THE ITHACAN

Poor direction fails impressionist film

By Ian Carsia, Staff Writer • October 5, 2011

Miranda July’s latest film, “The Future,” is an impressionistic and underdeveloped romantic drama that fails to convey a substantial message.

Infectious comedy defeats the odds

By Michael Reyes, Contributing writer • October 5, 2011

Echoing cross-genre films such as Adam Sandler’s “Click” and “Funny People,” which borders the line between comedy and drama, director Jonathan Levine’s new dark comedy “50/50” is a creative and effective mix of tragedy and humor.

Grounded acting fails to move story

By Lucy Walker, Staff Writer • October 5, 2011

“In the Company of Dancers,” the latest production at the Kitchen Theatre, is a complex theatrical performance that combines narrative and motion, but fails to accurately portray the life of a woman with one simple goal — to dance.

Action flick swerves past usual themes

By Michael Reyes, Contributing Writer • September 28, 2011

In “Drive,” director Nicolas Refn defies the mainstream formula for action movies by trading witty one-liners and 30-minute explosion sequences for a meaningful character struggle and a love story that doesn’t rely on a one-dimensional hot babe in a fast car.

Author blossoms with complex novel

By Marissa Smith, Chief Copy Editor • September 28, 2011

In burgeoning writer Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s “The Language of Flowers,” the Victorian idea of flowers having their own messages is used as a way to tell a story of betrayal, motherhood, love and ultimately redemption.

Chili Peppers refresh sound in upbeat modern release

By Taylor Palmer, Contributing Writer • September 28, 2011

More than five years after the release of their Grammy-winning opus, “Stadium Arcadium,” the funk sensation Red Hot Chili Peppers trade in their amateur antics for a deliciously developed tone.

Re-released classic lacks Disney magic

By Ross Orlando, Staff Writer • September 28, 2011

When Disney released the animated film “The Lion King” in 1994, it created a childhood classic. But almost two decades later, the company’s attempt to remarket the story is little more than a childish sales pitch.

Comedy tackles modern struggle

By The Ithacan • September 28, 2011

Sarah Jessica Parker trades in her scandalous life as a New York City singleton in the HBO series “Sex and the City” to play a mother of two in the endearing comedy “I Don’t Know How She Does It.”

Mr. Carter breaks tradition

By Robert Rivera, Staff Writer • September 14, 2011

After more than a year of incarceration, Lil Wayne is back with a new album that shows prison doesn’t always reform people for the better.

Soaring alternative band attempts electronic sound

By Allie Healy, Staff Writer • September 14, 2011

In its newly released fourth album, “Night Shades,” Cobra Starship hides its typically quirky and catchy lyrics, infamous guitar riffs and complementing keyboards in a mix of bumping beats. While club-goers may be wearing sunglasses at night, the band’s older fans may be using them to hide a tear or two.

Conventional ideas damage sci-fi story

By James Hasson, Staff Writer • September 14, 2011

“Apollo 18” takes elements from every horror movie with that handheld-camera look in the past decade and sends them to the moon in a new sci-fi thriller that fails to launch.

Complex story echoes past era

By Chloe Wilson, Contributing Writer • September 14, 2011

The CIA’s killer spy reputation may be a thing of the past, but “The Debt” is a captivating, intelligent thriller and a reminder of the ruthlessness that pervaded the spy world during the Cold War era.