entertainment
The Bleak Dahlia
By Pia Nargundkar | Sept. 19, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Some movies are great, some are decent, some are funny and some are touching. And then there are movies that make you cry for your two hours and $10. "The Black Dahlia," directed by Brian De Palma ("Scarface," "Mission Impossible"), based on the book by James Ellroy ("L.A. Confidential") and featuring a host of stars, has the right amount of talent to be great, but falls far short.
"The Black Dahlia" is a cure for insomnia
By Caitlin Schneiderhan | Sept. 19, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"They tell me I'm very photogenic," says Elizabeth Short, the infamously murdered Black Dahlia. Photogenic, "The Black Dahlia," isn't. Ten minutes into the film, a man in the audience was already asleep, befuddled by all the confusing and unrelated plotlines that the scriptwriters seemed to enjoy throwing in and amazed that actors as talented as Scarlett Johannson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank could be so terrible. And the less said about Josh Hartnett and his suspenders the better.
Three strikes, "Everyone's Hero" is out
By Jason Meer | Sept. 19, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
The story behind "Everyone's Hero" is hard to top. Directed by the late Christopher Reeve, the film was originally planned to be an animated pet project for his son Will, with wife Dana Reeve at the helm as a prominent voice actress. But with the deaths of both of parents in the past two years, it is too bad that the last Reeve family project has so little to offer. Uneven animation and a ridiculous storyline unfortunately bring down this potential home run of a movie at the warning track.
Beat the heat with lassi
By Pia Nargundkar | Sept. 18, 2006, midnight | In Drinks »
While the summer heat has almost faded, the weather has recently been throwing us some scorchers. And what better to enjoy in this hot weather than a refreshing, ice-cold glass of lassi. This traditional drink of India is easy to make and much healthier than any fast-food milkshake or sundae.
"An Inconvenient Truth" presents more bias than fact
By Josie Callahan | Sept. 14, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
From the riveting previews for Al Gore's documentary on global warming, one could expect "An Inconvenient Truth" to be frightening, fascinating, compelling and inspiring. The film, however did not fully succeed on any one of these measures, and proved to be 1 hour and 40 minutes of political propaganda. The travesty of global warming is overshadowed by an overview of the noble life of Al Gore, as the movie focuses on his many contributions to the U.S. government and efforts to change environmental policies, scattered with dry details of the upcoming devastation of the world.
A super "Hollywoodland"
By Poorva Singal | Sept. 14, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
He was faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive, but the actor now lies dead on the floor. The Man of Steel, every child's favorite superhero, is no more. It is ruled a suicide, but could the invincible Superman really take his own life? Some are not so sure. Allen Coulter's 'Hollywoodland,' inspired by the real-life mystery behind the death of "Superman" TV star George Reeves (Ben Affleck), keeps viewers absorbed as they attempt to form their own conclusions about what really happened 50 years ago.
"Hollywoodland" doesn't have a clue
By April DalBello | Sept. 13, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"Hollywoodland" wants to be an extremely suspenseful film that weaves a dark tale about the life and death of a glamorous but troubled actor. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite get there.
Gary and the "gang" rock out Nissan Pavilion
By Elsi Wu | Sept. 13, 2006, midnight | In Music »
You know you're at a country concert when cowboy boots, hats, and Daisy Duke's are just staples of the regular attire. Armed with burgers, beers, and big voices, all of the area's hillbillies were out in full force in Bristow, VA to celebrate the reigning group in country, Rascal Flatts.
"The Protector" kicks butt
By Daniel Klein | Sept. 13, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Prachya Pinkaew, a famous martial arts director in Thailand, is not known for making buddy pictures. However, after ten minutes of the follow-up to "Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior," you might feel like you've walked into the wrong theater. The movie in those first few minutes consist of the following: boy plays with grown elephant, elephant has a baby elephant, and boy and baby elephant grow up together. The cuteness even draws an "Aww" out of the audience, and if only Pinkaew had replaced the elephant with a golden retriever, the movie would be like a million other G-rated family films. But then the movie gets back on its projected track when the elephant is captured. And unlike buddy films you've seen before, in "The Protector," when your buddy is stolen, you snap as many arms as it takes to get him back.
"Crank" down the volume on this tacky thriller
By Julia Mazerov | Sept. 8, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Action-seekers, welcome to 87 minutes of your wildest dreams, but if chick flicks are more your thing, you may as well avoid this one all together. In Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor's "Crank," Jason Statham is Chev Chelios, and this British brute is back with even more of a violent, no-nonsense persona than he brought you in "Cellular" and "The Transporter."
Cross "Crossover" off your list
By Kate Harter | Sept. 7, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
There have been great basketball movies in that past that work to include a well-written story, high-quality acting, first-class moves and fast paced, energizing music. Preston A. Whitmoore II's "Crossover" just isn't among them.
"Queens" – royally clever
By Cassie Cummins | Sept. 6, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
In every movie with a wedding, there of course must also be havoc — wreaked by weird in-laws or inconvenient love affairs. But this time, "Queens" adds to all the typical hubbub, by throwing sexuality into the mix. It is the first gay wedding, en masse, to take place in Spain, a very Catholic country that only recently recognized gay marriage. The result is a hilarious, if sometimes unclear tangle of human relationships.
"Crank" offers the worst in typical action
By Jonas Shaffer | Sept. 6, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
In its title screen sequence, "Crank" is introduced with a series of splashy video game and three-dimensional graphics culminating in a display of the movie's title in a font reminiscent of 1980s arcade favorite "Pac-Man."
"Crossover" to another theater
By Christina Mullen | Sept. 6, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
As one of several sports-themed movies coming out this fall, "Crossover" is supposedly unique in that it covers the growing phenomena of street-ball, a style of underground basketball with few rules, just "good, clean fun." But with outdated Wayne Brady as the marquee actor and only several minutes of real basketball, "Crossover" becomes just another cliché.
Don't expect peace from "The Quiet"
By Laura Mirviss | Sept. 6, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Nina Deer (Elisha Cuthbert) appears to lead the perfect life. She is a popular, gorgeous blond on her high school cheerleading team. But Nina has a secret, so explosive and so personal, that only her father knows its depths. Because each night, it is Nina's father (Martin Donovan) who slips into her bedroom to have sex with her. It is around this jarring premise that director Jamie Babbit molds her film. Reminiscent of 1999's "American Beauty," "The Quiet" details the horror and tragedy of child molestation.
A wooden "Wicker Man"
By Jasleen Salwan | Sept. 6, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
Some thrillers are so intrinsically crafted and innately eerie, they rob their audiences out of a week's worth of sleep. Other less noteworthy ones at least creep viewers out a bit, perhaps with their intricate plotlines. But "The Wicker Man," with a stale execution of what could have been a decent storyline, accomplishes neither, making audiences feel cheated instead.
Pass the Samosas
By Rachita Sood | Aug. 31, 2006, midnight | In Restaurant Reviews »
From cities lining the coast of the Arabian Sea to small villages in the northern state of Punjab, the unique food of India varies with every mile. Tucked away in Bell's Corner just outside of downtown Rockville, Bombay Bistro captures this delectable cuisine with its large menu and delicious food.
Italy has never felt so close to home
By Poorva Singal | Aug. 31, 2006, midnight | In Restaurant Reviews »
A first glance at the dinner menu does not seem too welcoming for a vegetarian. But don't be fooled; the few veggie-friendly choices are quite appetizing and authentic. This small Italian cuisine located in Bethesda offers deliciously cooked food that will leave you wanting to come back for more.
An acceptable "Accepted"
By David Jia | Aug. 23, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
During the high school years, not a single student has gone by without envisioning his or her college experience. And most students get into at least one college (some better some worse, but at least they get in). Then what happens when a student doesn't get into college? In any normal circumstances, he or she would try to find a job and perhaps try again next year. But, as Steve Pink's "Accepted" shows, there are other "loopholes" that can be taken to advantage.
Chai – Spiced Milk Tea
By Poorva Singal | Aug. 8, 2006, midnight | In Drinks »
Tea is known as chai in varying parts of the world. Signifying milk tea in India, chai is a popular beverage amongst many people of the nation. This recipe uses a just a couple of spices to give a wonderful flavor that is soothing and hard to resist.
Bonanza banana bread!
By Courtney Burtraw | Aug. 6, 2006, midnight | In Sides »
No matter how much you like the fruit, there comes a time in everyone's life when they are faced with a bunch of overly ripe bananas. What better way to impress friends and family than to present them with fresh, homemade banana bread? This moist, sweet recipe is delicious for breakfast, or can be served with fruit for dessert. It's a great way to put to good use bananas that are past their prime, without just throwing them away.
Frozen blueberry smoothie
By David Jia | Aug. 5, 2006, midnight | In Drinks »
It's summertime and the heat is unbearable. Who knew a cool refreshment is in reach? These blueberry smoothies are sure to chill you out, and even better, it's a snap to make. So, if you find yourself at home with nothing to do and you simply can't stand the heat, try out this healthy, delicious snack.
A "Runaway" success
By Bridget Egan | Aug. 2, 2006, midnight | In Books »
Sure, Spiderman is a wall crawler worth fawning over, and Wolverine is everybody's favorite Canadian with indestructible metal claws, but these classic graphic novel characters have aged considerably since their creation in the 60's and 70's, and new ones are desperately needed. This is when Brian K. Vaughn has stepped up; he superbly fills in the hero void with his three dimensional characters in the Marvel comic "Runaways" based in Los Angeles with cleverly re-invented superheroes.
"Miami Vice" brings out Miami's deep scars
By Nitin Sukumar | Aug. 2, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
This year, Director Michael Mann took his 1984 "Miami Vice" and turned it into one of the most action-packed, unpredictable crime dramas to date. That doesn't make it spectacular. In reality, "Miami Vice" plainly doesn't make the cut, especially since Mann had created masterpieces like "Collateral" and "Heat" in previous years.
A stomping good story
By Clement Yang | Aug. 2, 2006, midnight | In Movies »
"What goes around comes around." This tenet of wisdom proved especially true for Lucas Nickle (voiced by Zach Tyler), the protagonist in Warner Brother's fabulous new computer-generated flick, "Ant Bully."
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