Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

Kleptocracy Engages the Unknown

The District is about to devour Kleptocracy. Arena Stage’s latest production, which runs through Feb. 24, is the world premiere of a play set in 1990s Russia that depicts the... Read more

By February 1, 2019

Leisure

Matthew McConaughey Flounders in Steve Knight’s Serenity

On the soporific Plymouth Island, somewhere tropical and isolated, everyone knows Baker Dill’s (Matthew McConaughey) business. Information is more likely to be passed on by bartenders and grocery clerks than... Read more

By February 1, 2019

Features

Jojo Ruf takes the stage at Theater J

Jojo Ruf (COL ’08, MBA ’19) has been involved in the Washington, D.C., theater scene as an audience member, an artist, and a producer for most of her life. But... Read more

By February 1, 2019

Leisure

Speech & Debate Grapples with the Complexities of Truth

Speech & Debate begins by brutally wrenching the audience back into the dark, confusing, and hazy years of high school: painted brick walls, cheesy slogans, and awkward morning announcements. Speech... Read more

By January 31, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: Maggie Rogers, Heard It In A Past Life

“Would you hear me out / If I told you I was terrified for days? Thought I was gonna break,” Maggie Rogers admits in “Light On,” the third single released... Read more

By January 31, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: Weezer, Teal Album

When a band covers a song, it is commonplace to add their own unique twist to the sound of the original. Take Hendrix’s obtrusive, amplified interpretation of Dylan’s folk-rock single... Read more

By January 31, 2019

Leisure

Glass is a Shattered Mess

It is safe to say that we’re living in the superhero movie era. They have taken over the box-office, the celebrity realm, and even the critical world: at the Academy... Read more

By January 30, 2019

Leisure

Critical Voices: gnash, we

Singer, song-writer, and sad boy musician Garrett Nash, better known as gnash, is nothing if not gentle and kind in his attempt to create music that sparks conversation and makes... Read more

By January 28, 2019

Leisure

Bradley Steven’s Art Exhibit: A New Look on the Past in order to Move Forward

“The government is shut down; all the museums are closed; get your art fix here,” said artist Bradley Stevens, standing in front of his exhibit Museum Studies II: Honoring the... Read more

By January 22, 2019

Leisure

Vice: a Cautionary Tale Muffled by a Partisan Echo Chamber

Phenomenal acting and a compelling storyline make Vice worth seeing, but its otherwise unrealized potential prevents this good film from being a great one. Ultimately, Vice’s greatest downfall is how... Read more

By January 22, 2019

Leisure

Capernaum Depicts Life in Lebanon with Haunting Realism

In December, Capernaum (2018) broke ground by becoming the first Lebanese film to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Motion Picture at the Golden Globes. Although the prize was taken... Read more

By January 18, 2019

Leisure

Pulse is a Clever Expression of Biometric Data

For Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, the human heartbeat fulfills its poetic potential best when heard as one among many. Lozano-Hemmer’s introduction to his newest exhibit at the Hirshhorn Museum, Pulse,... Read more

By January 18, 2019

Leisure

Mary Poppins Returns Brings Heart and CGI to an Old Classic

Mary Poppins is back, and she is ready to enchant a new generation of children. After months of Disney-generated anticipation by new and old fans alike, the sequel to one... Read more

By January 17, 2019

Leisure

Concert Preview: Panic! At The Disco, Jan. 20, Capital One Arena

From its formation in 2004, Panic! At The Disco has maintained its presence as one of the biggest faces of rock in the 21st century. Their debut studio album A... Read more

By January 16, 2019

Leisure

At Arena Stage, Indecent is a Requiem for Art’s Endurance

Ghosts come alive at the start of Arena Stage’s production of Indecent, the dust rising from the actors’ heavy overcoats in poetic plumes. Lemml (Ben Cherry, bearded and earnest) serves... Read more

By January 15, 2019

Leisure

Epic Adventure Aquaman Reaches for Greatness

For DC Comics fans, it has been a rough few years. Between the cliffhanger ending of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and the cultural significance of Black Panther, DC seems to... Read more

By January 8, 2019

Leisure

Mary Queen of Scots is an Uneven, but Enjoyable Period Drama

Mary Queen of Scots is an entertaining, but ultimately uneven period drama. It has gorgeous costumes, a wonderful pair of lead actresses, some genuinely compelling palace intrigue, and a few... Read more

By January 4, 2019

Leisure

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Reinvents the Classic Hero

On top of a New York City skyscraper, a teenager clad in the blue-and-red Spider-Man suit hangs over the edge, gazing at the cars on the streets below. This is... Read more

By January 3, 2019

Leisure

If Beale Street Could Talk is a Celebration of Black Love

“The thing that grabbed me about this book is that these guys are soulmates. They are just soulmates. And I just hadn’t really seen or read many narratives about young,... Read more

By December 28, 2018

Leisure

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is Some Kind of Glitterful and Wonderful

With lights that sparkle and costumes that dazzle, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical works like magic onstage. Based on true events, Beautiful chronicles the life of singer-songwriter Carole King as... Read more

By December 13, 2018