entertainment
Jay-Z doesn't show us what he's got
By Betsir Zemen | Dec. 11, 2006, midnight | In Music »
Barely two years after retiring in 2004, Jay-Z is back with his highly anticipated album "Kingdom Come." Head of Def Jam Records and one of the most successful living rappers, Jay-Z has set high standards for rap with his previous albums including Reasonable Doubt and Black Album. Unfortunately, Jay-Z can't seem to make the kingdom succumb to liking his new album.
Urban's "love," "pain" and "crazy things"
By Elsi Wu | Dec. 8, 2006, midnight | In Music »
The reigning king of country, Keith Urban, is decidedly defending his throne with the release of his highly anticipated fifth album, "Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy Thing." Featuring Urban's Australian-bred style of classic country heavily infused with rock 'n roll sounds and smooth vocals, the album has rocketed straight to the top of Billboard country charts. His most successful album to date, "Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy Thing" is a strong compilation that represents Urban's originality as well as his down-home country flavor.
Two thumbs for "Five Women"
By Boris Vassilev | Dec. 7, 2006, midnight | In Plays »
Five very different women sit it front a window, each wearing a strikingly similar, hideously ugly salmon and azure dress. Each shoots a different glare at the unseen Tommy Valentine, a known womanizer and dreadful scoundrel. Although ability and drive is required to pull off this multifarious play and do it justice, the Pine Players acting troupe achieves just that in their production of Alan Ball's "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress."
"Piratz" treasure
By Alexis Egan | Dec. 4, 2006, midnight | In Restaurant Reviews »
While Silver Spring's "Piratz Tavern" lacks Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley in starring roles, the new buccaneer restaurant does look like it came straight out of the Caribbean.
"Bobby" bores
By Lingfeng Li | Dec. 4, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"Bobby" is the title of the film. The tagline for the film is entirely about Bobby. Historical footage of Bobby begin and end the film. The film was marketed as coverage of Bobby's assassination. But instead of focusing on Robert F. Kennedy — "Bobby" — director-screenwriter Emilio Estevez centers his Faulkner-esque mosaic on the perspectives of 22 different people, and none of them are named Bobby.
The perfect "Christmas Present"
By Will Bucher | Dec. 3, 2006, midnight | In Entertainment »
It's 12 o'clock midnight and all is well. That is, except for poor Ebenezer Scrooge, the old miserly man whose past, present and future just won't leave him alone. But thanks to a wonderful performance by the Blair Players in this year's production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer learns a lesson or two while joining the rest of the cast for perhaps the most delightful fall play director Kelly O'Connor has put on yet.
"A Christmas Carol" lights up the audience
By April DalBello | Dec. 3, 2006, midnight | In Plays »
High school Christmas plays at Blair can be hit or miss propositions. Yet this year — as was confirmed by the audience's enthusiastic reception — the winter's play is definitely a hit. From the heartwarming opening scene to the dramatic closing(s) of the curtain, Blair's rendition of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" steals our hearts and tucks us comfortably into that cozy place we reserve for holiday memories and traditions.
Thanksgiving leftovers
By Miriam Ragen | Dec. 1, 2006, midnight | In Food »
Thanksgiving is like a marathon. Holiday revelers must endure tons of delicious food and the eccentric relatives that seem to appear ever holiday without fail. Then there is the main event, Thanksgiving dinner. After hours of slaving over a hot oven, or watching oversized cartoon characters float over Manhattan, the participants gather around a sagging dining room table and dive headfirst into the seemingly endless dishes of turkey, stuffing, casseroles and desserts. Soon enough dinner is over, the in-laws are passed out in the living room and only one question remains: What to do with the leftovers? Lucky for you, Silver Chips Online has some great suggestions to save those delicious dishes from their imminent fate of becoming mold-encrusted monstrosities.
The spirit of "Bobby" lives on
By Gus Woods | Nov. 28, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"He saw wrong and tried to right it. He saw suffering and tried to heal it. He saw war and tried to stop it," so goes the tagline to "Bobby," a film that chronicles the lives of numerous witnesses to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
"'Dreck' the Halls"
By Madeline Raskulinecz | Nov. 27, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Good Christmas movies are hard to come by. For every "It's a Wonderful Life," there are hundreds of holiday flicks with no heart, no inspiration and seemingly no scriptwriter — movies like "Deck the Halls."
A considerable failure
By Brittany Allen | Nov. 27, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Christopher Guest is a man of many talents. He was the magic behind Nigel, the stupid death metal rocker in 1984's "This is Spinal Tap," most famous for upping the amplifier count from 10 to 11. He was the directing, writing and acting genius behind the hilarious mockumentaries "Best in Show," "Waiting for Guffman" and "A Mighty Wind," along with the stony-faced Eugene Levy, who has also been in most of Guest's pictures. He was even the six-fingered man in "The Princess Bride." In this business, everything he seems to touch turns to comic gold — but Guest's gift for farcical hijinks and poking fun at human eccentricities is lost in his latest venture, "For Your Consideration."
Let's leave the theater
By Julia Mazerov | Nov. 27, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
It was a nice try, but director Bob Odenkirk's "Let's go to Prison" simply failed to muster what 2005's prison movie "The Longest Yard" was able to— constant laughter from the audience. For starters, the film's horribly unoriginal title is such a turn-off and clear indication of how little the film has to offer. Though the movie had its moments, well, more like moment, the ridiculously infeasible and embarrassingly random plot twists left the audience sitting in silence as the credits rolled, wondering three things: if the movie had actually just ended, what had just occurred, and why they had just wasted the past two hours.
"The Fountain" without leaks
By Alexis Egan | Nov. 26, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
What if the one person you loved was dying? Dying of a supposedly incurable disease? You've done everything you can to save them, but it's not working. What if you learned there might be a chance, a hope in the form of the Mayan Tree of Life? "The Fountain" explores this possibility while also revealing a perspective on life, death and acceptance.
Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade pleases all
By Iliya Smithka | Nov. 22, 2006, midnight | In Entertainment »
The sky was clear on Saturday, Nov. 18, for the ninth annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade in Downtown Silver Spring. Just before 10 a.m., police officers on motorcycles revved their engines and led the way down Georgia Avenue. Officers on Segways joined the usual procession of the color guard, the police car and motorcycle motorcade as well as mounted park rangers. Blasting the "Cops" theme song "Bad Boys," the police procession was only the beginning of a barrage of free candy, creative floats and politics.
'Royale' fun
By Pia Nargundkar | Nov. 22, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
A blond Bond? Longtime fan of 007 were shocked with the choice of Daniel Craig to succeed the charming Pierce Brosnan. Yet, Craig, with his piercing blue eyes, makes an oA blond Bond? Longtime fans of 007 were shocked with the choice of Daniel Craig to succeed the charming Pierce Brosnan in the long running James Bond movie series. Yet, Craig, with his piercing blue eyes, makes an outstanding, though colder, James Bond in the new "Casino Royale." utstanding, though colder, James Bond in the new "Casino Royale."
"Drawing a Blank": A few spaces
By Alexis Egan | Nov. 22, 2006, midnight | In Books »
You can draw pictures, guns, curtains, conclusions and lines. You can draw a breath, draw to an end, be drawn to a place and have a drawn face. And then you can draw a blank.
Ready to get "Happy?"
By Kate Harter | Nov. 22, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Not many films can leave viewers with a happy feeling as they exit the theatre, and not many can boast of keeping the audience laughing throughout the entire film. But "Happy Feet," directed by George Miller, does just that: leaves its audience with stomachs that ache from laughing but hearts full of delight.
Upcoming shows
By Courtney Burtraw | Nov. 21, 2006, midnight | In Music »
Need something to do? Check out these upcoming shows in the DC area for something new.
Party with the penguins
By Mary Donahue | Nov. 21, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Warning: this movie may cause audience members to get out in the aisles and dance. As hard as it may be, please refrain from this behavior, as it obscures the view of other audience members. Thank you for your consideration.
"Endless wire" keeps The Who alive
By Courtney Burtraw | Nov. 17, 2006, midnight | In Entertainment »
The Who has a long history of rocking out, and their new album is no exception. "Endless Wire" is the sum of all of the parts, reminiscent of their glory days but hinting of a new maturity. The CD is definitely worth a listen.
"The Return" should never have arrived
By Erica Turner | Nov. 15, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
You know those movies that have really frightening previews on television but then just end up being so completely confusing that they're not even close to scary? If not, check out director Asif Kapadia's latest film, "The Return." Although this film is advertised as a thriller, the confusion of the plot is the only thing that will make you want to scream.
Middle Eastern Cuisine — an ethnic party in your mouth
By Cassie Cummins | Nov. 14, 2006, midnight | In Restaurant Reviews »
The streets of Old Town, Takoma Park are dotted with local restaurants, each one unique. And while Middle Eastern Cuisine may not look like anything special from the outside, do not be fooled — it really is one-of-a-kind.
A lot of truth in "Stranger Than Fiction"
By Boris Vassilev | Nov. 14, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Harold Crick, the IRS agent, stands in front of the mirror and counts his brush strokes. Little numbers seem to appear before his eyes, neatly queued, each waiting to be tallied as the toothbrush runs up and down each tooth. In fact, this formula seems to apply for every aspect of Harold's life, a sequence of properly ordered and calculated events. This seemingly tidy life is turned upside down in Marc Forster's enjoyable dark comedy, "Stranger Than Fiction."
No need to "Panic!"
By Julia Mazerov | Nov. 13, 2006, midnight | In Music »
"Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen!" Panic! At the Disco's lead vocalist Brendon Urie belted through the microphone during the opening song of their performance titled "The Only Difference between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage," as he challenged the crowd to get pumped. The crowd did just that, and as promised, the band did indeed "shake it up" all night long.
"Flushed" from so much laughing
By Kate Harter | Nov. 11, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"Flushed Away" is a hit with kids. A big hit. So big, it was sold out the night after it premiered and was then packed the next day with youngsters ready to laugh their pants off and have the time of their lives. And that's saying something.
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