Official Movie Poster
When the trailer for Shutter Island first appeared last year, it suggested a creepy, perhaps a bit “over the top” horror film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, set for an October 2009 release. Partially the result of a bad economy (production studio Paramount claimed an inability to muster the $50-60 million for advertising) and DiCaprio’s unavailability for an international press tour (he was working on his next film by the fall), Shutter Island was held back until February 2010.
February is …

Canyon may seem a strange place to watch a performance of any William Shakespeare play; the Panhandle doesn’t exactly remind theatergoers of Elizabethan England.
Yet West Texas A&M University’s strong Fine Arts program, in conjunction with the Branding Iron Theatre, is clearly capable of putting on lively interpretations of even Shakespeare’s lesser known works.
Twelfth Night, or What You Will, is a fine example of a university drama company at its best. Enthusiastic actors finely directed, buoyed by minimalistic stage dressing and …

PHOTO | NEWORLEANSSAINTS.COM
This weekend’s Super Bowl has a pervasive ring of justice to it. The two best teams, led by the two best quarterbacks; no Bret Favre after maneuvering his way out of New York and into Minnesota, bypassing training camp. No inconsistent Tony Romo and Jerry Jones’ multi-billion dollar stadium. No scowling Bill Belichick coldly running up the score with his Patriots. No Jets, Jaguars or Eagles. No pretenders.
Just two great teams. One the model of football excellence, the …

GRAPHICS | ESPN.COM
The announcement of a three-dimensional sports channel conjures up images of major league fastballs or NFL tacklers appearing to bust through the television screen at the viewer. The reality is not so dynamic, although still impressive to those who have sampled early offerings. Like all new technology, it will not be immediately widely available, and it won’t be cheap.
3-D movies are the hot thing right now, with Pixar’s Up and James Cameron’s Avatar being to recent successes. ESPN, …

PHOTO | Album – Sub Pop
Like their previous releases, Flight of the Conchords’ new CD, “I Told You I Was Freaky,” is more of a soundtrack to their self-titled HBO comedy show than a stand-alone album.
For fans of the New Zealand comedy folk duo’s show, each track brings to mind the hilarious television segments/music videos.
For new listeners, songs such as the synthesizer laden “Fashion is Danger” may lack some of the comedic impact without the 1980s “New Wave” visuals.
But the …

Official movie poster.
HERE – NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (DVD, Image Ten)
Review by Frank Rodasky
“They’re coming to get you, Bar¬bara…”
When George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was released on October 1968, it was another in a long line of “zombie” horror movies, a genre that had been around for more than thirty years. But the film’s use of a black man as a strong, intelligent hero during the height of America’s Civil Rights upheaval, shocking violence and stark, black …

Frank Rodasky
Guest Reviewer

When The Flight of the Conchords, a comedy music duo from New Zealand burst onto the American scene during the summer of 2007, their irreverent, deadpan humor and catchy songs made the pair an instant cult favorite.
Broadcast on HBO, the first season of the series told a fictionalized account of two musicians (Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie) trying to make it in New York City, with a little help from their clueless manager, Murray (Rhys Darby) and their …

Frank Rodasky
Reporter
The best part of basketball playoffs is always the new level of intensity. With the 82 game regular season in the books, the games are now played for more than just pride and rankings. It’s what everyone calls “win or go home” time (although it never makes sense in the Finals, since everyone goes home after it’s all over). It’s when we find out if the great regular season teams can handle the pressure, and whether the underachievers …

IMAGE FROM HARPER-COLLINS.
Frank Rodasky
Reporter
Baseball fans know Roger Clemens as one of the all time great pitchers. A big, burly Texan with laser focus intensity and a work ethic that somehow seemed to keep him eternally competitive.
Like many sports stories, this is more myth than fact, much of it created and perpetuated by Clemens himself.
But whereas most athletes are able to leave their sport with much of their legend in tact, with the sordid details emerging later, Clemens saw his reputation …

PHOTO FROM WWW.UFC.COM
When the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” debuted on Spike TV in 2005, mixed martial arts was still largely in the entertainment wilderness.
It was seen as undisciplined “tough man” fights in which thugs who couldn’t cut it in pro boxing tried to beat each other senseless byany means necessary.
It was banned in most states, and the biggest MMA company, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, had new owners who were trying to clean up the sport’s image. Gone was …