Leisure

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Critical Voices: Anderson .Paak, Malibu

Anderson .Paak’s most recent release has been receiving a lot of hype, and with good reason. The southern California singer-rapper’s sophomore project, entitled Malibu, released simultaneously by Steel Wool, OBE, Art Club,... Read more

By January 19, 2016

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Golden Globes 2016: Recap, Reactions, and Ricky

Due to free-flowing booze, circular tables rather than rigid auditorium seats, and twice the number of A-listers (stars from both television and film attend), the Golden Globes is notoriously known... Read more

By January 18, 2016

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Starman in the Sky: Remembering David Bowie

David Bowie was… the champion of the misfits, those that dared to be different. He was… a boundary pusher, causing society to take a good, hard look at itself. His... Read more

By January 16, 2016

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Ferrell and Wahlberg Reunite to Butt Heads in Daddy’s Home

Tension caused by a biological father‘s return home to meet his kids’ new stepfather may be a familiar theme to many, but director Sean Anders raises it to absurd proportions... Read more

By January 11, 2016

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Jennifer Lawrence Shines in Dull Joy

David O. Russell has been enjoying something of a boom period as of late. His last three films—The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle—have all enjoyed considerable commercial and... Read more

By December 24, 2015

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Tour de Force: Abrams Reinvigorates the Star Wars Franchise

“Luke Skywalker has vanished.” These four words kick off the seventh installment of the Star Wars saga, The Force Awakens. An unbelievable amount of hype has surrounded the film since... Read more

By December 19, 2015