Arts and Culture (All)

Article - Movie Reviews; by Richard E. Wilson - 6/16/11

The Hangover Part II

In this follow-up, the guys travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding, and what happens in Bangkok can be imagined.

There’s a big joke in this movie somewhere, but I can’t tell you what or where it is. Perhaps it’s the serious raunchiness that pervades. Maybe the producers of II made a ton of money from I, so they figured, What the heck, they laughed once, they’ll laugh again.
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Article - Theatre Reviews; by Davina Grace Hill - 6/16/11

Colonial Players’ The Shape of Things

This contemporary cousin to Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf debates the value of compassion and the ethics of art.

The shape of things (written in lower-case by playwright Neil Labute) intends to raise questions about art, its role in life and the value of the creative methods. Honesty, kindness and truth seem to be of lesser concern.
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Article - Movie Reviews; by Diana Beechener - 6/9/11

X-Men: First Class

An excellent origins story is bogged down by too many mutants with no motivation

In the swinging 1960s, two mutant men set very different goals for themselves. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy: Gnomeo and Juliet) is hoping to use his telepathic abilities to score college co-eds — oh, and to unite other mutants, in hopes of celebrating the beauty of genetics....

Article - Theatre Reviews; by Jane C. Elkin - 6/9/11

Hitch Up Your Pumpkin and Go to the Ball

2nd Star Productions’ Cinderella Enchanted

2nd Star Production’s Cinderella is keeping up the tradition. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical adaptation of the fairy tale has been delighting audiences of all ages for over 50 years. This Cinderella, playing for the next four weekends at the Bowie Playhouse, is so enrapturing that I found myself scribbling hearts instead of stars to mark the highlights....

Article - Theatre Reviews; by Davina Grace Hill - 6/2/11

Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre’s Chicago

It’s got “All the Jazz,” but it could use a bit of bite

Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre opens its season with Chicago, an upbeat musical with a downbeat outlook. Despite bouncy, memorable music, Chicago carries a cautionary tale about celebrity, corruption and media fascination with both. Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre captures the upbeat side flawlessly. The downbeat side is less well rendered.
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Article - Movie Reviews; by Diana Beechener - 6/2/11

Kung Fu Panda 2

Po and his band of martial arts friends make feathers fly in this fun sequel

After becoming the famed Dragon Warrior in his last film, tubby panda warrior Po (Jack Black: Gulliver’s Travels) is living large....

Article - Movie Reviews; by Diana Beechener - 5/26/11

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

A fresh start offers the same old problems

A lonely Spanish fishing boat pulls up a man in its net. Clasping a map and suddenly reanimated, he mumbles something about the Fountain of Youth.
To the king!
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Article - Theatre Reviews; by Davina Grace Hill - 5/19/11

Colonial Players’ Lettice and Lovage

See this one and your sense of truth will be Enlarged! Enlivened! Enlightened!

Sir Peter Shaffer’s Lettice & Lovage requires two extremely talented actresses to be successful. The Colonial Players satisfy the playwright’s requirement by casting Mary MacLeod as Lettice Douffet and Darice Clewell as Lotte Schoen.
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Article - Movie Reviews; by Diana Beechener - 5/19/11

Bridesmaids

Kristen Wiig proves that women can be funny too, when they write the script.

Annie (Kristen Wiig: Paul) isn’t having the best year. Her cake-baking business went under in the recession. She’s in a sex-only relationship with a vapid but handsome user (Jon Hamm: Mad Men). Now childhood friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph: Saturday Night Live) asks Annie to be her maid of honor.
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Article - Movie Reviews; by Diana Beechener - 5/12/11

Thor

The God of Thunder rumbles through two worlds in this fun comic book adaptation

Life ain’t easy when you’re the son of the Asgardian king. Well, actually, it’s pretty easy, but arrogant young Thor (Chris Hemsworth: Ca$h) makes life hard for himself.
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