Sounds of Blackness wraps up MLK Day
To those in Hill Auditorium on Monday night old enough to remember, it was like being sucked back in time to the Power Center on Martin Luther Kin Jr. Day '95. To those for who have never received a Sounds of Blackness experience, it was a night of unforgettable song and spirit.
Wechsler reads from book of the bizarre
Who can resist a cabinet full of oddities? A museum of the unusual? Who hasn't, at one time in their life, read "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" in the comics section of the Sunday paper and found themselves swinging like a pendulum between "believe it" and "not?"
Bush: Razorblade Suitcase
With Bush's second release, the grating and caustic "Razorblade Suitcase," the British grunge band continued its bottom-dwelling trend of feeding off alternative bile and churned out another batch of vexatious Nirvana-imitating tunes.
True story shines on screen
"Shine" is an Australian import based on the life of classical pianist David Helfgott, a man blessed with prodigious musical talent, but cursed by the pressures of an over-zealous father (Armin Mueller-Stahl).
Newcomer and prime Oscar-candidate Geoffrey Rush plays Helfgott, who first appears scampering through the rain toward a small cafe, seemingly euphoric. Looking haggard and acting hyperactive, Rush demands attention from the opening scene, ending his staccato outbursts with, "Oh yes, the tragedy of it all, the tragedy.
Swans glide into Detroit
Want a great marketing gimmick? Look no further than to long term ambient rockers the Swans. With the release of its newest album, "Soundtracks for the Blind," the band (meaning the two primaries, Michael Gira and the mono-sobriqueted Jarboe) announced that it wasn't going to record any more studio albums and that its next tour would be the last.
Gripping 'Ghosts' awakens past
It's good to know that there are other people besides John Grisham inside Hollywood's world of courtroom dramas. Rob Reiner's latest directorial effort, "Ghosts of Mississippi," details the assassination of civil rights leader Medgar Evers and the 30 years it took to bring about justice.
Exhibit portrays life
The flurry of speeches, panel discussions and concerts commemorating the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give members of the University community a wonderful chance to hear a number of varied opinions concerning everything from race relations to environmental racism.
Daring filmmaking falls flat with 'Lady'
The world of movies brings some of the most conservative topics to life, but it also dares to attack the most obscure and unusual ideas. In the case of "The Portrait of a Lady," the bizarre meets the creepy, and the final result is nothing but a mess.
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