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The Conjuring, John Oliver & Gordie Howe

This week’s CWIC PICKS (Clay’s Week In Culture) involve demons, zombie economics, and one of the finest Canadians of the past century.

Reeling and reveling as I woke up this morning. Reeling from the tragic events out of Orlando. Jim Gaffigan summed up some of my feelings:

Reveling in the victory of my hockey team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the toughest tournament of them all in the greatest sport ever to win the coolest trophy in existence. I hate parades, until they are for championship Pittsburgh teams.

SAN JOSE, CA - JUNE 12: Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with the Stanley Cup after their 3-1 victory to win the Stanley Cup against the San Jose Sharks in Game Six of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final at SAP Center on June 12, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – JUNE 12: Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with the Stanley Cup after their 3-1 victory to win the Stanley Cup against the San Jose Sharks in Game Six of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final at SAP Center on June 12, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Added treat yesterday too, as I was able to catch my favorite movie ever in a packed theater for the second time. Indiana Jones has long been formative in my life, and seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark never gets old.

So what else has been good lately? Here are three things. Consider it Clay’s Week In Culture. CWIC Picks 🙂

#TheConjuring2

Great balls of Beelzebub guys. The Conjuring 2 is one of the scariest movies I have ever seen.

The Conjuring (2013) retold a famous tale of Ed and Lorraine Warren who became famous in the 1970s for their run-ins with evil, paranormal happenings. The Amityville exploits of the Lutz family are probably the most famous encounter of the Warrens. Maybe not anymore.

The Conjuring 2 revisits a story of the Warrens based on true events in Enfield, England in 1977. This film is masterful. Well told. Visually astounding. Long takes so suspenseful and haunting your breath will halt. Can’t wait to see it again.

Listen to my friends talk about this terrific horror franchise on their excellent Don’t Split Up Podcast.

#LastWeekTonight

The legacy of John Stewart’s Daily Show lives on through John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight show on HBO. What a research team.

oliver_zombie-debt

In their recent episode on debt, the show put together one of the best combos of investigative journalism and satirical entertainment I have ever seen.

Check out the full video here.

#MrHockey

Not only did the world lose Muhammad Ali last week, but another sports legend died.

Tribute to Gordie Howe is prominent from John Hughes in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Cameron Frye sported the iconic jersey throughout the film.
Tribute to Gordie Howe is prominent from John Hughes in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Cameron Frye sported the iconic jersey throughout the film.

Gordie Howe is considered by some the greatest hockey player of all-time. He was certainly the prototype of what a hockey player should look like. More than being an amazing athlete, he was widely regarded as a good person who left decades of kind and meaningful encounters in his wake.

Wonderful tribute video.

So those are my picks for the week.

What are you enjoying lately?

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By Clay Morgan

Clay Morgan is the author of Undead. Say hi on Twitter.