Reviews

Music

Capsule Review: April (Sun Kill Moon)

04/08/2008

Sun Kil Moon’s latest release, “April,” is a collection of delightfully homogeneous tracks, a fact that either enhances or instigates the intense depression conveyed by the album.

Capsule Review: Attack and Release (The Black Keys)

04/08/2008

There’s a whole lot about the blues that’s slow, alright ­— but that doesn’t mean the blues should be boring.

Snoop rides ’80s sounds on ‘Trippin’

03/14/2008

West Coast banger and seasoned hip-hop veteran Snoop Dogg is still kickin’ it. Flashing his credentials of fatherhood to 15 years of being in the game, his laid back, crip-walkin’ gangsta persona has kept him moving Cali-style into stardom.

Rick Ross flashes street cred on ‘Trilla’

03/14/2008

In the past year, Miami has become one of the hottest cities in the music industry.

Film

Black returns to form in ‘Be Kind’

03/14/2008

What writer/director Michael Gondry may lack in writing flair, he always makes up for in imagination. That’s why everything he gets his hands on, from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” to those kooky White Stripes videos, is just so darn fun to watch.

‘Penelope’ spins conventions of a childern’s fairy tale

03/14/2008

While it has the facade of a typical children’s fairy tale about a well-bred maiden seeking her prince charming, “Penelope” has one edgy twist: the maiden suffers from the unusual affliction of having a pig’s snout for a nose.

Natalie Portman shines in ‘Other Boleyn Girl’

03/14/2008

The chief criticism regarding director Justin Chadwick’s “The Other Boleyn Girl,” based on Philippa Gregory’s best-selling novel, has been that it’s one big soap opera.

Hollywood Gossip (March 14)

03/14/2008

Shrink advice from C. Love?
From one trashy trainwreck to another, Courtney Love has some advice for Britney Spears.

Books

‘I Am America’ offers nothing new for fans

10/23/2007

Stephen Colbert has garnered a good deal of press ever since he announced on his show that he is running for president of the United States (though only in South Carolina). He was purportedly “testing the waters” with his recent book, “I Am America (And So Can You!),” the progeny of 2004’s “America (The Book),” by Jon Stewart ’84 and his “Daily Show” staff. Sadly, ‘I Am America’ does not quite live up to the quality and humor of its predecessor — just like Colbert and his show, “The Colbert Report.”

Aging Roth publishes new novel, ‘Exit Ghost’

10/05/2007

Enter Philip Roth. The year is 1959 and the young American writer has just published his debut novel, “Goodbye Columbus,” igniting one of the most fruitful, forceful and wild careers in American letters. With the publication of “Exit Ghost” nearly 50 years later, Roth is still at it, but this most recent book reveals his age on many levels.

Potter finale thrills, disappoints

08/29/2007

This review of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” will contain spoilers. I’m sorry, but that’s how it must be. And honestly, do you really need to read a review of the final installment of what is arguably one of the most popular book series of all time to decide whether or not to read it?

Palahniuk novel delights, disgusts

05/01/2007

Today’s is a world desensitized and jaded, accepting images of teddy bears and car crashes as equal. However, Chuck Palahniuk, author of hit novels such as “Fight Club,” stands apart from other contemporary authors because his novels can still cause revulsion and disgust among a generation raised on MTV. Consider his new novel, “Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey,” an excellent example of this ability.

Arts Around Campus

Sex Workers’ Art Show shocks

02/08/2008

Honestly, I went for the sex. However, the Sex Workers’ Art Show turned out to be so much more than that. Its performers ranged from a gay prostitute/stand-up comedian to an actress-turned-pole dancer to a transsexual stripper with sparklers sending bits of light exploding out of her ass.

Kimball festival harkens back to classics

02/08/2008

If you’re still unfamiliar with a tiny little flick called “Lars and the Real Girl,” you’re missing out. It’s a funny, character-driven movie about a guy (Ryan Gosling, “The Notebook”) who falls in love with a Real Doll.

Novak makes stand-up appearance

02/08/2008

“The Office” star B.J. Novak came to Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall Friday Feb. 1 to perform for a sold-out crowd. The lengthy applause Novak received was not surprising, given that he is a writer, producer, and an actor on one of today’s most popular television shows.

Sinfonicron produces ‘Pirates of Penzance’

01/25/2008

The Sinfonicron Light Opera Company presented the musical “Pirates of Penzance” this past weekend, produced by Timothy Kaufmann ’08 and directed by Dan Plehal ’09.