AltWeeklies Wire
The 2007 'Portland Mercury' Game Awardsnew
Here are our picks for the most notable video games, characters, and creepy Ayn Rand references.
The Portland Mercury |
Earnest "Nex" Cavalli |
12-27-2007 |
Video Games
Tags: video games
Extreme Skiers are So... So... Extreme!new
Steep is one more fawning sports documentary in the vein of Dogtown and Z-Boys, Riding Giants, Step into Liquid, and First Descent, and while it's not nearly as good as any of those, it still has some stuff to recommend.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
12-27-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Mark Obenhaus, Steep
Hatchet: The Bay Area Thrash Boy Bandnew
In San Francisco, the original home of American thrash, a new movement is forming a daisy chain of Levi's-clad warriors and Flying V commandoes, and none of these groups are more poised to break out of the wolf pack than the barely legal act Hatchet.
The Portland Mercury |
Nathan Carson |
12-27-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Hachet
Beyond the Beatles and Black Sabbathnew
A teacher at School of Rock, Ben Barnett incorporates the music of Northwestern bands to expand his students' curriculum.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
12-27-2007 |
Concerts
Wu-Tang Forever and a Day!new
All that stuff about Wu-Tang's genius and influence aside, they are a notoriously dismal live act.
The Portland Mercury |
Chas Bowie |
12-27-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: 8 Diagrams, The Wu-Tang Clan
Things NOT Invited Back to 2008!new
The most annoying annoyances of the past year.
The Portland Mercury |
Staff and Readers |
12-27-2007 |
Commentary
Anti-Gay Activists Seek Injunction in Oregonnew
Less than a week before same-sex couples will be allowed to form domestic partnerships, attorneys for anti-gay activists will be in federal court, asking a judge for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to stop the new law from taking effect.
The Portland Mercury |
Amy J. Ruiz |
12-27-2007 |
LGBT
Tags: gay & lesbian issues
Jonathan Messinger's Cringe-Lit and Morenew
His style in the 15 stories that make up Hiding Out doesn't change much, but each story accomplishes a lingering pang that makes them all feel like individual showcases.
The Portland Mercury |
Kevin Sampsell |
12-20-2007 |
Fiction
Denzel Fires It Up in 'The Great Debaters'new
There's a lot here about institutionalized racism and the ways in which violence and humiliation are systematically employed to keep people afraid, and it's all packaged up in a nice sentimental package, with a few fat-kid-makes-good and pretty-girl-gets-laid subplots for good measure.
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallett |
12-20-2007 |
Reviews
Fun in Nursing Homesnew
The Savages is bleak (though not without a certain dry humor), but it will likely resonate strongly with the boomer crowd, who are starting to deal with these issues themselves.
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallett |
12-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Tamara Jenkins, The Savages
Going to War with Charlie Wilsonnew
Hollywood loves nothing more than a "____ with a heart of gold" story, and the phrase "corrupt congressman" fits that empty spot pretty well.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
12-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Mike Nichols, Charlie Wilson's War
Blitzen Trapper's Sonic Conquestnew
In a year full of Portland bands breaking through to the national level, no one else captured the hearts—and iPod playlists—of rock fans quite like Blitzen Trapper.
The Portland Mercury |
John Motley |
12-20-2007 |
Profiles & Interviews
2007, Five Records at a Timenew
We've asked some of the most valuable folks within Portland's music scene (from performers, to booking agents, to record store owners) to chime in with their picks.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
12-20-2007 |
Music
Up On Santa's Lapnew
I visited four Santas in the Portland area, and "test drove" every single lap. And while it's certainly not a competition, there can only be one "BEST SANTA IN ALL OF PORTLAND" -- so ... uh ... yeah, I guess it is a competition. MAY THE BEST LAP WIN!
The Portland Mercury |
Wm. Steven Humphrey |
12-20-2007 |
Culture
What I Learned at Citizen Police Academynew
On Dec. 4, I finally graduated from the Portland Police Bureau's 11-week Citizen Police Academy. That being said, you're under arrest. Just kidding.
The Portland Mercury |
Matt Davis |
12-14-2007 |
Crime & Justice
Tags: crime & justice
