Entertainment
Anna Faris’s latest comedy What’s Your Number? has been panned by the critics. However, those critics might be expecting a little too much. For the romantic comedy genre What’s Your Number? is a wholly acceptable addition that puts a fun new spin on the generic romantic comedy plot line.
Deschanel captivates as New Girl
It is apparent from the moment New Girl begins that its main character was made for Zoey Deschanel. With the inclusion of her unique sense of humor through goofy and creative songs about the peculiar situations her character faces and her sporadic witty comments, the show promises to be quite a hit.
Big Bang stays strong through Parsons
The Big Bang Theory has returned with its newest season, and it is just as good as ever with Raj’s Indian accent, Howard’s failures in his love life, Leonard’s troubles with Penny and Sheldon’s ever-obnoxious attitude.
Centipede 2 contains few redeeming qualitie
Two weeks ago at Fantastic Fest, I had the pleasure of previewing The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence). Today being its official theatrical release, it seemed fitting to revisit it. That’s right: a follow-up to the movie whose very mention spurs a gag reflex. While its critical merit is debatable to say the least, there’s no denying the viral popularity of Tom Six’s 2009 film. However, Centipede 2 manages to make your innards curl in ways you simply did not know were possible.
Opeth reinvents style, wildly entertains
Opeth does not retire. Instead, they invent a genre and continue touring as status quo. Opeth front man Akerfeldt and lead guitarist Fredrik Akesson were the driving forces behind Heritage, the band’s tenth studio album which features an original mix of progressive metal, jazz fusion and Swedish folk. The band was ready to momentarily depart the death metal scene and brave the crowds of their die-hard metal fans. The Center Stage was an interesting venue choice for Opeth, as normally their popularity normally allows them to sell out at venues like Gwinnett Arena. In front of an audience of only one thousand, they played their first death-growl free set list.
Parks continues to impress
Fans of NBC’s Parks and Recreation know and love the comedy series for its weekly dose of local-government mayhem, small-town tomfoolery and uplifting theme music. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope and her crew of bureaucrat cronies burned brightly as ever on Sept. 22’s season four premiere, almost as though they’d only returned from a long weekend off, and the results are both thematically promising and comically lucrative.
Innovations allow Fifa 12 to dominate sports genre
The dominant franchise of its class, FIFA 12 has returned this Oct., guns blazing with a triumvirate of new features: a massive overhaul of the defensive style of play, a state-of-the-art precision dribbling system and a new player impact engine.
Taylor takes down the house
Originally scheduled for July 9 and 10, the Taylor Swift concerts packed Philips Arena this past weekend on Oct. 1 and 2. While the songstress proves popular on the charts and with fans, her musical abilities do not quite match up with her popularity.
Glee continues quality performances, drama
Season three of Glee started out with a bang by introducing new faces, incorporating Broadway classics and reaching for even bigger goals along with the traditional inclusions of messy relationships and comical drama.
Abduction filled with plot holes
Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame attempted to break out on his own this past weekend with the action-thriller Abduction. Unfortunately, this film was not the best vehicle with whichto establish him as leading man material and may have even set him back. While mildly entertaining, weak characters and a contrived plot make this film one to skip.
Coldplay enchants Piedmont with lights, music
After a six-year hiatus, Atlanta’s premier music festival, Music Midtown, was back in full-force on Sept. 24. Now consolidated into a single Saturday, the festival aggregated a series of bands into a compact, non-stop train of musical and aesthetic pleasure.
Office survives under new management
America’s favorite second-rate Pennsylvania paper supply company is back. The eighth season of The Office kicked off on Thursday, Sept. 22. With over 7.5 million viewers, the show is still proving that it can hold its own. And this year, it’s all about twos. Two new bosses, two new pregnancies and two words that we thought we would never hear: no Michael.
Moneyball deviates from sport formula
With professional baseball making its way into the postseason, many will take much pleasure in Moneyball, Hollywood’s take on the Oakland A’s 2002 season. Adapted from the Michael Lewis book of the same name, the movie succeeds in translating the majority of the book’s finer points
Comedy Festival offers improv, parody humor
It’s finally time to put those books down this weekend and take a stress-relief pill at the Black Box Comedy Festival at the Ferst Theatre. This year’s festival features new performers who guarantee that you’ll be clutching your sides by the end of their performances.
50/50 defines “dramedy” genre
Despite the presence of comedy actors and writers, 50/50 is a movie about cancer that will likely pull on the heartstrings of even the most jaded viewers.
Atlanta Symphony presents debut of promising season
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) played an impressive season opener last week on Thursday, Sept. 23, for a full house. Not only were the patrons out in full force, but the symphony showed its best, playing Wagner and Beethoven alongside vocal soloists and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus.
Red Orchestra 2 is the patient man’s shooter
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is an entirely different sort of video game than one would expect from the first-person shooter genre and from World War 2
Gears 3 improves on all fronts, offers new modes
Few shooters have made a name for themselves quite like the Gears of War series. The series brings an unparalleled level of detail and engagement and improves both in its third installment.