Arts & Entertainment
Three-6 Mafia: 1, Scorsese: Almost 1
In his latest triumph, Martin Scorsese succeeds where few before him have: filming a remake that trumps the original in all respects.
YOUR WHAT FEELS LIKE CORN?!?
If you asked us which of today's popular young comics most definitely engages in recreational drug abuse, we'd probably say Dane Cook - in about a second.
Fear is not a factor
Fearless 4 Stars Directed by: Ronny Yu Starring: Jet Li, Shido Nakamura Rated: PG-13 If Fearless truly is Jet Li's last martial arts film, as is advertised, then Li has succeeded in going out on top. It's hard to imagine that this movie could fall short of excellence, given the pedigree of its principles.
More like middle ages
It's ironic that this relatively derivative, though not uninteresting, addition to the dystopian sci-fi genre is titled Renaissance.
Mad Tea Party
If you thought that the twang of country couldn't be combined with tedious sound effects and mild musical enthusiasm, then the monotonous sounds of Mad Tea Party's latest, Big Top Soda Pop, will quickly prove you wrong.
She blinded me with science
Michel Gondry has a knack for taking the banal and making it extraordinary. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the maxim "those who forget their past are destined to repeat it" provided a launching pad for an enigmatic journey to the heart of what it means to be human.
Deep Sea Punking
In The Guardian, director Andrew Davis, best known for 1994's The Fugitive, dives deep into the world of the United States Coast Guard's elite rescue swimmers.
Sparklehorse
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It's a motto that most aptly describes Sparklehorse's latest, a merely competent album that explores little new ground.
He's Here for the Gang Bang
Perhaps no filmmaker today has a better grasp on a college guy's sense of humor than Todd Phillips. The director who cornered the market on frat-boy comedies - Old School, Road Trip - played Twenty Questions in an exclusive interview with Street at the Four Seasons downtown Tuesday to promote his new movie School for Scoundrels. Street: What's it like working with Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)? What's he like in real life? Todd Phillips: In real life, Heder is a Mormon, did you know that? Street: I heard the cast from Napoleon was shipped in from Utah. TP: They're all like Mormon guys.
Sandi Thom
Smile... It Confuses People is the kind of record that really makes you wonder. Whatever happened to the idyllic, innocent rebellion of our parents' generation?
A two-hour vigil with student radio
The outer room of WQHS is the most organized it's been in a long time. Rows and rows of CDs and LPs stand ordered alphabetically and by genre.
Sorority Life
At a time when pop culture phenomena like Paris Hilton and Hulk Hogan's daughter are relentlessly promoting their debut albums, the idea of the remake doesn't sound all that bad. Take Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt," for instance.
Emily Haines
Some good CDs make you smile, some make you dance, and some make you cry. Emily Haines's Knives Don't Have Your Back belongs in the last category: bittersweet, but infectious all the same.
Reinventing Lennon
The U.S. vs. John Lennon traces pop star John Lennon's metamorphosis from mop-topped singer to one of the most eminent cultural icons of the 1970s. During that decade, his antiwar actions garnered media attention and the wrath of the Nixon administration, which persecuted Lennon by following, wiretapping and attempting to deport him. Aside from the political story, Lennon shows the passionate, complex relationship Lennon shared with his wife, Yoko Ono.
Music Reviews of: The Slats, The Mooney Suzuki, Kasabian, The Avett Brothers, Alexisonfire
The Slats Boom Patrol 4.5 Stars If you're on the prowl for something epic, progressive, and tasteful, don't look to the Slats.
Applaud and agree
The second coming of 2005's indie darlings Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is upon us. And while the alt-rock prophets will wait with baited blogs until the January 30 release date, don't expect lead singer and Philadelphia native Alec Ounsworth to indulge their rapture.
From wharton to hollywood
Very little of Johnny Was is typical, least of all its genesis. Produced and financed by Ben Katz (Wharton and Nursing '01, MBA '02), the film provides a down-and-dirty look at a violent urban ghetto in the United Kingdom - and launches the filmmaking career of a notable Penn grad. With Johnny, Katz, still in his mid-20s, establishes himself as something of a Renaissance man in the independent film scene.
Naked men (and women) singing
The British comedy Confetti seems to have it all: nudists, tennis-playing freaks and overzealous musical devotees.
Separation anxiety
After three years of collaborative projects and live albums, Will Oldham returns with his first proper solo album since 2003's Master and Everyone.
