This American Life vs. Rabio Lab vs. Chris Ware

In this animation for THIS AMERICAN LIFE's TV show, CHRIS WARE illustrates a story told by RADIO LAB's ROBERT KRULWICH and his wife. When the television version of TAL debuted last year, host IRA GLASS claimed he wanted the show to look like nothing else on television.

To this end, I think they've somewhat succeeded, with the often stunning cinematography highlighting the show's unique documentarianism. The first season of the show is on iTunes, with hopefully the second season to follow.

God Only Knows, Claire Denis

CLAIRE DENIS is a master, sensualist filmmaker. Her camera lingers on faces and skin in sometimes grotesque intimacy. This simple scene of a French bartender catching the attention of a passing American sailor from NENETTE ET BONI is a good example of her style.

God only knows what I'd do if VINCENT GALLO looked at me like this.

Here, she gets all telefoto on SONIC YOUTH for her music video of their recent INCINERATE:

Skater boys

For his film PARANOID PARK, GUS VAN SANT handed off Super 8 cameras to kids around Portland to capture the poetic sequences that highlight his film about youth skate culture.

Bonnie and Barney and Bjork

WILL OLDHAM sings the song GRATITUDE as the opening for MATTHEW BARNEY's film DRAWING RESTRAINT 9.

Music by BJORK.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

This video clip, from the sweet-toothed pop band ALPHABEAT, was supposedly the third most watched video on YouTube a couple days ago. Charming, for such scrappy up-and-comers.

It reminds of this video, from GARY JULES' update from DONNIE DARKO, of the '80s classic MAD WORLD:

Silent Light

The newest film from Mexican maverick CARLOS REYGADAS opens in darkness to reveal a not-so-silent sunrise. TIMES critic MANOLHLA DARGIS reads the film's title as "an allusion to love," but I think the message is closer to spirituality and belief, which is not necessarily the same thing.

In this shot, as per usual, REYGADAS rewards our patience with a carefully wrought sense of beauty and significance.

I need another world

ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS' latest single ANOTHER WORLD will be released next week. This is the teaser video, a hazy window into a flowery past.

Saint Bruce

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is again helping out with the current Democratic candidate's campaign. I saw BRUCE play some live songs in Madison with JOHN KERRY in 2004 at a huge outdoor downtown rally that made the cover of the New York Times. This coming weekend he will be supporting BARACK OBAMA in rallies and benefit concerts in Philadelphia and New York.

Here he is, doing the classic SUICIDE song DREAM BABY DREAM on his 2005 tour.