Articles
Showing 1-10 of 12
Will The Curtains Open Or Close?
Garfield’s play promises to be much better then that terrible pun
By Sam Heft-Luthy
When addressing this year’s Garfield musical, Curtains, one must mention the elephant in the room: Roosevelt. Completely independent of one another (this is not sarcasm, it was actually just an unfortunate coincidence), both the bulldogs and the roughriders will be performing the same play.
Published May 21, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
The Idiot Box
Why TV needs to get smarter
By Sam Heft-Luthy
Everyone (or maybe it’s just me) has that one uncle, or that hated family friend, who refuses to call it “TV.” Not even “television” is good enough for this guy. Every time he mentions that LCD screen that flashes pictures into your eyes at the speed of light, this dumbass has to call it the “idiot box.” It’s not an original joke. It’s not a funny joke. It’s not even a tolerable joke. But is it true?
Published May 21, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Kick-Ass is, well…
The movie's title fits it excellently
By Sam Heft-Luthy
Kick-Ass brings us a new superhero story in which the hero loses his mother not to a crime syndicate but to a brain aneurism, the villain is your run– of– the– mill mafioso, and the only clear victor is Youtube’s visitor count. Kick-Ass is both great fun and a well-done deconstruction of the modern superhero.
Published April 30, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Why He Did It
"The McVeigh Tapes" chillingly capture the mindset of an American Terrorist
By Sam Heft-Luthy
15 years later, Timothy McVeigh’s anti-government sentiments are relevant once again, as grassroots movements spring up, some of which aim not to reform the government, but to overthrow it.
Published April 30, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Rebirth of the Sitcom
It’s official, comedy television doesn’t suck anymore
By Sam Heft-Luthy
From the beginning of television, America has filled its primetime slots with the classic entertainment medium known as the sitcom. Situation comedies are well known by most TV viewers for providing laugh tracks and zany situations, but are not often known for their true comedic value. In the early ’00s, the American sitcom was in dire straits, but the past couple years have brought about a revolution in the American sitcom towards actual humor. You can turn on the tube now; America is funny again.
Published April 16, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Modern Warfare Who?
“Battlefield: Bad Company 2” explodes onto the war game scene
By Sam Heft-Luthy
“Modern Warfare 2” is the war video game genre’s gold standard, with tense, heart-racing action, epic set pieces, and a competitive multiplayer mode that keeps gamers coming back for more.But now, hoping to dethrone Modern Warfare 2 comes a new title: “Battlefield: Bad Company 2.” Although the game has some flaws, it’s the best way to kick the Modern Warfare habit.
Published April 16, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Exploring the World of the ‘Plastic Beach’
The Gorillaz tweak their style: is it for the better?
By Sam Heft-Luthy
Damon Albarn (the man behind the virtual band the Gorillaz)’s 2005 album Demon Days is a masterpiece. Seamlessly merging the genres of electronic, rap, rock, pop, and even folk music into a record full of flawless tracks, Demon Days crafted some pretty large shoes to fill. Plastic Beach decides to fill an entirely different pair of shoes, and it does so quite well.
Published March 26, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Quest for the Best: Frozen Treat Dispensary
By Sam Heft-Luthy
First it was doughnuts. Then, for a while, it was cupcakes. Now the latest food trend going through Seattle is upscale ice cream parlors.
Published March 26, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
Youth Speaks Is Slammin’
The organization that's giving a voice to today's teens
By Sam Heft-Luthy
Youth Speaks gives teenag ers age 13 – 19 the weapons and confidence to fight that war. And if it ends up being art, hey, that’s just a bonus.
Published March 12, 2010 - Arts & Entertainment
The Asylum
The company that brought you Paranormal Entity and Airline Disaster
By Sam Heft-Luthy
It’s been said by many film snobs that great moviemaking starts when there’s a story to tell. But what happens if the story is less than original? That’s exactly what one production company is determined to find out. The Asylum churns out “mockbusters,” knock-off films clearly made to cash in on the wave of interest generated by the latest Michael Bay epics.
