Leisure

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

Leisure

“What Absence is Made Of” Proves that Less is More

During a cursory walk around “What Absence is Made Of,” it’s easy to become confused or disoriented by the artwork’s variety of styles.  This is because as the title suggests,... Read more

By October 27, 2017

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Nomadic Theatre Balances Comedy and Domestic Violence in Exit, Pursued By a Bear

A figure struggles against the duct tape that binds him to a sofa-chair. A stripper and a man dressed as a cheerleader console a conflicted woman. The floor is littered... Read more

By October 27, 2017

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Concert Review: LCD Soundsystem, October 17, The Anthem

LCD Soundsystem is back. After playing their “last show ever” at a legendary Madison Square Garden concert on April 2, 2011, the band decided they would rather be liars who... Read more

By October 26, 2017

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Critical Voices: King Krule, The Ooz

British artist Archy Ivan Marshall debuted the stage name King Krule with his album Six Feet Beneath the Moon (2013). Despite the generally positive reception of the album, it was... Read more

By October 24, 2017

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Jackie Chan Deserves Better in The Foreigner

Action thriller The Foreigner marks the return of Jackie Chan to the silver screen. His last large role was in 2010 with The Karate Kid, but he’s had minor roles... Read more

By October 23, 2017

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Critical Voices: Pink, Beautiful Trauma

From start to finish, Pink’s latest album Beautiful Trauma is a proud declaration that she has matured but hasn’t lost a single ounce of the unapologetic brashness that put her... Read more

By October 20, 2017

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Colorful Worlds and Colorful Faces at the Touchstone Gallery

The Touchstone Gallery in downtown DC has two new exhibits for art lovers to immerse themselves in. The exhibits: “beg borrow + steal: works on cardboard by Dana Brotman” and... Read more

By October 19, 2017

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Goodbye Christopher Robin Grapples With War and Public Persona

Goodbye Christopher Robin tells the story of A.A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson), the former playwright and creator of Winnie the Pooh. Going into the movie, one may think that this subject... Read more

By October 15, 2017

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Happy Death Day Kills It As A Comedy

Calling Happy Death Day a horror movie is a bit of a stretch. It has its fair share of jump scares, screams, and murder, but when the entire audience erupts... Read more

By October 15, 2017

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The Infinite Wrench Tackles Modern Issues in Innovative Ways

The Infinite Wrench brings a new form of theatre to Georgetown which is truly contemporary, both pushing back against and moving with the modern preference for quick and brief entertainment.... Read more

By October 13, 2017

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Critical Voices: Sleeping With Sirens, Gossip

There comes a time in the career of countless artists when they decide it’s time to go mainstream in a maybe disappointing though understandable move to keep their music relevant.... Read more

By October 13, 2017

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Critical Voices: Miley Cyrus, Younger Now

The world’s favorite sledgehammer licker, Miley Cyrus, has returned with the release of her latest album, Younger Now. After a few years of reshaping her identity and scarring the world’s... Read more

By October 13, 2017

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American Made Fails to Address Sensitive Issues

From the very first scene, viewers of American Made know what they are getting themselves into as Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) deliberately startles the sleeping passengers on board by taking... Read more

By October 11, 2017

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Critical Voices: Kamasi Washington, Harmony of Difference

After releasing his breakout 2015 album, aptly titled The Epic, saxophonist Kamasi Washington was hailed as the future of jazz, as one of few artists who would take the genre... Read more

By October 6, 2017

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Don’t Accept This Friend Request

It’s a great time to be a fan of horror movies. The past five years have seen mainstream hits like The Conjuring franchise that has combined critical and commercial success,... Read more

By October 5, 2017

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Emma Stone Shines in Unfocused but Entertaining Biopic Battle of the Sexes

Battle of the Sexes employs a largely impractical structure to tell the story of how two tennis giants of opposite sexes went head-to-head in a legendary match in 1973. Starring... Read more

By September 29, 2017

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Critical Voices: The Neighbourhood, Hard

“Sweater Weather” is definitely in the air, not only because it is officially fall, but because The Neighbourhood recently released their new EP, Hard, on September 21. The California-based band... Read more

By September 29, 2017

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Kingsman: The Golden Circle Is Too Much of a Good Thing

Few films are made with as little restraint as Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Writer and director Matthew Vaughn manages to squeeze jaw-dropping action, political commentary, Elton John, betrayals, relationship drama,... Read more

By September 29, 2017

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Badbadnotgood Concert Review: Definitely Not Bad at the 9:30 Club

On Sunday night, Badbadnotgood solidified their place as one of jazz’s most compelling and entertaining acts. After a dramatic entrance to their rendition of “The Tequila Song” (powered primarily by... Read more

By September 25, 2017

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Dunst’s performance as a grief-stricken marijuana dealer is the highlight of half-baked drama, Woodshock

Film festival season is in high gear, and this year all bets are on A24. In the past several years, the production company has been touted for its provocative, thought-provoking... Read more

By September 25, 2017