Arts & Events

United States cinema saw many firsts and broke dozens of records in 2010, making it a year to remember for the film industry. Critics and movie-goers alike are anticipating a unique award season in spring 2011. One such outstanding film was Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 3, which was the highest-grossing film of 2010 both in the U.S. and worldwide. Not only did it break the record for the biggest opening day profit in North America, previously held by Shrek the Third, but its release also marked the highest grossing-opening weekend for...

On Nov. 29, glittery gutter princess Ke$ha released her first EP, Cannibal, as a follow up to her smash hit first album, Animal. The EP, which consists of 9 tracks and features current top 40 hit “We R Who We R,” follows in the poppy, synth heavy footsteps of its predecessor. Kesha Sebert, known as Ke$ha, has attained pop stardom and notoriety for her signature crude lyrics, sing-rapping and liberal use of autotune. With Cannibal, Ke$ha certainly provides the upbeat, bass-pumping vulgarity which marked her rise to stardom; however, the...

It appears that “The Fall Revue: A Musical Revue in Narrative” presented by Curtain Call has far exceeded expectation. Based on the success of performances put on by the then-called “Up Stage’em,” the prospect that this show would be a winner was doubtful. However, the club was reborn in its fall performance last Sunday. “The Fall Revue” was a musical composed of various songs from well-known musicals, strung together by a hilarious plot written by sophomore Hayley Hilmes.  “There is little opportunity for musical theatre on campus, and people use...

In the wake of last year’s Prop. 8 ruling and last month’s suicides by gay teens, Jeremy Halinen’s debut book of poetry, What Other Choice, offers an unflinching resolve to be true to one’s sexuality, but a resolve that still finds tenderness within the brutality of a world hardened against homosexuality. Halinen was the winner of the 2010 First Book Poetry Contest put on by the nonprofit press Exquisite Disarray, run in part by English professor Bill Kupinse.  Poets from all over the state of Washington were invited to submit...

Oct. 1 saw the release of Ben Kenney’s album Burn The Tapes, a classic rock album featuring 10 tracks of guitars, drums and vocals. Kenney, known primarily as the bass player for the Grammy—nominated rock band Incubus, has branched out to partake in both instrumental and vocal work in this fourth solo album. Burn The Tapes, while not particularly unique or groundbreaking, has its points of interest. Kenney’s vocals, surprisingly high and light, provide a stark contrast against the guitar- and drum-heavy instrumentals. While at times the contrast produced by his...