Music

Purchase's Dandy Lions Dream Big

By Stephanie Preston added November 18, 2008 at 7:25pm

“I think my favorite Beatle would have to be George,” said Lena Deleo, one half of local Purchase College band Dandy Lions. “I don’t know,” said Dante Deleo, “I think I prefer John Lennon.” Lena and Dante, who are brother and sister, have been listening to The Beatles their whole lives. The Fab Four influence their music more so than any other band. “Our parents used to play them all the time,” Lena said, “and everyone sings along to the songs on holidays.” Read More...

Of Montreal Album Illuminates the Music Industry

By Tom DePaola added November 2, 2008 at 6:40pm

Kevin Barnes could “do it soft-core,”- but he doesn’t. Especially not in the case of the latest gender-bending, genre-annihilating studio effort by his band, Of Montreal. Indeed, Skeletal Lamping eludes most forms of classification, both structurally and in terms of content. Read More...

Movies

Sally Hawkins Shines in "Happy-Go-Lucky"

By Joshua Jezioro added November 18, 2008 at 7:29pm

We’ve all met someone who just seems too happy. They smile, they giggle, and they might seem a bit immature. But they’re like that all the time. It’s frustrating because while we (well some of us) always feel at least some sort of tie to the accountability and responsibility of our beings, these people just seem to go on smiling, care-free and unaware of the troubles of the world.

At first glance, this is Poppy, the central focus in British director Mike Leigh’s newest film, Happy-Go-Lucky. Poppy, wonderfully played by Sally Hawkins, is seemingly oblivious to the onslaught of troubles contemporary society faces. She is insanely optimistic and happy, and tries very hard to brighten everyone else’s day.

For a while, Poppy is happy to the point of gratingly annoying. But if you can make it past the first 20 minutes or so (a drunken scene in particular goes on far too long), you’re in for a treat. As those who are familiar with Leigh’s films have come to expect, the screenplay is wonderful. The dialogue feels fresh and realistic, and the main players are fully characterized.

Happy-Go-Lucky is, at least on the surface, much happier than the films Leigh has been making as of late. Other than the obviously happy Poppy, the film is actually very funny. A lot of the film features Poppy’s encounters with people in her life; particularly hilarious are on-going episodes with her driving instructor (Eddie Marsan, also great) and flamenco lessons. The gorgeous cinematography also adds to the overall brightness of the piece; it is alive with beautiful, popping colors. Read More...

Charlie Kaufman's "Synecdoche" is a Triumph

By Joshua Jezioro added November 16, 2008 at 1:38pm

T.V.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Review: Episode 54, “The Lefty Call”

By Kylie Jane Wakefield added October 16, 2007 at 10:26pm

Larry David’s hit HBO show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, which has gained both critical success and a large fan base, recently began its sixth season. The show, which is mostly improvisation, airs at 10:00 p.m. every Sunday on channel 35 at Purchase. Read More...

Halo 3 Lives Up To Hype As Fans Finally 'Finish the Fight'

By Mike Murphy added October 13, 2007 at 12:39pm

When Halo 2 reached its end after being released to the masses in 2004, it left many gamers screaming at their TVs and throwing their controllers because they were unable to "Finish the fight" as their beloved protagonist said in the game's massive cliffhanger. However, the game still became a huge success as a sequel, and now, after nearly three years of hype and an intense advertising campaign, gamers across the world will finally be able to finish the fight with Halo 3, which fully delivers on all the hype. Read More...

The Arts

Purchase Library Pick: Review #1: Moongazer

By Jenna Giarletta added October 15, 2008 at 11:46am

Junior Photo Show Impresses Attendees

By Peter Foy added November 26, 2007 at 5:25pm

The photography department at Purchase is the only VA major that displays the work of their junior students. Each semester, the junior class presents some of their photo work in the basement of the VA building. This year could have been a rushed job, as the organizers were only given two weeks to complete everything. Fortunately, they managed to pull off a very impressive show. Read More...