Category: reviews
-
New Politics thrills enthusiasts
On Wednesday, Oct 15, the band New Politics took over Cat’s Cradle. People began lining up at the door before 3:30 even though people could not enter the show until 6:30. The band consists…
-
Alt-J lulls listeners
Alt-J, British indie-rock band, released their second album This is All Yours on September 22. Although the album is their first ever without bassist Gwil Sainsbury, several pre-released singles including “Left Hand Free” and…
-
Phantom of the Opera at DPAC
The Phantom of the Opera is showing at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) from October 8 to October 19. This infamous musical was originally adapted by Andrew Lloyd Weber from a novel by…
-
Gone Girl shoots to the top
On Friday, October 3, the movie adaptation of the novel Gone Girl premiered. The movie shot to the top of the box office earning over $37.5 million opening weekend. The story follows Nick Dunne,…
-
Phantom returns bigger and better
The bright chandelier shimmers over the first five rows of the audience. The rich reds of the curtain and subtle gold lighting creates a dramatic tone. The auctioneer utters one of the most famous…
-
Umstead State Park review
Umstead is a beautiful 5,579 acre park. Many people go to Umstead to horseback ride, bicycle and run on the soft gravel or dirt trails, but there is a much larger draw. Umstead offers…
-
The Maze Runner movie confuses
The movie The Maze Runner, based off of the book by James Dashner, came to theaters on September 19. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, most of them low, but most moviegoers are…
-
The Gargoyle review
The Gargoyle is a Novel by Andrew Davidson, published in 2008. It is a story of a man and a woman who had been soulmates in a past life meeting again after a tragic…
-
Lorde does not disappoint
Ella Yelich-O’Connor, better known as Lorde, came to the Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh on September 18 for her Pure Heroine tour, and she did not disappoint. The concert opened with Majical Cloudz, a…
-
Goodberry’s Frozen Custard review
Goodberry’s has been serving frozen custard since 1988. There are currently nine creameries in the triangle area. The closest Goodberry’s to Leesville Road High School is just down the road from the school by…
-
IMAX’s D-Day skims history with detail
Narrated by golden-voiced NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, D-Day 3D: Normandy 1944 covers the pivotal World War II battle in just 45 minutes. This is an arduous task, but writer and director Pascal Vuong is…
-
“Turn Blue” launches Black Keys to new high
If Danger Mouse didn’t spoil the Black Keys’ individuality, if the profit lures of pop didn’t corrupt the Black Keys’ unique genre, if fanbase impatience didn’t force the Black Keys into a rushed production,…
-
4 creative TV competitions that aren’t about singing
4. Cupcake Wars Cupcake Wars is a food-based reality competition on Food Network. The show starts off with four teams made up of a chef and a sous-chef. One team is eliminated in each…
-
5 Reasons Why The Office Is The Best Show Ever
The Office is a TV show that ran from 2005 to 2013. Its non-stop comedy and silly drama never got old. One can catch the 9 season show from NBC on Netflix. These are…
-
Oculus brings a new twist to horror movies
On April 11, 2014, the arrival of Oculus to theaters delighted horror movie fans across the world. The movie earned $12 million its opening weekend, in addition to generally positive reception from viewers. The…
-
Grease lightnin’s up the stage
On Thursday, April 10, through Saturday, April 12, Leesville Road High School’s theatre program put on a production of the ’70s musical film, Grease. Essentially, Grease is a musical about the social groups and…
-
Captain America takes over the box office
Captain America: The Winter Soldier came to theaters on Friday, April 4. With $95,023,721 after just the opening weekend, this movie has taken over the box office. The Winter Soldier is the ninth movie…
-
Keep Portlandia weird
Anyone familiar with Fred Armisen is also familiar with his odd sense of humor, indulging audiences and himself with wacky personas. Armisen displayed his personality on Saturday Night Live, and the entertainment only continues…
-
‘Divergent’ diverges from its predecessors
Based on the Veronica Roth’s best seller, Divergent, the movie, epitomizes the general message of most young adult fiction — you’re you, and nobody else. You can’t let them define you. Don’t let them…
-
Hibachi 101 amazes with price and quality
Located in Alexander Promenade Place, Hibachi 101 is a convenient spot for well-priced Japanese fare. Upon walking in, I was hit with the minimalist vibe and Asian flair that simultaneously suggests good sanitation and…
-
GOT7 become master chefs on this week’s Real GOT7
This week’s episode of Real GOT7 was especially fun and the guys looked especially delicious (wink wink). Adorned in superhero themed aprons, the boys gear up to fight for the title of Ramen God…
-
Gonza Tacos Y Tequila review
Gonza Tacos Y Tequila is a friendly Colombian restaurant with two convenient locations: Wake Forest location by The Factory and a North Raleigh location in Greystone Village off of Lead Mine Road. It has…
-
Chubby’s restaurant review
Voted “Favorite Restaurant Value” in 2010 by the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chubby’s Tacos has certainly lived up to this title in recent years. Walking in you’re immediately put at ease with cozy…
-
Raleigh museum reviews
Located downtown on 5 East Edenton Street, the North Carolina History Museum hosts multiple exhibits. Any sports fan can enjoy the permanent NC Sports Hall of Fame, and political fanatics may indulge in an…
-
The Cosby Show
By now, everyone should be familiar with the famous Cosby Show: A 1984 sitcom that follows the life of an upper-middle class African-American family, living in Brooklyn, New York. Cliff and Clair Huxtable are…
-
Gonza Tacos Y Tequila Review
Gonza Tacos Y Tequila is a friendly Colombian restaurant with two convenient locations: Wake Forest location by The Factory and a North Raleigh location in Greystone Village off of Lead Mine Road. It has…
-
Pharrell Williams drops G I R L
After a wildly successful 2013 year, Pharrell Williams has made yet another musical debut. The Grammy award winning artist released his new album G I R L on March 3. G I R L…
-
Broken Bells establishes identity with “After the Disco”
The music identity has always longed to define the Broken Bells as a spinoff of established sounds: lead singer James Mercer’s own The Shins, ‘70s alternative pioneer band Bee Gees, recent electronica breakout Passion…
-
Facebook receives a “facelift”
Recently, Facebook celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Through the many highs and lows, the company has brought in new innovative features, including but not limited to: a live news feed, a message board, and timeline.…
-
The Goldfinch is a triumph
It took me a few days after finishing Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch to decide I was, in fact, going to write a review. And once I had decided, I knew it would be one…
-
Les Mis exceeds expectations
NC Theatre’s current production of Les Misérables was exceptional, especially considering the immensity of the musical. Les Misérables, set during the French Revolution, is the epic story of Jean Valjean, a reformed convict, and…
-
Osage triumphs
Tracy Lett’s August: Osage County, the Pullitzer award-winning play, may have translated to the screen victoriously, but every aspect was not a victory. Set in Osage County, Oklahoma, August: Osage County is the macabre story…
-
Leesville produces a good “Mean Girl”
Taking on such an iconic millennial movie could prove to be a task that would leave most falling flat. However, the Leesville Mainstage class took on the job with excitement — delivering a great…
-
Our Grammy Predictions
http://www.grammy.com/nominees Best New Artist–James Blake Out of names such as Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore, Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran, it seems highly unlikely a generic-sounding James Blake would win. However, my mind keeps going back…
-
Downton Abbey returns
The fourth season of Downton Abbey began Sunday, January 5 — leaving eagerly awaiting fans feeling bittersweet. The absence of the British drama left a hole in dedicated fans weekly Sunday night routine, however…
-
Sherlock is coming Holmes
After two years of hiatus, the season three premiere of Sherlock, titled “The Empty Hearse”, aired in the UK on January 1 and will premiere on January 19 in the US. The premiere was…
-
American Hustle bamboozles box office
David O. Russel’s brilliant take on the ABSCAM Affair of the 70’s, “American Hustle” tells the story of con artist duo Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) as they are forced…
-
Saving Mary Poppins
Upon walking into the movie theater for Saving Mr. Banks, I groaned, assuming it was another cheesy Disney movie. As reluctant as I was, Saving Mr. Banks shattered every notion of a fairytale cliche…
-
Clumsy Ninja charms gamers
Clumsy Ninja is Naturalmotion Games’ newest creation. Originally announced at the iPhone 5 event last September, the release of the game was severely delayed. Though it has been available in several other countries months…
-
Shakespeare, or what you will
On 44th St. in Manhattan, between Sixth and seventh avenue, lies the Belasco Theatre, currently putting on two rather recognizable plays: Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Or What You Will and The Tragedie of King Richard…
-
A remedy for boring lunch spots
On E. Hargett next to Moore Square sits a quaint diner called Remedy. The red door and signature lights welcome entry to an intimate, casual dining experience. Remedy’s small dining area loses nothing with…
-
The Pit review: A sweet, southern spot
Nestled between W. Davie and S. Harrington Street, The Pit stands as one of North Carolina’s most successful barbecue restaurants. As you enter, the smell of sweet sauce lapping over smoky pork, cheesy macaroni,…
-
Thor: The Dark World Review
Thor: The Dark World is the follow up movie to Thor and The Avengers, earning $85.7 million opening weekend. The Avengers took over the box office when it premiered last year, and it seems…
-
Piccola Italia thinks inside the box
Walking into Piccola Italia in Cameron Village, I didn’t know what to expect. What I was given was a hearty, filling meal in a relatively cozy setting. One word describes the experience: satisfactory. The…
-
Lit circle reading: The Bell Jar
A novel about shock treatments, asylum visits, drug overdoses and lesbian encounters. It’s not Lindsay Lohan’s biography, but a dense and intense novel entitled The Bell Jar. The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical novel…
-
Pearl Jam fails to disappoint
The name “Pearl Jam” most often elicits thoughts of the early 90s, the time where there were many fans of the Seattle grunge scene. After listening to “Lightning Bolt”, the group’s most recent studio…
-
Great job, old sport!
The lights dim, the jazz-age music commences, Jake Banasiewicz takes stage right as the iconic Jay Gatsby. The Great Gatsby begins. Running last Thursday through Saturday night, October 31 to November 2, with a…
-
Captain Phillips Splashes on Scene
Captain Phillips on surface level may appear to be only the dramatic retelling of the heart-pounding thriller that was the 2009 hijacking of the US container ship Maersk Alabama. However, through the distinctive lens…
-
Gorman and Magee Review
Sean Magee and Brian Gorman are two up and coming North Carolinian musicians who perform in small venues around the state. The group performed Sunday, Sept. 29 on the Saint Francis of Assisi school…
-
Carolina Ale House review
Located off of Skyland Ridge Parkway in Brier Creek, Carolina Ale House is an upbeat sports bar and pub. When I first walked in, I was amazed by all the items and pictures hanging…