Category: reviews
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Covington’s last concert
On May 3 Diane Covington led her last chorus concert at Leesville Road High School. This year’s spring concert served as a goodbye for not only Covington, but the current seniors in chorus. All…
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Google Glass review
After completing my original article pertaining to Google’s latest product, I started to think about how a technology of this sort would impact me, an 18-year-old female about to enter the world of college.…
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Iron Man 3: Theatre gold
A year since his last appearance in The Avengers, Tony Stark returns to the third installment of the Iron Man series. Iron Man 3 is the best movie of the series by far. I…
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Music to my ears: Drake
Actor. Singer. Recording artist. Rapper. Songwriter. Aubrey Drake Graham, who goes by the name “Drake”, is an incredibly versatile artist. He was born in Toronto, Ontario and first gained fame from his appearance on…
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Hairspray earns 5 out of 5 stars
Wow. Just wow. That was my first response upon seeing the Leesville High production of Hairspray. The musical has something for everyone; singing, dancing, comedic wit and even a bit of history. Set in…
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Viewers dive into Splash
As my avid fans will attest, and as I will shamelessly admit, I have a slight obsession with reality television competitions. The Voice, The Sing-Off, The Apprentice, Duets, American Idol, The Taste, Dancing With…
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Veronica Mars is out of this world
Veronica Mars is a show about the intelligent and defiant 17-year-old investigator, Veronica Mars. Beginning the show as a fiercely independent social reject; Veronica seeks justice for the murder of her best friend, Lilly…
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Justice for Justice
The conversion of teen clothing store Limited Too into Justice happened about four years ago. Tween Brands, the company owning Limited Too and Justice, most likely initiated the change in response to the economic…
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Identity Thief steals the show
Imagine somebody stole your identity. You now both share a name, date of birth, social security number, and bank account. This is what happened to Sandy Patterson, an average hard-working businessman, when Diana, an…
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PDQ raises the bar for fast-food
New to Raleigh this winter, on the outside, PDQ looks like a typical fast-food restaurant. The drive-through looks standard, and the building’s facade looks normal. What, then, makes PDQ stand out? PDQ, which officially…
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Reluctant to try Travinia twice
Upon walking through the rustic threshold of Travinia, the warm atmosphere was unmistakable. Combined accents of leather, wood and stone produced the feeling of a Northern Californian vineyard. The ambiance was incredible, thanks to…
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Safe Haven Sparks flames
The latest movie adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks book had been released in movie theaters on Valentine’s day. Safe Haven centers around families, relationships and dark mysteries. After so long, it seems writers of…
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Beautiful Creatures casts a spell on movie viewers
Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment released Beautiful Creatures to movie theaters on Valentine’s day. Beautiful Creatures is based of the book series by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia. As the lights fade,…
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Music to my ears–Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars (born Peter Gene Hernandez) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Mars was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians. He began recording music at a young age,…
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Tamagotchi is better than ever
If you are a true ‘90s kid, you know what a Tamagotchi is. The small, egg shaped toy was a necessity to any cool kid’s repertoire. But now the teenagers with the hearts of…
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A case for John Irving
Salinger, Steinbeck, Fitzgerald and Hemingway are all readily recognized and praised as great American authors. There’s one name — though not necessarily in the same league as the others — that doesn’t often fall…
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Safe Haven disappoints
The twisted, dark romantic novel Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks is a stark contrast against the cheesy movie adaptation. As an avid Nicholas Sparks reader, I was sorely disappointed with the movie Safe Haven…
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Warm Bodies heats up in theaters
“What am I doing with my life? I’m so pale– I should get out more. I should eat better. My posture is terrible. I should stand up straight. People would respect me if I…
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Gravy garners great review
Triangle Restaurant Week is an annual event among eateries throughout the Raleigh area. This year, January 21-27 marked the time when Triangle restaurants offer fixed-price menus to showcase their establishment’s prized dishes. After…
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Zero Dark Thirty kills it
Everyone knows Osama bin Laden’s name, and after Zero Dark Thirty, they know how the CIA killed him. Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty depicts the post-9/11 race to find and kill Osama bin Laden.…
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Gangster Squad is a must-see
Those buying a ticket to Gangster Squad get exactly what they pay for — a goosebump inducing account of one of the biggest police mob stings in history. Gangster Squad is a thrilling action…
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Silver Linings Playbook strikes gold but not greatness
When things go bad, people usually say “How could things get any worse” or “There is no where to go but up.” Whether they believe in God or in fate, everyone tries to find…
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Django Unchained is worth seeing
If Inglorious Basterds was a radical change to Tarantino’s directing style, then Django Unchained is a movie genre of its own. The movie incorporates so many historical themes while still sticking to its spaghetti…
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The Fuelband fuels fitness
At the beginning of a new year, many people are embracing an age old resolution: to become more physically fit. Many companies, such as Nike and Fitbit are taking advantage of this trend and…
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Mainstage play showcases student talent
Friday, January 4 was shaping up to be another ordinary day. After lounging through Art I and Pride Period, I trudged across campus to Mrs. Floyd’s AP English class, looking forward to a day…
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Based on a true story…
“The whole country is watching you, they just don’t know it.” -Jack O’Donnell, Argo Unfortunately, that is often the case when it comes to those protecting our country. In 2012, however, there has been…
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Hitchcock is Psycho — in a Good Way
Hitchcock, directed by Sacha Gervasi, tells the love story between director Alfred Hitchcock (played by Anthony Hopkins) and his wife Alma Reville (Helen Mirren) isolated during the filming of one of his greatest films,…
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Les Miserables: the best movie in theaters
Les Miserables, the film adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, is a tale of wretched despair, fury and love that manipulates the audience’s emotions. The story, set in post-revolutionary France in the mid-nineteenth century,…
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Ready Player One provides a glimpse into the future of gaming
All of us have dreamed of living in another world, one in which we can shape our fates and how we live. Perhaps that is the attraction of dystopian novels: it allows the reader…
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The Hobbit returns to Middle Earth
With the unveiling of The Hobbit project nearly two years ago, Tolkien fans were restless with anticipation and apprehension. Jackson has once again created a beautiful, adrenaline-pumping prequel to his famous productions of The…
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Chorus concert hits high notes
As usual, the Leesville High School chorus concert on Friday, December 7 was impressive and well put-together. Diane Covington, choral director, always executes her concerts with gorgeous presentation and of course, beautiful choral music.…
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Music to my ears– Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is an American hip hop recording artist from Compton, California. He first gained major attention after the release of his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, in 2010. His first independent album, Section.80,…
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Skyfall Brought Down the Roof
With a legacy of classic James Bond movies setting a high standard, the latest 007 film seemed promising. With the trailer for Skyfall packed full of action sequences, steamy romance scenes, and glimpses of…
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Beasley’s Chicken and Honey
I recently heard about a restaurant in downtown Raleigh famous for their southern eats. The entree that stuck out the most was chicken and waffles. Being two items that aren’t typically eaten together, I…
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Caffé Luna: The best Italian cuisine in downtown Raleigh
In America, people can occasionally pigeonhole Italian cuisine into either spaghetti or pizza; Caffé Luna clearly breaks the stereotype. Settled on E. Hargett Street between Blount and Wilmington streets downtown, Caffé Luna’s bright, neon…
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“Paper Covers Rock” covers teenage boys’ minds
Have you ever wanted an inside glimpse into the mind and psyche of a teenage boy? Have you ever been frustrated because you just can not figure out what exactly he is thinking? Have…
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Phillip Phillips true to roots in debut album
For Phillip Phillips, it’s been a long road from Leesburg, Georgia to Hollywood, California. The immensely likeable but comfortably reserved 2012 American Idol winner brought a new dose of talent and originality to America’s…
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An Eyre of excitement
Long before girls swooned over Jacob and Edward in Twilight, they dreamed about Charlotte Bronte’s hero Mr. Rochester. The brooding and misunderstood Rochester was brought to life by Kordell Draper in the Leesville Road…
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Argo will go far
Ben Affleck’s most recent film, Argo, is a thriller from start to finish. Affleck, director and lead actor, portrays the Iranian hostage situation in the school year’s most intense movie. On November 4,…
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Disney-Pixar’s Wreck-it Ralph rocks theatres around the nation
Never let someone say kids movies are for kids because it just isn’t true. This past weekend, I saw Disney-Pixar’s Wreck-it Ralph out of pure curiosity. It sparks laughter and interest in all ages.…
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Deep-fried deliciousness
Following the tantalizing scent of fried dough and other delicacies at the North Carolina State Fair, I wind up at the end of a never-ending queue. Luckily, this food stand has the very item…
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Pitch Perfect is the perfect comedy
Pitch Perfect is a genuinely funny movie that breaks the mold of melodramatic teen singing competitions. Directed by Jason Moore, the hilarious a capella movie premiered Oct. 5. Pitch Perfect is a comedy and…
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Taken 2 takes over theaters
Taken 2 was the highly anticipated sequel to Taken, a movie released in 2008 about a man who rescues his daughter after she is kidnapped in Paris. A sequel to a movie that had…
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Taylor Swift’s new album Red makes an impact
Taylor Swift’s fourth album, Red, was released on Monday October 22, and it appears to be stereotypically about boyfriends and the typical undecodable thoughts of a young woman experimenting with love. Popular demand has…
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Jason Aldean chugs along with “Night Train”
I had been counting down the days. My favorite country singer was finally releasing a new album. his last album captured my heart, so I could not wait for some new songs. October 16…
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Shop of Horrors: A must see
North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre presents Little Shop of Horrors, a story of Seymour, a man tempted by an evil plant in exchange for human blood. NRACT’s diverse group of talent produced…
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Music to my ears– Frank Ocean
Christopher Francis Ocean, better known as Frank Ocean, is a neo-soul singer-songwriter who was born in New Orleans. He has released one major album, channel ORANGE, a mixtape (Nostalgia, Ultra) and a few leaked…
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A piece of Paris right in Raleigh
Normally, a French restaurant is not my style. I’m more of a steak burrito kind of guy. But I was pleasantly surprised when I went to Coquette in North Hills to celebrate my parents’…
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“Gangnam Style” grabs international and intracranial attention
By popular demand and love for the song “Gangnam Style” , I’ve found that it is necessary to write about the never-ceasing Korean Pop (K-Pop) sensation that’s reigning in the United States, Leesville Road…
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The Words– fiction, or life?
The Words is a movie about a novelist struggling to become a published author and does so by plagiarizing another man’s book. If I had to sum up this movie in one word, it…