Hannibal Review: “Aperitivo” (3×04)
It’s a little odd yet fitting that “Aperitivo” is the fourth episode of the season. It’s odd because, in Italian dining, the aperitivo is the drink that precedes the meal; it’s meant to whet the appetite and to break the ice in social situations. It’s a precursor to not just to the main course, but…
Hannibal Review: “Secondo” (3×03)
The secondo is the heaviest course of the Italian meal; it may include different sorts of meats or fish. Here’s the most interesting part: according to Wikipedia (I do a lot of hardcore research for these reviews, you know…) either the primo or the secondo may be considered more important, depending on the locality and…
Hannibal Review: “Primavera” (3×02)
After totally neglecting the cliffhanger ending of its second season, this week Hannibal brings us up to speed—at least somewhat—reacquainting us with Will Graham after what’s revealed to be a six month gap since that hellish night at Hannibal Lecter’s house. But first, “Primavera” takes us all the way back to that night, presenting the final…
Album Review: “Grand Romantic” – Nate Ruess
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the release of Nate Ruess’s first full-length solo album Grand Romantic. The singer/songwriter has been critically received for his work in both Fun (stylized fun) and The Format since the early 2000s. However, it was the mainstream success of Fun’s 2011 track “We Are Young” that…
Album Review: “Big People” – Max Gowan
I'm not going to lie, I didn't have the highest expectations for Max Gowan'"Big People." He's an 18-year-old singer-songwriter who recorded and produced the record mostly by himself in his room. However, after my first listen through, one thing is clear. Max Gowan has something going for him. From his gorgeous use of lo-fi to…
2014 Emmy Predictions: Drama Series
Drama Series is pretty much done for me. A lot of people are going to say True Detective can win, Game of Thrones can win, House of Cards can win, but Breaking Bad will win. Although my confidence was a bit shaken when True Detective hauled in 4 awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, I…
Hannibal Review: “Antipasto” (3×01)
What I love best about the titling scheme Bryan Fuller has chosen for Hannibal—this season, each episode is named after an Italian course; the previous seasons were French and Japanese, respectively—is how it at once constitutes gimmickry and structural importance. Not every episode is perfectly aligned with its title, but many come pretty close. “Antipasto”…
Musical Review: “Something Rotten!”
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! A joyous noise emanates from the St. James Theatre. It's the sound of uncontrollable laughter and applause. A guaranteed side effect of the funniest Broadway musical in years. It's obvious one has stumbled across something special from the opening moment of Something Rotten!. A minstrel (Michael James Scott, in glorious voice) sings…
Play Review: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
Tony Nominations are still months away, but I will be extremely surprised if The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is not cited a number of times on nomination morning. If even a small part of you is a theatre fan, this new play at the Barrymore Theatre is essential viewing this…
Broadway Review: “Constellations”
Have you ever wondered about the paths in life you chose not to take? What would your life be like if you didn’t take that job, if you mustered the courage to flirt with the guy on the subway, if you moved to another state? In Nick Payne’s short but haunting “Constellations”, two actors bring…