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Ray J needs to stick with one producer
Ray J This Ain’t a Game (Atlantic Records) Ray J’s sophomore album, “This Ain’t a Game,” is immature to say the least.
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London Cuckolds shine outside
The Summer Circle Theater’s production of “The London Cuckolds,” an indulgent, sex-driven comedy, was humorous and witty despite natural distractions and an unwelcome injection of modern culture.The theater, which is outside of the Auditorium on the lawn near the Red Cedar River, was the closest thing to a mosquito breeding ground that East Lansing has to offer during Friday night’s show.The irritating venom of the buzzing bugs left most playgoers swatting and scratching throughout the show.
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Tomb Raider big on action, not characters
Indiana Jones, she isn’t. What the new “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” is, however, is a fast-paced action movie featuring Angelina Jolie as the title character in what is sure to be a huge summer hit. It probably won’t leave an audience thinking, but provides enough entertainment throughout the film’s duration to make it worthwhile. Jolie handles the role of Lara quite well.
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Loud, humorous Retire to play Macs Bar
Retire’s sound is loud.And humorous.And “ugly.”The Lansing band has been around for more than eight years.
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Community organization holds baby-sitting class
While school got out last week for most of those in the East Lansing area, some local students are still taking class.
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Ann Street concerts start Friday
East Lansing music fans won’t have to head to their favorite clubs to see live music, at least for the next few months. Preparations are completed for the Ann Street Plaza Concert Series to kick off Friday, featuring a wide variety of music from area acts. The event has been taking place in East Lansing for more than 15 years.
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Innovative Redmans album is excellent
Redman Malpractice (Def Jam) “Malpractice,” Redman’s fifth solo album, is anything but improper conduct by a professional.
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Foul-mouthed Blink 182 still too poppy
Blink 182 Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (MCA) In the past six years, Blink 182 has increased in popularity and is well-known for its hilarious videos and smart-aleck personalities. While the band’s still funny, its fifth studio album, “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket,” utilizes the “F” and “S” words more often.
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Independent films shown at festival
By BILL WARD For The State News SAUGATUCK - Thousands of film lovers enjoyed 19 feature-length films and 17 short films at the third annual Waterfront Film Festival in western Michigan last weekend.
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Summer Circle puts on free plays for 41st year
On the banks of the Red Cedar, there’s a theater that’s free to all. The Summer Circle Theater, presented by the MSU Department of Theatre, is a hybrid of student and community talent that provides free entertainment for everyone throughout June. The organization, in its 41st season, puts on free plays on the lawn behind the Auditorium.
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Botanica gives Kresge a touch of green with plant-based art
With the cold, rainy weather that’s started June, it’s been a little harder for the East Lansing community to really enjoy the world outdoors.
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Old Town celebrates its Heritage
LANSING - Charlotte resident Barbara Davis enjoyed the environment and the abundance of music offered at North Lansing’s 26th Annual Heritage Festival during the weekend. The three-day festival celebrated North Lansing, also known as Old Town, and filled the streets with people enjoying the city, food and free music. Davis went to the festival Friday with her husband, Jim Davis, to eat lunch.
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G-rating still shows alcohol, tobacco
G-rated movies, characteristically known for lovable animated characters and family-fun-type content, may have more “adult” content than previously thought.
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Swordfish flops with weak story line
“Swordfish” begins by complaining about the low quality of modern cinema, and then spends the next hour and a half proving its ironic point. The whole thing starts off well enough, as a par-for-the-course action movie with some exciting effects that showcase just how much a film can get away with if its budget is big enough.
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Dont believe in Evolution
By BILL WARD For The State news A slow start, combined with juvenile potty humor, an unoriginal plot and poor special effects, make director Ivan Reitman’s science fiction comedy “Evolution” a movie that only a grade-school-age child might enjoy.
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Space Odyssey plays Lansing this weekend
What are we? Who are we? Where are we going to go? The “2001: A Space Odyssey” play tries to plant these questions in your mind, but it won’t give you the answers.
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Gorillaz album enjoyable
Gorillaz Gorillaz (Virgin Records) With the vocal support of Damon Albarn, the lead singer of Blur, Gorillaz is the hip-hop, electronic, Cuban, reggae and punk version of the British-pop band.
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Movie is not the worst that could happen
By BILL WARD For The State News Despite a few missteps, including its cumbersome title, “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” is a comedy that provides enough laughs and quirky characters to hold your interest until the end. Billionaire media mogul Max Fairbanks (Danny Devito) manages to turn the tables on a smooth-talking thief, Kevin Caffery (Martin Lawrence), catching him in a bungled robbery attempt at Max’s supposedly vacant summer mansion and stealing the thief’s own ring. The ring was a gift from Kevin’s almost-too-understanding British love interest Amber (Carmen Ejogo), who digs Kevin despite his fishy occupation.
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Radiohead shines again
Radiohead Amnesiac (Capitol/EMI) Radiohead’s new album “Amnesiac,” released eight short months after its critically acclaimed effort “Kid A,” is an eclectic mix of musical styles that falls in line with past Radiohead albums, in that each new CD sounds different than the last. A lyric in the opening tune, “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box,” sets a way of thinking for the CD right off the bat.
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Masons Case to play at Ricks
Local favorite Mason’s Case will be the headlining act tonight at Rick’s American Cafe for the first time in the band’s young musical career. And its members couldn’t be more excited. “We’ve been waiting for it for a while,” lead guitarist Jason Lantz said.