One of the things that makes a “Bad Movie” truly bad is its total lack of awareness. The movie must have absolutely no idea of its awfulness just to be considered among the bottom tier of cinematic offenders. For that reason alone, we can say that one may not love…
Read MoreMovie Review: American Reunion
When the first “American Pie” movie was released in 1999, it seemed to be riding a wave of “more is more” that had started with “There’s Something About Mary,” a film that took onscreen bodily fluids to an unprecedented level, yet became a huge box office hit. It was also,…
Read MoreMovie Review: “Project X” Is Just A Cannonball Into The Pool
As a movie, “Project X” is just a Cannonball into the pool. It makes an obnoxious splash with poor form and no skill. Let’s put aside, for a moment, that this movie is, in an abstract way, a schoolyard bully; it’s sneering and mean and spits on people. But what…
Read MoreMovie Review: “The Innkeepers” Boo? Hiss!
“The Innkeepers” is earning some praise for its lack of gore, but it’s the lack of content that left me struggling to stay awake. Even the music sounds like it’s been pulled from an after school TV movie soundtrack. A movie that might’ve been about bff’s planning a party, not…
Read More“The Grey” Wolfs Down Horror Movie Cliches
“The Grey” with Liam Neeson won the weekend box office, and earned plaudits from all corners of the critical universe…but not from me. What starts out as a classy, enigmatic film ultimately ends in a formulaic, paint by numbers, trudge through frozen tundra and icy clichés. Liam Neeson’s voice overs…
Read MoreMovie Review: “A Separation” , One Of The Year’s Best, Opens In The DC Area
So far, the Iranian film, “A Separation” is two-for-two, winning both the Critic’s Choice and Golden Globes statues for Best Foreign Language Film. Expect the trip to continue all the way to Oscar night. Set in present day Iran, this story goes places you never see coming, after starting with…
Read MoreThe Ten Best Films Of 2011
My Favorite Films of 2011 Why does Hollywood make us go through 10 months of hit and misses before back-end loading the year with all the good stuff in December, with releases that continue into January? The short answer is that the studios want their most “Award Worthy” films fresh…
Read MoreThe Worst Films of 2011
Believe it or not, Film Critics (the good ones, anyway) do not want movies to be bad. It’s hours out of our lives, too. And, one hopes, we got into this business in the first place because we love movies so much, and not because we’re turds who like to…
Read MoreReview: “A Second Chance” at Signature Theatre.
Broadway musicals, those grand spectacles with large casts and bright, shiny tunes are a blast to watch, but to see “A Second Chance,” now playing at Signature, is to experience a night of theatre magic. The two act musical by Ted Shen boasts no gimmicks or special effects, just two…
Read MoreReview: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
Just the title, “Breaking Dawn: Part 1” appearing on the screen was enough to start the girls’ squeal s at the 2.5 second mark of the film. At approximately 27 seconds into the film, and I swear I’m not making this up, “Jacob” (Abs of steel owner Taylor Lautner) rips…
Read MoreMovie Review: “J. Edgar” All Dressed Up With No Place To Go
Like I have several times previously, I initially doubted that the still baby-faced Leonardo DiCaprio would be able to play a much older character of gravitas, but DiCaprio’s turn as the revered and reviled J. Edgar Hoover in his late 70’s is both a technical marvel and proof that it’s…
Read MoreInterview: Elizabeth Olsen, Rising Star From “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
When Elizabeth Olsen walks into the room, she is both confident and gracious. It’s hard to believe that the well-spoken woman before you just graduated high school four years ago. But then again, this 22 year old is the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, she has a lifetime…
Read MoreReview: Paranormal Activity 3. Bored To Death.
If there’s one thing you’ll need to make it through the Paranormal Acitivity movies. Just one thing? It’d have to be patience. What else will get you through three movies that have a net total of, say, 15 minutes of “action” or “scares”? Not even a large soda was enough…
Read MoreRavi Kabob in Arlington. If You Can Find A Better Kabob In The Area, Call Me
Don’t you love finding great food in unlikely places? Ravi Kabob boasts, perhaps, the worst ambience of any eatery in Arlington. The lighting is dingy, the linoleum floor depressing, and the guy at the cash register does Not-Have-Time for you to glance at the menu and decide what you want,…
Read More“Merzi” Restaurant In DC Is Good and Fast. Imagine A Chipotle In Bombay.
I had about an hour to kill before the play at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in the Penn Quarter district of DC was to begin. I was starving, but knew I wouldn’t have time for a “sit-down” meal. I also knew that I was tired of fast food and figured I’d…
Read MoreMike O’Meara Says Working At 105.9 Was “A Year Of Pure Hell” Watch The Video Here
Reporter Mark Seagraves from WTOP, WJLA and Channel 50, interviews Mike O’Meara, recently canned during the switch from music to talk at 105.9 FM. O’Meara, whose podcast is extremely successful nationwide, says it was a year of “misery.” Thanks to Dave of www.dcrtv.com and Mark Seagraves. Now take a look:…
Read MoreMovie Review: “The Thing” It’s A Decent Ice-Breaker
Okay, here’s the thing about, um, “The Thing”…it does what it’s supposed to do for its intended audience. Nothing more, nothing less. I am not going to waste space comparing this to any other version that’s been made because,well,who cares? You’ve already decided whether The Thing is, um, your thing…
Read MoreWhy Do Shows At The Birchmere Always Sound So Great?
[bliptv AYLVn2cA] A quick look behind the scenes at the guys responsible for making the house sound amazing every night at The Birchmere in Alexandria VA Tweet Pin It
Read MoreMovie Review: “Straw Dogs” The Sweet Relief Of David Kicking Goliath’s Ass
“Straw Dogs” hits the ground running—winding up the audience from the first minute–turning the crank tighter and tighter and tighter until the cable snaps and all hell breaks loose in a climax of violence and vengeance. Cool. James Marsden and Kate Bosworth play a married couple who move from Hollywood…
Read MoreReview: Contagion. Catch It This Weekend
Firstly, forget the over-amped ads that have titles like “Pulse Pounding” pushing out of the TV screen and into your lap. “Contagion” is smarter than that, even if it isn’t quite as exciting as the commercials will lead you to believe. You see, they underestimate you, those movie-selling folks—they think…
Read MoreReview: Bret Michaels At The Birchmere-Look What The Cat Dragged In
You can speculate on just how far his hairline recedes beneath his ever present bandana, and you can slag off his band Poison, now celebrating 25 years as one the 80’s most loved and loathed “Hair Metal” bands. But what you absolutely cannot do, ever, is suggest that Bret Michaels…
Read MoreFive Questions With Octavia Spencer and Director Tate Taylor From “The Help”
“The Help” is a rather nice movie about an ugly subject. Based on the bestselling book by Kathryn Stockett, and directed by her personal friend, Tate Taylor, it tells the story of African American “domestics” who, with the encouragement of a young white woman, recount their personal stories of…
Read More“Snow Flower And The Secret Fan” …The Best Movie You Didn’t See Last Weekend
The best movie you didn’t see last weekend is “Snow Flower and The Secret Fan,” a title that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily as, say, “Captain America,” but a worthy film. And, if that doesn’t convince you, there’s always this: you’ll see hot Asian women for two hours.…
Read MoreReview: Captain America, The Sqaure-est Of The Square-Jawed Heroes
The original comic character, Captain America came along in 1942, when patriotism was at its height and cynicism almost unheard of. The line between good and evil was a mile wide and absolutely definitive. Uncle Sam and Hitler? How much more stark contrast could you imagine. And now, in a…
Read MoreConstantine Maroulis Shines In “Rock Of Ages” and Dishes On “American Idol”
[bliptv AYLJ3GIA] Constantine was an American Idol fan favorite years ago, but after finishing behind Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice, among others, Maroulis re-invented himself and even earned a 2009 Tony nomination for originating his role in Broadway’s “Rock Of Ages.” The musical plays Washington DC’s National Theatre through July…
Read MoreA Brief History Of The Birchmere
The man behind the legendary music hall covers 4 decades in 2 minutes. A cool look at one of the best concert venues in the country. Please visit www.EntertainmentOrDie.com . Tweet Pin It
Read MoreRock Of Ages at The National Theatre: Nothin’ But A Good Time
“The play features songs by Journey, Foreigner and Night Ranger, and, not coincidentally, those three bands are on tour together this summer, as the hunger for 80’s nostalgia continues to rise. Maybe “Rock Of Ages” is the 35-55 crowd’s “Grease” or “Happy Days,” with its evocation of “more innocent times.” …
Read More“Horrible Bosses” Review: Supremely Profane, Deliciously Nasty
The only thing horrible about “Horrible Bosses” is the blah title. The rest is a master class in comedic timing. No one delivers a line better than Jason Bateman, but Charlie Day is right up there and SNL’s Jason Sudekis is a great third wheel. Not to make the…
Read MoreReview: “Zookeeper” Belongs Behind Bars
I have always thought that Kevin James was a gifted physical comedian and a sympathetic persona—you like this guy. Sadly, his new movie, “Zookeeper”, after a promising start, splits into two bad movies in one; It’s too grown up for children and too juvenile for adults. It’s the “Perfect Storm”…of…
Read MoreArlington’s Best Singer-Songwriter Derek Evry Continues March Toward World Domination
Those are my words, not his, and, yeah, I exaggerate a bit. But Derek Evry never sleeps—the man continues to crank out new songs at a fierce pace, and I haven’t seen anyone in Arlington who has a better sense of melody.Here’s a portion of his latest goings on, in…
Read MoreReview: “Larry Crowne” Born To Be Mild
Like its director and star, Tom Hanks, the movie “Larry Crowne” is so…well, just so gosh-darned nice, that you feel like a schoolyard bully for pointing out that it’s about as mild and flavorless as the cup of chemical cheese they give you to go with your nachos. Please read…
Read MoreReview: “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” Are You Loco For Coco?
The new documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” takes us on the road for the “Vaudeville” shows he did during his ‘banned from appearing on TV period.” The question is: will you feel sorry for a man who got paid over 30 million dollars to not be on TV? And what…
Read MoreReview: The Green Lantern Shines !
“Green Lantern” takes its origins and its genre seriously, but as a film, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. When Hal Jordan (aka: The Green Lantern) seems surprised that his girlfriend recognizes him in spite of his paper thin green mask, she says what no female ever says in these…
Read MoreVenue In A Minute: Woolly Mammoth Theatre
[bliptv AYLCnkwA] In this episode of “Venue In A Minute” we take you to Washington DC’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre, where pushing the boundaries is a way of life, and where true blue “Theatre People” feel right at home. Tweet Pin It
Read MoreVenue In A Minute, Episode 1: DC’s Historic Warner Theatre
EntertainmentOrDie.com will bring you short videos that give you a quick virtual tour of dozens of DC, VA, MD and Baltimore City Venues. We’ll also include links to the venue websites and, in many cases, some behind the scenes stuff that most people never see. We’re going to start with…
Read MoreReview: “SUPER 8” Mixes Charm and Chills. Check It Out!
The movie “SUPER 8” is named after the 8mm consumer film cameras that a lot of suburban families had in the 60’s and 70’s, and a few aspiring filmmakers had them, too. A guy named Steven Spielberg famously made his first “epics” with such home equipment. It’s only natural that…
Read MoreArlington’s Cowboy Cafe; You Can Leave Your Hat At Home
[bliptv AYLAsSsA] It was once a roughneck roadhouse, and while it still maintains its rustic decor, The Cowboy Cafe is now a place where family recipe food, primarily from Louisiana, attracts “foodies” as well as neighborhood “regulars” who like to have a small brewery beer where, yes, “everyone knows your…
Read MoreReview: “The Tree Of Life” WTF Was That All About?
There are about 45 minutes of brilliance in Terrence Malik’s opus and Palm d’Or winning film, “The Tree Of Life.” The problem is that the film goes on for a total of about 138 minutes. Is this is a pan of the film? Not at all; most films would never…
Read MoreReview: X-Men: First Class, Earns A Solid “B”
The X-Men films, for me, have been perfectly competent, but nothing that made me feel passionately up or down about them. The grades I’ve given them over the years are what I’d call “Friendly C+’s.” The new X-Men: First Class scores a bit higher, thanks to it being an “origin…
Read MoreReview: “Portal 2” Not Your Average Puzzle Game!
Review: “Portal 2” By David Desautels, EntertainmentOrDie Gaming Expert “The Cake is a lie, try the Pie” To begin, I’m disclosing that I never played the first Portal. While I knew the story and the background, puzzle games were never my thing. Even though Portal was acclaimed as one of…
Read More“Midnight In Paris” Review: Woody Allen Gets His Mojo back
I can’t remember the last time I used the word “delightful” to describe a movie, but I can say that it wouldn’t have been in reference to a Woody Allen flick. It’s been an up and down (mostly down) 10 or 15 years for the Wood-Man, but in “Midnight In…
Read MoreThe Ultimate 311 Tribute Band And Complete Summer 2011 Tour Dates For 311 with Sublime
[bliptv AYK%2Bi2QA] EntertainmentOrDie.com has gotten a TON of traffic from 311 fans nationwide over the past month or so. If you are among those true believers, then take a look at the brief profile of the Ultimate 311 tribute band video on the player above. Then be sure to “LIKE”…
Read MoreReview: “The Hangover II”…What Happened In Vegas Should’ve Stayed In Vegas
You have no idea how much I wanted to love “The Hangover Part II.” Really, I wanted to laugh with my teeth showing, but….nope. I got to see the first Hangover a good month before it was released back in 2009, in an almost empty theater (just a couple of…
Read MoreMark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer…All Grown Up
The new series “Franklin & Bash” stars Marl-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer as “Bad Boy” attorneys at law. It premieres Wednesday, June 1st at 9/8c on TNT, and I had a chance to sit down for a laid back chat with the two actors who started in the biz as…
Read More“THOR” HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!
I’m not a comic guy and don’t really know my Marvel Super Hero lore, so the fact that I really enjoyed “THOR” is a testament to how well it straddles that line of pleasing the hard core fans, while also keeping novices (like me) from getting confused or feeling like…
Read MoreMel Gibson in “The Beaver.” It’s A Dam Shame
It brings me no joy to say that “The Beaver” with Mel Gibson and Directed by Jodie Foster is a hot mess. I have no problem accepting a premise involving a Norse God with a big ass hammer descending to earth and meeting Natalie Portman. No problem. But I was…
Read More“RUINED” DIGS DEEP FOR THE BEAUTY BURIED BY HATE
How can you find a reason to crack a smile in the midst of unrelenting tragedy? How do you even keep living when the physical pain and psychological terror of just being awake are so hard to bear? The moving, draining and ultimately uplifting story told in the Pulizter Prize…
Read More“Fast Five” Not Such A Drag!
Sometimes this phrase can be dismissive, but when I call “Fast Five” a (here it comes) “Crowd Pleaser,” I only mean it in the most literal way. Sometimes you just want to see a flick where you can freely fist-pump without missing any important dialogue. This is that movie. Please…
Read MoreDumbstruck; A Movie With A Lot To Say
“Dumbstruck” If we’re lucky, critics get to see about 10 or 15 films a year that make them step back and say, “holy crap, that was different from the other 225 films I saw this past year. Excuse my indelicate description, but “Dumbstruck” was a “holy crap” moment for me.…
Read More“Win Win” If You Miss It, It’s Your Loss
Small movie, big impact. I love this little film and I hope you will, too. To read a review that doesn’t reveal too much (there are so many nice little moments, that I just want them to surprise you) and for some words from the director and newcomer Alex Shaffer…
Read More“I AM” Gives New Meaning To “Feel Good Movie”
The first time Tom Shadyac and I met was about 17 years ago, and he was already a successful comedian and the youngest writer to have ever written for Bob Hope. The Falls Church native and graduate of Jeb Stuart High had just directed a little movie called “Ace Ventura.”…
Read More“Desert Flower” Hope Blooms In This True Story
The movie “Desert Flower” sneaks up on you-it’s a bit slow off the blocks, but the layers of the horrific truth reveal the ultimately beautiful outcome of this true story, and make it well worth watching. Please read my review by CLICKING HERE NOW Tweet Pin It
Read MoreLincoln Lawyer Author Michael Connelly Happy With This Hollywood Ending
It was already a #1 Best Seller 5 years ago–before Matthew McConaugheywas on the cover. The author of The Lincoln Lawyer likes what Hollywood did with his fictional dude, Mickey Haller in The Lincoln Lawyer. Please CLICK HERE TO READ MY STORY Tweet Pin It
Read More‘Limitless’ A Thriller That Goes Beyond The Boundaries
I loved this movie from start to finish. I say that it’s the best thriller to come out in years, but it’s actually more than a thriller–it’s something different. I’m not sure what to call it, I just know that I was glued to my seat. And you thought Bradley…
Read More‘PAUL’ : A Fish (and Chips) Out Of Water Story
From the guys who brought you “Shaun of The Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” the current, and British, ‘Wayne and Garth’ , if you will, are funny in a hit & miss, but amiable comedy that’s fine for a light laugh. Also, if you’ve never heard an alien drop the F-Bomb,…
Read MoreMichael Flatley: Always A Lucky Charmer
I’m a huge fan of dance. Just move your arms and hips a tiny bit on the sidewalk and I’ll stop to applaud. But I never made my way into a “Lord Of the Dance” performance over the past 15 years because, frankly, I thought it would probably start to…
Read MoreFor This Baltimore Artist, It’s Written All Over Your Face
I’ve been a still photographer for 30 years and I’ve always had the same favorite subject: Stranger’s Faces. I think that’s why the great work of Erin Fitzpatrick grabbed me by the collar and pulled me right in. Every face tells a story, and Erin’s portraits make you want to…
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