Ultra-violent “13 Assassins” satisfies samurai film needs

By Hank Brown

May 26, 2011

Before “13 Assassins” I could honestly say that I hadn’t seen another movie that opened with a guy making filet mignon out of his own entrails. While you don’t actually see any of the action in the scene, you are forced to view the man’s pained facial expressions while the pleasant sounds of fle...

Immaturity and boredom plague CGI coated “Sucker Punch”

April 4, 2011

As an 18-year-old male, I should be the type of person who would enjoy a movie about prostitutes battling it out with samurais, Nazi zombies, orcs, and robots. Sounds like every teenage boy’s most epic fantasy, right? That’s what I thought when I first saw the trailer for Zach Snyder’s “Sucker Pu...

Get it crackin’ in KC yaddadymean?

December 13, 2010

We walk into a dimly-lit rectangular room where self-respect goes to shrivel up and die. Across the writhing mass of journalism students clumped in the middle of the room prances a teenage boy flaunting tight-fitting, pink short-shorts that he thought would be funny to wear, but most likely regretted...

“Cannibal” fails as a survival technique

December 10, 2010

Last time I reviewed a Ke$ha album, I was merciful. Her debut, “Animal” was gimmicky and fun for the most part, but didn’t have the longevity to carry her through a prosperous career. “Tik Tok” slowly drifted off the airwaves, “Your Love is My Drug” and “Blah Blah Blah” were catchy, but di...

How Facebook has made me into a creeper

By Hank Brown

November 17, 2010

Keeping on task with homework, college apps, crafting fine pottery, brewing meth or whatever kids do these days is difficult, due to the fact that the procrastination machines we call computers and smart phones are so integral to our everyday lives. But today I am not here to discuss how technology is...

Mill Valley shenanigans exposed

By Hank Brown

October 1, 2010

Welcome to Mill Valley, a magical land of wonderment where singing children frolic through forests of cypress and wealth seems to flow like the river Nile. It is a place where doors are left unlocked and grand houses are unattended by adults for weeks on end. Some may call it paradise, cynics may refer...

MGMT expands their psych-pop horizons

By Hank Brown

May 5, 2010

Very few musicians go from playing hour-long jams of the “Ghostbusters” theme in college to being rocketed into psychedelic superstardom as fast as Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, otherwise known as the meat of pop sensation MGMT. Their sophomore effort, “Congratulations,” is a slightly...