Ben Sears

Jan 15, 2025 | themoviestate.com | Ben Sears

The Room Next DoorDirector: Pedro AlmodóvarWriters: Pedro Almodóvar Starring: Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola, Juan Diego BottoPedro Almodóvar’s films have always explored the very essence of humanity, filtered through his specific, melodramatic lens. His latest film, The Room Next Door, offers more of his sensibilities, and his ruminations on death and companionship, but something gets lost in translation.

Jan 10, 2025 | ordinary-times.com | Ben Sears

Birmingham may have gone out over its skis and declared a POETS Day pre-emptively. We don’t have snowplows, our shovels are sewing scissor-esque in that they’re solely for burying kin, and nobody can find the other glove. An inch of snow will paralyze us. The schools shut down and no one can get to work except liquor store owners who’ll do three Christmases and a mid-week Valantine’s Day worth of business in twelve hours. There’s a prediction of one to two inches by tomorrow morning.

Jan 3, 2025 | ordinary-times.com | Ben Sears

It’s a brand-new year with a brand-new slate of sick days tempting you to do evil. Don’t waste those quite yet. A half day’s like a skip day you didn’t sleep through the first half of and if you playthings right, there’s fifty-two of them. That’s a lot. Piss Off Early, Tomorrow’s Saturday. Happy New Year. Seize the afternoon and enjoy the remains of a Friday on your terms. But first, some verse.

Dec 20, 2024 | ordinary-times.com | Ben Sears

In the spirits of POETS Day and Christmas, I’m phoning one in this week to spend more time with my wrapping paper. Below is a reprint of “POETS Day! Clement Clark Moore” from December 23, 2022. I’ve rearranged a couple of sentences that infuriated me on reread and found a spelling error that need not be repeated, but otherwise, it is as was. Have a wonderful Christmas, or Holiday Season if you pray otherwise. Bless you all.

Dec 13, 2024 | ordinary-times.com | Ben Sears

You may have to shop. If you get too much from Amazon, they know. The thought actually counts and a bit of wear on your shoe leather should be on display. It’s like wrapping. A perfect bow with the curly ribbons you get from running a scissor along the length real quick like you’re pull starting a chainsaw is wonderful to look at, but if you’re a twenty year old college guy with stylishly unkempt hair and smell like cherry vape, everyone knows you didn’t wrap that gift yourself.