The video game industry has enjoyed a surge of excellent video game sequels for many of their smash hits. The recent release of "Bioshock 2" proves that great games can have a sequel that improves upon the original. Out of all the games, though, there are five that really stand out as the best video game sequels of all time: "Resident Evil 4," "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," "Mario Kart Wii," "God of War II" and "Super Mario Bros." for the Nintendo DS.
Alkaline Trio has made and remade punky pop records over their 14-year career, only recently expanding their sound to newer levels. The band's seventh studio release, "This Addiction," goes back to basics, returning to the low production and endearing punk that is entrenched in the band's roots. The formula brings a group of successful songs, though overall it proves that the band has not survived the test of time, sounding like a group nostalgic for the past rather than optimistic for the future.
"Valentine's Day," as implied, takes on the look of humorizing one of the most contentiously debated holiday of all time.
Remember when MTV used to play music? Apparently they don't.
In their latest album, "The Constant," Story of the Year, the hard rock band from St. Louis, mixes different sounds in their music ranging from punk-rock, punk-pop, hard rock and screamo.
The Finnish, goth-emo five-piece, HIM, have probably made a living less on the merits of their music and more on the symbols that define their music: mounds of eyeliner, a wardrobe straight out of Hot Topic and that dangerously jagged heart-meets-triangle necklace, which is referred to as a "heartagram." Knowing this, the band's newest album, "Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice," seems destined to adhere to the stereotypes associated with goth-emo music: insipid instrumentation and painfully obvious lyrics about self-loathing and suffering.
The Department of Communications is presenting the play, "Much Ado About Nothing," opening on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. at the South Orange Performing Arts Center.
Seton Hall will be hosting a Relay for Life kickoff party in the Living Room at 8:30 p.m on Feb. 16.
Brooklyn's indie-rock trio Yeasayer has garnered media attention ever since their critically lauded debut, "All Hour Cymbals," caught attention in 2007. Following their debut, the band almost immediately transcended small indie circles and reached worldwide audiences. Even a clip of them practicing was aired on MTV (during the commercials, of course, when MTV pretends to still care about music).After a painstaking wait, Yeasayer's second album, "Odd Blood," seems to cater more to such expansive audiences, honing the subtle pop influences heard on their previous album. Their tremendously catchy single, "Ambling Alp," exemplifies this dramatic change of style; this does not sound like the same band that was booming portentous waves of sound on the Black Sabbath-esque "Waiting for the Wintertime."
Look up at the big screen or at your TV this year and you're going to spot a full moon.
Valentine's Day is the one day of the year much awaited by those in love but dreaded by singles. But singles must keep in mind that Valentine's Day is not just to be celebrated by couples. The day is meant to express love to anyone we are close to. If you don't have a significant other this year, grab a friend or family member and try these fun ideas.
The latest tearjerker from author Nicolas Sparks is full of mushy romance, despite the unconvincing acting by the young lead stars. "Dear John" was adapted and directed by Oscar-nominated Swedish filmmaker Lasse Hallström, whose previous works include "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "The Cider House Rules" and "Chocolat." Although minor differences emerge from the novel to the big screen, the same love story develops and will capture audiences' hearts.
The "Valentine's Day" movie soundtrack unapologetically screams mushy chick flick with over an hour of great love story anthems. The music selection is a series of almost twenty heart-throbbing love tunes designed to evoke the romance in every listener's heart from this highly anticipated celebrity-filled date-comedy.
A disclaimer in Delia Ephron's words: "This [play] isn't about fashion — it's about the emotions." The originator of "chick flicks," Nora Ephron, with her sister Delia, present a new work, which is a light-hearted testimony to womanhood, as well as an insightful explanation for the clueless man. "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" is a fusion of "Sex in the City," lunch hour at the office and unabashed stand-up comedy. Performed in the cozy Westside Theatre and staged with surprisingly appropriate simplicity, the play features a rotating all-star cast of five women. Cycling through this cast are Rosie O'Donnell, Kristen Chenoweth, Fran Drescher, Tyne Daily and many more.The play opens with the cast neatly seated in chairs at the edge of the stage. Clad sharply in black, the women begin to narrate intimate vignettes, rife with dry humor and wit, that center around the most memorable outfits and fashion experiences of their lives. It is immediately clear that their stories are far from superficial, as vivid descriptions of clothing segue into personal emotional accounts. These real accounts, a result of vast collaboration, appeal to facets of every audience member's experience; even the men in the audience were laughing out of their seats. Ranging from a traumatic, albeit productive, bra-fitting, to people who wear black, to a bitter assault on purses and a bathrobe's symbolism in the face of chemotherapy, the cast weaves tales that are only prefaced by clothing. The Ephrons, as well as Ilene Beckerman, author of the 1995 memoir by the same name, seem to have latched onto a curious aspect of human nature. "When you ask people about their clothes, what they do is tell you about their lives," said Delia Ephron. "Someone will say, ‘My husband was wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt when he told me he didn't want to be married anymore.' For some reason, that's what they remember." The play conveys this concept by prompting audiences to reflect upon their most memorable pieces of attire and, subsequently, compelling them to recall the most memorable people and experiences of their lives. While short of ground-breaking, the show makes for an amazing night out with those closest to you. All audience members will be grateful to realize that the problems they face are universal and confused men in particular may finally gain a better understanding of the women in their lives. One could even argue that this play helps to bridge the age-old gender gap. A refreshing, intimate, and laid-back reflection on life; "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" will leave you laughing, uplifted and, most importantly, chatty.
Stony's restaurant, which had its grand opening on Oct. 27, is a new hidden gem in South Orange.
Tony award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang will perform in Seton Hall Arts Council's program, Poetry in the Round, on Feb. 9 in the Walsh Library.
Most people would agree that one of the main drawbacks to television would be the commercials that take time away from the real show. Many viewers would argue to focus more time on the actual program instead of countless car and food advertisements. There is, however, one exception to this rule: the one day out of the year where people find themselves counting the commercials as part of the main event: Super Bowl Sunday.
If Prince, John Mayer and Stevie Wonder have anything in common, besides renowned musical excellence, it's that Nick Jonas has decided to smash them into one force. The sweet-faced front man of the Jonas Brothers released his solo album, "Who I Am" on Feb. 2, which is an intriguing blend of rock, funk, soul and the high-pitched squeals of a tween-idol — a combination that, like the Jonas Brothers themselves, leaves you confused yet happily humming along.This is his second solo-project, the first being an endearing self-titled compilation he recorded at age eleven.
Peace, love and rock and roll: this legendary expression is an apt way to describe the Broadway musical "Hair."
To young music fans, the success of Bob Dylan may be puzzling. His raw, nasally vocals and sparse instrumentation, initially just his acoustic guitar and harmonica, are not instantly accessible in a world where synthesizers and auto-tune dominate the mainstream.
Solutions by The State News