Arriving over two hours early in my ‘Edward Cullen’s Been Bringing Sexy Back Since 1901’ shirt, I eagerly waited for the midnight showing of “Twilight” to begin. But I’ll admit I was nervous. I thought this was going to be one of those movies where it is so bad it ruins the book for you. Thankfully, it wasn’t. The movie was just as enchanting and exciting as the book. It made $70.5 million in the opening weekend, and set the record for biggest ... Read More

Brotherhood isn’t usually something that can be expressed through four minute Youtube videos, but over the course of 2007, John and Hank Green made it work. In their project titled “Brotherhood 2.0”, they took turns uploading videos for each other every day for the course of a year. The brothers covered everything from daily ramblings to what’s going on in their lives. What started out as a creative way for the two to bond, has become much more. A movement, even, that ... Read More

  Movies don’t get much more ambitious than Charlie Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York.” This is a film that attempts to take on the cosmic vagaries of life, death and everything in between, all in the space of a scant two hour running time.  The fact that this brilliant, often frustrating movie comes so close to meeting its lofty goals is a testament to the talent of its visionary director/screenwriter and the abilities of its often beleaguered cast. Simply put, this surreal mindbender is one ... Read More

“Nobel Son” can’t quite decide what it wants to be when it grows up. Will it be a taut kidnapping drama with occasional spurts of dark humor? Will it be a slapstick comedy with speeding Mini-Coopers and outrageous heist schemes? How about a gruesome murder mystery, complete with severed thumbs and a strange fixation with the merits of cannibalism? Are you confused yet? Well, so was I when I was leaving the theater, nursing a pulsing headache and a wounded ego. Movies ... Read More

Listening to the Smiths is a little like going to the opera. Sometimes it's enjoyable in spite of its melodrama. Sometimes it's a little too much. Either way it feels like no one is listening to it.       Their obscurity only half justifies the fact that ™The Sound of the Smiths∫ is their third best of CD. But on the other hand, since few people have heard of them, it's a good buy for new listeners.   For those who haven't ... Read More

  Listening to the newest album from the Miami group The Postmarks entitled "By The Numbers," I'm consistently reminded of one thing: a rainy day.  By that I don't mean the good kind, free of responsibility and full of indoor relaxation, but the kind where you're stuck inside on spring break while your friends soak up the sun in Florida. Nearly every song conveys a feeling of loneliness and separation. On the album, the Postmarks attempt to cover a wide variety of genres and bands, ... Read More

™Quantum of Solace,∫ the newest 007 adventure, is everything a Bond movie should be. Beautiful girls, exotic locales and heart-stopping action are usually the only requirements for a successful rendezvous with the world's best secret agent. But like its celebrated predecessor ™Casino Royale,∫ this Bond dares to go for something more. It dares to imagine 007 as a person rather than a superhero wearing a tux, a real human being that feels love and loss and revenge. Every generation gets the Bond ... Read More

As bro-mantic comedies go, ™Role Models∫ is about as good as it gets. In a year that has seen comedic mainstays like Seth Rogan and Mike Myers crash and burn in overindulgent garbage like ™The Love Guru∫ and ™Pineapple Express,∫ the world needs fresh laughter. Enter Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott, two extremely talented comedians who have been forced to play second banana for far too long. ™Role Models∫ could be their ticket to long-awaited leading man status. ™Role Models∫ features life-long ... Read More

Over the course of nearly two decades, Shawnee Mission East alum and former Harbinger staff writer Eric Darnell has made the long and difficult journey from struggling film student to lowly animator to full-blown Hollywood director. His latest animated blockbuster, the highly anticipated “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” hits theaters November 7.  “It’s been an absolute dream, being able to do what I love and share my work with my friends and family. My kids still can’t believe that this is what I do ... Read More

I knew by picking to review “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” I would probably be made fun of. But it was totally worth it. I got to see over 20 prodigious dance numbers, hear people with incredible musical talent sing, and most importantly see Zac Efron, shirtless.  Jumping from cable TV to the big screen, the producers of “Senior Year” had big expectations to meet. “High School Musical 3” met those expectations. It topped the box office, making $42 million in the premiere ... Read More