Leisure

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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GLOW Exhibit Flickers: The exhibit lights up the neighborhood, but falters as a whole

In its third year, the Georgetown GLOW art instillation adds a bright touch to the area, but it is more trendy than it is artistic. It follows in the footsteps... Read more

By December 19, 2016

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Critical Voices: Dr. Dog, Abandoned Mansion

On Nov. 29, Dr. Dog unexpectedly dropped their ninth studio album, Abandoned Mansion. With their most popular album having barely cracked the top 50, the Philadelphia-area indie rock band doesn’t... Read more

By December 19, 2016

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Critical Voices: Childish Gambino, “Awaken, My Love!”

The first single from Childish Gambino’s latest album “Awaken, My Love!” was released with little fanfare: a Youtube video of an eerie, gleeful, blue face, accompanied by a song entitled... Read more

By December 9, 2016

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Defying Appearances: The Districts at DC9, 12/3

The Districts didn’t look like they should be taken seriously. The band passed around a bottle of wine, each member taking a small sip. Frontman Rob Grote had a thin... Read more

By December 9, 2016

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Arrival Journeys into the Unknown

Louise Banks (Amy Adams) stands on a forklift ascending into an alien space ship, one of twelve that have landed all over the world. Her face is covered by a... Read more

By December 8, 2016

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Critical Voices: The Rolling Stones, Blue & Lonesome

After nearly six decades of creating and performing some of the most iconic music ever recorded, The Rolling Stones do not need to further validate the claim that they are... Read more

By December 7, 2016

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Critical Voices: The Hamilton Mixtape

The Hamilton Mixtape, inspired by the soundtrack of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton, features interpretations of the original songs from a series of high profile artists as well as... Read more

By December 7, 2016

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Critical Voices: The Weeknd, Starboy

Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as The Weeknd, spared no expense to publicize his latest album: teasing with singles, mysterious music videos, a conspicuously star-studded list of features, and a twelve-minute... Read more

By December 5, 2016

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Best of 2016: Music

1.) Coloring Book, Chance the Rapper In five short years, Chance has released three mixtapes, a collaborative album, and has been featured in the work of various musicians. Even within this impressive... Read more

By the December 2, 2016

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Best of 2016: Movies

1.) Zootopia Zootopia includes effective humor, impactful themes, and introduces a beautiful, immersive environment to boot. The film follows Judy Hopps’s move to the city of Zootopia where she attempts to... Read more

By , , , , , , , and December 2, 2016

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An Energetic Return: Good Charlotte at Echostage, 11/16

After breaking their four-year hiatus with a four show mini-tour earlier this year, Good Charlotte performed at Echostage on Nov. 16. The Youth Authority tour featured both Good Charlotte and... Read more

By November 28, 2016

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We Can Love: The Paper Kites at U Street Music Hall, 11/17

The Paper Kites, a folk-rock band from Melbourne, Australia, did not disappoint in the second show of their current month-long tour. Playing to a small yet spirited crowd at the... Read more

By November 28, 2016

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Critical Voices: Metallica, Hardwired…To Self Destruct

Metallica has taken teenage angst and made it a lifestyle choice as the band members, all around 50 years old, continue to create heavy metal music with no clear intentions... Read more

By November 26, 2016

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We got it from Here: Hip-hop’s First Response to Trump’s America

It had been 18 years since hip-hop pioneers A Tribe Called Quest released their last album. But last week, just three days after the election, Tribe gave us the first... Read more

By November 24, 2016