So AJ Jacobs was amusing when he spoke at the opening night of the Jewish Book Fair. I was a fan from reading Know-It-All, but hadn’t expected to rush out and buy his new book in hardback, but he was so charming and all that that I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get an autograph. If you are a Jewcy person, you can find out more about him there; a suggested start is this one. He describes himself as Jewish, in the same way that the Olive Garden is Italian. I haven’t started reading it yet, but during his talk, it sounded like the religious school bomb went off when his eldest hit the appropriate age. It’s amazing how strong the urge to inflict religious school on your children can be. I’m glad it’s a better experience than continues to improve.

So I haven’t started reading The Year of Living Biblically yet because I’d been finishing up Collapse. It’s no Guns, Germs & Steel, but better than Why is Sex Fun? Some parts are fascinating, but towards the end, I felt like I was reading lecture notes. I’m all in favor of Anthropology, Archeology and History, but calls to action aren’t as thrilling.

Except for “King Corn”! It starts a week-long run at Alamo Ritz on Friday, and so I’m doubly thrilled. When I walked past the Ritz on Halloween, there didn’t seem to be a hope of it opening during November, but it has been open for a few days. I haven’t talked to any actual humans who have been there, but there’s evidence in blog posts and newspaper articles and such.

I watched “Wizard of Oz” on Saturday while getting ready for a Halloween party. It’s important to prepare for the role of Glinda! (I was astonished by how few people on Sixth Street knew who I was. Tooth Fairy? Pink Princess? I was asked to grant wishes, but all I could offer was instructions on how to get home. I’m thinking not enough children are being terrified by flying monkeys these days.) Alamo is doing a Foleyvision version of the Turkish WoO, which might be as great as the Turkish “Star Wars.”

Recent Netflix movies:

• “Day Night Day Night” is good, puzzling, more interesting if it’s spoiled, so if you’re wondering, just ask me and I’ll tell you the ending. Or just plan on seeing it with and without the commentary. Or just with, maybe.
• “Love & Death” is probably one of my favorite movies ever. Watching it was a little like going back to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston after having been to lots of those museums that you know the names of; I was astonished to discover that MFAH is the source of all my notions of what a museum should be. In the same way, it’s remarkable how a single movie could explain so many preferences and interests, from Prokofiev to those silly ringlets we used to wear in from of our ears.
• “Very Long Engagement” is not engaging.

Umm, back to books. Long-time readers may remember that I’d embarked on a quest to re-re-…-re-read the Harry Potter books after finishing HP7. I did complete the task for HP1-6, but I have to admit that I have no desire whatsoever to go back out and live in the forest again, so I’m leaving the task unfinished for now. Maybe someday I’ll have the flu and need something to keep me company, but not now.

Speaking of series, however, I’ve finished “Rome” and started the long deferred final season of “Six Feet Under.” But “Battlestar Galactica” is being delayed by the writer’s strike, so it’s been pushed from January to April. April!? April.

And for those who think my blog is pointless, film festival-wise, may I point out movies I’ve reviewed that are opening soon, according to NYT (which seems to be yelling the titles): “CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO”, “STEAL A PENCIL FOR ME”, “JUNO”, “GRACE IS GONE”, “FLAKES”, “TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE”, and “DAY ZERO “

No, yes, as long as you don’t take it seriously, yes, maybe, absolutely not, and no. See? I can be concise.

But why haven’t you seen “Lars and the Real Girl” yet? Hmm? Why? Surely you aren’t still trusting Manohla Dargis, are you? You should see this movie. Right now. Do you think it will around forever?