Some of the friends with whom I saw Bettie Page had mixed feelings about the film, perhaps because it's not a particularly explanatory biography—but for me, that wasn't the point. As a snapshot of 1950's attitudes towards sexuality, kink, and what wasn't quite yet the porn industry, it's terrific. There's very nice use of black and white cinematography contrasted with the occasional sequence in what looks scarily like Technicolor. And the supporting cast is half the fun: particularly the business-minded brother and sister who introduce Bettie to the world of fetish modeling, and a neat little near-cameo from David Strathairn as a smut-investigating senator. (All books can be indecent books, though recent books are bolder / For filth, I'm glad to say, is in the mind of the beholder . . .) I would definitely recommend it.

Everything Is Illuminated has had the unexpected benefit of turning me on to Gogol Bordello. So far I've only listened to the tracks available for download from their site, but that was enough to imprint me on "When The Trickster Starts A-Poking (Bordello Kind of Guy)" and "Troubled Friends," not to mention "Start Wearing Purple." I really need to get that soundtrack.

I've never heard of Brick. What is it?