Rianna Folds


Leisure

Gritty and dark, Hunger Games whets audience’s appetite

The odds are no longer in Katniss Everdeen’s favor. Darker and more raw than The Hunger Games (2012), Catching Fire captures the emotional aftermath of Katniss’ Hunger Games win and the dangerous ripples of rebellion coursing through Panem.

Leisure

Ejiofor breaks chains and fourth wall in 12 Years a Slave

Full disclosure: I am a descendent of slave owners. However, it doesn’t take a sordid family history to be struck by the stark anguish of Solomon Northup’s (Chiwetel Ejiofor) captivity in 12 Years a Slave.

Leisure

Intimate new bar snuggles up to U St.

As a general rule, it’s a good idea to avoid dark, isolated basements. But despite its location underneath the pan-Asian restaurant Doi Moi in an alley just off U St., 2 Birds 1 Stone is not exactly dark and full of terrors.