All Entries in the "Entertainment" Category
Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Great Gatsby’
Taylor Weik: I’ve been waiting for a good “Great Gatsby” revival. The 1974 version only scraped at the surface of the complexities and metaphors that make F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel so memorable, and the 2000 remake miscast Paul Rudd as the honest, unprejudiced Nick Carraway (no further explanation needed). To say that my last [...]
More About ‘She’ than ‘Him’
After filming a good two seasons of FOX’s “The New Girl,” She & Him’s leading woman Zooey Deschanel decides to dive back into the music world with partner M. Ward for “She & Him Volume Three” (May 7 on Merge Records). Since the last album (in 2011), Deschanel has gone through a divorce with Death [...]
MFA Students ‘Inspire’
Several months ago, I interviewed two MFAs in the UCI Dance Department, Jackie Kopcsak and Vincent Hardy. We talked about their experiences as professional dancers, their research and choreographic vision, as well as their aspirations. By chance, their thesis choreography projects were combined for a single performance this past Wednesday, titled “Evening of Inspiration.” In [...]
Songfest 2013 Grants Wishes
Every year for over 30 years, the Bren Events Center fills with students, alumni, families and friends for Greek Songfest — a singing, dancing and acting competition where fraternities and sororities are paired up to create a condensed Broadway show. Comprised of eight men and eight women, the pairings are responsible for directing, choreography, set [...]
A ‘Flash’ from the Past
The ’80s is one of those decades you just can’t forget about. The music, the fashion, the movies: all are very much alive in pop culture today. Considering how new musical theater has drawn heavily from older movies in the past few years (i.e. “Billy Elliot”), I was not surprised to hear that the latest [...]
‘Blood Dragon’: Over-the-Top Fun
“Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon” is an awesome tribute to ’80s action movies that is both hilarious and really fun to play. Even though the scope of the project is often reduced compared to the original “Far Cry 3,” in many ways, “Blood Dragon” triumphantly surpasses its already excellent predecessor. “Blood Dragon” absolutely nails presenting [...]
Eifman Ballet’s ‘Rodin’
Ballet is normally a very disciplined, structured, classical style of dance. The traditional inflated tutus and dainty runs on special shoes that give the illusion that the dancers are elevated on their toes, come to my mind; however the Eifman Ballet Company of St. Petersburg has completely shattered this image. Not one baby-pink, satin pointe [...]
‘Hemlock Grove’ Falls Short
Above all else, “Hemlock Grove” is a disappointment. After Netflix’s spectacular-on-all-levels release of their first original series, “House of Cards,” viewers got their hopes up. Visions of masterful works of television, with whole seasons available at once, danced in their heads — and the advertising for “Hemlock Grove” did nothing to dispel the hype. The [...]
The Veils Perform at The Echo
The club’s disco-ball-lit center buzzed with a small hub of fans of The Veils, inching up to the stage when the first opening band, Pop Noir, played in their Brit-pop style. In between sets, ’80s British tunes bounced off the mirrored walls lined with pillowed bench seating. The night mellowed as Los Angeles youths came [...]
In Their Words: Coyote Theory
Orlando alternative rockers Coyote Theory aren’t brand new to the music scene. In fact, they’ve been around for a couple years now, with their first EP, “Color,” having been released in 2011. With their new single “Taking Over the World,” they look for a new beginning in what they see as a movement. In their [...]
