Halftime Leisure

The Voice’s takes on all things media and culture.

Halftime Leisure

American Ultra Burns Out

I was really looking forward to seeing American Ultra. It was sold to me as “Pineapple Express meets Jason Bourne,” and The New Yorker even lent it a veneer of... Read more

By September 8, 2015

Halftime Leisure

NBC’s Hannibal  Will Be Missed

The idea of the show that is cancelled far too soon is not a new one. Television aficionados will point to shows such as Firefly, Twin Peaks, and Freaks and... Read more

By September 8, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Halftime Reviews: Depression Cherry by Beach House

A single mood dictating an album usually spells disaster for an artist’s newest project. One tone, whether emotionally distraught or joyous, can turn to pure monotony with extreme ease. Beach... Read more

By September 7, 2015

Halftime Leisure

“I cannot live without books”: The 2015 National Book Festival

At first glance, the 15th annual National Book Festival looks like any other convention. It’s filled with confused attendees, stealing quick glances between their Walter E. Washington Convention Center maps... Read more

By September 7, 2015

Halftime Leisure

The Halftime Brunch Bracket

Brunch. Everyone who’s anyone in DC has been there. There are many kinds of brunchers: the Eager Instagrammer, looking out for the most aesthetically pleasing brunch platters, iPhone in hand;... Read more

By September 4, 2015

Halftime Leisure

The Soil: God, soul-pop, and the culture of South Africa

While in Cape Town this summer, I heard the South African acapella group The Soil’s new album blaring everywhere I went, from the insides of taxicabs, to farmers’ market shops,... Read more

By September 3, 2015

Halftime Leisure

The Operatic Friendzone

When most people think of opera, the plot goes a little something like this: boy meets girl, girl meets boy, both characters fall in love with one another in less... Read more

By September 2, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Small Plots, Big Actors: A look at Southpaw and The Influence of “Boxing Films”

Despite featuring a muscle-bound Jake Gyllenhaal, a strong, tailor-made score, and scenes of heart-rending tension, Antoine Fuqua presents a film that relies on generic clichés to carry out a nonsensical... Read more

By September 1, 2015

Halftime

The Weekly List: Back to School

  Welcome back to the Hilltop, Hoyas! For our inaugural Weekly List, we’ve put together a playlist of some great end of summer/beginning of school tunes to get you acclimated... Read more

By August 31, 2015

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True Detective Season 2 Collapses Under Its Own Weight

Warning: Spoilers for Season 2 of True Detective ahead Season 2 of True Detective was already at a disadvantage by the end of the first season. It was so good that... Read more

By August 26, 2015

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Franchise: Impossible: the longevity of Cruise’s spy-action films

At 53, despite a torrid personal life and a questionable belief system, Tom Cruise has once again proven that he is one of the best leading men in Hollywood. Mission... Read more

By August 22, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Mustaches, Masculinity, and the Terrifying Future: What’s Up Mad Men?

With only four more episodes until the end of the world of Mad Men, Don Draper and those around him find themselves in precarious situations. The future is a scary,... Read more

By April 21, 2015

Halftime Leisure

The Closet Otaku: The embedded misogyny of Sword Art Online

I no longer feel comfortable with Sword Art Online’s very existence. SAO is based on a fascinating science fiction premise. A mysterious video game developer, Kayaba Akihiko, decides to trap... Read more

By April 14, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Reflections On 11:59

“He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” – Confucius Over the past several months, I was lucky... Read more

By April 14, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Is there a "War to Come" for Game of Thrones?

Spoiler warning: This article discusses events leading up to and including the first episode of season five. This writer has yet to conquer the literary behemoths the show is based... Read more

By April 13, 2015

Halftime Leisure

The Weekly List: Wu-Tang Wednesdays

[8tracks url=”https://8tracks.com/rwm126/wu-tang-wednesday” ] Wu-Tang Wednesday is more than just a day to listen to the Wu; it’s a mindset to adopt for a full 24 hours. I was first introduced... Read more

By April 13, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Roy Hargrove’s Shadow Live at a Shallow DC Jazz Club

I didn’t see Roy Hargrove at Blues Alley on Saturday night; I saw the shadow of the man who still inspires me to play trumpet, who can solo brilliantly with... Read more

By April 13, 2015

Halftime Leisure

HONM: The New Cartographers

“I can barely type and he’s sitting there making like, a Hackintosh or something”   Vanessa and Vincent came to the National Mall under the impression that it was the... Read more

By April 13, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Get Hard  Is Worth The Time

In recent years, Will Ferrell has come to be known for making fantastic trailers for movies, but only that. Time and time again, an entire movie’s worth of funny scenes... Read more

By April 7, 2015

Halftime Leisure

Saturday Night Live: The Good, The Bad, The Unclear

Saturday Night Live, the unfellable late-night staple, currently stands at a strange crossroads. After riding the high of a 40th anniversary special, the show has settled back into the in-between... Read more

By April 2, 2015