My father had a stroke a couple days after my last post. It's been a rather full and hectic world for me since then, but I nonetheless apologize for my without-a-trace disappearance.

I'm not going anywhere, and am in fact returning to not only this column but am taking the reins of the long-derelict Discland area of the site. The first new post there in some time will be a review of the new Criterion Bluray edition of The Last Emperor. Can't yet guarantee a day, but it'll be this week.