

Most people probably won't, but the ones that do are really invested and the best audience.

The Goggins! They do too much!

I will never fail to be amused at people who post in the Letterboxd subreddit and ask "why don't people like [my favorite movie]?"

Dude, you're USING LETTERBOXD which is CHOCK FULL OF REVIEWS.

Most reviews aren't great (mine included) but the answers are RIGHT THERE. People WROTE ESSAYS.

My one regret about my last trip to Europe was not visiting any cinemas.

I'd love to get to all of these, but there are two or three great European trips you could plan to pick up a bunch.

My left forearm with DIRECTED BY JONATHAN DEMME tattooed on it. A little red, because it was just a few minutes old!

Fresh off the table.

First one: Artist's rendering of the Strasbourg Cathedral, the most impressive building I've ever visited.

Second: Pablo Ferro's "Directed by Jonathan Demme" credit from Stop Making Sense.

(Hat tip to Erica Finley in Portland for both of them.)

The Kinogänger A personal newsletter about moviegoing and movie watching. Kinogänger is German for “[male] moviegoer.”

Who wants to see what I can write about moviegoing? You know you do.

First issue of The Kinogänger, a personal newsletter about moviegoing and movie watching, coming next weekend. You can subscribe now: buttondown.com/scarequotes

Should I get a tattoo? Sad Porky, painted sometime in 2022, best I recall. This week’s question comes from James Callan: Should I get a tattoo? And if so, how do I decide what to...

I got a tattoo a few months after asking @monteiro.bsky.social if I should get one.

Today: Got my second.

You should subscribe to his newsletter and see what decisions he can help YOU justify.

I've gotten email from two of my Republican state representatives sharing a chart that shows how Washington is 7% more expensive than the national average.

It cracks me up that all the cheapest states, though, are places you could not pay me to live. (No offense, friends in Arkansas.)

Limited edition benefit sweatshirt for The Trans Continental Pipeline from Bikini Kill Limited edition benefit sweatshirt for The Trans Continental Pipeline from Bikini Kill

Good morning! It is Bandcamp Friday and today we are donating all profit from today's sales to the Trans Continental Pipeline, a nonprofit that helps trans folks move to Colorado from hostile states. We have a limited edition sweatshirt available ONLY today: bikinikill.bandcamp.com/merch/limite...

“All the great books of the past and all the ones yet to come are made with these words. With them there is no obstacle you cannot overcome. All you must learn to do is use them well and in the right places."

The 100 Greatest Cinemas In The World Right Now Classic kinos, cult film temples and fabulous picture palaces from across the planet

I've been to four of these theaters, which means one thing:

Moviegoing tourism goals!

31 years ago today, Krusty the Clown first mentioned saying “the quiet part loud,” an expression which has since gone on to widespread usage.

#TheSimpsons episode “A Star is Burns” first aired March 5, 1995.

Love to see which Wikipedias use Muybridge's horse film as a key image for their article on "film,: and which pick something else.

(hat tip @lauraolin.bsky.social)

This is a good principle for design in general:

When users tell you there's a problem, they are usually right.

When users tell you how to fix it, they are usually wrong.

(bonus: if you replace "user" with "stakeholder" this still applies)

I do subscribe to some newsletters on Substack, but no paid features.

If you want money from me, pick a different platform.