Leisure
Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.
Environmental aesthetics on M Street
What would you do with some algae, horsehair and snow? Throw it all away? Not Emily Chirstenson. Her first East Coast show, Blue Currents, proves that paintings become prettier if you let nature participate in their creation.
Deadbeats
To the laziest constituents of music’s critical and consumer realms, each sparkle from Lil’ John’s grill represents the victory of style over substance, production values over quality songwriting. We are entrenched in an era when studio trickery can wax even the window-shattering squawks of Ashlee Simpson to an FM-ready polish.
Lust, Caution heats up screen
When the producers of Lust, Caution confronted director Ang Lee about his film’s NC-17 rating, he refused to take out any scenes. Directors know that such a rating can be a death sentence at the box office, but Lee’s decision was justified; the sex scenes make the film, adding not only the right tone but the right emotions to elevate the film from just another thriller to a study in lust and power.
We Own the Night falls short of Departed
We Own the Night is a standard crime drama with a slight twist: the two main characters are still on opposite sides of the law, like The Departed, but this time, they’re brothers.
Fixer Clayton needs fixing
Confusion in a film can create suspense, serve as a plot device or even develop a character, but the biggest problem with Michael Clayton is that it is just plain confusing.
The Exonerated
“This show is ultimately about hope,” show producer Jessica Stone (COL’08) said after the first run of The Nomadic Theater’s production of The Exonerated.
Stogies 101
If you’ve seen Scarface one too many times or the allure of blowing smoke rings has gotten to you, the world of cigar smoking might have something to offer. Here’s a quick guide for picking cigars, compiled after a chat with Edward Gnehm III, the manager of Georgetown Tobacco on M Street.
America according to Colbert
If I were to take the advice Stephen Colbert’s offers in his new book I Am America (And So Can You!), I wouldn’t stoop so low as to write about the hilarious and much-needed “Constitution for the Colbert Nation.” I would feel it with my gut.
Music for your mind
Based upon its premise alone, The Gunshy’s There’s No Love In This War stands as one of the best independent releases of 2007.
Do you believe In Rainbows?
Less than two months ago, rumors circulated that Radiohead would wait until 2008 to release their long-awaited seventh LP. Then, on Oct. 1st, a message appeared on the band’s official website detailing that the new record, entitled In Rainbows, would come out in 10 days. No promos, no publicity, no hype. The price? “Whatever you want.”
The Ceviche Concept
You can’t spell “Ceviche” without the word “chic” ... and rearranging a few letters. And that’s exactly what Ceviche restaurant is—chic. This second installment of a new restaurant chain of famed restaurateur Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld opened just two months ago. Though aiming to fill the Latin-cuisine need of the Glover Park/Georgetown area, “chic” doesn’t quite cover for inauthentic food.
Turner exhibit takes on mythical proportions
The current exhibit at the National Gallery of Art boasts the “largest Turner retrospective ever in the United States.” Such a statement seems to add needless weight to the historical importance of the artist. This might be mere pandering to the eager tourist if it wasn’t for the surprising depth that a truly complete Turner show achieves.
YouTopia: World’s greatest freaks and geeks
World records tend to fall within three categories: impressive physical feats, biological abnormalities and arbitrary spectacle. While the majority of these achievements seem legitimate, some of the more random records negate being “the best” versus being “the only.” Sure, more people can make records this way, but often times the results become laughable. Here’s a taste of some of the more bizarre records featured on YouTube.
Penn’s Into the Wild finds its niche
The premise sounds straight out of the Darwin Awards: boy graduates from college, gives all his money to charity and goes out to “find himself,” only to starve to death alone in the Alaskan wilderness.
Gimme that Darjeelin’ feelin’
Wes Anderson is a director who makes fanatics, not fans. Fanatics are precarious; each well-received film increases the potential backlash should the next one fail to exceed such standards. For the same reason, one cannot view a Wes Anderson film as an isolated work of art. Rather, it is in conversation with everything he has previously made.
Brotherly love, art and cereal
You’ve been counting down the hours until the upcoming three-day weekend, but you’re tired of the campus party routine. Why not treat yourself to a weekend in Philadelphia?
