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(11/15/12 5:10am)
RZA was a menace on the mic during his glory days with the Wu-Tang Clan; however, his directorial debut, The Man with the Iron Fists , is less than spectacular. A parody of Kung-Fu films, The Man with the Iron Fists takes all the absurdity and fight sequences and atmosphere of ‘80s kung-fu pictures and blows them out of proportion in a messy marriage of exaggerated action montages and dated comedy.
(03/15/12 10:16am)
This past Oscar season has seen
(02/10/12 12:03am)
For electro-dance music fans, Sonny Moore, better known as Skrillex, beat Santa to the punch this Christmas. By releasing his most recent EP, Bangarang, Dec. 23, Skrillex didn't drop presents from a reindeer-pulled sleigh, but instead dropped bombs of techno bass onto the ears of fans around the world.
(01/19/12 7:29am)
A true cinematic thriller which keeps your heart racing as fast as your mind, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fills your veins with adrenaline from the opening credits. The American film adaptation of Dragon Tattoo risked not living up to the acclaimed and massively popular Stieg Larsson novel upon which it is based, but the film exceeded my considerably high expectations. Director David Fincher, a star-turn by Rooney Mara and an international all-star crew deliver one of my favorite films of 2011.
(12/01/11 5:34am)
Iconic director Martin Scorsese, known as the Gangster Priest for his proclivity for making violent Italian-American films, makes his first foray into family films with his new feature Hugo. Following the young orphan Hugo (Asa Butterfield) through a Parisian train station which doubles as his home, Scorsese shows audiences a new side of his filmmaking.
(11/17/11 5:49am)
In Time is director/writer Andrew Niccol's fantasy, sci-fi project, where the maxim, "time is money," takes on new meaning. Citizens of this futuristic world live their first 25 years in safety and comfort, and are then jolted to reality when their "clock" starts. This digitalized clock on one's inner forearm counts down to zero, at which point one times out, or dies. In a system in which capitalism has gone awry, time has replaced money. The richest have the most time on their clocks, which means they can live forever and afford living luxurious lifestyles. As an added bonus to this seemingly perfect system, no one ages after the age of 25.
(11/10/11 6:01am)
Shed your misconceptions and predispositions about silent film, because The Artist, the passion project of French helmer Michel Hazanavicius, is as much a testament to the power of the cinematic medium as it is a celebration of the silent era. The film aired Sunday afternoon at the Virginia Film Festival and was beautifully written and directed. Archaic only in the sense that it is shot in black-and-white and is "silent," The Artist is an engrossing comedic melodrama which provides a fresh take on the genre and comprehensively displays the visual power of cinema.
(10/31/11 5:00am)
The next time you decide to attend a U.Va. a cappella concert, keep in mind that you may be witnessing a future professional musician at work. This was the case for Will Anderson and Nate McFarland, former members of a cappella group The Virginia Gentlemen. Will and Nate are now the lead singer and guitarist, respectively, for Parachute, a rock band from Charlottesville which has grown in popularity during the past few years. Releasing their debut album in 2009 and their sophomore album a few months ago, Parachute has been busy touring and promoting its music. In 2008, the group performed on stage with Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers on New Year's Eve in Times Square after being featured in a Nivea commercial campaign. This past year, Parachute has been on tour with the Plain White T's and Goo Goo Dolls. In just two weeks' time the group will perform in North Carolina at three different venues while on tour with Kate Voegele. With the future looking bright, this local rock phenomena is headed for what seems to be an explosive career in the music industry.
(10/27/11 4:35am)
"Funniest man under 30," as Rolling Stone called him, is quite an understatement - Aziz Ansari is one of the funniest men, period. Gracing the Charlottesville community with a performance at John Paul Jones Arena Monday, Ansari's performance had fans reeling with laughter.
(10/24/11 5:31am)
If you are a child of the '90s, you loved watching such films as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Nutty Professor, and you have definitely heard of the television series Magnum P.I. Well, you were unknowingly watching University alumnus Tom Shadyac at work. Shadyac has more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment world, beginning as a joke-writer for iconic comedian Bob Hope and eventually becoming a screenwriter, actor, director and producer. Shadyac played a student in Magnum P.I. and directed such notable films as Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty.
(10/17/11 6:02am)
Native Virginian and University alumna Claudia Emerson recently finished her term as Poet Laureate of Virginia in 2010. This extraordinary poetess first became associated with the University when she received her undergraduate degree in English in 1979, and eventually went on to teach at the University's former sister college, the University of Mary Washington. Emerson's long list of accolades include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Academy of American Poets Prize and most notably the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for her work Late Wife, a complicated journey of introspection and loss that results in a settling conclusion of rebirth and satisfaction. Apart from her other three books of poetry, Emerson has also been featured in several anthologies. Staying true to her local roots, Emerson currently resides in Fredericksburg, Va. Emerson most recently visited Charlottesville last Wednesday to read selections from her work as a Rea Visiting Lecturer, a program sponsored by the Creative Writing Program at the University.
(09/26/11 6:27am)
Everyone knows Professors Sabato and Elzinga, but not many students know the name Hoh. Prof. LaVahn Hoh just happens to be one of the premier historians of the circus world, with more than 40 years' experience researching and working in the field. Having served as the archivist for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, Hoh has been featured in several productions in film and television, including several Arts and Entertainment Network productions concerning the Circus in America, Dare Devils and The Flying Wallendas. He has also been featured in publications such as People and USA Today and has co-authored a book, Step Right Up!: The Adventure of Circus in America. Despite his national fame, Hoh has never stopped caring about his local community. In 2009, Hoh received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Virginia Theatre Association. This award reflects Hoh's involvement with the VTA since 1969 and his unparalleled involvement in drama, especially at the high school and other amateur levels. Watch out for his popular course on "Circus in America" in the spring
(09/15/11 7:27pm)
When a TV show is nominated for 25 Primetime Emmy Awards and 14 Golden Globes, you know it must be doing something right. Since its beginning, Entourage was an immediate hit. Markedly "bro" without being obnoxious, Entourage follows four best friends from Queens trying to make it big in the glamorous world of Hollywood. Less a story about success and more about the struggles in these characters' private lives, Entourage is about the fraternal bonds that a group of tight-knit comrades preserve despite their tumultuous foray into the world of show biz.
(09/01/11 4:20am)
As we return to school and continue to roast under the hot Virginia sun, a place of solace for a quiet weekend night will be the beautifully air-conditioned, dark rooms of the movie theater. This fall season comes accompanied with a bevy of wonderful cinematic options that vary from exhilarating action-thrillers and indie romances to Academy favorites and Hollywood's dregs.
(09/01/11 4:14am)
Cowboys and Aliens is as awkward as its title. My first thought when I saw the preview was, "How are they going to make this work?" Well, it doesn't work. Despite Jon Favreau's collection of talented actors, which includes Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, the director fails to combine the elements of the Western and science-fiction film, and instead creates a picture that falls short of both.
(04/28/11 4:40am)
You know you are cool when thousands of teenage girls and middle-aged women frantically scream in delight whenever your face flickers on the movie screen. Such is the life of the Twilight superstar Robert Pattinson and teenage heartthrob Zac Efron. Well, Efron has grown up, and although he can still send the hearts of young girls into health-threatening excitement, his prepubescent understudy, Justin Bieber, has effectively replaced him as a boyish stud, and Pattinson's long run as best-looking vampire eventually will come to an end as the Twilight train makes its final stop with Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012). With their futures still unclear, where will these international heartthrobs go, and what are they going to do?
(04/21/11 4:33am)
Films rarely communicate a beautiful message in a beautiful manner. The Oscar-nominated The Illusionist (2010) manages both while displaying a simple and refined bravura. Daring in its simplicity, and refined in its execution, The Illusionist gives new meaning to the moving art of motion pictures.
(04/07/11 5:19am)
Known for his strong grassroots fan base that he lovingly calls the Taylor Gang - a reference to his signature Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes - Wiz Khalifa has been steadily claiming the rap scene limelight, as evidenced by the chart-topping success of his single "Black and Yellow." With his 2005 mixtape Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania and his 2006 album Show and Prove, Wiz earned recognition from Rolling Stone Magazine as an "artist to watch." Since then, Wiz Khalifa has released eight free mixtapes, which helped him develop an extremely loyal fan base, has been named a "Top 10 Freshman" by XXL and "Rookie of the Year" by "The Source" and has rocked in front of a sold-out crowd at the Jefferson Theater last September. His amazing journey, coupled with the early leak of his third and most recent album, Rolling Papers, escalated anticipation for the album's official release last Tuesday. Rolling Papers is a culmination of his musical development: With poppy pieces and new stoner favorites, Wiz displays his full lyrical genius and all the lessons he has learned since he dropped his first mixtape.
(04/07/11 5:07am)
We've seen it happen before. Actors and actresses have breakout roles and continue to play them for the remainder of their careers: Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Vince Vaughn, the list goes on and on. Far from being an isolated phenomenon, this Hollywood rut continues to trip actors today, as demonstrated by our indie breakout stars from 2007: Michael Cera, Ellen Page and Jonah Hill. These three young actors show exactly how after a breakout performance, you either can get stuck or progress.
(03/31/11 5:36am)
I rushed into the Student Activities Building last Friday to find the room packed with people. "Wow," I thought to myself, "this is going to be good."