Leisure

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

Leisure

Despite Its Compelling Scandal, Gold Falls Flat

Any scandal should be the perfect recipe for a compelling drama, and Gold is based on one of the greatest frauds in history, the 1993 Bre-X mining scandal. This is... Read more

By February 3, 2017

Features

Sofar, So Good: Uncovering D.C.’s Pop-Up Concert Scene

A crowd of people file into WeWork, a trendy office coworking space in DuPont Circle, on a Wednesday evening. Chattering amongst themselves and opening up their wine and beer bottles,... Read more

By February 2, 2017

Leisure

The Red Turtle is a Poignant, Artful Vignette of Life

In the beginning, you hover above the turmoil of dark, crashing waves and are thrown under the moving ocean. You watch a bearded man desperately try to claw his way... Read more

By January 30, 2017

Leisure

Split: Back to Form

M. Night Shyamalan’s movies are known for their twists. Looking at his résumé, it is not hard to see why audiences have come to expect that final, shocking revelation that... Read more

By and January 27, 2017

Leisure

Concert Preview: White Lies, Feb. 1, 9:30 Club

Formerly well-known for adhering to a distinctly post-punk style, the English trio White Lies has begun to branch out from their limited frame in their latest album, Friends Harry McVeigh,... Read more

By January 26, 2017

Leisure

Concert Preview: G. Love and Special Sauce, Jan. 29, 9:30 Club

In a music industry saturated with overproduced and unsatisfying pop tunes, G. Love and Special Sauce keeps it old school. Although the three-man combo group has come quite a way... Read more

By January 24, 2017

Leisure

Americana Dream: The Founder Details McDonald’s Cutthroat Origins

Pursuits of the American Dream — successful or otherwise — litter our nation’s films, but rarely does the success story make you cringe. With The Founder, director John Lee Hancock... Read more

By January 23, 2017

Leisure

Evenings at the Edge Offers an Exciting New Spin to the National Gallery’s Art

On Jan. 12th from 6-9 pm, the National Gallery of Art buzzed with an energy imperceptible during its regular hours. Glowing tables, thumping music, and dim lighting all added to... Read more

By January 22, 2017

Leisure

Toni Erdmann Explores the Touching, Quirky Relationship between Father and Daughter

German director Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann is one of the boldest films of the year. Built on witty dialogue, bombastic set pieces, and great performances by its lead actors, it... Read more

By January 22, 2017

Leisure

The xx Return with Bold Minimalism in I See You

The xx simultaneously developed and contradicted their established style with the release of their new album I See You. The band has been described as “minimalist” and “shy” by their... Read more

By January 20, 2017

Leisure

Immortalizing Tragedy: Patriots Day Tells the Whole Story

Director Peter Berg’s Patriots Day covers every aspect of the 2013 attack. It shows the before, during and after and follows the survivors, the police and FBI, the bombers, and... Read more

By January 19, 2017

Leisure

A First Glimpse at Ed Sheeran’s Newest Album

In the early hours of New Year’s Day the Internet was buzzing with the news that Ed Sheeran had already saved 2017. He had posted a nine second video to... Read more

By January 10, 2017

Leisure

Scorsese’s Silence Speaks Volumes

The opening of Martin Scorsese’s Silence is bleak, blunt, and harsh: a plain-text title slide cuts directly to a foggy image of a man standing beside a pair of severed... Read more

By January 9, 2017

Leisure

CV: Kid Cudi, Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin’

Kid Cudi had hit rock bottom. Personally, the depression that he had expressed with his signature pain-filled lyricism had finally caught up with him. He had checked into rehab, dealing... Read more

By December 31, 2016

Leisure

Manchester by the Sea Confronts Tragedy in a Gritty, Realistic Way

Anything said here will undoubtedly be unintelligible against the din of praise for Manchester by the Sea. Although it’s tempting to be a dissenting voice, if only to be heard,... Read more

By December 31, 2016

Leisure

CV: J. Cole, 4 Your Eyez Only

Days before the release of his new album 4 Your Eyez Only, J. Cole released a short film documenting the creative process behind the album, with footage of Cole and... Read more

By December 29, 2016

Leisure

Lost in Space: Pratt and Lawrence Carry Thought-Provoking Passengers

Chris Pratt has gone from lovable loser to saving the galaxy to hunting dinosaurs in his rollercoaster of a career. In director Morten Tyldum’s Passengers, he is now charged with... Read more

By December 28, 2016

Leisure

Star Wars Goes Rogue, with Mixed Results

After seven offerings, the elements of the Star Wars series are fairly straightforward: an opening crawl, orphans and desert planets, lightsaber battles, and, of course, endless discussion of the dark... Read more

By December 20, 2016

Leisure

La La Land Transcends Mere Dialogue

Simultaneously whimsical and melancholy, La La Land manages to weave a simple story of love and ambition in the most dazzling of ways. The film is an original musical with... Read more

By December 20, 2016

Leisure

Jackie Shows First Lady in Grim New Light

In a 1961 interview with Jaqueline Kennedy, Sander Vancour said to the new first lady, “If I may say so, without disrespect, every time I’ve been in the White House... Read more

By December 20, 2016