Bad Bohemians: Poverty, Passion and Poor Health Abound in Opera Theatre’s La bohème (Review)
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ 49th season continues with a sprightly yet sorrowful production of Puccini’s La bohème. An indispensable part of the opera canon, it was last performed by the company in 2016. La bohème is based on a short story by Henri Murger, a poet and novelist known for his depictions of Parisian […]
Theatre Review: MJ the Musical at The Fabulous Fox Theatre
One of the most prolific and popular artists in history, Michael Jackson’s legacy is a mix of controversies, chart-topping hits, and an unending drive to push the boundaries of the musical experience. Captivating audiences worldwide, Jackson pushed the boundaries of creativity, influenced pop culture, and grew into an iconic figure that continues to dominate the […]
Theatre Review: Opera Theatre of St. Louis Presents a Sidesplitting and Surreal ‘The Barber of Seville’
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s 49th season begins with a vibrantly colored, laugh-out-loud production of The Barber of Seville. Last staged by the company eight years ago, this production retains the vocal ornamentation, passion, and over-the-top melodrama found in Rossini’s comic bel canto masterpiece. But there are a few big changes. First, the opera has […]
Concert Review: Wang Chung Brings Big Sounds To The Intimate City Winery
The proliferation of ‘80s bands making the concert rounds has intensified over the last decade. As a result, countless artists with a commercial hit to their name during the 1980s have cashed in on the nostalgia gravy train. This is why I approached Wang Chung’s concert on May 23rd with a hint of suspicion and […]
Theatre Review: MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL at The Fabulous Fox Theatre
In the summer of 2001, as a 17-year-old, I joined a group of friends to watch Moulin Rouge at a local theater. Initially reluctant about a musical, my decision was swayed by the company of my friends rather than the film itself. However, I left the theater pleasantly surprised, laughing and singing along with them. […]
Movie Review: THE FALL GUY Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Real quick, think of the last good action movie you watched. Who was in it? Odds are you can tell me the names of the stars, maybe a couple of the secondary characters. But who was on-screen during the action parts? Who performed some of the death-defying stunts? I’m guessing there’s a good chance you […]
Movie Review: “Abigail,” starring, Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir
The latest horror feature from creative team Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (the duo behind 2019’s Ready or Not and the last two Scream entries,) dances into theaters this weekend. Abigail sees a group of unnamed kidnappers as they abduct a young girl, named Abigail, with the intent of holding her captive for a ransom of 50 million dollars. The team […]
Movie Review: THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE Starring Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer
It never dawned on me at the time, but despite Sherlock Holmes appearing onscreen more than any other character in history, I’d never seen a movie featuring the character until I saw the 2009 Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes. By coincidence, it was also my first Guy Ritchie film. I was immediately drawn in by the […]
Weekend In Review: AdeptiCon 2024
Another new convention in the books! Currently hosted in Schaumburg, Illinois, AdeptiCon has grown over the last 20 years to be one of the biggest miniature wargaming conventions in the world. And after hearing the hype from our gaming friends, the Calamity Crew wanted to see what it’s all about. AdeptiCon featured all the passion […]
Movie Review: ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, starring; Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon
I’ll start by saying, I absolutely loved the very first two Ghostbuster films. They still hold up pretty well, nearly 40 years later. It’s a shame I can’t say the same for the newest Ghostbusters film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. That seems to be the trend for the franchise lately. The gender-flipping redo was cute, but […]