fence_opt

If you’re like me, you bid a fond goodbye to Google Reader this week.

Reader was integral in my routine as a blogger as it, of course, kept me in tune with what many others of my ilk were doing. Not only did it give me one handy spot to find everybody (as opposed to a few dozen bookmarks), but it also pointed out patterns. For instance, if there was a blog-a-thon happening, I could see lots of entries in one spot. My favorite moments were always when a really big movie dropped since everyone’s reviews would dominate the headlines (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES comes to mind).

As you likely know by now, Google decided that the app was no longer viable and pulled the plug on Monday.

While I find that these days, Twitter is a pretty handy newsfeed, I still wanted one place I could go and see my links collected.

Enter Feedly.

Right off the draw, there are three benefits I caught from switching over to this new reader app. The first is that it allowed me to finally do some housekeeping. Over time, I realized that I was following feeds that I wasn’t really reading all that often, so weeding them out has allowed me to pay more attention to those I am reading. What was weird about that was the way Google Reader would often magically re-subscribe me to a feed I’d deleted. No longer.

The second benefit was that it allows you to group feeds. So besides grouping together like-minded sites, I was actually able to create something of a favorites list to pay more attention to a small group of writers I draw inspiration from. I haven’t had this much fun since I started making playlists in iTunes!

Finally, in an age of tablets and PDA’s, any site’s mobile layout can make or break. To that end, I really liked the way Feedly performs in its mobile version.

There are many others like it of course…ones that do other things, different things, better things. The point though is not to cry too hard for Google Reader. It has served us well, but it’s time had come.

.

For your listening and reading fulfilment, I give you…

.

The united nations of podcasting have returned. This week on Across the Universe, Mette, Sofia, and Nik discuss MAN OF STEEL…so it stands to reason I’m intrigued.

Speaking of podcasts, remember THE GREAT GATSBY episode of The Matineecast? Well my guest on that show Kelly Cameron has launched a brand new site! It’s primarily dedicated to stage (so if that’s your bag, happy times!), and there’s a good deal of film and TV pieces there to be read as well. Welcome to The Dark Side, Kelly.

Lisa Thatcher throws up her hands and decides that she won’t be reviewing any Terrence Malick.

While we’re walking down Memory Lane, remember a few weeks ago when my “Freeze Frame” post was dedicated to AMERICAN GRAFFITI? Well this week, the site that inspired the FF series – The Film Experience – also chose to highlight AMERICAN GRAFFITI. Wouldn’t you know it, a few other people chose the exact same shot! One of my favorites comes from Anne Marie at We Recycle Movies.

I’m headed to see THE LONE RANGER tonight, primarily for podcasting purposes. I’m beginning to wonder if the dislike for the film has the markings of a pile-on, but I guess I’ll find out for myself in nine hours. In the meantime, Sam McCosh confirms my worries that I’m in for a long night.

Andina has put together a pretty neat visual list dedicated to one of her favorite moments in film: that part where two characters sit on a bench. Never realized I too was a fan until she brought it up!

Did anyone else know that Vance hates minions?

I love it when films work together even though they aren’t deliberately sequels. Looks like Alex Withrow does too! He’s put together a rather handsome list of unconventional trilogies – any of your favorites make the cut?

.

.For the Tweet of The Week, I must admit this gave me a good laugh…


.
Enjoy!

12 Replies to “Everybody’s Talkin’ 7 – 5 (Chatter from Other Bloggers)”

  1. Thanks a bunch, Ryan! I honestly didn’t think that the bench post would hit it off ahah. Glad you like it!

    And I’m grateful feedly is here to help, hopefully more satisfying in the future.

    1. I went off the handle in regards to lists a few years back, but sometimes the little things do still amuse me. In the case of your post, I think about how that sort of thing is part of the everyday and yet we don’t see it all that often in films.

      Sorta reminds me of Bonnie and Clyde. Someone involved with that film – mighta been Penn, mighta been one of the writers – mused that one seldom sees people counting their change on-screen, nor does one see cars having trouble parking. Thus, in Bonnie and Clyde, we saw both.

  2. Feedly looks so bad to me… sluggy on my firefox (which I hate using) and I find it difficult to actually read content well…

    I honestly gave up on RSS readers since the Google Reader announcement. So I’m still looking (and/or coding my own solution to release) but we’ll see which happens first.

  3. Thanks for the Link – especially to the other posts. I particularly liked the bench sitting one. I’m with Ryan, I’m not a fan of list posts, so it was great to one that was fresh and really interesting. Also the sequel post. I thought that was nice. I’m not a google reader person, so I won’t even realize its gone, but your post did make me think I should be getting into another reader so that I can get all my blog reading into one place.
    Thanks for the post.

    1. Pulling our eyes away from our individual blinking cursors is sort of important, I think…and in the past few months I’ve been particularly bad at it.

      I think the communal aspect of writing about an artform is one of the best things about doing it online. We can spur ideas, foster debate, and even grow each-other’s readership.

      So even if it’s by way of a small collection of bookmarks, I vote you create yourself a small loop of like-minded writers and be sure to check in with them often.

      Thanks for dropping by – don’t be a stranger!

    2. Do you think so?
      I’ve actually had very bad experiences with people on line. I don’t go to social media anymore and I closed comments on my blog. I read lots of places, but I rarely comment – I’ve found this practice only closes me off to the rash ugly side of online and leaves me with the good stuff. I know lots of people love it, but I find it very fraught.
      But each to their own.
      Thanks again for the post.

    3. I know what you mean – I’ve wandered down that road a few times myself. Being a part of a large community is tricky because just like being a citizen of a large city, there will inevitably be neighbourhoods you don’t care to visit.

      What I’m suggesting is more a hand-picked selection of sites to keep you motivated…like, ten or less. It’ll raise your profile a wee bit, give you a chance to get some ideas, and you don’t need to get into any sort of flame wars. Just leave the comment and look for the writer’s response.

  4. Thanks for the link Ryan. I really hope you enjoy the film more than I did. Unfortunately I’ve found that it’s one of those films that only gets worse the further away from it you get. On the plus side, it’s not in 3D! I look forward to reading your thoughts.

    1. Sadly, it did precious little for me outside of it’s opening and closing set pieces. It suffered all the more by the fact that just two days prior I’d had so much fun at PACIFIC RIM.

      Alas…

Comments are closed.