Tableau

Sincere and talented, feminist DiFranco scores a hit

In the November/December 1996 issue of Ms., Ellen Papazian wrote of Ani DiFranco, "What's really amazing about her is that she's a take-no-shit feminist with incredible musical ability (ranging from plaintive folk to all-out rock, with African rhythms, hip-hop, and spoken word thrown in), whose lyrics inspire almost slavish devotion." Now, more than 11 years later, this statement still rings as clear and true as one of DiFranco's chords on her new 2-disc album Canon, which debuted Sept.

Lukewarm Hot Hot Heat

After tearing up the music scene and wrapping up their tour and release of their 2005 album, Elevator, alternative rock band Hot Hot Heat went through a musical revolution.

'Woodcock' comes up short

Career defining roles can be a mixed blessing. Billy Bob Thornton had such a role in the critical, box-office and DVD hit Bad Santa.

Violent vigilanteism brings out superb performances

There is a standard formula for excellent superheroes: They don't have much of a family; horrible events have taken place in their lives; and frustration with the state of the world causes them to take matters into their own hands. The Brave One, directed by Neil Jordan, follows this tried-and-true superhero formula but with a grittier, real-world edge.

Aussie jewel Augie March

What does it take to "make it" in the American music industry? In an age transient enough that an artist's fate can be decided by an infamously critical celebrity blogger (singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson made it to the iTunes Top Ten a mere 24 hours after being endorsed on Perez Hilton's blog), does hard work count anymore?

Batman and Cinderella Man the new dynamic duo?

In a stunning remake of the 1957 flick, 3:10 to Yuma takes a stab at reviving the genre of the Western.

Kanye, ego and all, graduates with honors

In a recent interview with Paste magazine, producer and hip-hop bombshell Kanye West let the public in on his plan.

The dirty on Clean House

Kanye vs. 50 cent

This summer, Roc-A-Fella Records moved the release date of Kanye West

Unpredictable Architecture yields mixed results

Architecture in Helsinki has always been a little on the manic side. The band's new album, Places Like This, arguably slaps this definitive label on all eight of the group's cute little hipster faces, with the exception of guitarist Jamie Mildren's, whose monstrous beard could possibly serve as an Amish-fashioned shield from label-slapping. The experience of the opening track, "Red Turned White," is a zealous case in point.

New Pornographers fail to climax

The New Pornographers, a super-group made up of artists who have been successful with their own solo projects (Neko Case and Dan Bejar especially), have come together once again to release their fourth full-length album, Challengers.

Don't miss out on M.I.A.

The headlines this summer were dominated by news of heat waves and scandalous celebrities. Unlike most of the actors and singers who are now infamous, Sri Lankan musician M.I.A.

Harry's hallowing finale sacrifices some of the magic

First of all, let me say that though I am an extraordinary Harry Potter fan, I am not one of those readers who thinks that the ink Rowling uses magically turns to gold as soon as it dries on the page.

Sparky's Flaw

For a band named after a hole in a shoe, Sparky's Flaw is doing pretty well. Sparky "was a nickname for a friend of ours," lead singer and guitarist Will Anderson said.

Mclovin on some Superbad

In a summer saturated with comedies, each movie has promised to blow away the competition with its unique humor; however, between lame romantic comedies a la License to Wed, politically incorrect crude humor in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and the upcoming Balls of Fury, this season's laugh-out-loud comedies have not been up to par.

'Fracture' breaks off a hit

"Fracture," the newest film by Gregory Hoblit, is a twisted, creepy and beautifully composed film.

The Pulse

Film lull before summer Tomorrow ushers in a slew of smaller national films releases before studios bring out their summer big guns in May.

No zombies, but it's still 'Hot'

The British writing team behind 2004's hit Shaun of the Dead is back and better than ever. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg have shifted from the unique romantic-comedy-zombie genre to take on the world of action films in their latest venture Hot Fuzz.

Lavigne continues to pop out punk with her latest

From the beginning, Miss Avril has been a pop-market dream. She embraced pre-existing trends -- the skater punk, the emo kid -- and, much to the despair of parents, put teenage rebellion in the mainstream.

Scholarly writing beyond the grade

A wastebasket doesn't have to be the writer's best friend. The Teaching Resource Center is holding a seminar, "The Writing Life of Scholars," for University faculty and graduate students this Friday.