Leisure

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

Leisure

Dull Bits Cut Out: The Best of the Coen Brothers

With the release of Hail, Caesar! last weekend, Joel and Ethan Coen have put out their seventeenth feature film, more than 30 years on from thei r 1984 debut Blood... Read more

By February 12, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Porches, Pool

Indie artists have increasingly incorporated synth pop vibes and unrefined vocals into their sound. On the surface, Porches, a NYC-based band spearheaded by couple Aaron Maine and Greta Kline, appears... Read more

By February 10, 2016

Leisure

Mischief, Magic and Musical Interludes: Folger Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

At 8:00 PM on the dot, Puck — that merry wanderer of the night — ambled up the aisle of the historic Folger Library Theatre. Played by Erin Weaver (Puck... Read more

By February 10, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Elton John, Wonderful Crazy Night

Friday saw the release of Elton John’s thirty-third studio album. Wonderful Crazy Night is his first since 2013 and the first to enlist the Elton John Band (guitarist Davey Johnstone,... Read more

By February 8, 2016

Features

“Oh, Hello” Again: Georgetown Welcomes Back Comedic Duo

At first glance, Bulldog Alley may not seem like much of a performance area. But for comedians John Mulaney (COL ‘04) and Nick Kroll (COL ‘01), this unassuming venue would... Read more

By February 8, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Sia, This is Acting

“Everyone in entertainment is insecure. We’ve been dancing our entire lives for your approval,” commented Australian singer-songwriter, Sia. With the release of her 7th album, This is Acting, Sia dances... Read more

By February 8, 2016

Leisure

Et Tu, Brolin? An Ensemble Cast Carries the Coen Brothers’ Hail, Caesar!

The Coen Brothers have become cinematic chameleons. Over the course of their career, they have moved from the absurdly comical, The Big Lebowski, to the darkly comical, Fargo, to the... Read more

By February 6, 2016

Leisure

Sopranos, Strings, and Symphonies: What Lies in Shadow

Before spending a night at the opera, I tend to research some of the production’s background information and context. Understanding the historical, political, and social implications of a performance, for example, allows... Read more

By February 4, 2016

Leisure

The Boy: Clichéd, Innovative, Or Both?

Toeing a fine line between cliché and innovation, director William Brent Bell’s newest horror movie, The Boy, gets audiences screaming as it spins the tale of a doll replacing the... Read more

By February 2, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Wet, Don’t You

Synth indie pop has been an increasingly popular genre, and indie groups and mainstream artists alike seem to have increased R&B influences in their music. Rising music trio Wet offers... Read more

By February 1, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Ty Segall, Emotional Mugger

Ty Segall just can’t stop making music. Emotional Mugger, his latest release (from Drag City Records), is his ninth studio album in as many years, not to mention the numerous... Read more

By January 31, 2016

Leisure

Imperfect Storm: The Finest Hours Fails to Make a Splash

Despite having a thrilling storyline and an amazing ensemble of actors to work with, Disney fails to create a truly moving cinematic experience with its newest movie The Finest Hours.... Read more

By January 29, 2016

Leisure

Dull Bits Cut Out: The Rising Star of Oscar Isaac

Statistically speaking, if you’re reading this, you’ve probably seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens at least once, maybe even two or three or seven times. While watching the film, you... Read more

By January 27, 2016

Leisure

A New Kind of Old-Fashioned: The Classic Romance of Carol

The thing about most great romances, and romantic films in particular, is how much they rest on what is implied, and how they can fit maximal meaning into minimal gesture.... Read more

By January 25, 2016

Leisure

Grin and Bear It: The Revenant is a Tour-De-Force For Its Director and Actors

No one likes a show-off. There are undoubtedly some moments throughout Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant that feel as if the director is simply showing off what he can do... Read more

By January 25, 2016

Leisure

Snow, Snow, Snow: Improv Worth Braving a Blizzard

Despite the blizzard of a lifetime raging outside, students crowded into Bulldog Alley for the Georgetown Improv Association’s sold-out show. The audience quieted in anticipation, but once Caitlin Cleary (COL... Read more

By January 25, 2016

Leisure

Nomadic’s The Metal Children Captivates through Controversy

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Lady Chatterly’s Lover, and Catcher in the Rye — what do these three books have in common? They have, at some point, been banned... Read more

By January 23, 2016

Leisure

Who’s Laughing Now: McKay’s Script, Cast Make The Big Short One of the Best Films of the Year

Leave it to Adam McKay, director of the Anchorman movies and Step Brothers, to find humor in the economic collapse of 2008. That is not to say that he has... Read more

By January 22, 2016

Leisure

Lost in the Woods: The Forest Succumbs to Tropes of Terror

Horror movies are hard to get right, often in danger of becoming a string of clichés and cheap scares. Unfortunately, 2016’s first horror flick, The Forest, director Jason Zada’s first... Read more

By January 21, 2016

Leisure

Smoke and Mirrors: Bay’s 13 Hours Celebrates Benghazi Heroes, Derides U.S. Intelligence

You can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys. Jack Silva (John Krasinski) hears this line early in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and the rest of... Read more

By January 20, 2016