Artsweek

December 4, 2008

Top Dog ****

By Amy Silverstein

Hollywood films about heavy-duty social issues tend to fall into one of two categories: condescending melodramas that appeal to sentimental pre-teen girls ("Crash" and "Blood Diamond") and truly gut-wrenching films like ...

December 4, 2008

The “Milk” Man ****

By Ben Bradley

When it comes to addressing tragedy and hot-button social issues, director Gus Van Sant has plenty of experience - his previous films have addressed topics of school shootings, suicide and inner-city education - so it's ...

December 4, 2008

Female Fantasy ***

By Stephanie Talavera

Twilight is the first of four best-selling young adult novels written by Stephanie Meyer, following the budding romance between the teenaged protagonist, Bella, and her 107-year-old vampire lover, Edward, who is forever ...

December 4, 2008

Robotic Engineering (0 stars)

By Artsweek Editor

Wherever T-Pain is, he needs to be dragged out in front of the public and put into the stockade for crimes committed against music. He has directly contributed to this increasingly distressing vocorder lunacy that has in...

December 4, 2008

Third Time’s The Charm ****

By Sara Weitz

The Killers can do no wrong and with its new album, Day & Age. The Las Vegas-based band's third record will make new fans, keep old fans and have everybody coming back for more.

December 4, 2008

The Sounds of the Season

By Steven Morris

That voice... Arkansas' Adam Faucett comes straight from the netherworld releasing his second album, Show Me Magic, Show Me Out, that somehow manages to upstage his brilliant debut. Here, Faucett again showcases what an ...

November 20, 2008

Another Night in the Neighborhood

By Staff

After only a few minutes at the Biko Co-op Garage Performance Space on Sueno Road, one gets the feeling that most weekend nights at the garage turn into wild, decadent dance parties - at least when there's good music pla...

November 20, 2008

MC Lyte Holds Court in I.V.

By Sara Weitz

MC Lyte is known as one of the greatest female rappers of all time. With a career spanning almost 20 years, which began when her first single dropped in 1986, MC Lyte is a woman who changed the game of hip hop with her i...

November 20, 2008

Meet the Smiths ****

By Aaron Harms

The Sound of the Smiths is an extensive collection of the Smiths' greatest hits, with 23 of its better-known tracks on the first disk and an impressive collection of 22 lesser-known (but equally good) B-sides and live ve...

November 20, 2008

Bond Is Back… ***

By Artsweek Editor

James Bond movies are supposed to be fun, escapist and entertaining fare that pass in one ear and out the other without a great deal of consequence and with a great deal of snappy one-liners, smoking hot women, cars that...

November 20, 2008

C’mon, Get Happy ****

By Steven Morris

Poppy (played in a beautifully nuanced performance by newcomer Sally Hawkins) is an optimistic person. She is a 30-year-old elementary school teacher and lives a somewhat carefree life in London with her friend Zoe and h...

November 20, 2008

Art Imitates Life ****

By Virginia Yapp

Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's characters have always been insanely neurotic and self-obsessed, but his directorial debut, "Synecdoche, New York," takes the unrelenting self-examination to new heights.

November 13, 2008

Out and About

By Staff

One of the first films screened at OUTrageous! was "20 Straws: Growing Up Gay," directed by Liv Gjestvang and the Youth Video OUTreach Collective. The short film documents the experiences of nine gay and lesbian teenager...

November 13, 2008

Dance Dance Revolution

By Artsweek Editor

To the throng that waited outside the Thunderdome at 6 p.m. to be let into the concert, I tip my hat and shake my head. The doors opened at 6:30 p.m., but Lupe Fiasco didn't take the stage until around 10 p.m., leaving t...

November 13, 2008

Ronstadt Brings Retro Charm to State Street

By Amy Silverstein

Linda Ronstadt's performance at the Arlington Theatre last Tuesday was shamelessly cheesy, but it was more on par with aged, quality Swiss than with Kraft Mac in a box.

November 13, 2008

Slumber Party

By Steven Morris

Oklahoma synthpop, electroclash, electronica-rock band Shiny Toy Guns attempted to rock the stylish - if a bit too small - club Velvet Jones on State Street, but Sunday night is no match for even the most danceable bands...