FEATURES

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"The Dark Knight Rises," and So Will Theater Attendance

By Staff Writer | June 6

More than any other director, Christopher Nolan has made the superhero movie into an art form. With his films "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," Nolan managed to use the larger-than-life characters of the Batman franchise to produce compelling commentaries on real issues like vengeance and greed. The conclusion to his Batman trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises," is sure to be a box office smash when it opens on July 20. It certainly is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer.

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The Men in Black are Back

By Staff Writer | May 26

The original "Men in Black" was a truly remarkable film that managed to blur the lines between science fiction and comedy, in the process propelling the movie career of Will Smith and cementing Tommy Lee Jones's legacy as a Hollywood icon. Its sequel, "Men in Black II," proved to be an absolutely dismal failure, and it's unfortunate that neuralyzers could not really exist to wipe that flop from memory. "Men in Black 3" very easily could have been just as bad, but the third installment happily lives up to the high standard set by the first film. While by no means superior, "Men in Black 3" does recapture the magic of the original and serves as a satisfying continuation of the series.

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Lady Antebellum wows crowd at Radio City

By Staff Writer | May 13

Country-pop trio Lady Antebellum performed two sold out concerts at Radio City Music Hall last week.

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SHU professor debuts latest short film

By Staff Writer | May 10

"It started as a hobby, and now it's just what I do." Professor Tom Rondinella said. "I just do it for relaxation."

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Carrie Underwood is all grown up on new album

By Staff Writer | May 7

Carrie Underwood's fourth album, "Blown Away" was released May 1, and like her previous CDs, the overall reception was positive. Billboard.com writes, "In an already impressive, multi-platinum career, 'Blown Away' is a landmark achievement." Underwood is known for her strong voice, yet gentle attitude. This combination makes her a country force to be reckoned with.

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Summertime movie releases

By Staff Writer | May 3

Brave By: Tiffany Do This year's Pixar summer film "Brave" features a gutsy fireball of a princess out to save her kingdom from a disaster she brought upon herself. Set in a magical Scotland, Princess Merida, voiced by Kelly Macdonald, defies the typical princess stereotype. Instead of looking for a suitor, she runs around with a bow and arrow and an adventurous spirit. In the midst of trying to change her restricting fate of being part of a boring, "perfect" family, this Scottish Mulan brings a curse to the kingdom and is forced to undo the malady. Pixar-lovers every-where can expect the usual outstanding animation, witty dialogue and captivating storyline.

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Fond farewell to TV favorites: House

By Staff Writer | May 3

May 21 will mark a bittersweet moment for fans of FOX's "House." The series will end, and while fans are undoubtedly eager to see how the show comes to an end, viewers are reluctant to say goodbye to Hugh Laurie's eccentric character who has been a beloved TV figure for the past eight years.

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Melody & Tyler album lacks excitement

By Tiffany Do | May 3

Melody & Tyler's first full-length album, "Breaking and Bending," is both soothing and spine-tingling. The Utah-based duet mixes el­ements of pop and country with all the good­ness of acoustic rock to present a compilation of heart-wrenching songs.

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Fond farewell to TV favorites: Desperate Housewives

By Staff Writer | May 3

Wisteria Lane has come to a dead end.

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Summertime music releases

By Staff Writer | May 3

Maroon 5 By: Patrice Kubik For being "Overexposed," Maroon 5 have not revealed much about their new album, which is slated to release June 26. The band's first single from the album, "Payphone" featuring Wiz Khalifa, hit the radio last month, and if it is any indication of what is to come, fans can look forward to a slightly different sound than they're used to. Over the past year, with popular releases like "Moves Like Jagger" featuring Christina Aguilera and "Stereo Hearts" with Gym Class Heroes, Maroon 5 has been moving away from the alternative genre to a younger, pop (and occasionally hip-hop) sound. With a fun and fresh sound, "Overexposed" is sure to be a summer hit.

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Tribeca's 'Babygirl' is an incoherent mess

By Staff Writer | May 3

Teenage love is a strange and confusing thing, and even more so when your mother's deadbeat boyfriend wants to date you. That's the problem facing Lena, a 16-year-old girl living in the Bronx. Lena is older than her years: she is often the more responsible one, picking up the pieces after Victor, her mom's latest flame, starts moving in on Lena. The film has the opportunity to take a particularly chilling and awkward situation and make a powerful family drama, but "Babygirl" falls flat. The charac­ters make unrealistic decisions that don't agree with their personality. Yainis Ynoa, as Lena, shows prom­ise, but the script never tells her what her character really wants, so she gets lost in the plot. Lena swears she will teach Victor a lesson, but then she ends up falling in and out of love with him.

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Engaging' comedy hits theaters

By Staff Writer | May 3

Can true love really wait? Fianc?©es Tom (Ja­son Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) are perfect for each other. The only thing not perfect is that they are not married and don't seem to be get­ting any closer to walking down the aisle.

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Arthur Miller's 'Resurrection Blues' to be presented at SOPAC

By Tiffany Do | April 26

The setting is present day South America. The star? A modern day Jesus Christ.

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All's fair in love and war

By Staff Writer | April 26

"Think Like a Man," based on the book by Steve Harvey, was surprisingly entertaining. There never was a dull moment and the audience enjoyed every minute of it, including the credits and bloopers.

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Unanue Institute leads students to NYC's Museo del Barrio on Friday

By Staff Writer | April 26

The Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute will be hosting a trip to El Museo del Barrio in New York City on Friday April 27. The tour is part of a free trip for 40 students that also includes lunch and trans­portation. The exhibition will be "Testimonio: 100 Years of Popular Expression."

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The Avengers

By Staff Writer | April 26

After four years, five movies and millions of dollars at the box office, The Avengers have finally assembled. For the first time in history, a single film will see the teaming of superheroes from multiple different franchises. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and a host of other A-list actors, "The Avengers" certainly is one of the most anticipated blockbusters of the summer.

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Tribeca Teasers

By Staff Writer | April 26

"Whole Lotta Sole"

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Everlasting 'Love'

By Staff Writer | April 24

Jason Mraz recently released his newest album entitled "Love is a Four Letter Word," which follows a series of singles and live albums all with a similar theme. This musical venture stays true to its title in that it celebrates all kinds of love.

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Student art show in Walsh this month

By Staff Writer | April 20

The Walsh Gallery will be un­veiling its eighth annual exhibi­tion of student artwork on April 25. This year, the exhibition is titled "Collectively Assembled," alluding to the diverse collection of art created by students in the Department of Communications and the Arts.

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Neon Trees album catchy but shallow

By Tiffany Do | April 19

Neon Tree's "Picture Show" is no sopho­more slump. With electro-pop like rhythms and synth-rock melodies, this Utah-based quartet stays true to their sound.