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 | Don’t Get Chumpatized In the early 80s there was one videogame that stole the hearts (and quarters) of ardent gamers across the country. Successfully conquering this game required catlike reflexes, impeccable timing, and some obsessive compulsive tendencies rivaled only by "Rainman". The name of the game alone inspires fear: Donkey Kong.More |  | Released on Capitol Records, 7/10/07 After two critically acclaimed albums and a grueling touring schedule following the release of [b]Antics[/b], the New York based band Interpol was due for a bit of a break. Fortunately for fans, Interpol was back in the studio in early 2006 knocking out tracks for their latest effort, [b]Our Love To Admire[/b]. This album is the first for the band on their new label (Capitol) and includes an abundance of keyboards in many of the arrangements, making it a bit of a departure for the band. However, this infusion of new elements appears to have only improved an already solidly talented band.More |  | The Mysteries of Life In 2002, the fascinating documentary, [b]Spellbound[/b], focusing on the 1999 National Spelling Bee caught the attention of countless moviegoers and the Academy resulting in an Oscar nomination for debut director Jeffrey Blitz. [b]Spellbound[/b] was a breakout hit that engaged and entertained largely because of the quirky and endearing kids who participated in the competition. Blitz’s love and affection for the awkward, unusual (but highly intelligent) young adult continues; albeit in a slightly different fashion in the painfully comical coming of age feature, [b]Rocket Science[/b].More |  | Released on Martha's Music/Reprise, 7/10/07 For fans of The Smashing Pumpkins, the seven year itch has been nigh on unbearable. While the "grunge" sound of the 90s that The Smashing Pumpkins were often erroneously lumped in with has come and gone, few can deny that 1995’s [b]Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness[/b] was a seminal album and one of the greatest of the decade. The talent, imagination, and power of The Smashing Pumpkins was considerable. But, where does one go after such an epic album?More |  | Released on Capitol, 6/26/07 The Beastie Boys are inarguably one of the most dynamic, influential groups of hip hop/rock musicians. The one thing you can be certain of when giving a Beastie Boys album a listen is that you’re going to hear more than a few tracks that feel like a marked departure from what they’ve done in the past. However, one common thread that unites many Beastie Boys albums is an affinity for instrumental music. [b]Check Your Head[/b] was an album with numerous tracks that were pretty light when it came to lyrics and heavy on the instrumentals. With [b]The Mix-Up[/b], the B-Boys have completely indulged this affinity with a pure instrumental album.More |  | Perilously Close to Foolish Young Diana (Zoe Tapper), an ingénue with a heart of gold and a truckload of naiveté, heads to London in the 1930s to make it big on the stage as an actress. Despite the right kind of genes (her mother was a star on the stage), Diana finds the world of theater complicated, vexing, and more than she expected. This "revelation" leads to trials, tribulations, and adventures Diana never could have anticipated.More |  | A Tale Nearly Two Decades In The Making After nineteen years of mishaps, pratfalls, and screwups, the epically moronic Homer Simpson finally has his shining moment of glory in the big screen version of "The Simpsons". I think not. One of America’s favorite idiots is in fine form in his big screen debut.More |  | A Tale of Good Sheep Gone BAAAAD! 40 million sheep reside in New Zealand. Fluffy, white, friendly sheep lope around beautiful green pastures without a care in the world. Well, there are the periodic sheerings, occasionally unfortunate shaggings, and the painfully necessary slaughterings. But, otherwise all is well in the sheep world. That is until one overly ambitious sheep farmer; Angus Oldfield (Peter Feeney) sets his sights on creating an über-sheep.More |  | Jilted at the Altar [b]License to Wed[/b] is the kind of film that has all the potential in the world to be enormously funny. You’ve got Robin Williams playing a manic, wacky reverend who specializes in a "marriage preparation course". You have an attractive, funny, soon-to-be wed couple in Mandy Moore as Sadie and John Krasinski as Ben. You even have a director who has helmed several hysterical episodes of NBC’s sitcom hit, "The Office". The end result is something far from hysterical.More |  | Roll Out! It’s not uncommon for huge expectations to be thrust upon your average summer tentpole flick. These films often make or break a studio for the year. Enter the most anticipated summer film in years, [b]Transformers[/b]. You’ve got diehard transformer geeks who expect a film that will be true to the spirit of the cartoons, a $150 million dollar budget to recoup, and a ton of summer blockbusters already in the theater to compete with.More |
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