AltWeeklies Wire
The Constantines Get Older, and Betternew
Kensington Heights, their new album, is still rigidly post-punk and sharp as a shimmering blade, but the pace of the record is deliberately restrained and the band's gnashed-teeth anger is more focused, and less wild, than ever before.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
06-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
No One Does It Better Than Spinderellanew
She's uncharacteristically humble in light of her membership in the iconic rap group Salt-n-Pepa, whose relevance has possibly been overshadowed by Cheryl "Salt" Wray and Sandra "Pepa" Denton's recent reality TV appearances.
The Portland Mercury |
Jalylah Burrell |
06-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
America's Favorite Vegan Cookbook Writer Now Calls Portland Homenew
Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipes have been a part of vegan potlucks since her first cookbook, 2005's Vegan with a Vengeance. She shares a little about her upcoming book as well as recipes for Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Pasta Della California and Banana Rabanada.
The Portland Mercury |
Patrick Alan Coleman |
06-27-2008 |
Food+Drink
Geeking Out with 'Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures'new
Like developer Traveller's Tales' Lego Star Wars games, Lego Indiana Jones has a simple premise: You run, swing, jump, and punch your way through the three original Indiana Jones films, from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Temple of Doom to Last Crusade.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
06-19-2008 |
Video Games
'Mongol': A Kinder, Gentler Warlordnew
Not your father's Genghis Khan, this despot is so sensitive that he's whatever the word for emo is now. Mongol plays like The Last of the Mohicans 2: Asia Minor, turning an otherwise excellent movie into something totally pretty and revisionist.
The Portland Mercury |
Kiala Kazebee |
06-19-2008 |
Reviews
Mike Myers Isn't Funny Anymore ... and It Makes Me Sadnew
Buried inside The Love Guru, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to Wayne's World, and man, is it depressing. I know Wayne's World isn't necessarily a work of cinematic genius, but it was funny when I was 12, and it's funny now -- which is more than I can say for Mike Myers' latest.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
06-19-2008 |
Reviews
Salman Rushdie Dives into Fantasynew
If he wants to write a meandering, 300-plus page historical fantasy novel that features epic battles, pirates, women who are dreamed into existence, and the odd witch's curse or two, who's going to tell him no?
The Portland Mercury |
Alsion Hallett |
06-13-2008 |
Fiction
Hulk Lack Emotional Resonance!new
More of a continuation than a remake of Ang Lee's critically mixed Hulk (2003), The Incredible Hulk seems intent on repairing the damage inflicted by its predecessor.
The Portland Mercury |
Wm. Steven Humphrey |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
'The Happening' is Goofynew
The Happening is being marketed as the first R-rated film from Shyamalan, and it's also widely viewed as Shyamalan's last chance to remind everyone he used to make good movies. It's also so terrible as to be nearly unwatchable.
The Portland Mercury |
Erk Henriksen |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
Islands' Sophomore Album Sounds Like Unificationnew
Arm's Way is Islands' first album as a real, tour-hardened band rather than a loosely organized studio project, and the solidified sextet sounds more comfortable and confident than ever.
The Portland Mercury |
Eric Grandy |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
Animal Farm Won't Be Unknown For Longnew
Diverse beats and easy mic-sharing make for a solid debut on Animal Farm's The Unknown.
The Portland Mercury |
Graham Barey |
06-05-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Mental Health Services Threatened in Portland Areanew
Mental health provider Cascadia is in deep financial trouble, and patients could end up paying the price.
The Portland Mercury |
Matt Davis |
06-05-2008 |
Policy Issues
Meet a Professional Rat Catchernew
Tim TenBrink has run Critter Control in Portland for 10 years. He moved here from Michigan, after deciding he didn't want to teach high school science there any more because the job wasn't as fulfilling as he'd expected. So he got a part-time job in Portland doing pest control, and stayed.
The Portland Mercury |
Matt Davis |
05-29-2008 |
Business & Labor
Benjamin Nugent Takes a Hard Look at the Nerdsnew
Nugent dutifully tracks the origins of both the word and the aesthetic, in a two-part book that first examines the history of the nerd, and then wraps up with a less-interesting series of case studies of nerd subcultures.
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallet |
05-23-2008 |
Nonfiction
Indiana Jones Wants You Damn Kids to Get off His Lawn!new
Harrison Ford is, once again, funny and tough and cool, able to crack a bullwhip and punch out a stooge with the best of 'em. But the film doesn't feel the same. There's CG and sci-fi.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
05-23-2008 |
Reviews
