Truth is stranger than fiction. Hey, that's why we're all journalists.

In just this past week, we reported a flying car hit the second story of a house in Elgin. And every one of the top stories on our website today is about Charlie Sheen, who allegedly has warlock fangs and tiger blood.

Today, our cover story ("It's a miracle! Judson professor, former students find surprise success with documentary on miracles") is about Darren Wilson, who doesn't do strange things; he's a college professor, he said.

But Wilson certainly has captured many strange things on film in his two documentaries, "Finger of God" and "Furious Love." That includes gemstones falling from the sky during church services in the Chicago suburbs, a deaf woman responding to prayers that she speak in Africa... and, of course, gold teeth appearing in the mouths of Wilson's aunt and uncle.

See for yourself:

Finger of God

Furious Love

For more information about Wilson's documentaries and current projects, visit Wanderlust Productions' website. Learn more about the Furious Love Event Wanderlust is planning as a supplement to its films on the Furious Love website. And let us know what you think of the strange things Wilson has captured -- or the miracles you've witnessed -- in the comments here on Between the Bylines.

-- Emily McFarlan, Readers' Reporter

And the award for today's most clicked story goes to... The list of this year's Academy Awards nominees, announced today!

"The King's Speech" leads the pack with 12 Oscar noms, including Best Picture and acting honors for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

The Best Picture nominees are...

• "The King's Speech"
• "Black Swan"
• "The Fighter"
• "Inception"
• "The Kids Are All Right"
• "127 Hours"
• "The Social Network"
• "Toy Story 3"
• "True Grit"
• "Winter's Bone"

Check out the rest of the nominees on The Courier-News website: 'The King's Speech' gets 12 Oscar nominations.

Any surprises on that list for you? Which movies, actors and actresses are you rooting for?

-- Emily McFarlan, Readers' Reporter

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

The Green Hornet

Seth Rogen stars as a newspaper publisher by day, crime fighter by night. A newspaper publisher? Those still exist? And one who can fight crime and is not committing them (Google "Conrad Black" as best example)? Or one who is a human being and not a corporate monolith? Wow, when is this movie set? 1950? Anyway, it looks like a mildly amusing take on the comic book or 60's TV show.

Beer rating: A 12-pack of Old Style in cans so we can play "find the frog" that's on the labeling.

The Dilemma, after the jump.

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

Jackass 3-D

If ever there was a movie series that NEEDS to be in 3-D, it's the adventures of these clowns. Imagine human waste of all sorts, vomit, stapled body parts, hits to the groin of all sorts and middle-aged male nudity in this format. To be honest, sometimes this stuff is so stupid it's funny. But not $12 worth of stupid.

Brew review: I'm saving my beer money for the DVD.

Conviction, Red, after the jump.

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

Takers

Oh, Matt Dillon, what has happened to your career? Here you are in a heist movie with a rapper who is in jail (T.I.) and a soul singer who beat his girlfriend (Chris Brown). You got your mind on your money and your money on your mind? Ouch.

Beer rating: I'm giving up drinking this week. No amount of beer could get me to see either of these movies. What a lousy summer it's been at the cinema.

The Last Exorcism, after the jump.

NOTE: In this regular feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey usually guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions usually are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Usually. Until now...

A Chance in Hell

Believe it or not, I actually went to a movie, Supporting a local artist, I headed out to the Arcada last week for a screening of Tony Wash's Nazi zombie flick. Actually, it was more like a visual proposal, the first 30 minutes of a movie Wash would like to make on a bigger budget. He claims there is interest from producers to expand his opus and make the movie in Hungary -- which is the perfect name for a country where you would make a film about famished flesh eaters.

The night featured the behind-the-scenes DVD extras, too, which is pretty weird if you think about it. We're getting insight into a movie that MIGHT be made. Trippy. We also saw trailers for some indie films made by some of Wash's buddies and a short Wash made in Pittsburgh about a Realtor who is eaten by a monster living in the basement of a house she's showing.

Onto the actual movie review, its beer rating and KEVIN, after the jump.

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

Nanny McPhee

A sequel to a movie that looks like a rip-off of Mary Poppins and that brought in $100 million.

Beer rating: Bass Ale and my fuzzy slippers while I stay home for my own personal Julie Andrews film festival.


Piranha 3D, Vampires Suck, Lottery Ticket, The Switch, after the jump.

(PHOTO: The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps of Rosemont perform "Mad World" July 1 in Oswego. Courtesy of cavaliers.org.)

Last Thursday, I headed over to the AMC in South Barrington, plopped down my $18 and attended the live simulcast of the quarterfinals of the Drum Corps International World Championships taking place at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, the same place where Payton Manning makes a living.

I don't know what I found more disturbing -- the middle-aged woman in the row in front of me sitting with her legs up on a railing as if she were going to give birth OR that a good many of the bands played scary shows.

Times are tough, and it's reflected in the performances, which, for the uninitiated, can seem strange anyway.

Take, for instance, the Cavaliers of Rosemont. The theme of the group's 12-minute show was "Mad World," that Tears for Fears song remade a few years ago as a haunting ballad.

The drill team in the all-male Cavaliers was dressed in trench coats, which was way too much of a reminder of Columbine for my tastes. Actually, after looking at Cavalier pictures online, the coats also recall Billy Idol videos from the 1980s. The team bellowed military chants about their rifles as they twirled and contorted. They formed a "Mad Circle" with some props, too. And, when the corps performed the Charlie Chaplin chestnut "Smile," the members donned white masks.

I half expected Heath Ledger to return from the dead as the Joker during the performance, which also seemed like an outtake from the director's cut of the last Batman flick.

As of Thursday night, the Cavaliers were in second place, behind the Blue Devils from California.

More scarily fabulous, or fabulously scary, drum corps performances (including the corps from nearby Rockford), after the jump.

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

The Expendables

By the title, I thought this movie might be about me, which would make me want to see it, because it's all about me. Then I find out it has all the middle-aged and older action heroes, plus my better looking evil twins, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bruce Willis. And it's written and directed and stars Sylvester Stallone, who seems even creepier than Mickey Rourke.

Beer rating: A six pack of Old Style Light.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Eat Pray Love, after the jump.

NOTE: In a revival of this "classic" Friday feature, Courier-News reporter Mike Danahey guesses how much beer (or other beverage of choice) it might take him to pay money to see a recently-released movie. His opinions are based on trailers, ads and advance hype.

Here are some movies playing this weekend...

The Other Guys

Yet another cop buddy pic, this time with sexy Mark Wahlberg and dorky Will Ferrell. Derek Jeter has a cameo as himself. The cast also includes characters listed as "rastas." You think there are going to be any marijuana jokes?

Beer rating: How about I save the $10 ticket price, buy a growler at a brew pub instead, head home, flip through cable and find some Bruce Willis movie from the 80s?

Step Up 3D, Twelve, after the jump.