After watching this movie, it’s a fair assumption that either director/screenwriter Martin McDonagh (“In Bruges”) or his marketing has some issues with basic arithmetic and vocabulary. The trailer released for “Seven Psychopaths” promised us exactly that—seven psychopaths. To specify: No.1 the seemingly normal one (Colin Farrell), No.2 his best friend (Sam Rockwell), No.3 the one with issues (Woody Harrelson),...
It’s not common that you see a movie that combines comedy with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). You usually get a sports comedy film that focuses on basketball, football or baseball, but never mixed martial arts. Frank Coraci (director of “The Wedding Singer” and “The Waterboy”) comes together with Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, in order to create this...
Through most of film history, audiences have been attracted to films based on true stories. They want to see something that really happened and feel like they were there. Though these films often exaggerate or change certain parts of events for drama, the point is usually to dramatize the plot while sticking loosely to details for better cinematic effect....
UCR’s basketball season tipped off with last Friday’s rousingly successful Midnight Madness event. Coordinated by ASPB and UCR Athletics, Midnight Madness was a massive pep rally designed to hype up Highlanders in anticipation of the upcoming basketball season. The stands of the SRC’s gym were packed as Scotty, the men and women’s basketball teams, staff and Hylander Hype pumped...
Stepping up to the box office four years after “Taken,” “Taken 2” had the potential to improve upon the foundation laid down by its predecessor. At least it did until Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen co-authored what, as film critic Kenneth Turan notes, appears as more of a remake of the 2008 blockbuster than its sequel. Whereas “Taken”...
The fall Barn concert series got off to a rousing start last Thursday, Oct. 4, with two sets from UCR’s own Pococurante and the Los Angeles-based band The Mowgli’s. While there were glaring differences in the bands’ respective genres, both managed to pull off memorable and exciting shows that helped breathe some life into the new school year.
As Pococurante...
Following the success of their debut album in 2010, English indie rockers The Vaccines released their sophomore album “Come of Age” on Oct. 2. With their latest set of 11 songs, the band has adopted a slightly heavier, Ramones-inspired sound that deviates from their previous poppy anthems.
Frontman Justin Young’s somewhat weaker vocals, undoubtedly stemming from his three throat operations...
Hammock's fifth full length album, “Departure Songs,” is their first double album and their most progressive piece to date. Hammock offers elegant soundscapes with majestic swells and crescendos. “Departure Songs” meets all of the expectations of a Hammock listener with the duo's mesmerizing guitar work of beautifully layered guitar tracks drenched in effects pedals galore, but it doesn't stop...
Prior to the release of the CG anime film “Resident Evil: Damnation,” producer Hiroyuki Sasaki finished producing the new “Resident Evil 6” video game, developed and published by the iconic video game company “Capcom.” The gameplay takes a different turn from the previous “Resident Evil” games and offers three scenarios in which the players can engage in three different...
In place of its monthly Arts Walk, the city of Riverside hosted the “Long Night of Arts and Innovation” Oct. 4. As a fan of both artistic and innovative things, I soon hopped onto one of the free trolleys conveniently provided by UCR. After a ride downtown, I was dropped off by Culver Center and quickly stepped into an...