Brit band parts on a solid note


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In 2002, four North London blokes banded together to form The Rakes — a snappy, in-your-face rock band known for its politically conscious tunes and moody melodies. Spitting humor and lyric-heavy songs across two successful records, the band released its newest album Klang on Oct. 20. Over seven wild years, the young quartet made of […]

Von Trier’s arrogance pays off in Antichrist


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As Saw VI festers in theaters, American horror and the torture-porn subgenre have become inextricably connected. And just about nobody sees this as a step in the right direction. The main flaw usually assigned to these particular horror films is the nihilistic quality of the violence. After all, without characters identifiable on a psychological level, […]

Depression-era book captures LA’s essence


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Eighty years ago today, thousands lost their wealth in a series of unfortunate economic events. As stock values plummeted, so did the Los Angeles pride that had been built up through the growth of California industry. The infamous Black Tuesday launched a nationwide economic depression that caused staunch politicians in decades following to initiate programs […]

The second coming of the horror genre


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In Antichrist, a self-disemboweling fox utters the phrase, “Chaos reigns.” Director Lars von Trier makes sure it really does, by illustrating every brutal detail necessary on screen and demonstrating just how horrifying chaos can be. The movie stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as He and She, a couple whose young son falls to his […]

Halloween brings out the best and worst


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So tell me: Why was the skeleton afraid to cross the road? I must have used this joke at least 30 times each year to get my precious, long-awaited candy. Nearly every person who opened their doors demanded a joke before allowing me a handful of sweets and, loving the sudden spotlight as a comedian, […]