- Courtesy of Travel Channel
World-traveler, bad-ass Anthony Bourdain hits the Michigan Theater tomorrow
By: David Watnick
Anthony Bourdain is outspoken and abrasive — he seems to believe bad tastes can make someone a bad person. Still, he’s often brilliant and he knows how to eat, travel and entertain. And tomorrow night at the Michigan Theater, his firestorm of anecdotes, opinions and insults is sure to elicit as many uncomfortable laughs as it does genuine ones.
Why is Thom Yorke on the 'Twilight: New Moon' soundtrack?
By: Jasmine Zhu
When I first heard that Grizzly Bear, St. Vincent and Bon Iver would be featured on the “Twilight: New Moon” soundtrack, I didn’t exactly jump up and down with joy. Quite the opposite, in fact. My first instinct was to call up every plaid-clad hipster I knew and bitch about the fact that prepubescent girls across America would now be able to count Thom Yorke among their favorite artists.
Tegan and Sara's emotionally divine disc
- Courtesy of Vapor
By: Kristyn Acho
By making their big debut at the notoriously female-dominated Lilith Fair Festival, Canadian twin sisters and musicians Tegan and Sara Quin cornered themselves into the “girl power” indie genre. But with Sainthood, the Quin twins are out to prove they’re capable of more than just tampon rock.
Michael Jackson's moonwalk to remember
- Courtesy of Columbia
By: Nick Coston
Michael Jackson fans will be pleasantly surprised to learn that “This Is It” is a genuine and exciting glimpse at the life of a performer who gave the world such a high caliber of music and showmanship.
'New York' deserves little love
By: Jennifer Xu
Carefully toeing the line of mediocrity, “New York, I Love You” is a difficult film to classify — it's not great, not awful, but at least it's never boring. In terms of accomplishing its goal, though, “New York” drastically fails.
The Coens' newest is a 'Serious' success
- Courtesy of Focus
By: Andrew Lapin
In a movie where one man is being punished without rhyme or reason, no one singular image is going to wrap things up nice and pretty. Instead, what is here further cements the Coens' status as legends of the screen, and guarantees that “A Serious Man” will be seriously talked about for years to come.
Fuck Buttons sound surprisingly friendly on 'Tarot Sport'
By: Sharon Jacobs
If Tarot Sport’s only fault is not being mindblowingly unique, that’s hardly grounds for rebuke. Fuck Buttons have crafted an album that leaves listeners feeling energized and wanting more.
Basement Arts gets cozy with its genitalia in 'Me and My Dick'
- Courtesy of Basement Arts
By: David Riva
“Me and My Dick” tells the story of classic nerd Joey Richter and his best friend and notable body part Dick. Together, they desperately want to lose Joey’s “V-card” with the most beautiful Jew in the entire school.
'Astro Boy' is a cold, robotic adaptation
By: Andrew Lapin
For whatever reason, the folks at Summit Entertainment are aggressively promoting “Astro Boy” to college campuses. Maybe it’s something about the nostalgic appeal of the brand name — the Japanese comic book series on which the film is based dates back to the 1950s and is widely considered some of the best manga ever written. The subsequent anime adaptation is a pioneering work of art. Even still, here we are in 2009 with a completely Americanized film adaptation that has whitewashed out every Japanese influence except the big doe eyes, and the result is nothing more than a bland movie for bland kiddies.
Robert Zemeckis talks 'A Christmas Carol'
By: Timothy Rabb
In director Robert Zemeckis’s estimation, finding originality in his retelling of “A Christmas Carol” is a matter of technical modernity — specifically in his use of the modern technique called "performance capture."
The 'NCAA Football 2010' Challenge comes to Palmer Field today
By: Jamie Block and Eric Chiu
Sports video games are often a common source of trash talk between players, but fans of the "NCAA Football" video game series can get a chance to prove their mettle in person when the EA Sports NCAA Football Challenge Tour comes to Palmer Field today.
If you saw the trailer, don't bother with 'The Fourth Kind'
By: Timothy Rabb
Rarely has a film been as misleadingly self-promoting as “The Fourth Kind,” a new film from director Olatunde Osunsanmi.
- Courtesy of Geffen
Rivers Cuomo grows up by turning back the clock on Weezer's 'Raditude'
By: Kevin Meyer
Suddenly, the men of Weezer seem to realize they have to grow up. Raditude manages to neatly compile all the mixed emotions that accompany the transition into adulthood. And, as Cuomo describes, “I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck.”
Whitney Pow: Crafting museums' identities through logo, design and architecture
By: Whitney Pow
Two days ago I went to the unveiling of the new William E. Upjohn Wing of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology where, among the ceramic cuneiform tablets, marble heads of conquerors, samples of honey mead and baked ancient Egyptian bread, there was something new: The Kelsey had an updated logo. The logo was a depiction of a fragmented Roman mosaic in the collection, placed prominently on the wall near the entrance. It was large, looming and prominent, declarative of the renovated museum’s new identity.
A daring, desolate 'Declaration'
By: Sharon Jacobs
Perhaps the most endearing thing about Declaration of Dependenceis the raw production. From the guitar squeaks to the breathing to the soft sound of Øye and Bøe’s mouths opening to sing, every detail of Declaration is here on record.
'Monica: Still Standing' falls flat
By: Brigid Kilcoin
While Monica may be a talented performer, this lackluster, cookie-cutter reality show could only hurt her career. "Monica: Still Standing" veers dangerously close to self-parody and seems unlikely to inspire the miraculous comeback that all of its participants seem to be expecting.
Jamie Block: Why writers beat Nielsen
By: Jamie Block
So Comedy Central recently informed me via commercial that the pilot for “The Jeff Dunham Show” was its highest rated premiere to date. Meanwhile, critics across the country, including those for this publication, tell me watching the stand-up ventriloquist’s show is about as enjoyable as being a real-life ventriloquist dummy. Needless to say, there are some forces at odds here.
