When I walked into the theater to see “Bullet to the Head,” I expected just another B grade, comic-book-to-film adaptation about vigilantism, and I wasn’t far off the mark. With a lead duo of Sylvester Stallone and Sung Kang, I had no idea what was in store as far as acting is concerned. Instead, I anticipated that the apex...
Touted by critics and audiences everywhere as the “Romeo and Juliet” of zombie stories, “Warm Bodies” is a creepy, unique premise for a twist on the undead genre. It is a satisfyingly typical love story—adapted from Isaac Marion’s novel of the same name—between the blonde and living Julie (Teresa Palmer) and an unusual zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult).
Sometime after...
It’s not like Tegan and Sara did something wrong, or composed an album of terrible songs, but the twin sisters’ latest effort isn’t quite that good either. Quite frankly, it’s just bland. “Heartthrob” features 10 (12, if you purchase the iTunes deluxe edition) tracks that blend together very easily. A few tracks stand out here and there, but the...
What ignites a serial killer’s white-hot insanity? Is it the simmer of anticipation, bided time and fevered obsession? Mary Burton’s “The Seventh Victim” explores this concept through the terrifying exploits of an unknown assailant. He preys on young blonde women standing at the peak of their lives, and photographer Lara Church is the one that got away…for now. That...
Now that the Coachella lineup madness has died down a bit, it’s time to turn my attention to an up-and-coming band. This week’s spotlight is on the Echo Park-based indie band NO. They have released only one EP (“Don’t Worry, You’ll Be Here Forever”) to date, in addition to a single, but they have already shown great potential. Self-described...
Renowned vocalist Celine Dion once said, “If God could sing, He would sound like Andrea Bocelli.” “Passione,” the latest addition to Bocelli’s internationally recognized repertoire, further proves his complete grasp of classical opera. The 7-years-delayed continuation of “Amore,” this album is scattered with six different languages of love and passion.
Bocelli’s powerful and effortless voice marries with these classical songs...
The Barn was alive and kicking on Wednesday night, Jan. 30, with artists Niki & The Dove and Vacationer. As the launching show for this year’s Winter Concert Series, it wasn’t surprising that the audience stood before the stage in anticipation for over half an hour before the performance began. Dimmed lights and background music set the tone for...
Netflix has officially released their original series, “House of Cards.” The entire first season is comprised of 13 one-hour episodes and has been available in full since Feb. 1. The decision to release the season in its entirety is an interesting strategy by a company that has dominated the movie rental business for years, and I plan to review...
This week’s episode of “Shameless” tops the list as one of their most explicit openings to date. Aside from the first scene panning over a number of naked bodies passed out in the Gallagher household and a local grocery store manager propositioning Fiona (Emmy Rossum) in return for a cashier job, a homeless man is shown doing unspeakable things...
Hi there. Take a deep breath, clear your mind. Let’s play a little word association game. What’s the first name that comes to mind when I say: bad comic book artist? Well, if you possess even a cursory knowledge of comics, then there’s a good chance you’ve got Rob Liefeld on your mind. Visualize the horrors that flow freely...